Good Afternoon.
Announcing outstanding financial successes for Rangers PLC the then Chairman of the club opened his Chairman’s report in the annual financial statements with the following words:
“Last summer I explained that the Club, after many years of significant investment in our playing squad
and more recently in our state of the art facility at Murray Park, had embarked on a three year business
plan to stabilise and improve the Club’s finances. The plan also recognised the need to react to the
challenging economic conditions facing football clubs around the world.
Following a trend over a number of years of increasing year on year losses, I am pleased to report that
in the first year of this plan we have made important progress by reversing this trend. Our trading loss
for last year of £11.2m reflects a £7.9m improvement versus the £19.1m loss for the previous year and
although it will take more time to completely reach our goals, this is a key milestone. We also intend to
make significant further progress by the end of the current financial year. This improvement is the
consequence of having a solid strategy and the commitment and energy to implement the changes it requires”
Later on in the same statement the chairman would add:
“Another key part of our plan is associated with the Rangers brand and our Retail Division goes from strength to strength. Our financial results this year have been significantly enhanced by an outstanding performance in merchandising Rangers products, in particular replica kit, which makes our Retail Division one of the most successful in Europe.”
In the same set of financial reports, the CEO would report:
“To further strengthen Rangers hospitality portfolio, a new dedicated sponsor’s lounge was unveiled this season. The Carling Lounge is a first for the Club and was developed in conjunction with our new sponsor, Carling. ”
and
“Our innovative events programme continues to grow and this year saw a record number of official events including the highly successful annual Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony, Player of the Year and 50 Championships Gala Dinner, all of which catered for up to 1000 guests.
At Rangers, we continually develop our portfolio of products and as a key area of income for the Club, we evaluate the market for new revenue opportunities on an ongoing basis in order to exceed our existing and potential customer expectations and needs.
Demand for season tickets reached an all time high last season with a record 42,508 season ticket holders in comparison with the previous season`s figure of 40,320. Over 36,000 of these season ticket holders renewed for this season – a record number.
For the new season, we are delighted to welcome brewing giant, Carling on board as our Official Club sponsor. Carling is one of the UK’s leading consumer brands with a proven track record in football sponsorship.
The Club also continues to work with a number of multinational blue chip brands such as National Car Rental, Sony Playstation 2, Bank of Scotland and Coca-Cola. This year, we will also experience the evolution of the Honda deal via Hyndland Honda and welcome the mobile communications giant T-Mobile to our ranks.”.
The year was 2003 and in the previous 24 months Rangers Football Club, owned and operated as a private fiefdom by Sir David Murray, had made operational losses of some £30 million.
Yes – 30 MILLION POUNDS.
Of course the chairman’s report for 2003 was written by John F Mclelland CBE and the CEO was one Martin Bain Esq.
As Mr Mclelland clearly stated, by 2003 the club already had a trend of increasing year on year losses covering a number of years and was losing annual sums which stretched into millions, if not tens of millions, of pounds.
However, the acquisition of Rangers Football Club was absolutely vital to David Murray’s personal business growth, and his complete control of the club as his own private business key was more important than any other business decision he had made before buying Rangers or since.
When he persuaded Gavin Masterton to finance 100% of the purchase price of the club, Murray had his finest business moment.
By getting control of Rangers, Murray was able to offer entertainment, hospitality, seeming privilege and bestow favour on others in a way that was hitherto undreamed of, and he bestowed that largesse on any number of “existing and potential clients” and contacts – be they the clients and contacts related to Rangers Football Club or the existing and potential clients of David Murray, his businesses, his banks, or anyone in any field that he chose to court for the purposes of potential business.
His business.
It wasn’t only journalists who benefited from the succulent lamb treatment.
Accountants,lawyers, surveyors, broadcasters, football officials, people in industry and construction, utilities, financiers and other areas of business were all invited inside the sacred House of Murray and given access to the great man of business “and owner of Rangers” while attending the “record number of official (hospitality) events”.
Twelve months on from when John McLelland made those statements in the 2003 accounts, David Murray was back in the chair at Ibrox and he presented the 2004 financials.
In the intervening 12 months Rangers had gained an additional £10 million from Champions League income and had received £8.6 million in transfer fees from the sale of Messrs Ferguson, Amoruso and McCann. Not only that, the Rangers board had managed to reduce the club’s wage bill by £5 million. Taking all three figures together comes to some £23.6 million in extra income or savings.
Yet, the accounts for 2004 showed that the club made an operational loss of almost £6 million and overall debt had risen by an additional £7 million to £97.4 million.
However, the 2004 accounts were also interesting for another reason.
Rangers PLC had introduced payments “to employees trusts” into their accounts for the first time in 2001 and in that year they had paid £1million into those trusts. Just three years later, the trust payments recorded in the accounts had risen to £7.3 million per annum — or to put it another way to 25% of the annual wage bill though no one in Scottish Football asked any questions about that!
By the following year, the chairman announced that the 2004 operational loss had in fact been £10.4million but that the good news was that the 2005 operational loss was only £7.8 million. However Rangers were able to post a profit before taxation if they included the money obtained from transfers (£8.4 million) and the inclusion of an extraordinary profit of £14,999,999 made on buying back the shares of a subsidiary company for £1 which they had previously sold for £15 million.
All of which added up to a whopping great profit of ……… £12.4 million!
I will leave you to do the maths on 2005.
Oh and of course these accounts included the detail that 3000 Rangers fans had joined David Murray in participating in the November ’94 share issue where the club managed to raise £51,430,995 in fresh capital most of which was provided by Mr Murray… sorry I mean MIH ….. sorry that should read Bank of Scotland …… or their shareholders……. or should that be the public purse?
The notable items in the 2006 accounts included the announcement of a ten year deal with JJB Sports to take over the merchandising operation of the club and increased revenue from an extended run in the Champion’s League. However, the profit before tax was declared at only£0.1 million in comparison to the £12.4 million of the year before but then again that £12.4 million had included player sales of £8.4 million and the £15 million sweety bonus from the repurchase of ones own former subsidiary shares for £1.
Jumping to 2008 Rangers saw a record year in terms of turnover which had risen to £64.5 million which enabled the company to record a profit on ordinary activities before taxation of £6.57 million although it should be pointed out that wages and bonuses were up at 77% of turnover and that a big factor in the Rangers income stream was corporate hospitality and the top line of income was shown as “gate receipts and hospitality”.
However, 2009 saw a calamitous set of figures. Whilst Alastair Johnston tried to put a brave chairman’s face on it, the year saw an operating loss of £17.325 million which was softened only by player disposals leading to a loss before taxation of a mere £14.085 million.
Fortunately Sir David did not have to report these figures as he chose to stand down as chairman in August and so Johnston stepped in and announced that he was deeply honoured to do so.
In 2010, the income stream jumped from £39.7 million to over £56 million with the result that the club showed a profit before taxation of £4.209 million.
However, by that time the corporate hospitality ticket that was Rangers Football Club was done for as a result of matters that had nothing to do with events on the football field in the main.
First, the emergence of the Fergus McCann run Celtic had brought a real business and sporting challenge. This was something that Murray had not previously faced in the football business.
Second,the Bank of Scotland had gone bust and Lloyds could not and would not allow Murray to continually borrow vast sums of money on the basis of revalued assets and outrageous hospitality.
Third, the UEFA fair play rules came into being and demanded that clubs at least act on a semblance of proper corporate governance and fiscal propriety.
