At Sevco there is no issue more important than cash and no time more pressing than now.
That’s what it comes down to:
Cash and now.
It is all about confidence in the future.
Now, if the Ibrox klan base thinks that there might be financial trouble then they might not turn up.
Of course, that would precipitate further cash worries, rather like a run on a bank.
Therefore, the Sevco High Command had to make sure that they controlled the narrative around the recent court rulings that were clearly in favour of Ashley.
In the PR world, this is referred to as “fire fighting”.
Of course, the Stenography Corps are always on hand with large buckets of pish to quell the flames at Ibrox.
The PR strategy appeared to be three-pronged:
- Spin the court ruling as somehow positive for the Sevco High Command.
- Deflect with a shiny good news story that pointed to sunlit uplands for the klan.
- Remind the People that no one likes them and that they are the victims of a horrible conspiracy.
The pro-King faction was quick at work on the dignified message boards in stating that this legal battle was all part of a grand plan and that bit was progressing as anticipated. That falls under the first category.
Then there was the inevitable Morelos to China story.
Of course, we have been here before.
Thirdly, the Club 1872 statement on the dispute with the BBC and their coverage of Sevco was red meat to the klan.
This is a long-running fable of dark forces conspiring to do down the mighty Glasgow Rainjurrz.
It started in the summer of 2012 when the original Ibrox club died.
The rejection of the CVA could have been the teachable moment for the klan.
However, instead of Vergangenheitsbewältigung, there was a focus on who was responsible for the Dolchstoßlegende.
This spat with the national broadcaster should be viewed as evidence of the widespread belief in the latter narrative at Ibrox.
You can read the entire statement here.
In 2012 the young Prophet, peace be upon him, screamed out several hundred words entitled:
“The enemies of Rangers”.
It was taken down many years ago, but the text is still out there if you care to search for it.
For the avoidance of doubt, your humble correspondent made the cut even if the young Ibrox chap did appear to have some difficulties with mo shloinne.
So it was Statement O’Clock twice in a few days from the Club 1872 people.
That, in itself, is probably an indicator that they feel they need to reassure the Ibrox klanbase about what is coming down the pipe there.
Interestingly, the Convict Chairman wanted a Club 1872 statement to be hastily issued immediately after the recent court ruling.
However, for once, the Conveyancing consigliere gave Mr King good advice.
The lawyer stated that it was important that Club 1872 and the club were seen to be different entities.
His learned opinion was that a knee jerk response from the supporter’s organisation would indicate that this might not be the case.
Ultimately no amount of spin will alter the following facts:
Sevco is a loss-making business without a credit line from a bank.
They effectively have no possibility of a revenue stream from merchandising for the foreseeable future.
They’re in the hole to Close Brothers for over £7m, a secured loan with punitive rates of interest.
The Sevco High Command will have to find money probably around November to pay the Ashley bill for the Elite/Hummel car boot sale.
Elite Sports have been indemnified by Sevco and could seek recourse in law to recoup their losses from the Ibrox entity.
Hummel may also think they have a case when they cannot sell merchandise to the People next season.
Overall the reputational damage to the Ibrox brand in the sportswear world is difficult to overestimate.
Now, I pity those in the Fitba Fourth Estate who are tasked with putting some kind of positive spin on any of that.
Of course, their task would be easier if this self-inflicted shambles was playing out at Celtic Park.
Then they would be able to freely deploy facts and evidence without looking over their staunch shoulders.
Until they are allowed to tell the truth about what is happening at Ibrox then it would appear that I cannot leave my post anytime soon.
Have a good one!
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Not sure if I’m on my own here but I don’t mind sevco qualifying for the group stages of the EL. The money is not a game changer but with less games than us to play could help them push us in the league.
You are not on your own.
They’ve played less games than us every season since they came into the big boys league and we’ve won every single trophy since they arrived.
5pm, Thursday 8th August, close of English transfer window.
With the Chinese squirrel now dead in the water whose left in the bidding war for Morelos and Tavernier?
With a significant cash outflow expected before Xmas to Sports Direct and an onerous Close Bros loan secured on everything at Ibrox not nailed to the floor where will the cash come from?
Looks as if all the eggs are in Stevie G’s basket and the pursuit of Europa Cup Group Stage qualification.
Rejecting as ‘Pure pish man’ the rumours that he was heading to China, Alfredo Morelos has confirmed he is in ‘really serious talks’ with Fort William FC. Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports News the deadly Colombian sharpshooter said ‘China is too crowded. I need space in which to meditate on the intrinsic beauties of the cosmos. Fort William’s pastoral setting and the idyllic bucolic serenity cast by the shadow of Ben Nevis appeal to my inner sense of harmony with the universe. Plus the wife knows there aren’t too many temptations to stray up there.’
