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  1. I didn’t think it was possible for the Rangers support to be more fractured and lacking consensus than we were in the first half of this year but rather depressingly we’ve managed it. In the maelstrom of a referendum on Scottish Independence the boardroom turmoil that has dominated the forums, social media and old fashioned conversations took a back seat to Loyalism, Unionism and the bogey man topic of Nationalism. Such is the ineptitude of our board, they missed the opportunity to bury some negative news in amongst the fog of the ideological war that raged throughout the month of September but I digress. Being a pro-Independence Rangers supporter these last few months has been a real challenge. I’ve been confronted by many fellow fans on social media and called everything from a “timpathiser”, (whatever that is) to a Nazi and Quisling. One particularly poorly adjusted and misinformed fellow told me I was a “traitor to Rangers Loyalist Unionist roots…” The idea that a Rangers supporter could support Independence just would not compute for many and my follower count on Twitter tumbled dramatically, I won’t lose any sleep over that however I must admit to now facing somewhat of a crossroads. Do I plod on attending matches listening to chants about where people like me can “stick your Independence” and the Loyalist songbook which was given an airing in George Square on Friday night amidst scenes of thuggery and hatred? Do I carry on turning a blind eye to the continual linking of Rangers Football Club to Loyalism and The Orange Order just as I have done for many years? The thought of turning my back on the club I’ve supported since I was five years old and which has provided myself and my (now deceased) Father so many happy memories makes me physically ill. The thought of a future devoid of one of the precious few constants in my life so far is unthinkable and so that is not a road I’m willing to go down just yet. So what are my options? I could become the archetypal armchair fan and refrain from discussing football matters on social media but we are in an age where it’s almost impossible to avoid. I could fool myself into thinking that it’s not so bad and the majority of my fellow fans are reasonable, open minded individuals but I’m not capable of cognitive dissonance on that scale. It seems that the core of our support are labouring under the misconceptions that being a “real” Rangers man means that you must also be many other things. I’ll use this juncture to clarify what I mean by “core of our support”. There are probably thousands of Rangers supporters (I don’t like term “fan”) who are feeling similarly disillusioned at the moment and those are probably a large percentage of the several thousand fans who’ve been missing for the last few home games joined by those who are boycotting, suffering from boardroom related malaise or simply disillusioned with how we are playing. What’s left are a core (match attending group) and of those I’d estimate that 75% fall into the category as described previously in this article. There’s also a large group of fans who, for one reason or another don’t regularly attend matches and again I’d estimate that a large percentage of those are politically and ideologically aligned with their brethren sitting in the stands. I’m conscious that I’m in danger of pigeon holing large swathes of people here and would only offer the fact that this is how I see things in basic terms. I’m sure there are reasonable folks in amongst the core who do not fall into any of my hastily preconceived notions and that I do not think the situation has reached the point of no return just yet and this leads me to the only other option I feel I have left. I’d urge everyone who considers themselves to be a Rangers supporter to distance the club from toxic and divisive affiliations. To seriously consider for a moment that we are in real danger of losing thousands of people like me who feel marginalised by their fellow bears and more importantly that we are in danger of losing the next generation of season ticket holder who have shown throughout the referendum run up and beyond, that they are increasingly well informed and turned off by Northern Irish politics, by far right-wing rhetoric and the kind of vulgar displays of aggression that we’ve seen both online and in the streets of Glasgow from both Unionists and Nationalist factions. Next time you’re attending an Orange parade maybe leave the Rangers merchandise at home, remove the Loyalist symbolism from Rangers flags and banners, try not to marginalise your fellow supporters who don’t care about that kind of stuff really, that’s all. Is that too much to ask? For some, what I’ve asked is probably tantamount to singing rebel songs in a tri-colour but to me it’s just common decency, something that has been eroding away for many years and something that the gallant pioneers probably had in abundance. Try to be a bit more like a Moses McNeil or a Tom Vallance and live the values which built the very thing that we all hold so dear. If we want a positive future for our club we all have to sow the seeds of that starting from now after all, we share much more in common than we do which divides us. I’ll remain a supporter and will try to live by my own code, respecting others right to support the club any way they choose but speaking out against intolerance, negative affiliations and polarizing attitudes. Let’s see if we can build a stronger and more together support from the rubble. The alternative I’m afraid would be a very dark period in Rangers history. It’s only a matter of time before we will be back attempting to compete with Celtic. It may be only a matter of time before we see major boardroom change. Do we really want to be facing these challenges with a support that can’t agree on what colour the sky is? The answer is obvious to me.
