Rangers crisis 2013: Listen to leaked phone call between Ahmad & M. Murray

[der Berliner 3,245]

Basically, solely for your/our information ... (essentially telling us that Ahmad was calling the shots).

 

Rangers crisis: Listen to leaked phone call between Imran Ahmad and former chairman Malcolm Murray which lays bare board's dysfunction

 

THIS toe-curling seven minute assassination lays bare the true dynamics of what had become the single most dysfunctional boardroom in the history of the Scottish game.

 

Rangers crisis: Listen to leaked phone call between Imran Ahmad and former chairman Malcolm Murray which lays bare board's dysfunction

 

Updated 06:14, 2 Oct 2015 By Keith Jackson

 

THIS toe-curling seven minute assassination lays bare the true dynamics of what had become the single most dysfunctional boardroom in the history of the Scottish game.

 

 

IT’S the million-dollar Rangers question which is about to be examined by a judge at the Court of Session.

 

What sort of board would be so stupid as to sign a severance deal with their chief executive agreeing to cover his legal costs if he was ever accused of being a criminal?

 

In fact, for Charles Green it could amount to a great deal more than a million dollars. It might even pay for his freedom.

 

The man accused of masterminding a multi-million-pound fraud during his time at Ibrox could win unlimited legal costs from the present regime to fund his defence in a trial likely to last months.

 

The big-handed Yorkshireman is demanding Rangers honour the terms of his termination by covering the cost of his solicitors, senior and junior counsel and expert witnesses. The final bill could run into millions.

 

Current chairman Dave King says the club’s lawyers will fight the move tooth and nail.

 

So once again, what sort of body would even contemplate signing such an indemnity?

 

Well, let’s rewind to 2013 when I wrote for the first time about a serious breakdown in Green’s relationship with then chairman Malcolm Murray.

 

On Tuesday, February 19, we ran an exclusive revealing Green had stunned the board with a shock ultimatum – either Murray went, or he would walk.

 

All hell broke loose in the Ibrox boardroom. The next 48 hours were as fraught and Machiavellian as any experienced during these five years of unbridled mayhem.

 

The Rangers board at that time consisted of seven men – and two distinct factions. On one side sat Murray and non-exec directors Walter Smith and Phil Cartmell. On the other, Green, Brian Stockbridge and Ian Hart.

 

Somewhere in the middle floated Bryan Smart.

 

But it was another man, Imran Ahmad, who appears to have been calling the shots.

 

These days, there is a warrant for his arrest and he is believed to be hiding in Pakistan – but at the height of the Ibrox chaos, he placed himself in the eye of the storm.

 

The following is a transcript of a one-sided phone conversation he had with a bewildered-sounding Murray on Thursday that week. Some of you may be familiar with it as it was taped and excerpts leaked to the Scottish Sun.

 

Later, the full recording was mysteriously made freely available online. But more than two years on, it’s worth revisiting – because this toe-curling seven minute assassination lays bare the true dynamics of what had become

the single most dysfunctional boardroom in the history of the Scottish game.

 

IA: We would prefer it if you didn’t attend the Blue Room or the directors’ box. We would just like you to keep a low profile and no breaches of confidentiality or any more bad-mouthing, Malcolm. It’s as simple as that.

 

MM: I’m not bad-mouthing anyone.

 

IA: Malcolm, you’ve bad-mouthed me to Cenkos so don’t say you haven’t bad-mouthed anyone.

 

Cenkos were the club’s financial advisers at that time. It’s worth remembering that Murray was chairman. Ahmad was not even a director. This appears of little concern to either man.

 

MM: There’s no point in going over old ground.

 

IA: Exactly. The announcement is ready to go. I have persuaded Charles to give you one more chance because I think it looks terrible for the club that it’s being done in this way and that all of us can’t be adults.

 

MM: I’m trying to be adult, it’s me who’s taking the stick old boy.

 

In an off-the-record press briefing the previous day after the Record’s bombshell news, Murray’s reputation was trashed. Funnily enough, the Record had not been invited.

 

IA: I don’t think so actually. You threw the first punch. You know what the difference between you and Charles is? Charles is all very blusterous, says things without thinking a lot of the time but he will never stab anyone in the back or do anyone wrong. You try to portray this image of being sober, proper, the Rangers man but you stab everyone in the back the first time you get a chance.

