THE Scottish Premier League has been urged to suspend its investigation into Rangers until the club has emerged from administration.

Fans group, The Rangers Supporters' Trust, has written to the SPL and requested a meeting with chief executive Neil Doncaster over the probe into allegations players received payments which were not disclosed to the governing body.

The club's administrators, Duff & Phelps, have been contacted by SPL solicitors, Harper Macleod, and been asked to provide documentation relating to player contracts and payments dating back to the formation of the league in 1998.

The Trust has also alleged a potential conflict of interest in the use of Harper Macleod, given that the firm also represents other SPL clubs.

Harper Macleod are Celtic's solicitors and acted for Dundee United against a Rangers supporters' club in a recent dispute over tickets for a re-arranged fixture at Tannadice. But Harper Macleod have also been the SPL's solicitors for several years.

"Proceeding with this investigation while the club is not adequately equipped to defend itself will turn this whole process into a 'kangaroo court'," said Trust chairman Gordon Dinnie in a statement last night.

"Duff & Phelps' main role is to ensure the club is managed through administration and comes out the other end a viable trading business, not contesting cases with the SPL.

"That's why the SPL should take the fairest course of action and delay this action until the club is in a position to defend itself properly.

"These allegations need to be investigated fairly and transparently, but how can the club be expected to mount a robust case when it has no proper executive leadership and there is just enough money to see out the season?

"The football authorities should be giving Rangers the time and space to recover from their current predicament rather than engaging in a short-term witch-hunt at the whim of any individual.

"Also, there is a major concern as to the impartiality and potential conflict of interests in the selection of Harper Macleod as the solicitors to investigate the spurious claims being made against our club.

"It would appear that Harper Macleod act as solicitors of those who would benefit from any punishment meted out to our club.

"We are sure most impartial people would agree with us that this, on the face of it, is an unacceptable conflict of interest and, for this reason, we reiterate our call for the SPL to rethink this decision and delay any investigation.

"We are not looking for special treatment, just fair play."