Tuesday’s Telegraph suggested Mike Ashley is about to increase his shareholding in newco to 29.9% via a share issue, in contravention of his agreement with the SFA on multiple ownership. This morning the club informed the stock market the Ashely’s appointee, Derek Llambias, is now chief executive.
The key passage in the Telegraph article is:
“There is no certainty of anything like unanimous approval, but many in the higher reaches of the Scottish game acknowledge that a revived Rangers, capable of resuming the Old Firm rivalry and renewing the club’s presence in Europe would make Scotland more attractive to broadcasters and league sponsors, with general benefits.”
This has almost certainly come from the same kind of club source which in another lifetime were assuring journalists that HMRC would agree to a CVA; I know for sure the SFA are far from ready to rubber-stamp an Ashley land grab.
There are a few points which, despite blanket coverage of this issue, are not getting a proper hearing:
At current trading levels, Ashley is earning around £4m p.a. from newco as their retail ‘partner’. He is also their exclusive wholesaler, so the club is worth even more to him, let’s say £5m p.a. in total.
Anyone who tells you his financial pay-off is through having newco wear his branding on a European stage is either wholly compliant in an attempt to mislead newco fans, or is simply regurgitating information handed to them by PR agents, without the wherewithal to digest the information correctly.
He’s making £5m per year and he therefore has an interest in ensuring the club continues in its current condition.
The second issue is around the legality of multiple-ownership. It is not against Uefa rules (you can simply comply by one club not competing) but does breach rules in Scotland and England. I recommend not getting too hung-up on this point. In the event he was asked to disinvest from one of his clubs, Ashley could with pull a Blue Pitch Holdings/Margarita stroke.
For all you know about those two newco investors, I could own them. It’s a paper exercise for Ashley to move his ownership beyond the reaches of oversight, and there is nothing in the rules to prevent this.
The question for the SFA, and eventually the FA, is what level of Ashley’s influence, not ownership, they are comfortable with. There are no guidelines on this point.
A further consideration is that whoever briefed the Telegraph at the start of the week is likely to have painted a scenario that without Ashley’s next bung, newco is likely to go the way of oldco. This is far from certain.
If all newco need to survive another season is circa £8m it’s not a figure beyond the realms of possibility for some of the blowhards who have been trying to disrupt Ashley’s strategy in recent months.
My hunch is that the SFA and newco’s fans will be presented with a fait accomply – it’s Ashley or bust. What is certain is that the club will be vastly more inhibited by Ashley milking it dry than with a unifying figure. He has the makings of a memorable Ibrox owner, a true heir to Sir David Murray.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our Magners ticket competition yesterday – and who donated to Mary’s Meals. The answer to the question, who do we play on 27 December, is Ross County, which proved to be trickier than I thought. Draw will be made this afternoon and winner informed thereafter.
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Safe oot safe in,to all attending todays Celtic game
A Celts victory today I hope.
Looks a strong side
HH
starry plough
Was it Dundee at home? Happened down at the corner flag, Celtic end Main stand side, right away it looked a bad one.
Ah, yes, Griffiths & Guidetti
G&G
never happen ~ sorry!
HH
Play two up fron?
Against Motherwell we had five up front for 90% of the game, no?
Congratulations our Captain
300 appearance for the hoops
Scott Brown
Take a bow
HH
Sssssss Sssssss
Enjoy the game Ghuys.
Until we meet again…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
11:11 on 21 December, 2014
WEE BGFC
Tell yer Dad not to skimp on the crisps!
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Haribos for me
I wish people would stop equating 2 centre forwards with more goals.
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo
11:30 on 21 December, 2014
I have to agree ~ expectation management, sadly.
HH
The line up most would have expected. No Denayer or Lustig, but apart from that it’s pretty much our strongest side. Even with Tonev suspended the bench looks strong too.
I see tam fae Canada is in………….
Geordie Munro
11:36 on
21 December, 2014
I wish people would stop equating 2 centre forwards with more goals.