  2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-29050877 Former Rangers commercial director Imran Ahmad has returned to court for a third time in a bid to have £620,000 of club assets frozen. Lawyers acting for Mr Ahmad claim he is owed a £500,000 bonus for the time he spent working at the Ibrox club. The Court of Session in Edinburgh heard Mr Ahmad is worried about the potential prospect of Rangers becoming insolvent. Lord Stewart continued the case to Friday when lawyers for Rangers will address the court. Mr Ahmad, who has twice lost court bids to have Rangers' assets ring-fenced, claims he is owed £500,000 for negotiating deals and wants another £120,000 to cover legal expenses. Advocate Kenny McBrearty QC told Lord Stewart that Mr Ahmad is concerned about the current state of the club's finances and fears Rangers would not be in a position to pay up if the court eventually rules in his favour. He told the court Rangers have sold 23,000 season tickets this season, down 15,000 on last season. Mr McBrearty said the Rangers board's latest plans for a share issue may only raise £3.6m and cover part of the club's obligations. He added: "There is a significant hole in the club's finances for the forthcoming season."
  3. RANGERS fan George Letham has reluctantly agreed to give the Ibrox board a short extension to repay the £1million loan that was due last week. The wealthy supporter stepped in to lend his boyhood heroes the seven-figure sum earlier this year as chief executive Graham Wallace was forced to seek a quick fix to the Gers' cash crisis. As part of the agreement, Rangers were scheduled to give Letham his money back by the close of business on Friday, but after the Light Blues announced plans to raise around £4m in a share option last week, the prospect of him receiving his money appeared bleak. SportTimes understands Letham held full and frank discussions with Wallace on Saturday and agreed to a short extension to allow the under-fire board more time to come up with the money. With cash reserves running low at Ibrox, a refusal from Letham would have left Wallace and his fellow-directors with a huge financial headache. But after stepping up to the plate to help Rangers in their hour of need in March, the lifelong Light Blue was not prepared to pull the rug from under the board's feet at this time. The full extent of the Gers' financial plight was laid bare in a statement to the Stock Exchange last week when the board admitted that the future of Rangers International Football Club plc would be 'uncertain' if all 19 million of the new shares were not snapped up by existing investors in the coming weeks. Any funds that are raised will be used to pay off Letham's £1m loan and the £500,000 deal that was agreed with Sandy Easdale, both of which were secured against the Albion car park and Edmiston House. The Ibrox board originally clinched a deal with major shareholders Laxey Partners but that move came under huge criticism from supporters after it was revealed the Hedge Fund would collect £150,000 in interest payments for the short-term loan. Rangers had a cash balance of just £4.2m at June 30 this year, but with £2.7m of that unavailable as use for working capital, the board have been forced to issue more shares in a bid to repay Letham and Easdale and provide much-needed money for the coming weeks. With the financial picture once again bleak at Ibrox, boss Ally McCoist was unable to make any last-minute moves to bolster his squad before the transfer window closed last night. The Gers' two most valuable assets, Lee Wallace and Lewis Macleod, remain at the club, but seven players have gone out on loan - Barrie McKay (Raith Rovers), Calum Gallacher (Cowdenbeath), Danny Stoney (Stranraer), Luca Gasparotto (Airdrie), Robbie Crawford (Morton), Tom Walsh (Stenhousemuir) and Craig Halkett (Clyde). http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/letham-gives-rangers-extra-time-to-repay-1million-loan-178673n.25212709
  4. Suspect the Daily Record will make for interesting reading tomorrow. Will make us even more frustrated though. #justicefortherangerssupport Glad to see what looks like some things HMRC would rather stay unsaid are going to finally come to light. A couple of tweets tonight. Story here: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ex-rangers-owner-craig-whyte-being-3992415
  5. Steven Whittaker says he's no regrets about quitting Rangers despite his injury nightmare at Norwich. SCOTLAND defender headed to Carrow Road 2012 when Ibrox club imploded but he has only made 39 appearances since he moved south. STEVEN Whittaker swears he has no regrets about quitting Ibrox despite an injury nightmare at Norwich. Whittaker left Rangers in 2012 when they were dumped in the bottom tier and moved to Norwich. Injuries have restricted him to just 39 appearances and he said: “I knew I could do better than play in the Third Division. “And I didn’t want to spend three years of my career trying to come back up the leagues. Norwich offered me the challenge to come south and I have enjoyed it. “I still have two years here so I am looking forward to what we can achieve. “I’ve trained hard and all I can do now is make sure I can’t be edged out of the team.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/steven-whittaker-insists-no-regrets-3940468
  6. http://metro.co.uk/2014/07/12/north-korea-media-tells-country-that-its-team-has-reached-world-cup-final-4796033/
