Desperate Sevco officials are trying to oust SFA non-executive director Gary Hughes over a reference to the great unwashed of Ibrox made in a magazine interview 12 years ago.
Last week the current Ibrox club were hit with two Notices of Complaint regarding the 2011 UEFA licence that gave Ally McCoist the opportunity to avoid liquidation for another year.
Hughes has never hidden the fact that he is a Celtic supporter.
In today’s Daily Record Gary Ralston has uncovered an interview that Hughes did with The Publican on 28 August 2006.
Under a feature ‘What I like about Glasgow Pubs’ he explained: “Glaswegians are passionate about sport – actually I mean fitba’!
“The next best thing to being at Celtic Park (only the great unwashed venture South to Ibrox) is watching the game, pint of Tennents in hand along with some like-minded souls.”
It seems that that comment has upset the sensitive souls at Ibrox who have harboured Paul Murray, Andrew Dickson, Dave King and Alastair Johnston on board in recent times.
All four were involved in the 2011 licence application where the company denied having an overdue tax bill of £2.8m owed to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. That bill had accrued from the illegal payments made to Tore Andre Flo and Ronald de Boer which were kept hidden from the football and tax authorities.
No action was ever taken against Rangers (IL) for fielding ineligible players while Peterhead, East Stirling, Spartans and others have been kicked out of the Scottish Cup for registration errors.
Highlighting Hughes’ interview from 12 years ago gives new chief executive Ian Maxwell an inkling of what to expect in the job with May 31 the deadline for his first major decision.
If Maxwell decides to support Sevco’s licence to play in next season’s Europa League qualifiers he’s likely to find UEFA taking a keen interest in the paperwork which could open up the SFA to greater scrutiny.
With debts of over £20m and turnover under £30m Dave King has openly stated that the tribute act will continue to run up losses until they reach the group phase of the Champions League.