Over the past 4+ years a glut of
names have been associated with taking over/buying Rangers. The speculation has
been feverish and persistent, and the entire soap opera is an ongoing saga with
no sign of an end.
However, one thing every single
linked name has in common is as soon as their name enters the public domain,
they get absolutely slaughtered in the media and by a sizeable portion of
Rangers fans. It does not matter who they are, they get torn to shreds as a
crook or swindler.
Everyone, that is, apart from
Dave King.
Let us go back and look at all
the names and takeover attempts and see just how these individuals were
portrayed by the media/supporters.
It obviously all started with
Craig Whyte, and the man lacked a pedigree or reputation. Fans were pleased to
see the back of Sir David Murray and initially applauded Whyte. Naturally, as
we know, that one was a woeful misjudgement on everyone’s part.
Once Whyte was out of the
picture, absolutely everyone who controlled, or was linked with controlling the
Club was ripped apart, seam by seam.
First off it was administrators
Duff & Phelps, who were accused of being Whyte’s cohorts and trying to rape
the Club further of its assets.
Then the real takeover links
began:
Bill Miller: Evil Yank who was told in no uncertain terms by a
banner at Ibrox that Americans were not welcome to Rangers. “Yanks go home” was
the message I recall.
Club 9 Sports: An evil, secretive American sports consortium just
out to make money.
Brian Kennedy: A spiv who did not know the first thing about
Rangers or its heritage (well, until he sided with Dave King et al – then he
became a hero).
Charles Green: Swindling crook who just wanted to line his pockets.
Datuk Faizoull Bin Ahmad: An ‘inside man’ and a proxy for Sandy Easdale
to own the Club fully.
Mike Ashley: Just trying to pillage Rangers for every penny he can
get.
Dave King: “THE HERO”
See the point I am making here?
If your name is not Dave King or you are not associated with him you are
nothing but a chancer. SoS immediately get on the blower to Keith Jackson, find
all the dirt on you they can, and have you smeared in a front-page Rangers
exclusive.
I understand caution after Whyte,
I do – he was a bad ‘un and he wronged the Club. But publicly slaying everyone
who wants to invest in the Club just because they are not Dave King or Paul
Murray is short-sightedness to the point of damaging Rangers.
I am not for one moment naïve
about Ashley – I have summed up my thoughts on him in my previous entry. The
guy is a clinical businessman who knows how to make money, who cares nothing
for Rangers and just wants to expand the Sports Direct brand, all the while
using Rangers as a backdoor into the CL for its financial rewards and vastly
increased exposure of SD in Europe.
And? So what? Do Rangers fans
think someone is just going to show up, throw multimillions into the Club and
expect nothing in return? Do they think Dave King will?!
The Club needs a steady financial
footing, and Ashley is no crook. But as soon as he made his move on the Club,
the smear campaign began and he is tarnished as “the bad guy” – just because he
is not Dave King.
It is getting old, and Rangers
need money. Well…as long as it is Dave King’s money, apparently.