  7. ........of emergency cash slams Brian Stockbridge's 'disgusting' golden handshake share deal. GEORGE Letham, who is still out of pocket four months after bailing the club out, has accused the regime of misleading shareholders about Stockbridge's penny share option at December's agm. THE Rangers fan who loaned his club £1m of emergency cash last night said he is “disgusted” by Brain Stockbridge’s golden handshake share deal. Record Sport revealed yesterday that former financial director Stockbridge will pay just £7000 for around £215,000 worth of shares as part of an agreement with the board when he was booted out of Ibrox in January. Now wealthy fan George Letham – still out of pocket four months after bailing the club out of a financial crisis in February – has accused the current regime of misleading shareholders about Stockbridge’s penny share option at December’s agm. At that meeting, Letham asked specifically about Stockbridge’s entitlement to share options worth up to £500,000. In a statement supplied to Record Sport last night, Letham described the board’s failure to disclose the full details of that deal as “indefensible”. He said: “I am disgusted by the news that the share options granted to Brian Stockbridge were at an exercise price of one pence and feel that myself and all other shareholders present at the agm were misled by the response to my question. “The response to it from Stockbridge and David Somers meant I left the agm comforted that my shares were not going to be diluted to the benefit of Stockbridge. “I think it is indefensible that company representatives and advisers present at the agm did not seek to clarify the position especially when shareholders were voting on a resolution to give authority to grant share options of up to 6.6m shares to directors and employees.” The Union of Fans also hit out and questioned whether Charles Green had a similar agreement on his shares. Their statement read: “If ever fans required a reminder of the reasons for our campaign to secure our club’s home, it is the recent windfall received by Stockbridge, who has been handed shares worth around £215,000 for which he has paid just over £7000. “It is the current board’s position he was contractually entitled to these shares and so it was outwith their control. We reject this entirely ... the windfall is an absolute disgrace. “Charles Green had a clause in his contract which entitled him to 1,028,571 shares. Can the board confirm whether this option was also allowed to remain following Mr Green’s contract termination? “If so, can we expect a further windfall in the near future for Mr Green on top of the small fortune he has already bled from the club?” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-fan-who-loaned-club-3806719
  8. With Graham Wallace due to meet with a range of fans at NARSA this weekend In Toronto, Gersnet wanted to introduce a bit of fun ahead of proceedings with a business speak bingo card for fans to check off phrases which always appear popular amongst Rangers board members - past and present (though not often actually ever implemented). You can view the bingo card below. First to tweet us with the four corners or a completed line wins a bottle of Château Routas wine which we 'duped' Sir David Murray into sending to us.* Good luck to all! * - The prize will be available on receipt from Castle Grant, near Grantown-on-Spey c/o the Bank of Scotland.
  9. Approx 230 pages containing over 7,000 signatories and about 80 pages of comments Thanks to all who added to the numbers Craig SoS
  10. Bawsburst on RM hinting at something happening soon with this recently formed company by Laxey pic.twitter.com/Nc8zHXA8Dn So Laxey's Kingsnorth registers a new company called GreenWhiteStar UK PLC. How disgustingly ironic
  11. Long article and rambling open letter on DR website RE: investor Alan MacKenzie and Dave King http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-investor-urges-dave-king-3482599?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
  12. Given all the talk about share issues , proxies , who own what , who has proxies for whom , here is an up to date position , ( stands back to be shot down ) , this is from the Rangers International Football club site on shares , http://www.rangersinternationalfootballclub.com/share-information. Sandy Easdale - owns 2,942,957 , proxies of 14,387,003 . This Includes all of BPH (4,000,000) and Margaritta 's 2,600,000 share holdings . Laxley owns -8,292,957 Artemis -5,749,000 River & Mercantile -4,795,500 Hargreave Hale - 4,601,888 BPH - Proxied to Sandy Easdale -4,000,000 Miton Capital -3,143,857 Mike Ashley_3,000,000 Margaritta ,Proxied to Sandy Easdale ,2,600,000 Cazanoza Capital - No longer shown as having a reportableholding Legal & General -No longer shown as having a reportable holding Dont know what this means exactly Currently, 16.24%+ of the Company’s Ordinary Shares are not in public hands. The Ordinary Shares are freely transferable and no Ordinary Shares are held in treasury. + Does not include the 14,387,003 Ordinary Share (representing 22.1% of the issued share capital of the Company) which Alexander Easdale has voting rights over pursuant to the terms of proxy agreements entered into with other shareholders. Should also point out this was last updated on the official site at the end of Jan 2014
