THE Scottish Football Association’s new chief executive Ian Maxwell has said that he is his own man, and he will be nobody’s puppet during his tenure at the organisation.

Maxwell, former managing director of Partick Thistle, took over the role on Monday, and he was unequivocal as he refuted suggestions he may be beholden to Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell given their history together on the Scottish Professional Football League’s board, and Lawwell's public praise for Maxwell as someone who could shake up the organisation.

Read more: Chris Cadden cheered Scotland on against England last summer - now he is eyeing his international debut​

"I don't think so," Maxwell said, when asked if he will be looked upon suspiciously by Rangers supporters.

“Stewart Robertson at Rangers is absolutely delighted I’ve got the job as well. Whether he chose to be as vocal as Peter about it is down to him.

“But it’s not about Rangers or Celtic. The vast majority of clubs have an idea of who they want in charge. If they think I’m the guy then that’s great.

“Ultimately I’ll be judged on what I do. There will be a bit of, ‘Well, this one said this and that one said that,’ because that’s Scottish football.

“But it’s down to me, when the decisions are made in the coming weeks, months and years that people stand back and say, ‘Well do you know what, I can kind of see why he’s done that. He’s done it for the right reasons,’.

“I have always made decisions at the tight time and for the right reasons. That will never change.

“There will always be people who like the decisions and there will always be people who don’t like them. I have to accept that.

“But it’s about clubs and supporters understanding why those decisions have been made.

“The vast majority of football fans are balanced. It was the same at Thistle. We had tough decisions to make but as long as you try to engage with people and make them understand why you’re making them the vast majority go, ‘I’m maybe not happy about it but I can see why they’ve done it,’.

Read more: Murdo MacLeod: Celtic have managed transfer market better than any club in Britain

“As the governing body that’s as much as we can expect. That people accept why a decision has been made and try to get away from the old school of thought where they say, ‘They’ve done that but what does it really mean?’.”

Maxwell insists that any decisions he makes while heading up the SFA will be taken for the good of the Scottish game as a whole, and that he will not be shy in taking on the big clubs in the country if it is to serve the greater good.

“I said it to Celtic and Rangers when I was on the SPFL board or in Premiership meetings,” he said. “I have never been shy to say what I think. I know that won’t change.

“It’s not as if I felt they had undue influence. They are big clubs. Scottish football is what it is and the likes of Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Hibs and Hearts are all big clubs.

“If the SPFL clubs have an idea of the skillset and abilities they think the chief executive of the SFA should have, and think I’ve got them, I don’t see how that can be a negative.

“I can’t get my head round how that can be a bad thing. It’s got to be a good thing that they know the guy running the association can see it from their point of view.”