maineflyer

Six months? Maybe six days. Six months ago the RST was talking to an entirely different Only Show In Town..... not that he turned out to more than a mirage either.

We will after we sell McGregor

I thought it was an excellent example of the sort of opportunity we allow our enemies if we don't handle our own affairs properly.:devil: It suddenly dawned on me to see what the weasel Spiers was making of recent events - and there it was. How could I not share it with you?

"festering Rangers fans" ... "well known lunatic fringe" ... "junta" The rat Spiers sees the funny side. Rangers fans' takeover dream lacks credibility Graham Spiers The sheer farce of this attempted Rangers buy-out by supporters is beginning to tax every football fanââ?¬â?¢s patience ââ?¬â?? not least the more sane among those of an Ibrox persuasion. Almost as swiftly as it is being exclusively revealed that a ââ?¬Å?Mr Bigââ?¬Â is on the brink of riding to the clubââ?¬â?¢s rescue, it is being exclusively revealed (more often than not by the same newspaper) that the self-same Mr Big, in fact, is not riding to Rangersââ?¬â?¢ rescue. All the while a group of festering Rangers fans, duped on notions of being at the very gates of the Bastille, issue their internet bulletins daily saying: ââ?¬Å?Almost there lads ââ?¬Â¦ one more heave ââ?¬Â¦ the club will be ours.ââ?¬Â I have to say ââ?¬â?? and it is a condemnation of the sort of media we have today ââ?¬â?? that gullibility has been a recurring theme of this Rangers saga. The latest victim is poor Jim McColl, by all accounts a fine guy, a Glasgow man who happens to be worth, literally, hundreds of millions of pounds. Because the punting of his name as Rangers' next saviour had that familiar reek of rushed excitement about it over the weekend, youââ?¬â?¢ll forgive me for having written in The Times on Monday that, with McCollââ?¬â?¢s reported interest in bailing out Rangers, it all warranted ââ?¬Å?yet another large dose of cautionââ?¬Â and that ââ?¬Å?we are nowhere near closureââ?¬Â in this desperate bid to find a Rangers buyer. It then transpires that, over the past 24 hours, McColl calmly, if with a little pique, is forced to point out that he has no such intention of getting involved with the ailing Scottish club. Oh well, on to the next target. Who else might be hanging around Glasgow with some spare millions? One problem with this Rangers FC tragedy has been the role of the Rangers Supporters Trust (RST), a well-meaning bunch of guys but with a well-known lunatic fringe. The RST dreams daily of a ââ?¬Å?membership modelââ?¬Â for Rangers, in the same vein as Barcelona in Spain, where the club will be in the very ownership hands of its supporters. In such a scenario some of the more extreme members of the RST aim to take Rangers back in time a few decades, re-introduce some of the old ââ?¬Å?traditionalââ?¬Â (ahem) anthems to Ibrox, and, in the fine traditions of a junta, have a number of journalists, who have dared to criticise the club for its bigotry problem, banned and flung out of Ibrox. (I just hope Iââ?¬â?¢m not one of the guys to be taken up in the helicopters). Mercifully, none of this will happen, for two simple reasons. First, the Rangers board will not give houseroom to the wackier side of the RST ââ?¬â?? too much nonsense has occurred over the past few years for that to happen. Second, the ââ?¬Å?membership modelââ?¬Â of Barcelona has one serious flaw ââ?¬â?? the Catalan club is said to have a worldwide fan-base of nearly 40 million and is saturated with self-generated TV monies. Rangers, under a similar model but with their own Scottish impoverishment, would lurch along in relative poverty, and would have to severely downsize. Yet it remains a pipe-dream that causes some Rangers fans to perennially hallucinate. A fansââ?¬â?¢ co-operative would work for Rangers only in one way ââ?¬â?? if it had a sugar-daddy at the heart of it; in other words, if it really wasnââ?¬â?¢t a co-operative in the traditional sense at all. That is why men like Jim McColl and others find themselves being forever dragged into this. Otherwise, the arithmetic doesnââ?¬â?¢t stack up. The latest plan is for 20,000 Rangers fans to cough up Ã?£1,500 each, thus raising Ã?£30 million with which to buy the club. Twenty thousand subscribers has been blithely spoken of as an attainable target, whereas in fact 5,000 Rangers fans being willing to cough up such a sum may be a more realistic figure. Another problem in all this is a degree of apathy ââ?¬â?? for all their passion ââ?¬â?? about the Ibrox fans. The Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) has a membership of nearly 140,000. The RST, with more than a few being put off by its loonier image, is said to have a membership of just 2,000. There isnââ?¬â?¢t just dreaming, and some mad reporting, in this Rangers fuss. There is also a severe lack of reputable political muscle.

