Despite the little local difficulty in the Copland Stand, it is more necessary than ever for Operation Soothe to forge ahead.
Consequently, it was a tad unfortunate that the usually polished podcaster Mr Jonny MacFarlane (for it is he) temporarily misspoke in a dignified edition of Sevco Review yesterday when asked about how the stadium delay would impact the squad rebuilding budget.
No, I don’t think so, I think it will be separate BUT there’s lots of different facets to this, it depends on the moving parts you know, when do Rangers get back into the stadium?
If that, if that’s going to be, you know December, I want to stress I don’t think that it will be, I think that it will be September that they get back in but if the delay was to continue there would be knock on effects. What I would say is that we have to play that one by ear and see what happens.
I’ve had, anyone who has done any construction jobs on their own property will know that these things can over-run, I don’t think that was the situation with Rangers, I think that was erm, mistakes in terms of the way it was managed.
December?
Oops!
Despite that slight error in messaging, I’m sure the Sevco High Command has a cunning plan.
One thing that they CAN rely on is the almost total absence of any journalistic scrutiny from the local media.
Succulent protocols and all that.
Meanwhile, in another part of the Fitba Multiverse, I can imagine a very different scenario.
In that alternative reality, there was a meeting yesterday between the Transcendental Chairman and a Stateside colleague.
What I’m imagining isn’t exactly Quatermass, more of a stramash.
Picture, if you will, our two quintessentially British heroes yesterday poring over insurance policies to see if they have OMFG cover.
While it’s not exactly the Death Star with Darth Vader as foreman, I’m also forming an idea that around the same time, there was a scene at the stadium John Brown played for where the construction workers were told to keep quiet about their work there.
I’m currently minded to even introduce a minor backstory about clerical minions at Ibrox being ordered to sign tight NDAs.
It’s early days, but I think I have the strong foundations of an idea there.
Of course, your humble correspondent is a published playwright and novelist, so drilling down into this sort of detail is important to me.
Whenever I’m in the chair and trying to create for the stage or the page, I always start with the foundations.
They must be sound.
Incidentally, if this was already a Netflix series at this point, they would be reminding viewers of a previous season when Big Mike and his guys were spooked when they looked into the state of the place in 2014.
If you’ve been with me all these years, then you might recall that one.
Dear reader, this site is fully searchable and proves that it is possible to investigate the foundations of the Ibrox saga to determine the problems.
In the here and now, regardless of its shape, the SRU is likely to play hardball with the itinerant club.
It isn’t personal; it’s strictly business, and the egg-chasing chaps in Murrayfield have their own financial issues to address.
Let’s say they start talking at £750k per game.
Ouch!
It’s been almost two weeks since the dignified dispatch of June 20th told the Ibrox klanbase that there wasn’t anything to worry about.
It is imperative that Operation Soothe continues, as panic among the credulous customer base might be very unfortunate.
At this point, my main emotion when I consider them is pity.
The saga of the big orange crane is something that keeps on giving, in terms of hilarity,and imaginatively funny suggestions. The satire is so surrealistic that it is remindful of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. There might be follow up to that quality ageless piece of satire. The Buckie Drinkers Guide to Mordor. Most enjoyable Phil.
I don’t think for a moment that they have ring-fenced money for players while the big hoose is crumbling on it’s foundations.
I seriously doubt they have the wherewithal to rent any other stadium apart from Hampden as their fellow ludgers will make sure they get a freebie again.
We Are The Paupers. HH
Archie Leitch will be turning in his grave.
Another classic from the Whyte era “You can’t paint rust’….
The SFA will give them Hampden to spare blushes and will help manage their playing schedule to assist at the expense of ALL other clubs.
I read from a source today that the next game at Ibrox will be the NY fixture with Celtic, now there’s some to spin for the feelgood factor. Delays pending but we will be back first game against the Celts… Round of applause…
Ibrox is a Pityful place it seems.
So Phil, are you suggesting we might have to down the pit (or at least beneath the water table) to get to the foundation of this story? With all the smoke and mirrors emanating from ibrox, it’s hard enough trying to work out what’s going on at the surface, without having having to delve into the building / structural plans.
I am confident that the bears will be placated and this time next year will be looking forward to a home game at ibrox . . . The Broomloan stand? What about it? ? ?
It’s the slow boat from China if they can’t get through the Suez Canal. Yemen, Yemen do us proud; turn another ship around.
