Barry Ferguson:

[ian1964 10,761]

BARRY believes the Ibrox chief executive should be allowed to complete his 120-day review of the club before fans decide on whether or not to renew their season tickets.

 

LIKE every other Rangers season-ticket holder, a renewal form will soon drop through my door and it looks as if I’ll be faced with a huge decision. Do I hand over my cash to the current board?

 

Dave King has laid his cards on the table after his statement this week urging fans not to pump their money into the current regime and instead put it into a separate bank account where funds would then be drip fed in on a game-by-game basis.

 

I know some leading supporters groups have already backed that idea but I have to say that right now I’m going to sit on the fence. The reason for that is simple. Graham Wallace asked for 120 days to carry out a complete review of the business and I believe he should be given that time.

 

By my calculations that means April 18 will be the end of that period and it is then I would want to hear a full and frank assessment from the Rangers chief executive over what he has found and where he sees the club going.

 

April is shaping up to be a huge month on the park for Ally McCoist and his players as they could be contesting a Scottish Cup semi-final on home soil for a place in the final at Parkhead on May 17 and what an achievement that would be.

 

But less than a week later what Wallace tells us could be just as significant about the state of my old club off the park.

 

What he tells us is going to be crucial. He asked for those 120 days and I’m willing to give him them before making a call on what to do next.

 

I want to know what fresh investment they’ve got lined up and if they can get King or someone else like him who is willing to put his money where his mouth is. I also want to know what plans they have for strengthening the squad for the tough challenges ahead.

 

Listen, I can’t speak for 40,000 people on whether they’ll withhold season ticket money and put it into the separate bank account, as King has suggested. All I can do is give the view of this season-ticket holder and that is I’m going to reserve judgment.

 

Without a doubt I will part with the cash for a season ticket but as to where my money goes – to the current board or a group led by someone like King for example – I don’t know until I hear what the future plans are.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have King on speed dial or anything but I’ve met him a

few times and know he has previously invested – and lost – a lot of money in Rangers, a club very close to his heart.

 

I’m not doubting his credentials for one minute and he deserves praise for showing a willingness even to get involved again after having his fingers burned the last time.

 

I’d love to see him and the board somehow working together for the good of the club but I don’t know enough about the ins and outs of it to comment on why that hasn’t happened.

 

It’s no secret King lost £20million and you have to feel for him but he’s a Rangers man and I want not only him but all sorts of Rangers people on that board, pulling together

and helping get the club back in the right direction.

 

The coming months are going to be critical but I’m sitting on the fence until then. I know there are a lot of strong feelings out there but Rangers fans have turned out in their droves during this time of need and I can’t see that stopping.

 

We have all seen the response since they went down to the bottom tier of Scottish football and I wouldn’t like to think they’d go down that road because it doesn’t help the club or players. Nobody gains from it.

 

What I do know is that the thought of Celtic winning 10 titles in a row – as King has suggested if they don’t back him – will be a huge worry. And of course there’s always a chance it could happen.

 

One thing is for sure and that’s that the management team and players will want to do

everything in their power to avoid that happening. A lot of that will depend on what we hear after this 120-day period.

 

As far as I’m concerned it won’t happen and Celtic won’t make it to 10 but you don’t know and McCoist needs the tools once they get to the Premiership to be able to topple Celtic.

 

You need the money to get the right players and get Rangers back to where they belong which is getting through the qualifiers and into the Champions League group stage, winning League

and Scottish Cups and winning titles.

 

I still maintain there are wealthy fans and businessmen out there who would be willing to invest heavily in a massive club like Rangers with hundreds of thousands of followers.

 

Wallace is experienced and has worked at the highest level with Manchester City so it is one of his jobs to try to find those people who can help the club and we can hear what he’s got to say after the 120-day review period.

 

At that point I would want complete transparency on the financial situation. How much is in the bank? What investors are lined up? It’s not that I trust the current board as such it’s just that I believe people are entitled to a certain amount of time.

 

They asked for 120 days at the agm in December and said they’d have answers so let’s see what they’re made of. There hasn’t been enough transparency under previous regimes so that’s why I want to hear from them.

 

Let’s face it, 120 days is hardly a lifetime. It gives them time to find out what state the club is in and then we can make a call on it.

 

I can totally understand fans are worrying over the need to borrow £1.5million because it was a worry to me when I first heard.

 

I’m not burying my head in the sand and ignoring the fears of supporters but the last thing we want is for a repeat of the last scenario where the club was run into the ground.

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/barry-ferguson-want-graham-wallace-3190675

[Frankie 8,651]

Again, fair comment from Ferguson.

 

At the end of the day this is going to come down to Wallace. 120 days sounds reasonable but I think we're going to need something tangible before then. It doesn't need to be today or tomorrow but if all he's got to show for his work so far is a flawed online survey and a high interest loan, then that's not good enough. Simple as that.

[BEARGER 1,830]

Who gives a toss what BF thinks about our plight? How much has he invested ?

[Frankie 8,651]

Who gives a toss what BF thinks about our plight? How much has he invested ?

 

Agree or disagree with his opinions, he's a former player and captain of the club and clearly still a fan.

 

Investment doesn't indicate a higher calibre of fan than anyone else.

[Calgacus 8]

and a botched attempt to get the players to reduce their wages.

Edited February 28, 2014 by Calgacus
wrong thread ..doooh!

[BEARGER 1,830]

Agree or disagree with his opinions, he's a former player and captain of the club and clearly still a fan.

 

Investment doesn't indicate a higher calibre of fan than anyone else.

 

Aye a former captain that left ( first time) when we really needed him. A fan who made plenty out of the club who could afford more than most. I don't have a lot of time for so called legends like BF, you may have noticed this.

[Frankie 8,651]

Aye a former captain that left ( first time) when we really needed him. A fan who made plenty out of the club who could afford more than most. I don't have a lot of time for so called legends like BF, you may have noticed this.

 

Ferguson isn't someone I can really identify with but there's no doubt many fans will share in his decision to wait and see.

 

Like I say, that shouldn't be a case for others to criticise when we're all entitled to our opinion.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

We will be lucky if the deadline is in 121 days. More likely 119.

[Frankie 8,651]

We will be lucky if the deadline is in 121 days. More likely 119.

 

The deadline for renewal probably won't be until late June.

 

Last year 2013/14 ticket prices weren't even announced until mid May.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

The deadline for renewal probably won't be until late June.

 

Last year 2013/14 ticket prices weren't even announced until mid May.

 

Yeah but last year we had money. You might be right we will see.