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.
paulsatim @ 12.05 am
😉
oh so dignified 😀
@ fergussingstheblues 12.14
“Serious question ! What makes CFC different from normal SPL/ SPFL Rules ?”
———————————————————————————–
The answer is: nothing.
The same facility is available to all SPFL top flight clubs. None of the others, for whatever reasons, chose to use it.
” We don’t have to imagine. They’re not in it right now and it is much better fun than the picture you paint. ”
Sky demands Celtic and Rangers, the sponsors and advertisers demand coverage and real football fans demand competition, winning the league without Rangers cannot mean the same as winning the league with Rangers..
Steerpike says:
August 10, 2013 at 11:28 pm
Let us imagine a SPL without Rangers
***********************
Don’t need to go any further – its already reality – there was no club called Rangers in SPL last year and no club called that in SPFL this year – and according to the largest share holder CG there won’t ever be while he is involved with the club
So to quote the late James Sanderson, what’s your point caller?
Steerpike says:
August 10, 2013 at 11:28 pm
What else do you propose?
Catapult a team that loses £10M a season minimum into that top flight!
Who will fund this black hole? The other teams in the league, the government, perhaps we could donate money from a charity match (oh no wait a minute that’s already been done) or will we just allow that particular team not to pay Tax an NI (oops that’s been done as well) just so it is competitive.
If we are going to go down this route why don’t we just give £10M a season to Aberdeen, then Dundee Utd and we can just work our way through the league alphabetically missing out Celtic of course.
What you are proposing isn’t making it competitive. It makes it even more of a laughing stock than it is just now.
There is a reason teams like Renton and Third Lanark aren’t around any more. It’s because the sport evolved casting teams like this, rightly or wrongly, into oblivion. That evolution was held back last year by the corrupt decisions taken by the powers that be to breath life into something that quite simply had had its day.
You simply cannot square the circle by saying everything will be fine if you get one team back into the SPFL particularly if that team is haemorrhaging cash at the levels being reported.
To turn your question around; the SPFL does not need ‘The Rangers’ but it is abundantly clear that ‘The Rangers’ needs the SPFL and even then they will still lose money.
What is it in this discussion that you fail to grasp?
‘The Rangers’ CANNOT survive with the business model that it currently has.
Steerpike says:
August 10, 2013 at 11:28 pm
“Let us imagine a SPL without Rangers.”
————————
An interesting hypothesis and if we were able to mathematically model human behaviour it might be possible to foretell the future. However that is not presently in our gift and as other posters have pointed out your foundation point (quoted above) is already in play.
The scenario I would envisage if no club playing out of Ibrox ever managed to reach the top flight would be as follows.
Celtic would continue to dominate the SPFL Premiership for a number of years. However as time progressed this dominance would lessen due to it not being necessary to maintain such a strong squad to overcome relatively weak rivals. With the dimunition in the gap between Celtic and the others, a true rivalry would eventually emerge, in maybe 3 to 5 years. This rivalry would not be distorted (I hope) by the tactics used by the club playing out of Ibrox. Scottish football would once again become truly competitive and such an environment might foster innovative approaches to playing the game. TV companies worldwide would be interested in a product that has been so carefully preserved and valued by its fanbase.
Celtic may suffer in Europe due to adopting a weaker squad but their constant entry into the competition would bring them confidence it tackling its rigours.
That is one alternative to your universe. There will be many others either more or less sceptical. I think it is naive to presume that a place at the top table has been set aside for Rangers because that is the natural order of things. It is that kind of distorted logic that has caused so much turmoil. I am not convinced that in this particular case football supporters will opt for the devil they know.
Althetim says:
August 11, 2013 at 12:29 am
@ fergussingstheblues 12.14
“Serious question ! What makes CFC different from normal SPL/ SPFL Rules ?”
———————————————————————————–
The answer is: nothing.
The same facility is available to all SPFL top flight clubs, none of the others, for whatever reasons, chose to use it.
———————————————————
Thanks Althetim ,
Apparently Saints did try and arrange a Friendly, but couldn’t as it was too late to organise.
I think they ended up playing against Gretna 2008 last Wednesday, just for some match practice.
Not exactly “Prime Opposition” !
I suppose at the end of the day, the “Odd’s” are always stacked against the “Wee Guys” ?
I was 14 when Sir Alex Ferguson came to St Mirren. By the time I was 16, We were 1st Div Champions, and the year after in Europe. I can remember days/ Nights at Love St, even Pre Fergie, that live in the memory.
That’s the sort of Memories I don’t think OF fans can draw on, because they just don’t have that connection to know what it’s like over winning and losing. Between CFC and RFC (or whatever it’s called these days), there has always been too much bile to appreciate what they’ve won (True, Isn’t it ?)
Outside of the troubles of these 2 “Giants”, we can remember the good and bad times about our Clubs.
Believe Me, it is more satisfying !
fergussingstheblues says:
August 11, 2013 at 1:05 am
That’s the sort of Memories I don’t think OF fans can draw on, because they just don’t have that connection to know what it’s like over winning and losing. Between CFC and RFC (or whatever it’s called these days), there has always been too much bile to appreciate what they’ve won (True, Isn’t it ?)
Outside of the troubles of these 2 “Giants”, we can remember the good and bad times about our Clubs.
Believe Me, it is more satisfying !
————————————————————————
Sorry but that’s just nonsense.
I’m a Celtic fan and I’ve known highs and lows and I appreciate the highs because of the lows.
To say that one club’s fans appreciates winning more than another makes no sense.
I’ve been cheated out of celebrating cup wins and championships, and so have the fans of other clubs, probably yours too. That’s what we should be discussing on here.
Fergussing the blues @1.05am. I don’t want to make this a long drawn out discussion on the rights and wrongs of the playing of a “friendly” game after the league season has begun, I recognise that St.Mirren were left with a Saturday and no game. This blog TSFM came into being because of the blatant bending/ignoring of the rules of Scottish Football. All i will say is that if the clubs that make up the Scottish Premiership wish to overturn this “rule” I will gladly abide by their decision. My last word.
Eyes have gone off the ball, guys. Scottish football has much bigger issues than the timing of one club’s glamour friendlies, whatever the financial motives behind them. The discussion about that is tedious and unnecessarily divisive; let’s please get our collective heads back in the game.
ekt1m says:
August 11, 2013 at 1:27 am
Fergussing the blues @1.05am. I don’t want to make this a long drawn out discussion on the rights and wrongs of the playing of a “friendly” game after the league season has begun, I recognise that St.Mirren were left with a Saturday and no game. This blog TSFM came into being because of the blatant bending/ignoring of the rules of Scottish Football. All i will say is that if the clubs that make up the Scottish Premiership wish to overturn this “rule” I will gladly abide by their decision. My last word.
—————————————————————–
No probs, ekt1m,
Goodnight. At least we can agree on one thing
“This blog TSFM came into being because of the blatant bending/ignoring of the rules of Scottish Football”
That’s Universally Agreed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep it up everyone, I am particularly interested in the SFA role’s over all of this Saga. I don’t understand most of the legal jargon, but I certainly know that something stinks down Hampden Way ! The SFA needs a good cleansing, I feel !
Goodnight.
fergussingstheblues says:
August 11, 2013 at 2:04 am
“Really ? It’s like P$%ing in the Wind ! Blue or Green, your all made from the same cloth.”
I’m a Clyde supporter who abhors Rangers and I’ve never been to a Celtic game in my life, whether at Broadwood or elsewhere, so I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.
