Glib, shameless, fit and proper
Before digesting news reports that Dave King is set to return to Scottish football as a director of Newco Rangers, it’s probably worth a caveat. Today’s ‘news’ has the same heritage as pretty much every false steer emanating from Ibrox over the past decade. Honest Dave King may well hope to take over at Ibrox but I could just as easily believe he has no intentions of getting involved.
Two months ago King accepted liability for 41 counts of contravening the South African Income Tax Act, while agreeing to pay the resultant bill, the equivalent of £46m. By act of sheer comic genius he is being heralded as the most appropriate person to take control of Newco Rangers, the club brought about by the disastrous income tax affairs of Oldco Rangers, while King was on the board.
Lord Nimmo Smith prevaricated on some issues in his report into Oldco but he was unequivocal in his condemnation of the directors, including King. South African judge, Brian Southwood, described King as a “glib and shameless liar” in 2011.
In every practical sense this man is a perfect fit for the Rangers group of clubs. Every scrap of information available on how he conducts his affairs screams ‘Rangers tradition’.
As for Fit and Proper? Don’t make me quote a second judge!
In the event the SFA have to make a Fit and Proper decision on King they will have to consider Nimmo Smith’s view. It is not even remotely credible that the SFA are competent to rule on King while their president was subject to the same criticism from Nimmo Smith (although Judge Southwood provides a convenient out).
The narrative being peddled today is a final throw of the dice by some, nothing more. ‘A guy will hunn’ers of millions is coming in to make everything OK’. Aye, sure thing.
Sean Fallon: Celtic’s Iron Man:
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