Sports Direct Deal Confirmed

[chilledbear 16]

Will wait for the details before I'm convinced.

 

Hope it's not another guy making money, to the detriment of Rangers.

[andy steel 0]

Found this:

 

Rangers cited "the huge buying power and resources" of Sports Direct. The Herald revealed this month that Mr Ashley was in talks with Mr Green about buying a stake of up to 10% in the club and forming a merchandising joint venture.

 

Mr Green said he had found Mr Ashley to be a "very straight-talking guy". He added: "The only thing I have found wrong with him is he is not a Yorkshireman but everything we have discussed, he has delivered on."

 

Mr Green confirmed plans for Mr Ashley to take a stake in Rangers, subject to approval by Scottish football authorities.

 

He said: "Mike's intention is to acquire a minority stake. Obviously there are dual interests here because he is the majority shareholder at Newcastle. We would hope to be able to get the approvals for him to become a shareholder. If we can't, we can't. It wouldn't be the first surprise we have had in Scotland."

 

He believed the Scottish Football Association was "reasonably relaxed" about Mr Ashley taking a stake, and further information had been provided to the Scottish Football League in response to a couple of questions.

 

Asked when approval would be secured, Mr Green replied: "You are asking me about timetables with Scottish regulatory authorities. I will leave my watch and get a sundial."

 

He reiterated hopes of bringing £5m to £10m a year into Rangers through the Sports Direct joint venture.

 

He said he had tried to negotiate a new deal with JJB Sports, which was granted a 10-year licence in 2006 to design, develop, source and retail all Rangers merchandise, but had been unable to reach agreement. Mr Green said the 10-year deal with JJB ceased with Rangers' fall into administration.

[andy steel 0]

I copy/pasted Herald comments by mistake originally; it seems Charles is really, really pissing off the haters. Which explains where Rhegan is getting his briefings from, anyway.

[GovanAllan 0]

Dig Dig Dig, keep it up Charlie going by Rhegans statement it's starting to get to him.

[Steve1872 4]

CHARLES GREEN has insisted that the new retail partnership with Sports Direct can be massively important for Rangers in terms of increasing revenue and expanding the reach off the club worldwide.

A joint venture with Sports Direct was announced on Wednesday allowing Rangers to control its retail operation and it gives supporters the chance to buy direct from the club.

He told RangersTV: “It’s really important for a number of reasons, not least of which Sport Direct are a massive partner from a selling and a buying point of view.

“This joint venture means that significant amounts of profit will go straight back into the club and that’s very important as we develop our plans for Rangers going forward.

“Sports Direct are global and what we have said all along is that we want to take the Rangers brand worldwide and with their connections it’s going to be hugely helpful.”

A retail wing of the club has been reintroduced so the megastore at Ibrox will be run by club employees.

Green added: “We have plans for other stores. Fans have said to me from day one can we get a store in Glasgow Airport, for example.

“We will be opening stores in Northern Ireland. We used to have three stores there and I was speaking to supporters ahead of last Saturday’s game who had come over on the ferry and told them that I will going over there in the next few weeks to meet fans groups and look to set up shops there.

“The key is that fans can buy direct. We were in partnership with JJB and things went well.

“In terms of my view of how Rangers should look after itself in marketing and branding, to have it in-house is very important.

“I think the financial figures can be very good. I looked at the historic figures when I was doing my due diligence and I think Rangers Retail, with a partner like Sports Direct, can achieve a great turnover.

“This will mean huge amounts of money coming in to help develop the club, develop the team and develop the team worldwide.”

[craig 5,199]

I continue to warm even further to Charles Green. He at least speaks the right way, and visiting fans groups and listening to suggestions, plus some of the comments he has made defending the club are heartening. Still needs to completely gain trust but he is at least moving in the right direction IMO.

[RabiDuck 89]

I continue to warm even further to Charles Green. He at least speaks the right way, and visiting fans groups and listening to suggestions, plus some of the comments he has made defending the club are heartening. Still needs to completely gain trust but he is at least moving in the right direction IMO.

 

I'm starting to think the same. I was very wary at first, and when the Smith group came in I was thrilled at the thought they might get him out, Rangers run by Ranger's men. But since then, his defence of the club has been admirable, he seems to be doing the business in the right way. Ranger's men got us in this mess (and I'm not saying Smith would be as bad as Murray) but the club run by a business man is what we need right now, and Green appears to be doing agood job. At first I was worried that he was in it to make money out of the club, now I think about it, that's what we need from the top, someone here to make money because they only do that if the club is run properly and profitably (or they're Craig Whyte, but I have the feeling we're not going down that route again.) Others are still mistrusting and I understand why, there are still questions to answer, but I for one am currentyl giving Green the benefit of the doubt!

[pete 2,499]

I'm starting to think the same. I was very wary at first, and when the Smith group came in I was thrilled at the thought they might get him out, Rangers run by Ranger's men. But since then, his defence of the club has been admirable, he seems to be doing the business in the right way. Ranger's men got us in this mess (and I'm not saying Smith would be as bad as Murray) but the club run by a business man is what we need right now, and Green appears to be doing agood job. At first I was worried that he was in it to make money out of the club, now I think about it, that's what we need from the top, someone here to make money because they only do that if the club is run properly and profitably (or they're Craig Whyte, but I have the feeling we're not going down that route again.) Others are still mistrusting and I understand why, there are still questions to answer, but I for one am currentyl giving Green the benefit of the doubt!

 

It would have been better of course having someone wanting to make money, but keeping it all within the club.

[Daniel Amokachi 0]

I've never set foot in Sports Direct. It's a pretty shite shop. But this deal is most likely good for us.

[Daniel Amokachi 0]

I continue to warm even further to Charles Green. He at least speaks the right way, and visiting fans groups and listening to suggestions, plus some of the comments he has made defending the club are heartening. Still needs to completely gain trust but he is at least moving in the right direction IMO.

I will probably always be hugely wary of him and anyone running us but I'm quietly thinking that this chap might just be an absolute gem for us.