To boycott or not to boycott...

[ian1964 10,728]

...that is the question facing Sons of Struth members as Rangers woes continue

 

The Sons of Struth protest group this week polled its 1,500 members over whether to stage a boycott of Rangers.

 

 

 

The controversial move has divided opinion among followers of the Ibrox club.

 

Many believe it is the only way to achieve change at the troubled Glasgow instutition.

 

Others are of the opinion that it will do further damage to a club facing serious financial problems.

 

Matthew Lindsay of SportTimes spoke to Craig Houston of SoS and asked him about their plans...

 

ST: Why are you polling your members about a potential boycott of Rangers?

 

CH: It's quite simple. In the year the Sons of Struth have been in existence, a lot of people have asked us: "Do you want to boycott?"

 

But we have always been of the opinion that it is a big ask to say to a fan they can or cannot go to watch their team. So we haven't spoken about it in any great detail.

 

But over the last two weeks that has changed with the stories about Rafat Rizvi and the stadium naming rights being sold to Mike Ashley for just £1 coming out.

 

The number of people who are asking us, both online and in person, if we would have a boycott, has multiplied. More and more folk have been raising the issue. There are a lot of angry Bears out there.

 

In the last few weeks we have set up a Sons of Struth membership scheme and we now have over 1,500 members. With the feedback we have been receiving, we thought it was fair and democratic to ask our members their views.

 

We have not told anybody to boycott. We are simply asking their views on it. But, unlike the club, we will listen to what they have to say.

 

ST: What are you asking Sons of Struth members?

 

CH: We are asking them three things. Do they think there should be no boycott? Do they think there should be a one-game boycott? Or do they think there should be a boycott for the rest of the season until change is made?

 

We have also asked them about the prospect of boycotting Sports Direct and McGill's Buses.

 

ST: What change would you like to see?

 

CH: We believe if Sandy Easdale leaves Rangers Football Club we would be better placed to attract investment. In an ideal world we would like the entire board to change. But in reality that is not going to happen. It is a big ask to get rid of every director in one fell swoop.

 

We are aware of people who are willing to invest money in the club. We believe the only people stopping them from doing so are Sandy Easdale and those investors whose proxy votes he holds.

 

ST: But Sandy Easdale lent Rangers £500,000 last year to keep them afloat. And he hasn't called in the debt. Where would the Ibrox club be now without him?

 

CH: Probably in exactly the same situation. I am quite sure if he wasn't involved that somebody else would have put up the money. Certainly, he isn't the first director to do so since we went into administration. One ex-director put his own money in to pay the electricity bills when we were waiting for funding to come through. It is not a new thing.

 

But Sandy Easdale is the first person to have loaned Rangers money at a time of need who has required security on his loan.

 

ST: Why are you targeting Sports Direct?

 

CH: Mike Ashley took a deal that any businessman who does not care about Rangers Football Club would have taken. But we do not want Ibrox to be renamed - for a pound or any other sum of money.

 

Ashley could exercise his right to name the stadium the Sports Direct Arena or he could sell the rights to another company in the years ahead. Rather than wait until that happens we will, if it is the wish of our members, be proactive. We will hit him in the pocket.

 

We will give him £2 if he makes the agreement disappear. He will double his money.

 

ST: You have just over 1,500 members. But the

 

Rangers support is hundreds of thousands strong. Who cares what you think?

 

CH: Nobody in the boardroom, anyway! Seriously, though, if you put all of the Rangers supporters' groups together they would still be in a minority. The vast majority of fans are not part of any official organisation.

 

But the Sons of Struth have members who are different types of people and who are different types of personality.

 

So they represent a broad cross section of the Rangers support. If the majority of them want to take action and boycott I think it is fair to presume the majority of supporters want to.

 

When the Sons of Struth was just two people strong we still managed to get over 30,000 people to take part in red and blue card displays at Ibrox.

 

If the consensus among our members is to boycott then we will put it out to the wider fan base.

 

ST: So if you do decide to stage a boycott what exactly will you do?

 

CH: You are putting the cart before the horse there. Our members might come back and say we shouldn't take any action.

 

But it would be foolish to think we have not discussed what to do in the event that the majority of our members back a boycott. We have a few ideas kicking about.

 

ST: Ally McCoist has stated his Rangers team will perform better with a full support behind them. Aren't you

 

concerned a boycott will harm the side on the park?

 

CH: Unlike a lot of Rangers supporters, I was at the League Cup game against Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Ibrox on Tuesday night. There were just over 15,000 in the stadium. So it was at a third of its total capacity. But that didn't seem to affect the players too much.

 

I certainly respect Ally McCoist's view. It would be far better to have a full stadium behind his side. But I don't think fans boycotting games will impact upon the players too much, if at all.

 

ST: Rangers are in a precarious position financially. Won't a boycott do further damage to a club you say you love?