Couldn't argue with that but I'm not sure surprising is the word. Predictable might be.

It is indeed. In footballing parlance, an own goal?

Sorry about that, I hadn't seen the article before. In any case, if you looked closely, you could be forgiven for seeing David Murray's hand stirring the pot here. It all comes across as very familiar.

Oh dear, oh dear. Is there no bottom to this? Rangers takeover backer David Low is Celtic fan behind 90s Parkhead rescue Mar 30 2010 Exclusive by Colin Duncan ONE of the men who saved Celtic from financial ruin 16 years ago is involved in a planned fans' buy-out at Ibrox. David Low, a self-confessed Celtic fanatic and season-ticket holder, has been offering advice to the Rangers Supporters Trust who are attempting to gain control of the cash-strapped champions. But despite weekend reports, Scotland's richest man Jim McColl is not prepared to plough any of his �£800million fortune into Rangers and will play no part in any buy-out bid. But what Record Sport can reveal is that financial analyst Low is playing a role in a behindthe-scenes rescue package that would hand ownership of the club to the fans. The 50 -year-old consultant had a major part in the Fergus McCann takeover of Celtic in 1994 that prevented the Parkhead club from going to the wall. And he was asked by one of the Trust's key men to help piece together a similar multi-million-pound deal across the city although his involvement will provoke fury among a section of the support. Part of the Trust was unhappy with his involvement and Low has tried to back off. Last year he was approached by another party interested in buying out Sir David Murray's stake but knocked them back because he was, in his words, an "unreconstructed Celtic fan". Speaking last year Low said: "I was approached by one of my clients - a very, very wealthy family with existing interests in sport - about being their local partner in a Rangers takeover. "It would not work. I am an unreconstructed Celtic fan. But business is business and that should not be an obstacle. "Even if I could convince myself to do it, and to accept all the nonsense that would come with it, there are people around Rangers who are just not ready to deal with someone like me taking on a role such as this. It would damage the business itself, with threats of boycotts and such like. "It would be like Mo Johnston times 10. It didn't seem feasible." The fan ownership would need to be underwritten by a wealthy businessman or consortium prepared to buy the club for a nominal fee and then pay off the �£30million debt to Lloyds TSB. Influence Low has other interested parties who would work in tandem with fans buying into a membership system, giving them the right to elect a board and influence major policy decisions. Around 20,000 supporters would be required to stump up �£600 initially and then contribute �£15 a month over five years to cover the club's running costs. So far Low has not received a fee for his work but should the RST succeed in gaining control of their club he would be entitled to a slice of the deal. Talks with the Ibrox hierarchy are at an early stage but, barring any major objections, the blueprint for a takeover could be in place within three months. Rangers have not attracted a concrete bid since being put up for sale three years ago and manager Walter Smith admitted he would be open to fans' buy-out. Smith said: "Everything is worth looking at." Property developer Andrew Ellis is still considering a takeover.

I hope it goes ahead and suspect it will do. Let's get the games behind us and the points on the board.

In principle I wouldn't hesitate. In practice, I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole unless I believed in the plan and those running the club. If I genuinely thought it was a plan that would benefit the club, I'd be prepared to go beyond the figure being quoted. When the RST came along, I immediately joined because I believed in its aims, then I took a life membership because I believed the additional investment would benefit the cause. I've since contributed to various Rangers-related causes including new fans' websites. However, the result of this has been a complete loss of faith in a small clique of supporters who seem to want to run everything but have shown a complete inability to do so. As things stand, unless there is a root and branch change to the way Rangers supporters organise and represent themselves, I don't think the laudable aspiration of fan ownership has a cat's chance in hell of coming to fruition.

