Small Price to Pay?

I think there has been an appreciable shift of opinion amongst fans of TRFC recently.

 

Unlike the ‘invest: speculate to accumulate’ rhetoric featured in the press and by ex-players, the ordinary fans are coming to the realisation that there is no quick fix. There are even murmurings that there may never be a fix which involves their club becoming a competitive force.

 

Poor management of fan expectations has long been an accusation levelled at the TRFC board by SFM. It is possible though that many fans are beginning to manage their own expectations rather better. There are certainly justifiable criticisms of the manager, Mark Warburton, but alongside that is a realism about the limitations and constraints that he is working under.

 

There is a rather misguided, and possibly not accurate assumption that another liquidation for a team out of Ibrox would result in having to start ‘yet again’ in the bottom division; but in fact there is a growing acceptance that consolidation in the top league is a much better solution than gambling on huge borrowing simply to stop Celtic adding more notches to the goalpost.

 

Could it be that the fans are about to do the job that the board haven’t had the balls to do –accept the gap between themselves and (at least) Celtic, and settle for mediocrity on the field as a short term price to pay for continuity?

 

During the 1990s, in the middle of the Murray/BoS fuelled spending spree, and with Celtic in the doldrums, it seemed to many Celtic fans that their club would never be able to bridge that gap. Of course they did, but at the emotional cost of losing the exclusive 9IAR record.

 

TRFC now find themselves in pretty much the same position, but their road to bridging the current gap is a more difficult one.

 

There are similarities of course. Like the Celtic of the 90s, Rangers have major infrastructure challenges to meet. Celtic had a stadium to build, Rangers have Ibrox (and Auchenhowie) to fix and improve. Both required massive investment to improve the team, although I would argue that Rangers have a steeper hill to climb in that area.

 

Unlike RFC of the 90s, Celtic’s accrued wealth has nothing to do with an intravenous hook-up between their bank account and the chairman’s pals at the bank. Their baseline advantage over the current Rangers predicament is a combination of a stadium which holds 10,000 more fans than Ibrox, no debt, a burgeoning cash balance and the current inflow of European cash.

The Euro cash and the cash balance could be depleted, but the 10,000 extra seats won’t.

 

It also seems difficult to imagine how TRFC can obtain seed capital – even if they were inclined to gamble – given the combination of barriers to achieving that;

 

  • They have a PLC with no stock market listing
  • They have NO executive directors on the PLC board
  • The current chairman is a convicted criminal, convicted of offences involving money
  • The current chairman and vice-chairman are both directors of a previously liquidated club, and therefore associated with the financial mismanagement which brought that about.
  • In that climate, sponsorship deals are hard to come by. Major sponsors want to be associated with stability, success and integrity. TRFC don’t tick many boxes in that regard.
  • Banks do not lend to football clubs. Pre Murray/Masterton, football clubs were cash businesses with modest overdraft facilities to cover modest cash-flow peaks and troughs. The banks have returned to that model. 1987-2007 was the exception, not the norm.
  • They are at war with a powerful and substantial shareholder in Mike Ashley.
  • There is still litigation pending on more than one front which could even call into question the ownership of the club’s assets.
  • They are in debt already (estimated at around £15m).
  • The current onfield situation may require yet another write-off in terms of contracts.

Any one of those bullet points could be enough to derail any plan to get to the top. In combination, there may even be an existential question to answer.

That is why the fans are starting to look a lot smarter than the board, and ultimately the good sense of the fans may well help the board to find a way out of their current dilemma.

But even with realistic expectations from the supporters, is it possible that they can find a way? Is there for instance someone with a magic wand or bag of cash who could come in and turn it around? Perhaps, but who would risk money on a precarious venture like a football club when one of the most powerful businessmen in the country is in dispute with you?

 

In order for serious inward investment to happen;

  • Ashley has to be reconciled with the board (needs King and Murray to go).
  • The debt has to be written off .
  • The new investor(s) has to be given control of the club (and this would perhaps require another 75% special resolution where current shareholders would be asked to vote to dilute their own influence).
  • If they achieved that (and it is a pretty big if) the new investor cash would go into the club’s bank account – not used to pay off the debt –  and they would be free to pursue new and better sponsorship deals, improve the merchandising contract with an onside Ashley, and add new revenue streams.

Even then, any new board would need to see the infrastructure challenges as paramount. Having one eye squinting in the direction of Parkhead will blur the bigger picture.

Their priority should be to reduce the losses (whilst increasing wages for better players), fix the stadium and the training ground (both in need of repair and improvement), build a scouting and youth infrastructure, and free up a (relatively modest) wad of cash to improve the playing squad.

In defence of the current board, the challenges facing them are almost vertical in incline. No matter how skilful they are, nothing other than someone with a barrowload of cash and a very long term outlook can put any kind of fix in place.

£50m might buy the debt and equity, and repair the stadium, but progress requires on-field improvement. It also needs stability, and therefore Ashley’s cooperation. The price of that is the head of Dave King.

Rangers will bring in more at the gate than Aberdeen, Hearts or Hibs, but they have a considerably higher cost base than those clubs. With better players, recurring costs will be even higher – much higher.

To square this circle, however unpalatable it appears to be, peace has to be made with Ashley. That is the key to being able to embark upon a journey that has any chance of success. Otherwise, the clocks will have to be reset to 2022, and the end of the SD contract, before progress can be made.

However there is no chance it can go on that long. Rangers fans may be increasingly less demanding in what they expect, but they will need to see some signs – and not just words – that a plan is in place.

The board are getting ready to throw Mark Warburton to the hounds (the MSM lapdogs have already been armed with poison pens to effect that). This will buy them some time, but not enough.

 

We’ve said it before, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’ll say it again;

 

For Rangers to have a fighting chance of competing at the top of football, King needs to be gone. If he does go, half of the barriers preventing the club raising cash are dismantled. 

So is King’s departure a price worth paying? If he really had Rangers in his heart, he would say ‘Yes’.

 

 

 

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John Cole

About Big Pink

Big Pink is John Cole; a former schoolteacher based in the West of Scotland, He is also a print and broadcast journalist who is engaged in the running of SFM . Former gigs include Newstalk 106, the Celtic View, and Channel67. A Celtic fan, he is also the voice of our podcast initiative.

1,627 thoughts on “Small Price to Pay?


  1. Warburton strikes me as the type who is astute enough to know that he has grounds to go after his cash, that cash is definitely scarce (giving him further grounds) but also not to be the press martyr who pulls the plug on them.  Just another cloud on their horizon.  

    Re the comparison with Barton and McCoist if anyone needs reminding of the RRM’s complete lack of basic understanding I would refer them to BBC’s Richard Wilson on Sportsound this week imploring us to understand that gardening leave is perfectly normal and that funding that PLUS paying compensation to poach a replacement doesn’t cost any more than sticking with the original.  


  2. You see Notts Forest actually retain a competent  solicitor.  There is no way they would use the words “Warburton’s resignation” in the circumstances.  That’s what happens when you do the job properly.


  3. WOTTPI
    FEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 10:38

    Yes, I am starting to believe that John Gilligan has entered the Trumpzone 06


  4. SMUGAS
    FEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 11:06

    Think I must have taught RW Maths
    Probably my oft-plagiarised ‘counting sheep’ lesson  22


  5. I seem to recall from one of PMG’s blogs a few months ago that he and MW have each others phone numbers.

    Now that’s an exclusive 22 free interview that I would love to read.  If only wishing could make it so. 


