Prism of failure gives King chance to bring Newco down

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After the failure to launch season ticket renewals at Ibrox in the wake of the Ramsdens Cup final last week, by Friday morning marketing staff, PR people, web designers and printers would all have been primed to press the button this morning, after the anticipated humbling of Dundee United in the Scottish Cup semi-final.

Things started to go wrong later Friday, when Dave King popped up with an intervention.  King, who was a director of Original Rangers in the years up to and including their liquidation, appears intent on sending the Newco Rangers to an equally liquidated state.  Should we erect a statue to this guy?

For those of you in doubt, his latest questions to Newco Rangers board are priceless:

“Does the board agree it is unfair to ask fans to buy season tickets before they consider the business review?”

No club in the country is asked to submit business plans to supporters before asking them to renew season tickets.  What’s more, there is an assumption by King that spending plans should be expansive, exactly as they were at Original Rangers, when King & co presided over the club’s failure.

Newco’s (even newer) management should be allowed to match expenditure with income.  This is the message that fans should be asked to back, the days of empire are over.  Anyone who tries to undermine a breakeven strategy at Newco is practically ensuring another failure.

“Does the board agree that, given the present financial position of the club, it is appropriate to provide Ibrox Park and Murray Park as security against season ticket advances?”

This is an interesting one.  King suggests Newco offers Ibrox up as security (Murray Park is largely irrelevant).  If they are boxed into a corner and concede this one, those in a position to utilise that security, which in Dave King’s plan would be Dave King, would have an incentive to see Newco liquidated.

“Does the board agree that in the latter half of December 2013 it was in discussions to obtain finance that would be needed prior to the end of the current season?

“Does the board agree that in the latter half of December 2013 it provided public assurances to the fans that the club had sufficient cash to last until the end of the current season?”

King has been there before and will know more than most how financial forecasting works; there is a clue in the name, it’s forecasting.  If a company seeks contingency borrowing for less than 5% of its expenditure (or 2 weeks costs), earlier projections could not have been that far off.

None of this matters right now.  Newco’s manager failed to win two hugely important games and that is the prism through which fans will evaluate the performance of their club.  King could accuse them of being responsible for his own role in Original Rangers liquidation and some would believe him.

Season ticket sales are the most fundamental aspect to the health and wellbeing of every Scottish football club.  This is true even at Celtic, with or without Champions League revenue.  Ticket sales will have a greater impact on Celtic’s season ahead than Champions League qualification.

Right now some hedge funds and the Easdales own Ibrox.  Ideas of bully them into submission will fail, although it will be enormously entertaining.  Go for it, Dave, we’re 100% behind you.

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680 Comments

  1. Paddy T

     

     

    Just in case anybody is looking for it, the song, written by the great Percy French, was called Slattery’s Mounted Fut (Foot).

     

     

     

    cyrenean

     

     

    It’s not been mentioned yet but it is not the Bluebell Polka that I remember but Whistling Rufus by Jimmy Shand in the early 60s. I think it was played regularly maybe 15 or 20 minutes before kick off.

  2. LiviBhoy - God bless wee Oscar on

    Paddy Turner

     

     

    Our bus left Livingston at 8am in the 90’s. We were in Aberdeen or Pitenweem at lunchtime. The members were in some state on the way home. I was too young to drink. Loved every minute of it. I don’t think we even got a point the first few trips up there.

     

     

    LB

  3. LiviBhoy - God bless wee Oscar on

    roy croppie

     

     

    I have the single in a box somewhere. It was a dreadful record.

     

     

    LB

  4. Paddy Turner,

     

     

    Just a wee correction. There always was a toilet in the Jungle. That it wouldn’t be allowed to function as such today is, well, another story. The back wall, as well of course as the cans/bottles, was used as a urinal.

  5. Hamiltontim is praying for Oscar on

    Roy C

     

     

    God I hate that song!!

     

     

    We’ve got a CD on the bus with that song and one of our more vocal members who originally hails from Garngad gives it laldy every time it comes on.

  6. LiviBhoy – God bless wee Oscar

     

    11:39 on

     

    15 April, 2014

     

    Paddy Turner

     

     

    We were in Aberdeen or Pitenweem at lunchtime.

