The outbreak of internecine warfare at RIFC is being acted out through a real pea-soup fog right now. The war is being fought on so many fronts that it is difficult to see just exactly how many armies are involved, and how the alliances are shaping up.
Craig Mather would appear to be in the Charles Green camp, but it is difficult to imagine that he would be happy to hear old blunderbuss-mouth peppering Ally McCoist with shot. McCoist’s in-character but inelegant riposte, whilst a valiant attempt at deflection and self-preservation, put his mentor and chairman, Walter Smith in a rather awkward position. It gives Mather a double headache as he tries to head off Clyde Blowers boss Jim McColl – and his blowhard ally Paul Murray – at the EGM-pass.
If Mather stands by Green, and Smith does the same for McCoist, then the two main officers of the company will be in opposite, and hostile, camps.
As I say, making sense of it is difficult, but one thing is as clear as an empty window frame: the acrimony, which has been in existence for months, is only now being aired in public because the season ticket drive is over. The one policy that the warring factions have been in agreement with is “Not in Front of the Children”.
Now that the fans have been compelled to buy season tickets in substantial numbers through a mixture of fear, loyalty and a never-ending stream of press spin telling them that “Rangers are on the cusp of greatness if only the supporters cough up”, it seems acceptable that the real war can begin – but what is the prize?
There can be little doubt that all of the factions are aware that a conservative business model is necessary if Rangers are to establish themselves in Scottish football – certainly a more conservative one than that followed by RFC (IL). I infer therefore that the war is not over a Murray vs McCann approach. My best guess is that the war is one of ideals – between one faction which aims to make as much money in the short term as possible, and another which, whilst not averse to a bit of nest-feathering, sees the health of the club and the notion of a continuity Rangers as paramount.
The trouble for Rangers fans is that it is the former faction which holds all the cards – all the shares in fact. I think that all fans of the game of football would hope that people with football at heart would win out here, irrespective of what their partisan loyalties dictate on a day to day basis.
The problem for either warring faction is that the loyalty of the Rangers fans is finite. The “long road (back)” to the top is one which might engage them for while. It is a great journey which is not without its rewards and adventure, but expectations will be massive if and when they get to the top league. When the acceleration of progress meets the buffers of premier championship aspiration, gate money will be in the front passenger seat. Managing unrealistic expectations is extremely difficult, and evidenced by the use of McCoist’s recruitment sledgehammer to crack the nut of the bottom two divisions.
But here are some questions to which I honestly do not know the answer;
- How does the Rangersness faction wrest control away from these spivs?
- How will the spivs attempt to ensure that the Rangersness faction fails in their objective?
- Can the people in the Rangersness camp REALLY be trusted to act in the best interests of the club even if it is at odds with their own? This, given the close association with the terminal decline of the club they all profess to love.
- Is there any realistic scenario which allows this club to prosper and challenge for honours within a ten to fifteen year period?
My belief is that the key to the new club being able to establish itself is managing the expectations of the fans. Despite the MSM willingness to cut and paste RFC and RIFC press releases unadulterated, the ability of that same MSM to impress a message of realism into Rangers fans is zero. Not in front of the children in fact.
Is it really a sociological bridge too far to expect Rangers fans to turn down the expectation-ometer? I don’t believe it is. In the eighties, if I recall correctly, a seriously underachieving Rangers team were not met with demands for big spending. There was pressure on them to get better managers who could pick better players, but no demands for Fort Knox to be breached. If Rangers fans really want a club called Rangers playing in blue at Ibrox, and competing fully in the game, they need to find leaders who can sell the long-termism of such an aspiration. Many will hope, including the spivs and the MSM, that no such leader emerges.
Well what a day to come back 😀 😀 back to my old name and my clocks are at the ready
The last 48 hours have contained about 3 months worth of TRFC events. Things are moving so fast, it feels like the amusing old days at the end of the Craig Whyte era.
Great result for Forfar. Got to fancy Berwick in the next round of the Ramsdens Cup.
Never-ending story has nothing on this tale.
We here from all the SMSM sources that the govan club need real Rangers men in charge. This term “real” does that mean no fakes. Who really is real in this fiasco because all I see is many different faces of all the individuals involved. Cheeky chappie showed a new face tonight, maybe it will be spread across the papers tomorrow. Aye right. What about watty not seen his face for a while never mind hearing his his voice. I wonder when he stares down at his shinny brogues whose face he sees.
Still the face I am glad to see is Charies. I wonder if when Walter and Ally got the news on Charlies return if they wanted to shout it from the roof tops (not Ibrox of course H & S issues etc..) It is never ending thank god.