  6. I fear Messrs Warburton, Weir and McParland may be adding themselves to a future list of creditors of TRFC/RIFC in administration. It’s pretty obvious that Mr King has left the scene or is unwilling/unable to “invest”,  and that the three bears are reaching the point of no longer being able/willing to fund the omnishambles. 
    However they must keep it going until someone else can be found to carry the blame for an administration event. The Parks family in particular still have a business to run on the west coast of Scotland, one that has a great need for ordinary punters to buy from them. 
    It would be handy if legal action by Warburton / Weir / McParland could be blamed or Mr Ashley in a few weeks time.


  7. The hastily, and grammatically poor statement rushed out at statement o’clock on a Friday….36 hours before a vital cup clash  All three saying, “Nobody told us we had resigned”. No back staff or contingency plan in place. A total disregard for employment laws and protocols, No dignity shown whatsoever to employees, nor decency to inform them before releasing a statement  And what appears a panic interim appointment of a “Celtic backgrpund” with an “Oirish” sounding name as care-taker manager is hardly a PR coup. They haven’t thought it through…….Have they?
    Phil Mac informed us that a debate had taken place in the bloo-room, about the departures and who should pay for them. A debate which appears to have broken down. Has one side, or T’other decided to take the bull by the horns unilaterally, and force the issue without majority consent? 
       It wouldn’t surprise me given the haste of the decision.


  8. CORRUPT OFFICIALFEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 14:59

    It does seem ridiculously hasty, particularly with this vital cup tie coming up. I don’t know how good a coach the interim chap will be, but he can hardly be best prepared, and just how it will affect the players is anybody’s guess.

    It makes me wonder if there’s anything behind this haste, like maybe they can’t even afford the management team’s wages for one more week!

    The way the whole thing is being handled must give strength to any claim for compensation, with the club so obviously happy to see the back of all three, while, at the same time, telling us all that a club, in serious financial difficulty, was prepared to let all three go without a hefty compensation payment.


  9. ALLYJAMBOFEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 15:23ORRUPT OFFICIALFEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 14:59
         “It makes me wonder if there’s anything behind this haste,”
        ————————————————————————————— 
       Clearly there is. What? Is anybody’s guess.  It’s another cobbled together reaction with no obvious long or medium term consequences.
    Everything was normal yesterday with Warbo’s presser, who was deffo speaking like a man expecting to be leading his team out on Sunday. There was no indication he was leaving. 
       With all the back-ground noise as to their financial position, and by their own admission needing a cash fix for next month you may be correct. 
       It’s not just the cup game, but a rather shakey league and Euro position at stake, which again, they have iterated vital to their longevity. (Maybe they have been made aware a “Special dispensation” is a no-no?, so have abandoned hope on that).
        Although possibly not directly an issue for the SFA to deal with, any organisation that does not view Sevco, and the chaos and embarrassment they pile upon our game, week after week, month after month, as detrimental, needs its heid looked at. 


  10. Over on Jamboskickback someone introduced a possible explanation for this latest turn of events. Could this latest stop on the journey be a way of kicking the can further on down the road, as, in one fell swoop, they’ve got rid of a (what they consider) failling management team and any compensation payment will be deferred until after the next call for ST sales, or, at least, until they’ve negotiated, or fallen to, a plethora of court cases. Meanwhile they save £100,000 per month (at a guess).

    Short termism at it’s best, in a situation where, if they don’t bring in a high profile dream team before the launch,  must surely see ST sales plummet!


  11. It looks like Nottingham Forest may start rethinkinking their interim appointment 07

    FWIW My take on last night’s statement is rhat it was pulished by someone known to have had prior access to the website.  As PMGB might say “Peace be upon him”.  I can’t believe the CEO had any part in it and for that reason I suspect we may see a real resignation soon which may also be joined by 2 of the 3 bears.  This has all the hallmarks of a “Glib” production with Gilligan and Murray minor riding shotgun.  There may be some High Level obsfucation in attempted damage limitation but I think the damage is now well and truly done.  Not even a RRM would give up current gainful employment to pick up the poisoned chalice.


  12. CORRUPT OFFICIALFEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 14:59
    A total disregard for employment laws and protocols, No dignity shown whatsoever to employees, nor decency to inform them before releasing a statement
    ————————-
    One name i have not seen mentioned is players’ union chief Fraser Wishart  would he be involved as it is not players but management?


  13. AJ, that seems like a reasonably plausible suggestion: buy some time whilst firefighting in a desperate cash flow position – and reputational fallout, (i know!), is a cost the blue room simply can’t avoid?

    A distressing aside from the Warbs’ shambles: just watching Sky News and Gordon “I know nothing about anything” Smith was filmed outside Murray Park, giving his invaluable opinion on the matter.
    01


  14. Re DCK statement.  There will be Bampots eminently more qualified than me to analyse this statement but I am trying to get my head around this one sentence:

    £18 million of the originally estimated £30 million investment has already been made.

    Tonight is a quiet night in by the fire with dinner and a glass of wine.  Sitting beside me now is a writing pad and a pen. I’m going to try and make a list of all the investment of the last two years to see how close I can get to £18m.  It’s not going well so far.  Will post results later. 


  15. He is clearly including the £14m worth of loans which have been used to operate the business in their “investment”.


  16. A lengthy statement from Dave King on club website. Mostly ‘I am great and delivering what I promised’ type waffle, but quite revealing, between the lines, over the Warburton fiasco.