Lastly,Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs tightened up the law on the use of EBT’s which meant that Rangers could no longer afford to buy in the players that brought almost guaranteed success against domestic opposition.
On average, since 2002 Rangers PLC had lost between £7 million – £8 million per year – or roughly £650,000 per month if you like – yet for the better part of a decade David Murray had been able to persuade the Bank of Scotland that this was a business that was worthy of ever greater financial support or that he himself and his MIH business was of such value that the Banks should support him in supporting the Ibrox club whilst operating in this fashion.
Of course, had Murray’s Rangers paid tax on all player remunerations then the losses would have been far larger.
Meanwhile, all the other clubs in Scottish football who banked with the Bank of Scotland faced funding cuts and demands for repayment with the bank publicly proclaiming that it was overexposed to the football market in Scotland.
But no one asked any questions about why the bank should act one way with Murray’s club but another way with all others. No one in football, no one in the media and no one from the world of business.
Looking back,it is hard to imagine a business which has been run on such a consistent loss making basis being allowed to continue by either its owners or by its bankers. However, a successful and funded Rangers was so important to the Murray group that David Murray was clearly willing to lose millions year after year to keep the Gala dinners and corporate hospitality going.
Rangers were Murray’s big PR vehicle and the club was essentially used by him to open the doors which would allow him to make more money elsewhere on a personal basis and if it meant Rangers cutting every corner and accumulating massive losses, unsustainable losses, then so be it.
Today, the new regime at Ibrox run the current business in a way which clocks up the same colossal annual losses whilst the club competes outwith Scotland’s top division. Each day we hear that the wage bill is unsustainable, that the playing staff are overpaid, that the stadium needs massive investment and that the fans are opposed to the stadium itself being mortgaged and the club being in hawk to lenders.
Yet, in the Murray era the Stadium was revalued time and time again and its revaluation was used as the justification for ever greater borrowing on the Rangers accounts. The playing staff were massively overpaid and financially assisted by the EBT’s and most years the Chairman’s annual statement announced huge losses despite regular claims of record season ticket sales, record hospitality income, European income, shirt sponsorship and the outsourcing of all merchandising to JJB sports instead of Sports Direct.
The comparison between the old business and the current one is clear for all to see.
It should be noted, that since the days of Murray, no major banking institution has agreed to provide the Ibrox business with any banking facilities. Not under Whyte, not under Green, not under anyone.
Yet few ask why that should be.
The destruction of the old Rangers business led those in charge of Scottish football to announce that Armageddon was on the horizon if it had not actually arrived, yet today virtually all Scottish clubs are in a better financial and business state than back in the bad old days of the Bank of Scotland financed SPL. Some have succumbed to insolvency, and others have simply cut their cloth, changed their structure, sought, and in some cases attracted, new owners and moved on in terms of business.
In general, Scottish Football has cleaned house at club level.
Now, David Murray has “cleaned house” in that MIH has bitten the dust and walked down insolvency road.
What is interesting is that the Murray brand still has that capacity to get out a good PR message when it needs to. Despite the MIH pension fund being short of money for some inexplicable reason, last week it was announced that the family controlled Murray Estates had approached those in charge of MIH and had agreed to buy some key MIH assets for something in the region of £13.9 million.
The assets concerned are land banks which at some point will be zoned for planning and which will undoubtedly bring the Murray family considerable profit in the future, with some of those assets already looking as if they will produce a return sooner rather than later.
However, what is not commented upon in the mainstream press is the fact that Murray Estates had the ability to pay £13.9 Million for anything at all and that having that amount of money to spend the Murray camp has chosen not to buy any football club down Govan way.
Perhaps, it has been realised that a football club which loses millions of pounds each year is not such a shrewd investment and that the Murray family money would be better spent elsewhere?
Perhaps, it has been realised that the culture of wining, dining, partying and entertaining to the most lavish and extravagant extent will not result in the banks opening their vaults any more?
Perhaps, it has been realised that the Rangers brand has been so badly damaged over the years that it is no longer the key to the golden door in terms of business, finance and banking and that running a football club in 2015 involves a discipline and a set of skills that David Murray and his team do not have experience of?
What is clear, is that the Murray years at Ibrox were not good for the average Rangers fan in the long term and that when you have a football club – any football club – being run for the private benefit of one rich individual, or group of individuals, then the feelings and passions of the ordinary fan will as often as not be forgotten when that individual or his group choose to move on once they have decided that they no longer wish to play with their toy football club.
David Murray did not make money directly out of Rangers Football Club. He used it as a key to open other doors for him and to get him a seat at other tables and into a different type of “club” altogether. He did not run the club in a day to day fashion that was designed to bring stability and prolonged financial, or playing, success to the club. its investors and its fans. He did not preside over Ibrox during a period of sustained financial gain.
Mike Ashley will not subsidise 2015 version of Rangers to anything like the same extent that the Bank of Scotland did in the 90’s and naughties.
However, Ashley, like Murray, will use his control of the Rangers brand to open doors for him elsewhere in the sports retail market, and he will use the Rangers contract with Sports Direct to make a handsome profit. He will also control all the advertising revenue just as he does at Newcastle. In short, Mr Ashley is only interested in The Rangers with a view to using it as a stepping stone to achieve other things elsewhere.
However, don’t take my word for any of this, take the opinion of someone who knows.
Mr Dave King is quoted today as saying the following about the current board of Directors who are in charge of the current Ibrox holding company.
“History will judge this board as one of the worst the club has ever had. There is not one individual who puts the club above personal interest.”
That is an interesting observation from a man who became a non executive director of the old Rangers holding company in 2000 and who had a front row pew for every set of accounts and all the financial statements referred to above.
Whether or not Mr King is a glib and shameless liar is a matter of South African judicial opinion. Whether or not he can spot someone who puts their own self interest ahead of the interests of Rangers Football Club and the supporters of the club is a matter that should be discussed over some fine wine, some succulent lamb and whatever postprandial entertainment you care to imagine.
I wonder if he has ever read the accounts of Rangers PLC and compared them to the corresponding accounts of MIH for the same period?
And still they come…
Keith Jackson manages a quite lengthy piece on this latest potential saviour, Lalit Modi, and somehow avoids any mention of ‘Fit and Proper Person’ status. Is FPP off the SMSM radar just now, perhaps until Dave King exits stage left, again? Has Modi been brought into the story to give the bears and the SFA a ‘look at the FPP disaster you could have, tax evasion is nothing by comparison’ squirrel!
Jackson writes:
‘And right on cue into the madness walks this cricket-mad semi billionaire with convictions for conspiracy to traffic cocaine and kidnapping and who lives under 24-hour protection in London in fear of underworld assassins…’
Still, no need for the bears to threaten him, just contact your nearest underworld assassin!
But seriously, whether or not he wants to take a seat on the board, we’ve seen how Mike Ashley can take total control with less than 10% of the company’s shares. To let a man of Modi’s record of criminality, convictions for crimes that could well use the mobility of football to further those crimes, into our game would be criminal in itself.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/keith-jackson-rangers-saga-gone-5130576
Sorry, can’t resist it:
Would commentators be banned from talking about the ’18 yard line’, ‘playing it down the line’ or a ‘sniff of a chance’ when broadcasting from Ibrox?
I’m with TSFM’s annotation of jambocol1874’s follow up post to Eco’s response to his first.
