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Posted

The administrators were set to make the Blue Knights preferred bidders but the Blue Knights refused/couldn't pay the 500k fee for exclusivity. They have pulled out.

 

Absolute time wasters in it for the press of being heroes.

Posted

The administrators were set to make the Blue Knights preferred bidders but the Blue Knights refused/couldn't pay the 500k fee for exclusivity. They have pulled out.

 

Absolute time wasters in it for the press of being heroes.

 

Can't afford £500k, yet can pay off the £130million debt ???

Posted

Can't afford £500k, yet can pay off the £130million debt ???

 

Appears as if Paul Murray has nae dosh. His bid fell as Ticketus refused to put up the stake money, and jumped into bed with one of the other parties. The Blue Knight bid was totally dependant upon Ticketus playing ball and coming and going a fair bit o'er the £24million that they're due.

Posted

Can't afford £500k, yet can pay off the £130million debt ???

 

They never had any money, it was all just an ego trip for Paul Murray, who is surely as tainted as the rest of the former hun board in anycase.  Wonder what the scum fans make of this, I was under the impression they wanted Murray and co to take over.

Posted

http://blogs.channel4.com/alex-thomsons-view/political-interference-scottish-football/1134

 

One thing’s quietly emerging if you probe enough – and that’s the ever-so-gentlemanly turf war being fought over Ibrox, well away from Ibrox.

 

The Scottish Football Association boss Stewart Regan broke cover to me three days back, responding to questions from Channel 4 News about why Alex Salmond phoned HMRC on 11 Jan  to ask about the Rangers’ tax position.

 

Mr Regan made it clear he did not want to get into specifics on this. But equally made it plain there is a heightened sense at the SFA’s Hampden Park HQ that Scotland’s politicians have rolled their tanks onto the SFA’s lawn. The SFA want them off.

 

He wrote:

 

“I have already spoken to the Sports Minister, Shona Robinson some weeks ago about the Scottish Government’s involvement in football matters and reminded her of the need to let football govern and regulate its own affairs without interference, especially in light of FIFA’s views on this issue.”

 

FIFA’s views on the issue of political interference into football clubs being very public and widely known.

 

Mr Salmond’s people vehemently deny it was political “interference” The First Minister’s Office say the 11 Jan call:

 

“…centred on securing a settlement to enable Rangers to meet their obligations to the taxpayer and continue in business.”

 

They say they thus acted in the public interest. That’s that. No story.

 

But in football politics things are rarely so straightforward. Clearly Mr Regan, still relatively new at the SFA, sees political interference and is concerned enough to write to the Sports Minister, asking for it to stop please.

 

Moreover, what matters is how UEFA, European Football’s governing body, sees actions like these? Michel Platini has made great hay during his tenure as UEFA boss, of financial fair play. In public UEFA can do little more than pledge support to the SFA and Rangers. In private they are angry and embarrassed at the unfolding Rangers mess. Rangers, frankly, is a big blot on their landscape.

 

Not least, because the club was of course the first in Scotland to get a licence in 2003 for – amongst other things – financial good housekeeping, when as we now know it was as much a casino as a football club. All this in now unfolding, UEFA know and they are unamused.

 

And along with financial fair play comes political interference which has seen FIFA – football’s world governing body – take strong action against some member countries with meddling politicians.

 

The question of Scottish politicians getting involved with both the taxman and administrators over Rangers was described to me as “difficult and complex” by UEFA’s press office on the record. So difficult and complex that I’ve waited three days to get any answer and have thus far failed. Away from their press office one official spoke on condition of anonymity and said “we are concerned, we have all this in our sights but the key agency here is the SFA”. Clearly the SFA do too.

 

Even though Mr Salmond has spoken about this phone call in a TV interview with Al Jazeera and it’s been reported in the press, there’s still great official secrecy shrouding what was actually said, which to this day has not been cleared up.

 

According to a recent Freedom of Information request, details relating to the call cannot be made public according to Holyrood officials because it would “prejudice substantially” relations between Scottish and UK governments.

 

Yet, a couple of lines later, the same official – Patrick Berry – who wrote that, claims the information wouldn’t greatly add anything to public knowledge.

 

Well Patrick – which is it? Either it’s substantially prejudicial or it’s not going to add to our knowledge but it certainly can’t be both.

 

Curiouser and curiouser.

 

As for the First Minister, his staff quite rightly point out that he’s spoken to HMRC with regard to other companies in trouble. But how many of them potentially owed the taxpayer £75 million?