 

CH: If we do decide on a boycott it would not surprise me the club said investors had been put off getting involved due to the actions of the fans. But we have been told that investment is lined up by two separate directors in the last year and we only started talking a boycott in the last couple of weeks. Everything gets blamed on the fans.

 

It is scandalous for anybody to suggest the actions of Rangers fans are detrimental to the club.

 

In the last two years we have filled stadiums week in, week out. We have bought approximately 100,000 season tickets.

 

To suggest we have put the club in peril is laughable. Certain people within the club should have a long, hard look at themselves for suggesting that and questioning the loyalty of fans. If our members feel a boycott is the best course of action to take then it will send a message to the board.

 

It will underline they are not happy with the conduct of a certain individual at the club or with the naming rights to the stadium being sold for £1. We will talk to them in pounds, shillings and pence. Hopefully, they will then take action.

 

ST: What has the reaction to a potential boycott been so far?

 

CH: It has been a mixed bag. A lot of Rangers fans are already boycotting Ibrox of their own freewill. You only have to look at attendances to see that.

 

They are the "not a penny more" camp. They made the decision we are asking our members to consider now before this season kicked off.

 

Others have not gone to games for two or even three years. They want more people to take their stance. They are telling us: "Great. We hope you do this."

 

But some Rangers fans want to go and see their team regardless of who is running the club and what is going on. No matter what the result of our survey is, I would not dictate to any Rangers fan not to go to a game.

 

ST: Why don't you protest in a way that won't damage the club or the team?

 

CH: If somebody can tell me of a protest that is guaranteed to work we will do it. No matter how crazy or bizarre.

 

We have staged marches, have put postcards addressed to the chief executive through the door of Ibrox, have had John Brown hand in an online petition, have held red card protests and blue card protests. If somebody can suggest something else we can do that will have positive results then we will do that.

 

When you go to a game as a football fan you are entitled to air your view. If the right-back has a shocker and scores an own goal then you can have a pop at him. I reserve the right to criticise the board if I think they are not having a good game. Many people feel that giving more money to Rangers just now is akin to giving an alcoholic you love a bottle of gin.

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/to-boycott-or-not-to-boycottthat-is-the-question-facing-sons-of-struth-180991n.25356637

[chilledbear 16]

Already posted

[Bluedell 5,632]

I fail to see why the SoS members can't make up their own minds about a boycott.

 

I saw Houston at the game on Tuesday. Is he now going to decide to stop going because others effectively tell him to? If you believe in a boycott then do it. if you don't then go to the games. Don't be a sheep.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

I fail to see why the SoS members can't make up their own minds about a boycott.

 

I saw Houston at the game on Tuesday. Is he now going to decide to stop going because others effectively tell him to? If you believe in a boycott then do it. if you don't then go to the games. Don't be a sheep.

 

A mandate to call for a boycott is a powerful thing.

[aweebluesoandso 290]

I'm a member of SOS and i wont be voting on this, i don't like this board nor their asset stripping. But to encourage others to boycott when i cant even make my own mind up is daft tbo.

 

However by Friday i will be clearer on a decision, I don't see Independence going well for Rangers future imo. On the other hand it could be a positive? If Berwick Rangers who reside in England remain in the SFA, then our club could ask for a dispensation from the FA and start again in the English leagues.

[BrahimHemdani 1]

I don't think fans boycotting games will impact upon the players too much, if at all.

 

Then he knows nothing about football and football players.

[BrahimHemdani 1]

I fail to see why the SoS members can't make up their own minds about a boycott.

 

I saw Houston at the game on Tuesday. Is he now going to decide to stop going because others effectively tell him to? If you believe in a boycott then do it. if you don't then go to the games. Don't be a sheep.

 

I believe I may have seen him holding up a banner at the end.

 

So one has to assume that he personally is not in favour of a boycott or he believes that it is in order for him to attend in order to hold up the banner or otherwise protest against the board.

 

I get the impression that the majority are telling him they "want to go and see their team regardless of who is running the club and what is going on. "

 

Wouldn't it be better for them to continue their peaceful protests outside and inside the stadium with red cards or whatever at the same time as encouraging all fans to go along to support the Club and the team?

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

I fail to see why the SoS members can't make up their own minds about a boycott.

 

I saw Houston at the game on Tuesday. Is he now going to decide to stop going because others effectively tell him to? If you believe in a boycott then do it. if you don't then go to the games. Don't be a sheep.

I don't get it. Him and Sandy Chugg were up on facebook with pictures of their tickets at the same. Confusing.

[Stimpy 0]

Pointless exercise when the majority have stopped going this season. I get that SoS need to stay relevant since they don't offer any actual service but this isn't it. Get a crowd stood outside before, during and after the game with banners might be more worthwhile exercise.

[Rangersitis 0]

I don't get it. Him and Sandy Chugg were up on facebook with pictures of their tickets at the same. Confusing.

 

It's not confusing. There is a poll being set up to seek the opinions of the members. Until that is done, everyone is able to do as they please.