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Rangers manager Ally McCoist has called for unity at the troubled club after former chairman Alastair Johnston claimed supporters had been let down by the Ibrox board. Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ, Johnston, who left oldco Rangers in May 2011 - nine months before it went into administration and a year prior to it being consigned to liquidation - said: “It’s just been a horrible experience for the fans, they’ve been let down. "I think they’ve been lied to, they’ve been cheated, and made statements to fans that have proved to be untrue or they’ve been deceitful. "You see situations that the only way to clear it up might be administration again. I can see why the fans are concerned about that. "Time is not on Rangers side at this point. Those that have some ability to get it done should at least understand they have to make some concession – take a loss and get out.” Thousands of Rangers supporters are boycotting home games as they continue their attempts to starve out the current board as it struggles to keep the club running as a going concern. Earlier this month Rangers raised just over £3m through a share issue - almost £1m shy of the target set - after the Ibrox board had warned it may not be able to pay creditors. This came shortly after Rangers agreed an out-of-court settlement with former commercial director Imran Ahmad, who had been suing the club for breach of contract. Ahmad had been keen to 'ring fence' £620,000 of Rangers' money ahead of his appeal but settled for 'substantially less' when coming to an agreement with his former employers. But speaking to the assembled media ahead of Saturday's trip to Alloa Athletic, McCoist said: "We want the team to be supported by as many people as possible. "As I have said on many, many occasions the supporters, particularly in the last three years, have been absolutely fantastic in terms of saving our football club. "But I do appreciate they have concerns. I think it would be wrong for me to get involved with any issues they have with other people but all I can ask them, from the team's point of view, is to give us their continued support. "That's all we can ask for and we'll certainly be doing, as I say, our level best to give them results on the park. "I keep saying from our point of view there is nothing we can do in terms of off the field stuff but on the field stuff we can have an affect on. "That's picking teams that can win games and go and win them hopefully with a bit of style and that's what our players and our staff are certainly attempting to do. http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11781/9478547?
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RANGERS could be without Cammy Bell until Christmas after it he dislocated his right shoulder in training yesterday. The goalkeeper has been out injured since he hurt the same joint during the 2-0 SPFL Championship win over Falkirk at Westfield on August 15. He had been making good progress in his rehabilitation and was starting to think of making a return to first-team action once again. But his mishap yesterday at Murray Park means he requires surgery and he is expected to be out for around three months as a result. Losing Bell, who kept 25 clean sheets in total last season, is clearly a big setback for manager Ally McCoist. He does have experience to call upon in the keeper’s absence, however, and Steve Simonsen should continue between the posts for the foreseeable future. The former England under-21 cap has featured in each of the last six games and has kept clean sheets recently against Raith Rovers and Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Lee Robinson will keep providing back-up to Simonsen after signing a one-year deal with the club last month. http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7678-further-setback-for-bell
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For all you guys who refuse to support your club,shame on you all. Watching the game over here with a few of my Canadian friends, So this is the mighty Rangers you're always braging about asks one buddy. I'm lost for words,and I am truely embarrassed.(okay we won tonight) but the stadium is practically empty,with no atmosphere. On our recent north American tour,we had sell out crowds,and way more atmosphere(noise buzzing for 90 mins.) I'm not sure what's holding you guys back from picking up your season tickets, but I am sure that you are killing our club.as I said before,SHAME ON YOU ALL.