Is anybody else getting the impression Eco’s account has been hacked? Reading back over the last 24 hours or so Eco seems to have been “attacking” any post suggesting that the RIFC board are under physical threat. As I read it he also dismissed the evidence of the behavior of one or more substantial groups before, during and after the abandoned Hearts match that it wasn’t proof of a threat.
Is actual physical harm to one of the directors the only evidence he will accept? I grant him that the Larkhall caller may not have been authentic but are we to believe all the posts on message boards are also of dubious provenance. I’ve seen several veiled threats on the LSE share chat site before they were, quite rightly, removed.
The official RIFC statement may have been meant as a distraction but it doesn’t make it untrue. I know I know……..
In other news a few fairly hefty sized sells of RIFC shares this morning. It could be just profit taking by some that bought in at the low last month, it could be a sign of loss of confidence in the stock or a combination of the two. Yes Eco that is pure speculation on my part.
Allyjambo says:
February 9, 2015 at 11:17 am
Sorry, can’t resist it:
Would commentators be banned from talking about the ’18 yard line’, ‘playing it down the line’ or a ‘sniff of a chance’ when broadcasting from Ibrox?
______________________________________________________
Director of Football: Robbie Fowler
Board: “Charlie” Nicholas, Craig “Snowy” Whyte, “Gram” Spiers, King “White Horse” Billy 🙂
peterjung says:
February 9, 2015 at 10:32 am
Wrt the situation on the night of the Heart’s game I did a number of posts on the various issues and events of the night back on the night and the next day which deal in depth with some of the reasons why control was almost lost through inept policing and internal security failures at Ibrox.
I’m sure you might find them of interst if you check back.
Last week, someone posted that the ASA were (then within 24hours) going to publish their findings in relation to the CQN – Herald Advert – insofar as to agree that the advert was indeed accurate.
Did I miss it, or has it been delayed??
scapaflow says:
February 9, 2015 at 9:21 am
A squirrel is simply a distraction
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Indeed. A red one appeared on my terrace earlier this morning. Came right up to the windows. Stopped me working. Had to find my camera since its tail was extremely bushy and dazzling in the sunshine. I went from window to window, room to room, hoping it would be just outside. Not a chance. It was gone. I fall for it every time, with real squirrels, at least. They are very cute.
What was the subject again?
tykebhoy says:
February 9, 2015 at 11:21 am
TSFM
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My account certainly hasn’t been ‘hacked’ afaik 😆
As to the threats against Rangers’ Directors – and I am taking about the current situation dating from the recent phone call from Allan to SSN – I have simply been stating this all seems to have begun from that call.
I don’t know whether there is any link between the call and the decision on the location of the general meeting. But what I have generally observed is other posters here and elsewhere linking the move to have the venue in London with threats against directors.
My position is quite clear that in such an inflamed and emotional situation we all have a responsibility not to make matters worse. I urge caution with that in mind because we all know just how much PR black arts activity has surrounded this whole situation for years.
I doubt if the threat about dragging a director from the stadium is credible and b elieve it is the product of an unbalanced mind or cynical agenda. However it has to be taken seriously by the Police until proven otherwise.
I truly hope the caller can be identified because he can presumably identify the people he claims are behind the plot. And if so they will possibly face serious criminal charges.
However if this is all the work of an emotionally disturbed fantasist whose world encompasses only his bedroom then that is another matter.
And that is why we all have to be careful aboute fuelling flames and making things worse not just for the directors involved but their families and friends who will not only be worried but might also be in the firing line if there is any credibility in the story.
My position on this hasn’t varied one iota – I would think this will be an urgent Police Scotland priority and let’s hope they have a successful and speedy conclusion to their investigation.
Till then I will keep an open mind as to who might be involved because like just about everyone else I haven’t a clue who it might be.
Informed speculation is fine in my book but if there is no hard information available it is simply ‘speculation’ and therefore not only worthless but potentially damaging in a situation like this.
IMO.
EDIT: As to the LSE RFC site: It is possibly the most toxic site I have ever come across wrt to discussing Rangers.
I used to have a read sometimes for a laugh but it has gone way past being funny and is inhabited with demented posters engaged mainly in a bitter PR battle between the King and Ashley Camps ably abetted by I suspect by some non-Rangers participants 🙂
jimlarkin says:
February 9, 2015 at 11:37 am
Last week, someone posted that the ASA were (then within 24hours) going to publish their findings in relation to the CQN – Herald Advert – insofar as to agree that the advert was indeed accurate.
Did I miss it, or has it been delayed??
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I’m sure someone posted the answer on here that one of the complainers received from ASA which was posted on various Bear sites.
IIRC ASA stated that as the advert had been couched in certain terms such as ‘we believe’ – ‘in our opinion’ etc then it didn’t state facts but simply expressions of opinions of a group of Celtic fans and therefore didn’t breach the ASA guidelines in the sense of having to decided whetger the facts were true or not.
That is only my rough memory as I have been meaning to read it in more detail but haven’t got back to it.
Big Pink says:
February 9, 2015 at 11:22 a
BP, what have I started? Groan…
These definitely don’t pass the FPP test – the Fit and Proper Pun test!
Ahl getma coat…
I see that the ‘Club’ has advised the TRFC board to absent themselves from yesterday’s game. Is it not the case that the Club is an expression of a folk memory rather than something which can express opinions or tender advice. I always found it rather a weasely use of words to refer to amorphous bodies in that way. For one when I heard in a past life as an Academic that the University will not allow this or accept that my radar of mistrust started to beep loudly. In the current context that amorphous creature the Club has been used as a stalking horse before as well as a magnet for the blue pound.
Danish Pastry says:
February 9, 2015 at 11:40 am
Had to find my camera since its tail was extremely bushy and dazzling in the sunshine.
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Did having a bushy tail and dazzling in the sunshine make your camera difficult to find? Well I never 😕
PS Know how disappointed you must feel missing the opportunity to snap a red squirrel. Grey ones everywhere, the incomers and genocidal maniacs that they are!
TSFM says:
February 9, 2015 at 11:12 am
Have received a communication from the Daily Mail website asking us to take out a banner ad which will run on the website for 28 days. The cost is not particularly prohibitive (£515 +VAT). The DM website, whilst political anathema to me personally, is IIRC the biggest in the UK traffic-wise.
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It might work but a few things have to be taken into account, Firstly extra traffic increases the strain on admin and moderation especially with a surge of new posters. But these are obviously issues for yourself.
You also have to be clear about what the ad exposure will be. OK it’s there for 28 days but how is it served-up. I doubt it will be the single banner ad so how many times will it appear and for how long cumulatively in each 24-hour period and will it appear during the DM website peak viewing times.
Is there a facility to change the content of the ad to deal with breaking news situations and how is is it fed to DM site viewers? Is it simply random or is it supplied to those viewers whose ad profile includes related subjects such as football and various others.
I would also be looking for a contra deal to reduce the price by offering them ad space on TSFM for a month and that could be rolled-out to other media outlets as well. Indeed by forming a relationship with advertisers access might be established for all sorts of things with an appropriate credit.
But this would entail grasping the nettle of having advertising on TSFM and I feel that moving the blog to the next step is dependent on that. I know all the arguments against but I also know how sapping it can be spending energy on raising cash every time the server company bills are due.
Allyjambo says:
February 9, 2015 at 12:04 pm
Did having a bushy tail and dazzling in the sunshine make your camera difficult to find? Well I never 😕
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So witty we are 🙂 Feel-good factor when yer team is sitting bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at the top of the league, eh?
