Rangers' SFA membership rubber-stamped

Rangers have received full membership of the Scottish Football Association, the governing body has confirmed.

The relaunched Ibrox club have obtained the old Rangers' licence to play after the latter headed for liquidation.

Rangers were granted a conditional membership last week which allowed their Ramsdens Cup win at Brechin to go ahead.

Membership was confirmed after Rangers' Scottish Premier League share was given to Dundee.

A statement read: "The Scottish FA can confirm that The Rangers Football Club Ltd have today received confirmation that full membership of the association has been transferred."

The new Rangers, who will begin life in Division Three, needed membership to play any competitive matches and negotiations over inheriting the old club's licence were protracted.

The Ibrox club have agreed to incur punishments handed to the old regime over disrepute charges, including a year-long transfer ban, which will begin on 1 September.

Negotiations over media rights have been settled, with both Sky and ESPN agreeing deals with the SPL that incorporate coverage of Rangers games.

The SPL reserved its position in relation to the on-going investigation into employee benefits trusts and has now appointed an independent commission to rule on the matter.

The Ibrox club's use of the player payment scheme was the subject of a tax tribunal, which has yet to deliver a verdict.