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Sportsmail @ScotMailSport 29m Malaysian businessman claims he does not know fraudster Rizvi. @Mark_Wilson8 on the latest twists and turns at Rangers. In tomorrow's SDM Chris Jack @Chris_Jack89 1m When is an advisor not an advisor? When he's Rafat Rizvi, it seems. Interpol may know who he is but the Rangers Malaysian delegation don't
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In a relatively short time the changes that have taken place in our country, and at our club, have taken the breath away. Our club has survived after a prolonged and unforeseen crisis but it belongs to strangers now and is almost as remote from supporters as London is from Glasgow. Scotland is on the brink of fundamental and irreversible change and whether it remains within the UK or goes it alone, things will never be the same again. Those who grew up thinking that Rangers and the Union were forever must have been visibly shaken by this cataclysmic turn of events. Identity is important to us, and having already endured a period where our football club almost died, we are now seeing Britishness at the cliff-edge. Coming on top of the shocking collapse of our banking institutions, this is a bizarre period in our lives. It seems that nothing is forever any more, and much of what is dear to us is under threat. Even the Church of Scotland is languishing. It seems to have slipped back in the country's pecking order behind another strand of Christianity, the Catholic Church. Like Rangers, this cornerstone of society has seen better days. When the 21st century chimed in, who expected this? Inside a relatively short time, our world has been turned upside-down. The Church always had a fight on its hands to retain flock, but the Scottish parliament, which was specifically designed to stop nationalism in its tracks, has completely failed to do it. Within the Rangers family, the widespread belief that the club was immortal has been smashed, and the idea that two 300 year-old banks could fail was thought to be too outlandish to be seriously contemplated. Here we stand, days before a vital referendum, and much of what, historically, has been important to us, has either changed, is presently changing, or could change in the not too distant future. The iconic Union Flag, perhaps under a new name, could be redesigned if Scotland becomes independent, and no-one can be sure what currency we are going to use or even if the Queen will still be our monarch in another ten years. The times, they are a changing - and much faster then we ever thought possible. If Rangers gets through this period, I wonder, how much will it have to change to be at ease in this new era?
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Cost roughly 5 times less! It's worth noting that the bulk of Atletico's money has been spent on 2 players, made from selling off players they have developed. Also, Atletico pay significantly less wages than QPR in England! Costs in Euros: real Casillas = 0 Marcelo = 8.7 Pepe = 30 Ramos = 27 Arbeloa = 3.98 Bale = 91 Kroos = 30 Modric = 26.29 Ronaldo = 94 Benzema = 41 Rodriguez = 80 Total cost = 431.97 Atletico Moya = 3 Juanfran = 4 Miranda = 0 Godin = 8 Siqueira = 10 Gabi = 3 Tiago = 0 Koke = 0 Garcia = 13 Griezmann = 30 Mandzukic = 22 Total cost = 93 -
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RANGERS still need to secure substantial additional investment to get them through to the end of the season - despite raising over £3million last week. And further off-field unrest at the Ibrox club, where disgruntled fans are considering a mass boycott, could impact greatly on dwindling resources. That was the stark message from financial expert Neil Patey today as he assessed the situation at the troubled Glasgow institution. The SPFL Championship club announced last Friday that £3.13m worth of shares had been purchased at a share offering. But Patey, a partner with accountancy firm Ernst and Young, believes Rangers will only be left with around £1m of that to use for running costs. And he stressed that Gers directors will have to bring in fresh funding to stave off the threat of a second administration in three years. Speculation is rife that Sports Direct magnate Mike Ashley will increase his involvement - or club assets like Murray Park will be sold off. Patey said: "The club themselves stated that if 15 million shares were taken up it would take them through to the end of the current year. "What they raised was just marginally over the minimum so it will probably see them up to just past Christmas. "Of the £3million they have raised, around £500,000 of it will go on expenses leaving them with £2.5million. "If they repay the loans to Sandy Easdale and George Letham in full, they will be left with about £1million. "If they are saying that £1million will get them to the end of the year, that suggests they have succeeded in getting the monthly cash burn down to a fairly low figure. "Broadly speaking, going on the figures the club has given, they will then need to bring in at least £2million to get them through to the end of the season. "Towards the end of the season, the club are going to start selling season tickets once again and money will be coming in." Patey added: "But, again, that is dependent on the fans coming out and buying season tickets. The big thing for the club is fan support. "The club may only have sold 23,000 season tickets, but they are still taking in money from ticket sales on match days. "But if the supporters stop turning up for matches then it will make the situation worse. Fans have a big say in how things go at Rangers." Patey stressed the financial situation at Rangers would improve significantly when they rejoin Old Firm rivals Celtic in the top flight. He said: "Getting back into the Premiership does two things. In the first instance, they get more money from games. "Secondly, it helps them to attract investors if they are a Premiership club." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/financial-experts-rangers-warning-180534n.25322293
