Rangers vice-chairman John McClelland insists the Old Firm are happy to stay in the Scottish Premier League. Celtic and Rangers vetoed the SPL TV channel on Monday to leave the rest of the top flight clubs facing an uncertain financial future.
But McClelland maintains the decision was not based upon leaving Scotland for the English leagues, nor to create their own television channel. McClelland told BBC Radio 5 Live: "We have no plans to go anywhere else. We have been working with the Scottish Premier League and the other clubs for some months now."
"We progressed on the content and distribution side but we didn't feel comfortable with the business plan at this stage," McClelland added. "There has been much speculation about joining England but there are no plans to do that. It is fair to say that both Rangers and Celtic, at any time, would welcome the additional income from playing in a different structure. But, on the other hand, it is not something we would anticipate happening. We are happy playing in the Scottish Premier League at this time and for the foreseeable future."
But McClelland also claimed he could not rule anything out in football and business. McClelland continued: "The decision earlier this week was not connected with any prospect of playing in England at any time. It was just a straightforward decision not to vote in favour of a business plan that we didn't feel addressed or provided the right financial safeguards or safeguards of media rights."
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
