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Sports Direct is a bona fide business, and a very successful one too. Douglas Park and John Bennett are bona fide businessmen, successful ones. I don't think you're being naive, I think you're being hopeful, you're being optimistic. I think we're all guilty of doing that when it comes to football. Despite all evidence to the contrary we cling to hope, we 'keep believing' to quote the great Marvin. I think some supporters had become so dismayed with the team in recent months that they're welcoming any change, without properly analysing it. They're hopeful because they wanted managerial change at almost all costs and now it has arrived. The new management team are a known quantity too, so why not be hopeful. I'm different. I'd resigned myself to a poor season because I'd accepted the need to rebuild the club. To lower costs, to change the make up of the squad and to allow someone time to try and build something. I'd accepted it couldn't be done in 6 months and was willing to give the players, management team and directors time. So I'm disappointed by this change and I'm disappointed we've ripped up the plan. Barry Ferguson was a wonderful player and a good captain for the club. But I've seen nothing to suggest he's capable of being our manager and he certainly hasn't achieved anything to warrant getting the position. Now, neither had Gerrard, or Souness. Both were gambles that paid off. While John Grieg didn't and neither did Ally McCoist, or to a lesser extent Stuart McCall. So I can understand why many people are hopeful, are feeling positive and looking forward to games again. It's not been a lot of fun recently, I absolutely get that. But I think the message I'm getting is the bulk of our directors now want out, they've had enough. I think if we'd just shown a bit more support and accepted there would tough times during this it would have come good. That's my 'hope' showing, my blind faith despite evidence to the contrary. I'd rather the club was owned by people who care for it deeply, that's my preference and I remain extremely nervous about the 49ers and what they want with us, whatever random Leeds fans might think of them.

Calm down, calm down! Coming to ya on a dusty road, Hope, I've got a truck load. I have have been monitoring my MyGers Account this morning and note currently, I am only five points short of being appointed the next Rangers Gaffer. Attending the Rangers Ladies fixture against Hearts on Sunday should trigger immense feelings of well being.

This 'leap of faith' and 'something has to change' narrative is based on nothing but hope. We're not fighting relegation, the bailiffs aren't at the door, the debt we have is owed to people who, certainly until very recently, love the club and don't want harm to fall on it. But so many want them chased out of the club because on field performances have been poor at times. Our support's demand for instance success remains unquenched. Gerrard took 3 seasons to win the title. We gave Gio a year before hunting him out the door, Beale get less than that and Clement got 16 months. At least new owners know that we're not interested in structure or building something, we want instant success or blood. Fire a manager every year and that should keep a decent percentage of our support happy. Our club was taken to the brink of extinction not that long ago, did we learn nothing from that? So many of us seem willing to gamble everything once again. Clear out the people who care and bring in the venture capitalists. What could possibly go wrong... Ironically I think our current directors have had enough, the appointment of Ferguson was the signal that they simply want out now. They're no longer even trying to improve things. They've given the support a big dose of staunch liberally sprinkled with nostalgia and hope it buys them enough time to clear off without losing a fortune. It's worked, many are brimming over with anticipation for a new dawn under the former Alloa manager's stewardship. We're no longer a serious football club, we're some kind of reality TV, soap opera. It's telling that the only people I've seen who seem happier than some of our support at the events of the last few days are supporters of rival clubs.

Yeah, he was just a youngster back then. Only thirty one or so. Most men mature to the point where they stop discreetly flicking the Vs at photographers when they turn forty. We should be in the clear.

We need to build foundations but most of the support just want jam today and to hell with the consequences. After buying shares, I very much doubt that the American takeover will throw much of their money into the club. In time, they will be wanting to take significant money out of the club.

Oh, it'll not last long 😬😁

I am assuming it is a short term appointment until the end of the season regardless of how well they do.

Aye, lets appoint a guy that's took Killie from a European place to fighting to stay up in a single season.

Britain is pretty much owned by foreign money.

I'd expect an upturn in energy and performance levels (not difficult) and wins against Kilmarnock and Motherwell. Thereafter, it gets more complicated.

See, you're a well adjusted, honest, decent person. You wouldn't take money out until it was making money. Unfortunately that's not how everyone thinks and even a cursory glance at how a number of football clubs have been run will show exactly what can happen if the wrong people are in charge. Bloody hell, it wasn't that long ago it happened to us.