Maybe real rangers men simply means still alive not like the old club.
Scotland needs a strong Forfar. Sorry I take that back as we have got one.
Tomorrows Herald! 😯
http://twitpic.com/d6bykq
I know I have posed some questions in the main post, but I really don’t see how Green can be hunted. Wolfwhistles won’t work – he’s got the ST cash in the bank. They are stuck with him until they make it worthwhile for he and friends to go away. I assume that will take some cash to achieve – and in the last couple of years, no one has been ready to part with it.
The only realistic scenarios I can see for Rangers fans is bad – and badder. However there are many of our number who can see through the frosted glass in a way that lay people like me can’t, so who knows..
If Green adopts a similar strategy to when he was at Sheff Utd. the next move will be to punt all the ‘trialists’ to save a few bob. This, coupled with SMSM hints about cash flow probs, should be a massive wake up call that Admin 2 or Asset Strip 1 is afoot.
The trialists? What must they be thinking?? 😳
TSFM
Good post and sums up the present position in a nutshell. Purdah during the ST sales was widely forecast, now we have open warfare between the Rangersness faction (with heart and hand and sword and….eh nae cash) and the SPIVS (loads of cash, none of it their own).
Rangers the club (and subsidiary company) will run out of cash this season, of that there is little doubt. Forces at the top of Scottish football will move heaven and earth to keep a Rangers playing football in the SPFL, so at that stage some colour of knights will be persuaded to part with cash to “buy” the club (& history of course)
SPIVs will retain Ibrox and MP and recoup a nice little return from the new club owners. Rangers and their remaining most historic assets will be separated for ever.
Too many people continue to forget that Rangers are dead and until their memory is jolted, the Rangers fans are destined to be made fools of.
Meantime the football side of the club/company lurches from embarrassment to disgrace with as feckless a manager as has ever been seen. And the club doesn’t even have the spare cash to buy out his contract so they are stuck with him through thick and thicker.
Green has them by the balls
Ally tho has complained that they are too round
If they want Charles and the cabal out they know the price ,its £1
£1 more than Asda or Bovis homes will pay for the real estate
getting squeezing those balls Charles
welcome back Brenda
Cheers timtim 😛
paulsatim says:
August 3, 2013 at 10:55 pm
I’m fairly certain that it goes against the laws of physics, chemistry & biology for something to be in ‘meltdown’ for as long as this?!
But then again when that ‘something’ is not a physical entity but merely an ethereal concept which shows blind disregard for the laws of the land and its’ governing body as well as showing utter contempt for moral and fiscal responsibilty… I guess it can be in a state of meltdown ad infinitum.
Scottish football needs a strong stomach.
hampdenhorrorshow says:
August 3, 2013 at 8:09 pm
Great post,(previous blog). I share your exasperation. Just hope that each and everyone of those implicated in all this crap, eventually, get their comeuppance. Enjoyed latest happenings, today’s meltdown etc and I hope it’s the beginning of end for all these peepil, but, it’s not why I, a passionate fan of football at all levels, follow(ed) the sport. Sickened with it all. Hell mend them! Good post TSFM & keep up the great work. Posters, thank god for you guys & gals.
Sorry if off topic. Just catching up.
————————
Steerpike says:
August 3, 2013 at 1:10 pm
“My general point is I have never heard of anyone trying to retrospectively impose a floating charge post insolvency, and in my experience I cannot see how this is even possible, once you appoint an administrator you are in effect handing over the company to another authority.”
—————————-
It is about the purchase of the assets out of administration. Sevco 5088 were given exclusivity to make an aquisition proposal. Who is Sevco?
TSFM
Einstein once said that you cannot fix a problem with the thinking that created it.and that presents The Rangerness camp with a dilema of gargantuan proportions.
Everything about their thinking, from their hubris to not recognisng ethical behaviour and the benefits of it, their dependence on the interpretation of the words of law rather than the principles and spirit that law is intended to uphold, all of these present great challenges of awareness and mind changing that would take a leader to bring about.
I see no sign of that leadership.
On the other side you have spivs whose thinking is cash in and get out with no thought of changing anything never mind their thinking.
So the prognosis is not good.
Their best hope is someone from another mind camp with a totally different tradition taking the lead but who would be brave enough and would they let him/her?
The events over the last few years have been a fascinating study of two mind camps, like tectonic plates crashing into each other. causing earthquakes and each wondering what it is that they are crashing against.
It will take quite some time for minds and attitudes to change and we are in for a few more aftershocks until that happens.
