Rangers ousted from SPL

Ally McCoist claims he might have a better chance of relaunching Rangers if they are placed in the Irn-Bru Third Division.

But the Ibrox manager explicitly stated he did not want to play in the bottom tier, although he would "accept the punishment".

He did, however, stress that Rangers fans are hugely in favour of the Third Division option and that Scottish Premier League clubs had listened to their supporters in rejecting the newco club's top-flight application.

Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan has warned there would be "social unrest" if Rangers are 'ousted from SPL'.

Quoted in the Daily Telegraph, he said: "Without Rangers there is social unrest - there is a big problem for Scottish society."

Newco Rangers chief executive Charles Green has vowed that the club will play in whichever division the Scottish Football League deem fit.

Clydesdale Bank Premier League clubs have voted to reject the newco Rangers application with the SPL announcing the news in a brief statement after more than five hours of talks at Hampden today.

Rival teams have barred Rangers from playing in the Scottish Premier League (SPL) next season following the Glasgow club's financial crisis.

It is not clear where Rangers, Scottish champions a record 54 times, will play next season.

An SPL statement: "At today's General Meeting, SPL clubs today voted overwhelmingly to reject the application from Rangers newco to join the SPL."

Most of the clubs in the Scottish Premier League (SPL) are expected to vote against the admission of newco Rangers to the top flight of Scottish football when they meet at 10am today. This is how the vote is expected to be split:

• Yes votes: Rangers
• No votes: Dundee United, Hearts, Hibernian, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Aberdeen, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Motherwell
• Unknown: Celtic, Kilmarnock, Ross County

Some of the clubs have cited concerns about preserving the integrity of the SPL, and of the need to send a clear message that the way the Rangers FC has been run in the past is unacceptable. Read what the clubs have said in their own words here.

The 12 Scottish Premier League (SPL) clubs will meet today to decide on the future of The Rangers FC in the League.

Rangers remains in administration ahead of liquidation, but SPL clubs will be deciding whether to admit a new company (newco) that will eventually trade as Rangers.

In a bid to make the club financially viable, the club's assets have been split from its debts with the debts remaining with the old company.

The newco requires a majority of eight votes in order to be admitted to the SPL. The majority of clubs have already said they will oppose this.