  13. ........Ex-striker & coach lift lid on Craig Whyte disaster which still haunts Ibrox club 13 Feb 2014 07:20 IT'S the story that rocked Scottish football to the core and is still affecting those who endured it. Two years on from officially sinking into the financial abyss Record Sport has lifted the lid on the turmoil of Rangers entering administration. DAVID HEALY knows there were Rangers players who used the club’s slip into administration to strengthen their own position. However, the Ulsterman failed to get the one thing he wanted more than anything else – an extra year at the club he loves. Of all the demands from the Ibrox stars and their agents during negotiations to pull the club back from the brink Healy’s request was the most sympathetic. Tomorrow will mark the second anniversary of the day Rangers plunged into administration under disgraced former owner Craig Whyte and sent shockwaves through Scottish football. Healy had been through it all before with Leeds United but had the luxury of a safety net in England – which doesn’t exist north of the border – where the PFA step in to pay any wages. The Northern Irishman revealed that in the numerous team meetings in the days following administration the one thing the players wanted more than anything else was to see the club and its staff saved. That is why they agreed to a pay cut. Then came the individual negotiations between players and Duff & Phelps and it was then that Healy – now retired after a spell at Bury – realised his short stint at his boyhood heroes was going to end. The 34-year-old said: “The administration, as terrible as it was for everyone, doesn’t take anything away from the experience of playing for Rangers. People might ask questions as to why I left but the truth is I wasn’t actually offered a contract. “We were asked if we’d take a pay cut to keep the club afloat and at the time I’d have played for free so that wasn’t a problem. It was just disappointing because we took the wage cut and I knew people were asking for transfers or clauses in their contract maybe to benefit them. “Listen, that’s fair enough, that’s modern day football. But for someone like myself, I think the administrators probably thought I was mad because I just wanted another year. My deal was up in the summer and I spoke to the administrator myself because I didn’t need an agent and the only thing I said was ‘give me an extra 12 months’. “I think the administrator spat out his tea because others had been looking to get away and asking for clauses and all I’d have liked was another year. “It didn’t happen, Rangers were financially unstable and I understood the situation and I ultimately left and joined Bury. Nobody knew who was under threat.. we heard our cars were being towed, says former coach “I’ve read people saying if Rangers had gone to the Third Division I wouldn’t have wanted to stay but I’d have played on the astroturf opposite Ibrox Stadium to pull on that jersey. “We knew at the time Rangers were going to be penalised, there was talk of the First or Second Division, but it wouldn’t have mattered to me. “I would have stayed and happily played the extra year as Neil Alexander did and the current captain Lee McCulloch, who has a long history of being a fan himself. “You can see in his performances that Lee loves the club, not only when I was there but more recently. I still watch Rangers and my dad still goes to watch them – Stranraer is the local game this season with it being a couple of hours on the boat from Belfast. “I was coming to the wrong end of my career but other lads felt it was an opportunity to go and futher themselves in the Premier League or abroad but for me I wouldn’t have hesitated to play in the Third Division. “But the administrators told me they were in no position to offer me a deal because of the strain on the club and they didn’t know who was going or staying or who would be sold in the summer. “I think he was just taken aback because so many different clauses had been requested. My only clause was that I would love to have stayed. We didn’t even talk figures or anything, I just said I wanted to stay. It never went any further. “I understood the situation and coming to the end of the season I didn’t really play for whatever reason but thankfully I did get a chance post-administration with eight or nine games and I scored a few goals. “It was just disappointing that I knew my future was going to lie elsewhere and it dawns on you that you’ll be leaving such a great club. I was just thankful to have had the opportunity.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-two-years-financial-collapse-3140239
  14. .......for his own good but Graham Wallace will sort club out 6 Feb 2014 07:37 RAE says he is still raging at the antics of Charles Green during his short term in charge at Ibrox claiming he was all about soundbites but with no substance. ALEX RAE could see right through Charles Green’s bluff and bluster from day one at Rangers. But the Ibrox stalwart reckons Graham Wallace’s silence speaks volumes for his ability to do the job as chief executive. From joining in at Brechin when fans chanted “if you hate Stewart Regan, clap your hands” to the numerous outlandish statements, Rae knew Green wasn’t the man for his club. And it still riles the former Light Blues title winner there is talk of his old club being on the brink again financially while the outspoken Yorkshireman lives it up in his French chateau. Rae isn’t surprised – just gutted his suspicion about Green turned out to be right. And like so many other Gers fans he’s now pinning his hopes on the former Manchester City chief operating officer to sort out the mess. Lifelong fan Rae – recently axed as Blackpool’s assistant boss – said of the current cash situation: “I’ve been alarmed for a while. “Even going back to the early days of Green, it never really sat right with me. You could see it coming. There were good soundbites but never any direction. “There was no plan in place and unfortunately he’s walked away with a fortune. “I’m a member of Sandyhills golf club and I used to play with my mates in the medal. “My best mate is a Celtic man and he used to get me about the third or fourth hole when he told me they were going to put statues up for Green. “My head would go. I used to post terrible scores because I would start arguing with him on the course and he was just loving it. It’s been a shambles. There is no legacy. “There is no doubt he was in it for himself. I didn’t buy into all the soundbites and rubbish he came out with. “The future looks much better as Wallace has come in and seems to have taken a step back. Previous chief