After 2012, we continued to rack up the losses and now 13 years later (post 17m loss with another on the way), the support want millions spent on players and a league title, yesterday. A new scriptwriter (Scottish or American) who mentions patience and foundations isn't wanted, he would quickly lose popularity.

There was no alternative, for them. The took the leap, and fled to Bolivia. Their problem was that they continued to rob and steal. Thus, the Third Act became the Final Act, and ended badly. What the story needs is a reboot of that Third Act, with new scriptwriters, who will not be interested in ringing the curtain down, and will ensure that the lead characters do not repeat the mistakes of the past. There is no alternative, it seems clear. Will this happen? I don't know, but I do know that the audience has no control over this..... Doncha just love suspense? Actually, what the club needs now, short term, in fact, immediately, is not Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but some True Grit.

We're finally in agreement.

The Club is underperforming on and off the park. It posts scrotum tightening losses every year, and the team, which has just turned in two of the worst Rangers' performances I have ever seen - at Ibrox, and on the spin- is struggling, bereft of confidence, without leadership, with a pronounced sick note culture, and out of domestic competitions. The road to Hell, my late mother would say, is paved with good intentions. If you seek an explanation, look no further than who is in charge. There are two principal issues - 1. Fans (qua fans) in the boardroom 2. The myth that skills are always transferable. We may speculate about divisions among the board members and major shareholders, and lack of leadership, which would not have helped, to say the least. So, we are where we are, and the options are very limited. You have bought the ticket, now take the ride.

Said nobody, ever!

Brutal team, even more brutal pitch ... hope no-one gets injured.

I'm not brave enough to weild a red card. I just wave a yellow card around then run away.

There's certainly a higher risk involved than sticking with the status quo. However it would be good to get some excitement back into the club and, as you say, these investors seem to be surprisingly largely positive, and it's potentially better to go with them than wait for another investor to come along that's not as good. My major concern is how they see us fitting into the structure (are we just going to be a Leeds feeder club?) but there's not much we can do but wait and see (and hope).

Give the red card to anyone who calls being cautious about all this, suspicious.

We should all watch this. Main thing I took away from the American guy was the marketing angle which has not been exploited nearly enough by the club. The Rangers diaspora (my cousin is in Melbourne) appears to be an untapped resource.

These people have a track record of running sports businesses. They may take an interest, a controlling interest, or the whole damned shooting match. One thing is clear, the support will have little or no say. What is also clear, clear for some time, is that that change is needed, and I see only one division of cavalry coming over the hill.

You said that you were suspicious of the motives of someone who raised questions ("talk down") and was cautious about the leap of faith on a largely unknown. That was an idiotic statement and par for the course. I don't doubt our capacity for falling for the next saviour with wealth off the radar. This is obviously different to 2012 but to go with blind acceptance and without due caution, is for the stupid.

To be honest Ibrox has become quite a sad place in more ways than one. Even the European games have been a bit flat and I think there is a deep malaise because the supporters sense we are in a very bad way as a football club. We need tens to hundreds of millions to get us out of this. Not only is the structure of the club a mess, so is the stadium and the team. The board are no longer willing to give more loans and I don't blame them for that. I just can't see where else we can get the amount of funding we need to get us back to challenging and overtaking the wahoos. Prior to this news breaking we were on a totally downward slope. If it doesn't go through we still are. We tried the sugar daddy, we tried the opposite, so now we try this. They probably will all end the same way but it should be good while it lasts.

Yeah, I was the same but having spoken to a few Leeds lads I know and then listening to this, I'm starting to get onboard with this.

I honestly don't see it. Our last few interims, outwith Ferguson, have been: Steven Davis, Graeme Murty (x2), Jimmy Nicholl, Stuart McCall, Kenny McDowall, Ian Durant. I share your dissatisfaction with Ferguson, but the irony is he probably has the most managerial experience out of those when they were put in charge, outwith McCall's 3 year spell at Motherwell. I was very much expecting an appointment like this - hence the reason why I would have preferred to keep PC until the summer.

Just confirmed my take on our ex manager a total idiot for waving away money he was due

I've been remaining cautious but watching that has got me all excited.

If in the 10 short weeks he is in charge, all does is instill a bit of the below into the squad, it will have been a worthwhile exercise. Been missing since Gerrard left.

Thank you for saving me type that out John. It's pretty much how I feel. A lot of our support have turned into Varuca Salt from the Willy Wonka movie.

