Vladimir Romanov hits out at authorities over Rangers punishment

Published on Saturday 18 February 2012 00:00

VLADIMIR ROMANOV has attacked the way Rangers has run its affairs and criticised the Scottish football authorities for failing to impose a tougher punishment.

The Hearts owner, who has been a persistent and outspoken critic of what he sees as the establishment ever since he arrived in Scotland, gave his opinion as his club stand to lose around £800,000 in transfer money still owing from the Lee Wallace move to Rangers. With administration now in place, and Hearts an unsecured creditor, there is very little expectation that Hearts will see more than a small fraction of the money that is still owed to the Tynecastle club.

“The bankruptcy of Rangers shows again how insolently and arrogantly operate the Scottish football mafia,” he blasted.

“They stole taxpayers’ money, violating the rules of honest competition between the clubs. And for that were not even stripped of second place in the league table.

“And it was all happening while they desperately wanted to push Hearts into bankruptcy through the tax authorities and the league. They plotted conspiracies in our club and tried to spread panic.

“But in fact they needed all this just to distract attention from their own dubious activities.”

Hearts have had a number of financial glitches to deal with themselves, ranging from late payment of players’ wages which culminated in the players’ union and the SPL becoming involved, to the shadow of the HMRC which has issued a number of winding-up orders for non-payment which have always been resolved.

Taken from the Scotsman