Ridiculous stuff with regard to the friendlies rule. if you guys can’t have a discussion without the kind of bad mannered nonsense that’s been going on, please butt out.
People are in order in making observations or criticisms about the postponement of a match. Those resorting to spiteful and sarcastic answers after rushing to take offence where none was intended are an embarrassment – although you certainly attracted the offence afterwards. Those who retaliated are no better, and the blog would be better off without you.
I have had to remove half a dozen posts over this. Benefit of the doubt here is that you arrived home late from the pub, or the kids got hold of your computer. Neither would be an excuse.
And so it begins…the wheels are a moving and gathering pace…the spivs need to run….but whats this…the man who the board brought in as a consultant…the same board who will be taking a vote next week on whether to get rid of him…suddenly find him offering a square go to those who are shuffling around the ibrox entrance with not a penny between them asking if they can buy the club…
Gon yersell Charlie…they deserve everything you can take oot their pockets…
I don’t know about anyone else…but I’m tired of this panto and shouting “he’s behind you”….
If the SEVCO fans are hell bent on getting robbed…then maybe we should just stand back and let it unfold…
Steerpike says:
August 11, 2013 at 12:32 am
Sky demands Celtic and Rangers, the sponsors and advertisers demand coverage and real football fans demand competition, winning the league without Rangers cannot mean the same as winning the league with Rangers..
……………………………………………………..
You are sounding more and more like media house….talking up SEVCO regardless of the facts…whilst talking down Scottish football regardless of the facts…
The liquidated club Rangers destroyed themselves…SEVCO are now doing the same…and yet you want everyone to believe Scottish football needs this garbage?
Think again!
Morning all.
Looks like the Herald has decided enough is enough.The Sunday Mail also has Green front page challenging all -comers.
The gloves are off.
TRFC may be lucky if they see christmas now.They’re on the edge and it won’t take much to push them over.
Steerpike says:
August 11, 2013 at 12:32 am
0 10 Rate This
“…real football fans demand competition,
winning the league without Rangers cannot mean the same as
winning the league with Rangers.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is a certain satisfaction to be had from beating cheats, but everyone would prefer a straight race.
I would derive a certain amount of satisfaction from beating a Lance Armstrong but, I would derive real pleasure from knowing that I beat a Chris Froome or a Bradley Wiggins.
The flip side of which is that you can lose to a Froome or a Wiggins and you can appreciate their achievement, whilst losing to a Lance Armstrong only builds resentment.
torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
August 11, 2013 at 5:26 am
3 0 Rate This
Morning all.
Looks like the Herald has decided enough is enough.The Sunday Mail also has Green front page challenging all -comers. The gloves are off …
———
I wonder where The Herald is getting its inside info. Will we hear a cry for the leaker to be found out and punished for undermining the club by stating the truth? Otherwise pretty bold stuff from a west-coast Scottish newspaper. Combined with GG in yesterday’s Scotsman it looks as though there’s been a shift at editorial level.
OT (turn away noo)
Regarding that friendly, I see it this way: Anything that can enhance Scottish football on an international stage is to be welcomed. I think that will be the effect of the friendly against Liverpool. It retains the connection to the big boys of today’s game. It’s also a huge free advert for the SPFL that does no harm in promoting the league in these lean times. The irritation of some fans is perhaps that they feel permission would not have been given for these in-season friendlies if this was say, an Aberdeen or Dundee United who had originally been the teams looking to take part?
(Even more OT)
[Yes DP – A matter for a Celtic site :-)]
From today’s Herald
“King was a lone voice last year when he insisted that Rangers Football Club plc would be liquidated, which is what eventually happened.”
A lone voice on this site? Hardly, it was the main topic of discussion for months before it happened.
A lone voice amongst the ‘Rangers men’ in private? Perhaps, but very unlikely.
A lone voice in the Scottish mainstream news media? That would be an indictment of how they either missed the story going on around them, or were complicit in suppressing it.
A glib and shameless statement by the Herald, in my opinion.
Another from the Herald piece
“However, the operating expenses and costs associated with the IPO appear to have eroded Rangers’ cash balance.”
So they (apparently) raised 22 million quid, but the costs associated with raising it have eroded their cash balance? I genuinely don’t understand what they are saying there
‘Fifteen months on from the old Rangers being
liquidated, there are siren voices saying the
current incarnation could be only months away
from sliding into administration. No lessons seem to have been learned, no ways seem to have been mended. It beggars belief that despite a share flotation that reportedly brought in £22million, season-ticket sales of £13m and other commercial income of around £3m, the club sits with only £10m in the bank, as financial director Stockbridge admitted in a meeting with fans on Thursday.
The cash burn simply doesn’t square with the fact that Rangers
are a third-tier club, newly promoted from the bottom rung. It
starts to do so, mind, when you consider Rangers are also a club where the manager’s annual salary is believed to be £760,000, where two chief executives could pocket more than a million in just over a year and where bonuses to executives exceeded £2m for the feat of winning the Third Division title with a £7m wage bill that ran to 28 times the budget of any of their competitors’
http://www.scotsman.com/news/andrew-smith-could-rangers-history-repeat-itself-1-3040404
From the Scotsman
“Administration has never been mentioned by the directors, McCoist said. “I’d hope if it was on the horizon, there would be an early warning system for us this time. Not like the last time, when we got 24 hours notice. You’d like to think we’d have a fair idea and have an opportunity to perhaps do something about it.””
Mr McCoist… KLAXON SOUND!!!!!!!!
Lord Wobbly says:
August 11, 2013 at 7:06 am
1 0 Rate This
‘… you consider Rangers are also a club where the manager’s annual salary is believed to be £760,000, where two chief executives could pocket more than a million in just over a year and where bonuses to executives exceeded £2m for the feat of winning the Third Division title with a £7m wage bill that ran to 28 times the budget of any of their competitors’
http://www.scotsman.com/news/andrew-smith-could-rangers-history-repeat-itself-1-3040404
———–
Beauty M’Lud. And on the Clyde SSB Podcast I just heard the words: “Rangers ‘managed’ to beat Brechin” as though it was a huge achievement to be lauded. Given the financial disparity there’s no ‘managed to’ about it – more a case of sledgehammer cracking nuts. Expensive sledgehammer at that.
The Rangers board shirley cannot hide any longer. They MUST not only cut their cloth but they must be seen to be cutting their cloth.
McCoist should be on a third tier managers wage (plus a bit for a Rangers weighting…they are after all a bigger club than their current peers). The board should be taking minimum wages only and the fourth tier bonuses should be handed back. The playing staff should be trimmed. At least one of Alistair’s assistants should go.
IMMEDIATELY!
Danish Pastry says:
August 11, 2013 at 7:24 am
0 0 Rate This
Lord Wobbly says:
August 11, 2013 at 7:06 am
1 0 Rate This
‘… you consider Rangers are also a club where the manager’s
annual salary is believed to be £760,000, where two chief
executives could pocket more than a million in just over a year
and where bonuses to executives exceeded £2m for the feat of
winning the Third Division title with a £7m wage bill that ran
to 28 times the budget of any of their competitors’
http://www.scotsman.com/news/andrew-smith-could-
rangers-history-repeat-itself-1-3040404
———–
Beauty M’Lud. And on the Clyde SSB Podcast I just heard the
words: “Rangers ‘managed’ to beat Brechin” as though it was
a huge achievement to be lauded. Given the financial disparity
there’s no ‘managed to’ about it – more a case of
sledgehammer cracking nuts. Expensive sledgehammer at
that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’m going to give McCoist the benefit of the doubt and assume that his £760,000 is by virtue of being TUPE’d over from the old Club and not as a result of sledgehammering out a new contract.