     

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    Hopefully you’re mixing up Pitenweem with somewhere closer to Eberdeen. Mind you a lovely wee Fish Tea to be had in Pittenweem……..

     

     

    Paddy T

  7. Paddy Turner,

     

     

    I do agree with you about the Jungle. In my younger days, it was simply where I grew up watching football. There were generations of Parkhead folk there, father, son and, occasionally, grandson. They had been standing in the same spot for years. In my Dad’s case, it was very near the middle towards the back, because of his eyesight and because he had planked up on the wall. It was about 20 yards or so from what passed for the toilet.

  8. Ally’s not having a good week:-

     

     

     

    “RANGERS manager Ally McCoist is being forced to tear up a breakwater at his second home because it was built without planning permission.

     

     

    ALLY McCoisT: Said breakwater was to prevent tidal damage.

     

     

    The former footballer was accused of risking national security by building an artificial harbour at his holiday retreat, with Ministry of Defence officials saying the breakwater on the Cowal peninsula could be a hazard to Faslane nuclear submarines.” (From The Herald)

     

     

    Rangers and Polaris eh?

     

     

    Dive Dive Dive csc

  9. connaire12

     

     

    Mea culpa!

     

     

    My Mother would have slapped me if she were still here today. :-)

  10. LiviBhoy - God bless wee Oscar on

    Paddy Turner

     

     

    Just had a look on the map and guess it was Port Lethen. It certainly rings a bell.

     

    Dunno where I got Pittenweem from? Hahahaha

     

     

    LB

  11. Ernie Lynch.

     

     

    Jeemo used to catch the Methil & District csc bus at Kincardine ,in the late 70’s early 80’s.

     

     

    I met him in McNees during the Hampden season.

     

     

    He was the first person I ever heard use the phrase “Celtic face”.

     

     

    He approached me and said you are a Celtic face.

     

     

    He then went on to explain that it was how he described the many people he saw at matches regularly ( especially away matches) whom he knew to follow the club everywhere ,but he never knew their names.

     

     

    My mate and myself now refer to many people as Celtic faces ,that fit that description.

     

     

    Indeed ,you may be a Celtic face of mine.

     

     

    Jeemo also has the stanchion that he used to lean on in the Jungle in his back garden ,or at least at one time he did have.

     

     

    TT

  12. Paddy Turner,

     

     

    My recollection (very hazy, admittedly) is that our bus stopped in a hotel in Arbroath on the way back fae Eberdeen. I had my first rum and coke there, when I was about 16. It was winter and I was full of the cold.

  13. LiviBhoy - God bless wee Oscar on

    TinyTim

     

     

    Jeemo is some man. The guy is a drinking and singing machine!

     

     

    LB

  14. SFTB

     

     

    ALLY McCoisT: Said breakwater was to prevent tidal damage.

     

     

    The former footballer was accused of risking national security by building an artificial harbour at his holiday retreat, with Ministry of Defence officials saying the breakwater on the Cowal peninsula could be a hazard to Faslane nuclear submarines.” (From The Herald)

     

     

     

    It was also noted in court the Huns put soldiers lives at risk by not paying their taxes…..

  15. Yogi Bare – the Life and Times of Celtic Legend John Hughes is published this week. Yogi is publishing the book himself and it will be available from CQN, Celtic stores and other good book sellers. It is EXPLOSIVE stuff!

     

     

    Yogi will be appearing on Celtic QuicK News on Thursday morning to talk about his Celtic career, his new book and to answer questions from the blog. All copies sold on CQN will be signed by this Celtic legend – FEED THE BEAR!

  16. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS .........Praying for our WEE HERO! on

    setting free the bears supports res. 12 & oscar knox

     

     

    11:54 on 15 April, 2014

     

    Ally’s not having a good week:-

     

     

    “RANGERS manager Ally McCoist is being forced to tear up a breakwater at his second home because it was built without planning permission.

     

     

    ALLY McCoisT: Said breakwater was to prevent tidal damage.

     

     

    The former footballer was accused of risking national security by building an artificial harbour at his holiday retreat, with Ministry of Defence officials saying the breakwater on the Cowal peninsula could be a hazard to Faslane nuclear submarines.” (From The Herald)

     

     

    Rangers and Polaris eh?

