SPFL expects Rangers to seek Ibrox fixture 'flexibility'

The problem has emerged during work on the Copland Stand (right)

The Scottish Professional Football League expects Rangers to ask the parent body and other clubs for "flexibility" over the "difficult situation" caused by a delay to building works at Ibrox Stadium.

Rangers last week said "there will be an impact on matches at Ibrox" at the start of the season after "a delay in a materials shipment from Asia" affected work on the Copland Stand.

It is unclear whether that could mean the use of a temporary alternative venue for the Glasgow side's home games, a request for venue date swaps with Premiership opponents, or match postponements.

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster told BBC Radio Scotland that "these issues have emerged fairly late in the day" and came too late to be taken into account in Thursday's publication of the Premiership fixture list for the coming season.

"Now that the fixtures are out, we’ll be working with Rangers and will no doubt be talking with teams they are scheduled to play at home against and let’s see what emerges," he said.

"We will certainly do what we can to be as helpful as we can whilst trying to be as fair as we can to all parties."

Rangers visit Heart of Midlothian in the season's opening Premiership fixture on Saturday, 3 August, with their first home game scheduled for a week later against Motherwell.

Philippe Clement's side are also due to host Ross County on 24 August, while they are involved in the Champions League third qualifying round on 6/7 and 13 August, with a potential play-off round tie later in the month.

The SPFL remains in discussions with Rangers about their August fixtures and Doncaster stated: "I fully understand how these projects don’t always go to plans.

"We’ll be liaising as closely as we can with Rangers and trying to do our best to assist in what clearly is a difficult situation they find themselves in."

The Ibrox club has yet to tell the SPFL how they wish to progress, although it would appear that a request for match postponements is the least likely scenario.

"Rangers will have a better handle on what sort of delay they are looking at and we’ll certainly do our best to respond positively to what they request," Doncaster added.

"Ultimately these are works at Ibrox. They will be in the best position to judge what flexibility they need and no doubt will be asking us and other clubs as well for flexibility."