But even then, you’d think that after everything he went through with the Administration, he’d be asking “£760,000? Can the Club really afford that?”
It says much when a UK-wide national newspaper carries the attention grabbing headline “Rangers boss sticks to the rules”!
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/421217/Rangers-boss-sticks-to-the-rules?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-sport-news+%28Daily+Express+%3A%3A+Sport+Feed%29
Ally only said he’d consider taking a cut if asked(he’ll be asked now!).
It’ll make no difference.TRFC need to to deal with a shortfall of at least £10m and probably another £2-3m more.Ally could give up 50% and the shortfall would hardly change.Costs are just way too high.Everyone at Ibrox could take a 50% cut and it still wouldn’t be enough and that ain’t gonna happen.
Unless a cash injection comes from somewhere,it’s hard to see this business continuing much longer,definitely not until the end of the season.
The MSM,belatedly,seem to be rising from their slumbers,even if it’s only to take sides with one faction or another.’it won’t be long until CFs stuff starts trickling through.The dam will burst and then the MSM will race each other to get info out,almost certainly all bad for TRFC.
Although my head still says Dec/January,i’ve a wee niggle that says TRFC will be no more before the accounts are due on 18th September,I think.
These ‘trialists’ still playing on my mind 😕 these guys must be worried, they are in limbo at the moment probably not getting ‘full whack’ agreed salary yet (and probably never will) but on the other hand it’s not as if they didn’t know what was going on DOH!!! Who thinks they’ll be ‘let go?’
Yet if administration did happen, McCoist would not feel guilty about the costs he has racked up in conducting the club’s football business. “In the sense that I’ve not been told that we’re doing anything wrong,” he said. “If someone had said ‘don’t do that because you’re going to put the club at risk’, I would absolutely not do it. But I can’t act on something that I don’t have any knowledge of. So if someone said to me your wage bill is too high or your staff is too high, then that’s fine I can react to that and do something accordingly. But until that comes, it’s not my gig.”
Teflon McCoist spouting’ it wisnae me mister a big boy did it an’ ran away’. Dear oh dear.
Hi Brenda. Regarding the ‘trialists’. It brings Hassan Kachloul at Livingston to mind. Livingston got into trouble because they signed him as an ‘amateur’ but they were paying him for a ‘non playing’ position at the club (as far as I recall). If Rangers are paying their ‘trialists’ on non-playing contracts, as has been suggested, then they must be flirting with the same offence, I would have thought. It won’t be investigated though. 🙁
After Mather and McCoist had their mump about those terrible SFA sanctions and the subsequent ‘succinct and to the point’ statement /response from the SFA. Could anyone direct me to where a member of the SMSM has addressed this issue further with any Sevconian official during any of the media opportunities of the last few days?
i have a feeling only 1 or 2 of the 8 so called trialists will be given contracts come SEP !st (the ones the fans have taken to) . The others will be dumped on the scrap heap 😐 I’m sure that TRFC will have a few get out clauses in the pre contract agreements
the 8 players have done their job Season tickets,shirt sales, expectations etc etc
They DON’T NEED THEM TO CRASH THE TRAIN
scottc
The usual brushing under the rug of sevco ‘rule breaking’ ?? as you say it won’t be investigated. it’s really weird that there’s a players union guy who by all accounts does his job well but when asked things by callers on a certain phone in……. Is never really sure?????? 😛
Lord Wobbly says:
August 11, 2013 at 6:41 am
I am not a huge fan of argument by analogy, it is normally just laziness … “It’s just like if you don’t pay your own mortgage …” the arguments are often attractive, whilst fundamentally flawed.
However, that is a nice exception. Can I just add that the resentment felt is possibly worsened if you as the opponent know Armstrong is cheating when he beats you and everyone seems to just be turning a blind eye. I mean he is the greatest ever, and who would want to catch him cheating, that would demean the whole sport and everyone involved in it. Best just to look the other way.
Couple of points.
Steerpike – you have not got a scooby about financial markets if you think insti investors will stump up more money having seen the shareprice tank. And the armageddon scenario has occurred and Celtic made £20m profit. St Johnstone performed credibly in Europe and Hibs, well they had a day out at Hampden.
Wasnt the “opt out” option for friendlies as a result of starting the season earlier? I seem to remember that Celtic had signed a contract to appear in this tournament before the spl moved the start of the season and that was the reason for this clause. I am sure it will change. I think it should.
Interesting that the Herald says the new board members would go through all accounts and transactions forensicly – would live to see THAT report published. And if the new board do tighten Ally’s belt (sorry) on budgets, after all wages isabout the only thing left to cut, I do think NewGers rapid return to the top table may slow.
Finally the SMSM are still up to their tricks. Dave King was described as a “lone voice” warning of Rangers’ impending liquidation… yeah right…
With regard Mr McCoist being “TUPE’d” over.
Of course he did, and Mr Green really had no option but to allow him. He could hardly claim it was a continuation of the same business whilst at the same time arguing that those regulations did not apply. That would be too weird even for him.
In any case, just because Mr McCoist was then entitled to the same terms and condition doesn’t mean he had to take him. Portraying him as a martyr because he would consider a wage drop “IF ASKED” is a bit disingenuous.
He could have dropped his wages when the new club went into the third tier. He didn’t. He could have re-negotiated his terms and conditions at any time, he hasn’t. He has happily collected a wage and any bonuses which were clearly out of kilter with his employers status and turnover.
He has done nothing wrong, Green’s attempt at supporting a myth caused this position, not McCoists avarice.
Bottom line, the managers salary would have been too high even if they had cheated their way into the SPL. That he kept it when they cheated into a division 3 tiers lower is preposterous. The fact that he has had to be asked before he would consider dropping it speaks volumes for the man.
I think slimshady and others should understand that while this rule to cancel a game in order to play a lucrative friendly is open to all clubs, it was introduced so that the (then) Old Firm could make even more money playing the likes of Liverpool. Who do you suggest St Mirren could play to make some dosh? Who would be interested (no offence) in playing St Mirren on the 10th of August? No other teams take advantage of this rule because, clears throat, the league season has just started!
I have to say that Herald article really seems to be opening the way for a further share issue in order to obtain funds just to keep the door to the big hoose open.
To have one share issue just to keep the business operating is poor, to have another less than a year later for the same reason, rather than expansion and development really does confirm that it is not a tenable business model it is operating.
McCoist used to be liked many moons ago by non oldco fans because of his cheeky chappie image??? I met him once and he was very charming, courteous and down to earth and we even shared a joke, but his antics last year let people see the real Ally, not so cheeky chappie but a rather sad, desperate, nasty version? Apart from the stadium, colour of the strip and their ‘beliefs’ ally is the only human element left of the oldco for the fans to hold onto, so they blindly go on putting their trust in him 😕 for how long though?
bobferris says:
August 11, 2013 at 9:31 am
The point is that this was agreed bby the SPL, as was, and is open to anyone interested in doing it. The fact that some clubs choose not to take it up really is a matter for the people who run those clubs. Any club doing it is taking up an option open to them, and everyone else.
If people are not happy with it then change the rules, I have absolutely no problem with that. However to decry any club for behaving in a a manner which has been agreed and is within the rules is grossly unfair.
Consider this though, we constantly discuss there not being enough money in Scottish football. So why would we change an agreement where clubs are allowed to bring some more in.
