Assuming Dave King has more than 50% of the shareholding in newco Rangers, what does Mike Ashley do knowing he will not be in charge of the club after an EGM in March?
Take the defeat on one of his chins, let King’s lawyers loose on the merchandising and other deals he’s paid for and put the whole thing down to experience?
Well, possibly, but he has other options.
Ashley has yet to loan the club the money required to pay this month’s wages. He could simply not transfer the cash, but in this event he will expect King to step in.
King with his accomplices, and others, have recently offered to loan the club money, albeit with strings attached. If King truly has the enough votes in the bag to secure a majority, it’s likely they will loan the club enough cash to get beyond the EMG, without conditions attached. The directors would have no option but to accept this cash, pay the bills and cede control in due course. Ashley is owed £3m, repayable in April, for loans made late last year, so King et al will need to find cash to cover that in their ‘warchest’.
This is likely to be close to King’s narrative. He will not have called the EGM unless the cash is available to get the club over the line this season. I’m not prepared to countenance the possibility that he’s called it certain in the knowledge he will fall short.
I’ve always thought some kind of Grand Coalition, between Ashley and a collection of local legitimate businessmen would be the most effective forward plan, but Ashley has been so maligned by PR ‘close to King’ that this doesn’t seem to happening. Ashley will either have to take his chance of retaining merchandising, stadium advertising and future shirt sponsorship rights, or make his play now.
It’s worth noting that the reign of the Easdales, and chairman Somers, will end in the event King gains control; they are a busted flush unless they can manoeuver Ashley into an unassailable position.
So will Ashley pack his trunk and run away to join another circus? Don’t bet on it. Between now and the morning of the EGM, instead of loaning an already highly-levereged club, he could buy and leaseback its properties. This would give him enough leverage to look after his medium-term commercial interests, and exercise complete control in the long-term.
None of this even needs to happen under the current board. He can loan the club the £10m as expected, with covenants which are, to say the least, difficult to achieve. The cost of failure to meet one of these covenants would allow the Ashley to call-in his securities (the stadium).
Ashley can afford to lose all the cash he’s invested already, and all the his newco-related commercial contracts, but he cannot and will not lose his reputation as an uncompromising operator. Last week I said ‘Never play poker with a billionaire’. Whether you are a shopping centre owner, a sports goods giant, or an aspiring football club owner. These idiots should know thier opponent.
Tickets are now on sale for CQN11, our St Patrick’s Day dinner event on Friday 13 March at the Kerrydale Suite, Celtic Park. We’re hoping to raise money for Mary’s Meals to build a kitchen at Chibwata Primary School for their 909 pupils. As well as the dinner there will be singers and dancing, it’ll be a great night.
Email me if you want tickets reserved, celticquicknews@gmail.com , or you can book tickets or tables directly at the bottom of this page.
817 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- ...
- 22
- »
hebcelt
21:09 on 18 January, 2015
Still at Wigan. Never plays, always injured.
pedrocaravanachio67
21:06 on
18 January, 2015
Dan
Game v Killie midweek….
I think that game was called off on the previous Saturday, because the surrounding area at Celtic park had slippy pavements!!! We had snow from the start of December and remained till the end of January. The temperature on the Saturday wasn’t too terrible, but the rearranged game was Baltic, i had to leave at half time with the wee man, he was freezing, quite sure when we got back to the car it was -12…..pavements were bloody treacherous that night also!!
RIP Callum
And condolences to kickinthenaka’s, May yer mum rest in peace.
————————————————————————————————-
Yes remember coming out after the game and there was no gritting, very ,very slippy. Coldest for me by a mile. Probably because I was driving and did not have a wee refreshment before hand to warm me up. Might have made the difference. :o)
HH Dan
!!bada bing!!
21:05 on 18 January, 2015
I was at the Bremen game and your right, coldest place I have ever been to watching the Bhoys.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
burghbhoy- don’t forget about the ridiculous fee Blackburn paid the huns for Captain Unbookable, and Kishnashvili, corrupt to the core.
How can you be to cold at a game ffs? Two bovrils with pepper and three pies – its yer 5 a day man.
