A Call for Unity

[wabashcannonball 0]

I believe that when push comes to shove, the board will be Murray's corner they are after all Murray appointed and paid for.

Murray has been very very quiet of late, people will discount his influence at their peril. The article that the link leads to, makes on reflection interesting reading.

 

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3691409

[pete 2,499]

Arthur Numan,John Greig, I would have Souness,however we do need a high profile figurehead as has been said to unite & lead the fans as right now there is too much personal grudges between the fans groups,IMO, where as a high profile name,preferably an ex player,would get automatic respect initially.I also agree we need some clarity from Rangers before we can attempt a proper protest.

 

Walter Smith has been dropping hints all the time. Ask him to lead it.

[maineflyer 0]

I believe that when push comes to shove, the board will be Murray's corner they are after all Murray appointed and paid for.

Murray has been very very quiet of late, people will discount his influence at their peril. The article that the link leads to, makes on reflection interesting reading.

 

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3691409

 

Murray has other priorities mate, he left any interest in Rangers behind long ago....

 

Murray steps in to save historic wine merchant

 

David Murray: Has previously bought a vineyard in France.

BRIAN DONNELLY

 

0 commentsPublished on 4 Feb 2010

 

Rangers owner Sir David Murray yesterday revealed he has bought what is thought to be the oldest surviving wine merchant in Scotland.

 

The tycoon, who made his fortune from the steel industry before buying one half of the Old Firm, purchased Cockburns of Leith for an undisclosed sum after it went into administration last week.

 

Analysts hope the football club owner�s purchase of the 200-year-old business will boost the country�s fine wine trade, which has been severely hit by the economic downturn.

 

Founded in 1796 and based in Abbeyhill, Edinburgh, Cockburns has supplied famous customers including Sir Walter Scott, King George IV and Charles Dickens.

 

Sir David, who reportedly bought a French vineyard four years ago, said: ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢m delighted. It is the finest brand there is. We will develop the brand into an area where we see tremendous growth for us.

 

ââ?¬Å?We are supplying to restaurateurs who want continuity with their wine lists.

 

ââ?¬Å?What we are going to do is use the Cockburn banner and use it in different ways as well.ââ?¬Â

 

While impressive, Cockburns cellar provides no surprises to connoisseur Sir David, who admits his personal favourite is usually a Burgundy.

 

ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t think there are many wines that Iââ?¬â?¢ve not sampled. Across the businesses we have a range of about 500 products,ââ?¬Â he said.

 

ââ?¬Å?We have bought the business, the trade records, some of the stock and weââ?¬â?¢ve taken the staff on, along with the name.

 

ââ?¬Å?We are not competing with the bulk buyers. Typical customers for us would maybe buy from three or four suppliers so his wine list remains with the same brands so that the client can buy the same product when he visits the restaurant on a regular basis.

 

ââ?¬Å?It is a very old, established Scottish business. It would have no doubt gone to somebody from outside who may have run the business down.

 

ââ?¬Å?As much as it is progressive for us, it is defensive as well. Somebody could have used it as a template to attack our existing business.

 

ââ?¬Å?This is our third acquisition of a wine business; we bought Edinburgh Wine Importers and TM Robertson.ââ?¬Â

 

The latter was also saved from relocation to England.

 

Ian McPhail, formerly of Cockburns Wholesale, has been recruited by (Edinburgh) Wine Importers to run the specialised division of the company. Billy Bell, Wine Importersââ?¬â?¢ managing director, said it would be ââ?¬Å?business as usual for Cockburnsââ?¬â?¢s customers after the uncertainty of the past week.

 

In 2006, it was reported Sir David paid �£3 million for Domaine Jessiaume, a vineyard in the village of Santenay at the foot of the C�´te de Beaune wine region in Burgundy just a month after he bought Edinburgh Wine Importers for �£1.1m. In 2005, he bought Ch�¢teau Routas, a 630-acre wine estate and five-acre truffle bed in Coteaux Varois, Provence, for a reported �£5.5m.

 

A spokesman for administrators Ernst and Young said that ââ?¬Å?the brand name, customer listings, book debts and certain stock of Cockburns have been sold to Edinburgh Wine Importers, a drinks wholesaler owned by Sir David Murray, the chairman of Murray International Holdings Ltdââ?¬Â.

 

The company was placed into administration after being hit by the economic downturn and suffering from a declining order book.

 

Edinburgh Wine Importers, based in Livingston, is now a leading independent wine supplier to the Scottish trade. The company, which was founded in 1975, was acquired by Sir David in 2006.