 

So please don’t say you’re the victim because I’m looking at it independently. I’m not for Charles, I’m not for Malcolm. I want what’s best for this company. That’s why I’m on the phone to you.

 

And what is best for this company is for you to go at the end of the season in the way I have outlined and for us to be able to run the business the way we would like to run in it, which is without any gossip, without any nonsense in the Blue Room, without any drunken disorderly behaviour - we’ve got videos of you, Malcolm, that have been sent to us by fans.

 

Actually, the video had been captured by one of Murray’s own directors, Brian Stockbridge. The Record would break that news on May 21, nine days before Murray was finally ousted from his post. Anyway, back to the chat...

 

IA: We are giving you a great opportunity in terms of a quiet exit at the end of the season. That is much better than a termination now in our view – in my view anyway. But if you would like to go for the termination then I have to follow your instructions.

 

MM: Well I thought it had actually been announced already.

 

IA: No, it’s not been announced.

 

MM: Well am I allowed to speak to Cenkos?

 

Again it’s worth remembering, this is the chairman of Rangers. Speaking to an employee.

 

IA: Yes of course you are allowed to speak to Cenkos but I would like some of those terms that we’ve just discussed kept confidential.

 

Which are, that you don’t turn up to the Blue Room, don’t turn up to the directors’ box and that you are accidentally not

available for – because if you are going to divulge that (and we’re on a recorded line here) if you’re going to divulge that and not play the game then from our point of view those are the only terms, that’s the only basis that Charles is prepared to keep you till the end of the season.

 

I don’t mind you speaking to Cenkos during that period, I don’t mind you speaking to the other directors. But I can tell you from my own experience, having spoken to those directors, none of them are happy with you either.

 

MM: OK, well everyone’s going to have different types of conversations but ...

 

IA: So I’m happy for you to speak to Cenkos but it needs to happen very, very quickly. You would need to give a call to Steven Keys and if you are going to betray any of the confidences of this phone call, we’re better off just sending the button issuing the statement because I don’t want any last minute shenanigans by you, saying that they’re asking me to do something that isn’t proper.

 

Those are the terms that Charles has put forward. It’s up to you. If I was you, I would grab them with both arms. I don’t see why you need to speak to Cenkos about it ...

 

(long pause)

 

IA: Malcolm?

 

MM: I won’t betray them. Give me five minutes, I need to clear my head on this because I’ve adjusted for full termination.

 

IA: Well, okay. You have a think about it. Can you call me back in five minutes?

 

That’s FIVE MINUTES. To make one of the biggest decisions of his life.

 

MM: Yeah will do.

 

IA: And I honestly think that if you do, if we go the way that I’m suggesting, it’s in the best long-term interests of the club. And it’s a club that you love. Yes?

 

MM: (laughs) I know that but you are very persuasive at pushing one side of the story as always.

 

IA: Oh come on Malcolm. As far as I’m concerned, the way you have treated me is you’ve been Brutus. And I think it’s poetic that I’m coming on the line at the end, trying to save you after I’ve had the knife put in my back. So from my point of view ...

 

MM: OK, I get that but let me

think about it. I’m just thinking about the walking wounded. If that is saving or not.

 

IA: I don’t think you are. I think that if there’s no comment from the club then there is no walking wounded and the club will not comment any further on the matter. Malcolm Murray is currently still chairman and that’s all we’ve got to say about it.

 

And then we go back to the way it should be done which is the Rangers way, which is not bloody comment and play our dirty linen in the press. We don’t talk to Paul Murray, we don’t f***ing talk to Scott Murdoch because this is how these stories get out. We don’t talk to Keith Jackson. If you want to do some press, do it via James Traynor in an orderly way. That’s all you’ve got to do so the company knows what’s going on. I mean what’s just happened over the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday has made us look like a circus again, going back to the Craig Whyte days.

 

Perish the thought.

 

MM: I agree but I honestly haven’t done that. I phoned Ramsay [smith] and Jim Traynor to say I was being pestered by Jackson and this is what I’d said to him.

 

IA: But you shouldn’t have even spoken to him. There should just have been no comment.

 

MM: It was effectively no comment.

 

IA: Well look, somehow they’ve got some very accurate bits and pieces there. Or maybe it’s Paul Murray trying to do you a favour and it’s backfired, I don’t know.