 

Equally the argument that RFC is somehow another Ravenscraig, a victim of external forces and circumstance where the First Minister must act, would surely be open to question by some?

 

RFC owes Big Tax already. It could soon owe Vast Tax. RFC created the mess RFC is in. Nobody else. And I can tell you first hand that UEFA is deeply unhappy at the mess. As, no doubt is Alex Salmond.

 

If RFC lose the Big Tax Case many honest taxpayers will say the last thing it deserves is survival. Holyrood would say what matters is the best deal for the taxpayer. And so would the HMRC.

 

So Alex Salmond’s damned whatever he does. Fail to act and you look like you don’t care. Act and you’ve the minefield of national and international football politics to contend with.

 

To say nothing of the fans, divided as ever.

Posted

Here's a worrying thought.

 

If hunfuckwankers get off lightly and remain in the sp(bloody)l, whether it's due to Scottish governmental "intervention" or HMRC "relaxing" their demands (part of UK national govt?) will FIFA jump on the chance to dismiss the SFA and force our hands to become one with the FA like Sepp Bladder seemingly wants?

Posted

Rangers bidder Bill Ng denies agreeing a deal with Ticketus

 

By Alasdair Lamont

BBC Scotland

The Singaporean consortium led by Bill Ng that is bidding for Rangers has denied that an agreement has been struck with Ticketus.

On Monday, Paul Murray's Blue Knights said it was "stepping back" from the process because its bid could not match the deal Ticketus and Ng had struck.

"We have not agreed on any terms with Ticketus at the moment," Ng told BBC Scotland.

A rival bid from American Bill Miller is being considered by administrators.

Ng added: "I do not want to speculate on the reasons of Blue Knights' withdrawal but the apparent withdrawal from the bidding process by the Blue Knights means only that the chances of taking over increases for the two remaining bidders left in the process."

Continue reading the main story

We still believe that a partnership with Ticketus represents the best opportunity of the club exiting administration via a CVA

Paul Murray

Blue Knights consortium

He would not comment on reports suggesting his consortium has offered £14m and more immediate repayment terms to Ticketus, the firm who supplied Craig Whyte with funds to buy Rangers last May.

The Blue Knights, with Ticketus as a partner, had appeared to be front-runners to take the club over from administrators Duff & Phelps.

It had hoped to be named preferred bidder on Friday and was asked to provide a £500,000 non-refundable deposit for exclusivity.

Murray told BBC Scotland that Ticketus were not prepared to provide this cash for the administrators on Friday and over the weekend he said it became clear that Ticketus had agreed a "substantially" better deal with Ng's group of investors.

"We stand ready to complete our offer of 4 April which included a deal in principle with Ticketus. We still believe that a partnership with Ticketus represents the best opportunity of the club exiting administration via a CVA," said Murray.

With the Blue Knights cooling its interest, perhaps temporarily, it leaves Ng and Miller to fight it out for control of the Glasgow club.

"The best interest for Rangers will be the best bid forward; we accept this as a matter of fact," said Ng.

"I do not have the facts of what Mr Bill Miller has proposed. I only know what I can do and what my plans are for the club, if I am successful.

Use accessible player and disable flyout menus

 

"I believe it is more important for me to stay focused at this point of time and prepare for our ground works, regardless of the result of the announcement by the administrators."

Meanwhile, Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy has reiterated his claim that he may re-enter the bidding process should the club face liquidation, rather than an exit from administration through a company voluntary arrangement.

"I do not want to distract the time-critical process of appointing preferred bidders," he said.

"However, should this fall through with the effect of endangering the existence of RFC, I would reconsider my position."  LOLZ  ;D

Posted

Two thoughts arise from the lastest 'developments'.

 

1. Asking anyone, let alone a creditor who is owed £14M to cough up £500,000, non refundable, for 'prefered bidder' status on a company in real danger of ceasing to exist puts me in mind of one of these email scams that asks you to pay some handling fee, and provide your bank details in order to be paid huge sums by some non-existant African royalty.

 

2. Among all of the doom and gloom that is setting in surrounding speculation about R*@$ers 'getting away with it' by getting back into the SPL somehow, largely on the basis of smoke and mirrors press speculation, the most important point seems to be getting lost, i.e. they are completely and utterly royally fucked, and it's hilarious.

 

So be of good cheer.  ;D

Posted

Thats avalid point. They have fuck all else to focus on, and that is the one thing that will royally shaft them if they dont fulfill thier remaining games.

