Douglas Park - Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It

[Frankie 8,148]

http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=225:

 

Ten points clear; still in both cups; �£13million interim profit reported; singing sections standing together in front of hospitality; different people from different websites working together on relevant issues; our chairman answers questions raised by protesters; Celtic can't beat Aberdeen; Aberdeen can't beat Raith Rovers; Celtic making a loss while 'rebuilding' with expensive players on temporary loan deals;the sun shining as the nights get longer; life is good if you're a Rangers fan!

 

Or is it?

 

A cursory look at most Rangers sites will reveal that despite the positive signs above, many bears are still worried about the future. Indeed, examine the recent official comments from Alastair Johnston (and the less official ones from Donald Muir) then you can interpret the words differently depending on your own viewpoint. Certainly the contrary opinions from our management team don't help, while the 8-10 day plans touched on by the chairman, subject to change depending on what happens SPL/CL wise in 10 weeks time, suddenly make the brightness of the winter sunshine seem less satisfying.

 

Investment is required then - and soon if we're to retain key players and remain competitive for the coming years. But where from? The new Tennent's deal is positive but worth less than the existing Carling one. The retail and replica strip side of our commercial activities are limited for another 5 years at least. The naming rights to Ibrox are not to be considered said Mr Johnston at the AGM. Any sale or leaseback of the stadium or training facility would be cause for serious concern for any fan. Ticketing and hospitality revenue is down from previous years with no money to make stadium improvements to increase the numbers. Flexibility for the board is a huge problem and investment difficult to find.

 

A new buyer then? Would such a person or persons solve our problems?

 

Graham Duffy poked his head up late last year and the fans were quick to research then castigate his background. Rightly so it seems - even if his intentions may have been interesting enough. Dave King remains a figure who does have the net worth on paper but he seems no closer to a resolution with his peers in South Africa. An enforced withdrawal from the debate from him as it stands then - though I guess that may change.

 

So that leaves us with the usual conglomerate of Members' Lounge supporters of whom most bears know. It seems Douglas Park is the most likely leader from the names we all know there - the Lanarkshire based transport tycoon being a well kent face at Ibrox. Owner of the popular bus company and several car franchises, the Park family are popular within the support. Whilst their wealth may not be in the same league as King; their financial support of that bid may be crucial to win over fans who doubt King's reputation. Moreover, if King is unable to step forward, Park may be the one of the few names left capable of doing so as the leader of a consortium.

 

Unfortunately, despite the 'in-the-know' rumours of his involvement across the supporting community (on and offline), he seems reticent to stand up and define his interest as one the fans could buy into - literally! Having the respect of so many bears - even though, like me, they may not know him personally - is surely a good place to start when looking to become the new owner during such difficult times. That respect would only be increased if he involved the supporters in aiding his bid to do this. Strange then, rumour and counter-rumour about his alleged involvement notwithstanding, nothing more concrete has arisen.

 

To that end, the last week has seen various initiatives undertaken by many sides of the debate unsure of the status quo. From protesters at matches using banners and flyers to pressurise the club into action; from the club using other influential supporters to put across their point of view in retort; the debate took a turn for the worse when opposing viewpoints ended up in the usual tedious arguments between those scrambling for information. That in itself helps no-one as the ordinary bear has nothing to believe than the usual conflicting rumours and the usual generic sound-bites from the club. And it isn't always as simple as believing one over the other.

 

Hence, that's where someone like Douglas Park can come in. If he's really interested in buying Rangers FC, he'll be more than aware of the tension surrounding the club/fans and will have a plan to ease this tension. If the rumours about him working with other fans to buy the club are true, if the rumours about him performing six-figure sums on due diligence are true and if the rumours about him making informal enquiries about buying are true, why hide in the background? Why not step forward, lead from the front, be open and unite the support?

