THE SFA will defend its decision to pass Dave King, the Rangers chairman, as a fit and proper person after being taken to court by Mike Ashley, the major Ibrox shareholder.

King, who took control of Rangers at an EGM he requisitioned back in March, was cleared to take up a place on the Ibrox board by Scottish football's governing body on May 19.

He had to be ratified by Hampden due to his tax convictions in South Africa and the fact he was a director of the oldco before it was put into administration and liquidation in 2012.

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

The SFA consulted with the South African Revenue Service and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs as well as police in South Africa and Scotland before allowing King to become chairman.

Senior officials, who sought expert legal advice in both Scotland and South Africa during the painstaking process, are confident a judicial review will rule they acted appropriately.

However, they are concerned about the amount it will cost – they will need to spend in the region of £50,000. One source said: “That is money which will be lost to Scottish football.”

The first hearing is scheduled for the Court of Session in Edinburgh on December 11. A judge will assess if the correct procedures were followed.

If Ashley’s court action is successful, it could ultimately result in the fit and proper person ruling on King being overturned.

An SFA statement read: “We are in receipt of proceedings from Mike Ashley. It is in the hands of our lawyers. We aren’t going to comment on it until such a time as the matter has been dealt with by our advisors.”

After being passed as “fit and proper” by the SFA earlier this year, King released a statement which read: “I must be the most scrutinised candidate in Scottish football history.

“But I was happy to accept this given the importance to the club of having a board fully comprised of individuals who are all approved by the Scottish FA.”