Jimfanciesthedude 24,985 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 http://www.scotsman....p?articlepage=1Tom English: Self-styled No1 fan still the one who won't talk the talk EVEN before Craig Whyte removed him from the board on Monday evening, Alastair Johnston had a deep-seated suspicion about the new owner of Rangers. We can only guess how he is feeling now. There must have been considerable animus in the air the other night. Johnston, we can only assume, must have been furious. It was no surprise that Johnston spoke yesterday. As far as valedictory speeches go, though, his was a let-down. This was his chance to go nuclear in his war against Whyte, his opportunity to put meat on the bones of all those things he has been hinting at for a while now, all these comments he's made about Whyte maybe not being the right person to take Rangers forward, all that questioning of his motivation and his money.If Johnston had damaging information about Whyte, yesterday, in the hour of the former chairman's humiliation, was the time to produce it in one heavyweight interview. But he produced nothing bar more of the same. The same old generalisations expressed in the manner of the drama queen. "He needs to walk the walk and not just talk the talk," said Johnston. Funny, that. Some would argue that, when Whyte gave Lloyds Banking Group £18m, that was a fairly clear signal that he wasn't just a mouth almighty. We'll all see soon enough how he meets his promise of significant investment in the transfer market, but the £18m has already changed hands. It's done. Lloyds are virtually off Rangers' back. But Johnston seems to give Whyte no credit for that, which is odd because, until Whyte turned up, that's all Johnston seemed to be banging on about - the debt, the bank and the damage done.Rangers people will recall that when Johnston took over as chairman his stated ambition was to find an owner for the club. He spoke about it at length. He wanted to rid Rangers of debt by finding somebody among his fabulously-wealthy milieu who would buy the thing from Sir David Murray. Johnston found nobody. His great contribution to the ownership debate has been to try and scupper things. If he has had substantial misgivings about Whyte, he has not really elaborated on them. If he sees something hair-raising in Whyte's plan for the club he has not said what it is. Who's talking the talk and walking the walk in this story?All he said is that he wonders if Whyte has the money he says he has, while ignoring the fact that Whyte has already handed over £18m to get Rangers out of the financial pit that they were in. Johnston saw trouble in the Whyte proposal and yet he was apparently content with the flim-flam of Paul Murray's "bid". And yesterday we heard some pearlers from him. You could almost hear the cattiness in his voice when he spoke (yet again, just in case we missed it before) of his lifelong devotion to Rangers.He said he was a Rangers fan - "a real one". That's presumably a snide go at Whyte, who he may see as not a real fan at all, certainly not as real as Al. But then who is? Johnston has, more than once, called himself the club's "number one fan". So there you go, all you people spending your hard-earned money on season tickets and programmes and DVDs and jerseys and hats and scarves and flags, the man in America who pays for nothing says his devotion is greater.He says that the fans "need to remain vigilant and continue to exert pressure on Mr Whyte to support the club financially as he has publicly committed to do". Here's a question for Al. Does he think the Rangers fans are thick? If Whyte doesn't invest the money he has said he will invest, does Al think the fans won't notice? Does he reckon the average Bear will be sitting at Ibrox watching Davie Weir playing into his mid-40s and thinking "I know Whyte hasn't kept one of his promises, but I can't remember what it is"?"As far as I'm concerned," said Johnston, "the next time we see a photograph of him (Whyte] holding up the SPL trophy, let us all hope - especially me - that he has earned the right to do it.""Especially me." The number one fan, remember.Johnston reckons it's not what Whyte says that is the key thing, it's what he does. And with that insightful piece of analysis, he was gone.he seems to get stuck into AJ a wee bit, perhaps he is right to do so, perhaps not,still though, a good read Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ogbg 20 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 He certainly does.So this part:but the £18m has already changed hands. It's done.is that true? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzalivesforever 2,001 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Interesting read. Agree with everything he said about AJ. If AJ has some information regarding the authenticity of Craig Whyte and his ownership regime, then surely as self-proclaimed Rangers no1 fan, he has a duty to divulge such information. No? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mafia32 93 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Interesting read, I'm sure if AJ had proper proof regarding whyte he would have outed him by now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amac9 2,060 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 AJ strikes me as a bit of a gobshite. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Right_To_Censor 1,951 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 why should i listen to a guy who cares more about golf than he does about the rangers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spacecowboy 92 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 AJ strikes me as a bit of a gobshite.exactly this!Sour grapes! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralCartmanLee 313 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 AJ Tom English strikes me as a bit of a gobshite. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzalivesforever 2,001 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 AJ strikes me as a bit of a gobshite., again, i think its just bitterness. I firmly believe AJ had ambitions of gathering up some of his rich American friends and asking them to invest. Since he's failed to do so, his days of swanning around Ibrox and free entry in to the directors box are over. As Rangers no1 fan, he's going to have to pay just like the rest of us do. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCDBigBear 10,865 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 He certainly does.So this part:is that true?Yes it is true. The money has been paid. I went to the Lloyds AGM on 18th May at SECC and after I complained at that meeting about Lloyds treatment of Rangers FC, one of their board directors spoke to me after it and confirmed that Lloyds had been paid. I was actually a bit shocked because the Lloyds chairman actually apologised and the other director approached me at the end as I was leaving. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmartin809 4 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Spot on article saying what the majority of Gers fans think Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmo21 15 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Yes it is true. The money has been paid. I went to the Lloyds AGM on 18th May at SECC and after I complained at that meeting about Lloyds treatment of Rangers FC, one of their board directors spoke to me after it and confirmed that Lloyds had been paid. I was actually a bit shocked because the Lloyds chairman actually apologised and the other director approached me at the end as I was leaving.Interesting, but now worried this low poster will cause a 30 pager, lol! