Rangers owner Craig Whyte banned from Scottish football for life

Rangers Football Club have been banned from signing players for a year and their owner Craig Whyte has been banned for life from Scottish football, following a hearing into the club's financial affairs.

Administration-hit Rangers have also been fined a total of £160,000 while Whyte has been fined a total of £200,000. The Scottish Football Association (SFA) previously deemed him "unfit to hold an official position" in the game.

The Scottish Football Association said they would issue their reasons "in early course" after which both Whyte and Rangers will have three days to appeal.

The administrators of Rangers have said they are "shocked and dismayed" at the "draconian" ruling and have hit out at the SFA for punishing the club for the actions of the owner. Paul Clarke, joint administrator said:

Rangers received their registration embargo and a £100,000 fine for breaching rule 66: of bringing the game into disrepute.

They received a £50,000 fine for going into administration and a £10,000 fine for failing to "procure" Whyte acted within rules of the game.

They have a year to pay their fines.

Whyte has been told to pay his fines within 30 days, and has been expelled for life from "any participation in Association Football in Scotland."

He told the BBC he "couldn't care less" about the fines imposed on him, and hinted he did not intend to pay up, but that he thought the ruling was very unfair on the club.