No grey squirrels in Denmark, just red. Quite a few in our rural setting. Snow just melted at the weekend so I expect a few have woken up and grabbed their nuts.
neepheid says:
February 9, 2015 at 11:10 am
In response to Ecobhoy’s request for evidence of threats to the Ibrox Board,I posted this link last night, but I see the debate continues.
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I probably didn’t make it clear but I was more referring to new threats which might have affected the general meeting venue choice. The most obvious new info now seems to be the call from Allan of Larkhall – yip the cynic in me would believe anything about Larkhall 🙂 Funny why I wonder about just how genuine this particular call actually is?
On the other stuff you mentioned I was aware of it and indeed I think it has previously been referred to on here.
That stuff seems to be part of a long-running war of attrition directed at the Easdales who have reacted to certain comments made about them on-line.
They have every right to do so and also every right not to be harassed and threatened and their homes and families threatened because they appear to have stood up to the anonymous nutters.
Also more prominent figures appear to have received legal letters which have been referred to on Bear websites with a mixed reaction. Some think that the move is justifiable and others not – such is the Rangers Divide.
But there seems general unanimity that it’s a bit off that Rangers supporters should get legal warning shots across their bows whereas bloggers identified as Rangers ‘Haters’ are ignored. I learnt a long time ago that it was unwise for outsiders to get involved in ‘family arguments’ although it does seem to bring instant harmony and a new common and united purpose 😆
Still I can’t help thinking about the disgraceful treatment meted out to the various accused leaving Glasgow Sheriff Court. That IMO was a total dereliction of duty by Police Scotland and played its part in allowing the mob to think they could threaten, intimidate and harass people who may well never actually face a trial and if they do could be found not guilty of any criminality.
In the wake of the loans scandal I said last week that I’d be joining the ranks of the pesky emailers. To that end I’ve fired off the missive below (with appropriate opening para inserted to reflect weekend results) to Hearts, Hibs, Queens, Falkirk and Raith.
Not holding my breath re responses but will post a summary here should there be any.
Dear x
My reason for contacting you is to elicit your views on some recent developments at one of your club’s competitors, developments designed to affect the remainder of the Championship season.
I, and others, are concerned that a club requiring repeated emergency funding from the owner of another club in order to pay existing staff is allowed to supplement its player pool by loaning five players from the same club as is owned by the emergency funder.
It would appear that this arrangement confers an advantage to your competitor in terms of player resources. It is questionable whether this advantage can be termed fair or in the spirit of the game.
In light of the above:
1) is your club happy with this development and that this arrangement was permitted?
2) if not, is your club making representations on this issue to the SFA/SPFL?
I am asking the same questions of all top six Championship clubs and intend publishing a summary of responses via the pan-supporter Scottish Football Monitor web site (www.tsfm.scot).
Thanking you in anticipation of your response.
Yours etc
Danish Pastry says:
February 9, 2015 at 12:20 pm
No grey squirrels in Denmark, just red. Quite a few in our rural setting. Snow just melted at the weekend so I expect a few have woken up and grabbed their nuts.
_____________
Like this, do you mean? (hope the link works, click on picture if it does)
https://twitter.com/StanCollymore/status/564541500663791618/photo/1
“Still I can’t help thinking about the disgraceful treatment meted out to the various accused leaving Glasgow Sheriff Court. That IMO was a total dereliction of duty by Police Scotland and played its part in allowing the mob to think they could threaten, intimidate and harass people who may well never actually face a trial and if they do could be found not guilty of any criminality.”
Nail, hammer, head. At every step of the way, the authorities, footballing and police have justified non-action & inadequate action, on the grounds that doing so prevented dis-order. The result of this policy of appeasement has simply been to empower the vocal nutters within the Rangers support, and further silence & marginalise the reasonable supporters that the authorities should have been encouraging, protecting & seeking to work with.
https://billmcmurdo.wordpress.com/2015/02/09/last-man-standing/
Merlin’s (McMurdo’s) latest- in fairly rational mode today.
From the above link. Expect robust policing in London. Says it all really.
Scottish Cup quarter-final draw
Posted at 14:06
Dundee United v Celtic
Hibs v Spartans/Berwick Rangers
Queen of the South v Falkirk
Inverness CT v Raith Rovers
TSFM says:
February 9, 2015 at 11:12 am
Have received a communication from the Daily Mail website asking us to take out a banner ad which will run on the website for 28 days. The cost is not particularly prohibitive (£515 +VAT). The DM website, whilst political anathema to me personally, is IIRC the biggest in the UK traffic-wise.
Thoughts on the desirability? Any message would have to be short and sharp and relevant. It would also have to draw traffic to TSFM where the message could be padded out a bit (cost-free 🙂 )
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Bear in mind you are a potential opportunity for a salesman to help meet their monthly or quarterly numbers by selling ad space.
As with any deal, the devil is in the detail.
Having worked for a large media sales organisation in the past I would say proceed with caution.
readcelt says:
February 9, 2015 at 2:22 pm
Bear in mind you are a potential opportunity for a salesman to help meet their monthly or quarterly numbers by selling ad space.
As with any deal, the devil is in the detail. Having worked for a large media sales organisation in the past I would say proceed with caution.
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Precisely 😆
I don’t know if you saw my post at: ecobhoy says: February 9, 2015 at 12:15 pm on the topic.
I have always found in terms of any advertising that the first thing you have got to know before buying ad-space is what product/service you are actually selling and what your target audience/market is.
I know to someone like yourself that probably sounds a bit infantile but I have seen many people throw money down the drain over the years who just refuse to listen – and many of them were otherwise very astute business people.
However after working out the initial questions you have got to see whether the advertiser can actually meet your requirements and only after that stage do you start negotiating on price with an AIM to ast least get a 50% discount.
If they are near or over target they’ll refuse. But there’s always next month when they’re nowhere near target and they’ll come back and, of course, there’s plenty of other fish in the sea 🙂
ecobhoy says:
February 9, 2015 at 12:42 pm
neepheid says:
February 9, 2015 at 11:10 am
//////////////////…
Eco
IMO the decision to hold the EGM in London was brought about for safety reasons
Especially after the attack on Ibrox front doors after the Hearts game 😳
Being able to limit the attendence and vet who is able to attend is probably a good idea considering many of the 5k or so small shareholders think the EGM is about TRFC and not RIFC
As for the board not attending the game at the weekend. I believe it was under advicement of Police Scotland and not to do with specific threats but cumulative threats over previous months
Big Pink says:
February 9, 2015 at 12:55 am
Without having access to the extensive research skills (of ecobhoy for instance) to substantiate talk of threats against RIFC/TRFC directors, I am pretty sure and safe in the knowledge that these threats are real.
———————————————————————
But Big Pink – you have exactly the same access to extensive research skills as I have and which I used wrt seeking info about threats against the directors.
I asked fellow posters to come-up with the goods and I often do that if I’m looking for info. Try it some time as the results can be interesting. I came across Allan from Larkhall through another poster’s post.
I would also caution you about taking words used in rixa as proof of intention. I would think that in the course of a normal weekend across Scotland the time-honoured phrase: ‘Am gonna murder yi’ could be uttered hundreds if not thousands of times.
By Monday morning the cells should be jam-packed by would be murderers but they’re not. And the reason is quite simply that threats are often uttered with no attempt to actually act on them.