     

     

    Dive Dive Dive csc

     

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~++~~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    Vote YES,ditch Faslane and let Ally keep his breakwater!

     

     

    Yep,got a ring to it…

  17. Apart fi being skint, another reason they’ll no sack sleekit is he kens were the bodies are buried.

     

    although it wouldnae surprise me if and when he waddles doon that marble staircase fir the last time a book or film deal will already have been signed!

     

     

    Big sean.

  18. LiviBhoy - God bless wee Oscar on

    sean thornton

     

     

    Difficult to sack an employee who has 2 million shares in your business.

     

     

    LB

  19. « Prev1…11121314

     

    roy croppie

     

     

    11:41 on 15 April, 2014

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Dr68XD8DBEM

     

     

    Garngad

     

     

    PatriciaFernsCSC

     

     

     

    ————

     

     

    That was a magical day. Walked up to the Garngad with my mates and a cargo.

     

    After polishing it off the Kerryoot shop on the street had sold out of cans that day so we ended up in Mc Neil’s till shutting time.

     

    I woke up on a bench in queens park chittering that night. HH

  20. Mild Colonial Bhoy on

    Paddy Turner- agree about the Jungle “myth” Younger generations don’t realize that it did not always have the great support reputation of later years.

     

    As for Aberdeen they were great trips in those days as it was once per season visit and the only occasion that an overnight stay was required. Having said that we seemed to have a lot of midweek games at Pittodrie requiring time off school or work. Remember a Cup replay there in 1973. We drew 0-0 at Parkhead on the Saturday and 4 days later had the replay. With the short time between the games lots of buses were not organized to go but some of us went up with the Coatbridge St James club. At the time they had a policy of men only. However my (female) friend Josie was desperate to go and had taken time off work so they agreed to make her a temporary male for the day!. We met a friend of mine in the Big Tree in Whifflet for a quick pint before the journey. When we came in he said he to phone a mate of his at work to tell him that his grandmother had taken very ill. I said I was sorry to hear that but he said not to worry and about 10 minutes later his mate was beside us ready for the trip to Aberdeen! We stopped at Stonehaven on the way up and placed orders at a chip shop there for grub on the way back. The Celtic fans were well outnumbered that night and most of them went behind one of the goals. However as there was no segregation we stood on the open terrace surrounded by Dons fans. Big Billy scored the winner with only 4 minutes left. The four of us celebrated by cheering and hugging each while the home fans looked on in silence. Can honestly say that in those days I did not have the slightest concern about safety among the Dons supporters. Josie was particularly ecstatic. When I asked her why she said that if the game had gone to extra time we would not have got back to Stonehaven in time for the fish suppers and she was starving!

  21. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS .........Praying for our WEE HERO! on

    SETTING FREE THE BEARS

     

     

    Ally and water,did anyone look into the expenses of his USA trip last summer which charities coughed for?

     

     

    Or did I just dream that he was a freeloading cheating robber of the needy?

  22. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS .........Praying for our WEE HERO! on

    SIPSINI

     

     

    You should have drunk more,and woke up in the morning. Makes sense to me!

  23. I'm Neil Lennon (tamrabam) on

    whatabout a song, a single, a record, for you young uns made of plastic

     

    brought out by the celtic players (circa 1970) the words were something like

     

     

    weekdays you re working earning your pay

     

    waiting to see the celtic at play

     

    saturday saturday the best days of you lives

     

    dont forget to be in on time

     

    on monday, Tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday,

     

    saturday saturday the best days of you lives

     

     

    Now that is going back and i bet damn few on here have heard that one!!

     

    A double A side by the way

     

     

    or howabout the punk rockers 4B2s from around 1980

     

    why dont rangers sign a catholic

     

    you all are a shower of fancy B,,,,,,,s

     

    we dont care about yer orange sash

     

    you can take it and shove it up yer ass

     

     

    another double A side if ever there was one

     

    I wonder if they are available on i tunes?

     

    Someone on here MUST have these

  24. Professor Green on

    Was there anything in Phil Macs tweet regarding an imminent announcement to the Aim market by the sevco board?