Scottish FA summon Ashley over Newcastle and Rangers holdings
NEWCASTLE United owner Mike Ashley has been accused of breaking Scottish Football Association rules preventing influence over more than one club in relation to his shareholding in Rangers.
The Scottish FA has also accused Sports Direct tycoon Ashley, who has an estimated personal fortune of around £4bn, of not acting in the best interests of football.
Rangers, who are second in the Scottish Championship, have also been accused of the same rule breaches. Both parties have been summoned to a 27 January hearing.
The charges came hours after the club confirmed manager Ally McCoist had resigned but in doing so achieved a 50 per cent rise in salary to £750,000 due to the terms of his 12-month notice period.
Ashley raised his stake in the 54-time Scottish champions to 8.92 per cent in October, but has an agreement with the Scottish FA not to take his shareholding past the 10 per cent mark.
The Scottish FA rule in question
Nobody “who: (i) is a member of a club; or (ii) is involved in any capacity whatsoever in the management or administration of a club, or (iii) has any power whatsoever to influence the management or administration or a club, may at the same time either directly or indirectly:- (a) be a member of another club; or (b) be involved in any capacity whatsoever in the management or administration of another club; or (c) have any power whatsoever to influence the management or administration of another club.”