Mike Ashley says SFA should make public decision to find Rangers chief Dave King a 'fit and proper person'

Mike Ashley has called for the Scottish FA to make public the reasons for its decision to declare Dave King a "fit and proper person".

The governing body gave the South Africa-based businessman the green light to become chairman of the Championship winners in March of last year despite his problems with tax authorities in his homeland.

King, a member of the board of oldco Rangers, which was consigned to liquidation in the summer of 2012, had previously admitted to 41 breaches of the South African Income Tax Act and agreed to pay a £43.7m settlement to avoid a fine or prison sentence.

Sports Direct owner Ashley, who has close to a nine percent shareholding in the club, was keen to learn how the Scottish FA had come to its conclusion over his suitability for the post at Ibrox.

However, on Thursday the Newcastle United owner decided to drop his legal action after receiving information on King's finances which the SFA used when discussing his case last May.

A statement issued by MASH Holdings, the company where Ashley holds his Rangers shares, read: "We are delighted that the wall of secrecy surrounding the SFA's decision to declare Dave King a 'fit and proper person' is finally crumbling.

"As a result of legal action concluded today, the SFA has been forced to divulge documents in private to us that reveal the true reasons behind this controversial decision.

"This represents a significant victory for MASH and we believe there is a strong public interest in this information now also being made available by the SFA to all football fans. We therefore urge the SFA to come clean with the public about all its dealings in relation to Dave King."

But in a statement, the SFA made it clear the information on King was cleared to be made public by the Rangers chairman himself, rubbishing suggestions its hand had been "forced".

The statement read: "Ordinarily, we would be loath to respond to such a disingenuous statement but in the interests of transparency and accuracy, it should be made abundantly clear it was MASH who today chose to abandon their ill-founded litigation.

"We have been consistent all along that the process of determining Mr Dave King's Fit and Proper request, submitted via an amendment to Rangers FC's Official Return, was conducted in the correct and appropriate manner.

"Indeed, at the time, we outlined the unprecedented scale of the due diligence undertaken, befitting the complexities of the consideration placed before our Board. This was released to the media and stated that this diligence involved communication with the relevant authorities in South Africa and the United Kingdom.

"As part of the recent litigation process, we elected - with the consent of Mr King - to provide certain confidential information expanding on our statement. There was never any obligation for us to do so and we were certainly never 'forced' to do so. This is a matter of fact and legal record.

"It is regrettable that we found ourselves in an unnecessary Judicial Review process in the first place: one that serves only to absorb Scottish football's time, money and human resource which could otherwise have been utilised for the good of the game. The same applies to responding to these unedifying comments.