Keith Jackson - Wallace on Borrowed Time

[chilledbear 16]

AT one point during a highly unsatisfactory and short-lived reign as Rangers chairman an increasingly exasperated Walter Smith made an observation to the directors of the club’s PLC board.

 

It went something along the lines of: “I’ve lost more votes inside this f****** boardroom than I ever lost games out there on that pitch.”

 

It was Smith’s way of saying he had reached the end of his tether. An admission the board over which he presided for little more than two months was dysfunctional beyond repair.

 

But there was a deeper issue which troubled Smith to such an extent he felt compelled to do walking away.

 

He had come to realise that, no matter what changes were made to the personnel around that table – even if there was a day when they all sing from the same hymn sheet – ultimately their voices would not be heard.

 

It had become clear the board of the Rangers International Football Club PLC was not calling the shots inside Ibrox. Rather it was those who made up the so-called “football board” who were really in charge.

 

This all-powerful football board is also known as Rangers FC Ltd. It was previously known as Sevco Scotland. Over two years it has been home to many a colourful character, including Charles Green, Imran Ahmad, Brian Stockbridge and more latterly, current chairman Sandy Easdale.

 

Of them all, only Easdale has not sat on both boards. Then again brother James has been keeping that seat warm.

 

Smith’s frustration with this entity became overwhelming. It’s understood even basic requests to see details of commercial contracts signed on the club’s behalf were repeatedly turned down flat.

 

In other words it does what it wants.

 

So perhaps what has gone on over the past few days inside Ibrox – as yet more splits and schisms have emerged – should come as no surprise at all.

 

Last week, as season-ticket renewals continued to splutter along at an alarmingly slow rate, PLC chief executive Graham Wallace reached out to supporters groups with an olive branch.

 

He invited them for peace talks knowing supporters wanted assurances neither Ibrox nor Murray Park would be pawned off to stop the club from plunging into a financial abyss. These discussions – which involved Wallace, Sandy Easdale and Norman Crighton – have backfired quite spectacularly.

 

Blown to pieces by the obligatory bombardment of statement and counter statement. Claim and angry counter claim.

 

A statement was issued by Rangers on Saturday which more or less accused their own fans of telling lies. As PR strategies go this might have left Gerald Ratner shaking his head in disbelief at its sheer crassness and stupidity.

 

It read: “In some of our discussions with fans it was indicated that there was a wish for the board to confirm that our statement of intention not to grant security over Ibrox could become a commitment that would last for 12 months.

 

“This has subsequently been discussed by the board and the board confirms that it will not be seeking to effect a sale and leaseback or grant security over Ibrox during that period of time.”

 

While the inclusion of the words “over that period of time” will have raised more than a few eyebrows it was the complete omission of Murray Park which ought to worry the fans most of all.

 

It now seems even more likely the club’s £14million training ground will be used to raise funds and keep this basket case of a club afloat.

 

The statement said: “Whilst the board is reported to have offered legally binding undertakings during a fan group discussion in relation to Ibrox and Murray Park, this is not the case.”

 

Late last night, bang on statement o’clock, the fan groups hit back by issuing their own withering media release. This one can also be filled in the box marked “Liar, Liar, Liar”.

 

The Union of Fans insist it was Wallace’s proposal to offer up legally binding assurances Ibrox would not be flogged off as part of a sale and leaseback agreement or used as security against a cash loan.

 

And the statement said: “Given what Mr Wallace proposed regarding Ibrox, we asked that the same

arrangement be put in place to safeguard Murray Park from the same fate.

 

“This was met by more substantial opposition from the board representatives, in particular Mr Easdale, who we would like to emphasise is not a PLC board member, and Mr Crighton.

 

“They said they wished to retain ‘flexibility’ over Murray Park. However, by the end of the meeting they had also agreed to consider granting the same undertaking as the one they suggested for Ibrox. This, we were told, was also to be discussed at the PLC board meeting on Thursday, May 15.”

 

The upshot of it all is those running Rangers now appear to be at war with those who claim to represent their supporters. At a time when the club needs season-ticket money urgently just to make it through the summer.

 

And then there is Wallace, who now finds himself in the firing line of supporters and fellow directors alike.

 

He has angered Easdale by trying to broker some sort of conciliatory agreement with the fans. And he has infuriated the supporters by failing to deliver on the deal.

 

The CEO has already survived a whole series of hairy moments during his own short time at the club. Some of them ought to have been resignation issues.

 

But if Wallace really has now lost the trust of the man at the top of the “football board” then it may only be a matter of time until he follows Smith out of that boardroom for good.

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/keith-jackson-graham-wallace-borrowed-3568105?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[buster. 5,257]

TBF to the Daily Record, back in November they were who flagged up that Scott Gardiner had refused the role because he wasn't happy with the little to no independence allowed.

 

What you have is another difficult one to reconcile.

Top dollar plus potential 100% bonus for a puppet without proportionate responsibility.

 

Did that come in as an 'onerous contract' ?

[the gunslinger 3,366]

Poor Wallace. Almost pat off time for him. Back to the dole

[ian1964 10,761]

Poor Wallace. Almost pat off time for him. Back to the dole

 

And just replaced by another patsy

[aweebluesoandso 290]

Least now it's abundantly clear to even the most myopic or blinkered supporter, that any CEO put in place is merely a puppet or quisling carrying out their masters bidding.

[Zappa 0]

Jackson's been a reasonably reliable source of information throughout the turmoil of the past couple of years, but telling us that Wallace is on borrowed time is kinda stating the obvious. He was on borrowed time during the course of his so-called '120-day business review' and that ended a month ago!