Castofthousands says:
August 4, 2013 at 12:00 am
“You are Sevco, that’s what we’re saying” (copyright C Green)
Good post TSFM and 2 points stick out, so to speak…
1) Yes, it is despicable that all the main players have started the in-fighting only after the ST’s have been sold. But that’s the TRFC fans’ problem for being taken for a ride yet again.
&
2) The spivs have control. As a last resort ‘the Rangers men’ only have their intimidatory tactics left. McCoist as we know has previous on this front. Charlie might be thick skinned but it could get rather ugly.
All in all a good day for real Scottish football fans.
TRFC: Karma is back to bite yer bum! 😉
Need to commandeer a second cupboard for the popcorn… 🙄
Ally’s outburst at CG was just a hamfisted attempt to alter the angle of inspection on his own ineptitude as a football manager – well played Forfar!
And calling Charles an embarrassment. Crikey! Ally holds a grudge like Khomeini … and just because he never got that £10mil war-chest, nor the orangie strip.
slimshady61 says:
August 3, 2013 at 11:10 pm
“SPIVs will retain Ibrox and MP and recoup a nice little return from the new club owners. Rangers and their remaining most historic assets will be separated for ever.”
I posted the same thing myself earlier today but, on thinking about it, this scenario actually makes things worse!
The club will end up having to pay rent for both Ibrox and Murray Park (still not renamed) and probably also have to pay for any repairs required. All this while also trying to put a competitive team on the park and yet paying huge salaries to Directors and Coaching staff because lets face it not one of ‘the real Rangers men’ are going to fund this from their own pockets.
They all want to be king of the castle but they want someone else to pay for it and that someone else is the fans..
I think the time has come for the media to really think what it is that they want. Do they want a club called ‘The Rangers’ in existence at all?
If they do then they should stop spinning the MH stories and start doing their job and that begins by lowering the fans expectations as I also said earlier today.
That is not going to be an easy sell. Imagine just for a minute that you are a fan of ‘The Rangers’ and you bought your first season ticket with the arrival of Souness in 1986 when the money started to flow. That is TWENTY SEVEN years of spending other peoples money. TWENTY SEVEN years of being told you are the best, TWENTY SEVEN years of being told to only expect the best. TWENTY SEVEN years of five star stadia, hotels, casinos, hover pitches. You have lived the dream and now cannot accept the nightmare scenario laid before you.
Will the fans be able to cope with this new reality. I think a lot will not but, and this is the only possible good point in this, some new fans could come on board. A new ‘new club’ may come out of this. A club grounded in reality perhaps with a diluted nasty side which could slowly rise again. This however does not diminish the financial problems attached to this scenario. The squad must be down sized, realistic pay for those that remain, realistic pay for the directors but ultimately the stadium may be the millstone that finally kills the club if the fans desert. Reducing the capacity will have no effect on the rent, rates and utility bills while repairs would still be required.
To add to the woes is todays result. This was only a cup loss I hear you say however this denies a possible home tie in the next round which in turn would have raised much needed revenue. Indeed going out of cups early in recent years could have cost the club anything from £1M to £1.5M.
Things may be bad now but they could be about to get a whole lot worse.
Ally’s not from the West Coast, all sounds a bit gangster rapper, public handbags, East/West coast thang, big smalls vs t’ ice. Certainly shouldn’t have transportation issues at the airport now that JE is on board. Or was there a message in there somewhere?
Last word before bed. I wonder if Charlotte has any revelations for us tonight. Maybe better if she doesn’t, might just be too much for even us to cope with 😆
It’s a bit like the days before so much fitba’ on the telly; looking forward to the Sunday papers to read all about it! Except now we won’t be rushing out to the newsagents, just logging on 🙂
For those who have forgotten
“Francisco spoke at length to someone posing as an agent and engaged in a conversation which the club believes to be a material breach of his contract of employment.
So what punishment do you receive when you publicly call out the clubs largest individual shareholder and by implication criticise the board who must have made the decision to appoint Green as a consultant?
I posted a few links while back where McCoist had been backing or supporting backing Whyte, Green and Mather.
Don’t let him ever pick a horse for you.
The boy should have walked when he had the chance because now he either has to run or get his arse kicked out the door.
T’Rangers humped by Newcastle in the friendly, McCoist will get a feel for the fans thoughts at that game. Walk or sacked by the end of the week and the SFA loving Kenny Shiels appointed on an interim basis on a fraction of the salary?
