No fixtures reprieve for Rangers

The Scottish Premier League have ruled out extending the SPL season beyond May 22 - and the Scottish Cup final will also go ahead as scheduled on May 24.

Rangers had called for the SPL to allow them to postpone Saturday's match against Dundee United, to allow Walter Smith's side extra time to prepare for next week's UEFA Cup final.

That could have led to the final round of SPL games being played on the date designated for the Scottish Cup showpiece between Rangers and Queen of the South, and the Hampden clash being postponed until a later date.

There now seems little chance of the United game being moved back, as Rangers have a hectic run of games to come before the end of the season.

SPL and Scottish Football Association officials met this morning but could not find a viable way to alter the fixture programme.