Leggat - UNDER ATTACK AND THE ENEMY WITHIN

[ian1964 10,447]

UNDER normal circumstances, were I to be under attack, it would be natural to assume that the instigators were Celtic supporters.

 

But these are not normal times and therefore the finger of suspicion must be pointed in other directions as well as the obvious one. Though the obvious source of the problems cannot, of course, be totally discounted. Yet! Something the police will no doubt take into account.

 

But both the timeline and other information in my possession, certainly points to the Enemy Within. All it would need to confirm this, would be for this blog to be attacked and made to disappear, plus them falling into other traps which are being laid.

 

Let me explain what I mean by being under attack and the various forms these attacks have taken in the last 72 hours or so and then explain what steps I have taken to hold back this tide.

 

Firstly, on Friday, not long after my ENEMY WITHIN blog had appeared, I started receiving strange phone calls, the nature of which and the numbers they came from, have been passed on to the police.

 

These calls first started on my mobile, a number which a wide range of people have. However, a more sinister element reared its head, when, on Friday evening and throughout Saturday, the calls began coming through on my ex directory landline, a few of them coming through when a colleague was visiting.

 

Strangely, no calls came on my other and much more private number, one which the Enemy Within does not have.

 

This matter is now, as you would imagine, in the hands of Strathclydeâ??s finest and they will no doubt be able to trace some of the callers and find out where they got my number from.

 

There is also the mystery of the strange, mysterious and somewhat sinister attack on LeggoLand itself, something which happened a mere twelve hours after the publication of my ENEMY WITHIN blog. I await with interest what happens today and over the next few days after the publication of this blog.

 

It was clear from the outset on Friday that while the vast and overwhelming majority of Rangers supporters were appalled at the actions of a few who sought to damage the Rangers share issue by telling lies about the Rangers Supporters Trust, there remained a handful who were in denial.

 

Fortunately, within an hour or so of the attack on LeggoLand, the ENEMY WITHIN blog was restored and attracted an astonishing number of readers over the next couple of days, with some 35,000 having read it by Monday morning. Thatâ??s a lot more than usually log in over a Saturday and Sunday, two days when nothing new is published.

 

So what of the people who were so vehement in their denouncement of the ENEMY WITHIN blog? Well, they are, of course, all anonymous, hiding in a chat room behind a nom de guerre. For instance, we have someone who styles himself as Sir Duncan Ferguson and another, snivelling behind the shield of Buster, something I find particularly offensive as, when I was a wee boy, that was my staunch Rangers supporting grandadâ??s nickname for me.

 

Letâ??s start with Sir Duncan, a man whose irrational hatred for me extends to him even defending Jock Stein after I pointed out that when he was Scotland manager Stein suffered the same rotten run of results which led to Craig Levein being sacked and that Steinâ??s record in the 1982 World Cup Finals, played three, won one, lost one and drawn one, was exactly the same as Ally MacLeodâ??s had been in Argentina.

 

Sir Duncan took issue with that and then used my mentioning Stein in my biography of Scot Symon, GREAT SCOT â?? THE JAMES SCOTLAND SYMON STORY, as another stick with which he thought he could beat me. According to the person who cowers behind the Sir Duncan Ferguson nom de guerre, he does not want a Symon book despoiled by mentions of Jock Stein in it.

 

Now, I wonder if he has thought that insane thought through? If he did and still reached the same conclusion, then Sir Duncan Ferguson was being either wilfully stupid, or naturally so.

 

For instance, ponder this. Has, as I have, Sir Duncan Ferguson read Martin Gilbertâ??s biography of Sir Winston Churchill? Or Roy Jenkinsâ?? Churchill biography? Or Sir Max Hastingsâ?? more recently published book on Churchill during the Second World War, Finest Years?

 

If he has, he will have noticed many mentions of someone else in all three books. That someone being Adolf Hitler. Does Sir Duncan Ferguson â?? whoever he or she is â?? believe Martin Gilbert, Roy Jenkins and Sir Max Hastings could have told Churchillâ??s story without mentioning Hitler?

 

If he does, then his stupidity is not of the wilful variety.

