ian1964 10,720 Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 ON the advice of police, Brian Stockbridge, the Rangers finance director, has had to improve the security system at his family home following a photograph of the property being published on the front page of a newspaper on Friday. Police went to his home and installed “what can be legitimately called a panic button” according to a person familiar with the story. Stockbridge has come in for heavy criticism over the way he has managed Rangers’ finances and incurred the wrath of the fans when videoing Malcolm Murray when the former chairman was under the influence of alcohol. Much of the flak has been par for the course for an executive in his position, but lately there has been a number of more objectionable threats made online and the publication of a picture of his distinctive home alerted the police to a possible risk to his safety and the safety of his family. On various supporters’ websites there was anger over Stockbridge purchasing the house with the help of a £200,000 bonus awarded to him when Rangers won the Third Division title. The house was purchased a year before, however. Stockbridge has resisted calls to resign, but protests are ongoing. Stockbridge and James Easdale are the only remaining directors on the plc board following the recent departures of Ian Hart, Bryan Smart and Craig Mather. http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl-lower-divisions/rangers-brian-stockbridge-improves-home-security-1-3148990 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,720 Posted October 19, 2013 Author Share Posted October 19, 2013 Tom English: Playing out the saga at Rangers SOMEBODY at Rangers said the other day that the story of the club’s power struggle – the disappearing directors and the abject lack of corporate governance – had become so farcical that it was almost beyond parody at this point. Almost. This, therefore, is an exclusive – sorry, invented – interview with some of the key players in this tortuous saga. “James and Sandy Easdale, thanks for granting us an audience. I know you don’t like the limelight…” “Can I interject here, please…” “And you are?” “Just call me The Source.” “The Source?” “Aye. Can you direct all your questions to me, thanks. Sandy and Jamesie don’t have anything to say.” “We can speak for ourselves...” “No, you can’t. Leave it to me. I am The Source.” “OK, well, since you’re here Mr Source, can I begin by asking you about the alleged belittling of club legend, John Greig, in an email. As you know, this caused great anger among the Rangers support and nothing seems to have been done about it…” “Yes, Craig Mather is looking into that. He’s going to get to the bottom of it and the person responsible will face some very serious punishment.” “But Craig Mather has left the club.” “Exactly.” “Pardon?” “He has looked into it and he was just about to make a statement when, unfortunately, he agreed to stand down.” “So what about John Greig being called an idiot? What about an apology to the greatest player who ever wore the Rangers jersey?” “Uhm, we’re moving on, what’s past is past. We’re looking to a bright new future. In order to change the subject away from John Greig I’m going to allow you to ask the boys one question. Fire away…” “Jamesie, let’s start with you. Since the board members are dropping like flies, how quickly can you bring in new people? It’s just you and Brian Stockbridge left on the plc board now…” “Sorry, this is The Source again. I have to jump in here. New people will be added pronto. Top drawer people. Top, top drawer. It’s unfair on Stockbridge because he’s taking all the flak now that Mather has gone. We need to get a few more guys in there that the supporters can target. We need to beef up the defensive wall in front of Jamesie and Sandy. Bit worried that the fans will start pointing the finger at the boys soon, so we need to bring in more bodies to draw the heat. God forbid that the Daily Record run a front page picture of Jamesie’s and Sandy’s home like they did with Stockbridge’s. That would be atrocious.” “Jamesie, if I can ask you about the proxies you and Sandy are said to hold on behalf of some institutional investors such as Blue Pitch Holdings and Margarita Holdings. Nobody knows who Blue Pitch and Margarita really are. There is a fear that Charles Green and Imran Ahmad are stuck in there somewhere. There’s an even greater concern, as expressed by Paul Murray and Alastair Johnston last week, that even Craig Whyte might be involved somehow. Can you clarify exactly who Blue Pitch and Margarita are? “Whoa, whoa. It’s me, The Source, again. You see, this is what I mean by the need for more Stockbridges on the board. This is precisely the kind of thing we want to avoid. The supporters are perfectly within their rights to give Stockbridge some welly but asking the Easdales about who’s lurking in the shadows of the institutional investors is not on. That’s below the belt.” “So you won’t tell us who is behind Blue Pitch and Margarita?” “If I did then I’d have to kill