The Scottish football season kicks off this afternoon with club administrators, players and fans still wondering what could happen to their game in future.
Once-mighty Rangers will not be on the Scottish Premier League fixtures list this year as they will have to start life again from the lower ranks of the country’s football ladder following a financial collapse that sent the club into administration.
Scottish Football League chief executive David Longmuir said: “The member clubs voted to willingly accept The Rangers Football Club as an associate member of the Scottish Football League.
“The Scottish Football League’s only acceptable position will be to place Rangers FC into the Third Division from the start of this season − the vote at least showed that the Football League have been willing to give Rangers a lifeline.
“The Scottish Football League have been entirely consistent with their willingness to work with other bodies to ensure that the game will continue despite all the mayhem caused lately.”
All clubs in the Scottish Premier League voted against Rangers when a ruling was needed to decide where the Ibrox club will start from this season.
As things developed, the Scottish Football League vote ensures that this competition would be the only one in the world where its fourth tier would boast a club of Rangers’ calibre with a UEFA five-star stadium to play at.
Rangers’ financial woes also included the non-payment of salaries and taxes and that cost them dearly as they were barred from European football despite finishing runners-up to Celtic in the SPL last season.
Without Rangers and the huge following this club enjoys, Premier League clubs are in to face a shortfall of revenue and that brings huge uncertainty to most of the teams in the top flight, including Celtic who benefited most from Old Firm derbies that attract worldwide TV audience.
Dundee... Club 12
Dundee have taken Rangers’ place in the SPL. The decision was taken at an annual meeting which meant Dunfermline Athletic’s hopes of a reprieve from relegation were dashed.
At first, the 2012-13 SPL fixtures had left space for a “Club 12” as Rangers continued to battle for their survival but in the end the slot was filled by Dundee, the Division One runners-up who experienced similar financial troubles a couple of years ago and went into administration.
Dunfermline threatened to take their case to the High Court but they were convinced to withdraw from their position not to complicate matters longer and for the season to get underway without more hitches.
Airdrie United, runners-up in the end-of-season play-offs, replaced Dundee in the First Division while Stranraer, who lost out in the Division Two play-offs final, will fill in for Airdrie.
Dundee start their assignment in the SPL this afternoon when they play Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
Champions Celtic host Aberdeen, Hearts play at home to St Johnstone while newly-promoted Ross County welcome Motherwell.
Tomorrow’s live match will be the clash at Tannadice between Dundee United and Hibernian.
At the start of January, there will be a winter break in the SPL until January 19, the effect of which will create more midweek matches.
The Premier League will split into two sections of six after three rounds of matches, with teams playing their 34th league game of the season on April 20.
The season wraps up on the weekend of May 18 and 19, with the bottom-six games on the Saturday and the top-six fixtures on the Sunday.
Fixtures
Playing today - 16.00
Celtic vs Aberdeen - 13.45
Hearts vs St Johnstone
Kilmarnock vs Dundee
Ross County vs Motherwell
St Mirren vs Inverness
Tomorrow - 14.00
Dundee Utd vs Hibernian