Glasgow, Scotland – Rangers "newco" was dealt a massive blow on Friday as the club has been relegated to the Third Division of the Scottish Football League after a vote of the organization's member clubs.
The vote took place at Hampden Park and included all 30 SFL clubs.
Rangers had already been denied admission to the Scottish Premier League and was hopeful of dropping into the First Division.
However, the vote saw 25 of the 30 clubs vote in favor of Rangers beginning at the bottom tier of the Scottish Football League.
"The member clubs of the Scottish Football League have today voted to willingly accept the Rangers Football Club as an associate member of the Scottish Football League," SFL chief executive David Longmuir said.
"Furthermore, the Scottish Football League's only acceptable position will be to place Rangers FC into the Third Division of the Irn-Bru Scottish Football League from the start of this season."