Rangers FC On Field Gossip & Rumour Thread 2017 Mod Note in OP(Updated 14/08)

Malcolm Murray in the Scotsman

RANGERS will need a £10 million cash injection to stay afloat in the next 18 months, according to former chairman Malcolm Murray.

The club’s complex ownership structure, as well as the discontent from supporters at the continued presence of finance director Brian Stockbridge on the board, also has Murray concerned about the ability to attract such investment.

The businessman was one of the four “requisitioners” who failed to be voted on to the Ibrox board at Thursday’s annual general meeting, but Murray believes the outcome of that event, which witnessed loud booing of any contribution from Stockbridge, will not be “the line in the sand” hoped for by new club chief executive Graham Wallace, who has also admitted Rangers need “external funds” in the medium term.

Murray said: “Unless they can pull a few rabbits out of hats I don’t see who will invest in the club if the board remains exactly the way it is presently.”

Murray said. “In the next three months there have to be changes. I’m pretty sure they won’t be able to go back to the same institutional investors for more money with the current board set-up. The bulk of them certainly wouldn’t do it. The danger now is that the institutional investors pile out of this, because they are fed up. I’m not saying it will happen, but there is a danger that I’m worried about.

“If that happens, the share price goes down and the cost of raising capital goes up, by definition. This thing needs an injection of roughly £10m over the next 18 months.”

Murray claimed that 40 million 25p shares would be required to raise that sum.

However, issuing such a large number of shares would dilute the existing shareholding of current investors and Murray insisted that would be “terrible” for the financial institutions who have already put money into the club.

He added: “They could equally end up sitting on stock that isn’t highly valued but remains a global brand.

“However, it is a mix-up because it has institutional investors, fans, private investors, and this mysterious block of 40-odd per cent [of shares] that seems to control it [the club] in Laxley, Blue Pitch, Charles Green’s old shares and Mike Ashley.”

South Africa-based businessman Dave King has claimed that he was the only person he felt would be willing to invest in Rangers at present but chief executive Wallace presented a different picture. He said: “We will need investment as we go forward. What I don’t want to say is we need a figure of X million pounds because, until we’ve examined the structure of the organisation, and what we need [over] the next 18 months, it’s premature to put a figure on it. As I went round talking to institutions in the last several weeks, they said they were willing to increase their investment provided the club can demonstrate stability and leadership and the semblance of a solid plan.”

Wallace is not planning talks with King but neither does he rule him out. “I’ve never met Dave King or had any conversations with him,” he added. “When we have developed the plan to determine the level of funding we need, we’ll engage with a wide constituency. I wouldn’t rule anybody out. If that includes Mr King, we’ll deal with that at the time”

If you could get rid of the current board, be that through them being bought out or otherwise, what's the long term aim?

Assuming the debt was cleared, and costs brought under control, at what level can rangers hope to compete? Leaving champions lge revenue aside, the club don't generate the same level of revenue as celtic. Couple that with celtic's hold on the one CL spot, and the gap will only widen. Will Rangers fans accept living within their means under a prudent board playing second fiddle to Celtic, or are we likely to see further cries for a new board?

I honestly believe many Rangers fans are happier now, easing to wins week in week out, then they would be slogging into second place behind Celtic

Hagar the Nice. wrote: »

If RFC win their league,which is really a formality now,and enter SFL2,then it's possible they go into administration again.
If so,I think I'm right in saying that they'd be deducted 25 points + another few years out of Europe on top of the ban already in place,might be wrong though.

Would it be 25pts though? Given its a different company, I'm don't know would it be 12 or 25?

As for Europe, they're not banned, theyre ineligible afaik, on the basis of not having three years audited accounts. Same happened Derry City a few years back

Edit: the above isn't a "new club" dig by any means, I genuinely don't know how another admin' would be punished given it would be a different company in admin

Jelle1880 wrote: »

Living within our means is the long term aim.

I'm fully confident that playing second fiddle to Celtic would only be a temporary thing when we make it back to the Premiership (if the posts in the Celtic thread are anything to go by, regarding investing in the squad and capitalising on Rangers' absence).

And what happens on the field is nice now, but I don't know a single Rangers fan who's not worried or angry at what happens in the board room.

If debts are cleared it will take a few years probably to catch up to Celtic, but have no fear: It will happen at one point

Do you think the fans will accept second fiddle for five or so years?

What makes you think Rangers can compete long term on a lesser budget, something they've never before managed?

This might go against RFC.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/scottish-football/10365208/SPFL-clubs-that-go-into-administration-could-be-relegated.html

Jelle1880 wrote: »

Never before managed ?

Rangers have not always been the richest club in Scotland, there were times when Celtic was that club.

Accepting it ? Maybe not, but there won't be much of a choice. I think the majority would be fine with it if it meant the club could get healthy again and in the right hands.

In the last thirty years, any period of success that has been achieved has been in tandom with either external financing or accumulating debt. Given the level of success in that time period, its going to be a difficult concept for the fans to get used to, particularly one as agitable as rangers are

RFC set a new penalty record in div 3,they are 2 short of the record for div 2,not bad for a new club.

Hagar the Nice. wrote: »

RFC set a new penalty record in div 3,they are 2 short of the record for div 2,not bad for a new club.

I'm sure if you checked any league, the team who spend most time in the opposition box will, by and large , get the most pen's