Steve1872 4 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 by Union of Fans First of all we would like to thank Dave King for his time and patience over the past few days. Having met with him on Friday, and then again yesterday morning, prior to the release of his statement, we appreciate him keeping us fully appraised of his progress. It has been extremely refreshing to deal with someone who shares our own love of Rangers and also has the means, commitment and passion to significantly improve the club’s fortunes over the coming years. We are pleased that Dave has acknowledged the fans’ role in bringing the current board to the negotiating table and we are heartened by his ability to very swiftly secure some important, binding, public commitments from them. Clearly the board’s position has changed over the weekend, from one where we had no clear sight of their strategy with regard to moving the club forward, to one where they have now committed to fans and shareholders to implement the funding plan we believed was required. This plan, if properly executed, should allow the club to compete both domestically and in Europe in the medium term. We are pleased that they are no longer considering the massive scaling back of club operations that would have been required, both on and off the park, under their previously assumed but never communicated strategy. We also note that they have confirmed that they do require further investment as a matter of some urgency. We expect significant amounts of that investment to come from a united fan investment vehicle, including Dave King. Although pleased that they have made a commitment not to raise finance, or take out any type of security, on Ibrox or Auchenhowie, we are disappointed that they have refused to make this as unequivocal as we would have expected. “We have no plans” does not engender the same confidence as “we will not”. Having secured these binding, public commitments from the board, through Dave King, we are now prepared to wait for the publication of the business review from Graham Wallace within the next 30 days. We expect it to fully reflect the promises made by the board in their last statement and we are, reluctantly given previous experience, relying on them to fulfil those promises. We expect them to produce a coherent vision and detailed plan of how they will fund it. In the meantime, whilst the board complete this process, we will be continuing with plans to set up a Season Ticket Trust. We are determined to be in a position to provide it as an option, if required, and will continue to update the supporters on our progress on a regular basis. We expect to engage with legal advisers and trustees as early as next week. We would like to thank all the fans who sent such a clear message to the board at the weekend. Without fan pressure we would not have made the significant progress we have and we are fully aware that following the completion of the business review, depending on its outcome, the fans may once again be required to act. We remain fully committed to continuing our work with Dave King as part of a fan led initiative to invest in the club and will be in close contact with him over the coming weeks. We fully support his vision for Rangers and his methods of achieving that vision and will hold the board fully to account, within the timescales they have indicated, for the binding, public commitments they have made. http://www.unionoffans.org/statements/2014/3/18/follow-up-statement-re-dave-king 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebear54 0 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 I think that's a very restrained and appropriate statement. Also encouraging. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waltersgotstyle 297 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 A very well worded statement, it seems the board have rethought their strategy for the future. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluedell 5,329 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Sorry, but I haven't seen anything new from the board. They have been making the same noises for some time and just because they now say it to Dave King doesn't give it any more credibility. I'm not sure what binding commitments the board have made. Basically they haven't said anything that they can't escape from in one form or another, as far as I remember. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilledbear 16 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Sorry, but I haven't seen anything new from the board. They have been making the same noises for some time and just because they now say it to Dave King doesn't give it any more credibility. I'm not sure what binding commitments the board have made. Basically they haven't said anything that they can't escape from in one form or another, as far as I remember. Expect another Statement from the Board. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anchorman 0 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Sorry, but I haven't seen anything new from the board. They have been making the same noises for some time and just because they now say it to Dave King doesn't give it any more credibility.I'm not sure what binding commitments the board have made. Basically they haven't said anything that they can't escape from in one form or another, as far as I remember. I don't think King is attempting to give them any more credibility. He is drawing comments out of them that force a bit more accountability. King carries a fair bit of kudos in the City. So there is a huge difference between the board failing to deliver what they have promised King to deliver, than the board not being transparent to the fans. The investors will be watching events closely I imagine. One or two of them may have other agendas but I don't believe they all have. King is doing a good job with limited powers (limited at the moment!). 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrahimHemdani 1 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 we are now prepared to wait for the publication of the business review from Graham Wallace within the next 30 days What other option did they have? Having secured these binding, public commitments from the board, In what way are they binding? The Board has previously stated that investment in the Club will be required as part of the medium term strategy. This position remains unchanged, however the timing and amount of such future investment has not yet been finalised. I see no changes in the Board's position. we are, reluctantly given previous experience, relying on them to fulfil those promises. Again, what option do they have; the UoF does not have the power to remove the Board. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anchorman 0 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Again, what option do they have; the UoF does not have the power to remove the Board. I will disagree with you on that one. I think maybe we are seeing the acronym UoF in different ways. You are seeing it as a 'limited' (no disrespect to any ) faction e.g. SoS, RST etc. I am taking it quite literally as a Union Of Rangers Fans everywhere. I may be an old romantic but make no mistake - we have the power to remove a board - with the will and 'union' of all fans. Don't doubt that! What's the alternative? Do you honestly think it would get to the stage that this support would say "I surrender - you win"? That is not an option for us. Never has been. Never will be. Not in the DNA!! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrahimHemdani 1 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 I will disagree with you on that one. I think maybe we are seeing the acronym UoF in different ways. You are seeing it as a 'limited' (no disrespect to any ) faction e.g. SoS, RST etc. I am taking it quite literally as a Union Of Rangers Fans everywhere. I may be an old romantic but make no mistake - we have the power to remove a board - with the will and 'union' of all fans. Don't doubt that! What's the alternative? Do you honestly think it would get to the stage that this support would say "I surrender - you win"? That is not an option for us. Never has been. Never will be. Not in the DNA!! So I take it you agree on my other points? As to the power to remove the Board, I think we saw at the EGM where the true power lays - the institutions. But let's say that at the end of the 120-day period the Board produce a half way sensible plan that addresses the main concern of funding for a return to the top flight; there is a share issue to which fans subscribe; DK then says there is no point in a ST trust scheme because it would just starve the club of money at a time when it needs it most; are you saying that unpalatable as we all find some previous actions of the Board, you would still want to organise some kind of rebellion to throw them all out? As things stand at the minute the only fans who matter to the Board are the ones who are paying customers (hence the initial attraction of the ST scheme). The ones who are abroad or otherwise aren't able to go along don't count. That's one reason why I support RF, because it is an ideal opportunity for ALL Rangers fans to contribute to a meaningful fund of money that WILL be able to BUY influence in the Club through shares and in due course other means. Only 5,000 fans paying an average of £10 per month (and we're nearly at 1,000 already) plus 800 i.e. less than half the available life memberships would mean £1,000,000; once you get into 7 figures you become a meaningful force that doesn't starve the club of money in the way that an ST scheme would do. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Rf will take decades to have any real influence if they ever do. The season book holders can get exactly what they want in the next 3 months if they demand it en masse. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.