Dan
rings true noo. dark days back then, usually went for a beer with not too much celebrating back then, changed days noo, all this celebrating lately is putting strain on ma 24 year marriage
Night Night Timland.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
WeeFra
Don’t think too long it’ll give you nightmares :-)
Paddy Gallagher
21:12 on
18 January, 2015
How can you be to cold at a game ffs? Two bovrils with pepper and three pies – its yer 5 a day man.
———————————————
Not to forget your macaroon bar and spearmint chewing gum.
HH Dan
Goodnight Weefra
HH
Nada Bing
Regarding Bremen have to agree that was my coldest night following the Hoops in Europe.
Fair warmed up chasing those Nazi flare throwers after the game though ;) unfortunately the only thing a chase now is my tail ;)
Becks on tap was smashing right enough.
Typo Bada sorry !!
HT
Don’t fink so. Lol. See ya. KTF.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
lennybhoy
21:07 on 18 January, 2015
gerryfaethebrig
20:41 on 18 January, 2015
Play any of our Strikers with a Partner and they’ll score goals. All about systems mate.
Keep the Faith!
Totally agree, give the opposition 2 strikers to worry about, I think when we play 1 up against a 4/5 man defence, we are helping them no end.You need a Sutton/Hartson class striker ,to play alone against a defence.HH
lennybhoy
21:07 on 18 January, 2015
Systems ???
I want Ronny to succeed and any Celtic manager will have my support but SPL football & Europa League/CL (hopefully) are 2 different sports, systems don’t won games, players do, surely Ronny doesn’t think Spl system will get him a result in the San Siro and vice versa San Siro system a result up in Dingwall
Night dena. See ya soon. :-)). Cot time. KTF.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
Bedtime for me folks, been a pleasure having a wee conversation tonight.
God bless and thoughts with those who are grieving tonight.
HH Dan
toffeetim-aye , polis were sleeping in Bremen for that attack after the game
Dan
Goodnight sir
KTF
HH
Night all, thoughts and prayers with all folks suffering , Life can be so difficult at times.
gerryfaethebrig
21:17 on 18 January, 2015
I hope and believe Ronny will play a differently against Inter.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
ExSlaemuirBhoy
Goodnight to you
HH
Kickinthenakas
Sincere condolences to you, your family and all those grieving for your mother. May God bless and keep her.
Lennybhoy
21:21 on
18 January, 2015
gerryfaethebrig
21:17 on 18 January, 2015
I hope and believe Ronny will play a differently against Inter.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
I too hope for that whether I believe it will happen ???
but this is what he gets paid for so in RD we trust….. as we keep saying KTF
HH
Kickinthenakas
Condolences on your loss.
Gordybhoy 64
RIP Calum, tragically young.
dena29
you are a true Celt, not been on the site very long but reading between the lines you really go the extra mile for our beloved Celtic
Hope u get to a game soon
Coldest was neutchatel Xmas and as always there is always someone wearing the full strip
Gordybhoy
Condolences to you and your friend on the loss of Calum
Gary67 thanks for that.Jeezo still there, how long has that been?Had high hopes for him, I’ll stick to being a supporter!!! Hail Hail Hebcelt
dan
Yep the pitches at Strathclyde Park were always freezing!
I have fond memories of the ash pitches on the opposite side of the motorway, I scored consecutive hat tricks there :-)
thoughts and prayers for Kickinthenakas, his Mum and family
and for young Callum and his family.
ExSlaemuirBhoy
Thanks for that …. and I will :-)))
HH
Gordybhoy
Far too young, may God keep him and care for those Calum has left behind.
lennybhoy
21:21 on 18 January, 2015
Lennybhoy
Does Ronny give you confidence he will change the system ? Or is Ronny playing us and this system is for the Inter game ? In my 40+ years I would never have thought I would witness 1 up front against the Accies or any other Scottish team, even that mob that liquidated…. But Ronny picks the team we can only try and pick holes in his team
Still gutted about 13th March !
Gerryfaethebrig
Still gutted about 13th March ! I take it you cant make cqn11 either
I too am gutted I can’t make it , :-((
HH
No greater smell in the house than a great big pot of stew.
Ard Macha
kickintheakas remember the good times, thoughts and prayers,
R.I.P calum tragic loss for one so young prayers will be said tonight