Let’s concentrate on the rule breakers, not on those who abide by them.
This from a leading light at follow follow, discussing the Herald article, says a lot for me.
http://s7.postimg.org/mdw6z1t57/King.png
Brenda says:
August 11, 2013 at 9:39 am
Agreed.
I said ages ago that ideally a broom should have swept out everyone from the old guard and the club could start afresh.
The trouble with that is if professional people came in to build a club fit for the 21st century then who knows how many folk would hang around.
Our friend Steerpike says he just goes to watch the fitba and doesn’t link his personal identity to the club.
I wonder if he can put a figure on how many of the 44k yesterday take the same view.
The fact is Green, and now Mather, know that you have to keep playing to the traditions to have any hope of getting money into the club. Either that or it really is a case of starting afresh from way down the bottom of the pyramid.
wottpi says:
August 11, 2013 at 10:16 am
The fact is Green, and now Mather, know that you have to keep playing to the traditions to have any hope of getting money into the club. Either that or it really is a case of starting afresh from way down the bottom of the pyramid.
==============================
When the coach they were leasing from Bruce’s was burned out their was only one place they could go to for their transport needs. Marbill’s of Beith.
http://marbillcoaches.co.uk/vehicles.html
Now that may have been a coincidence and the livery just happened to be what it was, I make no comment.
Now Bruce’s bus ❓ ❓ ❓
Here’s another lad who went to an interesting school of economics.
His estimate of the Puma income seems optimistic.
http://s18.postimg.org/fh28qatd5/Steer_School_of_Economics.png
He also seems to think that Frank Blin’s name is an acronym, though I’m not sure what it might stand for.
Brenda says:
August 11, 2013 at 9:39 am
McCoist used to be liked many moons ago by non oldco fans because of his cheeky chappie image??? I met him once and he was very charming, courteous and down to earth and we even shared a joke, but his antics last year let people see the real Ally, not so cheeky chappie but a rather sad, desperate, nasty version? Apart from the stadium, colour of the strip and their ‘beliefs’ ally is the only human element left of the oldco for the fans to hold onto, so they blindly go on putting their trust in him for how long though?
—————————————-
I am going to defend McCoist here. I have been appalled by some of his comments over the past few years but to paint him as a ‘baddie’ is just as one dimensional as painting him as the ‘cheeky chappie’. He is human, he has flaws, he will usually act with the best of intentions and sometimes he will let himself down.
I don’t see the point of demonising these characters because it basically lets them off the hook.
Tif Finn says:
August 11, 2013 at 10:29 am
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wottpi says:
August 11, 2013 at 10:16 am
The fact is Green, and now Mather, know that you have to keep playing to the traditions to have any hope of getting money into the club. Either that or it really is a case of starting afresh from way down the bottom of the pyramid.
==============================
When the coach they were leasing from Bruce’s was burned out their was only one place they could go to for their transport needs. Marbill’s of Beith.
http://marbillcoaches.co.uk/vehicles.html
Now that may have been a coincidence and the livery just happened to be what it was, I make no comment.
==========================
I was told that when Bruce were providing the coach Marbill were picking up the tab for the diesel. Small leap for them to provide both I guess.
It’ll be interesting to see if a replacement “super coach” gets delivered. Might be a bit of a bummer if the insurance company rather than settling the finance decided to replace on a “like for like” basis.
McCoist has been under enormous pressure, no doubt about that, the more so for presumably having been witness to just how far the rot extends at the club he must have grown up as a player thinking was a permanent feature of Scottish football and society. I think he is due some slack for that. On the other hand, the ‘dog whistle’ stuff from last year was beyond the pale, implicitly calling down vengeance on individuals as a diversionary tactic from what he knew was was really going on. The money aspects do him no credit either – if he had been persuaded / forced to take a mere £250000 salary (still well over the top for the division he has been managing in) over 20 months that would have freed up his phantom £10 million budget. I’m not saying that the money would have gone on that, just that he is fatally compromised in arguing for more transfer funds while his snout has a close and beneficial relationship with the trough.
Tif Finn says:
August 11, 2013 at 10:09 am
—————————————————-
Imagine Hector at Revenue Investigations 🙄
David Fraser, CW exit [ish]……..now DK back providing commercial comment / advice 😆
Loamfeet says:
August 11, 2013 at 10:56 am
…………………………….
I don’t believe he is being demonised…
I do believe he can be an idiot…and I do believe that in times of stress and worry…the true Ally comes to the surface….if you look back over the last 2 years on things he has done and said he has been very unpleasant at times…that is what people remember and that is why he gets so much attention and criticism…
Loamfeet says:
August 11, 2013 at 10:56 am
================================
His “name names” campaign was deliberate and premeditated. It was on Rangers’ TV and not a spur of the moment comment at a press conference or anything like that.
It was the despicable act of a coward who had no care for other human beings personal safety or that of their families. So much so that the Police were patrolling someone’s home every 20 minutes because they took the threat to that person and his family so seriously.
The facts that a, Rangers along with everyone else agreed the anonymity system and b, he already knew the names makes it even worse and more blatant.
tomtom says:
August 11, 2013 at 11:01 am
The diesel story would not surprise me.
Maggie Jackson, Marbill’s Coaches seems to be a big fan
https://twitter.com/marbillcoaches
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BNnkbZfCAAA14Aw.jpg
To be fair she is based in Beith
John Boal Beith Juniors beloved president in Rangers new team coach.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BNnUiBVCcAABUV1.jpg
Tif Finn says:
August 11, 2013 at 10:29 am
I think the bus colour is irrelevant. A group of Celtic supporters hired exactly the same colour of bus from the same company for their trip to the Elfsborg match parked in the row of buses nearest the road as I entered Celtic Park.
On more important matters, is anyone else wondering why we haven’t heard from Charlotte since the season ticket money came in and Charlie made a re-appearance? I had a twitter conversation a while back with Alex Thomson where said CF situation was a bit more complicated than that of a true whistleblower but one who had no preference for any of the parties involved.
Does anybody know why the sevco seaon ticket sales were suspended?
Lord Wobbly says:
August 11, 2013 at 7:26 am
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The Rangers board shirley cannot hide any longer. They MUST not only cut their cloth but they must be seen to be cutting their cloth.
McCoist should be on a third tier managers wage (plus a bit for a Rangers weighting…they are after all a bigger club than their current peers). The board should be taking minimum wages only and the fourth tier bonuses should be handed back. The playing staff should be trimmed. At least one of Alistair’s assistants should go.
IMMEDIATELY!
Unforunately the time to cut costs has mostly gone.Sacking players on contract is impossible and everybody else will be protected by unemploymet legislation. The reconstruction costs of a major redundancy programme will cost fortunes which will only add to the clubs cash burn, so I would not see this as a solution.Their business plan was seriously flawed from day one and I must confess to amazement that they have spent so much on players when their cash is burning. No wonder Ally likes Craig Mather as no other decent CEO would allow this to happen. Even if serious people like Mc Coll etc do get involved they cannot win the economic battle without reconstruction costs. Fixed costs are notoriously difficult to reduce, the players contracts are untouchable and you need serious money to get rid of people, especially the high earners who no doubt will be on rolling annual contracts which will form part of their redundancy packages. Unfortunately, in my opinion, unless they can sell players or raise some cash by other means the club is in a serious position with a second insolvency event looming. My only solution would be to create a new share issue to sell to the Dave Kings of this world. The share issue would need to be so deperate that it would dilute ALL existing shareholders to very little, assuming they did not take up their subscription rights. The trouble here is that the existing directors/shareholder would be like turkeys voting for Christmas so the only plan in town will not happen. It would be interesting to see any other views out there who think they have a business solution without new funds that could work here. My vote is the same as I noted on RTC…….another insolvecy event, although I am given some hope that a large number of fans are beginning to ask the right people the right questions. It may be too late this time.