    “I have issued a select number of statements to give supporters a reliable update on the progression that your board committed to almost two years ago.
    Some of the content relates to a subject matter that the Club would normally only deal with at our AGM or results announcements. However, under the circumstances, I feel that inclusion is appropriate to ensure that supporters are properly informed and don’t have to rely on uninformed media speculation.
    For the avoidance of doubt, I repeat the key elements;
    We would invest sufficient resources to ensure immediate promotion to the SPFL.In season two we would further invest to be competitive in the SPFL and qualify for Europe at the end of the season. Our realistic expectation was to come second. This was to be achieved by signing five or six players of a quality that improved the squad that won the Championship.In season three we would again invest in five or six players that further improved the squad to compete for the title and progress in Europe.I personally estimated that we would require an investment of £30 million over that period to achieve our stated objectives.I now comment on each of these elements;
    We hired, at short notice, a relatively untested management team that recruited a number of players and introduced a style of play that was pleasing to our supporters. Significant investment was made on and off the park and the Championship was ultimately won in some style. The season was an unqualified success and the management team was rewarded with a vastly improved contract.This season we did not stick to our plan of signing five or six players because the manager appealed to the Board for additional signings. Despite the concern about departing from our plan of prudent phased investment, the Board backed the manager’s request for accelerated investment. This placed us significantly above the football resources available to our competitors (other than Celtic) and was expected to ensure that we finished a strong second in the league and had a squad that could be added to, close season, to make a strong impact in the Europa League qualifiers. While I still believe that we can finish a strong second, I am stating the obvious to admit that we are not where we anticipated we would be at this stage of the season and we have not repeated the success that we had with our signings from the previous season.Following from the above it is clear that we are behind our target for next season but, given that we recognise this, it is the duty of the Board to take steps to get things back on track. That is what our supporters trust us to do and rightly demand that we do. We remain 100% committed to the plan we commenced with and that the supporters continue to endorse resoundingly.£18 million of the originally estimated £30 million investment has already been made. Ultimately, the overall investment in any football team is driven by the net player spend and, given that we are behind target with our squad, there may be a further need to accelerate investment at the end of this season. It is my present personal view that we will, in all likelihood, invest more than £30 million before we are where we want to be but this will be revisited once we have a new permanent management team in place.The vagaries of running a football club are not new to your Board. It is our job to react to and manage these as they arise during any season – and from season to season. Despite the relative disappointment of this season so far, the bigger project remains firmly on track and we will take whatever corrective measures are necessary. On this point, I want to deal with one issue that has recently received wide coverage in the media.
    It is a vital obligation and fiduciary responsibility for any Board to continually monitor the progress of the company’s financial and operating performance against its budgets and plans. This is done at regular Board meetings where all aspects of the company’s business is reviewed and evaluated. What is stated and dealt with during those meetings is confidential and governed by a number of rules, regulations, laws and ethics. Put simply, what is said in Board meetings stays in Board meetings.
    Ahead of the Board meeting at the end of January, I advised the manager that the Board wished to review our recruitment plan and performance over the previous two windows. This was a routine request and was timely given the concerns that everyone at the Club has with regard to the high level of wages we were paying relative to the performance on the pitch. In particular, a large portion of our wage bill was not even seeing regular playing time.
    Under normal circumstances such a review would remain confidential. However, in this instance, your Board’s routine questioning of management was leaked to the media and conveyed as being a negative reflection of the Board’s attitude to the manager and the recruitment department. It was confirmed to me that the leak did not come from a board member.
    Irrespective of who leaked confidential information, it is clear from subsequent media comments that the manager did not respond well to the Board reviewing his recruitment activity. This is a strange position to adopt and, in my personal experience, is not a position that a more experienced manager would adopt. No manager in the world can reasonably expect to be beyond scrutiny.
    Things moved quickly from that point. There were rumours that the management team (presumably their agent) was negotiating with English clubs and, in one instance, I was informally approached to ask if the Club would waive compensation if the management team was to leave. While this was unsubstantiated by direct confirmation from the Club in question, I was alert to a conversation that Mark Warburton had with me after joining the Club in which he advised me that his long-term ambition was to manage in the EPL and he viewed Rangers as a stepping-stone to achieve this. His comments to the media simultaneously reinforced his present unhappiness at the Club.
    I was therefore not surprised when the management team’s agent approached the Club’s Managing Director Stewart Robertson to request a meeting which was held in Glasgow on Monday this week. The outcome of this meeting was that the agent subsequently offered that Mark, David and Frank would resign with immediate effect without compensation as long as the Club, in turn, agreed to waive compensation from any new Club that they signed for. After discussion the Board accepted this offer and employment was immediately terminated. In order for us to achieve our ambitions we need employees that, like your Board members, will always put Rangers first.
    While we were dealing with the admin and press releases relating to the resignation the agent again contacted us and asked to defer the resignation until the management had secured a new club. I assume that the new deal had somehow collapsed at the last minute. The Board met to consider this request but resolved to hold them to the original agreement.
    We are now in the process of reviewing the best interim and long-term solution for ensuring that a modern and robust footballing structure is put in place that will continue with and entrench the footballing philosophy that we have in place. We also must protect and support the marvellous work that has been achieved by the Academy over the last two years.
    Dave King11 February 2017″
    __________

    Thank you Dave, that clarifies it, not.

    Interesting that King makes no mention of a written letter of resignation, nor does he even hint at at what point any resignation took place, just that the agent proposed circumstances in which the three would be prepared to resign. I think it may well be worthwhile to note that he, on the other hand, has stated that their ’employment was immediately terminated’! Not that their resignation was formally accepted. He offers no explanation why, after this immediate termination, the men continued to carry out their duties!

    From King’s statement, alone, it would appear that a proposal was made for a conditional resignation, after which, the men were sacked!

    Clearly, no club would want to continue with a management team that wanted to leave, but then they should be offered a severence package, or continue in their role until such times as a suitable offer for their services is made. Instead, according to King, TRFC terminated their employment upon learning they wanted away, but only once they’d secured suitable employment elsewhere!


  17. Allyjambo the statement says an offer was made to resign with immediate effect which was accepted. Not that taking Dave King at his word is an advisable course of action but taking the statement at face value it does make clear that it was the resignation which resulted in the termination of employment. 


  18. Warburton said he didn’t resign apparently.

    One of these men has been described in court as a glib and shameless liar, and that nothing he said should be trusted without supporting documentary evidence.*

    I suppose it really depends on what was said and whether you consider it to be resigning or not.

    *He’ll have the letter of resignation no doubt. 


  19. RyanGoslingFebruary 11, 2017 at 17:03  Rate This 
    Allyjambo the statement says an offer was made to resign with immediate effect which was accepted. Not that taking Dave King at his word is an advisable course of action but taking the statement at face value it does make clear that it was the resignation which resulted in the termination of employment.
    ……………………………………………………………………………………

    The statement actually says that they “would” resign. Until someone actually has resigned, the person has not actually resigned.


  20. The £18M “investment” using a glib and shameless calculator

    31/12/14 £2.660m – Three Bears share purchase
    02/01/15 £2.386m – New Oasis share purchase
    28/03/15 £1.500m – Shareholder loans
    28/03/15 £0.750m – Director Loans
    22/05/15 £1.500m – New Oasis Loan
    31/12/15 £1.700m – Director Loans
    31/12/15 £2.200m – New Oasis Loan
    31/12/15 £2.375m – Shareholder Loans
    nn/10/16 £2.900m – Investor Loans
    Total ……£17.971m


  21. That makes sense EJ

    However their share purchase would be a tiny bit disingenuous, as that money would have gone to the shareholders and nowhere near the PLC.


  22. RyanGoslingFebruary 11, 2017 at 17:03 Allyjambo the statement says an offer was made to resign with immediate effect which was accepted. Not that taking Dave King at his word is an advisable course of action but taking the statement at face value it does make clear that it was the resignation which resulted in the termination of employment. 
    *********************************************
    “Immediate effect”,   That just makes me wonder why they carried on working after the resignation was accepted


  23. “We hired, at short notice, a relatively untested management team that recruited a number of players and introduced a style of play that was pleasing to our supporters”
    “I was alert to a conversation that Mark Warburton had with me after joining the Club in which he advised me that his long-term ambition was to manage in the EPL and he viewed Rangers as a stepping-stone to achieve this.”
    ******
    So Dave Kings club employed a Rookie and his management team,
    The rookie had stepped up to the plate to take on the job of managing the new club and to get it into the top flight, early on he told DK he was ambitious and wanted to manage in the EPL,  for me, to do that he would have had to have made a great success of his time at Ibrox.

    This is the headline story running at this time in the Daily Records online edition. (Sat 11/02/2017 )
    “Rangers chairman Dave King blasts Mark Warburton for wanting move out of Ibrox
    Gers chief blasts former boss and insists that he was always using Ibrox club as a stepping stone to the English Premier League.”
    It’s that time frame thing again, Dave King has waited until now to blast Warburton for something he said after he joined the club,
    Dave King was so angry about this that he gave Warburton a pay rise and extended the length of his deal.


  24. I think I’m trying to say something about the recent shambles but can’t quite find the words11
    “One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.” Jack Kerouac.


  25. In the usual absence of evidence based truth down Sevco Side the official club site has issued two statements in 19 hours.
    At 9pm last night we were treated to a “Club Statement”.
    I didn’t get past the first two words before I was asking myself if I was reading a statement in the English language or if I was just nitpicking or if I was just wrong.
    “Rangers has…”
    Is “Rangers” singular or plural? Or should that be are “Rangers” singular or plural?
    Is it only me that would have not paused if the statement read “Rangers have…”?
    Anyhoo…
    The statement’s next paragraph includes “…the Club were advised…”.
    Is the author playing with us or is English a second language to the the author?
    Shouldn’t that be “…the Club was advised…”?
    Anyhoo#2…
    In a long history (nearly five years) of traincrash statements last night’s is up there with the worst of them.
    The authorship of the statement has been debated and on the basis of its quality and content I would not be surprised if Chris Ze List Graham’s Bear Pawprints were all over it. This is so even though CZLG has no official capacity within the “Club”.
    Today’s “Statement From Dave King” is a lot simpler.
    I do not know who wrote it.
    I do know who didn’t.
    Dave King.


