Dundee United manager Peter Houston says he would be left with almost no budget for next season if Rangers are ejected from the SPL.
After watching his side secure European football next season with a 1-0 win over Celtic on Sunday, he gave an insight into the financial pressures facing clubs as Scottish football continues to consider how to handle Rangers’ financial crisis.
Houston has another rebuilding job on his hands during the close season, and said that task would be almost impossible if crisis-hit Rangers are no longer in the SPL.
It has been estimated that every club in the top tier would lose £600,000 from their budgets if the Ibrox side are expelled from the league.
Houston said: ”Personally, I think we need to keep Rangers in the SPL. I know that fans will be upset with that. But me being at the sharp end knowing what’s going on with regards to budgets and what it could do to the SPL and Scottish football, we need Rangers.
”I have said all along that we need a strong Celtic and Rangers. Supporters may disagree with me but if you cut £600,000 off my budget I would hardly have anything left.
”I am just being honest. I totally agree that Rangers have to be punished. But what that should be, I don’t know.”
Before Sunday’s match, United chairman Stephen Thompson admitted that there is dilemma facing the SPL board over what to do with a ‘newco’ Rangers, if such a situation arises.
Thompson is part of the league’s board that will vote on preferred bidder Bill Miller’s proposal for Rangers to retain its place in Scotland’s top tier, and told BBC Scotland: “This season we got £1.4m from the SPL. If we only get £200,000 to £300,000, then how do we fill the £1m?
“But fans are talking about boycotts. It’s a lose-lose situation.”
Illustrating the dilemma facing Thompson and others in the Scottish game, BBC Scotland also heard from United fans at the ground who said they were holding off deciding on season tickets for next season until they find out what punishment Rangers will face.
Some fans are pledging to walk away from Scottish football altogether if, as they see it, financial considerations are given precedence over sporting integrity.