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/a-hidden-bonus/#more-3924
Morning
Tif Finn says:
August 11, 2013 at 11:13 am
His “name names” campaign was deliberate and premeditated. It was on Rangers’ TV and not a spur of the moment comment at a press conference or anything like that.
Paulmac2 says:
August 11, 2013 at 11:13 am
I do believe he can be an idiot…and I do believe that in times of stress and worry…the true Ally comes to the surface…
——————————
Tif Finn, I agree and I said that I have been appalled at his behaviour.
Paulmac, this idea that there is a “true Ally” is just as fallacious as the “no true Ranger” argument that is used to let Rangers fans off the hook when they sing their bigoted songs or go on the rampage. There is no true Ally. There are no true Rangers. There are just people who make choices and who must take responsibility for them.
What I am arguing is that caricature ultimately acts to diminish the responsibility of the person being caricatured. Ally is neither a cartoon gormless happy-chappie nor a cartoon hand-rubbing schemer. He is a human being in a public role who should be held accountable for his actions.
A compendium of quips to summarise this weeks comments:
Current discussions:
Walter Smith will quit as Rangers chairman today, Ibrox insiders say Stock Exchange announcement expected.
Drat,
I put up a (hopefully) quite interesting post, then something else comes along to change the subject!
Sir Cardigan, your timing is rotten.
Many say that talking about cups with Alistair is a bit of a sore point. He’s so upset about it he has been seen in the Boardroom slurping his after match tea from the saucer.
I don’t think the walkaways will end with Walter.
The one that will replace The Rangers who benefitted from the 5 way agreement.
It will be called Rangers too and carry all the assets of the historic club except for the valuable ones.
Will he, in fact, have done any more than wear a dark blue cardigan and observe a ‘dignified’ silence? Since walking away, just before Whyte arrived, has he done anything significant to justify the faith the supporters have in him?
Sky news …..The Cardigan has resigned.
I didn’t know Carlsberg did Monday’s.
Byeeeeeeee…
Rangers announces that Walter Smith has today resigned from his position as Chairman and a director of the Company with immediate effect.
Oh wait, didn’t someone sell a load of shares recently that crashed the price to c.40p. Did a CG supporter buy them? I reckon Chuck now has the votes to do whatever he wants.
Walter Smith’s period as Chairman was roughly the same period that Season Tickets were on sale throughout the summer recess.
Possible replacements for the cardigan being lined up already?
Presumably Charles Green is a stick on for chairman now then.
Surely Andy Cameron must be in with a shout.
No “thanks for your time” or “we wish you well”. Ouch!
Unless of course anyone still believes Whyte and Green’s falling out is anything other than a contrived smokescreen
Green will force McCoist out before the end of the week.
Moves at boardroom level to make Green Chairman
Kenny Shiels brought in as cheap interim manager.
Walter smith has resigned from Rangers International Football Club PLC
I predict that Charles Green is reinstated to the board of the company that owns the company that owns the assets of the former Rangers FC PLC (IL) and becomes chairman by the end of the week.
Walter Smith, the man the legend the myth.
Erm. . .did Rangers fans pay their clubs debts ?
Was the final debt owed to creditors too much for all the fans
and the club to pay? And that’s the reason why Rangers don’t exist anymore!
(Do you copy that uncle Hugh)?
I did find an out of date Mueller Rice, Exiled, does that count as a yoghurt?
Walter said he would leave if Ally was sacked? Ally are you still there?
the dastardly knave Sir Charles of Greenshire
I wonder if McCoist would have been so outspoken on Saturday if he’d known that his mentor was about to walk and leave him to be the last remaining example of Rangersness within Ibrox. At the moment spivness seems to be beating Rangersness hands down!
Can anyone point to any one decision that anyone in a position of power at RFC/’The Rangers’ has taken over the last 24 months that has actually made their position better?
I blame Peter Lawwell.
So here’s the rub. “Rangers” men want control of Rangers Football Club, whatever TF that is nowadays buried as it is under a huge pile of corporate shite.
“Rangers men”? Really??
A superiority complex with a sense of entitlement that would embarrass a Kardashian.
#geezpeace.
You could argue that Rangers, because of their fans, were the ideal club to carry out this sting on
,WALTER, I dare you to come out with the story of what was said in the big hoose since you took over ,because if there is info that the fans should have known before they bought their season tickets then hell mend you ,
“Sooner rather than later there will be no money left. Bang, they will be out of business. Rangers will go down unless the fans stand up and say enough is enough. That’s the only way
cardigan stuffed with payola wages for the ST job.
Maybe if he asks nicely with some added dignity and rangersness, all those bad men will just go away….
“The bad boys did it but winnae go away?”
Finally the truth is starting to seep home – Rangers have died and nothing can change that fact.
The ability to detect the actual movement of change in society at the time it is happening is, I suspect, rather difficult.
No wonder the Rangers fans are confused and revolting. Their outgoing chairman, the man they trust explicitly, is a beffudled dolt.
Only club ever to have a ‘ness’ named after it.
…risk those sales. Green didn’t come back until it was done, McCoist didn’t have a rant until it was done, Smith didn’t walk away talking nonsense until it was done.
It all stinks of a set up.
What about that club up north… INVER?
I’ve never had a problem admitting I’m wrong, my problems start when I think I’m right.
Some think that the end of the saga is upon us. I’m becoming more convinced that we will all die of boredom before then.
It’s not in the least bit difficult – merely impossible
In the photo I’ve seen, Yorkie looked totally at ease, safe in the knowledge he’s still calling the shots whereas Mr McCoist was sitting a couple of rows back with a face that looked beetroot and ready to explode!
Quite scary, perhaps, to be on the same bus with them and their transport associates!
Blimey – somebody associated with TRFC talking a little bit of sense! When did that last happen?!?
There’s barrels, rocks and hard places, and then there’s the Rangers
if only they had not embraced the ridiculously elastic definition of ‘the club’….oh yeah they had to, or their world collapses…
What’s that phrase? Hide in plain sight?
So the best option for Rangersness devotees is to let TRFC plunge into oblivion and restart a brand new club called Govan Utd which will initially play in the Lowland League out of a newly refurbished Tinto Park in season 2014/15?
Willie Vass’s photies of last night’s game seemed to show a good crowd at Ibrox, does this mean that all the speculation about safety certificate was again just more wishful thinking?
Where there’s a King there’s a Murray
he had ronnie and reggie sitting either side of him
and they also escorted him through all the lounges pre game and at HT
why the **** didn’t you ask these questions last year?
some clown has used his place at the meeting to ask if Novo is coming back!
“After all, you can’t sack the man who is paying the wages. ”
Everyone was only in it for the Money and the blazer. When push came to shove Not One, No Not One stood up to be counted when it was all going wrong
However the goings on at Ibrox means that many people just want this wholly dysfunctional and disreputable club to go away.
Last night was simply the reading of the will and I suspect the relatives are going to fight over the bones for some time to come.
Rfc* need a strong glib and shameless villain
In more innocent times you would describe these guys as a bunch of amateurs. I’m afraid that after all we know the judgement has to be something much, much harsher.
Fool me three times, Scotland’s Shame!