There is obviously the aspect of fear and alarm that might be created by ‘verbals’ and although the level of subsequent distress shouldn’t be down played once again no action usually ensues.
Obviously when the threats arrive at the family home by mail, silent phone calls, heavy breathing or whatever it’s very upsetting especially if wives or children are the recipient. But people who do things like this are cowards through and through and will never go in for a face to face confrontation.
Often of course drink has been taken or cowards can be acting-up in front of a crowd of mates or even arguing over football. But mostly there is no intention or move to carry out the threat.
If you genuinely feel the threats made against Rangers directors are real then I would advise that you inform Police Scotland of your grounds for believing so – I certainly would without hesitation.
I have always found that the most dangerous individual is one who doesn’t utter any threats beforehand but acts without warning and usually without witnesses.
Drunks mouthing off are of no consequence and can usually be avoided or cajoled out of their madness and, if not, my partner can fight like a tiger so I’ve nothing to worry about 😆
Ok…..help me out here..I have been pondering over the latest proclamations from Mr Dave C King…..
King claims to be “very confident” of getting over the 51% hurdle at the upcoming EGM. Really? Ok…but based on what?
Now of course it is entirely possible that I have missed something along the way but as as far as I can remember all I have heard is some vague talk of “soft investment” (is that a loan Dave?) and yet another share issue.
Now. …why would the “institutional investors” who are charged with looking after other peoples money be in favour of seeing their “investment” diluted unless they are willing to pony up yet more cash to pour into the hugely loss making business?
….and all this based on putting not only a recently convicted criminal on the board in himself but also another director in Murray who was, with King, up to his neck in the previous disaster of a company board. To say nothing of the small matter that these two totally fail the SFA FPP criteria never mind the business law relating to phoenix directorship….
Doesn’t sound very attractive to me?
So apart from those small shareholders who have convinced themselves that Dave is not actually the very naughty boy we all know him to be, but is in fact the Messiah…..
What is in it for the serious shareholders?
Really not getting this at all……Dave C’s bluster as ever just seems to scream “fur coat but no knickers” if you’ll pardon the phrase…..
Again…”very, very confident”…..based on what?
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=ZdPYVKHCCObV7gbO-YG4BQ&url=http://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/football/round-up/another-black-day-for-rangers-as-ibrox-club-crashes-out-of-scottish-cup-1-6568351&ved=0CBwQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNHmqX1i79RTeZNIAgYu6WNQEA07bQ&sig2=iwDY_uOgaZz97A3_tGZm9Q
Eco the info you where looking for
police advice the board
Boycotts of all sorts threatened and acknowledged , threatening behaviour acknowledged, singing banned songs acknowledged, all from the supporters of this one club. No punishment. Looks like they are treated exactly the same as the team/club they follow. Blatantly obvious that the Govan club and fans IMO are treated differently from all other clubs and fans. To anyone that wants them back at the top level be prepared for the above to continue and somehow Scottish football benefits. Really?
TSFM says:
February 9, 2015 at 11:12 am
Have received a communication from the Daily Mail website asking us to take out a banner ad which will run on the website for 28 days. The cost is not particularly prohibitive (£515 +VAT). The DM website, whilst political anathema to me personally, is IIRC the biggest in the UK traffic-wise.
Thoughts on the desirability? Any message would have to be short and sharp and relevant. It would also have to draw traffic to TSFM where the message could be padded out a bit (cost-free 🙂 )
======================================
And IIRC, the DM has a significant office for their online presence here in NYC.
Anyways, that’s an innovative idea to spread the word/truth.
As a suggestion, something short and sweet, topical – and non-libelous of course !
“Is the Scottish FA more corrupt even than FIFA ?” 😉
tcup 2012 says:
February 9, 2015 at 3:12 pm
Eco
IMO the decision to hold the EGM in London was brought about for safety reasons Especially after the attack on Ibrox front doors after the Hearts game 😳
Being able to limit the attendence and vet who is able to attend is probably a good idea considering many of the 5k or so small shareholders think the EGM is about TRFC and not RIFC
As for the board not attending the game at the weekend. I believe it was under advicement of Police Scotland and not to do with specific threats but cumulative threats over previous months.
————————————————————–
Personally I doubt if the decision to move the meeting had anything to do with what happened outside the Rangers aborted home game with Hearts. Although, I accept that the directors might have been left pondering the failures of Police Scotland and their own stewards on the night and the safety issues that might have raised.
However the move to London I think has heightened tension which potentially endangers safety. But it’s a fine judgement and I am not in possession of the information which could allow an objective decision.
It’s worth looking at the handful of youtube videos of the protesters who forced their way into I think it was Argyle House IIRC – they seemed surprised and bemused and didn’t seem to have any plan about what to do next.
It shouldn’t have happened and the assault on a couple of staff is totally inexcusable and hopefully those responsible will be dealt with by the courts.
I don’t think the fans are alone in confusing TRFC and RIFC and it appears to have suited successive Boards to foster that confusion as also has the SMSM. It’s part of the fiction about a club that can’t die and isn’t affected by the liquidation of its owner or operating company.
The Scottish Football Authorities have also endorsed the myth and most Scottish Clubs have backed that approach by their silence on the issue.
So is it really any wonder that the fans grasp that lifeline that provides comfort and a measure of hope in very dark days?
As to the idea of the cumulative threats I don’t really buy that one. I actually didn’t understand why the decision had been taken – btw it was initially stated to be on the advice of the club security and I haven’t seen it mentioned anywhere that it came from Police Scotland although I may well have missed that.
I am quite certain having listened to Allan from Larkhall that it was his specific claims that caused the absence from the stadium and quite rightly so. The police simply can’t ignore something like that just in case it actually happens.
I think it will turn out to be mince but then if I was the cop in the spotlight I would make sure I covered my back. You have to remember the studio might have more material from Allan that wasn’t broadcast and he might have revealed specific info about the game.
At the moment it’s mostly speculation and will remain so until someone appears in court. I certainly wouldn’t like to me Allan or whatever his name is from wherever he lives or whatever team he supports. Someone will recognise the voice I have no doubt about that so we might get to the bottom of it all in due course.
tcup 2012 says:
February 9, 2015 at 3:35 pm
Eco the info you where looking for – police advice the board
——————————————
I’m not sure that I would accept that as there is no actual police quote and tbh it could just be lazy journalism and also the club statement doesn’t mention the police being aware or giving advice.
That becomes significant if you read Houston’s piece in the ET – link undernoted – where he clearly states the police were not informed of the threats against the directors.
If that is true then it’s a whole new ball game. Perhaps there might be someone somewhere in the SMSM who can ask a simple question 😆
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/safety-claims-dismissed-as-cops-praise-rangers-fans-196824n.118026536http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/safety-claims-dismissed-as-cops-praise-rangers-fans-196824n.118026536
Eco thanks for the reply
I put a link up for you that states police Scotland adviced the board not to attend (no direct quotes unfortunately) but t I do remember it being said on the news BBC&stv last week
As for the London EGM I honestly believe it is being held their as a matter of safety and control
If the vote (as I expect) go’s against Mr King then its a lot easier to control 100 or so irate shareholders than 1000 or more
Just seen you’re above post will have a look at the links thanks mate
Ecobhoy
Having been the intended recipient of threats, and seen the consequences when someone innocent is outed as me, I would say you are on very thin ice when discussing threats.
I would also suggest that you look up modern bullying policy – it’s not what anyone else thinks or does that matters, but what the bullied thinks or perceives that matters.
