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Great stuff on our main site today from @Rick Roberts - make sure you check it out when you can: https://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/news-category/current-affairs/915-dave-king-s-statement-of-intent Dave King's Statement of Intent There’s a basic rule of thumb that wherever competition exists then you have to put effort in to just stand still, to keep your place. To stay ahead you have to adapt, react and put the work in, put more and better work in than those you’re competing against. As soon as you ease off then others will step up and take your place - especially when that place is at the top of the pile. We need to recognise that there are external forces actively acting against our club. It took a lot of hard work and no lack of talent to build Rangers FC into the great institution that we find today but with our position come many that are jealous and want to damage and weaken it. We as a support cannot take our position and football club for granted. Take the analogy of a boiling kettle - you need to put energy in to keep the water hot. If you don’t do anything then over time it will naturally cool. Likewise, it will cool quicker if people pour cold water on it. The following points are based on general observations and my conclusions drawn from them. It’s all very broad brush and there is also an element of it that may seem a bit unnecessary, remembering we are meant to be talking about football here. But to be honest it is a ridiculous situation to find ourselves in. Unfortunately I have to use Celtic and its fans as a reference point here. One, they are our immediate rivals and exist in the same space as us, and two, most of the hostility derives from their fans, or at least some of the prominent ones. This may be an unfair to many of the support but those are the ones currently directing the bus just now - and it's driven by Peter Lawwell. In my opinion there’s some fundamental differences between the fan bases. Historically the Celtic support have been fed and have thrived on grievance. Most of it either greatly exaggerated or fabrications to suit a purpose – the referees conspire against them, other teams have cheated, Thatcher stopped me passing my exams, the Israeli army stole food from my table etc. This circles the wagons and feeds their controlling identities - ethnicity, faith and politics. Ultimately these authorities are happy to have a bloc to control and that sense of grievance keeps the group pliable. Of course, particularly in recent years, Rangers FC has been set as the target for most of this grievance. Politically, in particular, they’ve been keen to paint us as the bête noir – somehow getting one over Rangers now settles scores for things never quite achieved in life. And further, when power is acquired and grievance (real or imagined) requires satiating, then vengeance emerges. This is why I believe we have seen some unprofessional behaviour from people of in positions of responsibility - even they can't hide it. The want for revenge in the name of Celtic (the vessel that often carries their wider cultural identities) overrides professional pride. Rangers fans on the other hand: we may not like Celtic, it may be stated clearly or bluntly or often, but it usually ends there. It’s contained and not all-consuming. We don't have various websites running from donations that concentrate on what they're doing on a daily basis and we don't ask people to pay for films and plays discussing how hard done by we've been. A point that’s been missed in recent years is that Rangers and its support has been condemned even whilst simply defending itself from attacks, at the same time the aggressor has been overlooked. To wit… Even the unemployable Stan Collymore was lashing out again this week. We all know that he is a bit of a joke figure, but his denigrating lies regarding Rangers (and his pro-Celtic myths) have the potential to reach his 800k followers on twitter, which is not insignificant. Pinch of salt or not, that’s a lot of cold water to be thrown at Rangers and some will lap it up. Whilst I agree that the guy isn’t worth the hassle of the club engaging, we could see this as an opportunity. There’s plenty out there who have never heard the story of Rangers humble origins, it’s a proper football story, so we should put it out there and people like Stan can be used as a springboard when they parrot their lies. The club and the support has a duty to retell the story - as it’s one of the many unique selling points our great club has, so we shouldn’t be afraid to use it. Repetition for emphasis as my old English teacher used to say! Now let’s be honest with what’s been happening. There has been a collated effort and a concerted message from some against our club. Years of tribal, cultural and professional grievances have been sowed and these have grown into fully formed agendas. Tribes at war, PR arms races, clashing of cultures, competitors vying for the top spot - it is all relevant. It also helps to acknowledge that this is now the status quo (and has been for a longer time than we probably want to admit). Now whether Rangers FC is your world or is a pastime you enjoy occasionally it still merits and requires defending to maintain its status and we can all help. We may not be able to stop all of the derision and cold water but we can at least counter some of it and we all have energy to add back into the system. Last week we witnessed the overdue and most welcome sight of Rangers go on the front foot. Firstly against the “independent” SFA Celtic fan non-executive director Gary Hughes who likes to label our fans as the great unwashed. Other than the predictable gnashing of teeth from Celtic's media attack dogs (which they would do regardless) I could see few negatives in this move. It highlighted a problem (part of a larger ongoing issue with Scottish football's governance) and at very least has increased awareness of this. Personally I don’t want Celtic season book holders being involved in decisions involving Rangers - especially when they're supposed to be independent. I’ve seen enough in six years to