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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Not every player can play and right now guidetti and stokes are in and we’re winning so Ronny is getting team selection and formation correct.
Keep seeing people suggesting players to sign, where do we play these new guys ?? Armstrong from United, who would we drop to play him ???
Every squad has fillers.
Barca and Real have guys that won’t get a look in. Sure they are miles better than most players but it’s simply fantasy to think this is a Celtic exclusive phenomenon.
HT
jinky our best ever player wasn’t an angel, mosy players in his time where not angels,
but they produced where and when it was required, on the pitch…..
every athlete needs an edge…..
angels don’t make it in football, im an example of that……
joe filippis haircut
My comment was purely on the reasons why Ronny might not be playing him.
My feelings on his signing were well known.
Bonus!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just remembered I recorded the Big John Hartson Documentary on Alba last night.
till later
leftclicktic
18:19 on 19 December, 2014
I have only two words to say to you…’Thank You”
Now the rest of this post is not to you but about you, sorry if it embarrasses you but I have to post:
Ghirls and Bhoys of the CQN Community, you have amongst you one the most humblest and generous Bhoys you will ever have the pleasure to meet in your life and on your Celtic journey. A Bhoy epitomises the ethos of the Celtic Family. A Giant physically and a Giant in stature.
A Bhoy not with a Heart of gold but a Bhoy that has a Heart that is green, white and gold.
Leftclicktic knows why I thank him, I will not embarrass him any further but suffice to say he humbled me today.
CQN I ask you to raise your cyber glasses to a Celtic and CQN Legend…to Leftclicktic.
God Bless you my friend and your family, Legend.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
BT
Aye but you’re the angel with the mocket face :-)
I’ll tell you when I see you next.
traditionalist88-as G67 said,probably to get fitness back after his illness,i agree with JFH,we should always find a system to play 2 strikers domestically.
Lennybhoy
I’ll happily back those sentiments and Leftie knows why too.
A really lovely man.
Bournesouprecipe. What you say is true but shouldnt be cast in stone at home to likes of Ross County etc we should in my opinion have two strikers.The fact that you have said we scored four against St. Mirren going on ten says it all.Football is entertainment and goals entertain so come on Rony play two up front. H.H.
Good evening all.
I hope everyone on here has the Christmas Spirit, and we are all friends in Celtic. :-))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
Lennybhoy
Cyber glass raised to one of CQN’s finest..
HT
we have had a war monger as our chairman and currently have a money making man as our ceo .
Beforewe had a banker, bankers are rich, poverty is as bas as in the 30’s..our now chairman is a complete banker..
what doe that have to do with Celtic.never mind a stupid we guy like Griffiths?
HT,
I’ll take your word for it mate, must admit, I wondered why he has been blown out.
Starry plough.
I feel the same, our youth should be coming through to fill the gaps that we throw millions away on and buy players with the money saved to attract our support back.
I do realise what financial bracket we’re in, surely we can buy a quality player to back up izzy and a robust play making midfielder.
Sally’s delight at still being the Boss.
Lennybhoy
Yer a daftie :))))))
This being aff on holiday early is gettin tae you:))))))
KTF
hamiltontim:
A lovely Man and Bhoy
starry plough:
thanks mate, he is a special Man
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
BT
Here I was thinking you were the exception that proved the rule!!’
HH jamesgang
Leftclicktic
yer obviously a braw braw bhoy….
take a wee bow ….
Braw….
Hamiltontim
Boy Im only a boy still :)))
till later all
Blushin nowCSC
I like the fact that Rony says he will only bring in quality over numbers.Rony has a vision and we must trust him to get it right but football wouldnt be football if we fans didnt feel that we could give him advice on both team selection and signings.H.H.
leftclicktic
18:42 on 19 December, 2014
Me a Dafftie, takes one to know one…:)
See you on the 27th December.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Come on here and slagging a signed Celtic player, is prob. As about low as it gets, it’s a complete and utter nonsense , and the persons/person doing it should really take a long hard look at themselves.
Jamesgang
spoke to my other da today , i just couldn’t make it into town today.8 ((
Tony
thankfully you had your treat yesterday..
we had bloggers on here slagging ex players by saying guess what you played for Celtic, now we don’t give a fleck about you….
We’ve had our share of dafties in the past but none of them were playing in the video phone, YouTube, every game on tele, Twitter age.
BT
I’m only saying that from what I witnessed with my own eyes, and also by someone who works at Parkhead, that it would go some way to explaining why he’s not getting a game.
Leftie
You know I kinda love you. But Janice she REALLY loves you. Her ‘lovely Patrick’.
And she has great taste in men!!!!
Peace n love n hugs big ghuy!
HH jamesgang
“four against St. Mirren going on ten says it all.Football is entertainment and goals entertain so come on Rony play two up front.”
Joe,
With respect, that is a pretty naive comment.
More strikers don’t necessarily mean more goals. The reason we are getting these chances is because of the extra creative player.
How many did Keane and fortune bag v Ross County? How many strikers were on I’m the end v St Mirren in big tones last stand??
Supporters can be so bad, why would you slag a player, you could say like ach a wasent to keen on him fine, or he is not with the club now and he shouldn’t be slagging the club, that’s fine, but to get personnel with a signed player is not clever or nice.
hun skelper
18:33 on 19 December, 2014
Not every player can play and right now guidetti and stokes are in and we’re winning so Ronny is getting team selection and formation correct.
Keep seeing people suggesting players to sign, where do we play these new guys ?? Armstrong from United, who would we drop to play him ???
_________________
We buy better players than our first team. Squad development.
Lennybhoy
18:36 on 19 December, 2014
leftclicktic
18:19 on 19 December, 2014
I have only two words to say to you…’Thank You”
Now the rest of this post is not to you but about you, sorry if it embarrasses you but I have to post:
Ghirls and Bhoys of the CQN Community, you have amongst you one the most humblest and generous Bhoys you will ever have the pleasure to meet in your life and on your Celtic journey. A Bhoy epitomises the ethos of the Celtic Family. A Giant physically and a Giant in stature.
A Bhoy not with a Heart of gold but a Bhoy that has a Heart that is green, white and gold.
Leftclicktic knows why I thank him, I will not embarrass him any further but suffice to say he humbled me today.
CQN I ask you to raise your cyber glasses to a Celtic and CQN Legend…to Leftclicktic.
God Bless you my friend and your family, Legend.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have no idea what you are talking about, I do Know that, the Big Chap is Strong and becoming more and more inspirational as Time passes by.
TonyD
Was that directed at me?
If so, it’s not nonsense in the slightest.
With Kris commons almost a certain goner in January – thank you for some great moments, Kris – and probably VVD too, the BESt Celtic side to pump the Zombies into oblivion then get Inter Milan (you see what I did there?) IMO would be:
Gordon
Izzy Denayer Mulgrew Lustig
Forrest Broon Biton
Griffith (playing behind strikers in old Commons role)
Scepovic Gudetti (assuming he hangs around)
4-3-1-2
plenty energy, plenty dig, and plenty goal threat.
You got that, Ronny?
This could be funny…. HT/ TD have drawn swords.
Geordie Munro. Fella you have your opinion and I have mine but let me say this two strikers on the park will over a season score more goals than a single striker.Now I may be naive but im also right. H.H. :- )
leftclicktic
:) por cierto
BT.
Apparently the thumb print on your forehead could be seen from dunblane!
I drank all your drink so it was ok.
:-)
Back home with mrs JG. Going out for dinner so had 3 pokes of crisps while waiting to go out. Hors d’oeuvres Paisley style.
HH jamesgang