“They’d be Watched Closely” – Rangers Sends a SURPRISING and BOLD WARNING to SFA After Latest Punishment Meted Out on Rangers While Celtic Would Escape Such

Rangers Slam SFA Fine Over John Brown ‘Corruption’ Comment and Demand Greater Consistency

Rangers have strongly criticised the Scottish FA after being handed a £3,000 fine for comments made by former player John Brown during live coverage on the club’s in-house media channel.

The Ibrox club were found in breach of Disciplinary Rule 38 following Brown’s on-air description of a refereeing decision as “corrupt” during commentary of their final Premiership fixture of last season against Hibernian. The incident in question involved a controversial moment where Nicolas Raskin’s effort appeared to cross the line before being cleared by Hibs defender Rocky Bushiri. With no conclusive camera angle, VAR did not intervene and the goal was not awarded. Hibs later equalised in the match.

Reacting to the incident during the live broadcast on Rangers TV, Brown said: “I would say it is corrupt.” Co-commentator Tom Miller attempted to steer him away from the claim, responding: “Well, I’m not sure we can actually say that,” but Brown doubled down: “Well, I am saying it.”

While the SFA’s key match incident panel later ruled the goal should have stood, Rangers have been sanctioned for the nature of Brown’s comments. The club, however, has responded with a scathing statement questioning the proportionality and consistency of the SFA’s disciplinary process.

A Rangers spokesperson said: “We feel it is necessary to highlight the broader concerns this outcome raises and the wider implications this has for clarity and confidence in their regulatory processes.”

The club argued that Brown’s remarks were spontaneous, emotionally driven, and not reflective of official club policy: “John Brown spoke emotionally and spontaneously as someone who cares deeply about the club. His words were not scripted, and they were not an official club comment.”

They also expressed concern that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent: “The ruling sets a precedent where even spontaneous, corrected remarks made during live coverage of a clear refereeing error are enough to trigger a formal sanction. That is neither proportionate nor consistent.”

Rangers further claimed they provided the SFA with numerous examples of similar incidents on other club channels, none of which resulted in disciplinary action. “These incidents raise legitimate questions about Scottish FA rules and how consistently they are enforced. To our knowledge, none of these cases appear to have resulted in charges.”

The club has now demanded clarity from the governing body, indicating they will contact the SFA Chief Executive and President directly: “We shall also be asking the Scottish FA whether they accept that a rule that cannot be applied consistently across all clubs and all platforms risks losing credibility as a fair and enforceable regulation.”

Rangers stressed that their concern is not with defending improper conduct, but ensuring a fair and even-handed approach across Scottish football: “To be clear, we referenced these other examples not to suggest they should have resulted in sanctions, but to highlight the clear inconsistency in how similar incidents have been handled.”

Concluding their statement, the Ibrox side issued a warning: “If this is now the standard, they [the SFA] will be watched closely to ensure it is applied across the board, consistently, without exception and without favour.”

The row reignites debate over the regulation of club media channels, as well as the need for technological improvements such as goal-line technology in Scottish football.