Scroooge McColl attacks Charlie, rheb interview.

[bawsburst 1,381]

JIM MCCOLL has launched a blistering attack on Charles Green, accusing him of pushing Rangers to the brink of another financial disaster.

And he insisted the Yorkshireman does not deserve to squeeze a penny more out of his cut-price Ibrox buy-out.

McColl spoke exclusively to Record Sport yesterday in an attempt to slap Green down after the former chief executive appeared on a number of TV stations demanding to be paid £14million for a 28 per cent stake in the club. Green’s media onslaught was a premeditated plan to ridicule McColl’s move to wipe out the current boardroom, even though the Scot has the backing of a huge percentage of the institutional shareholders who are the club’s majority shareholders, as well as that of Walter Smith who stood down as chairman on Monday.

But McColl came back with all guns blazing as he explained why he won’t be “bullied” into handing over any of his own personal fortune in order to oust Green and his cohorts.

And why he believes this bitter battle for control of Rangers will be won by his group without Green getting rich on the back of it.

McColl said: “People may well say, ‘Hold on you’re Jim McColl. Why don’t you just hand over £14m and buy the club from him?’ Obviously I find that frustrating because it’s just not as simple as that.

“There is a bigger job here to safeguard the future of the club – it’s not about lining Charles Green’s pockets. It’s about cleaning up the mess these people have created and doing what is right for Rangers.

“My own professional commitments prevent me from coming in lock, stock and barrel because I have a duty to the people with whom I do business. But my money is not necessary here.

“That’s the point many people are missing, Green included. This was never going to be a buy-out or a takeover. This is just a matter of ensuring the club is run correctly by people who have Rangers’ interests at heart.

“Because I have my own business to concentrate on I have stayed out of this situation in the past. But things are now so serious that someone has to step in. I couldn’t see anyone else doing it and couldn’t stand back and watch it going over the cliff.

“But I’m also not prepared to give £14m to Green. I wouldn’t give that man a penny and I would encourage no one else to give money to him because he’s just an opportunist. He has his eyes on the big prize and wants to walk away with a couple of million.

“But the feeling is, even among people who know these guys and how they go about their business, that they have been too greedy and it will come back and bite them. They are not smart enough to carry it off.”

Green, though, appears determined to make one final stand in order to make millions from the club he bought on the cheap last summer, paying just £5.5m to buy its assets.

He said: “What I’d say to Jim McColl – the world’s richest Scotsman – is to put £14m into a bank account by Friday and my consortium will deliver 20 million shares which is about 28 per cent of the club.

“Then I will know he’s serious about it.

“He will then have invested some cash into the club he wants to run but he won’t do it without putting some money on the table and in the last 18 months none of them have done it.”

McColl has demanded the removal of chief executive Craig Mather, finance director Brian Stockbridge and non-executive director Bryan Smart from the board. He and the institutional investors who joined him in signing a requisition for an EGM want former Blue Knights leader Paul Murray and financial high-flyer Frank Blin to be appointed as directors.

But McColl has advised both Murray and Blin to keep their hands in their pockets until Green has gone for good.

He said: “We would all be open to accusations of trying to buy Rangers on the cheap. That’s not what this is about.

“This is about trying to do the right thing.

“In my village if bullies came in the whole village would get together to sort them out and send them packing. That’s what we are doing.”

And Murray said last night: “The shareholders own Rangers Football Club, not Green.

“These shareholders have demanded change because of the financial mismanagement of the club since it raised £23m from the IPO.

“No one in their right mind is going to pay money to Green.”

JIM MCCOLL is a man in a hurry. By his reckoning there are just 36 days left to save Rangers from20 years of further financial pain and suffering.

The clock began ticking last Thursday when McColl, along with a group of London-based institutions who share his worst fears, demanded an EGM in order to wipe out the current Ibrox board and remove Charles Green and his cohorts from power.

The men running Rangers now have over a fortnight left to make these changes – booting Brian Stockbridge, Craig Mather and Bryan Smart out of the boardroom and appointing Paul Murray and Frank Blin as directors in their place.

If not then a bloodbath of a general meeting will be triggered and the proposals put to the vote three weeks later.

McColl, one of Scotland’s wealthiest business experts, is convinced his side will not lose. More importantly, however, he is just as certain that this is a battle Rangers can’t afford to see him lose.

Which is why he broke cover yesterday to explain to Record Sport his part in this latest brutal conflict.

He said simply: “If we don’t act now to get rid of Green and the clique which has been supporting him this club is in danger of going into a very dark place.

“It could take 10 to 20 years to repair the damage they are doing and I cannot and will not sit back and allow that to happen.