know that some with an allegiance and the will to get involved at that level are not to be trusted. So it puts the pressure on the SFA. And whilst the SFA and the media are busy dealing with this issue it means they have less time plotting their next charge against Rangers and will perhaps consider their options in future. Additionally, it follows that if less comes our way then the good people at Rangers have more time to deal with other matters. Rangers also released a statement on next season’s ticket allocations which was largely a popular move amongst the home support. The announcement was welcome but equally surprising as this was the type of thing that had been discussed amongst the support for years but never actioned. Our rivals didn’t need to react but Celtic did and their response looked amateur and petty. They have had it their own way for a long time and they are used to throwing mud so perhaps this is a sign that they don’t cope too well when it goes the other way. They have some very driven and capable people who have caused us great damage but perhaps behind that front-line they still suffer self-doubt. There has been a consistent and effective smear campaign against us for a long time and I think we’d started to believe their hype - probably partially comatosed by dignified silence but also some disbelieving and not wanting to admit that the game has changed so much and Celtic had taken the fight against our club to the floor. This week and another statement. Another conflict of interest. An oversight on the fit and proper test. The Chairman of the SPFL is a long-time Celtic fan, publicly no fan of Rangers and a key employee of Dermot Desmond, Celtics largest shareholder. You get the picture. The statement was justified. The questioning of his placement is justified and a review of his remit and performance is merited. Unless you're the Chief Sports-writer at BBC Scotland who apparently only seems to want the 'files thrown open' if it's Celtic doing the complaining. The narrative is fairly straightforward and very easy to glean. Celtic FC and their support and their place-men in the media want Celtic-minded and/or controllable people in all positions to help their club when they can. A fair part of this strategy also involves hampering Rangers FC. Now most clubs would probably act in the same selfish way (Rangers included of course!) but balance, integrity, the good of the game are not a requirement. Ergo, those kidding themselves on in that regard really need to look in the mirror. And a point for fans of all other Scottish clubs: you would be dealt with if you were to get in Celtic's way or call them out. It’s your football league too - surely sporting integrity doesn’t just apply to Rangers? My own personal gripe is the compliance officer position – the text book example of what needs fixed and should never have been allowed. Effectively created by the then Celtic lawyer Paul McBride almost seven years ago. A position that has since been filled by two Celtic fans whereby the performance and balance of both has been questionable. Just me seeing a pattern here? In any case, it appears our board and Dave King have said enough is enough and have taken up the fight. The last week has seen a welcome change in direction in defence of the club and our interests after the SFA once again moved the goalposts in terms of historic charges against the club. Tomorrow's arrival of Steven Gerrard, be it through a sense of duty following some poor managerial choices, is a big club move. A real statement of intent. But we need all others to play their part. That includes our influential fans, be it ex-players, celebrities, media or politicians. They got a pass through the banter years because no-one knew what was going on. A few stuck their head above the parapet and we should show them our gratitude now. Unfortunately, we have some who seem happy to pick at the club (and essentially do our rivals' bidding) presumably to assist their careers in newspapers and television. Sort yourselves out guys, you know who you are. Can the club and supporters regain a bridgehead in the media? From a union of people across the media? Create a career-safe haven for anyone brave enough to upset the apple cart and spills the beans on unreasonable editors or policy? Finally, onto the fan base. It is enough to support the club or even just talk fondly about it. People spend considerable time and money doing just that and it all deserves credit and respect. But opportunities exist and arise to contribute and do more when we wish. We need to learn to flex our collective muscle from time to time. We are notoriously compartmentalised but need to remember we share the same goals and when pointed in the same direction we should have unstoppable momentum. This could be spending five minutes to lodge objections to parking restrictions at Ibrox. It could be talking to friends, colleagues and neighbours and matching the momentum of the Foundation of Hearts or even just building Rangers Lotto into the envy of the nation again. It could be buying strips in record numbers, enough to make commercial entities sit up and make them review which teams jersey they display in the front of their shops, which kit kids wear in the playground or tourists pick up at airports. We have the buying power and online footprint to force papers and other commercial outlets to review their strategy regarding their coverage of Rangers, and where they won’t change then we empower their competitors. We can use the tools available to us to voice concerns, to correct errors, shut-down venom on comments sections and supply truth and facts on our great club where required. We have the power to put pressure on MPs and MSPs and demand fair treatment and decent, responsible behaviour from the corridors of power. We should have the power to create some noise and finally sort out BBC Scotland - hopefully sooner than later on that one. We are the majority and we can be the Establishment again. When do we say enough is enough? Tomorrow a new Rangers era begins - the time for change has never been better.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30674489

