In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity

[Frankie 505]

Forgot to post this last week but its point remains relevant.

'In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity' - Albert Enstein

After a week of panic, negativity and speculation, I think it's time to be a bit more positive about our club's future.

First of all though, let's not beat about the bush, the situation we find our club in is a deeply concerning one. Indeed, since Rangers was formed 140 years ago, there has perhaps not been a time where the very future of the club has been under threat like it is now. Sure, our club has had it's fair share of tragedy which puts financial worries in perspective, but the club has never really been close to ceasing to exist. This means we are in uncharted waters so the utmost care has to be taken to navigate our way out of trouble.

The problem is do we really have a captain skilled enough to do this? After all, since the tail end of the 1990s, the club has been in debt and it seems some found dubious tax practices and misleading the support was the best way to minimise this debt while remaining competitive on the field. A risky (or even illegal?) strategy which has now caught up with us in real style. So much so that the most embarrassing episode in the club's history is now a living nightmare for any Rangers minded person.

Of course we can play the blame game and we'd be entitled to. (Sir) David Murray may have impressed the majority of our support with his grandiose proclamations at the turn of the century but it's now just a matter of time before his real cowardly legacy is laid bare for everyone to see. To risk our proud club's long term future for the sake of a less than honourable tax scheme was not only a stupid gamble but has now become unforgivable (win or lose the outstanding tribunals). Instead of Murray Park being truly a place his contribution could be remembered forever, the quicker the name on the gate is changed, the better. Whyte won't be the name of choice though.

Since the current owner assumed control last May, he and the club have stumbled from one controversy to the next. It's no longer debatable that administration (and perhaps pre-pack liquidation) was always his strategy for 'turning round' the company but the manner in which he has went about his business has now become beyond unpalatable for many fans. Be it hiding his 'colourful' past from the support to outright lying to our faces, Whyte's strategy may ultimately be a successful one (preferred creditor, debts removed, new club starting afresh) but, patsy or not, the shorter the period this guy is associated with Rangers, the better.

Obviously I could spend all day castigating others who have contributed to this unsightly saga but we now have to try and look forward instead of back. Unfortunately, the problem of a suitable leader remains. Paul Murray et al may be saying the right things but his own part in the club's recent history is open to debate. Similarly, there may be other interested buyers but can we really trust these people to look after the best interests of the club?

For too long the Rangers support have been (often all too willingly it must be said) used and abused by those in control. Upwards of 35,000 season ticket holders a season for the last 20+ years and a long history of devotion and loyalty means the fans are the club. But we have minimal say in its direction.

Yes, we want (nay demand) regular success. Yes, we can be fickle and unrealistic. Yes, some will not accept the era of spending £10million+ in transfer windows is long gone. But for those faults our commitment remains an unmatched constant throughout. Yet we have a minimal input into where our money goes. That must change.

For what it's worth, I'm unsure how well fan ownership would work. I support the idea in principle and such schemes have worked positively in a variety of sports and countries. Be it Barcelona or the Green Bay Packers, community-based membership trusts can own and run clubs effectively. Scottish football may not hold the same sway as La Liga or the NFL but the sheer scale of the Rangers support means the avenue must be explored as a way of offering something agreeable for the future.

Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Currently it's Groundhog Day in the press with fan reps and potential buyers eager to point towards fan ownership. We heard all this last year when the club was up for sale then. Has more work gone into investigating if such ideas can really work or are they just appropriate sound-bite comfort blankets in a time of fear?

Let's be frank. To avoid the same mistakes being made again, the Rangers support must demand to be part of any future club board. The most credible way of doing this is by working together to prove we're not just capable of it in a practical skills sense but financially as well.

As such, while this remains a great time of difficulty for the club, there does indeed lie a great opportunity. We should not under-estimate what our ourselves and our club are capable of. Yes, this is a period of huge uncertainty but if we work together and put our differences aside then we really can maintain the ambitions and success we've always had.

We're fond of using the phrase 'We are the people'. There has never been a better time to justify it.

[Phil 1,150]

Fantastic. Agree 100%. We are the people, who shall separate us?

[RFC55 110,351]

Frankie welcome back mate! A good read and will reply with questions etc on my lunch

[StudsLonniegan 9]

We might have a better idea of the future if paul murray or any others thinking of investing would tell us whither this decision will be made before or after the tribunal verdict, for my money it is a racing certainty it will be after, if we lose the tribunal these people will pick up our club for maybe even less than Whyte did, when in those circumstances it should be the fans who get first refusal to take the club on and run it.

[Guardian 4,281]

We need a new broom and a clean sweep.

We must take this opportunity to get everything out in the open and dealt with so we know where we are.

These daily revelations must run out soon and we'll then be looking at a post admin Rangers, hopefully with a new owner(s) and manageable debt.

The tax case has been at the root of all this grief and we really need to find out where we are with it. Nobody will touch us until we do.