 

Of course you'll gain some unwanted publicity but Sir David Murray did OK out of that increase in profile. Of course you'll get some fans writing you off because they may not know what colour of underwear you favour. Of course the questions may prove difficult to answer to appease everyone. But how else can you gauge genuine interest in what you have to offer?

 

Here are five legitimate questions you could answer to make your position clear:

 

1. Are you serious about buying Rangers Football Club?

 

2. What are your plans therein considering the challenges ahead?

 

3. How will our activities be underwritten going forward?

 

4. How do you plan to involve the supporters; is a wide-ranging fan ownership scheme viable?

 

5. Can you deliver and maintain ongoing competitiveness and success in the face of the modern football era?

 

 

Now, I won't pretend for a minute that these questions are as easy to answer as they were to ask. However, you'll be asked tougher ones by more intelligent people than this writer. Especially if you want such people to part with their cash and buy into your ideas and aspirations.

 

What is clear though is that our club and our support needs clarity and leadership. That is the minimum required for the future and for any buyer to immediately gain the credibility and respect needed for such a demanding role.

 

We need - no we insist upon - potential buyers to show us the future of our football club is something that will be guaranteed by ongoing investment, by innovation, by transparency, by representation and by mutual respect.

 

The challenge is there and the mission isn't impossible. Do you accept?

 

:spl:

[chilledbear 16]

Frankie

 

Am I correct in thinking AJ said there had been no bid for Rangers, �£18m or any other figure.

[Frankie 8,148]

Frankie

 

Am I correct in thinking AJ said there had been no bid for Rangers, �£18m or any other figure.

 

I think he said there had been no official bid - which is true.

 

Like I say, I reckon any negotiations have been informal so far so it is up to Mr Park to move this forward given the investment he has already made.

[wabashcannonball 0]

Still puzzles how any meaningful negotiations can take place, when the chairman seems to know about as much as Darryl King or DJ as far as asking or selling price go, maybe Minty will fill him in with the next dispatches from the bunker at Charlotte Square.

[John Barr 0]

Yes, A.J said there was no bids as far as we was aware.

 

Why can't Park and King chip in and take over. Surely the might of those two combined would be for the good of the club and financially beneficial to the both of them if they ran the club properly.

 

Whatever, Murray seems by all accounts intent on getting as much out of any bidders as possible.

 

What a bloody mess this club is in right now. It depresses the life out of me thinking about whats going on behind the scenes. And even attempting to figure out the finances is giving me a migrane!

 

I wish i could fast forward to 5 years and be rid of all this nonsense!

[Frankie 8,148]

Still puzzles how any meaningful negotiations can take place, when the chairman seems to know about as much as Darryl King or DJ as far as asking or selling price go, maybe Minty will fill him in with the next dispatches from the bunker at Charlotte Square.

 

I think we'd do well to not take everything at face value which Johnston says publicly. He doesn't get where he is today by being anyone's mug. Same goes for Murray obviously - as well as the Park's and King's of this world.

 

All I'm suggesting is that perhaps its time for any buyer to declare their interest and garner support via getting the fans onside. I'd contend that is a better way of placing pressure on the seller than a few banners.

[OnlyOneAmoruso 0]

He has been garnering support.

 

I would agree that he should be bringing it into the public domain

[wabashcannonball 0]

Murray appears to be immune to pressure real or imagined, I often wonder what he would do if asked very publicly by as many supporters bodies as is possible, for a statement of affairs. You know the old saying if you don't ask you don't get, either he will give a response or he won't, my bet is he would.

[OnlyOneAmoruso 0]

Wabash. I would argue that more lies and confusion is exactly what we don't need right now.

[Frankie 8,148]

He has been garnering support.

 

I would agree that he should be bringing it into the public domain

 

 

There is garnering support on the QT via internet forums and there is garnering support via a huge publicity drive, the involvement of high profile club figures, the involvement of fan groups and the involvement of the ordinary fan.

 

That's what he should be doing and the result could well be the direct question of Murray wabash asks for.