Thought it might be a good idea to start a thread where we actually list who owns what as disclosed to the LSE , or at least those over 1% . River& Mercantile- 5.77% ,http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/12205385.html Kieran Prior- 1.35% ,http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/12205407.html Dave King - 14.75% ,http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/12202893.html (Not including possible rumoured further purchase from R&M ). George Leatham -4.05% , http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/12202893.html George Taylor -9.3%, http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/12202187.html Douglas Park?-6.14%, http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/12201386.html BNP Parabis - 5% ,http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/12107289.html Richard Hughes -3% ,http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/11834364.html Mike Ashley ,8.92%,http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/12104057.html Sandy Easdale, 5.21% total inc proxies 26.15%,http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/12093157.html Please feel free to add when the rest are released

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/king-maps-out-plan-for-the-future.117959899 The suspicion is that if the existing directors are unable to muster the votes required to hold on to power by conventional means they will attempt to do so unconventionally. The savage personal attack on King contained in the statement to the AIM Stock Exchange on Friday underlined what many had long suspected; the power battle at Rangers is going to be a dirty one. Nevertheless, King and his associates are already looking further ahead and formulating plans which they believe will enable the Glasgow club to return to the forefront of Scottish football if they do take control. Appointing a permanent replacement for Ally McCoist by bringing in a manager who can rebuild the side and secure on-field success is at the top of their list of priorities. Luring Rangers stalwarts back into the club to work behind-the-scenes in a variety of roles is also seen as important so the identity of the institution can be restored. The fact no fewer than 12 members of the first team squad are out of contract in the summer is seen as an opportunity to substantially reduce a crippling wage bill that Charles Green, Brian Stockbridge and Craig Mather are largely to blame for. "There is obviously an opportunity to have contracts terminated," said King. "We have to make some fairly significant changes to the footballing side. But before that it is critical that we get the right manager in because we are bringing a manager into a team that is obviously not equipped to compete in the Premier League and is really struggling. "You would have thought that when Rangers were demoted they would have fairly comfortably come through the lower leagues into the Premiership and then maybe struggled for a season or two. "But right now we are struggling to get out of the Championship. Given the need to balance budgets and just be more sensible about the way the money is spent, we are going to have to get a manager who has the capacity to identify and manage players. "So I would imagine that the single most important decision will be identifying the right manager, who has all of these qualities. It really is someone who is more of a coach." King revealed he would be willing to pay compensation to another club for their manager if the best candidate they identify is in employment. He said: "If it was within reason, then paying compensation would be considered. I think everyone would accept that Rangers have to completely rebuild the squad. So the manager's role is so critical. "One wouldn't easily take the second choice when a little bit of money would have got you your first choice. I think we have just got to get it right. There's too much money being spent around it that is key to that individual to not get that appointment right." McCoist is currently on gardening leave while he serves out his 12-month notice period and could theoretically return in some capacity if King, Paul Murray and John Gilligan are appointed directors. But King said: "My understanding is that Ally has expressed no interest in coming back even with regime change. The indications I've had from those who have spoken to him more recently than I have is that he thinks he is done and he really doesn't see himself as part of the future." John Greig, Sandy Jardine and Walter Smith have all worked behind the scenes at Ibrox in a number of different roles in recent years and King would like to see a return to the days when Rangers men were involved in the running of the club. Greig declined to take to the pitch along with the other members of the European Cup-Winners' Cup winning team when the Govan Stand was renamed in honour of his former team-mate Jardine back in August. King said: "For me personally somebody like John Greig would be very important. I spoke to John when I was over here in November - just phoned him up and asked him how he was doing. "There are individuals who are not welcome - because they are not supportive of the existing regime. But what we would like to do is connect with the past. "Despite the difficult times, the history hasn't been lost. We already have Richard Gough showing support and to have people like John Grieg and Graeme Souness is going to be very, very important." The Glasgow-born financier, who once ploughed £20 million of his personal fortune into his boyhood heroes, is hopeful there will be no nasty surprises lurking in the books if he does take over. He said: "I think the circumstances of the club are such that there is a limit to how bad it can be. I can't imagine there will be a huge amount of creditors building up. I can't imagine that anyone has been lending money that we don't know about. "The stadium we know hasn't been used as security. "So while I think there will be some surprises, I think they might run into a couple of million, I don't think we are going to find a hole of £15 million to £20 million."

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/8486-club-statement Poor us, everyone feel sorry for us, we're just misunderstood, none of it is our fault.

http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/12241662.html

https://m.facebook.com/rangersfansboard Rangers Fans Board 25 minutes ago · EGM DATE: The RFB can officially announce, as informed tonight by Derek Llambias, that the EGM is to be held on the 6th of March 2015