 

I wonder if liquidation will now actually happen and they will use the close season to smooth things over to allow them back int the spl ( or whatever). Without the pressure of games to play, the succulent lamb brigade can turn a blind eye/spin a heap of pro hun anti sfa bullshit

Posted

I reckon they're being allowed to delay and delay until the season is over and they can fulfil their fixtures.

 

my thinking too. I think it's also why they asked for £500k non-refundable deposit to be the preferred bidder; they needed it to tide them over.  That cheating cunt Mccoist was supposedly on the radio earlier saying he reckons the end of May could see them liquidated.  If things are so bad that they can't even make it to the transfer window to attempt to get some funds in, then they must be struggling to keep it afloat at present.

Posted

come midnight on Sunday 13th May, all the players wages return to normal.

 

Still not too sure what this Yanks plan is. He buys them but they stay in administration? Is he just taking over Craig Whyte's office?

 

His proposal:

 

Facts about my bid:

 

• “Of the three qualified bidders, I am the only bidder who refused to entertain offers from Ticketus or engage in discussions with Craig Whyte.

 

“It is difficult for me to see how any parties who were present when this awful situation was created can be a legitimate part of the solution.

 

“I believe firmly that when you mortgage the future by the use of debts and financing instruments like has been done in the recent past, you endanger the very survival of the club.

 

“All of the ground swell created in the attempt to indicate that a CVA is a simple solution to save the club and its history is simply a naive understanding of how this CVA process would work and the risks associated.”

 

• “Despite constant rumours and suggestions by others, I have proposed a purchase of the club through a CVA from the beginning.

 

“I have no plans for liquidation of the club. After careful evaluation of a Rangers CVA process, it has become apparent that there are substantial roadblocks and risks associated with such an approach.

 

“Of the qualified creditor claims, which is currently under £100M, the Ticketus claim of £27M (in excess of 25% of the total) would put Ticketus in a position to be able to block any CVA agreement with which they did not agree.

 

“There is no way that Ticketus would agree to accept a “pence on the pound” settlement as has been suggested by others.

 

“In addition, it is apparent that there will be several lawsuits that will emerge in relation to a potential CVA exit among the various creditors and claimants (you pick them), which will need to be settled by the courts.

 

“Consequently, the CVA will be prolonged - meaning the process would go on well into next season and possibly beyond. This would place additional penalties on Rangers as long as they remain in administration.

 

“Obviously, the longer the process dragged on without a resolution, the less viable the club would become. If this process continued on for a long period without resolution, the inevitable result would be real liquidation.”

 

• “Over several weeks of discussions, my advisory team and I have created a solution that saves Rangers, protects its history and gives it a fresh start - rescued from the ruin created by others.

 

“I believe, and we have compelling professional advice to support my view, that my offer, as structured, can enable this to happen without any question of Rangers seeking or being given any special treatment.”

 

• My proposal on the table now is to pay £11.2M for the club which includes the £500,000 deposit required by Duff & Phelps.

 

“In order to preserve the club’s history, records, championships and assets, I will put the “heart” of the club into an “incubator” company while Duff & Phelps works to make the “sick patient” healthy through a CVA process that effectively works to “radiate” the toxicity of past administrations’ sins out of the patient while the “healthy heart” is preserved and moves forward. Once the CVA process has been completed and the patient is on the mend, the administrators will return Rangers Football Club plc to me for a nominal sum.

 

“The healthy heart and the healthy patient (The Rangers Football Club plc) will then be reunited through merger.

 

“In this scenario, the club can continue with all of its business assets, including its history, protected from the present illness.

 

“Thus a new corporate entity will own the club’s assets during the incubation period including all of its history.

 

“Any suggestion that Rangers history is lost by such a process is preposterous.

 

“Using such logic, Rangers would not actually have a 140-year history as its current corporate structure was only created in 1899. To suggest that Rangers thus have only a 113-year-old history is absurd.”

 

• “As a final step in the process, I have held a series of talks over the past week with officials from the SPL and SFA in an effort to ensure Rangers play in the 2012/13 season without further points deductions, fines or other punitive sanctions, relating to either the terms of my purchase or the actions of the prior administrations, beyond those levied during the 2011/12 season.

 

“My offer is contingent upon the regulatory bodies agreeing that the club will begin play in the 2012/13 season in the SPL and that they will do so without any loss of points and with all historic titles intact.