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........the only way to truly hurt the board is to stay away from games. GORDON argues that if fans really want to get rid of the Rangers board then they must cut off all financial support to the club. IT'S TIME for Rangers fans to pee or get off the pot. They either want regime change or they don’t. They either realise the power they wield or they don’t. The red card displays, the eternal and infernal statements, they show willing but ultimately achieve nothing. Sticks and stones and all that. But does anyone really think the occupants of their boardroom give a toss about what anyone says about them? They can’t hear you. They’re too busy counting your money. And all you’re doing is facilitating them. That’s the problem. The power of the Rangers support lies in its size, its strength but most of all in its unity of purpose. If half of you stick and half of you twist though? You’re playing right into their hands. Giving them just enough to keep their tiptoes on the bottom of the pool and their nostrils poking above the surface. That’s what 23,000 season tickets was in the summer. It was a message, it was five figures down – but it wasn’t enough for the fans, and just enough for the board. Same with the walk-ups. The drip-feeders. Around 20,000 for Hearts, another 11,000 for Clyde, 9000 each against Dumbarton and Queen of the South. You’re handing over your cash at the turnstiles and it’s going straight into a black hole. I understand there are plenty who just want to go to the football on a Saturday, who don't care about what goes on behind the scenes. They’re probably the silent majority. But maybe they need to start listening to the loud minority. Nine months ago, before their agm, was the first time they really threatened this lot with what they called ‘disengagement’. I said then that if they truly believed that was the way to go, then they all had to have the stomach for what would effectively be the euthanising of their club. A mercy killing. That the short-term pain would be acute but they’d appreciate what they’d done in the long term. But their disunity, their lack of a core belief, has crippled their true effectiveness. And here they are in the wake of that begging-bowl share issue, back at square one. So what choice do they have? They play Inverness at Ibrox in the League Cup on Tuesday. They don’t have another home league game for more than a fortnight when they play Hibs. For a club who, by their own admission, are living hand to mouth, two empty stadiums through to the end of September with no walk-ups, no hospitality, no catering, no nothing, would be financially catastrophic. But THAT’S the only language they speak. They were described to me the other day as being like wild dogs around a carcass, stripping it to the bone. When do they leave? When there’s nothing left for them. As long as there are morsels of meat to be picked off around the edges, they’ll hang around. A grasper like Imran Ahmad, for example. Only persuaded to take his leave this week by tossing a juicy chunk of what was left in his direction. So if the fans really want to do their club a favour, the place should be a morgue on Tuesday night. Will it hurt? Of course it will. But if you believe there’s a cancer, the only way to get rid of it is to cut it out – and hope. Ever since December and that car crash agm there’s been a suspicion that Rangers would have to go the grave again for a second resurrection. Is there a fear of what follows? Again, of course. But this is where a properly unified support has some control. Because much in the same way as the wild dogs won’t hang around, another pack won’t bother stepping in unless they think there’s another meal ticket to be had. Who’s going to invest in a club with no regular income? Any owner needs approval. He needs customers. So the only way to make anything out of Rangers now is to turn it into the business it SHOULD have become when they went belly up in the first place. Trimmed-down costs, sustainable plan, 40,000 people through the gate every week, build yourselves back up, develop players, sell the odd one for more money, challenge, win, get into the Champions League, get your share of that gigantic European pot… Sound familiar? The antithesis of what happened, when £70m walked in the other direction in just 18 months. Who knows, Dave King may have played the smartest game of all because he knows now he could yet be their only option, and that would have the approval of the rump of the rank and file. And don’t worry, the irony’s not lost – the uproar at the Easdales hanging out with Interpol’s most wanted, yet the open-armed embrace for a guy who’s spent more time dealing with South African courts in recent times than with affairs at Ibrox. But there may yet be plenty more pain before that scenario has a chance. Two weeks ago I said they had two choices. Neither of them attractive. Keep the regime afloat week to week, or not a penny more. Seems to me they only have one left. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/gordon-waddell-rangers-fans-must-4257414
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I know we have a dozen or so players out on loan to other clubs, been a pretty consistent feature of the club during the on going turmoil. Currently, are we recipients of any loan players? Have we been recipients of any loan players in the last two and a bit seasons? I ask, because I don't think we have any loan signings and this must be unique in the Scottish/British game. Why we would we not bring in a few loan signings?