http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/309-seconds-out-dave-king-v-mike-ashley-the-big-fight-continues Ding Ding! As the bell rings out for another round of a fight that appears to have been ongoing for at least two years, one can’t help shake the feeling we’re now reaching the closing stages of this ceaseless contest. With Mike Ashley now having played all his secured loan cards and Dave King finally putting his money where his mouth is, surely the next three weeks will see this hitherto open-ended bout be won by one or the other? Certainly an EGM in early March looks as if it will, for the short term at least, decide the winner. In the Blue corner we have Dave King: a Rangers fan, wealthy South African businessman and carrying the backing of other high net worth ‘Rangers minded’ individuals (as well as the main fan groups) on his side. In the Red corner, sits the heavyweight Mike Ashley: an admired billionaire entrepreneur, a no-nonsense negotiator and with the advantage of having his backers already directly involved with the club. It would take a brave man to try and separate these successful prize-fighters. But with no knock-out blow in sight, the decision will be made by the three judges: Mr AIM from Fit-and-Proper Street, London; Mr Regan from Puppet Place, Hampden; and thousands of Rangers shareholders – all of whom have their own specific interest in this bout. Who will prevail? Certainly, the press conference of Dave King yesterday was one of a confident man. Open, transparent, knowledgeable and with just the right amount of sincerity; there weren’t many Rangers fans complaining about his performance. Yes, many of us have held doubts over King’s less than impressive historic ownership efforts but in recent times, he has clearly upped his game. Firstly by buying shares himself, secondly by cleverly (apparently) working in tandem (though not concert) with other financially independent bears and, finally, unlike Ashley’s camp, coming to Scotland to show he’s not afraid of meeting the media (and his critics) on their terms. No-one can deny today’s subsequent press coverage is impressive. However, while some may swoon at the promises he makes; his opponents (plural) will not. To begin with, Mike Ashley has not made his fortune through weakness. Throughout his business career, he’s faced many a negative period. From risky investments losing their worth, to media and political pressure on his activities; despite his success and contribution to British business, Ashley has never been an immediately popular figure. Not amongst his peers, not amongst Newcastle supporters and certainly not revered by Rangers fans. As such, while Dave King’s poise yesterday may have impressed you or me, Ashley will be equally assured in his position and determined to defend his Rangers interests. Dave King may feel the EGM is already won but there will be no throwing in of the towel by Ashley – that’s for sure. Indeed, if we delve deeper into King’s comments, although he spoke of an ‘indifference’ to Ashley’s involvement and tried to play down the significance of the Englishman’s stake in Rangers, there was tentative evidence of an olive branch being offered. Yes, King may not want to do a boardroom deal ahead of next month’s general meeting but there has to be (and appeared to be) an acknowledgement Rangers’ ties to Ashley won’t be so easily cut. In that sense, it’s interesting to note that King (on the face of it at least) hasn’t written off working with him in the future. And why would he? After all, in many ways they’re kindred spirits. Both are less than popular with the SFA, both are less than popular with the Establishment and both are as stubborn as business people can get. Perhaps (probably?) that obdurateness may mean an obvious partnership is impossible but a short-to-medium term truce may well benefit both them and the club going forward. I can’t be the only Rangers fan intrigued in that possibility. I’d also imagine investors – both at supporter and institutional level may be attracted to such. In point of fact, it’s that very attraction that will prove key to Rangers going forward. Not only do we need the investment King and his associated are offering but we need share issues, contracts and external agreements to ensure the club is financially viable. Most importantly, we need an engaged fan-base; not just in terms of buying season tickets at pre-2014/15 levels or ordering various pieces of merchandise but via actual investment in the club – both emotionally and objectively as part of an increased say for supporters. Recent years have shown us how important it is for fans to be involved in the decision-making process and recent months has seen an agreeable upsurge in regard for fan/share ownership schemes. If we juxtapose that with events at Hearts and Motherwell then fan ownership in conjunction with philanthropic, affluent supporters is now a very real possibility. Further, if we consider the problems the Scottish game faces with its rapidly decreasing reputation and sponsorship reputation some would argue it will be a necessity. Ergo, the quicker we and all involved with the club realise that, the better. We need not be ever-reliant on bank loans, unfavourable contracts and greedy players – let’s now belatedly take the opportunity to build a sustainable club with its foundations built in the Govan community and beyond. Yes, this wouldn’t happen overnight and Paul Murray is correct to caution us in that regard. However, nurturing the seed of something better, more durable and more resilient is surely something worth waiting for. With that in mind, the coming weeks and months shouldn’t just be about cheering Dave King, Mike Ashley or anyone else to victory in their efforts. Yes, one or both or none may be worth backing at some point but the truth is, in the fight for Rangers’ future, it is the club and the fans that have been on the ropes and punch drunk for almost four years now. Therefore, it’s now time for us to take control of our own destiny and we have to realise we have the strongest punch when it comes to the future. We just need to use that power wisely. The rumoured March 6th EGM will be our first test. However, the fight will go on and we must take ownership of our own fate. Let’s get ready to rumble.

The Company confirms that it has today drawn down the sum of £5 million from the credit facility agreement entered into between SportsDirect.com Retail Limited (SD) and Rangers Football Club Limited (RFC) and has repaid the loan of £3 million to RFC provided by Mash Holdings Limited (MASH). As a result of this repayment, all rights of MASH to nominate two persons for potential appointment to the board of directors of the Company and RFC have now lapsed. SD has the right to nominate two persons for potential appointment to the board of directors of the Company, but has not currently exercised this right. Further to the Company's announcement on 27 October 2014, the Company would like to clarify the position in relation to any rights of MASH to appoint directors of RFC as referred to in that announcement. The correct position is that MASH never had the right to directly appoint directors of RFC. http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/8461-company-announcement

