April 6 – After sinking to the depths of despair as a result of years of financial mismanagement, Glasgow Rangers, one of the iconic names in British football, have regained their top-flight Scottish league status amid scenes of unbridled celebration.
Tuesday’s win over Dumbarton sealed the Scottish Championship title with four games to spare and brought to an end a four-year struggle from the bottom division to the Scottish Premiership for the 54-time domestic champions.
With the club mired in debt Rangers entered administration and then liquidation in 2012 under the ownership of Craig Whyte, who has since faced criminal charges. Forced to re-enter the Scottish professional football pyramid in the bottom tier, the club quickly climbed back through the ranks buoyed by their renowned support, particularly in recent months with the removal of the controlling influence of Mike Ashley and Sports Direct over the club.
With finances still fragile, Rangers’ initial task will be to cement their Scottish Premier League position though challenging ‘Old Firm’ rivals Celtic for the Premiership title will be the ultimate ambition. A true test of how far they have come arrives on April 17 when they face Celtic in a Scottish Cup semi-final.
Mark Warburton, the first Englishman to manage Rangers in the club’s 144-year history who led them to promotion in his first season in charge, said: “I am delighted for the fans for what they have been through. It’s great for the players and the club to get back in the top tier.”
“I’ve been here 10 months, I can’t pretend to know… the suffering the fans have been through. What they have to realise is that we can’t stop moving forward. If we do that we’re finished.”
It is not just Rangers fans who are breathing a sigh of relief. Scottish Premier League teams generally are welcoming the financial knock-on effect of Rangers’ return.
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