Frankly, if the threats which were directed my way by even the media-friendly Sevconians like tinfoil-heid are anything to go by (and I’ve received a lot worse), then I can well imagine that those directed at the directors of trifc plc are not something to be taken lightly.
Eco
Just looked at the ET link
And just like mine NO direct quotes stating whether police Scotland instructed the board or not
ecobhoy says:
February 9, 2015 at 3:17 pm
_________________________________
For clarification purposes.
Apart from the first para, nothing is relevant to anything I said. I particularly never mentioned anyone from Larkhall. Nor did I mention any words uttered in anger. Perhaps that was somebody else?
I wonder what happens if the hotel pulls the plug?
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/revealed-venue-rangers-march-egm-5129228
jambocol1874 says:
February 9, 2015 at 4:21 pm
tcup 2012
//////////
Whether the results are realesed at the EGM or 1 day,week,month later
It is a form of crowed control for the duration of the meeting
In an effort to lift the mood, I thought I’d share a wee ditty overheard from some returning Ibroxian bears (seemingly an increasingly threatened species) on Sunday night.
To the tune of shoving granny,
“Oh ye ken stick yer breaking even up yer a*&e”
Football spectator’s black humour. Easily the best medicine available.
Eco
I may add that the advisement from police Scotland (if there was 1)
May have been to do with the planed protest
With the police not wanting a repeat of what happened after the Heart’s game (and nothing to do with perceived threats)
by taking away the target of the protest
No board there is no need to break down the doors
Big Pink says:
February 9, 2015 at 4:36 pm
ecobhoy says:
February 9, 2015 at 3:17 pm
_________________________________
Apart from the first para, nothing is relevant to anything I said. I particularly never mentioned anyone from Larkhall. Nor did I mention any words uttered in anger. Perhaps that was somebody else?
———————————————————————–
I’m sorry if my response has upset you which it seems to have done. It was not my intention. But I do think all of my post was relevant but am happy to concede that is a subjective opinion.
You stated: ‘I am pretty sure and safe in the knowledge that these threats are real.’
I explained in my post the difference between words being used in rixa and actual real threats which go beyond merely angry words to the possibility of the threats being carried out. That is a different kettle of fish and I’m sorry that I have failed to make my reasoning clear in my original post.
It may well be that you have information that I am not privvy to.
But if anyone has any hard evidence that leads them to believe the threats are real then I think we both know where their public duty lies and I have no doubt you or I or, indeed, any responsible person would take the appropriate course of action.
As to Allan the man allegedly from Larkhall then IMO he is a red herring and hopefully his role will become apparent in due course.
The Cat NR1 says:
February 8, 2015 at 6:19 pm
upthehoops says:
February 8, 2015 at 5:58 pm
The best thing for me about Raith Rovers winning today is that we will be spared any further chance of an o*d fi*m media circus again this season. I don’t miss the game at all.
On another note now that Rangers are out who are the BBC going to show in the next round?
============================================
Whichever tie Sky don’t select? So if the Premier sides are away and avoid each other, Sky will have Celtic and Dundee Utd and BBC Scotland will have ICT. Or do BBC Scotland have first dibs this time?
However, the warm ball/cold ball prediction is for an Inverness v Celtic tie.
===========================================
Close, but no cigar. 😆
tcup 2012 says:
February 9, 2015 at 4:55 pm
Eco
I may add that the advisement from police Scotland (if there was 1) may have been to do with the planned protest.
———————————————————
I think the ET article is quite clear what Houston is referring to wrt to the threat against directors.
But we only have Houston’s word for it and that’s why in my original article I wondered whether there was anyone in the SMSM capable of asking Police Scotland what their official position was on the issue.
Of course, for operational reasons, they might decline to comment.
ecobhoy says:
February 9, 2015 at 5:08 pm
tcup 2012 says:
February 9, 2015 at 4:55 pm
/////////////
Something’s we may never know
But shouldn’t stop us asking 😆
And so the farce continues.
Another disastrous cup exit that will deprive the club/company of much needed income.
Meanwhile on news trawling websites football news summary on most papers is ‘Celtic, Rangers then Aberdeen/Dundee Utd/Others’ as if to continue to give relevance to the shambles of a club.
Like most fans the fascination of this spectacle has become engrossing. The sub plots where someone, clearly already having undue influence, is allowed to compound the situation by loaning players from the club he already owns. The sanction if found guilty seems a possible transfer ban yet if this is the case then, with the amount of players running out of contract, the situation looks bleak.
Debt is piled against the assets and the fans detest the board. Now that is not unusual in the modern game but what the fans fail to understand is that the guys on the board are the people who either have put money in originally or are in a group that are keeping the show on the road.
Lots of us are of the opinion that the club is gradually being separated from it’s properties, if they actually own them, and will be sold as a individual business which will own nothing other than the playing squad.
The fans themselves, while understandably frustrated, are doing nothing but damage whatever reputation is left.
Meanwhile the sub plot of Dave King and the three amigos bubbles in the background.
Does Dave have the votes for the up coming EGM?
Will the three amigos go with the board or will they themselves become tainted by the King bandwagon?
Is Ashley actually interested in this project long term?
Whatever way this goes I think the city will not invest anymore money in this simply because there is no money to be made. So it is not an investment, it is a cash gift with no return guaranteed. There are better investigators on this site than me so here is a question; have RFC, even when they were competing in the Champions League, ever paid a dividend on shares owned?
If the answer is no then any ‘investor’ has their answer.
If the answer is yes then it would be interesting to see how much it was.
Phil has likened this to a story line in a soap where the scrip writers are having a field day and he is correct. The script writers are clearly on something as most of us could not make this up but someone sure is.
ecobhoy says:
February 9, 2015 at 4:58 pm
Big Pink says:
February 9, 2015 at 4:36 pm
ecobhoy says:
February 9, 2015 at 3:17 pm
_________________________________
Apart from the first para, nothing is relevant to anything I said. I particularly never mentioned anyone from Larkhall. Nor did I mention any words uttered in anger. Perhaps that was somebody else?
———————————————————————–
I’m sorry if my response has upset you which it seems to have done. It was not my intention. But I do think all of my post was relevant but am happy to concede that is a subjective opinion.
You stated: ‘I am pretty sure and safe in the knowledge that these threats are real.’
I explained in my post the difference between words being used in rixa and actual real threats which go beyond merely angry words to the possibility of the threats being carried out. That is a different kettle of fish and I’m sorry that I have failed to make my reasoning clear in my original post.
It may well be that you have information that I am not privvy to.
But if anyone has any hard evidence that leads them to believe the threats are real then I think we both know where their public duty lies and I have no doubt you or I or, indeed, any responsible person would take the appropriate course of action.
As to Allan the man allegedly from Larkhall then IMO he is a red herring and hopefully his role will become apparent in due course.
I’m just wondering what’s the difference in a “red herring” and a “squirrel”. 😀
Shame. May he rest in peace
http://fb.me/2BCUuQK9P
Grant Russell @STVGrant 14s15 seconds ago
FIFA finally speak on Remie Streete’s move to Rangers. Say not “officially contacted” on matter and so “not in a position to comment”.
French Federation/League’s mistake on Ben Arfa & Chabolah seems to be asking FIFA for advice. SFA apparently didn’t – so there’s no issue.
—————-
So the SFA have not sought guidance on his registration, despite it being questioned and discussed openly since the loan was announced.