Admin again and Green can blame the fans?
“What are you smoking over there…..?” Haddock?
I wish he could witness the dignity and quiet fortitude that his fellow Jambos have displayed of late.
Mathers is Verts man and everything else is smoke and mirrors!
In Football terms Murray is a cheat, a liar, a financial disaster , who employed a bin raker to spread lies and misinformation about rivals , who were playing by the rules
Give it a rest man. If you asked a blind man to draw a picture of a troll, he’d also scribble the word “Steerpike” in three feet high letters on that distempered wall.
. The emperor is indeed naked. WS opportunism, disloyalty and downright poor judgement in these matters has been laid bare for all to see.
Unlike many on here I don’t see him either as a troll or a placeman – he is too engaged to be a troll – and comes unstuck far too often to be any kind of paid advocate.
To attract sufficient fans to fill the ground the operation had to spend more money than was paid by these fans and the associated commercial and TV deals that went with it.
A sustainable side will not attract the fans – and thus the club will fail and falter, an unsustainable side will attract fans but cannot be afforded without probably an annual dose of CL money
We must all however stay on our guard against any last-ditch attempt by the SFA/SPFL to rescue “Rangers for the good of the country and to stop social unrest” by putting them into the Premiership.
End of empire. Ibrox is the new Coliseum.
If Rangers are to die (again?) it will as a result of their own actions, not the wishful thinking of the good folks on the internet.
and is it not the company deck now?
Naw, it’s The New Club Deck
The Glen is absolutely right to seek evidence for any claims made here on this blog.
…or even crumbling, rusting evidence?
I don’t understand most of the legal jargon, but I certainly know that something stinks down Hampden Way
you can lose to a Froome or a Wiggins and you can appreciate their achievement, whilst losing to a Lance Armstrong only builds resentment.
Another year, another possible insolvency event. Those of a certain Rangerness disposition will have to have developed a taste for seeing their club’s ‘dirty washing’ as Ally called it, hung all over the front pages. Funnily these are the same publications who lauded them as the old club working its way to it’s entitled place in the top league. Anything to shift copy, regardless of truth or validity, eh boys ? We saw how that worked out for them last time round.
This new Rangers has learned no lessons from the travails of its predecessor. Tant pis, as they say in France, which is pretty apt as its become the bolt hole for those who have done so much to fill their pockets from the gullible hordes who hoped rescue and salvation was in safe hands. After all, with true Rangers men like Ally and Walt not walking away their righteous place at the top was always assured. Right ?
Sorry this is, and always has been bullshit. Smith and McCoist have taken a shedload of cash out of the Old club which left £10s of millions far behind in the most disgusting way a football club could be run – greed for millionaires, footballers, managers alike.
Slowly the veil of lies, deceit and greed is slipping away revealing all those who are making hay while administration loom. Ally now is offering very kindly to take a cut in his salary – now where have we heard this before ? If you had any gumption McCoist, you’d walk and forfeit any right on a pay off, as you’ve done you so much for the new club to drag them to economic disaster, signing expensive players for the 4th tier, out of cups etc. Any credit you’d earned with the fans by ‘not walking away’ has been well and truly dried up..and on the strength of your managerial abilities you’d be paying back money, not offering to cut your massive salary for a 4th/3rd strength tier level.
Effectively this is where McCoist and all at Ibrox have gone wrong. No real grasp of the financial realities that grip a club in the 4th tier now 3rd. It’s this blind arrogance that they should have SPL level players on salaries closet to the top in Scotland. You’d have to look pretty damned hard through all series of the Apprentice to find a business plan so destined for failure and unfortunately for them it’s not just some beards bloke pointing a crooked finger pointing at the exit. This is a club with many employees and tens of thousands of fans who so far have followed the sweet line all is well in the garden. He’ll mend them. I joked yesterday on a blog the stars on TRFC jersey would be validated soon, standing for each insolvency event. What does it take for them to realise the truth? Certainly no timmy fan or football fan of any other hue, that’s for sure.
Fine, we just wait for the next round of crisis panellists, Dingbats, Archie McPerson, Neil Patey etc. covering the same issues – how could this happen or even be allowed to happen.
It’s like a tv series that seemed kind of interesting first time round. Now it’s just a tired old repeat. Wonder who gets stiffed this time. taxpayers, endless lists of businesses, ? You, me ? Shame on you SFA. It could have been sorted out good and proper with a flat no ! Reap and sow.
Media:
and in further developments…
this is about the recent ASA action raised as ‘some concerned citizen’ had complained that TRFC were falsely representing themselves as the same club as the 1872 lot:
The Chairman of the ASA, Lord Smith of Finsbury, as decided to reopen the ASA’s investigation into the case and to withdraw the published adjudication, which favoured the advertiser.
[Keith Jackson] He could be the right man to replace the charismatic James Traynor who will leave after Walter and around the same time Ally gets sacked.
I note in the list of contacts for further info there is no mention of Traynor – has he gone as well?
One can only deduce that Keith’s written nonsense is published in the full knowledge of its inaccuracies.
I’m not actually sure he is a billionaire, but Keith’s got previous for this sort of thing.
Traynor addressing fans at entrance of Fawlty Towers
Bye bye Jim
most idiotic thing that Keevins, already the least effective logician in print, has ever uttered, given the timing of his remarks is only days after the STs have been sold.
Editor has chosen to tell the nation about Celtic F.C. closing off the Green Brigade section of its ground for safety reasons. With civil war raging down Govan way and Walter’s shock resignation yesterday,
Put another way, Celtic’s relationship with a section of their support is far bigger news than the continuing collapse of The Rangers.
The full editorial responsibility for BBC Scotland programmes and content lies entirely with BBC Scotland and is not influenced in any way by any external party or parties.”
Whatever way you look at it, it’s all bad news for TRFC, with the emphasis on Celtic’s ‘bad news’ highlighting their superiority. Get used to it, see it for what it is, and enjoy!
But then again the smsm themselves are part of the mind that created the problem…..
That might be what Britney wants, but what they need is prudence and humility. And lots of both.
And now we even have some (not all sure), media organisations asking straight questions and reporting previously unheard of levels of accuracy of whats going on.
It is rarely I feel inclined to compliment someone from the media in Scotland. This is one of those rare exceptions. I believe it is the same chap who Mr Green made a fool of himself with before.
And so up pops King in the Daily Mail surprise surprise!!!
The BBC are banned. They are supposed to be here on Saturday. They have paid to be here but they won’t be getting in.
it announced last night that it cost 2m to get rid of Goian/Bocanegra?
That’s a lot different to the way it was reported just a month ago:
Words no PR man should ever use with regard to himself or the business he’s involved with: ‘crisis PR’.
I cannot believe the Record paid him £200k a year!! FFS a thirteen year old could have written his stuff. Keevins will go mental when he finds out how much his fellow IMBECILE was being paid.
BT sport hyping up The Rangers v Brechin game as The journey back to the top continues. News flash they’ve never been there.
It really does make you wonder who will lead the rush to claim “I told you first” when Sevco go out of business.
Today we should proclaim -WE ARE ALL GLENN GIBBONS.
Sadly, despite the lofty sentiments regarding ethics, our society does not protect the whistleblower.
Noam Chomsky would have a field day studying the relationship between society and media control in our little backwater where the handshake is mightier than the pen.
It also demonstrates that at least one of the newspapers has realized the game is up over at Ibrox. The final whistle approaches and the news ain’t good for the Bers.
the Scotsman by and large toes the party line when it comes to reporting on matters from Ibrox as this week’s hiring of Lindsay “Goebbels” Herron sadly testifies.