[Edited. Sorry EC but this is OT – TSFM]
Is the Newcastle game going to be played?? Will the attendance be world-beating? Will the trialists play? 😆
TSFM – your site your rules – no problem – was just aghast at the lack of action coming from TRFC websites. Had some TUs that agreed with me, but understand your reasons to delete it
Brenda says:
August 4, 2013 at 1:57 am
A World record number of trialists’ in a single game
Subject: Directors Box Invitation | Rangers v Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Saturday 17 December 2011
From:Nimmo, Blair [mailto:blair.nimmo@kpmg.co.uk]
Sent:19 December 2011 09:40
To:Amanda Millar
Subject: RE: Directors Box Invitation | Rangers v Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Saturday 17 December 2011 Amanda Rangers v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
–
17 December 2011
Please pass on my thanks to Craig and Ali for an enjoyable afternoon where they got the “right” result
in the end good preparation hopefully for the 28th!
———————————————————————————
SPL Fixture – 28 December 2011
Celtic leapfrogged Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premier League thanks to Joe Ledley’s second-half header.
Celtic 1-0 Rangers
http://www.scribd.com/doc/157840580/Friends-Reunited
The sad thing about all of this is that it seems such a terrible waste. After going through the pain of administration and liquidation there was an opportunity for a new kind of club to emerge from the ashes at Ibrox. Look at all of the energy that has been expended by the Rangers fans. They have turned up, bought their season tickets, done their bit and yet a year later the whole thing is a complete mess.
I cannot speak to the motivations of the average Rangers fan but I want to make an observation. As a group they seem to seek validation through external, distant authority figures rather than from each other, which leaves them vulnerable to powerful men with ulterior motives. Until they learn how to self-organise this will always be the case. They have missed one opportunity to do so; will they take the next? Personally, I hope they do.
Just watching ‘Breakfast’ on BBC this morning and noted that the Sports news coverage of Scottish football only covered the Celtic v Ross County match. Not even a mention of the ‘shock’ result of the day at Forfar. Or maybe it’s no longer a shock, when a 3rd tier team is beaten by a 3rd tier team, and not actually all that noteworthy 😉 In fact, the only game involving a ‘Rangers’ mentioned was the one involving QPR, and this on ‘British’ television.
Loamfeet says:
August 4, 2013 at 7:58 am
=======================
In my honest opinion too many of the Rangers fans still rest easy on a sense of entitlement. They are also far too willing to embrace the first fly-by-night who appears. They applauded Craig Whyte into Ibrox. They lauded the cringeworthy and ridiculous Charles Green. On both occasions they hilariously bragged of their club being ‘debt free’. Perhaps if the Rangers fans in the media would start telling the truth about those in charge things may be different. As long as the sense of entitlement and superiority complex remains though, their club will remain vulnerable to the type of nonsense it currently suffers.
Allyjambo says:
August 4, 2013 at 7:59
Could this mean they are but an irrelevance…?! 🙄
StevieBC says:
August 3, 2013 at 2:56 pm
50 0 Rate This
That’s one long, rambling, emotional – and ultimately – totally
pointless statement from the CEO.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But didn’t he time it perfectly though 🙂
Ah well, another Carlsberg week-end.
causaludendi says:
August 4, 2013 at 8:22 am
Allyjambo says:
August 4, 2013 at 7:59
Could this mean they are but an irrelevance…?! 🙄
__________________________________________
Who, or what, are you talking about? 🙄
Allyjambo says:
August 4, 2013 at 8:32 am
I forget… couldn’t have been important… 😉
Welcome back Charles, we missed yah ! Now you’re here, how yah gettin on with that Dallas Cowboys e-mail?Ra Berz could do with a lift right now and it would be really helpful to know when our “Global Partners” are ready to step in and stand shoulder to shoulder with us. Oh and I think it would be really useful if they could offer us a couple of “tight ends”, not for the playing staff but probably best to bring them along if your thinking of coming to a game. Keep in touch and remember, the MSM love yah up here so keep it up, you’re doing a grand job.
PS I’ve paid upfront for twenty orange away tops for the family, any word on when they’re coming oot? Many thanks for all your time, effort and commitment. 😀
A SHERIFF has rejected Graham Gillespie’s bid to end his bankruptcy – and given the OK for a probe into shares he passed to ex-Rangers manager Graeme Souness.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/sheriff-orders-probe-shares-passed-2121541
And in the midst of the warring factions, step forward the Director of Communications!
The role of what we once called public affairs or external affairs can be a tricky one especially in a crisis, as James Traynor will now understand, and it’s not necessarily the job for a tabloid sports hack. Protect the brand, protect shareholder value, protect the leaders!
A somewhat toxic brand, as oil companies have found, can still be protected by pitching the story properly, even if the brand has certain less than desirable elements.