THE nine-in-a-row skipper never shirked a challenge as a player and refused to hold back on his assessment on the players who are following in his footsteps. RICHARD GOUGH has labelled the current Rangers team the worst in history and fears for the very existence of the club if Dave King fails to gain control. The nine-in-a-row skipper never shirked a challenge as a player and refused to hold back on his assessment on the players who are following in his footsteps. His comments will make uncomfortable reading for close pal Ally McCoist, who has assembled the current group, although Gough suggested their shortcomings are being exposed by chaos behind the scenes as much as their own professional limitations. Gough’s emotions were split between pride and dismay when he heard Rangers fans bellow their defiance as the team went down 2-0 to Celtic at Hampden in the League Cup semi-final. He reckons two decades ago they would have booed him and his team-mates off the park – and rightly so – had they gone down so tamely to their arch rivals. However, Celtic fans shouldn’t take too much comfort from Gough’s assessment as he reckons Ronny Deila’s current charges might just also be the worst Hoops side he has ever seen. Gough, a close pal of King, said: “We are bang in trouble if Dave doesn’t win the day. “I would fear for the club. In a lot of ways, it is the last chance to save it. I might be completely wrong but I just look at the evidence of the last three or four years and it’s getting worse. “I’ve watched Rangers since the late seventies and I know about the teams before then from my father and grandfather. This team at the moment is probably the worst Rangers team that’s ever played for the club. “It’s not their fault, it’s the circumstances at the club. It could also be the worst Celtic team I’ve ever seen, to be fair. That’s the standard right now. “I didn’t go to Hampden on Sunday. I didn’t want to. But what struck me from watching on TV was the Rangers support. They were unbelievable because they were watching a poor team being completely outplayed by Celtic, who were far better in every position. However, the Rangers fans remained very vocal in their support. That saddened me in a way because I knew if that had been our team who had been 2-0 down and were being played off the park by Celtic, we would have been hammered. The support would have walked out. “However, the supporters know the current team doesn’t have the necessary quality. I just hope Dave can gain control because it will be better for those supporters again. “It’s going to be a long process, it’s not going to be a quick fix. What has happened in the last three years had drained the resources. By all accounts, Murray Park and Ibrox need £10million spent on them. “It will take a while to get the club back to how it should be. If Dave gets in and the Three Bears also invest, the club will be able to get other money from elsewhere, maybe from investors such as Robert Sarver. “For now, the worry is that the current team might not even get into the Premiership next season. I’ve watched every game and it looks as if Hearts will win the Championship. It’s not even a given Rangers would get through a play-off against Hibs.” Gough has not ruled out a return to Rangers if King takes control and decides his skills can be utilised in and around Murray Park, but for now he is happy to play a supporting role to the Johannesburg-based tycoon, a long time family friend. He also insists the SFA have been harsh enough on Rangers these last few years without denying King the opportunity to take up a position as director under their ‘fit and proper person’ guidelines. He added: “I would help the club in any way possible. If Dave wanted me to do something, I would do it. I just really hope he wins the day at the general meeting, then let’s take it from there. “The SFA should not put any blocks on Dave’s involvement. When I look at the SFA, I wonder if they could have done more to protect Rangers who, after all, are one of their main assets. “Rangers in the Third Division has had a huge effect on Scottish football over the last three years. “When Dave asked me to back him a while back, I thought it was the right thing to do. It’s pretty evident, with what has happened since then, that it is the right thing. “Dave and the people on board with him all have Rangers at heart. It’s pretty evident the people who have been in charge for the last few years have not been in it for Rangers. “The club is in as bad a state as I’ve ever seen it. “I’m not sure the supporters actually know how bad it is. It has changed, it’s unrecognisable from what it was 10 years ago.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-team-worst-history-ibrox-5114172

"Enough is Enough" continues until change takes place in the boardroom Sunday 8th Feb 2.15pm Ibrox front door for protest Reminder that 16,000 bears signed up to "not a penny more" petition and we would love to see number close to those that we seen at protest pre Hearts game Spread the word please bears as this it not only for the 2,600 SoS members but for all Rangers fans to show they wish to drive through regime change at our club We have now heard from Dave King and his group and its fair to state they seem confident. They were clear to say that if it wasn't for supporters they wouldn't be in this position of possible regime change, so what should the fans do now? Some may think its over and be happy for someone else to fight their battles for them but surely the most prudent among us will sense that we fight on until the battle is done. The fans in numbers have taken us to the brink of change and to stop now would seem unjust. Boycotts and protests should remain until the final outcome is delivered as I for one couldn't forgive myself if we retreated at this point and the result was to go the other way. We ALL need to do our part to get this over the line and not get complacent because others are fighting for us. To allow others to do it for you is a type of apathy that we have struggled hard to suppress. Those who bought in to "not a penny more" have helped push the result but we need to remember that we took this stance until regime change happened, not until it looks likely to happen. Hopefully its not long now but we need to stay focused and not become complacent ENOUGH IS ENOUGH Craig Lifted from FF

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/rangers-boardroom-battle-dave-king-5100588 DAVE KING will outline his vision for the future tomorrow as the Battle for the Blue Room gathers pace. King has called a press conference in Glasgow city centre where he is set to confront the challenges facing the club, now under the grip of Sports Direct tycoon Mike Ashley.

