It has to be acknowledged that the choices to exclude the new entrant from the SPL and to place it in SFL 3 were the only ones that could leave the Scottish game with its honour intact. The representatives who voted for that outcome are due our thanks. They did not choose the easy path but they made the correct one. And they did it in the knowledge that their clubs would pay a financial penalty.
The penalty on clubs’ future income is as yet unknown and the chairmen have, in effect, taken a high risk gamble. They made their decisions based on adherence to sporting principles and in the knowledge that the overwhelming majority of their supporters took the same view. They are entitled to expect those fans to stand by their clubs.
Motherwell’s ‘Steelmen Forever’ campaign will be a template for other to follow. Whether your colours are claret and amber, black and white, red, tangerine or whatever, you can expect to be invited to help ease your club’s finances.
Many will not believe that the new Rangers will kick a ball in Division 3 until they see it happen but for the moment the decision is made. This might be the chance to give our game the new start that so many have wanted for years.