Saturday's Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Rangers players, who agreed to major wage cuts to prevent redundancies at the club in administration, will quit Ibrox on free transfers should owner Craig Whyte ever take charge again. (Daily Record/the Sun)

Rangers director Dave King will be blocked from holding an official role at Ibrox in the future because he was part of the club when it entered administration under Craig Whyte and would fail the Scottish Football Association's fit and proper person rule. (Daily Express)

Former First Minister Henry McLeish, who was commissioned by the Scottish Football Association to revue the game in 2009, wants tougher tests introduced to prevent another club being taken over by someone like Rangers owner Craig Whyte. (Daily Record)

Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan says Craig Whyte lied to the governing body in order to formally appoint himself Rangers chairman and insists it was the Ibrox club's responsibility to ensure he was "fit and proper" to hold the position. (the Scotsman)

The Scottish Football Association will pay Dundee United their outstanding share of the Scottish Cup tie against Rangers last month by diverting cash that was due to the Ibrox club from other sources. (the Scotsman)

Newcastle United managing director Derek Llambias reckons the collapse of Rangers should serve as a warning signal to many clubs in British football. (Daily Express)

Aston Villa have become the first Premier League club to try to snap up former Rangers winger Gregg Wylde, who agreed to leave the financially-stricken club this week., and they could soon be joined in the race by Bolton Wanderers. (Bolton News)

Mervan Celik's agent says he has been inundated with enquiries, including three in the winger's native Sweden, for the player who agreed to leave Rangers as the administrator sought to cut costs. (The Herald)

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has written to the Rangers Supporters' Trust backing its efforts to help save his former club. (Daily Record/Daily Express)

Four Scots are in the list of the top 20 best-paid managers - Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson (seventh, £4m per year), Liverpool's Kenny Dalglish (eighth, £4m), Everton's David Moyes (12th, £3m) and Aston Villa's Alex McLeish (20th, £2m) - topped by Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho (£8.4m). (Daily Record)

Aberdeen manager Craig Brown is hoping Henrik Ojamaa does not come back to haunt him in Sunday's Scottish Cup tie against Motherwell after missing out on signing the Estonian striker in January. (Daily Record)

OTHER GOSSIP

Scotland coach Andy Robinson wants referees to closely scrutinise Ireland's use of the infamous "choke" tackle but says his own side will use the innovation in tonight's match between the sides. (the Scotsman)

Andy Murray has insisted he has reached the peak of his maturity and is now ready to become the best tennis player in the world. (Daily Record)