British Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday said he wants a positive result to the crisis engulfing Scottish champions Rangers, after the Glasgow club was taken into administration over unpaid tax.
"I want that club to survive and to thrive," Cameron told the BBC on a visit to Scotland. "It has an extraordinary history, it has a very special place in many people's hearts in Scotland and no one wants to see that club disappear.
"So, I hope that HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, the British tax authority) will work as closely as they can with the administrators to try to solve the problems, to try to resolve the issues."
Administrators Duff and Phelps took control of Rangers on Tuesday after the HMRC went to court to seek the Glasgow club's administration over an unpaid bill of £9 million ($14 million) built up since Craig Whyte took control at Ibrox in May.
Rangers are also awaiting the verdict of a tax tribunal which could leave them, according to Whyte, with a bill of up to £75 million.
The administrators were scheduled to meet manager Ally McCoist and players on Thursday before holding a news conference at Ibrox at 3:30 pm local time (1530 GMT).
Duff and Phelps have said there will be "no immediate cuts in the playing staff" but there will be a review of the situation in due course.
Rangers' title hopes were all but ended after the Scottish Premier League docked them 10 points for entering administration, leaving McCoist's men 14 points behind leaders and arch-rivals Celtic, although still in second place.
Wednesday saw Duff and Phelps insist Rangers would continue as a football club.
Joint administrators Paul Clark and David Whitehouse said in a statement: "We can report we have made very good progress within the first 24 hours of being appointed administrators over Rangers Football Club.
"In broad terms, supporters can be reassured that Rangers will continue as a football club and we hope to reach a stage as soon as possible where the club can emerge from administration."
Source: AFP