you. Hahaha.” “Jamesie, let’s go back to you. What do you think of Dave King?” “No, Jamesie, I’ll handle this one as well. Round these parts we call Dave King ‘The Convicted’. Guilty on 41 counts of breaking income tax law in South Africa. Could have gone to jail for a thousand years if he didn’t have the readies to buy himself out of trouble. Just saying. Carry on…” “So, Jamesie, would you welcome Dave King into the club?” “Apologies, I have to jump in one more time. What Jamesie is going to say is this: ‘He’s a great admirer of Dave King as a businessman and in an ideal world we would love him to have some involvement’. The thing is, though – and this is off the record – he’s got no chance. Stock market regulations won’t have him. The SFA won’t countenance him either. The man almost brought South Africa to its knees over that tax battle. Fit and proper? You gotta be kidding. We’d have an easier job getting Craig Whyte back in the door. But that’s just for background. On the record: ‘The Easdales would love Dave King to come on board’. Off the record: ‘He’s got more baggage than Samsonsite!’ “Hang on, though. Sandy over there is a convicted criminal. He did time in jail. Isn’t it a bit rich for The Source to be slamming King while defending a man who went to prison for fraud?” “This is Sandy. Not this shit again…” “The Source will handle this, Sandy. That was so long ago that I can’t believe you’re bringing it up. What relevance has it to the here and now? None. Dave King is the guy you want to hammer, not Sandy. Remember. On the record: ‘Dave King. Smashing guy. Good Rangers man. Would love him to join us.’ Off the record: ‘Not fit and proper. Didn’t pay tax. Disgrace.’ It’s very important that you get that message out there.” “The fans are desperate for Dave King to come in…” “That’s why it’s very important you get the message out there.” “But if Jamesie and Sandy have all these shares and proxies then Dave King can do nothing, right? Even if he’s allowed on the board or some of his people, like Paul Murray, are allowed on the board, the Easdale boys will always have the balance of power.” “Yes. I am The Source and I can confirm that that is true.” “So King’s best play is to either buy the boys out…” “For the record, they’re Rangers ’til they die, they bleed blue blood, they’re in it for the long haul…” “Yeah, yeah. Sure. Or else King waits a while for Rangers to become financially distressed again. And then he makes his move. Investors could abandon ship. There could be millions of cheap shares on the go. The Easdale boys are wealthy but they can’t prop Rangers up on their own. Cue: Return of The King.” “The Convicted, you mean.” “Whatever. Any chance of hearing from Jamesie or Sandy at this point?” “This is Jamesie. Go ahead…” “Jamesie, who are the people behind Blue Pitch and Margarita and why are you and Sandy refusing to be transparent on any of this?” “I have to go. The Source will deal with that…” http://www.scotsman.com/news/tom-english-playing-out-the-saga-at-rangers-1-3148998 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 the only people to attack whytes castle were yahoos. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forlanssister 3,114 Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 Toxic Jack fast becoming a hindrance to his clients not an asset. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 Toxic Jack fast becoming a hindrance to his clients not an asset. i am sure he is doing everything he is told. however, the press seem to realise he's on the losing side and are sharpening the knives. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calgacus 8 Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 When the Press start moking someone, you know they are finished 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anchorman 0 Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 What a snide that man is. Venom (about Dave King) masked as humour - poor humour at that! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 What a snide that man is. Venom (about Dave King) masked as humour - poor humour at that! i think it's aimed at jack irvine 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anchorman 0 Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 i think it's aimed at jack irvine I agree that he sets out to aim at The Source i.e. Irvine, but half of the article is aimed toward King and obviously trying to get a groundswell of anti-King propaganda drummed up in the process (while at the same time Richard Wilson writes "contrary to others' beliefs the SFA and AIM will not oppose Dave King"). I understand he is [not too] cleverly trying to put the views across as Irvine's views about King, but make no mistake about it they are his views as well, which he is trying to mask in the fashion of this 'humour'. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calgacus 8 Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 It's clearly aimed at Irvine, not at King 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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