Craig Whyte vows to sack anyone at Rangers who talks to BBC

[ian1964 10,390]

CRAIG Whyte has intensified his battle with the BBC by stating that any member of the club who speaks to the broadcaster, even in an off-the-record basis, â??will never work for Rangers againâ?.

 

Incensed by what he calls an â??institutionalised biasâ? against his club within the walls of Pacific Quay, Whyte re-iterates his intention to sue the broadcaster, adding: â??Maybe the BBC are going to be paying the [HMRC] tax bill.â?

 

In a wide-ranging interview, Whyte expresses thunderous views on the BBC and, as he sees it, the motives behind their documentary Rangers: The Inside Story, aired on Thursday evening. Whyte says that not only he is suing the BBC but that he is also considering taking legal action against one of the contributors in the programme.

 

Robert Burns, head of investigations at the governmentâ??s Insolvency Service, suggested that Whyte could have faced a two-year jail sentence for his involvement with a firm called Re-tex Plastic Technology in a period when he was disqualified from being a director. Whyte says he hasnâ??t actually seen the BBCâ??s investigation but is au fait with the allegations it makes, Burnsâ??s suggestion of criminality being the most serious.

 

â??On the basis of what Iâ??ve heard the Insolvency Service said last night Iâ??m looking into the possibility of suing them personally. For what he [burns] said, he deserves to be sued personally. Because itâ??s a lie.â?

 

The Rangers owner also states that his bitter foe and former chairman at Ibrox, Alastair Johnston, has been e-mailing him in the last ten days looking for £30,000 in expenses from when he was still in the chair at Ibrox. Whyte says the communication was friendly at first, but then last midweek it turned nasty when Johnston threatened to sue if the monies were not paid.

 

â??There was this series of e-mails and I was really surprised,â? says Whyte. â??So then he puts a deadline of last Friday on it and said if I didnâ??t pay it he was going to sue. There was an overhanging threat of a law suit if I didnâ??t pay him.â?

 

During the HMRC tax bill segment of the interview, Whyte concedes that he made an error by being so secretive for so long in relation to what he intends to do in the event of a worst-case scenario.

 

â??With hindsight, I should have probably said more about this when I first came in but on the other hand we were battling to win the league at the time and I didnâ??t want to put negative issues out there. As soon as the league was over, I should have come out and said â??Look, thereâ??s a big job to be done hereâ??. I should have got my message out a bit sooner.â?

 

Administration, said Whyte, was very much an option in the case of a mammoth tax bill from HMRC. It is, he stresses, something that he is attempting to avoid but he argues that it might not be the nightmare that some have predicted.

 

â??Other than a regrettable event in our history I donâ??t think it would be as bad as people think it might be.

 

â??But thatâ??s not what I want. Itâ??s something Iâ??d rather avoid, if at all possible.â?

 

Meanwhile, Rangers manager Ally McCoist would not be drawn on any of the controversies that are swirling around his ears at present. â??Iâ??m not going to talk about any television programmes or anything like that â?? all I am going to say is that I spoke to Craig Whyte on Friday morning, as I always do, and we are both in total agreement that the most important thing is Sundayâ??s game at Tynecastle.

 

â??We had a chat about the team, the players and the squad â?? as we always do â?? and we are both of the opinion, which we both feel is the right one, that at this moment in time the fans deserve to know that we are totally focused on the game at Hearts.â?

 

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spl/craig_whyte_vows_to_sack_anyone_at_rangers_who_talks_to_bbc_1_1924986

[ian1964 10,390]

CRAIG WHYTE last night insisted Rangers are in better shape now than they have been over the past few years.

 

And, revealing he has a masterplan to raise extra revenue while slashing costs but not the playing squad, the Ibrox owner told supporters he is prepared to invest even more money in the club.

 

Whyte remains incensed at Thursday’s BBC documentary and, having declared his intention to sue, described the programme as “a lot of nonsense” – and he has pledged that no matter the outcome of an on-going tax case, which could cost anything up to £50million, Rangers will be fine.

