BILLIONAIRE businessman Mike Ashley is awaiting a civil judge's decision on whether he has to pay the legal bills of the Scottish Football Association and Rangers chairman Dave King.

The Sports Direct supremo abandoned a legal action today in which he wanted to challenge the SFA's decision to class Dave King as a "fit and proper person" for involvement with the 'Gers.

He decided to drop the action after his legal team received information about Mr King's finances which the SFA used in their May 2015 deliberations.

However, judge Lord Bannatyne is considering legal submissions made by lawyers acting for the SFA and Mr King during proceedings at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Thursday.

They argued that the Newcastle United owner is using the legal system to pursue a "vendetta" against Mr King.

Advocate Roddy Dunlop QC for the SFA and Mr King's counsel Kenneth McGuire argue that Mr Ashley's alleged conduct and his decision to drop the proceedings should result in him meeting costs.

Mr Dunlop told the court: "It is my submission that the petitioner in this case is pursuing a personal vendetta against Mr King and that my clients, the respondents, are simply the collateral damage in pursuit of this vendetta."

The case heard in court on Thursday was brought by MASH Holdings Limited. The company is the ownership mechanism in which Mike Ashley holds his Rangers shares in.

Mr Ashley believed that the SFA shouldn't have allowed Mr King to participate in the day to day running of Rangers because of his tax convictions in South Africa.

The businessman admitted to 41 breaches of the South African Income Tax Act and agreed to pay a £43.7 million settlement in 2013 following a legal battle there.

Lord Bannatyne will issue his decision on whether Mr Ashley should pay legal costs in a written judgement which will be issued in the near future. He said: "I am taking this to avisandum."