WOULD-BE Rangers saviour Dave King held court in Glasgow earlier today as he outlined his vision for the future of the crisis club. He sat alongside John Gilligan and Paul Murray, the men he hopes will join him on a new-look Rangers board before the end of the month. King is convinced he has won more than 50 per cent shareholder approval to remove the current incumbents, with Rangers expected to confirm the date of the general meeting by Friday. King, Murray and Gilligan answered questions for an hour from daily newspaper reporters at the offices of PR company Level Five. We publish part one of the full question and answer session below - all 4,000 words of it. Are you going to win the EGM? Dave King: “Yes. We have enough support. I am absolutely certain we have more than 50 percent even if every single shareholder votes, which is unlikely. We are well over 50 percent. We will win.” There has been a history of flip-flopping by institutional investors – are you certain there are no surprises coming? DK: “It has happened previously. Well, in some senses it has and it hasn't. Previously - and Paul (Murray) may be better able to answer than me because he was more directly involved - you can get a sense from institutional investors they are supporting you and then you interpret that as they will vote for you. However, when it comes to the vote their view is: ‘we’re not active supporters therefore we’re not voting, so we’re kinda with you intellectually and mentally and we agree with you but we’re not willing to vote’. “That has been taken out of the mix. The key event was the removal, the very non-strategic removal, by the board or the powers-that-be behind the board, of Norman Crighton. That was the single biggest tactical error that the board made because once he was gone the institutions said: ‘Look, that’s enough now, this is not being run on a proper basis’. That was the basis for the Three Bears being able to acquire their shares from Laxey and it was the basis for me acquiring shares. That became a turning point and if you look at it now, really other than River & Mercantile there is no real institution in there. So I feel very, very strong and solid about the current shareholder mix. If that hadn't happened I would have been in the same situation perhaps Paul was in (previously), where I certainly wouldn't have called the meeting with the same level of confidence.” No date has been called yet, do you expect them to stall or trip you up? DK: “I don’t expect it. It could still happen. The reason I don’t expect is that they have had almost 21 days and if there were any concerns about the technical aspect, whether the Is were dotted and the Ts were crossed, I would have thought I would have had some communication by now. It’s almost three weeks. I have had no indication of the board at all that there are any concerns with the requisition itself, therefore I expect that by the deadline on Friday they will announce the general meeting. “I have had no communication in fact whatsoever, directly or indirectly, with any of the board members at all since the requisition. There was just a request from (NOMAD) Paul Shackleton yesterday. He phoned me, and he asked if I was willing to negotiate a compromise and he made an attempt to suggest what he thought might be a way forward without calling a general meeting. But the alternative was far from being acceptable.” What was his compromise? DK: “It was about the existing four directors remaining and me getting a couple of appointments and a couple of independents, and ‘given that Llambias and Leach are really independents the board would be balanced’. It was really, quite frankly, a nonsense, a nonsense suggestion. It would just have created further impasse. We have had enough uncertainty I think. We really have to go forward with a different structure.” Did that phone call indicate they are hugely concerned? DK: “Well yeah. I said: ‘Look if you want to save the money you know what to do to save money. You have had long enough to look at the shareholders’ register, you know you’re going to lose, therefore I think the right thing for the board to do is make the appointments and resign, that’s the way to save the money, we don’t have to have the general meeting where it will cost £50,000-£60,000-£70,000, whatever, that’s money the club doesn't have to spend and the outcome I believe is a foregone conclusion’. So that is what I would hope they would do on Friday. I would be surprised if they would do it but I think it could be a responsible thing to do.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/part-one-every-question-every-5106662

Exclusive interview: Ibrox director reveals why he believes he will oust the board – and why his tax evasion conviction is no barrier – as he lifts the lid on the battle for power By Roddy Forsyth 10:33PM GMT 04 Feb 2015 The extraordinary general meeting at which Rangers’ fate will be decided for the immediate future will be held on March 6, Telegraph Sport can reveal, but although the predicted propaganda battle began on Wednesday with a bravura performance by former Ibrox director, Dave King, he is certain to meet resistance from the current boardroom regime to his takeover attempt. The Rangers plc directors must respond to King’s requisition of an EGM by close of business on Friday, but it is understood that they will not attempt to block the meeting. King spent three hours answering questions from broadcast and written media in Glasgow yesterday – accompanied by his allies, wealthy Rangers supporters, Paul Murray and John Gilligan – and while he was insistent throughout that he is confident of success, he did accept the possibility of defeat, although he declared in such circumstances he would buy more shares and try again. In an exclusive interview with Telegraph Sport, King admits that his £16million takeover attempt in November failed because he had been “played” by the Rangers football board chairman, Sandy Easdale, but dismisses the possibility that the South African case in which he was convicted for tax evasion prevents him from passing the “fit and proper” test for company or football directors. The full text of the interview is revealed below. Roddy Forsyth – From your perspective, what state is the club in? Dave King – I think everyone would accept that the club is in serious trouble for two reasons. If one looks at the football team, in terms of the ambition to get back into the Scottish Premiership, it is very obvious that the quality is not there. It’s not as if the fans can have any reasonable prospect that next year the club will be competing in the Premiership – assuming they do get there – but even more importantly, if one looks at the financial side of the club, there is just no basis to change the current status. There are no funds, the club is in crisis and there is a board that is completely disconnected from the fan groups. The fans are still staying away from the games and unless there is a complete regime change where we are able to install a board that’s got the support of the fans and the capacity to introduce funds and get the support of investors then I just don’t see how the club can recover. And unfortunately it’s very close to the abyss. It’s gone on for almost four years now and if it continues much longer I fear the position could be irrecoverable. Read more:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/11391493/Rangers-Dave-King-Sandy-Easdale-played-me-but-I-will-succeed.html

We asked the question last night about how much is being paid for the loan players from NUFC It turns out Rangers don't even know as Ashley hasn't decided yet. Must be the first club ever to sign five players without first agreeing how much they will cost. Discussion took place today and most likely outcome will be dependant on how many games they play. Wonder how they got that past the two Football Associations. Contacts claim the players were hawked around England first with no takers hence the reason we got them with half an hour to go in transfer window.

Another record for Deadline Day? Five players to boost the squad, are you a happy Bear?

