Rangers newco owners deny season ticket cash has been taken from accounts

Rangers: Sevco claimed no season ticket direct debits had been processed yet.SNS Group

Rangers newco owners claim that season ticket direct debit payments have not been taken from fans.

Sevco Scotland Ltd said in a statement that no money had been taken from those who had previously paid for Ibrox season tickets by direct debit last year.

Renewal forms for season tickets were sent out last month, while Sevco chief executive Charles Green confirmed the deadline for renewals had been extended until July 11.

Fans who had tried to cancel their payments, which were automatically reprocessed when the renewals were sent out, have claimed they have been unable to do so, despite contacting Rangers and their banks.

On Friday, the club released a statement on its website saying there were "new arrangements" for the collection of around 30,000 season tickets that were paid by direct debit last year.

It continued: "All season tickets which were paid by direct debit last year were automatically lodged again as they are held in one batch. This does not take payment and merely sets up the instruction for the full batch.

"As season holders have advised us that they wish to cancel their direct debit, their seat is cancelled in our ticketing system and when the payment instruction runs to take payment, all those who have advised the club of their wish to cancel will be excluded from the payment run."

The statement added: "Whilst we appreciate that this is far from an ideal situation, we hope that all our season ticket holders recognise that the current transition period is challenging operationally and would ask for your continued patience."

The Sevco Scotland statement said that the first payment for season ticket renewals would be taken on July 6.

Previously, the owners of Rangers newco confirmed that season ticket renewal cash would be deposited and held by Rangers FC plc, which is the soon-to-be-liquidated oldco. They said the money would eventually be transferred to the new business entity that holds the assets of the club, including Ibrox and Murray Park training ground.

The club also confirmed the assets had been sold to the original newco, Sevco 5088 Ltd, before they were transferred to the second Scottish one, to ensure "the club's corporate entity would be a Scottish registered company as it has always been".

On Thursday, Sevco Scotland chairman Malcolm Murray said that "all the assets commonly associated with the football club" were held by Sevco Scotland, while he claimed in a lengthy statement: "The club has new banking facilities in place and, as stated a number of times previously, all season ticket money will only be used for the benefit of the club and its operations."

He added: "Rangers has a loyal and extensive season ticket holder base and we would urge all fans to renew their books. In this aspect, the ownership of the club is irrelevant. Season ticket sales are the largest single source of income for the club and only the club and the team will suffer if it is withheld. The money does not go to Charles Green, Malcolm Murray or any investor - it goes to Rangers."

Last season the Ibrox club sold around 37,900 season tickets, according to administrators Duff and Phelps.

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