It is only ordinary folk like us, celebrating what we have in common instead of searching desperately, MSM-like, for what divides us who can be part of the solution.
Their existence and dominance depends on any movement which unites people to fail.
A lone voice in the Scottish mainstream news media? That would be an indictment of how they either missed the story going on around them, or were complicit in suppressing it.
Finally the SMSM are still up to their tricks. Dave King was described as a “lone voice” warning of Rangers’ impending liquidation… yeah right…
I have to say that Herald article really seems to be opening the way for a further share issue in order to obtain funds just to keep the door to the big hoose open.
Business:
McColl didn’t build an excellent business by making dumb decisions. I doubt he will make an exception in this case.
a decent man and successful businessman is ready to bring 30-50 million quid in a wheelbarrow to Charles Green’s bonfire – and that another wheelbarrow of roughly the same size will be along in a minute to throw onto the warchest inferno.
It may be that some concerns raised, such as the charity issue, have been swept under the carpet using the phrases such as decisions being made ‘in good faith’ and the likes, however the big picture points to a possible culture where something much more serious is going on down Govan way.
To conclude that it was OK for one person without legal authority to give away £191,430 from the fundraising event rather than apply it to charitable purposes as per the charity’s Trust Deed is beyond comprehension.
If there was a loan or mortgage arrangement would that constitute financial assistance? Assuming the interest rates are sensible for GCC?
If GCC invest in Co-op Bank then what Coop Bank do with that cash is not GCC’s concern.
GCC /Coop being regurgitated here has also been done on Paul McConville’s site – it is a squirrel
WRT the essential upgrades and repairs required at The Sports Direct Arena Is there possibly a need for the signature or approval from the ‘Title Deeds’ signee before said works can be carried out/completed/signed off?
So Charlie et al are locked in until December 21st and there are other restrictions on them for six months after that.
Stay in control, keep the lights on, dump the shares in a way that doesn’t collapse the price.
They will care little for what they leave behind them.
Charlie will want to avoid administration to keep the share price up, the Paul Murray Group will want it to happen to improve their bargaining position and buy CGs shares for as low as CG will let them go.
chuckles wants £14m for 28% from McColl by Friday
Don’t think they’ve thought this through…Charlie will just switch the lights off and go home…
McColl’s turned down Green’s once in a lifetime offer to give him £14m by Friday.
£50m? For The Rangers? WAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…draws breath…HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Neither the blue knights, or any other group for that matter, could have bought Rangers. Duff and Phelps were under instructions to sell it to Chuck and his friends, no matter what.
TRFCL in admin, properties taken in lieu, and the husk of the operating company sold on to the Rangersness at that point.
A shareholder rights plan, colloquially known as a “poison pill”, is a type of defensive tactic used by a corporation’s board of directors against a takeover.
“In 2001, with private equity backers 3i, he bought a British investment fund distributor from South African insurer Fedsure. At a stroke Keydata became an FSA-authorised investment administrator…
Paul Murray joined Esprit from Cazenove Private Equity. Paul has over 12 years experience in venture capital and was previously a Director of 3i’s UK technology business,
So why was this … SA connection … aiding Pritchard (Whyte) to remain solvent ….. for a short time !
I read earlier that Jim McColl’s share investment was in the region of only £4 (Phil Mac)
Also I seem to recall that he did not invest his 20m in RFC but Murray Enterprises who then advanced RFC 32m on the strength of Kings investment, if so how would he be on RFCs creditors list
First of all nowhere in the report does it state that the assets are owned either by RIFC or the trading company. It does say on p77 that DM Hall “assumes” that the land is held as freehold (no assumption by which company it is so held) with no encumbrances.
King has already threatened Minty with the courts, he said his investment was based on lies from Minty. Shocker.
Now then children, if you have 22m of funds less 12 months significant operating costs how many historic debts of 20m can you repay?
At 09:44 this morning, someone purchased six shares of RIFC stock for £2.52. Could Jim McColl be making his move?
Ibrox Stadium and the training ground are line detailed in the balance sheet , of the Dec 2012 interims.
If the directors of RIFC plc decide to liquidate the company and the club is sold, how will the club’s debt to RIFC plc be satisfied?
Rangers the club was created and registered and after the stadium was bought….
We are extremely concerned to learn that there is only £10m left in club funds after the IPO and season ticket monies have gone into the club
But I’m afraid you’ll need to commit to our 49 year Repair & Insure lease terms”
The truth is even Scotland’s wealthiest man is willing to risk no more than £2.80 supporting the brand.
£10m in bank, losses 2.4m per month Mr King may not be far off regarding the xmas doom!!
Is there a buyer hard nosed enough to move from Ibrox?
necessity for a capital injection. But McColl isn’t going to provide it and it’s a stand-off to see if the money runs out before Green’s lock-in ends.
Sure thing Charles. Mind how you go this time you little scamp.
Whyte knew this, his advisor’s, later to be known as DUFF & Phelps, saw nothing wrong with him using ticketus to clear the debt.
As I have pointed out on this and its predecessor site, this whole disgraceful omnishambles has featured, amongst other so called “professionals”, about a score of ICAS members
I will be mighty surprised (astonished even) if Sevco publish any accounts at all. Administration will happen when they can no longer make excuses for late accounts.
Sport:
Shame for St Johnstone. Sounds like they could have sealed it in normal time.
In view of the upcoming game between Rangers and Brechin, has anyone seen a forecast for the likely wind conditions at the weekend?
Scottish football needs a strong wind.
If it was a ‘youth team’ then perhaps the adult team should have played St.Mirren today as was the fixture before this ‘glamour’ match with Liverpool was arranged.
As far as I am aware there is an arrangement in place where SPL, now SPFL Premiership clubs can play one friendly match after the season has started
Politics:
That is probably the first genuine attempt to publicly chastise/put RFC/TRFC in their place by the SFA since the whole farce began.
“But King believes there is no impediment to his being declared a fit and proper person by the SFA and returning to the Rangers boardroom.”
The SFA said they had no objection “in principal” to Dave Kings return,
in practice however they would have to openly bend that rule book once again.
‘Doors Open Day’…We could all turn up at once and demand to know which cupboard Regan, Doncaster et al are hiding in.
Campbell Ogilvie would have no problem allowing Robert Mugabe being a director….
Hello SFA its sinking.
Mr. Ogilvie will come down on them like a ton of bricks.
If the problem with Scottish football has been lack of competition why manipulate the rules to give the wealthy more?
Sugar Daddy says:
August 11, 2013 at 11:28 am
Tif Finn says:
August 11, 2013 at 10:29 am
I think the bus colour is irrelevant.
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The bus colour is irrelevant to you and me.
I was replying to a post suggesting that the current ownership had to court some of the traditions of a section of the supporters in order to keep money coming in.
The colour of the bus was not irrelevant to them, I can assure you.
Much debate in the media today re-Sevco finances and why they felt the need to spend at the level they did given the league they are in. McCoist swats it all away claiming no-one told him his budget was excessive.
It is difficult to come to any other conclusion that the superiority complex at Ibrox does not lend itself to living within their means. That is for the little people, not for the mighty Rangers, who are the grandest of the grand.
Just when will the financial recklessness at Ibrox truly catch up with them the way it would with any other club?
[Removed – OT]
Click to edit, ?
Who is the DK referred to in this report?