Shareholder value is a bit more difficult to protect, as confidence in the share price, is in the hands normally of the market makers, ie the brokers and traders, and they are not succeptible to spin (unlike the penny share punters).
Protect the leaders, that’s altogether a different matter. The Comms man has to know whose side to take because there will surely be a dog-fight between the leaders; who to back, James? The man who recruited you? Already, some a serious Comms error was made in not advising the Manager during a press conference, possibly embarrassing the Board’s “Consultant” and representative of major shareholders. The Manager’s comments were then posted on the website, and quickly withdrawn, Major Comms blunder!
Can the Director of Communications survive?
Oh, Lucky Jim, how I envy him.
[words of an old song]
Steerpike says:
August 3, 2013 at 1:10 pm
“My general point is I have never heard of anyone trying to retrospectively impose a floating charge post insolvency, and in my experience I cannot see how this is even possible, once you appoint an administrator you are in effect handing over the company to another authority.”
………………………………………………….
You may have missed the details surrounding how D&P acted in their administration of Rangers FC…how they were conflicted by association in Craig Whytes purchase of the club…how they engineered the administration on what appears instruction from the Owner of the Club they were appointed to administer?
No cost cutting…turning down far bigger offers of purchase of the assets…
Your comment is how it should work….however with D&P anything was possible…
I see more flares were thrown on an artificial pitch at the TRFC game yesterday and they also continue to wear a different number set from their opponents. One set of rules for one club…
Loamfeet, your comment earlier is probably based on an assumption that TRFC’s prime objective is to be a successful football club. Lining spiv’s pockets is the main aim. They just happen to be a football club. One that will make more money for the spivs in the short term if they appeal to a certain type of fan.
Loamfeet says:
August 4, 2013 at 7:58 am
I cannot speak to the motivations of the average Rangers fan but I want to make an observation. As a group they seem to seek validation through external, distant authority figures rather than from each other, which leaves them vulnerable to powerful men with ulterior motives. Until they learn how to self-organise this will always be the case. They have missed one opportunity to do so; will they take the next? Personally, I hope they do.
———————————————————————–
I suspect that will not happen as long as the mindset values being ‘loyal’ above all else. The positive aspect of loyalty is that it allows a larger group structure within which things can be built over time, but the downside is that you make yourself subordinate to someone else’s authority, and if that person or organisation abuses the trust you place in them…
upthehoops says:
August 4, 2013 at 8:21 am
On both occasions they hilariously bragged of their club being ‘debt free’.
====================================
In the face of the creditors who they walked away from, paying nothing. Which was and is particularly distasteful.
Would that be the new club which was debt free. Or the old one which still owes people millions of pounds, in addition to an ongoing appeal by HMRC into further millions cheated from the public purse.
I find it hard to remember, as they seem to be a new debt free club, whilst at the same time being the old club with all of the history and records.
Seems ST sales are suspended ❓
http://www.rangers.co.uk/tickets
This comment is from a thread about season ticket money not being deducted.Sense of humour intact. YouStayClassySanGovano
Davie Weir
Loyal Bluenose
PipPip
13 posts
Posted Today, 08:32 AM
If they haven’t taken it I’d be inclined to spend it on something less psychologically damaging instead. Heroin maybe…… 😉
upthehoops says:
August 4, 2013 at 7:07 am
39 0 Rate This
Sam says:
August 4, 2013 at 2:31 am
==================================
I would imagine it is not unusual for senior partners in accountancy firms to be seen in the hospitality areas of Ibrox on a matchday. I would however be very interested to know just how usual it is for high profile ex-Referees to be seen in the same areas. In my opinion it is unwise to say the least for them to compromise themselves in this way. Of course, that should never deflect from the unarguable fact that Scottish Referees are the most honest Referees in the world. Both of the gentlemen concerned are among the many who have pointed this fact out to us time and time again.
……………………………………..
I can confirm it is very common for ex referees to appear in hospitality or club hospitality areas…
Believe it or not referees love football and will have a club they support….they are supposed to declare this prior to the commencement of any season…or any other association they might have with a club…such as shares…season tickets…commercial associations etc..
I do not know of any ref who would declare any of the above…it is human nature to believe it doesn’t matter..