 

“I will not acquire the club unless I receive written assurances from both regulatory bodies to this effect.

 

“It is my strong view that Rangers and their fans should not continue to be punished in the future for the past failures of others.

 

“Rangers need a fresh start and I will always stand up for the club.”

 

The plan:

 

“I have retained the services of certain sports business and UK football experts from Scotland, England and America to assist with the turnaround of this distressed and loss-making business.

 

“I realize Rangers have been losing money on a monthly basis and can easily find itself right back in administration in short order if significant changes are not made to the business and if the new owner does not have the financial wherewithal to accomplish the turnaround while the club haemorrhages cash.”

 

• “We will focus on a disciplined business approach that uses strict adherence to budgets and metrics to ensure the club does not attempt to live beyond its means so that it can be in compliance with UEFA’s new requirements of financial fair play.

 

“I am acutely aware that the club will require working capital and this will be assessed in more detail in coming weeks as the due diligence period progresses.”

 

• “We will focus Rangers aggressively on growing current revenue streams and developing new ones. I believe that such a program is necessary to ensure Rangers have the kind of player wage bill that is necessary to field a highly competitive team, while not operating at a loss.

 

• “As I have already discussed directly with him, Ally McCoist will be retained as the First Team Manager and will be responsible for the success of Rangers on the pitch.”

 

The challenge to others:

 

“Since other bidders and/or would-be bidders have consistently made claims in the press for weeks and months about how they have all the solutions and answers for saving Rangers, I have decided to offer a challenge.

 

“I have worked quietly over the past several weeks to put together a plan that saves Rangers from liquidation and allows the club to be made healthy again.

 

“I have attempted to do this without fanfare or without drawing personal attention to myself as I don’t need or desire to see my name in the headlines.

 

“However, it appears there are others who suggest that I have some motive other than to acquire and protect the history of this great club and put in on a strong footing for the future. They maintain they have better plans to save Rangers.

 

“So, in an effort to give Rangers and its fans, supporters, players and staff an opportunity to see for themselves, I have shared the details of my plans.

 

“Although it was my intention to wire the required deposit tomorrow to secure preferred bidder status, I have notified Duff & Phelps that my offer is to be suspended until Monday to give anyone else interested in acquiring Rangers time to complete their bid and put down the £500,000 deposit.

 

“I would not want anyone to have the impression that my offer is not the best one for the club.

 

“So I now put it to the other suitors who claim to want what is best for Rangers. If you sincerely want to save Rangers, the time has come for you to put up or shut up.

 

“I will agree to “stand down” until Monday, April 23rd to allow any and all “saviours” to step up and claim the club by paying the required deposit and entering into an agreement to purchase.

 

“The time for talk is over. The club is in serious jeopardy of dying. “Real” liquidation is looming.

 

“If no one else steps up by Monday, then I will assume everyone is done talking and I am the only one serious about saving Rangers.

 

“In the meantime, I will continue talks with the SPL/SFA in an effort to get a quick and satisfactory resolution so I can then move forward to become the preferred bidder as outlined.

 

“I ask Rangers fans, supporters, staff, players and Ally McCoist, after reviewing my plan for the club, to make their opinions known by Monday to the press and to the SFA and SPL officials. Time is running out to save Rangers.”

Posted

Latest tweets from the last genuine journalist connected to Scottish football

 

alex thomson ? @alextomo

So it's Friday. Where do we go next with RFC - the mess widens into the banking system and possibly the police

 

Miller attempts to force SPL to abandon its player registration investigation. So does Miller run football or SPL?

 

To say nothing of abandoning new points-docking rules for £ mismanagement! Curious he even thinks it cd work

 

so now we get to see how SPL/SFA react to patently ludicrous demands eh?

 

Trying for SPL response - seems to take them a long time when the only possible answer to Miller is two words, second "off"?

 

SPL not commenting officially - let's try some other routes shall we?

 

Ok - Miller has categorically not spoken to the SFA.

 

SFA distinctly unamused at someone pointing a gun at their collective heads I sense

 

My guess is - if Miller contacts SFA they will likely tell him his demands are completely inrealistic. (sic)

Posted
“My offer is contingent upon the regulatory bodies agreeing that the club will begin play in the 2012/13 season in the SPL and that they will do so without any loss of points and with all historic titles intact.

 

“I will not acquire the club unless I receive written assurances from both regulatory bodies to this effect.

Nice get out clause that one.  ::)

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