Rangers fan fury at SPL fixture shambles

RANGERS fans chief Jim Templeton today reacted with fury as the SPL unveiled the fixtures for the new 2008/2009 season.

By Darrell King and Matthew Lindsay

RANGERS fans chief Jim Templeton today reacted with fury as the SPL unveiled the fixtures for the new 2008/2009 season.

He branded the governing body a "complete shambles" after they handed the Ibrox side three away games out of four in the first month of the season - including trips to Pittodrie and Parkhead on either side of a potential £10m Champions League qualification decider on August 27.

At the weekend, SPL chief Iain Blair revealed that Canadian company Optimal Planning Solutions had been brought in at major cost to produce the schedule after last season's fixture chaos.

But Templeton - who couldn't believe the Ibrox side are being sent to Inverness on January 3 - believes that Rangers fans will see it as yet another botched job by the governing body they vented their fury at last term.

The Ibrox side will play the curtain raiser at Falkirk on August 9, 24 hours before champions Celtic unfurl the flag against St Mirren at Parkhead.

The first Old Firm clash of the season is one of the earliest ever - at Parkhead on Saturday, August 30.

And Templeton raged: "The SPL were bragging about the new fixture list being outsourced to a new company. It has cost them a fortune - and then it comes up with something like this. It's yet another nightmare from them.

"They also said it would be alternate home and away games, yet Rangers have three out of the first four matches away - clearly it's handing an advantage to one team.

"It comes as no real surprise really when you see what they did at the end of last season to Rangers.

"Where is the sense in sending us to Aberdeen before what could possibly be a massive European game, and then having to play Celtic on the Saturday lunchtime after that - what are they thinking about?

"If they can make sure there are no Old Firm games after Scotland games, then surely they can sort it out that there is no Old Firm match after a Champions League qualifier.

"The SPL were the first ones trumpeting the league when Rangers reached the Uefa Cup Final last season. They did nothing to help us try and win that, and they are doing nothing again to help a team trying to get into the Champions League."

After the first early Old Firm game of the season at the end of August, the other Glasgow derbies before the league split have been scheduled for December 27 at Ibrox and February 14 at Parkhead.

SPL new boys Hamilton Accies will play their first match back in the top flight in two decades against Dundee United on Monday, August 11 at New Douglas Park, while Motherwell are away to Hearts.

Accies travel to Parkhead on October 4, before hosting Rangers three weeks later.

Partick Thistle will open up their Irn-Bru First Division campaign with a tough home game against Dunfermline on Saturday August 2.

The visit of the Pars will be Jags second consecutive Firhill run out after they raise the curtain on the new season a week earlier against Queen's Park in the Challenge Cup.

Elsewhere in Division One survival specialists Clyde will host Morton as the two clubs renew last season's relegation rivalry at Broadwood and newly promoted Airdrie travel to Scottish Cup finalists Queen of the South.

In the Irn-Bru Second Division Queen's Park will host promoted Stranraer at Hampden as the Spiders bid to kick-off their Division Two campaign with a second consecutive opening day win.

Meanwhile in the Irn-Bru Division Three ambitious Dumbarton will entertain Montrose at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium and Albion Rovers will meet last season's bottom dogs Forfar at Cliftonhill.