I just hope it's not anyone from the old board.

We don't need any more charlatans at Ibrox.

[Edmiston Drive 3,846]

Frankie welcome back mate! A good read and will reply with questions etc on my lunch

What have you got on your pieces (Glasgow in thing)

[Bears r us 31,000]

Very good post Frankie, and good to see you back on RM.

In my opinion it needs someone like Walter Smith to front 'a fans buy out'/'greater involvement in the running of our club', but whether he would be interested to take on the that roll I do not know. I would assume people who know him will be asking if he would be willing to front such a scheme.

[Frankie 505]

We might have a better idea of the future if paul murray or any others thinking of investing would tell us whither this decision will be made before or after the tribunal verdict, for my money it is a racing certainty it will be after, if we lose the tribunal these people will pick up our club for maybe even less than Whyte did, when in those circumstances it should be the fans who get first refusal to take the club on and run it.

It would be foolhardy for anyone to make their move until after that and the administrator's full report.

However, that doesn't mean work can't go ahead in the background to see what is possible. Indeed, that should have been happening over the last year in any case.

[StudsLonniegan 9]

It would be foolhardy for anyone to make their move until after that and the administrator's full report.

However, that doesn't mean work can't go ahead in the background to see what is possible. Indeed, that should have been happening over the last year in any case.

I would suggest that the tribunal decision is in reality more important, if we win it there will be an almighty scramble, if we lose it there will also be an almighty scramble by the waiting vultures.

[DietofWorms 2,067]

Good post Frankie. As confused and frustrated as I am over the current developments...it would appear that an opportunity for fan ownership may arise, and to be honest if we are going to struggle for a few seasons it would be better to have fans running the club during this 'transitional period'.

Perhaps we get to be Gallant Pioneers once again?

[Frankie 505]

Good post Frankie. As confused and frustrated as I am over the current developments...it would appear that an opportunity for fan ownership may arise, and to be honest if we are going to struggle for a few seasons it would be better to have fans running the club during this 'transitional period'.

Perhaps we get to be Gallant Pioneers once again?

Fair point mate. Fan ownership is easier said than done though so it will need a well-thought out proposal and clarity from interested parties to make it credible and workable.

FWIW, I just made that point in a short TV interview with Sky Sports News which may be broadcast later with a bit of luck. Be gentle!

[TheNuts 552]

we will get through this, and emerge a stronger club. we are the people!

[laudrupno1 3,932]

Great post mate

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

Good post Frankie

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

For once I 100% agree - our real battle is making sure our 'Guardians' have our Long Term best interests at heart - but like you I am unclear of what mechanism we could employ to do so.

When I grew my own company we were bought by a company listed on the american NASDAQ (and I worked there for a year afterwards). One of the most onerous things on the company was you had to make a public quartely posting of figures/accounts (both financial statements and associated commentary - every NASDAQ listed company has to do this) and it had to be done within 3 weeks (IIRC) of the Quarters end. Now it made it a tough regime for the financial chaps and the sales people because there was no hiding place everyone could see your figures, sales levels, cash burn/surplus etc. A quartely issuing of the accounts would provide transparency to everyone on how the club was being run and any associated risks. (Annual accounts - issued 9 months after the year end offer no protection as we have found).

If we took this route and did have some sort of fan input there could be financial covnatants but upon the management of the club. (Cash to debt ratio's; wages to turnover.... etc etc.)

It will take a strict, and transparent regime, to makes us, the fans have some faith in whomever becomes our custodian.

Do it like this and then we can get back to arguing about the football/bbc/daily record and somesort of normality in life - untill we have this all other arguments should be minor.

[colinh58 8]

I agree that in every adversity there is an opportunity. So much of the comment over the last week has been directed at who people think are to blame when we should be looking forward to the future. We cannot change the past but can influence where we go from here.

Our club will be saved, I have no doubt about that - far too many people care too deeply about it for there to be any other outcome, the only questions to be answered are; When will be free of administration? How much will it cost? & Who will be in control?

We do need to be looking beyond the short term saving of the club & think where we expect to be in 10 or 20 years time, because it is the long term vision which decides what we need to do immediately. In my opinion the worst case scenario is not that the club will fold, but that we will emerge from adminstration and carry on much as before. We have had a great 140 years as Scotland's most succesful club, but the time is here to draw a line & move on to the future. That cannot be within the Scottish League set up. We could emerge from administration, have a few years of misery lagging behind Pacific Shelf 595 Limited whilst we recover, and the have nothing further to look forward to than years of mediocrity, being succesful at home but struggling to make an impact on the European stage because of the financial straightjacket that the Scottish League has become.

If we are to struggle for a few years, it would be better to do this in the lower divisions of the English League set up & at least have a worthwhile prize at the end of the tunnel. Any party thinking of taking over the running of the club needs to look seriously at the mechanism for doing this. It has to be done if we have serious ambitions of becoming a major club again.