Rangers chief pushes VAR investment as clubs align

Rangers chief executive Jim Gillespie says Scottish Premiership clubs want VAR improved, not scrapped, after a season of controversial decisions and referee apologies. Gillespie says Rangers would raise its annual contribution to VAR and urges the Scottish FA

When Rangers met fellow Scottish Premiership clubs, the mood wasn’t about scrapping VAR. It was about fixing it.

Rangers chief executive Jim Gillespie—who recently joined the club from St Mirren—said the closing weeks of a campaign packed with controversy have left Premiership sides sharing the same instinct: improve the system rather than abolish it. VAR. first introduced to the Scottish top flight in October 2022. has only sharpened debate around big calls. with many fans now calling for it to be removed after a run of disputed moments.

In recent weeks, the Key Match Incidents panel has often found that decisions ultimately got things wrong. At the same time, head of referees Willie Collum has issued several apologies for calls made during matches, adding to the sense that scrutiny is no longer fading as the season winds down.

But at a meeting Rangers hosted, Gillespie said the consensus was different. “We arranged a meeting of the SPFL clubs and the SFA attended,” he explained. “We all agreed that we need to be more aligned on strategy and improving the standards.”

Gillespie questioned what the endgame should be for clubs that have grown angry at decisions that fans believe should have gone another way. “We can all shout about a decision but what changes?” he asked. “Do we just apologise on the Monday? Do we accept that apology?”

He pointed to what happens after VAR intervenes—like the contentious penalty decision VAR awarded Celtic against Motherwell. where Motherwell’s Sam Nicholson was ruled to have handled the ball in stoppage time. For Gillespie, the frustration isn’t just about the outcome of a single match. It’s about what can realistically shift from one weekend to the next.

“What has to change?” he said. “Do we need to increase digital performance or have full time referees? Ultimately, we are going to the World Cup and the Scottish FA is making some money, how do we get some of that to get things improved?”

Gillespie said the meeting produced an agreement focused on alignment, strategy, and development rather than surrender. “Can we as clubs support improved resources whether that is financial or in other ways like cameras in stadia?” he added. “What we got from that meeting was an agreement for alignment to actually focus on the strategy of how to develop.”.

He framed the discussion in terms of reputation and long-term credibility. warning against treating VAR as a public punching bag while the broader issues remain unaddressed. “It is a real concern,” he said. “We keep using the phrase a race to the bottom. Do we want to be in the New York Times talking about VAR decisions?. Or do we want to say this is a journey and be really open with fans about how we improve it?. Ultimately it is Scottish football’s reputation, which we are part.”.

Gillespie also made clear Rangers is prepared to put money behind the push. He confirmed the club would be willing to increase the money it presently contributes to VAR each year, while arguing that the Scottish FA must also do more. “There has to be an increase in resources from the SFA,” he added.

“The VAR is tiered that way anyway,” Gillespie continued, referring to how the cost of VAR is structured based on where clubs are placed within the league. “If that’s the model, which should always be up for discussion, it’s something that could be a springboard from it.”

He then returned to the core message from the meeting: shared responsibility, not blame games. “But I don’t think at this stage we should be saying VAR is no good. VAR is there to improve,” he said. “You do see other leagues where it does make a positive impact or more of a positive impact and I think that is the strategy at the moment.”.

Gillespie said the group is set to continue the conversation through a series of further meetings. including “meeting two and three to look at the nuances.” He described a clear alignment from clubs that they want to talk strategy and move it forward. even if there are different viewpoints on the details.

Rangers. he said. has also been engaging the SFA separately. with talks focused on how the club can play a leading role in improving Scottish football. Gillespie acknowledged that despite being one of the biggest clubs in the country. Rangers has often been on the periphery of decision-making progress in recent years—an imbalance he wants to change.

“We were in a meeting with the SFA on Friday about how we can improve Scottish football,” he said. “We have a great belief at Rangers that we are the leading club, and we want to be the leading club. We want Scottish football to be the best it can be.”

His request to the governing bodies was blunt. “Our request is that at the moment regulators and governing bodies start leading alongside us. Rangers will continue to lead,” Gillespie said. “We will do that by showing our class and sometimes not holding our counsel but holding people accountable at the meetings we attend.”.

He stressed that Rangers’ approach would be firm but learning-focused. “We will also do it with a level of humility to ensure that everyone is learning. ” Gillespie added. adding that difficult conversations are inevitable. “Those are challenging conversations because at times you have the best interests of Scottish football at heart as well as making sure that you represent Rangers Football Club. Rangers will never shy away from firm, challenging conversations.”.

On the other side of club life, Gillespie also revealed that plans to develop areas inside Ibrox and around the vicinity of the stadium are gathering pace. “We’ve got initial proposals,” he said. “We’re working with architects, engineers, project managers and have done surveys.”

“We are progressing,” Gillespie added. “We’re pulling these things together to see what possible. Once we’ve got more detail on it, we’ll chat a bit more. We are progressing. We have to turn ambition into feasibility and then into reality. We’re at the feasibility part.”

Rangers Jim Gillespie VAR Scottish Premiership SPFL SFA Willie Collum Key Match Incidents panel Sam Nicholson Celtic Motherwell