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ALLY McCOIST was delighted with the performance of Nicky Clark against Raith Rovers but admits he's unsure if the hit-man will be available to face Inverness after having to come off with an injury. Clark was replaced by David Templeton in the seventieth minute after pulling up with what looked like an injury to his hamstring and McCoist said after the final whistle that it'll be a waiting game to see if he is fit to take on Inverness on Tuesday. The manager told rangers.co.uk: "At this moment in time we'd probably have to say that he is a doubt. He sat with an ice pack after the game and we'll need to monitor him closely. "We'll see how he is, I would be very hopeful that he'll make it, but he would have to be considered as a doubt for Tuesday. It was his hamstring, we saw him on the touchline feeling it a little bit tight." There are still tickets remaining for the match tomorrow night (KO 19:45) priced at adults £21, concession £15 and juniors £5. There will be pay at the gate in the Copland Front and tickets available at the ticket centre until kick off. With Kenny Miller already missing, McCoist will be hoping his striker makes it for Tuesday after seeing Clark's early goal as crucial for his side against Raith Rovers. He added: "Getting that first goal was important. He does that so well, he gets in front and he has a good leap on him. It was a great ball in and he directed his header right into the bottom corner. "It was a terrific cross and a terrific header. That's what we wanted to do, we wanted to put crosses into their box to put them under pressure, we did that early in the game and it was just reward with a great header." http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7647-clark-doubtful-for-caley
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Lifted from FF: Cllr Julie-Anne Corr has condemned an attack by republicans on children playing football for Ballysillan Swifts at Whiterock Leisure Centre as "absolutely horrific and motivated by a blind hatred of protestants." Cllr Corr said, "This is the most disturbing incident I have heard about for a very long time. It beggars belief that a group of children were subjected to barbaric sectarian abuse, vicious assault and a violent attack by republican adults and youths wielding hurling sticks." She continued, "What is worse is that a vicious, dangerous dog was also set on the children who, at one point, were protected by a group of volunteers who encircled them. The incident was so bad that the children were threatened by adults who shouted they didn't care what age they were." She continued, "Many of the children suffered cuts and bruises while one had serious bruising and damage to his eye and another required hospital treatment for his injuries. I'm sure the experience must have been absolutely terrifying and will stay with the children and their families for a long time." She continued, "I would also like to thank and commend a group of young people from another team who helped the children and volunteers from Ballysillan leave the centre grounds. Their actions demonstrate the future we would wish for all our children and young people." She continued, "It is about time that leaders and politicians from within the republican and nationalist community recognised the real and growing hatred of protestants that exists within their community and, in particular, within the attitudes of their young people." She continued, "There is not a day goes by without us hearing of an attack on protestant young people and this incident is the worst in a long line of incidents. It is only a matter of time before someone is killed and I would urge serious action by community leaders before this happens." She continued, "If any other section of the community was attacked with such regularity then this would be treated as an outrage. Whether at interfaces, or just going about their daily business, protestants are being attacked with regularity." She continued, "I will be asking that Belfast City Council does everything in its power to investigate the circumstances around this incident. I also hope that the police treat this hate crime as seriously as possible and bring to justice all those responsible, including adults who feel it is ok to attack children." She concluded, "A shared future requires shared responsibility, and unfortunately there are those within the republican and nationalist community who don't treat hatred of protestants seriously. Attacks like we have just witnessed are a legacy of this complacency." -