I just meant he seems to be the one who's setting them up. It doesn't mean they are any good...

Having watched most training session vids this looked the most energised in a long long time....suppose tomorrow night we will see any improvement short time.

... Ferguson's immature behaviour was when? 15 years ago? He's 47 now. Can't say I have heard him much since, nor read much of him since. Likewise, I never heard anything about Warburton's, Beale's, Caixinha's or Clement's bad boy stuff of days gone by ... if there was any. At the end of the day, he'll have to show his worth as a Rangers head coach now, and in that respect, he's a clean sheet. Let's judge him and his fellow coaches for their work at Ibrox ... as with any new manager / head coach / you name it.

Just the very fellow. Would tolerate no sign of weakness. Just so long as it’s not Lord Cardigan.

Translation: This guy has proven himself as a manager who couldn't cut it and on various occasions, an immature individual who doesn't have a sense of responsibility. Why was he appointed?

I don't think there is - but that's just me. I fear if we don't take investment (and soon), we'll be back to 2012 before we know it. The current regime (plus King) should be forever remembered as those who saved us from the spivs not for putting us back near the brink (that's where we're heading). All about opinions and how you read the situation. I'm still not 100% convinced by this takeover, but I'm leaning towards believing they, more than the current regime, are better placed to take us forward. In the end, I'm sure that's what all Rangers fans want.

Ungentlemanly, and conduct unbecoming. On a par with giving the old Harvey Smith to the press and photographers. I wonder who criticised Ferguson and McGregor for that?

I don't have the answers. However, I think we belatedly hit on the potential way out of a deep hole when John Bennett finally decided that it required austerity, patience and a slow build of a solid foundation. Now, with an impatient support on their backs, the board made too many mistakes, errors of judgement and general fcuk-ups on the way to that point and after it. Hence, the current board have little credibility. That doesn't make a largely unknown alternative the answer, whatever business speak they may come up with. Our impatience and subsequent actions mean we never get out of the dammed circle. I think we need to employ patience for a change. Being impatient actually means the whole thing will take longer.

Is it really necessary to be insulting. You could have had a perfectly reasonable discussion but you had to add that in.

Of course they will take money out us why elese would they do it? But first of all they need to make money and to keep making it. In order to make money they will need to invest in the infrastructure and the team.

Get along to this on Sunday you might get something worthwhile

Morning BM ! We find ourselves in a difficult position and there aren't many obviously good options that I can see. I don't think the proposed 'American takeover' will be what a lot of the support seem to think it will be. It might start loudly but I am not sure it will end well. A lot depends on potential European League restructuring. The major shareholders have to make their choices. The reason for no one dominant shareholder at Rangers post 2015, were made very clear.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid had to leap off the rocky ledge into the white waters below, depth unknown. They did ok for a bit but the end wasn't so good.

I’m hoping I wake up tomorrow and see it’s April 2nd and this was an elaborate ruse. Seriously, ma-baw Barry, BBC Doddsy et al in charge of Rangers is a real physchodelic mind-feck that not even Jonathan Watson would have dreamed up for only an excuse! While it looked on Saturday that the players had stopped playing for Clement, and so the end was inevitable, if this was the solution dreamed up by Patrick Stewart then he needs beamed up to an outer galaxy before you can say “Engage”. To be fair this stinks of Park and a similar decision to hiring Beale or Caixinha as unless Stewart’s car was set to the rubbish radio station oor Bazza has been taking a coin from recently then I doubt he knew of him and that he had been a failed manager at Kelty & Alloa. Thank goodness I have a hospitality package booked for Rugby Park on Wednesday, we might all need quantities of alcohol to get through the next 3 months.

Probably the wrong third....

I'm still going to dig out my Ferguson 6 top. Not that it will fit.

1 single trophy in almost 4 years and constant sackings since tells you all you need to know about the guy.

Everything changes through time who’d have thought that an icon of motor cars Rolls Royce would now be a subsidiary of BMW same at Ibrox the Protestant first was thankfully binned its time to get into the twenty first century and if this takeover goes through which I hope it will it will save the club from dropping down into obscurity because that’s where it’s heading new owners new money a new future. Mon the gers.

I think the multi-club model is just a formal arrangement for what already happens: we're already a feeder club to English sides. There are examples of good and bad American ownership/investment, throughout Europe. We have to judge it on its own merit.