Barry Ferguson revealed he never lose his anger over SPL fixture decision

Barry Ferguson has revealed he never lose his anger at the Scottish Premier League's decision to play Rangers four days before the final of the UEFA Cup.

The SPL has refused a request from Rangers to postpone the visit of Dundee United - their third league in seven days.

Opponents Zenit Saint Petersburg has three Russian postponed league before the final and won 2-0 at City of Manchester Stadium last month.

Ferguson claimed seven players who started for Rangers carried niggling injuries in the biggest game of their lives.

The skipper said Ibrox in the Scottish Sun: "I was angry yesterday and today, it is all that remain bitter disappointment that Rangers biggest game of 36 years was played with this kind of preparation .

"I was bitterly disappointed by the SPL and I always will be. They keep saying they want their teams to do well in Europe, but the actions did not back up the words.

"There were players in our dressing room abroad - guys like Carlos Cuellar and Jean-Claude Darcheville - which were all surprised. They were staggered our own league treat us like that."

The SPL does extend the season four days to host the fixture pile caused by the Rangers to three final term.

But the Ibrox club played four games in eight days as they lost the title on the last day.

However, SPL chairman Lex Gold insists clubs should take some responsibility for having refused to start the season earlier.

"The main way we would get space is starting the season earlier but our big clubs are not like that," he said.

"It was discussed last year but the big clubs are not fancy, because it cramped what they could do in the summer. That is why the new season starting in August. "