You will also get ex ref’s who are match assessors…who will be invited into hospitality areas…
In England I have friends who were and are FIFA listed…and who could tell you of the free gifts bestowed upon them when appointed to games in CL or Europa league matches…there was one game where the English officials in a CL game were picked up at their hotel by an official of that asssociation and unbeknown to them he took them to a Brothel outside of town…needless to say the senior ref demanded they be taken back tothier hotel 😀
I have a friend who still refeeres and was 4th official at Arsenal twice last season and he is a big Arsenal fan…it didn’t play any part in how he carried out his duties…because in England you generally will get bulleted if your performance is questionable…
Years ago I was at a game as a guest in England and at the same game were 2 well known Scots refs…one of the english refs said he would like to attend a Celtic and Rangers game…1 ref said my family follow Rangers I can get you tickets for Ibrox…and the other said…my family support Celtic I can get you tickets for Celtic Park…
Try not place to much weight on who a ref supports….it generally won’t amount to much.
Mr McCoist says that his players were upset when they read what Charles Green was saying about them and that it affected their game.Poor souls,and complete mince.How many times in the past have we heard him spouting off that his players aren’t affected by what happens in the boardroom.
Dead man walking.(away)
Christyboy says:
August 4, 2013 at 8:37 am
—————————————————–
Maybees or Uncle Tom Cobley will email these http://www.interpol.int/en
Rizvi was convicted by an Indonesian criminal court for his role in the bank’s collapse which necessitated a bail-out of around USD 700 million.
Subject:
Fwd: Project Blue
————————
From: Imran Ahmad
Date: 3 June 2012 15:46
To: Charles Green , Rafat , Craig Whyte2
——————————————————————————————————-
INTERPOL general contact details
You can get in touch with INTERPOL using the contact details below. Your message will be forwarded to the appropriate department but please note that we are unable to respond to all queries.
INTERPOL
General Secretariat
200, quai Charles de Gaulle
69006 Lyon
France
Fax: +33 (0)4 72 44 71 63
E-mail: http://www.interpol.int/Forms/Contact_INTERPOL
redetin says:
August 4, 2013 at 9:29 am
Can the Director of Communications survive?
______________________________________________
It may be that he did advise McCoist who ignored him anyway? The website stuff though gives the impression that he doesn’t have control of the day to day stuff. Had he been doing his job properly he should have immediately seen to it that the story never appeared. It looks much worse when it has to be airbrushed from existence afterwards.
Looking on Rangers forums though, McCoist has run out of goodwill. Although the bears are unhappy with the return of Green, they are awake to McCoist’s deflection, and very unhappy about it.
The key to the nature of Traynor’s future participation may be how Walter Smith reacts to yesterday’s mess.
If Walter slaps Ally down, JT may yet be able to retire to Larkhall 🙂
torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
August 4, 2013 at 10:22 am
Seems ST sales are suspended ❓
___________________________________________________
I see that. There is a notice saying that STs are no longer on sale, although the online process still takes you up to the point of registering.
It seems very odd unless something is about to happen which would leave them exposed if they were to continue selling them?
On the other hand it could just be a mistake.
There was a brief snippet on Twitter yesterday that James Traynor had departed TRFC. If you look at the statements issued to LSE on Friday, there’s no mention of him a a meeja contact. Just sayin’.
Re ST possible suspension of sales. I take it this is roof/safety cert related – Newcastle friendly off?
TSFM says:
August 4, 2013 at 10:45 am
********
What appears to be more sinister is that, as tic6709 says ST Direct Debits have not come off for July. If I was in that situation I would be worried!
So, which side will Jack back ?
On Jim Traynor’s ineffectiveness.
I think it may be quite simple. Like Mr McCoist he might just not be very good at his job.
In the past his job was to write rubbish for people with a reading age of about 12, or to be insulting and dismissive to people on the radio. He basically got to express his opinion in public.
How anyone thought that qualified him to be head of communications at a PLC with major PR issues is totally beyond me. He is clearly not up to the job, and neither qualified or capable to do it.
A big art of Rangers’ current problem is that the have employed incompetents in key positions.
Suspension
Shares in a quoted company can be suspended for two reasons:
The company requests suspension;
If a company is about to announce news of material significance to investors and it fears that a disorderly market may be created by a leak, it can ask the London Stock Exchange to suspend trading in its shares until after the announcement.
The most common reason for this is that the company is about to participate in a bid for, or by, another company. But there could be other reasons – for example if the company has unusually bad news.
The Stock Exchange frowns on long, voluntary suspensions. It takes the view that investors should always be able to sell unwanted stock, even at very bad prices.
The Stock Exchange suspends trading;
This usually heralds very bad news, although suspension can also be the Exchange’s only effective sanction against a company which persists in breaking its rules.
Shares suspended by the Exchange find it hard to return to a full listing. Sometimes the company in question has gone bankrupt.
