Club 1872 - Board election timetable and info

[BEARGER 1,830]

Looks to me from the outside that we have mostly a very good group of candidates to select from. There are obvious no brainers to vote for (IMO) plus a couple not to go near with a barge pole, but all in all a good bunch.

[rbr 1,270]

I can get 4 after that I'm struggling

 

 

[plgsarmy 111]

I'm almost scared to ask.

[rbr 1,270]

I'm almost scared to ask.

 

Lololol only because after that they are much a much , there's nothing jumping out at me , no conspiracy theories here pal

[BEARGER 1,830]

All you need to know about Rangers fans' group Club 1872 as they get set for first board elections

17:14, 4 SEP 2016 UPDATED 18:01, 4 SEP 2016

BY ALAN CLARK

THE board election process is underway at the supporters' group as candidates put their name forward.

That process is namely the board elections for supporters group Club 1872. Most Rangers fans will know all about the organisation, or at least have heard of it, but there will be many who still don't know the ins and outs.

 

With the first board elections happening this month - overseen by Supporters Direct Scotland - 15 have put their names forward to be elected on a seven-strong board to represent the thousands of Rangers fans who are subscribed as members.

 

So what is it? What are they striving to achieve? Why does it matter to the club? Here's all you need to know about Club 1872:

 

What is Club 1872?

Club 1872 are a newly-formed body encompassing the Rangers Supporters Trust and Rangers First among many others. Both those groups were share-buying vehicles, with the pair snapping up significant amounts in the run-up to the EGM that finally saw Dave King and co take control of the Ibrox board.

 

Club 1872 already holds more than five per cent of the shares in Rangers, with 10 per cent a short-term goal for the group. As both the RST and Rangers First operated, Club 1872 works by accepting monthly or annual payment from members, which are collected for the use of buying new shares primarily.

 

If a fan is still paying into either RST or Rangers First, they can sign up to Club 1872 without any further payments, and for new members a range of options are available. Much like the Foundation of Hearts and the RST/RF groups before, tailored donation amounts are available - such as £18.72 a month, £10.00 a month or your own amount.

 

The body claims it is independent from Rangers Football Club, but some questions have been raised by supporters online and offline with respect to James Blair, the company secretary at Ibrox, running for a place on the board, as well as Club 1872 signage replacing the Puma advertising hoardings on the Sandy Jardine Stand.

 

What are they aiming to do? A

One club, one support, one voice. That's the mantra. The group are interested in buying shares to give supporters a voice and, they hope, a say in the running of things down Edmiston Drive. But the shares appear to be just one part of the overall picture for the group.

 

They hope to appeal to the worldwide supporter base to attract more members than any one fan group could have done in the past, which would boost investment into not only buying shares but for Club 1872 projects

These projects, completely at the discretion of members say Club 1872, could be to help with infrastructure at Ibrox or ambitiously, a club museum. It could even mean investment in the playing squad, if the membership so decided.

 

They have taken over the mantle of the RST in terms of issuing statements on matters relating to Rangers as a club and its supporters in particular.

 

The principle of one member, one vote will see elections for the board held every year.

 

Who is standing in the board election

Since the amalgamation of the various bodies into Club 1872, a working party has been flying the plane, so to speak. As promised, an election to pick seven board members has begun this month and there are 15 hopefuls who have put their name forward for a seat.

 

There are some well-known names in the hat, including former Labour MP Brian Donohoe and Craig Houston from Sons of Struth.

 

Donohoe was a board member in Rangers First but left in July, citing the group were "operating to the benefit of the club and not the fans", and despite leaving the Club 1872 working party he has thrown himself in contention for a seat on the new board.

 

Houston is well known within the Rangers support for his role in setting up Sons of Struth, who were vocal in attempting to question previous boards at Ibrox and he continues to campaign vigorously against Mike Ashley and Sports Direct for their retail involvement at the club.

 

A fan stands on a Sports Direct banner as he makes his way inside the stadium

Rangers legend Richard Gough (left) with Director Paul Murray

Alex Wilson, a former requisitioner with current Gers director Paul Murray, is another of the 15 hopefuls. He joined forces with Murray, ex-chairman Malcolm Murray and Scott Murdoch in attempt to overthrow the board at an EGM in 2013 but was unsuccessful.

 

Interestingly another would-be board member, William Cowie, has been endorsed by Rangers star Barrie McKay on Twitter, with defender Rob Kiernan re-tweeting the post to signal his apparent support in addition.

 

Current Rangers company secretary and Rangers First director James Blair is in the running, backed by Gers legend Richard Gough.

 

American journalist Shane Nicholson is vying for a place, with former RST director Joanne Percival being backed by George Letham - a member of the 'Three Bears' consortium that has provided the club with soft loans in the last year or so.

 

Also in contention is Kelly Johnstone, who resigned from RF alongside Donohoe and Peter Ewart earlier in the year.

 

When is the vote and when will we know the results?

Voting will begin later this month, on Thursday, September 22 to be exact, and members will find out who will be representing them by Monday, October 3.

[chilledbear 16]

A question to those who might know, I ticked the box for my money to be used for buying shares. Will I be able to find out how many of the members/£s have been voted for in each catagory?

[D'Artagnan 173]

A question to those who might know, I ticked the box for my money to be used for buying shares. Will I be able to find out how many of the members/£s have been voted for in each catagory?

 

 

I dont think that will be difficult CB - I opted for the same option - someone on the WG should be able to provide that info

[pete 2,499]

Have the working party put themselves up for Election?

[rbr 1,270]

This is not straight forward, certain constituted groups , which had elected members were allocated places on the working party , RF and the RST got 3 places each , the assembly and fans board 2 each as well as the RSA .

So in total there were 12 places on the WP, which could be filled by any elected member from those groups , ie it could have been different people at each meeting , as far as I know there have been no minutes published of any meeting

 

 

[rbr 1,270]

So there may have been members of the working party putting themselves forward for election but they might only have been in one wp meeting or they might have been in them all , it's like getting blood out of a stone getting info on this