the goal machine Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 THE red-faced Rangers directors who launched a sensational blast at Craig Whyte's takeover of the club have performed a stunning U-turn.Amid unprecedented scenes late on Friday night, the Independent Board Committee at Ibrox slammed Whyte's bid - just one hour and 47 minutes after he had sealed the deal to become the new Gers owner.In a statement which was posted on the official club website the committee openly questioned Whyte's ability to fund Rangers and deal with a potential tax bill of around £40million.The board included chairman Alistair Johnston chief executive Martin Bain, club legend John Greig, former chair John McClelland and finance director Donald McIntyre.SunSport can now reveal that when they met their new boss at Ibrox for the first time on Saturday a number of them DENIED putting their name to the damning statement.A source last night revealed: "There was a lot backtracking going on."A few of them said they had NO KNOWLEDGE of the statement - which sounds hard to believe."A few of them know they are on the way out."Their days of running Rangers are going to be over."Whyte is planning a dramatic clearout of the big names in the Ibrox boardroom.The tycoon - who finally completed his £52.5m takeover last week - is furious at some directors' criticism of his proposals.Whyte said: "I was surprised and disappointed by the statement. It is complete and utter nonsense and they know it's nonsense."I think that maybe certain individuals have some different agendas."Obviously people enjoy their positions within the club and they don't want change."Those directors I have spoken to have told me they were not in favour of that statement going out."It seems certain that Whyte will now AXE Bain - who sat next to him during Saturday's 4-0 SPL win over Hearts.Big names McClelland, McIntyre and Greatest Ever Ranger Greig are also in the firing line.Greig, though, could now be offered a role of club ambassador similar to the one which is occupied by SunSport columnist and Lisbon Lions legend Billy McNeill at Celtic.South Africa-based Dave King and accountant Paul Murray - who were behind a rival bid designed to scupper Whyte's swoop - are facing the axe too and US-based Johnston has announced that he will be stepping down on May 16.The corridors of power at Ibrox are now facing a major overhaul.Respected turnaround specialist Donald Muir has completed his work of stabilising the finances at his boyhood heroes and will now swap his Gers blazer for a scarf again on matchdays.QuantcastADGRPID:|SERVTYPE:QuantcastMike McGill joined him in departing the boardroom after the deal from Whyte they had supported and helped smooth the way for was finally signed and sealed.There is no question that Friday night's bitter Battle of Ibrox poisoned Whyte's first hours in charge of the club.Yet, despite the boardroom unrest, Whyte could not hide his delight as he finally seized control of Gers.Whyte said: "This is a dream come true - but the hard work starts here. I am a Rangers fan and there is a lot of heart in what I'm doing."This is certainly not a vanity acquisition. First and foremost I see Rangers as a commercial venture."Securing the long-term future of the club is the most important thing."Motherwell-born businessman Whyte was joined in the directors box for the Hearts game by his dad, Tom, and his advisers - including Phil Betts, who has joined Whyte on the Ibrox board.SunSport can also reveal that the former Tynecastle commercial director Ali Russell is also poised to join the Whyte revolution.Russell - who joined the Jambos in 2005 after quitting as Scottish Rugby Union's head of marketing - has been Queens Park Rangers' deputy managing director since January 2008.He too was with Whyte at Ibrox on Saturday.Also part of Whyte's negotiating team in Edinburgh last Friday were solicitors Gary Withey and William Lee from legal firm Collyer Bristow - whose London HQ is the registered office of Whyte's Wavetower Limited company that officially bought over Rangers.They were also backed in the talks by David Grier, a partner in MCR, a London firm that specialises in corporate turnarounds.Whyte said: "Just after the deal was done we opened a few bottles of bubbly to celebrate. It was a mix of relief and elation."The last 48 hours before we got over the line were very tense."I pinched myself when I realised that the deal had been signed.The size of what I was involved in fully hit me on the train on the way back to Glasgow."I was approached by fans wanting to shake my hand and to have their photographs taken with me. I have never felt or even experienced anything like this before."I thought, 'ah, so this is what it will be like as the owner of Rangers.' It will be life in the goldfish bowl from now on."It's momentous and I feel very privileged."SunSport understands there will be NO decison on which board members will be axed until the end of the season.Whyte instead is adamant that Walter Smith and his players are now left to negotiate the final two matches of their titanic title struggle with Celtic without any further turmoil in the boardroom to be a distraction to the side.Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3569669/It-wasnt-us-Craig-HONEST.html#ixzz1Lo284eIn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Laff's Dodgy Barnett Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseyjones Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 First and foremost, I see Rangers as a commercial venture.Hmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the goal machine Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 Hmmm.Could be a good thing. Marketing, networking, merchandise could all improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 Hmmm.Can only really see this as a good thing. Expand Rangers commercially as a brand and continue to be successful if that is to be the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM1872 Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 Could be a good thing. Marketing, networking, merchandise could all improve.This He already said in his first interview he was looking to raise the brand awareness etc. which would be fucking brilliant as right now, and under the previous regime, we were limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlenH79 Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 Hmmm.Better to be run like a proper business than the leaky ship which we had for the previous 5-6 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfcfraserrfc Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 The Board are just embarrassing Trying to keep their jobs by saying Whyte doesn't have the money Now they are sucking up his arse Pathetic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseyjones Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 Could be a good thing. Marketing, networking, merchandise could all improve.First and foremost Rangers are a football team, is what most 'fans' would say. I'm certainly not against seeing vast improvements in what you listed, but only to improve the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilstonloyal Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 bain out and another tosser in prob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the