...ahead of much-anticipated Ibrox EGM 07:42, 1 February 2015 By Scott McDermott KING landed in Glasgow last night as he attempts to galvanise support ahead of the EGM but the former Rangers director won't be at Hampden for the League Cup semi-final against Celtic. DAVE KING jetted into Glasgow last night – but WON’T attend Rangers’ League Cup clash with Celtic at Hampden today. The former Ibrox director flew in from South Africa and will spend a week in the UK to galvanise support ahead of the much-anticipated Ibrox EGM. King will attempt to convince the club’s shareholders in Scotland as well as its investors in London to back his bid to remove the current Ibrox regime. The Rangers board have until Friday to announce a date for the EGM. King believes he can gain 51 per cent of votes to eject chairman David Somers, chief executive Derek Llambias, finance director Barry Leach and James Easdale from the top of the marble staircase. King’s wants himself, ex-director Paul Murray and former brewery boss John Gilligan to take over. And he’s hoping his latest visit will ensure his group – along with the Three Bears consortium headed by motor mogul Douglas Park and the Ibrox fans – have the required support. MailSport understands that King will decline the chance to be at Hampden for this afternoon’s Old Firm derby. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/battle-rangers-steps-up-dave-5082369

“The dark eleventh hour Draws on and sees us sold To every evil power We fought against of old. Rebellion, rapine hate Oppression, wrong and greed Are loosed to rule our fate” I don’t think regular readers of this blog would describe me as what the media refer to as a “pop-pom cheerleader” of the various factions vying for control of our club. I’ve never seen the attraction nor sense of writing a blog to further the endeavours of rich businessmen who can afford their own PR machines. I’ve been highly critical of Dave King’s strategy to gain control of our club, and I stand by such criticism to this day. When I wrote my open letter to him, I envisaged King riding in like the 7th cavalry, scooping up shares to gain control of our club. Thereby uniting a fractured support, and thus enabling us to get behind our club where together we could build a stable future for her. What we got of course was something completely different which has only served to exacerbate such fractures. Furthermore, contrary to some reports, Mike Ashley is not the devil incarnate. He is a powerful, ruthless and opportunistic businessman who appears to maximise to his full potential, the misfortune and weakness of others. Sentiment does not appear to come into it – just ask the employees of USC. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/mike-ashley-wields-his-iron-fist-once-more-at-usc-9994171.html Alarmingly, our football club appears to be the latest victim of Mr Ashley’s growing business empire and he has been assisted in this to the full by a thoroughly incompetent, self-serving and shambolic Rangers board. Having comprehensively failed to balance the housekeeping budget they have then compounded the problem by rejecting all offers of outside investment thus leaving our club on the equivalent of a life support machine – relying on short term cash infusions where only the good grace and will of the donors prevented us from going under, as this shambles of a board failed to meet the repayments within the agreed time period. While the Man who would be King issued sound bite statements to the press, Ashley continued to increase his powerbase within our club, but of course every power grab carried a considerable financial caveat. Our retail, our historical assets, even our very trademark were considered fair game. Where there were dissenting voices within our boardroom, people who dared to highlight that such deals were not in the best interests of our club – Ashley eradicated them. Messrs Wallace, Nash & Crighton – RIP. A number of leaked e-mails demonstrated that the remnants of the Rangers board appeared to be more concerned about preserving their places on the board rather than pursuing the best financial deal for the club. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/11247379/Sandy-Easdales-true-role-in-Rangers-takeover-talks-thrown-into-question-by-release-of-emails.html Further confirmation of this was provided courtesy of Colin Kingsnorth of Laxey, who clearly felt it was appropriate to call time on this acquiescing of power to the Ashley Empire. http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11788/9626770/scottish-championship-laxey-partners-sell-rangers-shares The consequence of course, is that we now have a Rangers board dominated by Ashley men. These are the same men who control the destiny of our retail, our historical assets (with the exception of Ibrox – for now) our very trademark. I will ask you a simple question. When it comes to a crucial vote in our boardroom whose interests will these men move to protect – Rangers or Sports Direct? The situation is beyond dire but it is still salvageable. Dave King has called for an EGM which will present us with the opportunity to replace the current board. I’m not being melodramatic when I say the destiny and future of our club is in the hand of shareholders. Furthermore I will not mislead you. I’m convinced Dave King does not have the financial muscle which the Ashley Empire has at its disposal. If we vote to remove the current board and replace it with a Dave King one, I believe our club will be on its knees for a longer period. But I’d much rather be on my knees under my own strength, striving and aspiring to restore this club to its former glory with every part of the body working together to achieve that aim, than be on my knees bended in servitude and reliant on the quick fix solutions of others at a cost which threaten to take away my very soul, my very heritage and my identity, What answer from the North? A resounding “Thanks, but No thanks Mr Ashley”

It is now a fortnight since Dave King submitted his call to stage a shareholder summit that could see the removal of chairman David Somers, chief executive Derek Llambias and directors Barry Leach and James Easdale. The South Africa-based businessman is seeking election to the board alongside Paul Murray and John Gilligan, but the Gers hierarchy have yet to set a date for the crunch vote. Their only response to King's call came 11 days ago when they stated they were checking that the notice was 'properly constituted' and valid, but they now have just a week left to comply. A deadline of a further 21 days then comes into play, and Sons of Struth chief Craig Houston told SportTimes: "I, like all fans, want this situation resolved as quickly as possible, so the sooner the General Meeting is called the sooner it can be held and, hopefully, the board will be removed. "The majority of Rangers fans want to see change on the board. "The expectation is that they will spin it out for as long as they can and then look to hold off actually holding the General Meeting for as long as possible. "I don't want any compromise because that could wrangle on for years. The outcome the fans want is for this regime to be removed and we can then start rebuilding our club. "If it goes the right way, it should be a line in the sand and we can move forward. If it doesn't I can see more unrest from the fans and more financial difficulties at Rangers." As revealed in SportTimes yesterday, a petition from the London RFCSA has attracted huge interest from fans in the aftermath of Mike Ashley's latest Ibrox power grab. The Association will hand the document to Nominated Advisor WH Ireland next week as they urge Paul Shackleton, who previously handled Rangers' Stock Exchange affairs while on the books of Daniel Stewart before the firm lost its licence, to accept the King EGM call. Houston said: "For the London branch to get more than 7,000 fans signing their petition in such a short space of time is great and it shows that Rangers fans are united in their views and opinions. "All we can do now is hope that the Nomad take it on board. Unfortunately, we have past experience and know that might not happen. "Everything seems to be done for the benefit of some shareholders and not the majority of shareholders." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/clock-is-ticking-for-rangers-board-egm-decision-as-fans-call-for-ibrox-195863n.117321739 That last sentence . . how do they get away with this ?