In these circumstances, shareholders just have to grit their teeth and hope something emerges from the gloom.
There have been times when I have thought that I had a fairly good understanding of what was going on at Ibrox.
Or at least, I thought I had a fairly clear picture of how first Craig Whyte, then Charles Green thought they could make money from the assets of the former Rangers FC.
Certainly there is some value in the physical properties – and perhaps CG is returning now to separate RIFC plc and Ibrox from TRFC Ltd – but – until recently – the principal asset of the former club used to be its brand. Never as big as its supporters imagined it to be; but nevertheless, the brand is what drew in over £20m of investment at the end of last year.
The scary thing for the new club’s investors is how much that brand has suffered since they were encouraged to come on board such a short time ago.
For many people the brand has always been toxic for local cultural reasons. But those outside of that specific cultural sphere simply believed Rangers to be a successful and very marketable football club.
Only a few days ago I was being told that the EPL were going to be forced by Sky to admit (new) Rangers due to the strength of the brand and the vast numbers of its supporters in England. No amount of logic could persuade this gentleman (who btw was very personable and in all other ways seemed perfectly sane) that no one in England could care less about Scottish football generally and Rangers FC specifically.
Look for coverage of recent events in the English press. Look for coverage of the “shock” result yesterday. They, at best, just don’t care. Those that do care see a once proud institution reduced to farce.
The world is full of decaying or dead brand names.
Perhaps I am misreading his intentions; but it certainly appears that the Ranger brand (Club) is being systematically and deliberately destroyed by Charles Green.
If this is true, then how does this make him a profit?
@CharlotteFakes
£1.2m McCoist, £600k McDowall and £300k Durrant – release fees required to buy out their contracts
Charlotte Fakeovers @CharlotteFakes 4m
£1.2m McCoist, £600k McDowall and £300k Durrant – release fees required to buy out their contracts – Due Diligence report.
£2.1m!
Crazy stuff.Admin2(or 1 really)on it’s way.
Richard Wilson @timomouse
Rangers Season Ticket sale have been suspended this morning. That doesn’t bode well.
10:36 AM – 4 Aug 2013
41 RETWEETS 3 FAVORITES ReplyRetweetFavorite
So c£2m to sack the worst management team in Rangers’ history.
To be fair they are the only management team in Rangers’ history but that’s not important right now.
torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
August 4, 2013 at 11:33 am
So have they actually been suspended, rather than a glitch with the interweb page.
This one I could not resist.
Lord Vegetable @HenrikVegetable 1h
@celticrumours @STVGrant Really? That is strange. Grant you any idea as to why a club would stop selling season books.
Lord Vegetable @HenrikVegetable 1h
@celticrumours @STVGrant technical fault or board decision http://www.rangers.co.uk/tickets
oisin71 @oisin71 1h
@celticrumours @JohnMcLean_HS67 @HenrikVegetable @STVGrant Might they be refunding some soon? Nowhere safe to sit?
The game at Forfar yesterday was scheduled to be shown on Rangers TV.. but was unexpectedly ditched? Coincidence?
How many wheels did that wagon have in the first place?
Bangordub says:
August 4, 2013 at 12:13 pm
How many wheels did that wagon have in the first place?
————————————————————————-
I’ts coming back as “The Wagon”.
Thursday, 30 March, 2000, 18:02 GMT 19:02 UK
Rangers to raise record investment
Rangers’ main objective is to improve in Europe
Rangers Football Club has announced plans to raise more than £53m through a new share issue.
The money generated will be used to improve the club squad and to develop a strong youth policy through a new Youth Academy.
Approximately £20m will come from South African-based businessman, Dave King, who is originally from Castlemilk in Glasgow.
Mr King joins the board as a non-executive director, while Douglas Odam has been appointed finance director.
Mr King, a lifelong supporter of the team, said: “I’m delighted to be making this investment.
“With a capital investment of this kind, we believe Rangers can very quickly move on to a new level.
“As a fan, I’m delighted to be involved in this way.”
Club chairman David Murray detailed the rights issue in a letter to existing shareholders.
He stressed that the club’s main objectives were to continue to improve performance on the European stage while increasing revenue through existing and new media, such as the internet.
His own company, Murray Sports, has committed to take up its rights under the new share issue, representing an investment of £32.3m.
Squad investment
The £20m investment by Mr King’s Ben Nevis Holdings, is part of that figure.
Mr Murray said Rangers wanted to reduce their reliance on short-term borrowing, which has risen substantially in recent years due to continued investment in improving the squad.
At the end of February, the club’s bank borrowings stood at £48m, having invested £54.8m in players in the three financial periods up to June 1999.
