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Just read the article in todays evening times i really like the ideas of bringing in a standing section and increasing the capacity of Ibrox.

 

Its time we filled in the corners anyway hopefully the team on the park would justify

a capacity increase as nothing worse than a half empty looking stadium.

 

Is there a ray of light in the near distance ? i sure hope so :)

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Just read the article in todays evening times i really like the ideas of bringing in a standing section and increasing the capacity of Ibrox.

 

nothing worse than a half empty looking stadium.Its time we filled in the corners anyway hopefully the team on the park would justify

a capacity increase as

 

Is there a ray of light in the near distance ? i sure hope so :)

 

DJ - any chance you could post the link. I've read the Herald article but no mention of stadium changes?

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DJ - any chance you could post the link. I've read the Herald article but no mention of stadium changes?

 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/millionaire-reveals-his-plan-to-save-rangers-from-ruin-1.987065

 

got the link for the herald , the story is in todays evening times back and frontpage headlines not a sniff on their website of the story which is strange ??

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* 1

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Darrel King

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Published on 27 Nov 2009

 

GRAHAM DUFFY’S vision for Rangers moving into the next decade is modelled on Barcelona off the park.

 

That blueprint for a club driven by a supporter membership appears to have already captivated the attention of many of the SPL champions’ followers who are severely disillusioned by the club’s current financial mess.

 

On the pitch, the multi-millionaire Florida-based Glaswegian is well aware the Ibrox club – saddled with a Ã?£31m debt – will never get anywhere near the class of the Catalan kings and all their megastars.

 

But that, he believes, shouldn’t stop them from trying. Especially in terms of what he refers to as the “organic” future of the club.

 

Barca have built a team that now rules Europe based on home-grown players like Xavi, Iniesta, Carles Puyol and Victor Valdes.

 

There is no financial gain in what I am trying to do. I have been looking at Rangers’ situation for a while, and I just want to help sort it out

 

Graham Duffy

 

Hundreds of millions of pounds worth of players and assets who cost the club very little. Infrastructure, coaching, nurturing of talent have produced massive results.

 

Rangers are not in that league at this time, but that is not to say they will never be. However, as he casts an eye over events from his home in the sunshine state, Duffy knows the future has to yield more of a return.

 

Murray Park has been open for over nine years. However, how many genuine stars have been produced over that period? Allan McGregor is one. Alan Hutton another. Now, young Danny Wilson, at 17, is the great white hope, along with John Fleck.

 

Should property tycoon Duffy and those he is talking to get the chance to take control of Rangers and implement their ambitious plans, then an overhaul of the club’s youth programme and policy would be a priority.

 

“I think there has to be an overhaul, the facility was a huge investment and like all investments they must produce a return,” he told The Herald.

 

“But the results been unacceptable. Watching the game the other night against Stuttgart, it gives every Rangers fan a lot of pride to see Danny Wilson in the Champions League against a striker that cost Ã?£10m and more than holding his own.

 

“That has to be the blueprint. Rangers have to go ‘organic’ as the days of big buys are gone, not only for Rangers, but for many, many clubs. You want a facility that can produce three or four Danny Wilsons at the same time to be available to the first team. It has to be looked at, it’s the only way.

 

“The wage bill last year was 77.2% of the revenue, when the average at most clubs is around 55%.

 

“You have to ask if value for money is there. The club needs to completely transform itself and go forward with new ideas, fresh plans and a fresh outlook.”

 

Duffy’s ambitious plans, which are being fine tuned in various meetings with interested parties, would see a complete overhaul of Rangers from top to bottom.

 

He feels the infrastructure of the club has to change, and the fans would have to play their part by investing in the future – in return for a say and the share and enjoyment of any success. He added: “There is no financial gain in what I am trying to do. I have been looking at Rangers’ situation for a while, and I just want to help sort it out.

 

“The business model we have will work. Rangers will never be back in the market for Ã?£12m players, but run correctly, the team, in my opinion, would be in a position to be where they should be – number one in Scotland and competing against the best in Europe.”

 

Duffy would not confirm the fine details of all the plans being discussed, but if his consortium does take control, the face of the club would change for ever.

 

We can reveal �£25m over three years would be set aside in the business model to revamp the famous stadium.

 

Ideas would include ripping out the seats in certain sections of Ibrox to create standing areas to boost capacity, revenue and atmosphere.

 

Duffy explains: “Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion – which Ibrox was modelled on – had reached a capacity of 42,000. They had to stop selling tickets every week, supply could not meet demand.

 

“So they made one entire stand all standing. Now the capacity is 80,000. 
It cost Dortmund €50m euros to redevelop their stadium and increase the capacity substantially, and they have generated all that extra revenue while making it affordable for fans to see games who maybe could not find the money for a seated season ticket.

 

“Could the enclosures come back? Could you make the bottom of the Copland Stand all standing? Can the corners be filled in? The simple answer is yes, everything is possible.

 

“In the plan, we have set aside funds for the stadium to increase the capacity considerably, to generate more money, and to create a better atmosphere.”

 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/exclusive-glaswegian-multi-millionaire-targets-overhaul-of-ibrox-and-youth-programme-to-take-rangers-forward-1.987071

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Just read the article in todays evening times i really like the ideas of BRINGING IN A STANDING SECTION and increasing the capacity of Ibrox.

 

Its time we filled in the corners anyway hopefully the team on the park would justify

a capacity increase as nothing worse than a half empty looking stadium.

 

Is there a ray of light in the near distance ? i sure hope so :)

 

Standing areas are a non-starter. The polis will be dead against it.

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Update from Barrybaldy. Make of it what you will.

 

Hi guys

 

As I said yesterday, just trying to help with info as some people seem to be getting confused about what this plan is - which is understandable given the amount of stuff swirling around.

 

1) Duffy has broken cover others are staying quiet at this moment in time. he is PART of a consortium, I am told another two or three big hitters in talks with him and he is the one put up first to talk.

 

2) They are ALL putting in the same amount to underwrite the debt, and hope to get it for around �£25m from the bank.

 

3) First stage is to get the club out of the banks hands. Second to see the season out - then rebuild begins, new manager, board etc..

Third to implement fans members club and then all other plans from there.

 

4) Duffy will not be running club, but will be on new board with the others.

 

5) They will NOT be making any money. There is no McCann deal here when they buy shares, sell them and get out down the line.

 

6) Essentially, they will strike a deal with the bank that say ' we will guarantee the debt - now give us the club to run'

So they don't put money in initially, but would have to if, say six months down the line the bank call it in.

Quite clever move in that, if the fans cash rolls in, the debt will come down naturally in a new business plan - but they still have their own reddies in hand to buy into being part of the 45,000. If they fans numbers don't stack up, they can offset.

 

That's what I am hearing. Told that Duffy has money, most of it from property in the Carribbean, and a lot has changed in his business in nine years since the stuff you are reading.

 

My guess is he is a FRONT just now until the rest get ready to unite - there will be another two defo, and poss a third, and they have money.

 

It's all a game, a dance with the bank right now - Murray was apparantly scrambling yday, trying to find out about Duffy, who the rest are as he is raging now he's out the equation and a deal can be done with the bank direct.

 

Forget this guff about his shares, etcc. The bank have taken Rangers - they can force him to sell the club to whoever they want.

 

 

Finally, Dave King has made no moves at all.

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