goal machine Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 First and foremost Rangers are a football team, is what most 'fans' would say. I'm certainly not against seeing vast improvements in what you listed, but only to improve the club.And I think he'll leave that to the manager, players and coaches to ensure we stay successful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseyjones Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Better to be run like a proper business than the leaky ship which we had for the previous 5-6 years.We have been run like a proper business in the last 2-3 years and everyone has been moaning like fuck. I'm all for improving every aspect of the club, but owning The Rangers should not simply be regarded as a money making scheme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseyjones Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 This He already said in his first interview he was looking to raise the brand awareness etc. which would be fucking brilliant as right now, and under the previous regime, we were limited.The 'brand awareness' is linked to two things. The SPL and JJB, none of which are doing us any good, and we won't be parting company with either of them any time soon. This limits any great global expansion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebooler Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Hmmm.Christ this being right is becoming a habit. Boardroom members against the takeover for fear of losing their seats of high importance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM1872 Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 The 'brand awareness' is linked to two things. The SPL and JJB, none of which are doing us any good, and we won't be parting company with either of them any time soon. This limits any great global expansion.It's also linked to our sponsors. We really need to be bringing in some more sponsors for the advertising boards round the pitch.Today, I saw MU advertise Turkish Airlines and stuff! All we seem to be advertising on ours is Fergusson Coal or whatever it is The JJB deal is surely running out soon? and their in a bit of financial trouble so wouldn't it be in the clubs best interests going forward to seek alternatives? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlenH79 Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 We have been run like a proper business in the last 2-3 years and everyone has been moaning like fuck. I'm all for improving every aspect of the club, but owning The Rangers should not simply be regarded as a money making scheme.ahaha, true I suppose I was a little inaccurate there ill clarify - I hope we can expand and grow, increasing global recognition of our brand, proper marketing, having money to spend on players, but maintain good sense, don't be spending millions, take opportunities and mostly, keeping Rangers financially stable, we have came far too close to seeing the utter ruin of the club we love. So in that sense, treating Rangers as a business first and a personal dream second can only be good., ill forever love Murray for all the good times, but his policy of personal dream first, brought us so perilously close to the abyss. I see your concern about us being used simply as a money spinner, however, having read Whytes quotes so far, im inclined to think he will have the clubs best interests at heart, we can but wait and hope . I'm optimistic, excited about the future, i haven't felt like this for a while now so im glad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseyjones Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Christ this being right is becoming a habit. Boardroom members against the takeover for fear of losing their seats of high importance? What's that got to do with my quote? I'm no defender of those who were in there with Murray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davy1shoe Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 This He already said in his first interview he was looking to raise the brand awareness etc. which would be fucking brilliant as right now, and under the previous regime, we were limited.Limited its dire under previous regime you cant nothing outside Glasgow unlike the manks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck_Fickens Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Well, this is what a lot of people were looking forward to, a total clear out of the dead wood behind the scenes. Exciting times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BawdeepLoyal Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Good to see. Fresh ideas, different faces, more drive to succeed off the park leading to more money available for on the park purposes. That will do me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozblue Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Hmmm.Casey! I think that if we read that statement in the way I think Whyte meant it to be taken, It means that he will do everything to help the club progress, without us getting into the financial mess we were in,ever again by reckless spending and doing stupid transfer deals of players coming in, and leaving without us getting proper compensation for themAt least,I hope that's what he meant. I must admit though,mate! I'm still very very dubious about Ellis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigRFC. Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 It's also linked to our sponsors. We really need to be bringing in some more sponsors for the advertising boards round the pitch.Today, I saw MU advertise Turkish Airlines and stuff! All we seem to be advertising on ours is Fergusson Coal or whatever it is The JJB deal is surely running out soon? and their in a bit of financial trouble so wouldn't it be in the clubs best interests going forward to seek alternatives?That's because they are on TV far more than us at home.We get 2 games against them and another one or two.Man United get Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City etc.. on TV at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebooler Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 What's that got to do with my quote? I'm no defender of those who were in there with Murray.It saved me sending a text....................................................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebooler Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Casey! I think that if we read that statement in the way I think Whyte meant it to be taken, It means that he will do everything to help the club progress, without us getting into the financial mess we were in,ever again by reckless spending and doing stupid transfer deals of players coming in, and leaving without us getting proper compensation for themAt least,I hope that's what he meant. I must admit though,mate! I'm still very very dubious about Ellis.Casey's face is always blue mate...............................................wae the wind constantly blawin oan it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseyjones Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 It saved me sending a text.......................................................Cheap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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