Rangers manager Ally McCoist has condemned as "disgusting" threats made to the Scottish Football Association (SFA) judicial panel who imposed a 12-month transfer embargo upon the Glasgow giants.
The financial crisis engulfing the 140-year-old Scottish football institution took a sinister twist Wednesday when the SFA revealed police had given security advice to the three-member panel after their names were published online and threats made against them.
Police also gave similar advice to SFA directors.
News of the police intervention came just a day after an angry McCoist, a former Rangers and Scotland striker, had called for the panel's identities to be made public, saying their actions could "kill" the club.
"Who are these people? I want to know who these people are," he told Rangers TV. "Make no mistake about it, this is an SFA decision.
"In terms of our supporters, again they have received another kicking and we just feel it's time to start fighting back."
But McCoist insisted Thursday his remarks should not have been interpreted as a "signal to engage in any form of threatening behaviour".
McCoist said: "I would like to make quite clear my position in relation to the decision by the SFA's judicial panel, which earlier this week imposed sanctions against Rangers which have far-reaching consequences for our club and Scottish football.
"When I called for full transparency on Tuesday, I took the view that the decision by the judicial panel should be subject to proper scrutiny.
"It is unthinkable in any walk of life that such a significant punishment would be meted out without full transparency.
"That said, I would not for one moment want anyone to interpret my remarks as a signal to engage in any form of threatening behaviour.
"Such activity disgusts me and anyone who engages in it does Rangers Football Club nothing but harm.
"No Rangers supporter should get themselves involved in it -- not now, nor at any time.
Rangers went into administration two months ago, prompting a raft of drastic measures including players agreeing to wage cuts of up to 75 per cent to avoid redundancies.
The SFA hit Rangers with a £160,000 ($260,000, 195,000 euro) fine and a 12-month transfer embargo on Monday after finding the club guilty of several financial offences.
They also issued a lifetime ban to Rangers owner Craig Whyte from any future involvement in Scottish football.
McCoist added Thursday: "Rangers Football Club was a victim of what happened during the tenure of Craig Whyte.
"The club was not an accomplice, a co-conspirator nor a perpetrator of wrongdoing.
"We suffered from it and still are. I hope that our appeal can be dealt with by the SFA as quickly as possible as the situation for the club and the possible ramifications for Scottish football are very serious."
Rangers' administrators Duff and Phelps said the punishment could hinder attempts to sell the club and called for an immediate appeal hearing.
According to a Duff and Phelps report released earlier this month, Rangers' total debt could amount to £134 million, with the club awaiting the outcome of a tax tribunal case that could cost them £75 million.
Entering administration meant Rangers were docked 10 points -- a move that effectively conceded the Scottish Premier League (SPL) title they held at the start of the season to arch rivals Celtic, recently crowned champions.
Source: AFP