Well it seems according to the Daily Record today that the recently departed to pastures new Mr Bisgrove is to blame for the fiasco regards the late building works application .
Whether this is true or just a passing the buck is another matter .
The blame game has started
Read this article and previous, only concern is how outsiders will view Scottish football and it’s own internal affairs then realisation kicks in.
This is Sevco, a club who have never been held to account for monetary cheating, deception and total disregard for others in Scottish football. They even fleeced their own fans by diluting their share value by issuing more!! They have no shame, no honour, no integrity so therefore no sympathy from me.
Now aged 69, retired in Asia and believe in Karma (Wheel always turns full circle) have seen the spivs later, much later get caught out and moan;
“Your bayoneting us when wounded and down”.
Devil mend ye. Ye supped with the devil, ye have nae friends.
As I commented in the previous article looks like the old structure can’t support the new. Like everything else in today’s world crane hire increases almost on a weekly basis.
Other points worth considering include the upcoming Man Utd game. Imagine that proved not to be so friendly after all.
Think of the consequences. In some people’s minds it might be better to get a stadium deal done sooner rather than later.
Theres Capital Expenditure to think of.
Oh my ribs !!!!!
Sorry Phil, among the many emotions I could elect to feel around that utterly rancid organization,pity would be conspicuous by its absence.
I am on solid ground saying that this was a interesting foray into the old word mines. As always well written, Loads of structure as well.
Those who have been with our host for the long haul, so to speak, will recall that one of Mr. Ashley’s trusted lieutenants (Derek Llambias) essentially advised him to shut the whole thing down and start again: it’s right there on this fully-searchable blog. On the construction side: the original build wasn’t all that long ago. Shouldn’t there be plans showing what materials were used and in what areas?
The hire of the crane alone, sitting idle …..still has to be paid….not buttons either
Reviewing planned contingency arrangements indeed.
December? No room at the Inn? Surely they will find a stables to take them in somewhere. Might be a job for the Celtic Santa.
They are an embarrassment. But also the gift that keeps on giving
Or, sevco is getting its messaging out there, but in a devious manner?
Initially, it was ‘August update’, then Boyd drops in ‘October’, then the guy above
drops in ‘December’…?
The bears are getting the bad news drip fed to them.
And with the current uncertainty around the stadium closure, costs and hiring
other venues, etc.
Clement can’t possibly be allowed to sign any new players…?
I thought similar; announce December so, if its ‘only’ October/November, it looks like good news.
Hello, dearest inquisitor of the damned. I’m wondering if anyone has approached My Cashly for a comment regarding the ongoing situation at Steptoe’s Yard? I really can’t see any circumstance under which the Snake Mountaineers would have any kind of hold, let alone an NDA over the chap in question.
You reap what you sow, they knew exactly what they were doing all those years ago, signing big name plays with big wages to match.While the honest of football played with in the rules , they didn’t. Make no mistake this is part of those decisions. Rules have been bent for them, rules have be broken for them, me personally, I think the world be a more civilised with out them, They should find no sympathy any where. Let them struggle in the quicksand of their own making.
Sadly, we need them. In the years of “The Journey”, our season ticket sales fell off a cliff. We need them alive, but not strong. As many of OUR fans seem to believe.We’ve now closed the waiting list. Celtic fans will never tire of humping them.
I’m afraid that I have to disagree with you on that point,we don’t need them at all.Our season ticket sales didn’t drop off when they were on their “journey” what happened was that the board in their infinite wisdom sold of the cream of our players and replaced them with players of a lesser quality all you have to do is compare like for like and it’s easy to see that.
The team that Neil Lennon took to the Champions League last sixteen was stripped bare at the end of that season with Forster,Van Dyck,Wanyama,Ledley,Hooper and Matthews all sold off.
What most fans did was keep their season tickets and just didn’t go to the games because it was absolute dross to watch under Ronnie Delia and once enough of us stopped going they couldn’t open the top tier stands because of the lack of numbers.
Voting with our feet is all the board understand,when match day revenue falls of the cliff because only half of the season ticket holders don’t bother to turn up then they get the message and that’s what happened then.
Absolutely nothing to do with the disease in Scottish football not being there.I personally thought the landscape of Scottish football was a much nicer place and friendlier prior to them returning to the top tier so I wouldn’t miss them in the slightest.
Ah and the additional cost of implementing VAR 😂
They will pay SFA and the SFA will pay.
Ach, yer awful cynical !!!
#FreeTheBigOrangeCrane