Rangers co-owner John York has been sentenced to two days in jail in the United States after being arrested in Ohio earlier this year.
York, who co-owns the Ibrox club alongside his family through their connection to the San Francisco 49ers NFL franchise, entered a no-contest plea in relation to the charges stemming from the Ohio incident.
The 49ers chief has been a significant figure in the ownership structure at Rangers since the American consortium took a stake in the Glasgow club, making his legal troubles in the US a matter of interest to supporters north of the border.
Details of the exact nature of the charges were tied to his arrest in Ohio, with York opting for the no-contest plea rather than contesting the case in court. A no-contest plea means the defendant does not admit guilt but accepts the punishment handed down, a route often taken to avoid a lengthy legal process.
The two-day jail sentence is relatively short, but the fact that a co-owner of one of Scotland’s biggest football clubs has been handed a custodial sentence in the US is unlikely to sit comfortably with Rangers fans already keeping a close eye on the club’s ownership situation.
Rangers have been through turbulent times in recent years when it comes to ownership, and supporters remain sensitive to any off-field issues involving those at the top of the club. The American connection through the 49ers group brought optimism when it was first established, with the NFL franchise’s resources and commercial expertise seen as a potential boost for the Ibrox side.
There has been no official statement from Rangers Football Club regarding York’s sentencing, and it remains to be seen whether the club will address the matter publicly in the coming days.