“That’s why I have decided to step into this and do whatever I can in the name of Rangers. Let’s all be very clear here, it’s a battle I do not intend to lose.

“This football club means a great deal to me. It’s an iconic Scottish business with a fantastic future which can not be put at risk any longer by a small clique of people who wish to benefit themselves.

“What we are watching here is a group of opportunists from another country who have absolutely no emotional attachment to Rangers – and no interest in how the club performs – but who have spotted an opportunity to try to make a quick buck.

HONESTY

“They’ve had their fun. It’s time for them to go.”

McColl has received the full backing of nine-in-a-row manager Walter Smith, who chose to quit his post as chairman on Monday after failing to block Green’s return to the club as a consultant.

Smith also believes the men in charge of his club must be driven out of office and believes that between them, McColl, Murray and Blin have the honesty and acumen required to drag Rangers back from the brink of another financial disaster before Insolvency II comes calling.

Green yesterday attempted to ridicule this plan by calling on McColl to hand over £14m and pick up the keys to the front door on Friday.

The Yorkshireman also emphasised repeatedly that McColl and Murray had previously failed to stump up the money to save Rangers from his clutches and from those of previous owner Craig Whyte.

But McColl is adamant there is no need for any more money to change hands in order to seize control.

In fact, as a point of principle, he does not want to see Green make another penny out of the chaos the former chief executive has worked so hard to create.

He added: “Look, it’s pretty straightforward. All this talk about handing over £14m is designed to cause Rangers supporters further confusion, many of whom are understandably struggling to keep up with events inside the club.

“We have called for an EGM and if it goes to a general meeting they will be turfed out. It doesn’t have to go to a general meeting – they can agree to do it and save the club a lot of money and a lot of time.

“That would be the honourable thing to do – to walk away. Eventually they can sell their shares for a huge profit and thank god they got away with it.

“But if they don’t they will be forced out anyway and they realise that. The process has already begun and they are running out of time.

“We submitted the requisition last Thursday. They have 21 days from that date to accept the requisition and make the changes asked for. If they do not do it, under company law, because we have more than five per cent of the shareholders signing it, we can requisition a general meeting ourselves. It will then be out of their hands. There would then be another 21 days notice before the meeting could take place.

“So, from last Thursday, they had 42 days left. The best thing they can do is walk away now and allow us to build up a competent board. Allow us to put proper people in there to run a club of this standing.”

STABILITY

McColl fears that, without these changes, the big hitters who ploughed £17m into the Rangers IPO in December will run for the hills, selling their shares to anyone at knockdown prices in a desperate attempt to cut their losses. The shares they bought at 70p have almost halved in value in just seven months.

And with very little of the total £23m which was raised from that flotation still left in the bank (estimates were as low as £7m towards the end of last season) McColl knows the money is running out. He has been assured by the biggest investors they will be prepared to help finance his planned clear-out. That, if more of their cash is required to secure the club’s long-term stability, they will hand it over. But only on condition Green and his men are sent packing.

McColl added: “Green will probably try to do something to protect his own interests. I find it a joke that he has already returned as a consultant to take even more money out of the company. His role is supposedly to advise Rangers and help them with the shareholders.

“But it’s the shareholders who want Green out. Any shareholder worth his salt would not give him another penny. I understand he is trying to raise more money right now, perhaps with people in the Middle East. So he’s up to something but I am here to make sure he doesn’t get back in.

“He may even want to get back on the board and make himself chairman but, as I understand it, he would need to have the approval of the SFA. I don’t think he would get that approval.

“I would be prepared to lobby the SFA myself to tell them why he shouldn’t be allowed back in.

“It’s time people acted to protect Rangers, that is my only intention.

“Make no mistake, this is as serious as it gets.

“The investors have run out of patience and are not willing to support the club financially unless these changes are made. That’s why it must be sorted out.

“The next few weeks could be the most crucial in the history of the football club. There is no doubt about that in my mind.”

[Carsons Dog 9,878]

“That’s why I have decided to step into this and do whatever I can in the name of Rangers. Let’s all be very clear here, it’s a battle I do not intend to lose."

Except put my hand in my pocket

[Sket 13,610]

If McColl wants to be involved with us he should put his fucking money where his mouth is. Sick of hearing about this cunt. He has had many chances to invest but clearly has no intention. Jim McColl can fuck off.