  26. TINCKSFEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 16:39       8 Votes 
    Re DCK statement.  There will be Bampots eminently more qualified than me to analyse this statement but I am trying to get my head around this one sentence:
    £18 million of the originally estimated £30 million investment has already been made.Tonight is a quiet night in by the fire with dinner and a glass of wine.  Sitting beside me now is a writing pad and a pen. I’m going to try and make a list of all the investment of the last two years to see how close I can get to £18m.  It’s not going well so far.  Will post results later. 
    ——————
    New coffee machine for Murray park….remember everything has to go on the list


  27. CLUSTER ONE
    FEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 18:59
    ================================

    That would be a spend surely.

    I think you are double dunting. 


  28. HOMUNCULUSFEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 19:08
    ———–
    You can’t have a world class Breakfast if you don’t invest in a coffee machine14


  29. EASYJAMBOFEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 17:25

    So taking out the share purchases we know the board, not just King, have needed to prop up the club to the tune of £13m over two years.
    Possibly more if pay day loans have been required recently.
    While some cost savings have been made these will have been balanced out by increased player wages.
    The fact remains that even freeing up the retail money and securing better sponsorship merely let’s the club stand still.

    These chancers have no long term recovery plan and appear to lack the basic business acumen to run the club in the correct manner.


  30. TINCKSFEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 16:39
    how big is your paper?                                                                                                                                       The Sunday Telegraph understands that King has indicated to his fellow directors that the ultimate investment is likely to be nearer £40 million, although sceptics will reserve judgement until flesh is put on the bones of that figure.
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/02/11/alex-mcleish-favourite-rangers-job-chairman-dave-king-releases/


  31. From your link CO

    Warburton, meanwhile, remains adamant that no agreement was reached between Rangers and his representative, Dave Lockwood, to the effect that he and his assistant, David Weir, and the club’s head of recruitment, Frank McParland, would resign.

    The former Brentford boss also claims to have referred the matter to both his lawyers and the League Managers Association, although there has been no confirmation from the LMA of contact from Warburton over the issue.


  32. That statement – in King’s name – will be taken with a bucket of salt.09
    Well, by the Bampots anyway.

    And to paraphrase ‘his observation’ that Warbs was just using TRFC as a stepping stone to the EPL;

    So you’ve just landed a huge promotion.
    One that you really don’t have the experience or breadth of skills for – but you would be stoopid to decline.
    So what do you say on securing such a significant jump up the career ladder?

    Yes, you tell the ‘big boss’, (and not merely your line manager), at the outset that you’ll be out the door just as soon as you get a better offer.
    Absolutely!

    If King really had any input to that statement, was he scratching his nose with one hand and crossing his fingers on his other hand, behind his back, throughout?

    You would think with his experience, King’s fibs would be a bit more subtle and believable by now?


  33. This is a 9/11 moment the media are peddling the pish story and by the end of the day people will be telling others MW tried to diuble cross the media and Sevco. If any conversation was going on in Sevco corridors his press conference wouod have been held back before giving the media soundbites for the game etc.
    Decisions were been made behind the guys back and this will be an employment constructive dismissal which will be won, no written, no verbal, to be reliable the media have disgraced themselves in the lamb fest.
    the guy i believe has been thrown to the wolves its the way it is down by Barton sussed it,keirnan will suss it, Halliday will be found out its the way of the peepul and they have their king, they are like Warburton toast they are lining up potential mangers and the suckers are ready to part with season ticket moneys they really are a joke, their club died and the tribute act is dying.
    What a time to be alive indeed watching Scotlands ills been slowly reduced and the culture fading fast, this is the new Scotland the one we all want to be part of.


  34. RYANGOSLINGFEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 17:03
    Allyjambo the statement says an offer was made to resign with immediate effect which was accepted. Not that taking Dave King at his word is an advisable course of action but taking the statement at face value it does make clear that it was the resignation which resulted in the termination of employment. 
    ________

    Perhaps I was mistaken when I thought I’d read this, which, to me, suggests King is saying Warburton’s employment was terminated!

    ‘…the Board accepted this offer and employment was immediately terminated.’

    Oops, sorry, he does use these exact words.

    I think, when someone offers to resign if certain conditions are met, and these conditions are accepted, there still has to be a formal resignation. If the offer is made on his behalf by his agent, it would, I suspect, still require the employee to formally resign. In the same way a prospective employee wiil make conditions with a prospective employer, and if the employer agrees to the conditions, neither is committed until the contract is signed. 

    At no time has anyone from TRFC claimed Mark Warburton tendered his resignation, or even said ‘I resign’. They don’t even claim that his agent tendered his resignation on his behalf. It’s just, an offer was made, the offer was accepted, employment was terminated. 

    Even Dave King can’t bring himself to claim that Mark Warburton, or either of his team, tendered their resignation, either through their agent, or directly. Don’t you think that would be included in every communication if they had? I’d suggest that a man like King would not be able to resist embellishing any version of the facts in anything he says. Just look at the way he earlier claims that £18m of the £30m he promised has already been made. I think I am being kind to call that ’embelishment’. He would certainly not ommit to say that a definitive resignation was tendered, whether written or verbal, if it had been.

    Here’s what immediately preceded my earlier quote, note, if you please, the use of the words ‘would resign’, quite different from the words ‘I/we resign’ are they not, both in word and meaning, and clearly indicate that no resignation has yet been made.

    ‘…The outcome of this meeting was that the agent subsequently offered that Mark, David and Frank would resign with immediate effect without compensation as long as the Club, in turn, agreed to waive compensation from any new Club that they signed for…’


  35. Fraser Wishart this could be messy as this involves employment rights

    ACAS Help & advice foremployers and employees
    Termination of an employment contractEmployees may terminate their contract by resigning or an employer may terminate the contract by dismissing an employee.
    Employees’ should make it clear that they are formally resigning and it would be best to do this in writing giving the correct amount of notice should be given. By law employees will need to give either one week’s notice or the amount stated in the contract whichever is the longer.
    Employers normally give employees at least the notice stated in the contract of employment or the statutory minimum notice period, whichever is the longer. The statutory notice required is:
    one week if the employee has been employed between one month and two yearsone week for each complete year of employment (up to a maximum of 12 weeks) for example, for two year employment the notice period will be two weeks, for six years of employment the notice will be six week.Summary dismissal is dismissal without notice and is should only be used for gross misconduct, where a situation occurs that is so serious (such as theft, violence, fraud) that the employer gives no notice. However, employers should investigate the circumstances before making a dismissal and follow a fair procedure even in these cases.


  36. King states that the board hired a relatively untested management team and it was done at short notice.  I wonder why they did not simply procure the services of a tried and tested manager but go for a rookie instead?  I think I know the real answer to that but you will not find any intrepid hacks asking that question of the Three Bears.  Nevertheless, when he was appointed, Warburton was promised a £500,000 bonus if the team secured promotion to the Scottish Premiership.  Such promotion wasn’t a given as the previous incumbent had failed to do so in the play-off matches against Motherwell.  MW is therefore entitled to that reward, regardless of any other consideration.
     