 

Now we turn to Buster and his obsession with me, an obsession similar to the one which grips many with Celtic DNA when it comes to all things Rangers.

 

Buster was even willing to go so far as to breach copyright by publishing one of the excellent Willie Vass pictures on a Rangers message board, thus putting that message board in legal peril. The picture, which was taken on the day my Scot Symon book was launched, was, according Buster, proof positive that I had been bought by the new Rangers regime and had only offered them my support for commercial reasons.

 

This was something I predicted would happen when I wrote my blog explaining why it was that, after opposing the Charles Green led takeover, I had now become convinced, after much research and spending almost two hours with Imran Ahmad and Green, they were good news for Rangers.

 

Sure enough, the innuendo soon started, something I mentioned to Brian Stockbridge when we later spend almost three hours enjoying each otherâ??s company.

 

Buster, though, thinks he knows better. Therefore, for the benefit of anyone else (he will remain wrapped in his wee warped parcel of hatred), who may be influenced by such accusations, claims which stink at the same gutter level as those launched by the ENEMY WITHIN and which damaged the Rangers share issue, to the fury of the new Rangers Regime, here is the truth.

 

When my publishers, Black and White, decided to launch GREAT SCOT â?? THE JAMES SCOTLAND SYMON STORY, they conducted a perfectly normal piece of commercial business by hiring an area at the going rate, inside Ibrox where the press conference took place. No more and no less. Therefore, the commercial transaction was one in which Rangers made money, just as they do from the sale of the Scot Symon book in the Rangers Mega Store.

 

Now, lest anyone think I am being precious and am unable to take criticism, let me be clear. I made it clear from the outset of the on-line LeggoLand, as I did when the column was published in the now defunct Scottish edition of an English Sunday newspaper, anyone agreeing with everything I write should see a doctor.

 

I am now moved to add that anyone disagreeing with everything I write should see the Celtic.

 

And so back to the ENEMY WITHIN and their dastardly attack on the Rangers Supporters Trust and individual members of the Trust, attacks which horrified the new Rangers Regime and which they have said, damaged the share issue.

 

I backed the Trustâ??s share participation as a way through which those Rangers fans who could not afford the £500 share package, could still participate and join the New Gallant Pioneers and it would seem I am in good company. Former chairman Alastair Johnston, former player, Kris Boyd, plus MP Ian Davidson, also bought their shares through the Trustâ??s scheme.

 

The final figure raised by the Rangers Supporters Trust was £250,000, which, added to those who bought individual share packages, now accounts for a meaningful 12 per cent stake in Rangers and which led to Imran Ahmad sending the Trust an email of thanks, adding the names of Charles Green and Brian Stockbridge.

 

There will be more on all of the above, complete with further revelations, in the not too distant future.

 

For the moment, my mobile is switched off, my landline is off the hook and I have shut out the bleak midwinter to re-read the Roy Jenkins biography of Sir Winston Churchill, compete with mentions of Adolf Hitler. No doubt Sir Duncan Ferguson will disapprove.

[Frankie 8,182]

I enjoying reading most of Leggo's blogs as much as the next bear but I think some of his closer friends need to tell him to relax and have a break over the Christmas holidays.

 

To describe fellow fans as enemies simply for disagreeing him on a range of subjects is poor form indeed. It takes away from any valid point that he may have about other people's behaviour.

[ComeOffit 0]

lol, wtf.

 

I remember "Buster" from FF, and he's nothing if not consistent in his views, something that cant be said for leggo. Writing this pish does us more damage than good. So what if a few zoomers gave him a silent phone call or two, all teams have members of their support that are mental.

 

Leggo is nothing but an attention seeker that follows popular opinion to further his own aims, like selling his book, that's been plugged in has last half dozen blogs. If he's had genuine nasty phone calls, then he should tell the cops, like he said he has done. What good does it do us to make a big drama out of one or two zoomers in our support. His use of the term "enemy within" is a joke. If people dont agree with the RST or the share issue, they have a right to say it. Trying to silence the likes of "Buster", just looks like you have something to hide.