 

The venture capitalist also stressed that Lloyds Bank had been paid in full and that the club had enough money to keep going despite £3million being frozen by HMRC, former chief executive Martin Bain and ex-financial director Donald McIntyre.

 

“Of course it isn’t helpful at all that cash has been frozen, but there is enough money to keep the club going,” he said.

ì

I’m not the one responsible for the legacies we’re having to deal with. I’m getting my sleeves rolled up and getting things sorted out.

î

 

Craig Whyte

 

 

“We are a business that is losing money, a business that needs to bring costs down. But If money is needed then we’ll have to look to shareholders and borrowings. There is a plan in place to deal with it.

 

“It’s important we make savings. Also, I’m not the one responsible for the legacies we’re having to deal with. I’m getting my sleeves rolled up and getting things sorted out.

 

“Rangers are in better shape now than at any time in the last two or three years. We’re going to be in this crisis mode until the tax issue is sorted out.

 

“The intention is this: Firstly, we must sort out the legacies

handed to us as quickly as possible. Secondly, we have to reduce the cost base so that costs are in line with revenue. And thirdly, we must look to move forward with new opportunities.”

 

“It would be a tragedy if we went into administration, but we’d brush ourselves off and bounce back stronger than ever.”

 

Whyte claimed he didn’t watch Thursday’s programme, adding: “I was surprised they actually ran with it given we told them it wasn’t true. The main allegations made are complete, total and utter nonsense.”

 

Manager Ally McCoist insists the off-field turmoil at Ibrox this week will not derail the title bid. He said: “I spoke to Craig this morning, as I always do.

 

“We are in total agreement the most important thing is Sunday’s game.”

 

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/278908/Rangers-owner-insists-the-future-is-bright

[ian1964 10,390]

Craig Whyte last night trained his sights on the BBC and the former members of the Rangers board who contributed to a controversial documentary on the Rangers owner’s past business dealings.

 

The programme was aired on Thursday evening and has left the venture capitalist in a rage at what he believes has been a ‘hatchet-job’ on his character. Before the programme had even finished, he refuted any allegations of criminality centering on his involvement with Re-tex Plastic Technology, and instructed his lawyers to commence legal proceedings against the broadcaster. That action began yesterday, when Carter Ruck, a London legal firm, lodged papers over ‘unfounded and defamatory remarks’.

 

“The allegations that were made are untrue,” Whyte told Herald Sport. “I find the conduct of the BBC throughout this to be disgusting. To have me linked to some kind of criminality, well that’s just an outrage, an absolute outrage. There is no evidence at all behind what they were saying. The very fact that the so-called files they had on me have been destroyed, what does that tell you? There is no evidence, it’s just not true.

 

“I will be taking this all the way with them – and I will be looking at what has been said by some of the individuals as well. They [the BBC] have claimed they followed editorial guidelines throughout the making of this programme, but they didn’t. They refused to give us access to things we asked for when we were being asked for responses to allegations. We were also not told who else was contributing to the programme, when that should have been part of the guidelines.

 

“They knew what the implications would be, legally, if they went ahead with the programme and they chose to do so.”

 

Rangers announced on Monday that all co-operation with the BBC was being withdrawn. In July, the same broadcaster was banned after footage was shown of Ally McCoist, the club’s manager, appearing to smile and dismiss a question regarding sectarianism and fan behaviour ahead of the new season. That ban was lifted when the BBC apologised, but Whyte was unequivocal when asked why he felt the documentary had been commissioned.

 

“There is a clear anti-Rangers bias at the BBC, and there has been for some time,” he said “There are a lot of people working there who just do not like Rangers.

 

“I think there has been plenty of evidence of that down through the years, and that’s maybe been behind their decisions to run what they did. Look at what happened with Ally McCoist. They edited footage when he was asked to comment on sectarianism and made it look as though he was dismissive and didn’t care. We banned them for that. Did that happen by accident, the editing?

 

“They are an absolute disgrace. Any time it’s anything to do with sectarianism, it’s Rangers fans getting the blame or being shown. Any negatives, it’s Rangers. All I want is a level playing field with the coverage every other club gets. But with the current policies at the BBC, it’s nothing more than an agenda against Rangers, and now me.”