    The statement is so wrong in so many aspects that I doubt if it was the work of Level Five or any other professional PR outfit.  I can only conclude that TRFC has not been settling Mr Traynor’s invoices of late.  With the matter in hand being subject to possible court proceedings re: terms of employment and the liability of significant sums of money, a proper but short statement should have been drafted by the TRFC’s solicitors.  Rather than ramble on about investment, confidentiality, and footballing philosophy, the statement perhaps should have been along these lines:
     
    “The club is currently in dispute with its management team regarding the terms of their employment and is seeking a speedy resolution to the matter.  Meanwhile the club has been advised to make no further comment on the matter other than to say it will take all necessary steps to defend its action.”


  37. When King spoke of the need for an investment of £30m to catch and match Celtic, Rangers fans would have been encouraged to learn that their new saviour understood the amount of ground that had to be made up.  They would have assumed that this investment would be targeted at player recruitment and this would rapidly close the gap between the respective playing squads.

    Having a number of friends who support Rangers and who strenuously back King, I know that they have been waiting on some clear signs that monies would be made available to acquire a number of players of a similar quality of that currently across the City.

    They are far from stupid and would have realised that some of the “investment” would have had to be directed to make inroads into reestablishing the fabric of the club, its facilities and its operation. I imagine however that they will be taken aback to realise that the first £18m of this “investment” has already been delivered. It has been used to fund share purchase in order to gain control of the Boardroom, and includes the soft loans provided by Directors and Shareholders simply to keep the business solvent and able to trade.

    To date this £18m investment has enabled the recruitment of some players such as the £700k used to secure Garner, but the 2nd instalment of his transfer fee will have to be funded from the next £12m investment, presumably made in the guise of a further suite of soft loans. These further loans will largely be needed to see the club though until it becomes self sustaining.

    No lies I suppose but a fair bit of deceit, and little hope of these monies being used to significantly improve the playing squad.


  38. TILHOTDOGSBARKFEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 21:23
    To date this £18m investment has enabled the recruitment of some players such as the £700k used to secure Garner, but the 2nd instalment of his transfer fee will have to be funded from the next £12m investment, presumably made in the guise of a further suite of soft loans. These further loans will largely be needed to see the club though until it becomes self sustaining.
    ———————
    And if the court case with sports direct does not go the ibrox way?
    And if MW and his team gain any money due?
    what will be left from £12mill?


  39. Allyjambo I just read it as the offer to resign if conditions are met, the Board agreeing to the conditions so the resignation was accepted. But then as I said before, that’s taking the statement at face value. As you are (quite rightly with a man like Mr King) reading between the lines and asking for the absolutes truth of what has happened, I’d agree that is missing from the statement. 

    I think people trying to dissect the amount of investment made are going way overboard. He said he’d “over-invest” to the tune of £30m, and clearly meant he himself would be doing this. Spending season ticket money on players is clearly not what was meant. It was a pie in the sky comment at the time he made it, I have never believed it, can’t believe anyone else did believe it, and don’t understand how any interview he ever does is not immediately opened with the questions “where’s the £30m Dave?”. 


  40. CLUSTER ONEFEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 21:49
    And if the court case with sports direct does not go the ibrox way?And if MW and his team gain any money due?what will be left from £12mill?
    ———–
    That was my point, they are assuming that European qualification will provide additional revenue to make them self sustaining. I believe that is risky at best and fanciful in reality.  
    The issue is, they seem to be misleading their fans that this “investment” is designed to become the major force in Scottish football when in reality it gives them a chance of a prolonged struggle to become a self sustaining entity.
    They must look at Aberdeen and Hearts’ budgets and think becoming a shoe in for 2nd place at worse is a no brainer- with our income and relative player budget second place should be a given. All things being equal they are right, but the expenditure requirements at Rangers are of a different magnitude from those at Aberdeen and Hearts, largely because of the importance to them of their “big club” persona. There is also the unreasonable demands placed upon the club by their fan base who can’t accept anything but superiority. Without significant new investment they will not challenge at the top of the Premiership in the medium term  
    I still have difficulty getting out of my head, that arrogant address by Paul Murray on Radio Scotland after the successful Coup to oust Ashley’s placements and the Brothers. “We are Rangers and we believe we have a responsibility to lead Scottish football” aye right you are Paul. 


  41. JIMBO
    FEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 22:31
    ==============================
    I tend to agree.

    I don’t imagine Mark Warburton will walk away from the remainder of his contract, worth about £1.2m.

    That’s assuming the alleged £500k bonus is not also an issue.

    Potential £1.7m owed to the man, I seriously doubt this is over. 


  42. ‘…The outcome of this meeting was that the agent subsequently offered that Mark, David and Frank would resign with immediate effect without compensation as long as the Club, in turn, agreed to waive compensation from any new Club that they signed for…’
    Is that last bit not important? the 3 would resign if the club waived compensation for any ‘NEW CLUB THEY SIGNED FOR’. They didn’t sign for any new club so there was no reason to hand in their resignations. Is it just me or has King just shot himself in the foot here? (I know nothing about contract law just interpreting how I see it)


  43. BIGBOAB1916FEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 21:13 
    Fraser Wishart this could be messy as this involves employment rights
    ACAS Help & advice foremployers and employeesTermination of an employment contractEmployees may terminate their contract by resigning or an employer may terminate the contract by dismissing an employee.Employees’ should make it clear that they are formally resigning and it would be best to do this in writing giving the correct amount of notice should be given. By law employees will need to give either one week’s notice or the amount stated in the contract whichever is the longer.Employers normally give employees at least the notice stated in the contract of employment or the statutory minimum notice period, whichever is the longer. The statutory notice required is:one week if the employee has been employed between one month and two yearsone week for each complete year of employment (up to a maximum of 12 weeks) for example, for two year employment the notice period will be two weeks, for six years of employment the notice will be six week.Summary dismissal is dismissal without notice and is should only be used for gross misconduct, where a situation occurs that is so serious (such as theft, violence, fraud) that the employer gives no notice. However, employers should investigate the circumstances before making a dismissal and follow a fair procedure even in these cases.
    ___________

    Good spot, Boab, and the following brings me back to Kings claim that ‘the employment was immediately terminated’.

    ‘…employer may terminate the contract by dismissing an employee.’

    Which implies that it’s the employer who ‘terminates’ the contract, and not as a result of the employee resigning, either. It is the consequence of dismissal. I wonder if this could be construed as TRFC terminating the contract before a formal resignation, effectively sacking the Ibrox three!

    Something else struck me, too, before I read your post. Accepting that there was an informal agreement to meet the conditions of the offer, then surely, before any resignation could proceed, a signed alteration to the contract, reflecting the amendment, would have to be drawn up with everyone happy that all was in order. This would appear to not be the case. So, even if it was Warburton and co’s intention to resign, could it now be the case that the club has jumped the gun, and by terminating the contracts early, have, in fact, sacked the three employees?

    To my mind, going by what King said, at best (for TRFC), they had concluded the discussions, with everyone happy, but the employees have been erroneously sacked before they had a chance to resign!


  44. RYANGOSLINGFEBRUARY 11, 2017 at 21:59

    Glad to see you continue to be suspicious of your club’s defacto chairman, but too many bears seem convinced he’s the real deal. I think it is clear that someone has made a complete mess of the efforts to get rid of Warburton, and even if it doesn’t cost them a million or so, they could surely do without this return to the days of the McCoist departure farce. It shows just how little progress has been made, with, ironically, the best progress, within the whole setup, happening on the pitch under Warburton!
     


