Friday's Scottish gossip
Last updated on .From the section Football
FOOTBALL GOSSIP
Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan and Scottish Premier League counterpart Neil Doncaster will face calls to resign because of their handling of the crisis facing the game following Rangers' plunge into liquidation.
The new Rangers are two votes away from being thrown into the Third Division, with 14 Scottish Football League clubs definitely against them being admitted to Division One, only three saying yes and 13 yet to go public.
The Scottish Premier League could introduce a second tier to accommodate the new Rangers should today's vote go against the club's introduction to Division One of the Scottish Football League.
Greek champions Olympiacos have entered the race to sign Rangers defender Carlos Bocanegra.
Dorin Goian's agent has assured Rangers manager Ally McCoist the Romania defender will honour his contract no matter which league they are playing in.
Scotland goalkeeper Allan McGregor will be heading for a club £175m in debt and desperate to offload players to cut costs if he joins Turkish outfit Besiktas.
St Johnstone manager Steve Lomas says voting Rangers into Division One, and preserving television contract money, could allow him to add a new signing before today's Europa League deadline.
Cardiff City are in pole position to land Osaka's South Korea international, Kim Bo Kyung, ahead of Celtic because the Scottish champions' main target is Rosenborg's Markus Henricksen.
Celtic are to begin talks with striker Anthony Stokes about extending his contract.
Kilmarnock have allowed Dieter Van Tornhout to quit the club - he is on trial with Maastricht - as the striker wants a move back to Belgium to be closer to his father, who is seriously ill.
Kilmarnock are hopeful of securing a deal for former Livingston striker Rory Boulding within the next 24 hours after the 23-year-old impressed on trial.
Ross County will make a decision on whether to sign Jon Bateson, the defender released by League Two outfit Macclesfield, after the trialist plays against Clachnacuddin tomorrow.
Former Rangers and Scotland manager Alex McLeish is one of the leading contenders to take over as Nottingham Forest manager after the sacking of Steve Cotteril and his own exit from Aston Villa.
Former Hibernian defender Ian Murray is hoping to be offered a contract by Tampa Bay Rowdies after a trial with the Florida club, who play in the second tier in the United States.
Former Rangers and Scotland striker Kris Boyd has vowed to stay at Portland Timbers "until told otherwise" despite the sacking of countryman John Spencer as head coach.
Leigh Griffiths will jump at the chance to rejoin Hibernian after Wolves said they would listen to offers for the striker who spent last season on loan at Easter Road.
Dunfermline Athletic have handed a trial to former Hibernian and Motherwell goalkeeper Graeme Smith.
OTHER GOSSIP
Elena Balacha will partner Anne Keothavong in the doubles at the Olympics after the pair already due to play singles were handed a wildcard after an injury to Monica Niculescu forced the Romanian to withdraw along with partner Irina-Camelia Begu.
