The motor firm run by Rangers chairman Douglas Park insists the SPFL owe the club and the rest of Scottish football an apology for their cinch rammy.
Ibrox chiefs are claiming victory in their bitter year-long stand off with the league over its controversial sponsorship agreement with the second-hand car dealership.
The Glasgow giants – who refused to comply with requirements to display cinch branding all last season after claiming it breeched an existing deal the club had with Parks of Hamilton – have now been cut loose of their obligations under a new agreement thrashed out by SPFL chief exec Neil Doncaster.
Rangers will even continue to profit from the tie-up after SPFL sources confirmed to Record Sport they will still receive “every penny” due in prize money and commercial revenue.
But now Park’s company have released a stinging statement blasting the SPFL for forcing them into an arbitration process run by the SFA and accusing the league of dragging their heels as Rangers pressed for a settlement.
Park’ company ended up in court with the SFA after initially being blocked from taking part in that process. When a judge found in the company’s favour, the SFA were forced to foot both parties’ legal bills.
Now the Ibrox chairman’s company are demanding the organisation says sorry.
A spokesperson for Parks of Hamilton Ltd said: “We were not surprised to learn from the media announcement last night that the SPFL have finally acknowledged Rangers legitimately engaged rule i7 in June of last year and thus, vindicated the stance held by the club for over a year.
“It is not for us to speculate as to why the SPFL leadership sought to ignore their own rules for so long.
“The fact that the SPFL prevaricated and continued to stall an arbitration process they themselves initiated in August last year, and which was ruled upon by the court of appeal in October, underlined the weakness of the case they truly had. Were it not for our interim interdict, it is clear their strategy was to try to bully one of their members and shareholders; a strategy which they have employed on numerous occasions.
“Throughout the last year, Park’s have kept their counsel as the SPFL leadership insulted us and misled the SFA, their member clubs, their title sponsor, and various other stakeholders in Scottish football.
“We have a long standing and proud association with Scottish football, and it was entirely wrong that we were compelled to take the SFA to court because the SPFL decided to abuse the SFA’s arbitration process.
“We believe that the SPFL and members of its leadership have brought the game into disrepute and have failed, as have the SPFL as an organisation, to act with the utmost good faith towards their members.
“The SFA must carry out an independent investigation into this issue which has cost all parties involved hundreds of thousands of pounds. Despite being awarded expenses in court, Park’s will not recover all their legal fees nor be compensated for the reputational damage caused by the SPFL.
“Finally, the glaring omission from the SPFL’s statement was an apology. The SPFL leadership owe their members an apology, they owe Park's an apology, they owe the SFA an apology and they also owe an apology to Rangers.
“Unfortunately, they seem to lack any accountability and would rather spend their members money than admit their failures.”
Record Sport had contacted the SPFL for a response.