 

Whyte then turned his attentions to Alastair Johnston, the former Rangers chairman, who was interviewed in Cleveland, Ohio. Johnston claimed that Lloyds Banking Group forced through Sir David Murray’s sale of the club to Whyte, and that an official at the bank warned Rangers credit would be withdrawn if the independent board set up to evaluate any potential buyers continued to question the credentials of Whyte’s bid.

 

Johnston – who was removed just weeks after his takeover in May – also claimed that there were serious concerns over Whyte’s capabilities to provide the cash to pay bills and take the club forward.

 

“Firstly, I never asked him to resign. I told him he was being removed,” Whyte said. “It’s been going on for a while, and it’s tiresome. The sniping away, the comments – these guys have been involved at Rangers whilst all the problems were happening.

 

“They were against my takeover from day one. They didn’t want me to get the club, they wanted it for themselves. And they were surprised when the deal went through. I think it’s sour grapes, but it’s up to them to decide whether they think it’s wise to keep harping on about me when people know only too well that I have inherited a mess.

 

“As for what he said about the bank, I think it’s pretty obvious that Lloyds were keen to get a sale. They wanted to move the club on. But at no point was I ever under the impression that Sir David was being forced to sell to me. He could walk away at any time, as could I. It was his choice who to do a deal with, that was my understanding, and that almost happened on a few occasions for several reasons.”

 

Another former director, Paul Murray, also questioned why Whyte has taken Rangers on when they are in a dispute with HMRC that could result in a tax bill of £50m. “Paul seemed to question why anyone would take a deal like I did. We had that conversation. I told him that Rangers was a special situation, that I had a back-up plan to deal with the worst case scenarios. He knew exactly where I was coming from on that,” Whyte explained. “I told him that someone had to step up to the plate and begin the process of sorting the club’s problems out. Paul had that opportunity and didn’t take it.”

 

exclusive interview Craig Whyte, the owner of Rangers, begins legal action against the broadcaster behind a damning documentary and turns on his critics from the previous regime, writes Darrell King

 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/to-have-me-linked-to-some-kind-of-criminality-is-an-absolute-outrage-there-is-no-evidence-at-all-behind-what-they-were-saying-there-are-a-lot-of-people-at-the-bbc-who-just-do-not-like-rangers-1.1130704

[pete 2,494]

Am i missing something here or misreading things? Alastair Johnston questioned if CW had the funds for the day to day running of the club but surely they should have been in place by the previous board and not from the private money of Craig Whyte. Surely if that money is not in place it is more of a question for him to answer than CW. Am I thinking down the wrong lines here?

[biggordy 0]

It would be reasonable to suggest that the previous Board under johnston were only trying to run the Club down in order to buy it after administration.

Whyte comes along and spoils their party.

Judging by the way these people are still trying to squeeze every last penny from us, bain paying himself win bonuses while the Club was failing financially for example, proves that their only motivation was hard cash.

Now johnston is threatening to sue for expenses !!!

 

Aye, real "Rangers' men", that will be right !

"Surrender, no".......what a fucking wanker !

[rbr 1,247]

This is the same AJ , who's entire business plan for taking Rangers forward was borrowing another £25 million

[Gribz 743]

Well Done Whyte. BBC are corrupt to the core and establishment fed from the very top. Biggest Manuipultive party in the country.

[GovanAllan 0]

Don't make him angry you won't like him when he's angry. This is more like it, a man who will defend his club to the hilt are you watching Minty.

[Danny 0]

Don't make him angry you won't like him when he's angry. This is more like it, a man who will defend his club to the hilt are you watching Minty.

 

He's not defending the club though, he's defending himself. The BBC haven't really attacked Rangers in all of this, their entire case has been Whyte.

[maineflyer 0]

He's not defending the club though, he's defending himself. The BBC haven't really attacked Rangers in all of this, their entire case has been Whyte.

Do you really think the BBC would be investigating Craig Whyte if he didn't own Rangers?

 

Neither do I.