Edited December 24, 2012 by ComeOffit

[bossy 0]

I have had a few exchanges with Buster over on FF and, while he remains a staunch critic of Green et al., his posts are usually balanced and well argued. I don't know Buster outside of FF and I often disagree with him .... in a most civilised way from both of us. Based purely on his posts, he appears to be intelligent and well educated. Perhaps that is Leggo's problem.

[simplythebest 0]

In my lurking buster doesn't come across as all that balanced right now, don't think I've seen one slightly positive comment from him about Green.

[biggordy 0]

lol, wtf.

 

I remember "Buster" from FF, and he's nothing if not consistent in his views, something that cant be said for leggo. Writing this pish does us more damage than good. So what if a few zoomers gave him a silent phone call or two, all teams have members of their support that are mental.

 

Leggo is nothing but an attention seeker that follows popular opinion to further his own aims, like selling his book, that's been plugged in has last half dozen blogs. If he's had genuine nasty phone calls, then he should tell the cops, like he said he has done. What good does it do us to make a big drama out of one or two zoomers in our support. His use of the term "enemy within" is a joke. If people dont agree with the RST or the share issue, they have a right to say it. Trying to silence the likes of "Buster", just looks like you have something to hide.

 

I don't know any of those mentioned by Leggo and I don't really care to, I'm more than happy to be part of our Gersnet Community.

I have followed Leggo for several years now and have been both informed and entertained.

There are some of his blogs however I do find disagreeable and the recent Jock Stein one was I didn't care for.

I consider myself as a reasonably informed adult and can use that knowledge to decide for myself if something seems "iffy". I too have one or two contacts who can sometimes confirm or deny some of the things he posts.

 

If you have also kept up with his blogs, you will also be aware he has received many threats in the past which have been investigated by the authorities.

Unlike many, Mr. Leggat has got the balls to put himself out there in the public eye therefore leaving himself open to criticism. However, no-one deserves threats of ANY kind for expressing their opinion, especially an informed one. If someone has differing information let them produce an alternative blog. Heavy breathing down a 'phone is hardly the way to do it.

He has a long background of journalism and football knowledge, to call him an "attention seeker" is just plain wrong.

He ploughed a lone furrow of Rangers supporting blogging for many years now and it is only recently others like Bill McMurdo and Chris Graham etc. have joined in.

All he offers is a viewpoint based on what he knows, no-one says you must read it and it's the gospel truth.

Any rational person knows they can't be right all the time.

However, one thing is clear in my mind, and that is he's 100% Rangers, and that'll do for me.

[Frankie 8,182]

In my lurking buster doesn't come across as all that balanced right now, don't think I've seen one slightly positive comment from him about Green.

 

I don't know Buster (not do I take an overly active part on FF - lurking or posting) but there's a big difference from not liking or trusting Green to being an enemy of the club.

 

I appreciate Leggo enjoys hyperbole as a tabloid writer but I'm really not sure what he's hoping to achieve with this article.

[26th of foot 5,857]

Misinformation and disinformation.

 

Leggo's bloggs habitually travel the spectrum between perceptive and barking. We are all capable of making up our own minds, or are we?

 

Why would a website owner utilise Leggo's musings to suggest another website are running interference on attempts to float Rangers? The finger is pointed and the 'threat' is indicated. Of course, the constant need for a 'threat' is necessary, it is a most unifying tactic when running your own interference. As it turns out, the enemy within are both longterm, regular posters on FF.

 

Control and denial whilst whipping the adherents into line. Perhaps one day the 'threat' posed by the 3-4 far smaller Rangers supporters' websites will be quantified?

[simplythebest 0]

I don't know Buster (not do I take an overly active part on FF - lurking or posting) but there's a big difference from not liking or trusting Green to being an enemy of the club.

 

I appreciate Leggo enjoys hyperbole as a tabloid writer but I'm really not sure what he's hoping to achieve with this article.

I have no time for Leggo's ramblings either, was a more general point.

[ComeOffit 0]

I don't know Buster (not do I take an overly active part on FF - lurking or posting) but there's a big difference from not liking or trusting Green to being an enemy of the club.

 

I appreciate Leggo enjoys hyperbole as a tabloid writer but I'm really not sure what he's hoping to achieve with this article.

 

Nothing like a good victim strory to get you free publicity for his new book, and hits on his blog.