It can hardly be right for Motherwell supporters to take pleasure at the stumbling of any football club given the events at Fir Park ten years ago but the repercussions of this move will affect every club in the SPL - and beyond.
John Boyle breaks the news in April 2002
That Rangers will face an immediate ten point penalty if the final steps to administration are taken is not in doubt but what follows that is not so clear. It is unlikely that they will receive the SFA licence for participation in next season’s European competition unless they managed to secure an agreement with creditors in double quick time. And even if they did, what would then happen if the tax case (reportedly in the region of £50m) goes against them?
If the present Rangers folded and were reincarnated as a different entity the SFA and the SPL have a major headache and there will be much debate before the situation is clarified. Arguably the gap in the SPL should be filled either by abandoning relegation or promoting the runner-up in the First Division with everyone else moving up accordingly. New Rangers would instead have to compete with the likes of Gala Fairydean to take up the empty spot in the SFL Third Division.
Nevin on his way out
Motherwell is the club best placed to take advantage of the points deduction. At the moment we are 19 points behind which could become nine and then six if we won our game in hand. Goal difference means this would effectively be 6.5 they would still be clear favourites to hold on to the runners-up spot.
If we finish third and they are barred from Europe then the Champions League spot would see us in the third qualifying round. Significantly, the losers from that round go into the Europa League play-offs so we would be guaranteed two ties from our Euro campaign - winning either would bring us milk and honey. Exciting times ahead!