majority of shares the Chairman will still hold influence over the club's
affairs as much as he always has done over the past decade. But apparently
he now escapes accountability for the gathering storms about to wreck havoc
on Scottish football.
Let's start by giving him credit for raising the cash that elevated the team
and stadium to a new level and put a few new legends into Rangers jerseys.
But let's stop the applause right there.
Mr Murray's Maxwellian-style of rule by dictat means Cap'n David alone
should also answer for a couple of fiascoes that have been unfolding over
the years. The on-going saga of our non-existent PR being a case in point.
Sure blame for media abuse of the club could possibly be shared by alleged
'supporters' who couldn't care less. But it is up to the Chairman who is,
and who is not, allowed to enter the hallowed doors of Ibrox. Here Mr Murray
could have taken a few lessons from Bill Struth or Jock Wallace.
However the plethora of anti-Rangers abuse that currently infests the
Scottish press these days have been well documented here and elsewhere. More pressing concerns have arisen recently.
The close-season events regarding the other SPL clubs saw Murray caught like
a rabbit mesmerised by headlights. In common with other major clubs
throughout Europe we are forced to live with the new-found financial
prudence of previously benevolent sponsors and the well of other sources of
revenue has been drawn almost to the dirt.
We could have made careful progress within the new tighter fiscal
environment; after all, we still had a level playing field with the similar
sized clubs throughout Europe.
Then came the events of June this year, when ten fleas threatened to jump
off the Old Firm dog. The so-called ORebel Ten non-OF clubs were demanding
100% of their own TV-generated revenue plus almost half of ours.
When we rightly said Ono1, the threat of resignation followed. At this
point, the answer should have been swift as it was simple; another ten clubs
should have been invited into the SPL. It is to the credit of the Tims that
they told the Ten to stuff it. But the OF needed each other, and the Rangers
Chairman's panicky 'let's talk' overtures to the other club's helped sink
the Old Firm's own boat.
Ten little puddy tats meowed rather noisily and the Rangers Lion bowed.
The Rebel Ten have another two weeks of grace to carry through their threat
and leave the SPL. Whether they stay or leave is no longer relevant. What is
important is that the minnows will be calling the OF shots from now on. So
we now find ourselves in the bizarre position of being dictated to, as well
as fleeced by, clubs who are struggling for survival through their own
financial carelessness.
The effects of this will be seen over the next few years as the Steedman
Syndrome kicks in, demonstrated clearly by how no less a persona than a
League President can make his own ex-Premier club (Clydebank) vanish of the
face of the earth within a few short years.
The tail won't be wagging the dog. It will be devouring it.
It is crucial to our survival as a major football club that we leave the SPL
as soon as possible. This may not be practical in the short term but the
longer we stay the more likely our ambitions will shrink to the Sunday
League mentality of the rest of the SPL.
The complete departure of David Murray (and don't forget to put the Caat
out) may help us find a Wizard from Oz (or wherever) that may give the
Rangers Lion a much-needed new heart.
BEAR ABLE