Rangers could be facing additional sanctions from the Scottish FA following their reaction to a £3,000 fine imposed for comments made by John Brown on RangersTV.
Brown accused Scottish football of being “corrupt” after Nicolas Raskin was controversially denied a goal in the 2-2 draw against Hibernian on the final day of the Premiership season. The SFA responded by issuing a Notice of Complaint against the former Rangers defender for his remarks during the club’s in-house commentary.
In the aftermath, Rangers demanded the implementation of goal-line technology in response to the disallowed goal, and released a strongly worded statement criticising the SFA—a move that has caught the attention of many.
Former Premier League and FIFA referee Keith Hackett has weighed in, advising that Rangers should seek legal counsel if they believe the punishment or disciplinary process lacks transparency.
“Clearly, one of Scotland’s oldest and most historic clubs has lost faith in the disciplinary system,” Hackett told Ibrox News. “The SFA may decide to examine Rangers’ statement and consider issuing further penalties. If Rangers feel this process is flawed, they should quietly appoint an independent legal expert to investigate the fairness, independence, and consistency of the procedures.”
He added, “What really needs to stop is the public back-and-forth through the media. Clubs need to trust in the process and the governing body. Both sides should meet and find a way forward.”
Rangers’ defence of Brown’s remarks—framing them as “informal, emotional, and tongue-in-cheek” commentary—hasn’t gone down well with everyone. Even fellow commentator Tom Miller acknowledged that Brown’s comments likely crossed a line.
Critics argue that Rangers are fuelling unnecessary conflict with the SFA. While the club claims to be reacting to inconsistent officiating, many believe the reaction has been overly confrontational.
Accusations of corruption over refereeing errors, which are common across all teams and generally stem from human error rather than bias, do little to help matters. Rangers’ latest statement suggests they understand the power of words—so critics say it’s time for the club to stop pandering to those who see conspiracy in every mistake.
In the end, rebuilding trust with the Scottish FA and focusing on professional channels may be the only way for Rangers to bring about meaningful change in how the game is officiated and governed.