ANGRY Rangers fans are on the brink of staging full-scale boycotts of the club’s matches – amid new calls for Sandy Easdale to be axed as football board chairman. And brassed-off fans could also stop giving money to companies linked to the Glasgow giants – including McGill’s Buses and Sports Direct. The Sons of Struth protest group believes there is growing support among its members and other supporters for this drastic action. Sons of Struth founder Craig Houston confirmed his organisation is to poll its 1500 members over whether to boycott games and businesses. He said: “The feedback we have received from members and other fans is overwhelmingly in favour of boycotting games and businesses. “A very low percentage of fans have faith in the board. Every time a new revelation emerges we ask what we can do other than holding red and blue card demonstrations to highlight our unhappiness that is legal and this is one route we can go down.” “But there has to be a silver bullet moment where you say enough is enough. If that results in boycotts of your team, certain sports shops, certain transport or insurance companies, so be it.” The move comes after it emerged that shareholder Sandy Easdale had met with Malaysian businessman Datuk Faizoull Bin Ahmad and convicted fraudster Rafat Rivzi this week. Easdale was pictured with Rizvi, who is wanted by Interpol for corruption, money laundering and banking crime, in Glasgow. Last night the Union of Fans called on the Rangers board to remove Easdale over the visit. A statement said: “Mr Easdale has dragged our club’s name through the gutter once too often. Perhaps he feels his association with a man wanted by Interpol is acceptable. It is not. “Graham Wallace, Norman Crighton, David Somers and Philip Nash must dissociate the PLC board from this further attempt to involve Rizvi in Rangers’ affairs.” However, Rangers last night denied the meeting was connected with investment in the club. An Ibrox spokesman said: “The visit was organised as part of ongoing discussions between Rangers and Malaysian club Felda United with regard to a youth development partnership. “Mr Rizvi arrived without our prior knowledge. He is an advisor to Mr Bin Ahmad. Media reports suggesting Mr Bin Ahmad is in discussions with Rangers regarding anything other than youth development are untrue.” Meanwhile, other reports in England last night claimed Mike Ashley is prepared to sell Newcastle United for £230million so he can boost his stake in Rangers. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/ranger...048n.25297080?
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CCFC 30 Years @CCFC30YEARS Thank you @RangersFC for the signed football and letter to congratulate us on our 30th year #ccfc30years https://twitter.com/CCFC30YEARS/status/501680371499798528/photo/1
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"The Union of Fans is extremely concerned at the recent public statements of Sandy Easdale, the Chairman of the so-called ‘football board’ at Rangers. Mr Easdale has a history of making ill advised, damaging and amateurish comments in the press about Rangers and last week he was engaged in more of the same. In April 2014, around a week before Imran Ahmad’s second failed attempt to have club funds arrested, Mr Easdale decided to take part in a BBC interview in which he raised considerable questions over the financial position of the club. These comments could clearly be seen to weaken the club’s case against Mr Ahmad despite victory in that instance. Last week, days ahead of Mr Ahmad’s third attempt to arrest funds, Mr Easdale did the same in a press Q&A. We would question the timing of both of these statements. Making this type of error once might be seen as naivety or stupidity. Making it twice starts to raise other questions. Mr Easdale was brought into Rangers to represent the wishes of the block of shareholders previously represented by Mr Ahmad and Mr Charles Green. Mr Easdale has, in our opinion, always represented their interests ahead of those of the club and it appears he is continuing to do so. Mr Easdale has hitched his wagon to Green, Ahmad, Blue Pitch and Margarita and, now that their influence over the board has started to diminish slightly, he appears to be seeking to retain his position at the club via an alliance with Mike Ashley. Indeed it appears that Mr Easdale will support anyone who will allow him to retain his director privileges and the borrowed respectability of being referred to as a Rangers director, regardless of their actions towards the club. Mr Easdale told the Rangers fans that Jack Irvine no longer worked for him. However, we have been told by a number of people that Mr Irvine has been in regular touch with them in a way which represents Mr Easdale’s interests. Mr Easdale told the Rangers fans in December 2013 that he had investors lined up for Rangers. This did not prove to be the case. Mr Easdale now wants the Rangers fans to believe that Mike Ashley, who has been handed “onerous” merchandise deals, virtually free stadium naming rights and now the Rangers club shops by Mr Easdale’s associates, is the man to take Rangers forward. Mr Easdale actively opposes any attempt to bring huge investment into the club from people who care about it but chooses to back someone who has clear issues with dual club ownership and is only interested in Rangers as a means to make himself money. We would ask the PLC board, the Nomad, Daniel Stewart and the LSE to investigate Mr Easdale’s comments and their effect on a court case which could have put the club’s immediate future in doubt. We would also ask them to clarify whether Mr Charles Green or Mr Imran Ahmad hold any shares for which Mr Easdale has a proxy through Beaufort Nominees. Mr Easdale is not, in our opinion, fit to be a director of Rangers Football Club and given his failure to be appointed to the PLC board we feel he has far too much negative influence on club affairs."
