the SFA. On 30 August 2016, Rangers and Hibernian were issued with notices of complaint by the Scottish FA's compliance officer in relation to the Scottish Cup Final. The end of May saw Rangers continue preparations for the forthcoming season with the signing of English Championship winner Joey Barton from Burnley, Liverpool youth player Jordan Rossiter and former Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Niko Kranjčar. Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson also disclosed that manager Mark Warburton and his assistant David Weir were negotiating new contracts, with the pair agreeing one-year extensions on 12 July. Warburton went on to bring in eleven new players in total, including paying a million-pound-plus transfer fee for Englishman Joe Garner which represented the largest investment made by Rangers in a player for over five years, since the signing of former club captain Lee Wallace in July 2011. In June 2016, it was announced by the SPFL that the Challenge Cup would be expanded to include teams from the Welsh Premier League, Northern Irish Premiership and an under-20s side from each Scottish Premiership club. On the same day as this announcement, the under-20s team coach Ian Durrant was relieved of his duties in a coaching reshuffle, with Rangers appointing Graeme Murty as Head Development Squad Coach on 17 August to replace him. The draw for the first round of the 2016–17 Challenge Cup was made, with Rangers' under-20s side paired with Lowland Football League side Stirling University F.C. The U-20 side progressed by beating Stirling University 4–0 at Forthbank Stadium, with Josh Jeffries scoring twice. A second-round tie with Scottish League One side Stenhousemuir was set up, again played at Forthbank; however, the side could not match its previous performance and went down 3–1, with Ryan Hardie netting the Rangers goal. The senior side began the season in mid-July as part of the new-look League Cup format, paired in a group with Motherwell, Annan Athletic, East Stirlingshire and Stranraer. The season got off to a winning start as the side beat Motherwell and Annan Athletic. After topping their group and strong showings in the two subsequent rounds, Rangers set up a semi-final against Celtic; however, the side lost 1-0, which ended their participation in the competition. The side's league form proved equally fruitless as they engaged in a faulting start to the season which culminated in a 5–1 defeat to Celtic. The opening league match of the season