Apparently there was some breathless reportage today about Ashley suffering a “humiliation” on the Rangers Retail deal.
I checked in with my Shirebrook guy, and he made a quick apology to me.
This was because the last time we had spoken briefly on the phone, he had forgotten to apprise me of a development.
He said that when this advert appeared in the Times of London that there had been a quick conclave on Planet Ashley.
Essentially my chap said to me that he expected another Sports Direct person to replace Big Mike on the board of Rangers Retail Limited.
“This will put another layer between him and any possible litigation” he said.
That possible legal action was characterised by one senior Sevco employee recently as “insane”.
What I suspect IS being prepared at Shirebrook is a rather large invoice for unsold merchandise.
It will be in the hundreds of thousands as opposed to millions.
However, given the tight margins at Sevco, it will not be a welcome missive.
That’s for sure.
As of this morning, I am told that no one in Ibrox had heard from the Admirable Warburton since immediately after the Scottish Cup final.
Some people at the Big House believe that they have seen the last of the ex-City trader.
However, I’m sure that there is a perfectly innocent explanation to him being incommunicado as opposed to being in Govan.
It is heartening to know that this very well run football club can afford their supremo that degree of peace and quiet to recharge his dignified batteries.
Chapeau!
Once he does re-emerge all refreshed and ready to have a tilt at the SPFL Premiership then no doubt the intrepid Fitba Fourth Estate will have lots of questions for him.
They night want to ask him about his transfer budget and his own remuneration package.
If any of these award winning types want a pointer or two then the terms “capital budget” and “operating budget” would be good terms to bring up in conversation with the ex-City trader.
They certainly will be familiar to him.
The Admirable Warburton knows that the sums at Ibrox do not add up.
Regular readers here will know of the seasonal Sevco financial crisis.
This has been extant since February 2014.
Moreover, the ex-City trader has told the chaps in the Blue Room that he will need a bigger squad for the top flight.
So far this has not happened.
Meanwhile across the city Celtic struggle to cope with the ignominy of season ticket queues a REAL transfer budget and a new manager who has English Premier League experience.
There are times when I almost feel sorry for the stenographers.