————
why wouldnt it be the case bud ?
p;ayers who specilise in goal scoring, played together , with lots of chances created, should score more than , not specialist players charging into the box but mis firing,
Marrakesh Express @ 11 19 .
Rube ? .
In my experience -Yes . -power , hegemony , money and then being caught and getting away with a wee man did it all on his own and we didnt know.scam . Rube are Fiat and Fiat is Italy ..Agnelli owns Italy
Used to be on their own but the arrival of the vile Berlusconi at Milan caused many people who hate Berlusconi to adopt a Milan GIFRUY perspective re all things Milan.
WEE BGFC
Harrumph,kids nowadays…
is that you tam,
all the way from canada on the bus.
tell pete we were asking for him
Tony Donnelly,
re Hamiltontim’s post at 2.24 this morning (page 36 on my browser) – is it true?
SOT
In your opinion which club are the ‘Celtic’ of Italy, or closest to it?
Geordie Munro
11:36 on
21 December, 2014
I wish people would stop equating 2 centre forwards with more goals.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wish people would wake up and realise that creating 20+ chances and converting 2 or 3 is indicative of a lack of centre forwards.
HH
Ah, good team out Gordon, Matthews, VVD, Izzi, Bitton, Brown Forrest, Johanen, Stokes, Guidetti……..wee bit disappointed EFE not playing…..keeps us all on our toes, entertained… :)
Boring 0-0 draw today anyone?
That scoreline is just not contemplated when we play!
Im going for 3-2……Guidette gets 2 and Forrest the other…..not sure which order they come in though.
St stivs @ 1141
Aye but you need to be creating the chances neebs. Like our low scoring games, our highest scoring games all have started with one up top. HH
eh?
Marrakesh Express
10:52
Many Brazillians think Manuel Francisco dos Santos aka Garrincha was the greatest ever footballer.
“I wish people would wake up and realise that creating 20+ chances and converting 2 or 3 is indicative of a lack of centre forwards.”
Lennon & Mccarthy.
Is it our one and only centre forward who is missing all these chances?
Well that’s different. I’d drop him and replace him.
But in the games I’m watching it’s guidetti, scep, stokes and on the odd occasion Griffiths who are missing these chances.
Anybody else having a problem tuning in to BT?
Ronny picks his best available eleven and will attack Dundee Utd in the same ole way,
We’ll defeat Utd in the same ole way.
COYBIG
geordie, i do think we would score more with a two up front partnership.
stokes, stef, leigh with john, either . or, we would score more.
my opinion obviously.
how do we compare at this stage of the league season with last in goal scoring terms ?
Thunder Road
11:47 on
21 December, 2014
Boring 0-0 draw today anyone?
That scoreline is just not contemplated when we play!
Im going for 3-2……Guidette gets 2 and Forrest the other…..not sure which order they come in though.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Forrest gets the first, Guidetti adds the icing……
HH
EDDIEINKIRKMICHAEL
Possibly sacrilege on here as the clip is titled ‘best ever dribbler’ but here’s some Garrincha for you.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lnSRxX_XDxc
Everybody is a striker in the Ronny system.
eddieinkirkmichael
11:50 on 21 December, 2014
He certainly was some player, but no one will every match Messi for me …….he’s a fekin’ alien….
Parkheadcumsalford…….mines is fine bud.
Parkheadcumsalford
11:51 on
21 December, 2014
Anybody else having a problem tuning in to BT?
—————–
aye, that bhoy is on a different wavelength.
probably doon the knights, and not got a signal
Eddie
Very true. I’ve got a soft spot for Garrincha, he was born on the same day as my late mother. 28-October 1933.
bournesouprecipe
11:54 on
21 December, 2014
Everybody is a striker in the Ronny system.
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everybody is a 1 in 8 goalscoring striker in the ronny system.
Is kick-off 12.15 ?
My 4-2-3-1 allergy notwithstanding, that looks a steady XI. Would be very surprised if we didn’t pick up all 3 points today.