  45. Unless TRFC can come to some agreement tonight with Warbs…

    It would seem that his best move could be to turn up at Ibrox tomorrow (or Murray Park?) before the game, as per normal.

    …with the media tipped off, his own photographer and his lawyer in attendance, and mibbees a security chap too ?

    If he is then physically barred from entering his place of work – and very publicly witnessed – then he might at the very least gain some public sympathy?

    And obtain back up to a compelling argument that he didn’t resign, but rather was barred from fulfilling his duties by the club, (or the company 09 ).


  46. I take it DCK doesn’t do irony.

    A bit rich having a go at Warburton’s commitment to the club when the South African based chairman is never see at games and when he is in the countty seems to prefer taking in an EPL game as opposed to turning up at Ibrox.


  47. Okay, I know it’s only the Sun but for what it’s worth here’s a bit more on the MW saga:

    “MARK WARBURTON is adamant he, Davie Weir and Frank McParland did NOTHING to merit the Rangers board showing them the door on Friday night.
    And now the powerful English League Managers Association — representing the trio — have been instructed to wage war with the Ibrox board for compensation totalling a stunning £1MILLION plus.
    Former Brentford gaffer Warburton, 54, refused to comment further on a staggering 24 hours in his life following advice from the LMA.
    First he faced the media at the Auchenhowie training base ahead of the Scottish Cup tie against Morton.
    Then later, while at his Glasgow apartment, he was caught completely cold by an EMAIL from club chiefs abruptly informing him they’d accepted his ‘resignation’.
    It’s believed No2 Weir and head of recruitment McParland endured the same fate.
    But a source close to the first Englishman in the Gers hotseat told SunSport: “Mark categorically denies that he ever offered his resignation. The same goes for Davie and Frank.”
    Warburton — linked strongly with the Nottingham Forest gaffer’s job — spent the day in Glasgow but is expected to return to his London family home tomorrow.
    Then the stage will be left clear for the LMA to square up to the Light Blues’ hierarchy, who are determined not to pay out a single penny to the departed trio.
    SunSport has been told most of the Gers first team squad were quick to contact Warburton with messages of sympathy and support.
    It’s also understood he was called by various members of behind-the-scenes club staff emotional over the exits of the managerial threesome.
    Warburton spent 20 months in charge, winning the Championship and Petrofac Challenge Cup but losing the Scottish Cup Final to Hibs.He beat former Rangers midfielder Stuart McCall to land the job.
    This season Gers currently sit third in the Premiership, a whopping 27 points behind Celtic.”


  48. I am probably going against the grain a bit, but I have a degree of sympathy with Rangers position re the “resignationgate”.

    If you can detach yourself from it being Rangers and it is your own company that is the employer.  One of your key employees communicates to you that they are keen to leave and find another job.  You are not overly upset by this, because he is relatively expensive to employ and you are not getting the hoped for return on investment from him.  You go out your way to facilitate his departure by agreeing to change the contract termination requirements to suit both yourself and the employee. You suspect that he has a job lined up and will leave within the week.

    To your surprise, a couple of days later the employee comes back to you and tells you that a job offer has fallen through and wants you to revert to the previous terms and conditions.  What do you do?

    I can’t imagine that you would be particularly happy about it and you would want him out the door asap.  Nothwithstanding the legal issues that may arise, the “contract termination” is hardly a surprising outcome in that situation. Obviously there are a number of less draconian actions that you could take, but the desired outcome on your part as the employer remains the same.


  49. AllyjamboFebruary 11, 2017 at 23:06 
    Good spot, Boab, and the following brings me back to Kings claim that ‘the employment was immediately terminated’.
    ‘…employer may terminate the contract by dismissing an employee.’
    Which implies that it’s the employer who ‘terminates’ the contract, and not as a result of the employee resigning, either. It is the consequence of dismissal. I wonder if this could be construed as TRFC terminating the contract before a formal resignation, effectively sacking the Ibrox three!

    You are spot on this is a sacking and is an unfair dismisssal,there is also the fact that with nothing signed you are now relying on the verbal,however, the communication coming out is should there be interest in MW plus, would compensation be sought if his plus, services were transfered, yes or no.
    Warburton’s agent has simply went in to negotiate terms and conditions to change the contract and ensure neither party will be held to terms not favourable, this is basic collective agreement negotiations. Nothing followed from this that would give one party the right to terminate, it is simply dipping the toe in to test the water and agree not to seek compensation from either side if things don’t work out. There is also the plus side for MW in that if he is been tipped as a potential for Notts F or any team he has did the honourable thing and informed his board of interest and ensured he is not been cornered in any tapping accusation, he has a lot going for him in this.
    The board knew they were onto a hiding with MW as to alleviate him from his duty would be costly and to not relieve him of his duties would hinder bums on seats come renewal. This is obviously a knee jerk reaction from a nervous board and could cost more in an employment tribunal.


  50. EasyJambo
    06look at the time we have posted good minds think alike


  51. EASYJAMBOFEBRUARY 12, 2017 at 02:01 
    I am probably going against the grain a bit, but I have a degree of sympathy with Rangers position re the “resignationgate”.
    If you can detach yourself from it being Rangers and it is your own company that is the employer.  One of your key employees communicates to you that they are keen to leave and find another job.  You are not overly upset by this, because he is relatively expensive to employ and you are not getting the hoped for return on investment from him.  You go out your way to facilitate this by agreeing to change the contract termination requirements to suit both yourself and the employee. You suspect that he has a job lined up and will leave within the week.
        ——————————————————————————————————————————-
       Possibly EJ…………If that’s what happened. That is the key IMO. It may be wise to follow the advice of a S.A. judge, and wait for independent documentary evidence.
    Other than Sevco’s version of events, Warbs has uttered no more than a resignation denial, and to say he had “No idea” how this has come to pass. 
        If what we believe is true.      
    (Sevco wanted rid, but couldn’t finance it.
    Warbs wanted out, but had a substantial contract, and wasn’t about to ship future incomes.)
       Then a stalemate exists, and removing any compo costs involved, could have provided a painless resolution for both parties cost free. I have no idea what compo Sevco would attach but it may have been very restrictive. Possibly even too rich for a mid to lower Championship club like Forest, (If such an offer existed)
       It’s not entirely clear that Warbs was in the frame for the Forrest job, and may have had nothing to do with it. I haven’t noticed any comment from Forest, and the only connection appears to be bookie odds and rumour. (both easily fabricated)
       I doubt Forest will comment  due to fitba rules on tapping up. Sevco have no evidence they did.
        It could very well be, that Warbs thought he(they) stood a better chance of finding alternative employ if there wasn’t a price on his(their) release. It would be something he could tout for mutual benefit, and pertain to any offer he may receive, presently, or further down the line from any club.
       A lot depends on what was said, and in what context. 
      
       


  52. It seems like one of the key players in all of this is the anonymous agent. Has any one of our award winning journalists spoken with him/her? Apologies if I have missed that one.


  53. EASYJAMBOFEBRUARY 12, 2017 at 02:01

    EJ. All well and good.

    However in the non-T’ Rangers world in such circumstances letters of resignations are  normally provided and even if it just discussions  legally binding contracts have to be altered and signed agreeing the changes to the release package etc.

    It would seem Warburton is saying none of this happened but DCK is saying employment was terminated.

    That reads to me that, while your scenario may be correct, the board have sacked the manager and, somehow, others who equally would have had to sign up to a new release package.

    I expect trumped up charges to be put forward and a Barton style behind doors compromise to be agreed. Funded of course by further loans or by the first tranche of income from season ticket renewals.


