I was, like most I think, rather blindsided by the reintroduction of Mr Douglas Park into this series of Debtland.
Yesterday I caught up with a chap who, it would be fair to say, is close to the thinking of the Ashley Camp.
I asked him what he thought of this development and, as ever, he expressed his view in a laid back laconic style:
“Part cosmetic, part panic, part necessity”.
I asked him, as I usually do, to expand and explain.
His take was that the New Regime now, finally, fully realises what size of a shitstorm they are facing into.
Consequently, they need a figurehead with some credentials to be able to take the flak when the fireworks really start to go off next month.
He too expressed surprise that Mr Park agreed to re-enter the Sevco bunker.
Moreover, he told me that he believes that that Mr David Cunningham King will have an uncomfortable day in court on December 9th.
Of course, there could always be a last minute postponement and this would not surprise the people of Shirebrook should this happen.
For the avoidance of doubt, should the proceeding be put off for any reason then it would be at the behest of Mr King’s team not Ashley’s people.
The latter are very keen to this one go to court as they feel they will win it.
That remains to be seen, however, sources close to Ashley’s war council are very confident of getting a result on that one.
When Hurricane Mike finally makes landfall at Edmiston Drive then the atavistic folly of antagonising a real billionaire will be difficult to conceal from The People.
The hostile takeover in March was, of course, backed by the Stenographers who saw the return of the succulent lamb to the menu at Ibrox.
Consequently, they had been cheerleaders for Mr David Cunningham King and his colleagues.
Throughput the months of Statement O’clock his communiqués from south of the Limpopo where never adequately challenged or scrutinised by the media.
Ashley was irked by the success of the Off Licence Putsch, but he wasn’t angry about it.
However, what generated the current weather system that has dark clouds over Ibrox once more was the public humiliation of Mr Derek Llambias and Mr Barry Leach.
This is, I am told, utterly enraged Ashley, especially the treatment of the former by the tabloids in Scotland.
Something that started as just business then became personal.
Don Mike was pissed off!
That is why he is racing to the causeway like Sonny, but he has Luca Brasi QC and Clemenza’s full legal team with him.
Now General Ashley has his learned shock troops advancing across a broad front and engaging multiple targets at will.
It is fair to say that he sees the chaps at Hampden as part of the enemy Order of Battle.
As far as the Shirebrook High Command are concerned the SFA are not civilians.
I am also told that there are others who could well be receiving legal missives for their al fresco efforts to support an ersatz Ibrox brand unconnected to the official labels.
Usually helpful folk at the Shirebrook GHQ now appear to be on lock down.
It is almost as if they had been briefed on the importance of no leaks in the coming period.
That suggests to me that a major offensive is being planned.
Douglas Park might find out soon that he has just been entrusted with saving the Reich.
