Rangers would be unimpressed at the Old Firm moving to a two-tier Premier League if they had to start in the second flight, according to club director John McClelland. McClelland said: "It's no secret that some years ago we did express an interest, along with our colleagues at Celtic, in joining the English Premier League.

"That didn't happen but it has come up again from proposals from the south. There has been nothing formal and if there is we will consider it, but we are not holding our breath."

Asked about the implications of having to start in the second tier of a new league, McClelland said: "Those are the considerations that would have to be taken into account by Rangers and Celtic if that proposal did materialise.

"In some ways, it could be a financial benefit. In other ways, there might for example be no European football and that's a pretty important financial benefit for us.

"We have always said that at some point in time we would be interested in playing in the English Premier League but this proposal is something a bit different from that straightforward movement.