[JamieG54 812]

Wow

[bigblueyonder 11,156]

McColl fears that, without these changes, the big hitters who ploughed £17m into the Rangers IPO in December will run for the hills, selling their shares to anyone at knockdown prices in a desperate attempt to cut their losses. The shares they bought at 70p have almost halved in value in just seven months.

why not you be the one that buys their shares at a knockdown price? If you want control so badly

[Clemdog 39,389]

Stopped reading here :

But things are now so serious that someone has to step in. I couldn’t see anyone else doing it and couldn’t stand back and watch it going over the cliff.

Is he for real?! It was at it's most serious last Summer and you still didn't do fuck all.

Put up or shut up!

[TheCutch 4,340]

This is all doing my fucking nut in!!

I just wish somebody would put an end to all this infighting and give us our FOOTBALL Club back......

[dan_ger 1,454]

That there is fighting talk.

[SkiBunny 441]

“That’s why I have decided to step into this and do whatever I can in the name of Rangers. Let’s all be very clear here, it’s a battle I do not intend to lose."

Except put my hand in my pocket

If McColl wants to be involved with us he should put his fucking money where his mouth is. Sick of hearing about this cunt. He has had many chances to invest but clearly has no intention. Jim McColl can fuck off.

Did neither of you read the fucking article???

You both seriously miss the point which is worrying.

[Moody Blue Legend 61,341]

Going to be messy by the look of it. Papers wet dream, again.

[jintybear 8,536]

I can't stand this anymore! We need answers. Is our club in the brink again? Why won't McColl invest money? Why has he came in and caused this mayhem?

I'm really worried about this

[bombaybadboy08 15,660]

I wish he would just fuck off.

[Thewhitesettler 2,711]

It's getting more, & more difficult every passing day to work out who is the best man for Rangers.

There are too many factions ripping the heart & soul out of the club I love

[bawsburst 1,381]

Charlie will be giving a reply the content of which will be straight to the point, reiterating that the hostile potless bottle merchants are in the Glasgow vernacular all wind and pish.

[dan_ger 1,454]

Green has stated before that if the shareholders don't want him there they can sack him. Looks like McColl is prepared to go one step further.

As I said yesterday, it's not about putting money in. It was the share issue that made all the clubs working capital. When Greens sells up he makes a profit on his shares, so his investment is irrelevant.

[SkiBunny 441]

I can't stand this anymore! We need answers. Is our club in the brink again? Why won't McColl invest money? Why has he came in and caused this mayhem?

I'm really worried about this

Why would he invest anymore money??

[bawsburst 1,381]

I can't stand this anymore! We need answers. Is our club in the brink again? Why won't McColl invest money? Why has he came in and caused this mayhem?

I'm really worried about this

Lots of egg will be getting wiped when the accounts arrive.

[dan_ger 1,454]

I can't stand this anymore! We need answers. Is our club in the brink again? Why won't McColl invest money? Why has he came in and caused this mayhem?

I'm really worried about this

He answers those questions in the interview he OP posted.

[Sket 13,610]

Did neither of you read the fucking article???

You both seriously miss the point which is worrying.

No I didn't fucking read it,did you read my fucking post?

Sick of hearing about this cunt,who has nothing to do with my club talking about my club.

[bawsburst 1,381]

Why would he invest anymore money??

You really did miss the point didn't you.

[dan_ger 1,454]

Looks like McColl is very serious about this. The wheels are in motion.

[God save charles green 73]

Excuse the user name I wish i could change it but I will make this my last post.Charles Green has to go and the statement from Jim Mc Coll says everything anyone with any doubts needs to know.If you cant see this then then your blind.Jim Mc Coll does not want Green taking anymore money out the club and is actually trying to save us and I would urge evryone to get behind this and let Green know that he is no longer welcome and should never darken our door again.

[SkiBunny 441]

No I didn't fucking read it,did you read my fucking post?

Sick of hearing about this cunt,who has nothing to do with my club talking about my club.

Nothing to do with your club??

He's a shareholder !!!!!!!!!!!

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

I have been suggesting for days now that the Rangers support should see a set of published audited accounts to either confirm or end this constant speculation/scare/rumour mongering.

I presume Mr McColl has been privy to this in order to qualify the allegations he has made ?

[rossco87 678]

Surely both sides now realise they need to stop the mud slinging match and come out with facts and figures if they want to win the hearts and minds of the Rangers support.

Green's statement last night made some attempt to address this, but was mainly the bluster we have become accustomed to.

Unfortunately it seems that TBK Mk2, and particularly McColl in this statement, also seem unable to make comment in a clear and concise manner. I am sorry but using terms like "It could take 10 to 20 years to repair the damage they are doing" and "Make no mistake, this is as serious as it gets." without any credible information to back those statements up seems like an attempt to spread panic and fear amongst the support to try and win backing.