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I'm not clear on what is classed as repetition so perhaps we can have 1 topic where we can say what we like (within reason) and let off steam. Also, certain people can just stay away from this thread and then they won't be offended.
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I like to try and be fair and after so much criticism I will give credit where it is due. Regardless of who we were playing against we retained possession with interchanging passing and moving and the long ball wasn't frequently deployed. We created plenty chances and always looked dangerous in the final third, crucially our midfield largely bossed the game. Hopefully we can push on from here but I can't recall us playing in this manner for more than a couple of games on the trot apart from the end of 10/11. As was my feeling then, it shows that we can play fairly decent football (it's illogical to suggest otherwise), so there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to see us playing aimless long balls again.
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http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail.html?announcementId=12081166 Rangers have agreed formal terms of settlement with former Commercial Director, Imran Ahmad regarding his current court action. The sum agreed is significantly less than the total amount which Mr Ahmad had been granted permission to arrest. As part of the settlement terms Mr Ahmad has agreed to refrain from arresting funds in Rangers' bank account or in the hands of others pending the formal removal of the case from court. No such arrestment will now take place. The case will be formally taken out of court in the next few days. For further information please contact: Rangers International Football Club plc Graham Wallace / Paul Tyrrell Tel: 0141 580 8647 Daniel Stewart & Company plc Tel: 020 7776 6550 Paul Shackleton / David Coffman Newgate Threadneedle Tel: 020 7148 6143 Roddy Watt / John Coles
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Not sure exactly when we'll get confirmation of the outcome of this today but we can use this thread for updates. First one is this: Sandy and James Easdale increase Rangers shareholding by £500,000 http://t.co/eumq4fMPGC
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I dont know the exact figures on this , but on the rangersfirst page there is a rolling screen of whos recently joined , and I have been watching it quite closely over the last few days , its been amazing to see the number of fellow fans that have been joining not just at the fan level, £5 a month, but at the supporter £10 and founder £18.72, levels , plus amazingly the life members and an amazing number of donations , where you dont need to sign up for any set monthly amounts but can donate one off amounts. Add in all the retail partners they have signed up , it is actually very impressive , anyone not checked out the rangersfirst retail section really should do so , any purchases made through the links , rangersfirst get a % back .