  54. easyJamboFebruary 12, 2017 at 02:01 
    I am probably going against the grain a bit, but I have a degree of sympathy with Rangers position re the “resignationgate”.
    If you can detach yourself from it being Rangers and it is your own company that is the employer.  One of your key employees communicates to you that they are keen to leave and find another job.  You are not overly upset by this, because he is relatively expensive to employ and you are not getting the hoped for return on investment from him.  You go out your way to facilitate his departure by agreeing to change the contract termination requirements to suit both yourself and the employee. You suspect that he has a job lined up and will leave within the week.
    To your surprise, a couple of days later the employee comes back to you and tells you that a job offer has fallen through and wants you to revert to the previous terms and conditions.  What do you do?
    I can’t imagine that you would be particularly happy about it and you would want him out the door asap.  Nothwithstanding the legal issues that may arise, the “contract termination” is hardly a surprising outcome in that situation. Obviously there are a number of less draconian actions that you could take, but the desired outcome on your part as the employer remains the same.
    ________________

    I appreciate you are trying to step back and look at the situation with an open mind, but…

    I’m no expert on employment law, but I am certain that wanting to leave is not a sackable offence! What’s more, an employee letting his bosses know he is looking for new employment could be considered a reasonably honourable thing to do, and certainly more honourable than doing it behind the employer’s back! (I’m not suggesting that honour comes into anyone’s consideration within Ibrox) It would take a particularly thick employer not to realise that if an employee tells him he intends leaving, if he can secure a new position, and they negotiate a severance package (or even a compromise), that, should the employee fail to get a job elsewhere, then his employment continues until such times as he resigns or commits a sackable offence. This would be the case even if the employer thought the employee meant he was leaving regardless – it’s because of the possibility of such misunderstandings that a formal resignation is necessary. I’d suggest that, in their desperation to see the men gone, whoever was at the meeting with the agent, heard what they wanted to hear, or, in discussion with a less than honourable but more influential colleague, decided to treat it in a way most beneficial to the club!

    While it might be a reasonable argument that a ‘want away manager’ is not good for any football club, the law must surely be the same for him as it is for the rest of us, and, unless he formally resigns, then any termination of his employment is a sacking, and the employing company, or club, must have reasonable grounds for it’s action.

    Do you think Hearts would have shown Robbie Neilson the door if he’d failed to get the MK Dons job, or do you think they’d have honoured his contract until it was over or he found alternative employment? I’m sure Craig Levein and Ann Budge’s relationship with him would have been a bit less cordial, but I doubt they’d have treated him as having resigned and terminated his contract!

    I’d also suggest that the fact TRFC wanted rid of Warburton (evidenced by, if nothing else, their willingness to forego much needed income from compensation) lends strength to his case, and not theirs!


  55. Things sure haven’t changed on Wilton Mountain.
    The Sunday Mail quotes Mark Warburton,
    “It is essential that I retain a dignified silence.”
    “Dignified”=still here; still using the jargon, still staunch.
    The Sunday Mail were able to quote Mr Warburton because he spoke to them. It is not explained how he was able to do this silently.
    Or maybe it wasn’t that essential after all.
    Meantime the Under 20s Coach is preparing his Scottish Cup Only Thing Left To Win speech to players he has probably never met or spoken to as none of them are a product of the fabled Academy which was crowbarred into GASH’s statement.
    Even with the most recent shenanigans the words “Respect” and “Dignity” will probably feature. If that doesn’t work Jimmy Bell can always be relied on to start the community singing with a lovely little ditty about killing Catholics.
    In the land of the bookmaker (possibly excluding Coral. Result pending.) the smart money seems to be on Alex McLeish being the next manager; ad interim or permanent or, given how things are viewed in some parts of Scotland, maybe even perpetual.
    If the bookies have it right it’s odds on that Me And My Shadow Alex Rae will be rocking up with Mr McLeish as assistant manager.
    A couple of weeks before the Supreme Court EBT Appeal Hearing what could possibly go wrong with appointing Mr McLeish (£1,700,000.00) and Mr Rae (£569,000.00) as your management team?
    Truly A Club Like No Other.
    (Apart From The Last One.)


  56. It seems rather strange that most of the discussions regarding compensation are based around the amount due to Warbs and Co, surely if they resigned their positions as his glibness is implying, compensation would automatically be forfeit,  if an employee has say a 2 year contract, packs their job in giving the required notice etc, they would not expect their employer to pay wages for the remainder of said contract, why then is King using that scenario to justify his actions. why do the so called media refuse to ask the obvious.
    Should we be expected to believe the charlatans that “run” the club without producing a single document to back up their claims, at best it is an exercise in bad management, at worst it reeks of desperation, deceit, lies and arrogance where they obviously are trying to put off the inevitable outcome to gain time until the next batch of ST’s come in.
    The circus that is Sevco casts  a huge black cloud over the competence of the club/company’s board, if I was Parks I would be looking for a get out to save what little dignity remains, to be associated with this fiasco makes them look like some dodgy Del boy outfit trying to con a bunch of gullible half wits, sadly, the fans are fed so much bull by the press they don’t know if they are coming or going.


  57. Just a thought.

    Going by what has emanated from Ibrox (or South Africa) we know that a discussion took place to end the three men’s employment on condition that the compensation arrangements were altered. Again, going solely by the club statements, there is no mention that the contracts had been altered and presented to the employees in their altered forms. If that part of the agreement wasn’t carried out, then the conditions weren’t met, and even if Warbs and co had every intention of resigning, they didn’t! The club announced that they had resigned, and that their employment had been immediately terminated. Over to you Mr Employment Lawyer!


  58. Maybe someone could help me with a wee question here.

    What is the position with regards a fixed term contract (which I believe Mark Warburton was on) as opposed to a permanent employee. Are the rules any different with regards “sacking”.

    If Mark Warburton was not guilty of gross misconduct, or breaching any of the terms of his contract then what we are talking about is not someone being sacked. It is the contract being broken, the question therefore is who broke it, or was it mutual consent.

    Rangers are claiming it was Warburton. He is claiming he did no such thing. I see this going to a Tribunal / Court, or being settled for an undisclosed sum. I don’t think Mark Warburton will walk gentle into the night. There is too much money and too much reputation at stake for that. 


  59. Homunculus
    February 12, 2017 at 10:54
    “too much reputation at stake for that.
     
    04


  60. WOODSTEIN
    FEBRUARY 12, 2017 at 11:08
    ==================================

    Obviously I was referring to his personal reputation, his integrity, as opposed to his reputation as a football manager.


  61. Homunculus
    February 12, 2017 at 11:13
    —————————-

    Indubitably 19


  62. Pat ByrneFebruary 12, 2017 at 10:47
    ‘…It seems rather strange that most of the discussions regarding compensation are based around the amount due to Warbs and Co, surely if they resigned their positions as his glibness is implying, compensation would automatically be forfeit, .’
    ________
    I think there were two scenarios, Pat Byrne. In the first, if Warbs and associates had got the jobs at Notts , being released by TRFC, then Notts Forest would possibly have had to compensate TRFC for their willingness to let Warbs go before end of contract.
    The other scenario (the one that is actually happening) is that if TRFC sacked (in effect) Warbs and associates because they said they were thinking of leaving, then perhaps ‘unfair dismissal’ applies- and Warbs etc could seek some personal compensation from TRFC.
    Interesting that King, who is not on the Board of TRFC ltd , should be issuing statements as if he were chairman of that Board.
    Shouldn’t the SFA have something to say about his de facto place in the scheme of things indicating that he is openly flouting the ‘fit and proper ‘ rules?


