Rangers launch Thomson appeal

Rangers today lodged a last-gasp appeal with the Scottish Football Association over Kevin Thomson’s red card in Sunday’s Co-operative Insurance Cup final.

The Ibrox club waited until moments before the 5pm deadline to contest the dismissal in a calculated attempt to ensure the case could not be dealt with before tonight’s Active Nation Scottish Cup quarter-final replay at Dundee United, freeing the midfielder to play.

However it is understood the SFA were braced for such tactics and had match referee Craig Thomson poised to review video footage of the incident.

If the official decides he is satisfied with his decision to send off Thomson for a second-half lunge on St Mirren’s Steven Thomson, the Rangers star’s suspension will begin immediately.