chilledbear 16 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Former Rangers director Dave King has said sorry to Scottish football for the EBT scandal which has plunged the game into civil war. On a day when a Walter Smith-led takeover consortium pulled out of a £6million bid to buy the club, King expressed concern over a perceived lack of humility and acceptance of wrongdoing from the club’s powerbrokers. A First Tier Tribunal into the ‘big tax case’ involving the old club’s use of Employee Benefit Trust schemes has yet to deliver a verdict. Speaking after the SPL ruled that Rangers had a case to answer over the alleged use of dual contracts, however, King offered the first concession from an Ibrox figurehead that the club may have gained a competitive advantage over their rivals. ‘I think we should be sorry - and I certainly am sorry,’ King told Sportsmail. ‘We owe both the Rangers fans and the Scottish footballing public an apology. ‘Some of the representations made have betrayed more of a victim status. But I think somebody needs to apologise. ‘Clearly, that is not for Charles Green to do. But I am happy to say that I really believe we should be saying sorry and I think there is something to be sorry about. ‘And as a former director when these things were going on, I am minded to do so. ‘With regard to EBTs, I was on the board so I have to take some responsibility. ‘And I follow the logic of the argument that if we lose the tax case then we probably gained some competitive advantage. ‘I believe that, on behalf of myself and most of the board members who were with me and probably agree with me, that we should apologise for that. ‘I know that the Murray Group might not say that, because it might be tantamount to admitting it. ‘But I am happy to say it as a director of the football club. And, having been there for the last couple of days, and getting a sense of the anger and anxiety, that it is absolutely appropriate for the previous regime to be sorry.’ Club chairmen will decide on July 4 if an Ibrox newco should be allowed to play in the top tier next season. Even if the chairmen vote yes, however, SPL sources have warned that the club could still face expulsion if dual contracts were operated by a board of directors on which King was a member for 12 years. Insisting there was no attempt to gain a deliberate competitive advantage from the use of a Murray group EBT, King added: ‘No one on the board, when I was there, would have had any intention of gaining an advantage. ‘But the fact is that I can understand the perception out there now. ‘And the way that Rangers have treated the authorities - instead of having a conversation with them around reparation - has been regrettable. ‘One of the things I would have looked at as part of a consortium in terms of funding is to try and fund them so that they could make some sort of commercial reparation to the other clubs. ‘But let’s do it in a way whereby it is seen to have happened and we come out of it strongly.’ Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2161850/Rangers-crisis-Dave-King-apologises.html#ixzz1yJlbHSGm 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 the last parts interesting. tbk wanted to pay football debts. I still think we will have to as part of membership transfer. I still think we should. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete 2,511 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Anyone think King is putting himself in a position to take over? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 certainly possible. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilledbear 16 Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 I also wonder why now. Is King getting the apologies in ready for other things to be revealed? Or is this a charm offensive before 4th July? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,890 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Football debts may yet prove important in terms of SPL survival. Not sure how that sits legally though given BDO interventions. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWeeBlueDevil 0 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 (edited) We have not been found guilty yet , surely any apologies should be giving only if found guilty . King has all but said we are guilty Edited June 20, 2012 by TheWeeBlueDevil 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Football debts may yet prove important in terms of SPL survival. Not sure how that sits legally though given BDO interventions. surely bdo have nothing to do with the newco. spl may say your back in the spl but on the condition football debts are paid in full and on time. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy steel 0 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 We have not been found guilty yet , surely any apologies should be giving only if found guilty . King has all but said we are guilty I don't think - just my personal opinion - it would have got this far if there wasn't substance behind it. So I've more or less accepted that we're gonna by hammered for contracts, as well. Easier than hoping for the best and getting yet another booting. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWeeBlueDevil 0 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I don't think - just my personal opinion - it would have got this far if there wasn't substance behind it. So I've more or less accepted that we're gonna by hammered for contracts, as well. Easier than hoping for the best and getting yet another booting. I don't know what the clubs stance on the issue will be, im not aware of any statement from Mr Green or anyone else at the club to outline if they plan to fight the allegations, if the club are going to challenge this then IMO it's not a good idea to apologize before any verdict is passed. I do agree with you though that there must be stubstance behind it and I do expect that we will be hammered for it. I think we are all now programed to think and expect the worst outcome on every situation . 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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