There should be no doubt that the RST and FF are inextricably bound together and any recognition of this on other forums is surely a matter for the RST to deal with. If other forums express a generally negative attitude towards the RST, isn't it just a possibility that this is a consensus born of experience? If that attitude is coloured by the association with FF (and to an extent it undoubtedly is) then why hasn't the RST acknowledged this and sought a less captive profile? Could it be that a few individuals have never wanted the RST to be an independent organisation? Could it be the performance of certain RST board members on sites like RM has jaundiced many people against them, spreading ludicrous nonsense and leaving admin no alternative but to ban them?

I'm not sure I agree. I've always expressed huge admiration for Davie Weir and imo there should be no other candidate for POTY. Gauging when to go is so important and I suspect another season might turn out to be a season too many for our captain. However, there will be no better judge than Davie himself and I imagine his opinion is what Walter will go by.

I haven't seen any "slagging" of the RST? Perhaps some merited scorn at yet another badly presented and implausible notion that once more deteriorates into abject confusion before it even gets off the ground? 1. This is an RST story. If the press got hold of it, they got hold of it from the RST and the RST didn't appear reluctant to discuss this on television or offer press quotes. Did the press get it wrong? 2. On the evidence of past performance, the prospect of the current RST board organising more than a T-shirt sale is bound to raise concerns in anyone with Rangers at heart. Especially when yet again we're treated to spurious press leaks, a complete lack of substance and contrary statements from key players. Is this really how a competent outfit goes about its business?

N, it was ....... Smoke Gets In Your Eyes:)

Can't say I'm surprised by any of this latest nonsense from Nonsense HQ.

I've just posted the whole article on the RST thread....... but I guess you already read it.

Mastermind yes, paymaster no: Jim McColl deals blow to fansââ?¬â?¢ hopes of successfully taking over Rangers By Hugh MacDonald Published on 29 Mar 2010 THE conversation ended with a joke. Pressed on whether he held an allegiance to Rangers, Jim McColl answered: ââ?¬Å?I used to go to see Partick Thistle. I have gone more recently to watch Rangers. I gave up on Partick Thistle a few years ago.ââ?¬Â The substance of his message yesterday, however, will not bring a smile to those who are pursuing the idea of a supportersââ?¬â?¢ buyout of Rangers. McColl, chairman and chief executive of Clyde Blowers, is one of Scotlandââ?¬â?¢s wealthiest men. He is a dealmaker. His businesses turn over Ã?£1.2bn a year. He could have invested the move to buy over Rangers with a heavyweight guarantee of financial strength. Instead, his message is that he supports the move for supporters to take over the club with advice and goodwill. ââ?¬Å?We have been asked for input and advice. I have given that,ââ?¬Â he added. Asked if he wished a fansââ?¬â?¢ bid for Rangers success, McColl replied: ââ?¬Å?Absolutely. I think anything to do with both the clubs in Glasgow is very good for the economy of the city. I think they are both very successful in that respect just now and I think anything that would contribute to that success in the future, or growing it, I would be very supportive of.ââ?¬Â He added, almost unnecessarily in the circumstances: ââ?¬Å?I have no interest in buying Rangers or having a financial involvement in Rangers.ââ?¬Â No one ever believed this was his ambition. There had been fervent hopes, however, that McColl would underwrite the process for the fansââ?¬â?¢ scheme to take over the club. The Rangers Trust and others pursuing this route needed a Mr Big. McColl has now stated clearly he is not that man. ââ?¬Å?The whole plan is not predicated on the involvement of any individual,ââ?¬Â said David Edgar, media spokesman for the trust. But McCollââ?¬â?¢s stance is a serious blow. The trust plans include figures of Ã?£30m-plus to clear debt, Ã?£10m to secure contracts and Ã?£10m for annual running costs with fans being asked to invest up to Ã?£1500. All this adds up to nothing without someone to underwrite the process. ââ?¬Å?There are a number of different people out there we are talking to,ââ?¬Â said Edgar, who remains optimistic about the trustââ?¬â?¢s plans. But the chief of Clyde Blowers would have been the ideal partner. He has been wooed but has restricted his commitment to advice. He was first approached nine months ago by parties seeking some financial clout for a bid. The discussions over the fansââ?¬â?¢ buyout have only taken place over the past weeks with a document drawn up to put some flesh on the proposals. The dream was gaining some momentum. But it remains a dream without the substance of McColl. The businessman was attracted by the prospect of helping out. One financial analyst who spoke to him about the plans said McColl had been ââ?¬Å?enthusedââ?¬Â about the prospect. The situation at Rangers interested him on two fronts. McColl loves to be involved in a deal. He is also committed to allowing people to have more responsibility. His attraction to the fans and their backers was clear. He was precisely the man to give the move credibility. His advice was valuable. His financial clout would have been invaluable. Supporters of a fansââ?¬â?¢ buyout professed yesterday that they were not dismayed by McCollââ?¬â?¢s statement. They emphasised that other businessmen were interested and that the process would continue. One financial analyst, speaking on condition of anonymity, believes the model that the fans are pursuing is viable. ââ?¬Å?But it needs a sugar daddy and there are not too many of them out there,ââ?¬Â he added. The Rangers takeover saga therefore shows no signs of coming to an imminent conclusion. There were hopes that supporters, backed financially by McColl, could have steamed ahead quickly. This particular ship, however, is holed below the waterline. Another businessman may bail out the plan but he or she is not waiting in the wings. Rangers now head towards a close season with a mixture of good news and bad news. The former consists of an almost certain title victory and the Champions League money that will bring. The bad news is that uncertainty persists. Andrew Ellis, the London property developer, has had talks in the past week with Sir David Murray, the majority shareholder at Rangers. Dave King, his cashbox locked by the South African revenue service, is still a persistent whisper in the takeover talk. There have also been a number of alliances being formed to look at the possibility of a bid. But Rangers remain unsold. This uncertainty has not extracted a price on the pitch. Walter Smith could lead his side to a consecutive Clydesdale Bank Premier League title as early as next week if results are favourable to the Ibrox cause. The major football casualty this season has been on the other side of the city where Tony Mowbray has been sacked by Celtic after a season of underachievement. Rangers can rightfully bask in this playing success. But decisions will have to be made in the summer, not least whether Smith will stay on. There are, too, pressing concerns over the renewal of contracts. Ideally, a manager would like to discuss terms with a player a year before his contract runs out. Smith admitted yesterday there were still ââ?¬Å?question marksââ?¬Â at Ibrox. There is a worry that some players may decide to seek a future elsewhere. Rangersââ?¬â?¢ plight is not critical but the club needs a buyer. ââ?¬Å?We are working on seven deals just now,ââ?¬Â McColl told The Herald yesterday. There will be disappointment among many that the takeover of Rangers is not one of them.