@Ballyargus one’s a fish and the other is a rodent 😉 But seriously yep they are similar
Ballyargus says:
February 9, 2015 at 5:32 pm
I’m just wondering what’s the difference in a “red herring” and a “squirrel”. 😀
——————————————————–
Depends whether the squirrel is red or grey 👿
easyJambo says:
February 9, 2015 at 5:45 pm
Grant Russell @STVGrant 14s15 seconds ago
FIFA finally speak on Remie Streete’s move to Rangers. Say not “officially contacted” on matter and so “not in a position to comment”.
French Federation/League’s mistake on Ben Arfa & Chabolah seems to be asking FIFA for advice. SFA apparently didn’t – so there’s no issue.
—————-
So the SFA have not sought guidance on his registration, despite it being questioned and discussed openly since the loan was announced.
………………………
rules ( as normally interpreted ) do nor apply down ibrokes way
– Bryson’s law 2012
easyJambo says:
February 9, 2015 at 5:45 pm
Grant Russell @STVGrant 14s15 seconds ago
FIFA finally speak on Remie Streete’s move to Rangers. Say not “officially contacted” on matter and so “not in a position to comment”.
French Federation/League’s mistake on Ben Arfa & Chabolah seems to be asking FIFA for advice. SFA apparently didn’t – so there’s no issue.
—————-
So the SFA have not sought guidance on his registration, despite it being questioned and discussed openly since the loan was announced.
—————————————————–
When I see the phrase no ‘official contact’ then I immediately want to know what unofficial contacts or discussions have taken place.
If there has been no contact then the response would have been ‘No Contact’. I now have no doubt that there was discussion/guidance or whatever.
It might have been along the line that if an official approach is made then we will have to follow precedent.
At that stage the SFA didn’t light the blue touch paper but hastily retreats to a safe distance nevertheless.
peterjung says:
February 9, 2015 at 3:26 pm
………………………
He wasn’t referred to as a Glib and shameless liar for nothing!
The man has more front than Blackpool!
ecobhoy says:
February 9, 2015 at 5:57 pm
”””””””””””””
I now understand why the SFA are keen on the worlds greatest administrator being elected onto UEFA…life becomes so much easier if one of your own is on the inside screening the questions…..’answer’…’delete’…’delete’…’ignore’…’delete’…
According to Chick Young tonight Walter Smith is seriously concerned what will happen ‘if Dave King doesn’t get his hands on Rangers’. I assume though he won’t mind if Rangers get to the top spending loads of money they don’t have. I could also ask why Smith is happy for someone like King to come in but I guess in his eyes being a real Rangers man outweighs being a convicted tax evading criminal. I am sure he has even convinced himself King was not convicted of anything at all.
One of the more articulate TRFC callers was just on SSB (Oh aye, how do we know his loyalties? He might be a *** supporter!), he’s on occasionally and seems to move in some circles involving players. His ‘inside’ is that Ashley’s been in contact with a few administrators recently. Pundits, well HK, couldn’t see what MA would gain from such an event.
When’s this next £5m due? Wasn’t there going to be a bit of due diligence first? Might he opt for admin pronto? Would solve some current headaches (such as Ian Black on £40,000/month), and whits wrang wae another year in the second tier?
Easyjambo-
I take it you share my suspicion that the SFA are at this moment firing up the Brysonian logic machine. I can imagine Young Frankenstein like lightning, spider webbed coated big handles and cackling operators working furiously to make new life from collections of factoids. The machine churns out new twisted logic life-like lies!:-
We didn’t ask so it must be ok!
We weren’t told so we couldn’t ask!
It’s too late now to reverse results!
No one cares so move on!
But it’s like Rangers so it must be ok!
Clubs are more equal than others!
It couldn’t be wrong if we cheated earlier and hoped no one noticed!
Should someone be checking the SFA electricity bill during times of crisis, just in case I’m right?
Is this Scotsman article indicative of a sea-change in the way the Ibrox club is treated by the Scottish press? Here is a sample-
“RANGERS’ 2-1 defeat at home to Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup fifth round was the latest ‘humiliating’ defeat for the Ibrox side since they were reformed in 2012.”
I think that the word “reformed” might be considered fighting talk in some quarters.
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl-lower-divisions/12-of-rangers-worst-defeats-since-2012-1-3684926?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed
bad capt madman says: February 9, 2015 at 7:07 pm
———————
As ecobhoy has alluded to the big concern is the “not officially contacted” comment. It suggests that contact was made perhaps with a hypothetical question along the lines of “If we asked for guidance officially, what would be the outcome?” The answer would have been that FIFA will follow the precedents set by the Ben Arfa case. The SFA official would then say, “OK, we won’t bother asking you then”, and proceeded with the registration.
Having done so, Sandy’s Bryson’s doctrine has been invoked, as Streete’s registration was accepted initially, so he was not ineligible to play on Sunday.
I’d be keen for Walter to state what he thinks would happen with MA in control. Ok so fans boycott to cover everything from their principles to the simple fact they’re not winning anymore. Despite chics irritatingly squeaky protests they can’t die (ethereal cloudiness etc etc). They can go bust sure buts no biggie apparently. They can be separated from their assets but with a 100 year lease they can probably get over it. They might not be “profitable enough” to buy better players than everyone else. Getting warm Walter? They might hamstring themselves with inappropriate unnecessary overheads to maintain a facade ensuring they are permenantly uncompetitive? Ding ding, I think we have a winner!!!
So Walter fears for the club if Mr king doesn’t take over the club. Others have indicated they can’t let the club die because of these hated directors. What are they worried about??? Surely the club is invincible…it didn’t die (in their eyes) after liquidation …what’s so different this time around??? The whole farce that is playing out may just be what was agreed all along from takeover…3 years down the line …70 million quid gone( went a bit tits up here)…a right stooshie, fan unrest..another takeover….now we hand back to the real rangers men. Job done…congratulations sir David..your plan worked.
Makes as much sense as everything else currently does.
If we just considered if TRFC had been playing ‘good’ football this season, would there be such a clamour amongst the bears to replace the Board ?
And do they think that King & co will bring with them a magic wand to quickly transform the squad, manager, coaching staff and scouting network – amongst many other areas of expenditure ?
And if Ashley had brought in a cheap, interim manager after McCoist – e.g. McCall or even Butcher – and thrown in one ‘proper’ young signing, he could have bought a lot of goodwill from the bears – IMO – for not much cash.
But he didn’t bother.
So, whatever the eventual outcome is, it can’t be good for the Ibrox club.
[To state the bleedin’ obvious… 😕 ]
Grant Russell @STVGrant · 7s8 seconds ago
Rangers’ EGM will now not go ahead at the Millennium Gloucester hotel but will still be in London.
Club Statement
Written by Rangers Football Club
RANGERS have today been informed that the Millennium Gloucester Hotel & Conference Centre which was the intimated venue for the Club’s EGM on Wednesday 4 March 2015 is no longer available.
The hotel management at the Millennium Gloucester have taken advice from different quarters and concluded that the EGM cannot be managed without significant disruption to guests and neighbours.
The hotel felt it necessary to take this position after receiving numerous complaints and false information from individuals purporting to be shareholders.
The Board are concerned the situation was exacerbated by irresponsible and inaccurate media coverage.
An alternative venue is currently being sought in the London area and will be announced as soon as possible.
The Board apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused shareholders due to matters out with their control.