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The video -
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Chris Graham @ChrisGraham76 17m .@RFC_Union call on Rangers PLC board to remove Sandy Easdale as a club director immediately. #RFC pic.twitter.com/wIlX0SWgVu
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Former Rangers defender Arthur Numan doesn't know who to believe as concerns continue to mount over the club's future. On Friday, former commercial director Imran Ahmad had £620,000 of the Ibrox outfit's assets frozen and there is major uncertainty over finances. "It's time the supporters knew what was happening, who is in control and where the money is going to," said Numan. The Dutchman, who played at Ibrox between 1998 and 2003 under Sir David Murray's tenure, says fans regularly raise the issue of Rangers' money troubles with him. "There is so much going on in the last couple of years and sometimes you think it's one big mess," he said. "I get a lot of supporters texting me and calling me, they ask me what's going on - and I can't give them an answer, because even I don't know. "I don't even know who is in charge - I don't know who to believe any more. " He went on: "I hope that someone comes in and says, okay, I want to put a lot of money into the club and try to take all the insecurity away by the supporters - because that's most important. "Then you try to get Rangers back into the Premier League and get a team on the park that's strong enough to compete with Celtic. "And hopefully they can qualify for Europe with someone who is in charge who makes it clear to the supporters and the Press what his intentions are, because nobody knows." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/numan-who-are-fans-to-believe-179657n.25273594
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MIKE ASHLEY is preparing to become the front-runner in an effort to save Rangers from another financial collapse. The Newcastle United owner has made positive moves to sell the St James’ Park club and bring to an end a troubled seven-year reign on Tyneside as he turns his attention to Ibrox. There is already interest in United – even at the asking price of around £230million – and any quick deal would allow Ashley to immediately focus on the Gers. News of the Sports Direct chief’s enthusiasm for stepping up his involvement with Rangers comes on the day fans are expected to hear how successful the board’s latest share issue – aimed at raising £4m – has been. But, whatever happens, it appears Ashley is keen to switch his football and business from Tyneside to Clydeside. Gers fans are now of a mood where any transparent ownership of the club would be welcome, even if there would be reservations over precisely what Ashley has in mind. He has been notoriously reluctant to splash the cash at Newcastle during his time in charge of the Premier League club, although Rangers wouldn’t need anything like the investment in players the English club require to compete against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City. Ashley, of course, already has a stake in the Gers, along with the naming rights for Ibrox. But, until he sells Newcastle, he is pre- vented from increasing that to more than 10 per cent by SFA rules. UEFA regulations also stipulate the same person cannot own two clubs that might meet each other in European competition and, while neither Rangers nor Newcastle are playing in Europe, they could in the future. Now it seems Ashley wants to take charge of the Gers alone with, clearly, one eye on a potential return to the Champions League and the opportunities that would afford. But right now his focus is on selling the Magpies quickly – and the £230m asking price includes repayment of the £129m he is owed in the form of interest-free loans. Ashley paid just £134m to purchase Newcastle from Sir John Hall, above, and Freddie Shepherd in 2007. And, while the club has not officially been put up for sale as the uncertainty could destabilise the business and unsettle the team, there is interest from North America and the Far East in buying a club that posted a post-tax profit of £9.9m for the last financial year. That, however, has not been achieved without incurring the wrath of a lot of people concerned at his lack of investment in the team, a controversial shirt deal with payday loans company Wonga and a series of internal cost-cutting measures. The £40m spent on players this summer was paid for almost entirely by the sale of Yohan Cabaye to Paris Saint-Germain and Mathieu Debuchy to Arsenal. http://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/sport/football/509766/Newcastle-s-Mike-Ashley-set-to-bid-for-Rangers
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If this can be corroborated then Regan must go ... http://vanguardbears.co.uk/stewart-regans-succulent-lamb.html Stewart Regan's Succulent Lamb Written by: Admin Thursday, 21st of August 2014 The date was 27th of July 2012 and Scotland's biggest and most successful football club faced oblivion. Just two days before the club were due to face Brechin City in the Angus town, Rangers FC had no licence to play football. This doomsday scenario had been created by twisted individuals representing the SFA, SPL and others. Their determination to see Rangers punished to the full for an as yet unproven "charge" (a charge which the club was subsequently found not guilty) was matched only by an underlying driven agenda to see Rangers damaged as much as possible, perhaps beyond repair. The club had been given a stark choice - accept sanctions and trophy stripping