I think what you're RSC is doing is quite amazing. I don't know what others might have done in the past but from what I know, you're taking us into new territory. Respect and good luck.

Well I can't comment on your business experience but I've been involved in many DD exercises, from both sides of the fence and you can take it from me only a complete jackass would conduct DD without first seeking to agree a period of exclusivity.

But if DD is indeed underway from Ellis then presumably it is being conducted during a period of contractual exclusivity that would prevent the club from having related discussions with any other party - and would almost certainly require the club to report to Ellis any approaches from other parties as soon as they occur. I'm inclined to believe that any comment on this matter by the club (or its employees - Smith?) is either in breach of such exclusivity terms or else no DD is currently taking place at all.

Is this now The Only Show in Town or are there now Two Shows in Town? If this is now The Only Show in Town, what happened to the other Only Show in Town? Did it Leave Town? I wouldn't recomment anyone wasting too much time on this nonsense. If Jim McColl is interested in buying Rangers then he will do so. Sorry but the notion that the RST will orchestrate anything mcColl is involved in is several miles beyond fantasy. ...... unless of course, during the Great Silence of recent months, the RSTmembership has somehow surged to some 30,000 well-heeled souls, each desperate to part with their cash. No, stop it:D

Effectively, there is no RST .... only the (mainly unelected) RST board.

In a nutshell mate. Who will run the club? Who will set direction and strategy, who will implement it? If it were to be Jim McColl, we'd be lucky bunnies indeed. If not Jim McColl at the helm then I'd be terrified by this news.

No problem mate, I didn't take it in that way at all. You're probably right. The truth is there are so many rumours and so many loyalties to rumours that it's difficult to see where it's going. As an example of what I was saying, there was a post on VB yesterday from someone who doesn't spread idle rumours - I know you're a member over there so have a look.

Surely Walter sees something in Little or he wouldn't have selected him. Hopefully we're no calling into question Walters judgement of young players?