Never one to ignore alternative hypotheses, it strikes me as a possibility that rather than using Ypung Frankenstein-ish technology, the SFA could be using up to minute quantum mechanics theory to investigate allegations of sectarian singing. Bear with me, Regan might be an intelligent man.
If in quantum mechanics it’s impossible at any given time to know both where a quantum particle is and where it’s going/ come from, using that logic, then singing or chanting is only collections of quantum particles/waves. These waves couldn’t be accurately predicted to have came from anywhere if you acknowledge that they are at a given place. Ergo almost anyone could have been responsible for their existence/ backward trajectory, or even more difficult to establish is if they were coming from somewhere at a given time it is impossible to know they are actually there in the first place.
It would therefore be illogical to take any action if quantum theory is correct.
Regan must be an intelligent man, as I can only assume that such logic must have been used to not investigate the apparent existence of quantum singing.
Oh well. Still, our sport is obviously being governed by the very best of administrators one way or another.
sarantseville 03 says:
February 9, 2015 at 7:32 pm
So Walter fears for the club if Mr king doesn’t take over the club. Others have indicated they can’t let the club die because of these hated directors. What are they worried about??? Surely the club is invincible…it didn’t die (in their eyes) after liquidation …what’s so different this time around??? The whole farce that is playing out may just be what was agreed all along from takeover…3 years down the line …70 million quid gone( went a bit tits up here)…a right stooshie, fan unrest..another takeover….now we hand back to the real rangers men. Job done…congratulations sir David..your plan worked.
Makes as much sense as everything else currently does.
________________________________________________
Erm…. wasn’t Walter the ACTUAL Chairman of the board not so long ago… while the £70m was being burned through, and onerous contracts were being set up???
Breathtaking! Simply staggering!
Q. How much ‘influence’ do these ‘RRM’ want?
A. Its not influence they seek, its immunity from reality that they crave.
Seriously! Get a grip!
Just heard Derek Johnston saying that if Dave King wins on the 4th March then the first board meeting will be ten minutes later.
He then quoted north of £25M to build a new team.
I assume that is after they pay Mike his £10M!
So there you have it Derek has now told the faithful that they can expect spending on a massive scale with no discussion on the wage increase that will accompany this.
It really is “Basic Arithmetic for Dummy’s”.
Try this Derek; Buy four players for three million, and another ten for a million each. There will also be a premium for guys to get them to come to ‘The Rangers’. The guys bought for three million will be on minimum £18k a week, and the guys at one million will be on roughly £10k a week. Then there will be signing on fees, and agents fees. So for £22M you will get thirteen players and the wages will be £154K a week or £600K a month. That is just for those players. There will also have to pay the rest of the squad and the rest of the staff. This is before the onerous contracts kick in.
Just north of £28M for a new team plus wages……. according to DJ. Pay Mike takes it to £38M. That’s also before ……… achem……….. tax and NI comes into play. Yes Mr King we do pay that here!
Then he has to repair the stadium.
I think Dave King will be thankful in a few months that he did not know what David Murray was up to and where the cash was going.
Good luck with that for a plan although I think it needs a bit of fine tuning.
Well it looks like they could be struggling to locate any central London hotel willing to accommodate the EGM now.
Why not have the EGM at Blackpool…at the Pleasure Beach ?
It might be the closest alternative to a circus – and the bears can have a fun day out as well.
[& Wee Stevie from IT can have a right good look at the beach donkeys to add to the squad… 🙄 ]
A statement from Ibrox-
There’s always Hyde Park Corner.
Just up the road for those already booked in.
Plenty of debate available there. Free speech and all that.
justshatered says:
February 9, 2015 at 8:06 pm
Just heard Derek Johnston saying that if Dave King wins on the 4th March then the first board meeting will be ten minutes later.
He then quoted north of £25M to build a new team.
I assume that is after they pay Mike his £10M!
So there you have it Derek has now told the faithful that they can expect spending on a massive scale with no discussion on the wage increase that will accompany this.
It really is “Basic Arithmetic for Dummy’s”.
Try this Derek; Buy four players for three million, and another ten for a million each. There will also be a premium for guys to get them to come to ‘The Rangers’. The guys bought for three million will be on minimum £18k a week, and the guys at one million will be on roughly £10k a week. Then there will be signing on fees, and agents fees. So for £22M you will get thirteen players and the wages will be £154K a week or £600K a month. That is just for those players. There will also have to pay the rest of the squad and the rest of the staff. This is before the onerous contracts kick in.
Just north of £28M for a new team plus wages……. according to DJ. Pay Mike takes it to £38M. That’s also before ……… achem……….. tax and NI comes into play. Yes Mr King we do pay that here!
Then he has to repair the stadium.
I think Dave King will be thankful in a few months that he did not know what David Murray was up to and where the cash was going.
Good luck with that for a plan although I think it needs a bit of fine tuning.
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£38m
And if every bear shows up and takes their seat, full hospitality etc, wasn’t the ‘all income streams’ from footballing operations of RFC … wasn’t sure of teh exact figure but the number £19m rings a bell?
I can see King’s triumphal coronation speech now: “For every £5 RIFC have, I’ll spend £10”
😯
From Ibrox Noise their view on EGM
http://www.newsnow.co.uk/A/757668114?-11344:801
The man that crashed the bus at USC, only to pick up the pieces via Republic shortly after. Dropped with one hand, picked up with the other.
He won’t have a backup plan. Not a chance.
Read this and for USC, read TRFC.
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Questions remain over exactly why USC fell into administration.
The company was funded primarily through a £20m revolving loan from Sports Direct and its most recent accounts say “Sports Direct International Plc has agreed not to withdraw finance for the foreseeable future.”
There were no answers coming from Sports Direct last night. A spokesman said: “Sports Direct notes factual inaccuracies in these allegations but has no further comment.” He failed to elaborate on the inaccuracies, but one thing is sure: Mike Ashley has pulled off yet another display of his iron fist-like retailing behaviour.
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They’re playing tig with a mongoose.
They could hold the EGM on The Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square in central London, With the speaker on top and the congregation down below, It could also be a cheap EGM.
EDIT.
THEY BETTER HURRY UP FIRST.
Gift Horse (planned for 2015) – a bronze statue of a riderless skeletal horse; wrapped around its leg is an electronic stock ticker display.
re the Livingston tackle at the weekend. Outside the emotion, its obvious the player was going for the ball – he put his foot up too high and the hearts player put his head down, just one of these things, a bad challenge but the without intent. Some players get away with worse ‘tackles’ every week.
Neutralaxis at8.53pm. Spot on. But the RRM/DCK have still to realise MA is not to be trifled with.
“Rangers” are now looking for another hotel in London to host the EGM after the Millennium Gloucester hotel in Kensington, cancelled the original booking.
This could run and run.
By the time “Rangers” have been knocked back by another half a dozen venues, the board might eventually decide to hold the EGM at Ibrox after all.
If shareholding supporters’ passions are sufficiently inflamed, it may yet come to pass that the chairman will be unable to call the meeting to order and will have to postpone it for up to 28 days.
MaBaw says:
February 9, 2015 at 8:59 pm
re the Livingston tackle at the weekend. Outside the emotion, its obvious the player was going for the ball – he put his foot up too high and the hearts player put his head down, just one of these things, a bad challenge but the without intent. Some players get away with worse ‘tackles’ every week.
One of the guys on Sportsound before the St v DU match yesterday stated that this was the second time this season the same player had committed a similar foul. v Dumbarton I think