Rangers fans want to start in Third Division

SCOTTISH Football League chief executive David Longmuir hopes to see a resolution to the problem of Rangers newco “for the better” of the game.

The relaunched Govan club will discover at the end of the week whether they will be playing in the First Division or Third Division next season.

The vast majority of Ibrox fans favour a fresh start in the bottom tier after last week’s failed bid to remain in the Scottish Premier League.

Longmuir expects to meet with Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan and Scottish Premier League chief executive Neil Doncaster over the next few days.

That will be before the decision about Rangers newco is taken by the SPL board on behalf of its members, who would then look forward to a package of reforms which are likely to include the re-introduction of play-offs and changes to the distribution of finances and votes.

Longmuir said: “Friday is a very important day for Scottish football – I will let others judge just how important.

“I expect to have meetings with the SFA and the SPL.

“We hope to achieve an agreement which will be for the betterment of the game in Scotland.”