Removal from Rangers Fans Board

[BrahimHemdani 1]

I was “invited” to attend a meeting at Ibrox today with Rangers’ Director of Communications, Irene Munro and Jim Hannah, Supporters’ Liaison Officer.

 

I had to ask three times by email about the nature of the meeting and eventually was told only that it was “to discuss complaints raised against you by other fans board members”. I asked to be supplied with the details of the complaints before the meeting but this was denied.

 

At the meeting I was told that as a result of two complaints by colleagues on the Fans Board and one complaint from a member of the public, I was being removed from the Fans Board.

 

The complaint from the member of the public was in connection with or as a result of information that I posted about the Rangers Fans Fighting Fund.

 

I was not told the nature of the complaints by members of the Fans Board.

 

These are the relevant sections of the Constitution:

17.Conduct of members of the RFB

 

17.1 The Elected Representatives shall, in exercising his/her functions as a member of RFB, act in the interests of the Club and RFB; and, in particular, must

 

(a) seek, in good faith, to ensure that RFB acts in a manner which is in accordance with its objects (as set out in clause 3 this constitution);

 

(b) act with the care and diligence which it is reasonable to expect of a person who is managing the affairs of another person; and

 

© in circumstances giving rise to the possibility of a conflict of interest between RFB or the Club and any other party

 

(i) put the interests of the RFB and the Club before that of the other party, in taking decisions as a member of the RFB; or

 

(ii) where any other duty prevents him/her from doing so, disclose the conflicting interest to the RFB and the Club and refrain from participating in any discussions or decisions involving the other Elected Representatives with regard to the matter in question.

 

(d) If, in the opinion of the Club, any Elected Representative is in breach of paragraphs (a), (b) and © above, or in the opinion of the Club, brings the Club into disrepute, the Club shall have the power to terminate that individuals Membership and remove them as an Elected Representative with immediate effect and without notice.

 

There is no right of Appeal.

 

The Fans Board had agreed an interim Code of Conduct which includes up to three warnings but this was not applied because it provides for complaints to be referred to the Office Bearers and there are no Office Bearers in place at this time.

 

I was told that in the opinion of the Club I have not been acting in the interests of the Fans Board and that my position was not tenable, so I was being removed.

 

I was given the opportunity to resign, which I declined. I was then told that Rangers would issue a statement saying that I had “left the Fans Board” but I asked that if they were removing me they issue a statement accordingly.

[rbr 1,256]

So so sorry to hear this mate , but this is just the start of it , others will now be targeted , probably Fs , such a sad state of affairs , did they even tell you which 2 fans board members complained

[Scott7 6,002]

Dire but not surprising.

[Stimpy 0]

Shouldn't be up to club employees. The fans board should decide whether or not there's an issue and how its dealt with.

[pmu 0]

think you will be better out of it mate..

[Little General 80]

not the beginning but the beginning of the end of RFB?

[trublusince1982 243]

sorry to hear that mate. thank you for taking my question forward. Will ask a few questions of people in the club and see if i can find out what happened. Please know you did nothing wrong in asking questions.

 

hope its not from fan complaints. if it is they need to man up.

[chilledbear 16]

So it is the Club that runs this.

[Super Cooper 0]

Absolutely disgusting.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Super Cooper

[SteveC 150]

Your last line is very revealing of how you were dealt with/what kind of people you were facing, It's an extraordinary cheek to say they are removing you then asking you to resign. They then compound that by saying they will issue a statement saying "you left". If you kept your language civil after that, give yourself a pat on the back.

 

 

 

Actually if you gave them 'what for', give yourself a pat on the back too.

 

 

None of us can really comment much on the action itself as we don't know who complained or what their complaints were - how very 21st Century Rangers, in the lack of transparency - but there's no doubt you were treated abysmally at this meeting in and of itself, whatever the cause of it.