executives made wild statements they never backed up. “The fact this guy is silent and taking stock of the operation bodes well for us. He seems to have a plan and this is something that’s been lacking since Martin Bain’s days. “There was a period where we didn’t even have a chief executive. You look at all the departments within Ibrox, there was no guidance, no direction and everyone was on their own. “But Wallace has come in and started to direct things right down to the management and hopefully the club will prosper. “Wallace seems to know where he wants to go. It might only be a case of assessing in the short term and then implementing things for the betterment of the company. “I wouldn’t like to see him going. There are elements of the board some people aren’t quite sure of and that’s worrying but if Wallace tells the fans what’s happening they will be inclined to follow him.” Rae likes the way Wallace quietly conducts his business as he bids to bring much-needed stability to Ibrox – in sharp contrast to Green. His attention-seeking antics started in Gers’ first game following liquidation at Glebe Park when he applauded as the fans chanted against SFA supremo Regan. Rae said: “I remember Green’s behaviour just a couple of days after Rangers got their membership. I couldn’t believe what he was doing. “I consider Rangers to have been class throughout my time and he wasn’t someone I thought to be flying the flag for Rangers or representing the club in the manner that role demands. “Even prior to that I could see things. I just thought it was a case of doing what had to be done but there was no conviction there. “It was a mad ego trip for him. He was great for the media. “You heard stories about money going out left, right and centre and pay-offs for guys who were there five minutes. “A couple of weeks ago I saw another guy from Zeus Capital pocket around £500,000 when he sold his shares. “One thing about football fans is they want to believe in the people in charge. They want to believe they are going to take the club forward. Unfortunately, this guy has duped everyone.” The turmoil off the park has left boss Ally McCoist working under tough circumstances in his first managerial job. And Rae said: “The dynamic Ally has had to work within has been a nightmare compared to every other manager. “Last year they couldn’t have any pre-season friendlies and there was a transfer embargo. It’s been pretty poor. It’s probably been more than a year now since they had a chief scout. For an organisation such as Rangers, that baffles me. “If you’re trying to put things in place you need a chief scout to oversee a network and find the right targets. Infrastructures needs to be restored to the level Rangers are used to.” Despite all this Rae believes his old club are strong enough to mount a Scottish Cup challenge this season with Dunfermline standing between them and the last eight tomorrow night. He said: “Rangers have as good a chance as anyone of winning the Scottish Cup. “They beat Motherwell last season and are a lot stronger now. I watched them at the weekend and they had Dean Shiels and Jon Daly who, less than 18 months ago, were up for Scotland’s Player of the Year. “In terms of firepower the pair of them could hurt anyone. They’re littered with top flight-standard players so could turn anyone over on any given day.” And Rae would love to see the Old Firm paired together before the tournament ends in May. The former hardman midfielder said: “I’m missing it like everyone else. Celtic will be favourites – but cups always have major upsets.”
  15. It's the Sun so hopefully as untrue as many of their stories, but, it does chime with Keith Jackson's recent statement that we'd have no money in weeks, not months and if you remember the original estimate of "last million by April" and deduct unseen pay offs since that prediction then this is scary enough, despite the source. The emboldening at the end is by me, not the paper, to perhaps give a more hopeful reading experience for you - though again it is a dodgy source. "RANGERS are at the centre of a financial cover-up investigation over claims the club will be broke within two weeks. The stock exchange inquiry was launched after an Ibrox official is alleged to have forecast they would run out of cash by mid-February. New chief executive Graham Wallace has assured fans there is no danger of a second plunge into administration — two years after ex-owner Craig Whyte steered the club to its doom. But in a complaint to the AIM exchange, a disgruntled investor writes: “It’s the worst-kept secret in Scotland that the club is running out of money in the next few weeks, yet the board has made no announcement.” The shareholder says Rangers should have disclosed any projected shortfall under stock market rules. AIM chiefs have vowed to investigate the claims. An Ibrox spokesman said they could not comment on regulatory matters. But a source said last night: “It’s untrue — there are people trying to undermine the board." (By Cameron Hay)