 

Well thank you. We’ll take that as it was intended, as a compliment clearly.

 

MM: I don’t know these people very well anyway. Anyway, never mind about all of that. Give me a few minutes.

 

IA: Of course, no problem.

 

MM: I’m just literally back down from a mountain.

 

IA: But we’ve got a regulatory announcement that we need to put out if you’re not going to

agree so if you could be quick.

 

MM: Yeah, I will be.

 

IA: Thank you very much.

 

Murray stayed on as a lame duck chairman until he was replaced by Walter Smith on May 30. Green officially resigned on April 19 but despite being replaced by Craig Mather the next week, he remained active in the boardroom until after Murray had finally been toppled.

 

Last month, Green appeared in court on charges relating to conspiracy, fraud, serious organised crime and a breach of the Companies Act. Ahmad also faces charges but remains on the run.

 

Together, all of the individuals above provide the answer to the original question. This was precisely the kind of board who could do something so stupid.

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-crisis-listen-leaked-phone-6557589

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

Did Ahmad ever get round to reinvesting the funds he sued us for?

[the gunslinger 3,366]

Horrible reading.

[Bearman 9]

You wonder why the Rhecord would 'out' this kind of stuff when a case is scheduled to be heard at the High Court

[boabie 230]

You wonder why the Rhecord would 'out' this kind of stuff when a case is scheduled to be heard at the High Court

 

Was this not freely available before the court stuff all started ? If it was there is no contempt risk.

[Bearman 9]

Was this not freely available before the court stuff all started ? If it was there is no contempt risk.

 

May have been out there that conversation, but it's the first I've heard of it.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

It's old news this

[forlanssister 3,050]

Content and timing seem strange to say the least.

[Zappa 0]

Content and timing seem strange to say the least.

 

It's got Wonga-style-loan Ahmad trying to remotely (from his hiding location) portray himself as a good guy written all over it.

[ian1964 10,413]

Listen to Imran Ahmad's response as we trace fugitive ex-Rangers director to his mum’s house in Pakistan

 

THE Record tracked down the former Ibrox commercial director to a military-owned housing complex in Karachi and you can hear how he greeted the news.

 

THE Record has tracked down fugitive ex-Rangers director Imran Ahmad – to his mum’s house in Pakistan.

 

The former Ibrox commercial director is wanted by police in connection with alleged fraud at the Glasgow club in 2012.

 

But we can reveal that Ahmad, 45, is living on a military-owned housing complex in Karachi.

 

When the Record contacted Ahmad at the family home yesterday, his response was to tell us to “f*** off”.

 

There is a warrant out for his arrest in connection with the ongoing Rangers case.

 

But he has already admitted he won’t return to the UK over fears he won’t receive a fair trial.

 

He also claimed prosecutors “reneged on their promise” not to arrest him if he comes home.

 

A Record investigation uncovered evidence that Ahmad may be living with his mother Almas Shah in Karachi.

 

The 63-year-old owns a property at a plush suburb known as the Defence Housing Authority estate, run by the Pakistani Army.

 

The site is administered by the Pakistan government and provides housing for current and retired military personnel.

 

The upmarket development has a host of restaurants, offices, designer stores and a marina.

 

Shah is listed as living at “A” Street, just off a boulevard known as Khayaban-E-Shujahat in Phase 5 of the complex.

 

She also runs a salon called Almas Hair & Beauty about two kilometres away and is a member of the local Rotary club. We obtained a phone number for the house from DHA records online.

 

When we rang, a male relative answered. Ahmad was eventually put on the line and asked: “Who is this?”

 

When we explained it was the Record, he replied: “Okay, can you f*** off?”

 

We answered: “No problem.”

 

Yesterday, police said it would be “inappropriate” to comment. And the Crown Office would not confirm they had made contact with Pakistani authorities.

 

A spokeswoman said: “A warrant has been issued for his arrest and steps are being taken to enforce that warrant.”

 

Ahmad acted as commercial director at Rangers under chief executive Charles Green after the sale of the club’s assets in 2012.

 

Green, former owner Craig Whyte and two others have appeared in court in connection with alleged fraud and serious organised crime. Ahmad also faces charges but has yet to appear in court.

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/listen-imran-ahmads-response-trace-6563017