or be granted no licence to play football, in any league, anywhere. Rangers, with Ally McCoist and Charles Green representing, had fought bravely to retain the clubs' history, heritage and sporting record in the face of those determined to steal it away at any cost. In defiance of the Scottish Football authorities equivalent of a firing squad they fought valiantly for a club that had already lost most of its first team squad following SPFA and agent interference allied to greedy individuals who saw a fast buck. The future of the Scottish game lay in the hands of those men sat round a table. Their dirty game of chess had reached stalemate; their attempted "Five-Way Agreement" had morphed into a carefully contrived monster that included: •stripping of 5 SPL titles •stripping of 6 Scottish Cups •a signing embargo The message delivered was loud and clear. Accept "guilt", and accept our punishments or we put you out of the game. We feel it's necessary to repeat this; no ruling had yet been made on EBTs from Lord Nimmo Smith, and two years and two appeals later, the EBTs are still judged in law to be loans that did not give Rangers any footballing advantage in the years the scheme was in use. Whilst SPL Chief Ralph Topping was regaling anyone who'd listen with tales of Armageddon and insisting the SFL accept a club the SPL had thrown to the wolves, the SPL looked to maximise revenue from that same club they had just kicked out. So, on that day 27th of July 2012, the last possible day that agreement could be reached, the SFA's lawyers Levy & Macrae hosted all senior stakeholders in the Rangers issue to their office in St Vincent Street, Glasgow. By this stage, Rangers had forced the title stripping off the agenda, however, they were not to be meekly handed a punishment free passage in to the SFL. Other measures were being quickly discussed. The determination of some to punish the club as much as possible at a late stage where desperation saw them more likely to accept to get the licence and keep the club alive hadn't waned. The presence of Duff and Phelps could not help the Rangers cause; they were now bystanders only interested that the business entity they were representing wouldn't have any financial liability thrown in its direction. With a draft agreement on paper and separate signature pages at the back (to be signed upon all attendees reaching agreement on the conditions of Rangers re-entry in to the SFL and SFA), talks got underway. All in attendance agreed that a conclusion had to be reached and papers signed off that day, no matter what. The future of Scottish Football and that of its biggest member club was at stake. Reaching agreement on any issue was difficult, and the meeting was interrupted several times as Stewart Regan answered his mobile phone and left the room. An expectant wife was calling from Yorkshire. Mr. Regan was reminded he had a dinner date that evening. With no indication that middle ground could be found regards the many sticking points and Scottish football facing disaster the SFA Chief Executive took a remarkable and shocking decision that reinforced the belief of many that he is inept and has zero interest in the welfare of the beautiful game here. At 5pm, with the document far from finalised and even further from being agreed, he took the SFA signature page from the table and signed it, informing all of those present that he would put his name to whatever was agreed, had a dinner engagement with his wife and friends in Leeds, and wasn't going to cancel. In essence, Regan signed a blank piece of paper. The Chief Executive of the SFA, with overall responsibility for the game in Scotland, was more interested in having dinner, than leading the decision makers to reach an agreement to safeguard the future of both Rangers, and Scottish Football. The meeting lasted approximately another four hours before a conclusion was reached. Rangers were forced to accept their second transfer embargo in 4 months, and various other financial penalties including the signing over of television rights, and the payment of football debts, on the agreement that they wouldn't have rights to SPL prize money, or debts owed to the club. There were a number of revisions to the draft document in Regan's absence which already had his signature, as he travelled to Leeds and made his way out to dinner. To the best of our knowledge Regan didn't phone anyone in attendance after his departure for a progress update. Regan's signature page was simply inserted into the final document and issued as the Five-Way Agreement. This absolute disdain for the future of Rangers and Scottish football has never left that room, until now. One month earlier, Mr Regan had shown a similar lack of interest when an email written by him had been leaked to the press. In his email, amongst a bunch of 'decisions' he had pre-determined, Regan revealed that while Scottish Football was in disarray, he was off on holiday. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/Regan-controversial What would Regan have done the following day if any of the people in the room had simply scribbled 'I, Stewart Regan, knowing that I am unfit to hold the position of Chief Executive of the SFA, hereby tender my immediate resignation.' Vanguard Bears henceforth ask that members of the SFA, SPFL and SFL demand Stewart Regan's resignation. This man should not be heading up Scottish Football, especially at this very crucial time where attendances are dwindling and sponsorship is drying up. The phrase "NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE" has never been more apt.