The Sun saying he has been banned because he joined RF. Someone asking if Foster has joined yet.

http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=1961&newsCategoryID=3&newsID=14129

We are f----d. 27 January 2015 Rangers International Football Club plc ("Rangers" or the "Company") £10m Credit Facility and associated transfer of 26% of Rangers Retail Limited The Board of Rangers announces that Rangers Football Club Limited ("the Club") has entered in to agreements with independent.co.uk/news/business/news/sports-direct-stops-20000-staff-taking-other-work-by-using-zero-hour-contracts-9661746.html Retail Limited and associated companies ("SD"), to provide a long term on-going credit facility of up to £10m (the "Facility"). The Company's financial condition has been perilous for a number of months exacerbated by lower than expected match attendances. The Directors have implemented a cost cutting program with which they have made significant progress. There is however an immediate need for a substantial injection of capital, and the Directors have considered a number of options. The terms negotiated with SD (which are reversible in respect of the Facility) represent the optimum combination of quantum and duration of funding, allowing the Company time to arrange permanent capital which can be used for strengthening the playing squad. The Facility is structured in two separate interest free tranches. GBP 5million will be available immediately for working capital purposes and for the repayment of the credit facilities with MASH Holdings Limited which was entered into on 27 October 2014. All rights and security associated with the MASH facility will be cancelled. The Club will transfer 26% of the share capital in Rangers Retail Limited ("RRL") to SD for the duration of the Facility (the "Transfer"), which will be transferred back, at no cost, upon repayment of all outstanding sums owed by Rangers and its subsidiaries to SD. There is no specified repayment period for the first tranche of the Facility. The Facility is to be secured by (1) a floating charge over the Club's assets and (2) fixed charges over Murray Park, Edmiston House, Albion Car Park, and the Club's registered trademarks. None of the security that is being given to SD covers Ibrox Stadium, which is specifically excluded and remains in the full ownership of the Club, free from any security. SD will also have the right to nominate two directors to the board of Rangers for the duration of the Facility, any such nomination will be subject to regulatory consent pursuant to the AIM Rules and other regulatory bodies. If the entire sum drawn down is repaid, the Facility will be deemed to be terminated, all security will be released, the 26% of RRL will revert to the Company and all rights of SD to nominate Directors to the Board of the Company will cease. The second tranche of GBP5 million, which repayable 5 years after drawdown, will be used, if required, for working capital purposes and is subject to due diligence by SD prior to drawn down. The Company has also agreed that from the 2017/8 season, for the duration of the Facility, any future shirt sponsorship proceeds will be for the benefit of RRL. RRL will declare a dividend of a total of GBP 1,610,000 prior to the Transfer. The Club will use the proceeds of its share of this dividend, inter alia, to repay sums owing to SD in respect of the cessation of onerous leases on unprofitable stores entered into by a previous Rangers management team. RRL is a joint venture between the Club and SD whose business is selling merchandise both on-line and in stores. In the period ending 27 April 2014, RRL made a profit before tax of GBP 1,172,893. SD is a Related Party under the AIM Rules and accordingly the Facility is a Related Party Transaction pursuant to AIM Rule 13. The Independent Directors, consider, having consulted with WH Ireland its nominated adviser, that the terms of the Facility are fair and reasonable insofar as shareholders of the Company are concerned. The Directors would like to thank all the Rangers Stakeholders who showed an interest in helping the Company. Commenting on the Facility, David Somers said: " The Board has sought for some time to establish a long term funding solution for the Company in order to create a platform of stability to build for the future. This Facility begins this process and we very much hope that it will be augmented with further permanent capital in due course. In addition, the executive team have made strides in addressing the cost base of the Company in order to improve our financial condition and working capital profile. We very much hope that we can now move away from having to seek short term funding solutions and can focus our efforts towards investing in the first team playing squad, a return to profitability and to re-establishing Rangers in the top league in Scottish Football and in due course, to European competition. The Board now calls upon all shareholders to rally together to achieve this goal."

Statement from the bears due at 6pm (approx) keep the faith guys please, from FF

Peralta is gone.

I see Rangers First are at over 4k members now, as are the RST The example of Hearts having over 8k members paying in every month was often held up as something we should be quite easily topping with the size of our support Well now we have matched it, and will overtake it at the current rate of sign ups, quite an achievement considering its not backed by the club the way Hearts is I think as the schemes grow, and the numbers look more impressive, people who were not sure will be more likely to say "this could actually work" and sign up Its just a shame in typical Rangers fan fashion its split into 2 factions.. if it was one scheme sitting at 8k and rising steadily every day things would look very rosy for fan ownership imo Any chance of the 2 merging?