  16. The former Ibrox director has expressed his concerns that decisions made in the coming weeks will affect the team's ability to compete with Celtic when they eventually return to the top flight. The Rangers chief executive Graham Wallace is conducting a review of every aspect of Rangers' business. Last week he raised the possibility with the squad of a 15% wage reduction, although the players responded by asking if a similar sacrifice would be made by the club's executives. By Wallace's own admission, though, cuts will need to be made to bring the business back on to an even keel, although he has insisted that administration is not a threat. King, though, believes that cutting costs now will undermine Rangers' attempts to restore the club to its previous status. The first-team wage budget is 30% of turnover - significantly less than UEFA's recommendations - and there is no scouting set-up, following Neil Murray being removed as head scout last year. "The CEO has a lot of personal credibility but he is constrained by the funding realities," said King, a South Africa-based businessman. "I believe the club has to have funders who will invest to ensure that we can compete with Celtic when we get back to the SPFL. Unfortunately, our existing shareholders either don't have the money or the willingness to support Ally [McCoist, the manager]. With the right shareholder profile we should be investing in the squad not reducing it. We should be supporting Ally 100%." King has previously said he would like to lead a new round of fundraising through a fresh share issue. The shareholders would have to reinvest to maintain the relative size of their stake in Rangers International Football Club, so such an initiative would likely change the ownership dynamic. Wallace has said he will address the need for new funding once the business has been streamlined. King held meetings with Sandy Easdale, the shareholder and member of the Rangers Football Club board, last year in an attempt to broker an agreement that would have allowed him to invest in the club and take up the chairmanship of RIFC plc. He could not reach a compromise deal with the different factions within the shareholder base. He was also keen that Paul Murray should return as a director. Murray was among the four nominees who did not receive enough votes at last December's annual meeting to be elected on to the board. King believes that as well as supporting McCoist, shareholders ought to have been open to working with Murray. "He is a man that all Rangers' fans can completely trust," said King. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/keep-spending-on-squad-urges-king.23251877?
  17. http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/209-is-it-time-to-move-on It’s been a long time coming but finally the Rangers AGM arrived and at last we have some clarity on just how well supported the incumbent board is. In fact, the result was pretty conclusive – certainly for most of the Directors up for reappointment while those externally up for nomination struggled to achieve as much support. Therefore, whilst the issue of backing may not be as straightforward as it seems, no-one can deny it should now be time to move on and allow the club some space to consolidate its position. Such an abeyance of hostilities is essential for two main reasons: one, to give the ‘new’ board some time to deliver on their promises, and, two, to hopefully ensure the support doesn’t rip itself apart after a quite ludicrous period of belligerent disagreement between so-called rival factions of fans. So where are we now? Yesterday’s AGM statement to the London Stock Exchange revealed a short term ‘120 day strategic focus’ for the board on a range of important matters: including a detailed business review and attempts to re-engage with the fans to better capture our opinions. Along with other strategies highlighted in the statement, the aims are impressive and I doubt many fans would challenge them. However, we’ve heard similar buzz-words and phrases before – from Sir David Murray, Craig Whyte and Charles Green – all of whom failed to take the business forward during this modern era of austerity. What can this mandated ‘new board’ do differently? Let’s start with its make-up. Despite the institutional confidence placed upon most of the nominated incumbents yesterday, the scenes at the AGM were quite frankly incredible with specific focus on Finance Director Brian Stockbridge. It seems clear now that not only do thousands of fans have an issue with his position but also the vast bulk of the 1600 shareholders present yesterday. Moreover, the fact over 30% of other investors do not consider him re-electable arguably makes his position untenable on its own. However, add in his flawed performance and questionable behaviour of the last year then if the board is serious about trust, transparency and staff ‘pride’ in Rangers then Stockbridge must be moved on. Anything else would cast serious doubt on those that wish to lead the club back to success. Of course the rest of the board, other than Graham Wallace, don’t convince either. Neither Easdale brother speaks well or commands the respect of the support while new chairman David Somers appears inconsistent in his approach – one day signing his name to daft and inflammatory ‘open letters’, while the next saying he has no problem with people he previously labelled as selfish ‘fanatics’. It seems clear Mr Somers needs to familiarise himself with the high profile nature of the Rangers chairmanship and quick. Fortunately, new CEO Graham Wallace has been more measured in his approach so it’s not a surprise to see him warmly received by all so far. Mr Wallace can and should use this to his advantage by acting as a conduit to both investors and fans in the months ahead. With the above in mind, it seems obvious the board will need strengthened if the club’s 120 day plan is to be successful. I’m not sure adding either Murray to the mix will help but I’d hope Scott Murdoch and the impressive Alex Wilson are considered given Cenkos already gave their approval to their applications earlier in the year. That would go some way to bringing everyone around the same table ahead of the April finances ‘D’ Day. Speaking of which, obviously Dave King should be another who must be consulted with, even if his past and recent performance remains worthy of debate. I’m sure there are others out there who could add the right mix of independent business talent and Rangers-mindedness to improve the board. One such name I’ve heard mentioned is John McClure of Unicorn Asset Management who