PERHAPS there was some glaring injustice at the heart of the whole controversy which has not yet been publicly disclosed.

Maybe the SFA disciplinary hearing that considered the case of the Covid Five – as the Rangers players Calvin Bassey, Dapo Mebude, Brian Kinnear, Nathan Patterson and Bongani Zungu have become known since their breach of lockdown regulations back in February – last month failed to consider all of the relevant facts.

The appeal against the four match bans which were handed out to the quintet could throw up some piece of bombshell information a week tomorrow that leads to the suspensions being overturned or substantially reduced.

But Bassey, Mebude, Kinnear, Patterson and Zungu were issued with Fixed Penalty Notices by Police Scotland in the early hours of a Sunday morning for attending an illegal gathering of 10 people in a flat in Hyndland amid a global pandemic.

So how can they possibly defend their actions or bemoan any sanctions which are taken against them? 

It is very difficult not to conclude the decision to challenge the repercussions the group have suffered is simply a cynical, if streetwise, attempt to have Patterson available to face Celtic in the Scottish Cup last 16 encounter at Ibrox this weekend.

Steven Gerrard is still without his skipper and first choice right back James Tavernier and it is unlikely that, after two months out, the Englishman is going to walk back into the starting line-up for the visit of John Kennedy’s charges if he is passed fit to play.

Leon Balogun, the Nigerian international centre half, has slotted into the specialist position since his skipper has been sidelined and has done well in difficult circumstances. But he is nowhere near as effective, not least going forward, as his young club mate.

In the Old Firm game at Parkhead last month Balogun was removed and replaced by Patterson, who had not been considered fit enough to start due to a knock he had suffered against Slavia Prague a few days earlier, before an hour had elapsed.

Rangers have been savaged for their move and Gerrard – who has stated he is “not too happy” about the bans and suggested that the SFA failed to take “everything into consideration” – severely criticised as well.

But by appealing against the ban handed out to their gifted Scotland Under-21 internationalist, Rangers have ensured, either deliberately or inadvertently, that he will be in the starting line-up for what is one of their most important matches of their season.

If the Premiership winners prevail in the Glasgow derby and progress and Patterson is subsequently ruled out for any cup ties thereafter then Tavernier should be ready to come back in.

Their course of action, then, could be considered smart. If they triumph over their city rivals and go on and complete the double the decision will be completely vindicated.  

It is down to those who oversee the disciplinary process to examine and change how they conduct their affairs going forward if they think the manoeuvre is disingenuous and are concerned that Rangers have manipulated a flawed system.

AND ANOTHER THING

Congratulations to Hearts for clinching the Championship, and promotion back to the Premiership at the first time of asking, with three games to spare at the weekend. It will be nice to have “The Jambos” back where they belong

The relegation of the Tynecastle club last season was, even in the exceptional circumstances amid the escalating coronavirus crisis, a tawdry affair that reflected poorly on many of those who occupy positions of prominence and influence in Scottish football.

Deciding final positions in the league on a points per game basis was the most sensible course of action all things considered. It was certainly preferable to declaring the 2019/20 campaign null and void. That would have been an unmitigated disaster.

Yet, Hearts were just four points adrift of Hamilton at the foot of the table and only six points behind St Mirren and Ross County with eight matches, and 24 points, still up for grabs. They could very easily have survived. 

It was incumbent on those who had consigned them to the second tier to right their wrong and agree to league reconstruction. The SPFL hierarchy attempted on more than one occasion to push that through. Alas, self-interest prevailed. It was a sorry episode which produced a shameful outcome.

Anyway, it will be nice to have Hearts back in the Premiership. Hopefully by the time it restarts the Covid-19 pandemic will have abated to such a degree that a sizeable number of fans are allowed into their Gorgie ground. There isn’t another venue in the country which generates an atmosphere quite like it.

Incredibly, the last time the top flight in Scotland comprised Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee United, Hearts, Hibs and Rangers, the six largest clubs in the country, was way back in the 2011/12 season. Hearts, Hibs, United and Rangers have all spent spells in the lower leagues during the past nine years. However, next term they will all be involved.

Their presence will help generate interest in the game in this country and allow the sport to recover from what has been a hugely challenging and damaging spell.