Here’s one for you and your faithful readers Phil…
You had to work late and missed your teenage boy’s mid-week football match.
He comes home around 10: 00 pm and says….
“Dad…I was approached by Rangers’ Chief Scout after the game tonight and he wants to come to the house and speak to you and Mum about me signing for them.”
What do you say…What do you do ??
Me…??
“Well son I was always kinda hopin’ that you’d join the Navy.”
What would you do ?
My wee brother…who isn’t really into football…( we reckon he was adopted…:0)….sent me this e-mail minutes ago.
“Hi Big Brother…you’ll be shocked to discover that I watched Sevco tonight with my mates down the pub here in Fulham.
None of us are really football men as you know,but there was nothing else on.Anyway for what’s it worth, here’s my take on the game.
It seemed to me that one of the teams was part-time and lacked any class and were totally devoid of any ideas.
The other team was every bit as bad….and they definitely came from Luxembourg.I checked.
Hope this finds you well.
Speak soon.
Danny.”
To put things in perspective Progres are the 4th best team in Luxembourg.
Their average attendance last season was 816, thats eight hundred and sixteen people.
Rangers failed to make a single decent chance till the last 15 minutes.
The result is another blow to the chances of raising Scotland’s co-efficient.
Over to you Aberdeen.
The Shaggers were on the ball tonight. A really good performance. As for sevco? All the new guys they’ve been raving about? in my day they would have been referred to as “Tanner baw players”. Okay in the street or the playground but that’s their limit. I suppose on the positive side from their viewpoint they didn’t get beat. That’s Progres!!!
Good stuff but for the uneducated can you please explain what I can only assume is Gaelic (brackets would do)
Just wondering if the sfa is looking into the mismanagement of the club…. Its seems the new club are in the same state as the old club…. So when administration happens how many points will be deducted. Its comedy gold. If the sevco club don’t have a shirt to wear next season are they even aloud to play in the league… Jelly and ice cream anyone
No doubt that fine chap Mr Maxwell at Hampden would have been on the blower to Ibrox to ask the question about their ability to see out the season, what with SD on the case and Close Bros waving their loan note.
After all said gentleman is doing very little else since he took on the CEO job, making some of his predecessors appear to have been men of action, integrity and honesty.
Such a sad time to be a sevconian. Not a shirt to wear, not a pot to piss in!!
Best if they just rip it up and start all over again….same club, of course.
Apparently James Blair has been nominated as ‘Lawyer of the Year’ by the Law Society of Scotland.
Honestly.
Bob, surely the nominator was Sports Direct?
The tipping point might just be failure to secure a slot in the group stages of the Europa League, even then they could scrape by by organising a few linfield friendlies and a few Charity events.
Maybe Gazza will volunteer to be fired from a Canon into the Copland end on armed forces day?. Collection bucket in one hand, a KFC bucket in the other, Waders, six pack and fishing pole optional.
As for Elite sports, RRL would’nt be so dodgy as to actually be a shareholder (sole owner) with this mysterious Elite mob now would they? They seemed to pop up out of the blue, If you catch my drift. And that leaves just Hummel, who as far as i’m aware are allowed to continue to sell the jersey’s for this season, Does’nt their contract expire at the end of this season anyway?
Saint Michael of Shirebrooke’s final bill might not be as massive as everyone is hoping for but would’nt it be ironic if it was Memorial Walls who eventually bury them. If they don’t do it then Close Brothers might have no option but to call in their loan if the well looks as though it run dry down Govan way. Tick Tock.
Qualification for Group Stage of the Europa is a must, anything less is a disaster on and off the park.
Can Gerrard and his squad cope with that pressure?
The Danish team are no mugs and won’t be under anywhere near the weight on the shoulders of the Ibrox club.
It was failure to progress (no pun intended) in Europe that speeded up the death of the previous Crumbledome occupants.
Hi Phil
At least someone in the ranks of Scotland’s “journalists” is trying to report the truth
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers/rangers-banned-from-wearing-hummel-kits-must-pay-sports-direct-450k-in-legal-fees-1-4974525
Wonder if her name being Kathleen Oates has any significance 😜
I hate to say it Phil The Mighty Rangurzz didn’t win the Close Seaon Cup. Several own goals in the last few minutes robbed them of the glorious prize.
they also seem to have missed out on the disciplinary awards . re 13 reds . sfa a bit quiet on that front .
Ah but, Stevie G is the top Scottish football related guy on Instagram. Now thats real news and for a section of the glorious Scottish media is much more newsworthy than any of that legal stuff going on around their beloved boys in blue.
Don’t you just love those guys at IN who only a week or so ago were valuing Barisic at £25m, despite giving him dogs abuse all last season, and are immediately on his back after last night’s performance.
No doubt the full time Danes will provide a much sterner test for Stevie G’s charges and wo behold them if they fail.