forlanssister 3,060 Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 The fans verdict: it's such a relief, we're no longer wounded Friday 6 March 2015 Tom Johnstone, a member of the Rangers Fan Board, gives his reaction to today's outcome. The past few days have seen a vogue for dusting off old sayings and applying them to the EGM. Churchill's 'not the beginning of the end but the end of the beginning' has been revived more then once with the old favourite 'light at the end of the tunnel' being, well, the favourite. Notably no-one's seen fit to append Alex Law's 'expansion into a golden sunrise' to the light of EGM victory and the likely explanation for this is that for most Rangers fans, the dominant emotion, right now, is simply relief. Yesterday, Dave King told us that we're going to have a tough couple of years. After the three years we've just endured, that's like warning someone who's being hauled off a sinking ship in the middle of the ocean that the lifeboat may be a little damp. For the Rangers Fans' Board it's been, as the Chinese curse goes, interesting times. Whatever conceptions we had of the task before us back in September 2014 did not survive contact with the old board. Our vote of no confidence on January 28 probably hammered the first nail into the coffin of any further meaningful contact with the final nail accompanying the letter clumsily threatening us with legal action. We were very aware of cynicism regarding our role but, if nothing else, we can say we achieved solidarity with the rest of the fans as by the end the old board wasn't talking to us either. So in these first post-EGM hours as we place our trust in the new board to rebuild the team and stadium, what falls to us, the fans? Over time the lost years of 2012 - 2015 must be woven into the fabric of our history. We must never forget. For this was a close thing. If the EGM had been lost, how many season tickets would have been sold next season? How much further would attendances have fallen? And with the consequent loss of revenue, how many more £5m drawdowns would have been offered and obediently accepted by the old board until debt delivered every last vestige of Rangers, even Ibrox, irrevocably into Ashley's hands? We must sell out Ibrox. Every game. The only blue visible in the crowd should be tops and scarves, not the blue plastic of an empty seat. We must continue the momentum of fan ownership. The day came when Rangers needed a 5th pioneer. The efforts of Rangers First - who a few minutes ago broke the 13,000 barrier - and the Rangers Supporters Trust in providing an accessible and simple way for fans to secure shares and mobilise that shareholding must also be woven into the fabric of our history. Be the 5th. And now is the time to join the fight on the narrative on Rangers and our fans that has intensified over the past few years. Whether through our own complacency or because we were wounded, we have allowed perceptions of Rangers to become nothing I recognise as being a fan of the quintessential British club and its values. Well we are no longer complacent and we are no longer wounded. No skirmish or battle in this war is too small for true Bears to stand up and unite and form an unbreakable blue line to drive this narrative out. So we thank, as shall history, Dave King, the Three Bears, the members of Rangers First and the Rangers Supporters Trust and all those who voted against the old board. We are Rangers. Then. Now. Forever. http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/the-fans-verdict-our-club-is-no-longer-woud.1425654154 https://www.facebook.com/rangersfansboardinexile?fref=nf 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,457 Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 I was always of the belief that the fans board was destined to failure and pointless under the rat board,however I also always believed it was worth initiating on the belief it could flourish if given a chance under a new board,so I hope the new owners will get this in place,and I believe they will. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laudbertz 0 Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 The RFB did some fantastic work in the face of adversity when the former (oh man thats the first time ive said that word, feels good!) board were throwing them curve balls. With King confirming fan representation will be on the Rangers Board, will the RFB still be there as a sub group to this? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplythebest 0 Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 The fans board in it's democratic form should absolutely continue 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearman 9 Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 ...that's like warning someone who's being hauled off a sinking ship in the middle of the ocean that the lifeboat may be a little damp. Had to admire that line. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy steel 0 Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 A very well written piece. But I won't forget that some members of the RFB were virulently anti-Sos, UoF etc to an extent McMurdo would have been proud of. They were happy enough to see BH kicked off - I may not agree with much of what BH posts, but that should have been a tipping point and it wasn't, because members put their and his personality before the club. The only thing I want to see out of the RFB is FS co-opted as technical adviser for disability issues (I had no idea things were so bad, as usual we care little about what doesn't affect us) - that apart its history and, tbh, miniscule mandate, mean its a goner for me. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEARGER 1,829 Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 A very well written piece. But I won't forget that some members of the RFB were virulently anti-Sos, UoF etc to an extent McMurdo would have been proud of. They were happy enough to see BH kicked off - I may not agree with much of what BH posts, but that should have been a tipping point and it wasn't, because members put their and his personality before the club. The only thing I want to see out of the RFB is FS co-opted as technical adviser for disability issues (I had no idea things were so bad, as usual we care little about what doesn't affect us) - that apart its history and, tbh, miniscule mandate, mean its a goner for me. Yes they did well lately in the propaganda war, but like the Reverend they came very late to the fight. We require a fans organisation that speaks for all, one member one vote, also led by people who were involved in the campaign all the way through. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilledbear 16 Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 A very well written piece. But I won't forget that some members of the RFB were virulently anti-Sos, UoF etc to an extent McMurdo would have been proud of. They were happy enough to see BH kicked off - I may not agree with much of what BH posts, but that should have been a tipping point and it wasn't, because members put their and his personality before the club. The only thing I want to see out of the RFB is FS co-opted as technical adviser for disability issues (I had no idea things were so bad, as usual we care little about what doesn't affect us) - that apart its history and, tbh, miniscule mandate, mean its a goner for me. I think some may have had the ones they represented in mind also. I agree there is a place for such an organisation, but we should start the process again. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrahimHemdani 1 Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 A very well written piece. But I won't forget that some members of the RFB were virulently anti-Sos, UoF etc to an extent McMurdo would have been proud of. They were happy enough to see BH kicked off - I may not agree with much of what BH posts, but that should have been a tipping point and it wasn't, because members put their and his personality before the club. The only thing I want to see out of the RFB is FS co-opted as technical adviser for disability issues (I had no idea things were so bad, as usual we care little about what doesn't affect us) - that apart its history and, tbh, miniscule mandate, mean its a goner for me. Yes they did well lately in the propaganda war, but like the Reverend they came very late to the fight. We require a fans organisation that speaks for all, one member one vote, also led by people who were involved in the campaign all the way through. It would have been appreciated if the good reverend had expressed the same sentiments when I was removed but he allowed personalities to get in front of his judgement, which is surprising for someone of his calling. Tom Johnstone is an articulate, clever and thoughtful person. It is unfortunate that his location and job did not allow him to participate more in the work of the RFB. However, I have to disagree with him that the final nail in the coffin was the letter to which he refers. IMO it was the silly and provocative inclusion of Mr Leach's comments about T3B in the Minutes of the last meeting. Whoever was responsible for that effectively terminated the RFB. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 (edited) i think they made the rfb frankly the irony is greenco removed the wrong man from the board they should have removed the rest and left you and acd Edited March 7, 2015 by the gunslinger 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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