ALLY McCOIST hopes "common sense" prevails and the SPL drop their investigation into alleged dual contracts at Rangers.

The Ibrox club this week won their long-running battle with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs over their use of Employee Benefit Trusts during the Sir David Murray era.

The Gers now have another fight on their hands to protect a number of league and Scottish Cup titles won during the Murray years as the SPL launch their own probe.

McCoist said: "I would be extremely hopeful that common sense would prevail and they would drop it, that would be the ideal situation and we can all start moving forward again. All we want is an opportunity to move forward. Doing that would certainly be closure on that point and we could start again

"I was never going to accept [title stripping]. I still don't and never will, no matter what happens.

"I have to make that crystal clear. There was no proposal that came forward to myself at that time involving potential stripping of titles that I was going to agree too."

Rangers' court victory over the taxman vindicates the club over their financial methods during Murray's reign, but comes as small consolation to the club who have been dragged through the mire in recent months.

In the summer, the SPL rejected Gers' application to rejoin the top flight and McCoist admits he was surprised by the level of animosity shown towards the Irn-Bru Third Division club after they were proved to be in the clear.

He said: "If you go back and look at some of the reports and some of the quotes, some people who should have known better said some things that quite possibly, maybe not, they would regret saying at this moment in time.

"I do feel there was an element within the media and Scottish football fans who prejudged the case.

"All we wanted to do was get a fair trial, which we have done, and it has gone our way. I am not going to look back and say we want apologies for this, that or the next thing. All we want to do is move forward.

"We are delighted with the way the decision went. As a body, I am not sure [the SPL prejudged the case]. But I would have to say some individuals within all bodies, whether it is fanbases or the SPL, prejudged the case, yes."

Meanwhile, three former Ibrox stars were today on the move in loan deals. Full-back Alan Hutton swapped Aston Villa for Nottingham Forest until January 2.

Danny Wilson has been shipped out from Liverpool to Bristol City and Gregg Wylde penned a short-term move from Bolton to Bury.