Ashley Charges Add To Rangers Woes

Photo by Jeff Holmes Rangers face increasing uncertainty in the coming weeks after being hit with several Scottish Football Association charges in the aftermath of manager Ally McCoist handing in his notice. The club's ongoing lurch from crisis to crisis was typified on Monday in a day that began with a statement to the stock exchange confirming McCoist had triggered a 12-month notice period and ended with the SFA delivering its notices of complaint. Both Rangers and shareholder Mike Ashley face charges relating to the Newcastle owner's dual interests. Ashley is understood to have signed an agreement with the SFA, back when the club's membership transferred to Charles Green's consortium in July 2012, which limited his influence at Ibrox while he remained in control of Newcastle. He is still under the 10 per cent shareholding limit imposed but his close associate, former Newcastle managing director Derek Llambias, was appointed to the Rangers board last month just after Ashley increased his stake to almost nine per cent and handed the club a loan now worth £3million. Both the club and Ashley have been charged with breaching a rule that forbids influence at two clubs and also with acting against the best interests of football. Rangers have also been accused of breaking another rule which compels clubs to act in "the utmost good faith". The club and Ashley face a disciplinary hearing on January 27, days before their League Cup semi-final against Celtic, by which time McCoist looks set to have left - if they can afford to pay him off. Rangers recently announced annual losses of £8.3million and admitted they needed to find a similar amount in the coming year to continue meeting their obligations - with money needed quickly. The board announced that they would seek an "amicable solution" to McCoist's future but imminent talks are likely to be frosty after it was revealed that the manager's salary had reverted to £750,000 as a condition of his resignation. The chaos forms the backdrop to what looks set to be another stormy annual general meeting at Ibrox on Monday.