own(ed) upwards of 400,000 pre-IPO shares in the club. No matter who joins this board, the pressure will be high to deliver on their statement of yesterday. However, they do deserve time to implement the changes promised – just how much time may be reliant on their ongoing performance. For example, the issue of Jack Irvine’s retention cannot be kicked into the long grass. Moving on from the board the next important issue is that of the fans. The way many people (mostly online) have turned on each other over the last 6 months has been nothing short of remarkable. It seems polite disagreement cannot happen nowadays with insult and abuse being preferred instead. This has to stop and stop now. If not, our club will be easy pickings for those who wish to use it in a way to benefit themselves only. It also offers an easy excuse for the club not to engage with the fans as it should. Of course it doesn’t help that our fan groups seem so badly advised while struggling generally as well. I don’t blame the Trust, Assembly or Association for believing in the likes of successful businessman Jim McColl but jumping into his camp with both feet meant any sort of negotiation with the board was always going to be difficult. Add in their collective failure to achieve widespread support within the fan-base (via active membership more than anything else) then it’s debatable just how important the club will see them in the future. This is a great shame when we examine fine initiatives such as BuyRangers but perhaps something new can arise from embers of the existing groups? Hearts and Dunfermline fans have shown the way in this respect so we should be looking to them for inspiration. I’d certainly suggest each fan group outlines its own 120 day plan to show they’re capable of improvement. Only then may the club (and most importantly more fans) feel engagement with them is worthwhile. All in all despite yesterday’s conclusive AGM vote, uncertainty remains and that should be a concern for us all – the club director, the investor and the ‘ordinary’ fan. Indeed, financing the club is the biggest issue ahead and this can only be achieved by everyone working together for the greater good. We can all make sacrifices in that regard so I’d urge all involved to examine their contribution and ask if the betterment of Rangers is really their aim. If it’s not, then yesterday’s farcical AGM scenes will only be the start of more stormy waters ahead. That cannot be allowed to happen. Thus, in the spirit of Christmas and New Year, this is an opportunity to offer goodwill to others and start afresh in 2014. In that regard I’d like to wish all my fellow fans a happy holiday season and all the very best for the next year. Rest and be merry as, for the boardroom and the fan groups at least, the clock is ticking: 120 days and counting!
  18. This makes interesting reading. I await 'sporting integrity' campaigns and boycotts of Rugby Park. Premier League strugglers Kilmarnock are set to have millions of pounds worth of debt written off — at the taxpayer’s expense. The Sunday Post can reveal that the Bank of Scotland — part of Lloyds Banking Group — is considering writing off the majority of the £9 million debt owed by Kilmarnock as part of a deal to settle the club’s future. It is understood owner Michael Johnston has put a proposal to Lloyds, which is 32.7% owned by the taxpayer after the Government’s 2008 bail-out, that will see just a fraction of the debt taken on by Johnston and co-director Billy Bowie. The football club would then be left with no bank debt, instead owing the cash — between £1 million and £2 million to Bowie and Johnston in a “soft” loan. Johnston is under fire from a large section of the Ayrshire team’s fans who want him to give up control of the club and sell his stake to a community-led consortium. But it is understood that even if the club is sold to fans’ groups and local business leaders, most of the club’s bank debt is still likely to be written off. Critics last night hit out at the prospect of a taxpayer-funded bank, wiping out the debt. Eben Wilson, director of campaign group Taxpayer Scotland, said: “Taxpayers, as shareholders in this bank, should be wary that any write-offs do not benefit one individual. “We need all toxic loans made in a time of madness to be made visible and accounted for. “Whether clearing out toxic loans or standing firm on our behalf is the best course of action is up to the bank, but we hope that they will recognise we want the money back that has kept them trading in the past few years.” The Sunday Post understands bosses at Lloyds have already classified Kilmarnock’s debts as “impaired” — an accountancy term for a debt unlikely to be repaid in full. However, this does not mean they have given up on getting some of the money owed. It is thought the plan being worked on is to try to avoid any prospect of the club going into administration, a move which would wipe out much of the money owed to the bank. Paul Goodwin, head of Supporters Direct, which helps start football fan ownership schemes, said: “A deal has to be struck with the bank but the hard reality is that no matter what the outcome is, the club has big debts which need to be addressed.” Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston failed to respond to a request by The Sunday Post for a comment. Lloyds Banking Group declined to comment. http://www.sundaypost.com/news-views/scotland/critics-blast-kilmarnock-debt-write-off-plans-1.162896
  19. This is from a well known poster on FF, jeez if this is true! Nae wonder Stockbridge is fighting to keep others out. " What would you say if we only got a couple of pence per strip sold in the clubshop? And that we pay, yes we pay someone from a large sport retailer £20k a month to run our retail arm and has never been seen at Ibrox".