  63. OK, I’m confused…

    Which ‘board’ did MW/DW/DMcP’s agent speak to on Monday? RIFC or TRFC? Their employment is/was (!) with TRFC. If they were prepared to resign on Monday, why didn’t Dave Lockwood have (a packet of) three letters confirming that in his pocket to hand over?

    Which board is DCK speaking for? RIFC or TRFC? I thought he was ‘arms’ length’ from football matters due to pesky F&P requirements. Is he acting as a shadow director (chairman) of TRFC?

    As others have written; if the Ibrox Three resigned/were terminated on Monday, why were they taking training, doing press etc. up until Friday? Did they think they were working an agreed notice period?

    Edit: I note JC has covered some of my points whilst I agonised over my grammar…


  64. EasyJambo

    Can’t fault that analysis at all. As Ally and others have said though, that is based on the Chinese whispers being a true account of what happened.

    My real problem with the DK statement is the rewriting of the great pledge. Front loading of £30m+ is now a three year plan to ‘invest’ £30m. His approach to ‘investment’, which was previously billed as the provision of a war chest, is to include all associated purchases, not all of which are investments in the club.

    The money he claims as ‘investment’ is merely a tap turned on at the same rate the Ibrox bucket is leaking.

    With that statement, posterity has been airbrushed, and new facts replace the old. It is The Ministry of Truth’s historical revisionism in microcosm, supported by an unquestioning MSM. This time though, the only folk being damaged or harmed are the Rangers fans. 

    Helping to divert attention from this nonsense is Warburton being served up as a sacrificial lamb. Since the cup final last season, they have been briefing against Warburton.

    They did the same recently to McCoist. Crap manager? Flawed character?

    Probably. But he is still a guy who made a far greater contribution to, and who has a far more honourable historical connection with Rangers than any who sit on the board.

    There are many sensible Rangers fans – possibly even the majority of those who engage – who recognise much of this, but the cheer-leading for the board is loud and well organised. I really don’t see how it helps in the long term.


  65. The assumptions made about the Warburton situation look less plausible today if Alan Nixon is correct.

    He says that Forest’s preferred managerial choice in the summer is the Fulham manager Slaviša Jokanović, and that Warburton is among a group of alternatives.

    If Alan is correct, and he usually is on the money in these matters, then it highly unlikely that Warbs would have been led to believe he was gonna be offered the job last week.

    King also implied that the management team had been terminated on Monday. Yet four days later, Warburton was allowed to take part in a press conference.

    I have been involved in an almost identical situation at a football club. When a manager leaves or is dismissed, the first people in the club who are informed are;

    1. The PR department (who organise press conferences)

    2. Club media outlets 

    For example, you don’t want the media team doing features on the manager’s end of season signing targets, or a player’s contract expiring. That would imply a long term future for the manager which would be contradicted when the termination became public

    For the same reason, you don’t want he PR dept responding to routine requests for comments about those things.

    You also don’t want the manager getting his version of the story out to the press before yours, so both PR and media teams need to set the terms for discussion of the break. In short, you need to be proactive.

    In the Warburton case, that clearly hasn’t happened. The club and the PR & media people – who clearly knew nothing of this, else the press conference would not have happened – have been scrambling around reacting to a situation clearly not in their control.

    Still doesn’t mean that TRFC are telling porkies, but it is highly suggestive that neither club PR, L5, or Rangers media had a clue what was going on when Warburton took that presser on Friday.

    Warburton is playing it smart too. Infinitely less verbose than the club have been, there is less to pick holes in, so unless you are a Rangers fan, he starts to look like the guy telling the truth.

    I think that this situation is careering out of control from a TRFC perspective. King’s statement contained a significant amount of Chaff to distract.

    The one about Warburton using Rangers as a stepping stone for instance. Except he said that he knew that when he gave him the job.

    So if it was a crime deserving of termination;

    a. why did they give him the job,
    b. why did they give him a raise this year, and
    c. why wait until now to use that as part of a character assassination?

    Of course we are forced to extrapolate, and I am the first to admit that it is difficult to do so subjectively, but once again, the coverage in general does not include any ind of critical analysis of what is going on. 

    John Clark, James Doleman and EasyJambo will be looking out their diaries for yet another court located episode of the TRFC soap. It will give us non-Rangers fans a lot to talk about. It will fill Rangers fans with more dread.


  66. The last two articles by Tom English – BBC News online – has mentioned communication problems at Ibrox, leaks, rumours, divisive statements.  I wonder who could be at the centre of all those types of goings on?  There is also talk of senior figures at Ibrox being rode roughshod by someone acting above their proper station. 

    I will never forget that image of Traynor more or less demanding Warburton leave the press conference.  Warburton looked humiliated.

    I see the dead hand of Traynor all over the ills of the Ibrox circus in the past couple of years. But he seems to be flavour of the month with King. If not, why is he still hanging around like a bad smell?


  67. Big PinkFebruary 12, 2017 at 11:44 
    EasyJambo
    Can’t fault that analysis at all. As Ally and others have said though, that is based on the Chinese whispers being a true account of what happened.
    ____________________________

    Just wanted to point out that I was basing my posts on the assumption that the statements representing the TRFC/RIFC position were reasonably accurate (even though I doubt they are). It is the absence of a definitive statement within them that the men tendered their resignation that I find most telling. It appears no one representing TRFC can even say what day the men supposedly ‘resigned’, which should be pretty easy for them to pinpoint, if it actually happened.

    King seems to be saying, ‘if you don’t want to work for ‘Rangers’, that’s enough to give us the right to terminate your employment!’ There may come a time when employers, and not just at a ‘Rangers’, have those kind of rights, but not yet!


  68. Jingso.JimsieFebruary 12, 2017 at 11:42 
    OK, I’m confused…
    Which ‘board’ did MW/DW/DMcP’s agent speak to on Monday? RIFC or TRFC? Their employment is/was (!) with TRFC. If they were prepared to resign on Monday, why didn’t Dave Lockwood have (a packet of) three letters confirming that in his pocket to hand over?
    Which board is DCK speaking for? RIFC or TRFC? I thought he was ‘arms’ length’ from football matters due to pesky F&P requirements. Is he acting as a shadow director (chairman) of TRFC?
    As others have written; if the Ibrox Three resigned/were terminated on Monday, why were they taking training, doing press etc. up until Friday? Did they think they were working an agreed notice period?

    If you listen to Clyde listen again on Friday 10th there is no idea as to any of this resignation thing happening and all is rosy regards MW, and MW stating, no idea as to rumours put to him regards FMcP, he is on a beach enjoying his time out and ready to return after Scottish Cup Break, all rumours are rubbish.
    BFDJ does his cheerleader bit to confirm to Sevco fans all is well and bring on the ton so we can get the home draws done for the next round. 9.00pm twitter goes into hypo mode MW is gone, media go into overdrive.
    Saturday 11th Clyde have a whole show dedicated to what has happened and all journalists are fed the media spin including Keevins and Murdo McLeod, aye Murdo, level 5 business partner.MW is been hung out to dry for the baying mob, he will be better staying quiet and let the legals deal with it.
    MW and DW in my opinion  have been sacked and this is a constructive dismissal case, it will probably be settled with a confidentiality clause been added. Not 1 million this now comes with package and add ons, remeber he has been humiliated in the press, to be told by the media you have resigned and be sent an email after the media has informed you is a gross misconduct by your employeer, this institution is going down faster than the speed the first sank.

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