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueben_d 40 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 AJ talks more smoke and mirrors than moonbeam Minty himself.Glad to be shot of him if only to stop hearing his riddles and baffling statements. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespirit 14 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 http://www.scotsman....p?articlepage=1he seems to get stuck into AJ a wee bit, perhaps he is right to do so, perhaps not,still though, a good readGood read indeed, the facts are such that Mr Whyte has done more in few weeks for the club that AJ has done in his entire term. He talked a good game but really has/had nothing to offer. He tells us to beware of mr Whyte? At least ha has cleared our debt, our so we are led to believe. Seriously though, can things be any worse than they already were, dont think so Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wearethemighty 186 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 AJ did nothing for this club in his time here, good riddance, and Vain, finally we'll get rid of that idiot aswell.The problem I see the likes of MB PM and AJ have, is they see CW coming in and buying RFC effectively for £18M, which is pennies for a club of this stature, when the likes of DK have invested more than that in the past! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
j1mgg 3,766 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Nice to hear an arguement from the otherside. I can't wait till the start of the new season and we will really see what it is all about and who was right and who was wrong.One thing I am sure about and that was we needed some new faces on the board. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronniemca 479 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 no1 fan my fuckin arse.he'll go back to watching us on the tele in the pub in orlando BIG WAH.all this shit from a chairman who achieved the square root of fuck all during his tenure.as a business analyst said the other week "his performance at the last agm was the most amateur i have ever seen at a major company" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissg910 110 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 if aj had anything bad on whyte he would have said it yesterday.imo he has nothing and is raging he couldnt get the money together to buy rangers and realises he has missed out on a bargain, as for all the doom and gloom about mr whyte, well hes been in the picture for 7 months now and owned us for 1 month. no 1 has produced a story with proof that he is this dodgy character that so many have claimed. he has my 100% backing and the fact that he has swiftly removed aj ect has my blessing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Getstiffed 8,863 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Interesting read. Agree with everything he said about AJ. If AJ has some information regarding the authenticity of Craig Whyte and his ownership regime, then surely as self-proclaimed Rangers no1 fan, he has a duty to divulge such information. No?Without any legal mumbo jumbo stopping him from talking now I would agree with you 100%; Where's this evidence? All this smacks of a bitter old man who's last chance at owning/part owning the club is dead.If some bigger kid took my favourite toy, even though I do nothing but damage to it, I'd be just as gutted as him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillete 1,338 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Listen guys I'm not sticking up for him but just a few points to make clear AJ volunteered to chairman to help us outHe was still in Full time employment with his company and they let him swan off to be chairman when he should have been concentrating on his job not rangers He shouldn't have even been in the position to choose Rangers chairman is full time , nothing less I don't blame AJ as he was trying to help us whilst having other commitments It's the people who let this happen I'm angry atSomeone who was happy to let our club be run part time I'm sure we can all point the finger but I say ease off the guy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwhiteandblue 3,330 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Interesting read, I'm sure if AJ had proper proof regarding whyte he would have outed him by now!He's just a bitter old fuck who can no longer say "I'm am the chairman of one of the most important institutions in Scotland"All it ever was was and ego inflating title that he was honoured to have. Now he's just a nobody full of sour grapes. You can smell the anger in every word he say. Egotistic walloper that has never done anything to deserve it. Glad he's gone and I hope I never hear another word from him ever again.What he should have said was. " I'm am leaving Rangers football club, It was a honour to serve the club that is closest to my heart. The club finally has a new owner, which we have been striving to to achieve for the last five years. I am very grateful for my time at the club and hope to have left a legacy that will be remembered for years to come. Thanks to everyone connected to my time at the club and I wish them every success for the future"But he never, he just in the end got punted and his legacy will be that he was a bitter man who was supposed to step down gracefully on the 16th of may 2011, but clung on to his prestigious job that he couldn't bare to leave for so long that he had to be chucked out. You're an embarrassment to yourself, good riddance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plamf 39 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 If AJ is a Rangers fan then surely going 'nuclear' against the new ownership yesterday and providing the media all sorts of reasons to bring us down would not be wise. And maybe AJ has very little to criticise Whyte about in reality. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarcheVinny 1,003 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 AJ strikes me as a bit of a gobshite.Aye me too.Just bitching about Whyte for no reason it would seem...unless he really does have something up his sleeve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephenbelfast 3 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 IMO the old board where to interested in lining there pockets and keeping rangers at a manageable debt level which the club could barely survive but survive enough where people like bain could earn vast salary's off the back of loyal fans and a club which deserved more . There leech's and we now have someone who in my eyes has put his hand in his pocket and cleared most of the debt and if he remains true to his word and invests in the team then i think the guy needs to be given a chance. Reality is we are still in a bad situation as a league in general we are a selling club to England and further afield but at least now we wont be held to ransom and sell are young players at cut prices do to the crippling bank control so in turn the future is bright with excellent youth facility's and a new board who cleared our debt and plans to invest in the team and a manager who is a die hard blue nose a great fan base and we are in a better position now than we have been in the past 6 or 7 years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLUEDIGNITY 33,715 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 tom english is a cunt, a bheggar with a keyboard who will print anything to go to the mix with Rangers and their fans. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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