Rangers want greater success
Mr Murray attributed that to the impact of increased investment by media companies in Europe’s biggest clubs and the Bosman ruling, leading to significant increases in transfer fees and salaries.
He also announced an intention to seek a flotation of Rangers in the near future, subject to market conditions.
At present, none of Rangers’ shares is available to buy on the stock market.
The club reported a turnover of £29.8m for the six months to 31 December 1999, an increase of almost 40% on the same period in the previous year.
Trading profit for the period was £112,000, an improvement on the £3m loss incurred 12 months previously.
However, the retained loss for the period, after player registrations, interest and tax, was £9.2m.
Bangordub says:
August 4, 2013 at 12:13 pm
How many wheels did that wagon have in the first place
=========================
There were 2 wagons, the first one Crashed and Burned…….no survivors.
They are now trying to determine the extent of the damage on wagon no.2……not known if there are any survivors.
Auldheid says:
August 4, 2013 at 12:02 am
———————————————————————————-
Fantastic post, thanks Auldheid.
justshatered says:
August 4, 2013 at 12:34 am
—————————————-
Yes and I meant to give you credit JS -apologies but I was weary (with laughter) from the night’s events, couldn’t be bothered looking back to the old blog, was unable to play my trialists, there was a strong wind which gave a clear advantage…..
There, that’s more excuses than McCoist can trip out after a routine defeat
54 (excuses for every failure)
When is the game against Newcastle due to take place?
There may be a perfectly reasonable explanation for this, but McCoist’s presser was just after 5.30pm yesterday. I have not in the interim period, seen anything from the MSM to suggest that they have sought out Charles Green’s reaction to this – or Craig Mather’s, or Walter Smith’s.
Is it a case of a quick round of “no comment!” from each with an off-the-record rider? Or are they just not bothering to follow it up.
In other circumstances with 0ther individuals one can see the question being asked, “Charles, Ally says he wouldn’t pick you up at the airport. What’s your reaction?”
I am hearing that the recent high winds have caused some concerning issues across some properties in Glasgow.
@TSFM
Not much to disagree with except I doubt there are many fans who believe Rangers will be on the cusp of greatness anytime soon or in 10-15 years, much depends on how successful Celtic are in Europe over the next 2-3 seasons. A domestic market that at best breaks even gives Rangers the opportunity to make inroads on Celtic’s squad superiority if they fail. One assumes Rangers wage bill will not stay at 5 million in the first tier and Celtics wage bill will reduce with a few years of failure.
If Rangers can trim operations down to 25 million with a 5 million wage bill then additional Premiership revenue streams can be allocated to the playing squad, thereby closing the gap if Celtic’s finances stagnate. Not exactly the10 million war chest strategy more tortoise and hare, the timescale for financial parity between two hopefully identical business models will depend on how much profit Celtic can bank over the next 2-3 years, and it could be nothing and it could be a lot, only time will tell. One thing is sure, it is highly unlikely any owner will pour untold millions into Rangers to redress any financial inferiority, the club will be run in the same prudent manner as their chief opposition.
I predict this time next year there will be a new Rangers board and a new manager, Ally may be the biggest threat to fan loyalty, Scotland is a very windy country.
Paulmac2 says:
August 4, 2013 at 10:28 am
Try not place to much weight on who a ref supports….it generally won’t amount to much.
=========================================================
For the record I am happy that the majority of match officials don’t take to the field with the intention to act out of bias. Having said that the staunch defence in the past that while Refereeing bias happens elsewhere, but is impossible to happen in Scotland is ridiculous. We are constantly told Referees are only human and make mistakes, and that is fair enough. Humans though are also capable of acting out of bias and often do.
For a country with the history of Scotland I would be utterly amazed if bias and prejudice always escaped the football field. In fact, I’d say it’s as certain as death and taxes that it’s happened in this country. This is not to castigate all those match officials who do their utmost to act professionally at all times, but to put this country on the refereeing pedestal so many are quick to do is an insult to our intelligence.
@upthehoops
” For a country with the history of Scotland I would be utterly amazed if bias and prejudice always escaped the football field. ”
I simply disagree with your assessment of modern Scottish culture and the referees it spawns, the problem with referees in other cultures is financial corruption and I believe this to be our main danger. Cognitive bias of the type you intimate now only exists in a tiny portion of our population and I very much doubt they would pass any test of competency never mind a refereeing examination.
Do you think Mr McDowall will apply for his old job back?
Paulmac2 @ 12:48
Was meant to be tues @ 7:45 (6 Aug)