  20. Was reading elsewhere where a Bear suggested only Naismith had been a relative "success" of the players who jumped ship when the old company was liquidated. Now, dont read this wrong i'm not attempting to say they are world beaters but actually there are a few players holding their own in the premiership are there not? Naismith gets semi regular football for a decent Everton team. McGregor is performing well at Hull prior to injury. Whittaker has played in half of Norwich'e league games this year and a couple of league cup matches. Davis is captain at Southampton. Before people start jumping off the deep end and saying this player or that player is crap or e.g. Whittaker hasn't played in the other half of their league games bear in mind that it still clearly shows that he must be a better player than he is given credit for by even our own fans, opposition fans in Scotland and our media. I'm pretty sure Whittaker's goal was typical of his time in Scotland beating 2 or 3 men with a driving run before finishing well from at least 12 yards. A display of pace, athleticism and agility. Those players were part of an era of Rangers football where we competed with Celtic on a much smaller budget yet these players delivered 3iar. Yet it is still always Celtic players who get championed for £5m, £10m,£15m pound moves. Yet I can think of even fewer Celtic players from the last 4-5 years who have gone on to be successful in a better league. Maybe McGeady (don't watch much Russian football) and perhaps Wanyama will show himself to have quality in England? Hooper has struggled for goals thus far. 3iar, more of our players being competitive in tougher leagues. Yet you rarely here of our players being touted for ridiculous sums (not convinced McGeady or Wanyama went for their reputed fees). Just why are our players generally held in less high regard in Scotland even when we are more successful or our players move on to England etc and are more competitive (if not necessarily more successful) then former Celtic players down there. Does this tactic of having their media luvvies bumming up their players values really bring them more cash when it comes time to sell?
  21. Lifted from FF: From the Sun website: SFA boss in Savile twitter bust-up Beast's victim blasts Regan Exclusive By PAUL THORNTON Published: 10 hrs ago A SICKENED victim of Jimmy Savile last night slammed footie blazer Stewart Regan for comparing the Rangers saga to the scandal over the TV pervert. The SFA chief executive’s shocking Twitter gaffe came after a fan asked him about the Ibrox spat between former club supremos Craig Whyte and Charles Green. Regan, 49, bizarrely replied: “Over four decades, many people believed Jimmy Savile was a paedophile. Yet he still walked free. Actionable evidence was necessary to provide the proof. “The same is true in any democratic judicial process.” It sparked an immediate storm of online protest from stunned followers. And Caroline Moore, 54 — molested by Savile as a helpless 13-year-old — branded Regan an insensitive “idiot”. She said: “He’s a prat, an absolute idiot and should think before he says something. “Nobody would say the Savile thing is anything like the same as a row at a football club.” Wheelchair-bound Caroline, of Paisley, was attacked by Savile in 1971 at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Bucks, following an operation to fuse her spine. And she is furious that Regan used the monster’s name to debate sport. Caroline added: “He’s made himself look stupid and I would imagine he’ll regret it.” Twitter users were also horrified, and one message from ‘Sharpie’ simply read: “Embarrassing.” Liz Corkhill also slammed him for “pursuing that tasteless analogy.” Former Top of the Pops host Savile was exposed as a serial sex predator following his death, aged 84, in October 2011. Last night, the SFA refused to comment on the Regan row. But it’s not the first time the footie chief has had problems with Twitter. Regan called in cops and closed his account in July 2012 after it was flooded with abusive comments. These related to his handling of league reconstruction and the financial collapse of Rangers. At the time, he said: “When you get threatening messages on Twitter and you get emails and letters that are uncomfortable, you have to listen seriously to what the police are saying.” Whyte and Green were infamously locked in a battle over the ownership of Rangers. Yorkshireman Green claimed he duped his rival to get his hands on the club. Former brewing executive Regan replaced Gordon Smith at the SFA in 2010.
  22. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24737531 Not to mention this is actually completely wrong (it was 2011), this article is yet another example of BBC Scotland blowing a raspberry to their Trust and editorial guidelines.
  23. An magnificent example of how the sport should be played......if that sport is running around, chasing after where the football used to be 5 seconds before you got there for 90 minutes and then kicking people when they're lying on the ground. Even more magnificently, they managed to restrict Barcelona to a mere 82% of the possession - a huge improvement on the 88% Barcelona had last year. I'm looking forward to wee neil explaining how, despite being made to look like a shower of talentless tits for an hour and a half, Celtic were actually the better side, how Brown didn't deserve to be sent off for kicking Neymar in the back and how they can still qualify for the knockout stages.
  24. I would like to ask fellow fans their feelings on the quality of football kits from Puma as opposed to the kits from Nike and Adidas , me i think the Puma kit is pretty dire and how long are we tied to this company .
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