tartansmokie 36 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 ..Rangers in crisis: Ibrox star Lee McCulloch offers to play for free as administrators prepare to wield the axe Mar 5 2012 Exclusive by James Traynor and Keith Jackson LEE McCULLOCH last night offered to play for Rangers for free until the club has emerged from its financial crisis.And Record Sport understands the veteran has also made it clear that, even though he could end up more than a quarter of a million pounds out of pocket, he will not expect any of his money back after the club is in the hands of new owners.The extraordinary move will place the administrators under enormous pressure not to bullet McCulloch this morning when they arrive at Murray Park to start tapping manager Ally McCoist’s players on the shoulder as part of a swingeing cost-cutting plan to save £1m a month.We can also reveal that McCoist has agreed to sign an identical deal to help spare as many of his players as possible from the firing squad.But McCulloch’s remarkable pledge to pay to play for the jersey – waiving his contractual right to a wage of around £20,000 a week, while placing himself at risk of injury – may even have stunned the men from Duff and Phelps who had placed his name on a list of 11 top targets.McCulloch instructed Players’ Union chief Fraser Wishart to make the formal offer to the administrators yesterday as the clock ticked down to this morning’s expected Murray Park cull.We understand at least four other players have also been in talks with Wishart over the weekend, offering to do what they can to help save jobs.But the 33-year-old is the only one so far who has volunteered to go without any kind of pay. Union bosses were furious on Friday when the administrators turned down an offer for the entire playing staff to take 75 per cent deferrals on their wages.They believe the money that would have saved would have been more than enough to keep the club in business until the end of the season.And they warned any compromise deals will be removed if even one of McCoist’s men is shown the door today. They have also been angered by a warning from the administrators that, even after some contracts have been terminated, huge mandatory pay cuts could still be enforced on those players who remain. The news of McCulloch’s pledge came as Paul Murray, whose Blue Knights consortium is believed to be the club’s best hope of avoiding liquidation, was in talks with the administrators, urging them to limit the job losses.Murray met with top brass from Duff and Phelps at Ibrox on Saturday to continue his efforts to rescue Rangers from the hands of disgraced owner Craig Whyte.After learning of McCulloch’s intentions last night Murray pleaded with the money men to see sense.The former Deutsche Bank high-flyer told Record Sport: “If it is true that one of our players has offered to make such a massive financial sacrifice for the good of the club the administrators are professionally and morally obliged to accept it.“My first reaction to this is that Lee McCulloch epitomises everything that Rangers Football Club is about. It’s about people like Lee and Ally McCoist – people who love the club and are prepared to do anything they can to defend the club and to save the club. It’s an incredible gesture.”McCoist wants as many of his players as possible to be saved as he bids to secure a second-place finish in the SPL, worth around £900,000.McCulloch has emerged as a key man, having played as a stand-in striker after the sale of Nikica Jelavic to Everton and injuries to Kyle Lafferty and Steven Naismith. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossS1873 1,750 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Well done super Lee Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kp501 6 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 lovely stuff, plus very clever on Lee's part. he's just kept himself in a job he would probably have been forced to leave today. Any of the others who reckon they'll be cut should do the same Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creampuff 22,628 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Surreal.Although, of he's actually on 20k a week thats a disaster. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
God Bless The Papac 32 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Legend for doing this i know its easy for us to say "aye a would play for free aswell" but its obvious lee has made enough money to say look 4 months left lets save another guys job for the club i love. he plays centre half he plays centre mid lee mcculloch should play for madrid :McCulloch: Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kp501 6 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Surreal.Although, of he's actually on 20k a week thats a disaster.never actually thought about that... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kp501 6 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 One thing though, are the administrators meant to make cuts which theoretically will keep us in business IF we don't find a buyer, if true then maybe they'll just cut him anyway? Save paying that 20k next year.End of the day, they don't know if we'll have a buyer in time for next season?Still a great gesture though. Future coach, possible manager Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RST_ALBERTZ 7 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Good lad!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2daludaludalu 390 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Surreal.Although, of he's actually on 20k a week thats a disaster.Why are you turning a positive thread into a negative. It's not his fault he's on 20k a week. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
God Bless The Papac 32 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Surreal.Although, of he's actually on 20k a week thats a disaster.makes you wonder who else is on ridiculous wages Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseyjones 3,009 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Why are you turning a positive thread into a negative. It's not his fault he's on 20k a week.Life's a bitch! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSuedeSambas 54,447 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Fantastic gesture but the fact that he is allegedly taking home 20k a week is yet another example of the overspending that has contributed to us ending up in this position. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boab 73 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Fantastic gesture but the fact that he is allegedly taking home 20k a week is yet another example of the overspending that has contributed to us ending up in this position.That'll be called negative! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kp501 6 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Why are you turning a positive thread into a negative. It's not his fault he's on 20k a week.fuck sake, the guy is entitled to his opinion. Stop being so narrow minded Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2daludaludalu 390 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Life's a bitch!It sure is I mean Whittaker is on more than that. Surely big Lee should be getting the same lol. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBoyDave 123 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Well done Lee fantastic gesture it does show how much you care and that you are a class act if karma exists then you will not go unrewarded for this. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weird_Beard 99 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 That's what you call taking one for the team. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2daludaludalu 390 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 fuck sake, the guy is entitled to his opinion. Stop being so narrow mindedI'm not being narrow minded. The guy is making a great gesture, and some people want to focus on his wage. When we signed Lee that was probably the average wage at the time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
docspiderman 1,260 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Great gesture but the reality is that he performs like a pub team player whose best years are long behind him.To be honest even if he played for nothing I still would not have him in my squad. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WATPRFC1872. 220 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Another legend. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseyjones 3,009 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I'm not being narrow minded. The guy is making a great gesture, and some people want to focus on his wage. When we signed Lee that was probably the average wage at the time.All the more reason to get rid of those on unsustainable wages. Why it takes an administrator to do it is worrying. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikica Jelavic 41 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Sorry but when it comes to him and Ally i cant be positive, the fact they are earning that kind of money is a joke. McCulloch has been nothing other than a joke in a Rangers shirt and we are expected to thank him for offering to turn down his wage that he has never earned at Rangers? No from me.It's because of guys like McCulloch getting the high wages for nothing that were in this trouble. He should have been chased years ago. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueoutthedome 87 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Well done Lee and thank you from a supporter to another supporter that is a great gesture we will not forget the people who help us in our hour of need. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JograBear 1,074 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Nice gesture but at the end of the day what other choice does he have? Sit at home watching TV or play for the Gers. Easy choice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueoutthedome 87 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Sorry but when it comes to him and Alyy i cant be positive, the fact they are earning that kind of money is a joke. McCulloch has been nothing other than a joke in a Rangers shirt and we are expected to thank him for offering to turn down his wage that he has never earned at Rangers? No from me.It's because of guys like McCulloch getting the high wages for nothing that were in this trouble. He should have been chased years ago.would you turn down your wages to help us ya clown we can do without supporters like you Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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