“This complaint involves the professional actions of the former Treasurer and Managing Director of [Bank of Scotland], and the subsequent behaviour of [HBOS] in clearing up these alleged irregularities, which would appear to involve the hiding of substantial debt write-off and the resulting over-inflation of the asset value of the [bank’s] balance sheet.
It requires a full inquiry and a public statement from the institution about whether it allows its senior executives to conduct business on their own behalf while running a [listed banking group]. This is a matter of public interest and needs clarification by the FSA. Given the status of the individual concerned … then I would assume that this would have merited a more detailed investigation … One fundamental question needs to be raised about whether the operations of a secret bank account held in the British Virgin Islands, called Charlotte 18, was acting in the best interests of the customers and shareholders of the Bank of Scotland. Were money laundering processes and procedures clearly followed? Clearly not, given that the current office-bearers of the bank, as recently as October 2004, did not know of the existence of this company and the fact that it was the parent company behind some of the former Managing Director’s companies … I refer you to the legal case of Woods versus Martins Bank, which states that a bank manager has a “fiduciary duty” to act in the customers’ best interests.
Mr DK claims this is not the case in relations to the Bank of Scotland. Mr DK knew nothing of the activities of Charlotte 18. And Mr DK claims that in “fixing” this position the parent company, HBOS, has used assets to cover up the bad debts caused by the collapse of a company run by the former Managing Director of the Bank of Scotland. Such serious irregularities need to be properly examined by competent and independent authorities.”
http://www.ianfraser.org/the-worst-bank-in-the-world-hboss-calamitous-seven-year-life/
What really grabs the attention for me,( and the msm don’t really know how to deal with it) is the fact, in CG, here is a man that is big and ugly enough (with massive Yorkshire hands) to take on their broxi legends at a time when the propaganda wheel is CG must go. Now as CG quite rightly says, wait a minute here, where were these peepil and their millions upon trillions when the club was looking to be sold on, and I was the spiv who took the chance, now they want me out don’t think so peeps. Love him or hate him CG got in their first when they all had a chance, now the msm are spouting about their broxi heros, it is pivitol we back the messiah Walter to save this club and its unbroken history. Only one newspaper and one reporter have come out to criticise this myth of a man, the rest of the msm continually ignore to write the facts except now they are taking on a man (CG) who couldn’t care less about their heros, infact he went one better he used them to sell ST and then told Ally he was a p@sh manager and made Walter look like a guy that was well out of his depth in his Chairman role, and was upto his brogues in the brown stuff as much as him and he is willing to come out and say it. The msm don’t know how to deal with him, now he wants a presidential style TV debate to take on the supposedly real Rangers men in front of the peeps which I don’t think the others would be to keen to participate.
Now love or hate Chas they big Yorkshire hands would slap a few @rses and now we are starting to see a slight shift from the msm because they know their game is up also, nearly.
At the end of the day it was the msm that gave CG a compliant support because they (msm) backed him to the hilt and guaranteed him enormous emotional investment from the supporters and it has back fired spectacularly.
coatbrigbhoy
PM
PhilMacGiollaBhain says:
August 11, 2013 at 11:48 am
15 1 Rate This
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/a-hidden-bonus/#more-3924
Morning
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Sounds like the banking culture where a high salary is not enough, everything has to be topped up with a vulgar bonus. That’s quite a hefty chunk of cash DL has diverted from clubs in financial distress. Bet there were many others who’d have done the job for less pay and no bonus. Hope this info is broadcast from the rooftops.
PhilMacGiollaBhain says:
August 11, 2013 at 11:48 am
16 1 Rate This
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/a-hidden-bonus/
#more-3924
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Michty me!
No, scratch that. I’m actually not surprised at all.
briggsbhoy says:
August 11, 2013 at 1:42 pm
Why would a new club be entitled to a place in the SPFL.
Surely if a space is opened up then it should be open to applicants from the junior leagues.
Or are the SPFL going down the same route as the SFL and just hand picking it’s members rather letting people apply to take up a vacant slot.
Publicly available –
“David Cunningham King (King) was born in Scotland. He studied in Scotland and became a fellow of the Financial Management Institute. He came to South Africa in 1987 and thereafter started his own financial risk management consultancy business. His business was one of the top risk management consultancy in South Africa and it advised treasuries of big companies like Anglo America and parastatals like Telkom.
In 1990 he created, Republic Rating (Pty) Ltd, a rating agency to report on credit worthiness of companies. The said company was one of the assets of Ben Nevis.
Suffice to state that the manner in which King formed various companies, structured then and sold their shares is a clear indication that he had in-depth knowledge in the formation of companies and in risk management of companies.
On the advice of A & R Corporation Finance CC, King restructured his financial affairs and in 1993 created an offshore trust in Guernsey, viz Caledonian Trust. Ben Nevis was registered in the British Virgin Island in 1993,
It was owned by Caledonian Trust and it was designed to have several subsidiary companies. It was incorporated by Bermuda Trust Company Limited at the request of Bermuda Trust.
Ben Nevis was administered by Bermuda Trust which conducted trusteeship of Caledonian Trust.
‘summary of the meeting’ with King, the following was also noted:
“With regards to Ben Nevis, DK still wants this to be closed and the assets ‘transferred’ to a new company. At our suggestion he agreed that Rossenfeld Holdings Limited should be used purely as a vehicle for holding shares in Legacy Ventures (shortly to be re-named financial Insourcing). Rossenfeld owns 49,712,544 shares of Legacy through BOE in two accounts – Rossenfeld itself and a Rossenfeld ‘consortium’ account. Contact Vanessa Soal at BOE (27113776415) to get confirmation.
DK will provide statements on the Old mutual portfolios and asks that we have these held through the new underlying company rather than direct by the Trust.
DK advised that the various assets bought by Ben Nevis were funded by Ben Nevis bank accounts in S.A. which DK had signing powers on.
Query:
Do we know where these accounts were/are and have we got statements? If not DK should provide these, and they should be requested.
DK has no tax adviser but is happy there is no problem from his point of view in closing the Ben Nevis company.
His intention is just to present a blind alley to any revenue investigation.”
In my humble opinion, WATP is no more a genuine claim to superiority than ” Glasgow is green and white “, fan expectation is identical and both clubs have an unacceptable minority of souls lost in history. Both clubs colluded in any vote that was against their interests and the Scottish media was biased toward both OF giants for pure commercial reasons. There seems to be a minority of estranged people who not only wish to rewrite the past, but wallow in it, I suggest they live in the spirit of our times and embrace the moral zeitgeist of the vast majority.
Hopefully both sets of fans will have worn themselves out venting their grievances before Rangers return, one can only hope.
Hugh Keevins: Rangers pre-season training shows they have more money than they’re letting on .
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Any tips for the Grand National Hughie boy.
@steerpike
Where-in the ‘moral zeitgeist’ does the ‘Famine song’ reside?
oh, and just to clarify Rangers can’t ‘return’ as Rangers are dead and Sevco will not be far behind in the queue to the graveyard.
With all the unearned bonuses that DL reviewed then he has the right to step right into Sevco. No job interview required.
“The Islands’ financial services industry lobbyist, Cayman Finance, has been represented separately by PR firm Media House International since April 2009.
Chairman Jack Irvine is regularly quoted in the island press attacking critics of tax havens such as the Tax Justice Network and Labour MP John Cryer.”
Media House has also employed Lord Blencathra as a public affairs consultant since 2008, though the peer told the Bureau his work for the firm did not involve the Caymans.
http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2012/04/19/tax-havens-boost-lobbying-efforts/