In short - the good guys clearly won, won well, and we had a few parades to celebrate.
Most wars don’t end that way. Even the First World War ended in something of a stalemate despite Earl Haig’s magnificent “ Hundred Days” offensive which finally broke the spirit of the German army and can still be regarded as the greatest achievement of British arms. But the Germans still fought and retreated in good order, their surrender would not be unconditional. They were slowly dragged down to collective exhaustion: the mincing machine of trench warfare and economic blockade had worn away the fabric of the country both in terms of manpower and industry.
Of the final breakthrough General Rawlinson wrote, "Had the Boche [Germans] not shown marked signs of deterioration during the past month, I should never have contemplated attacking the Hindenburg line. Had it been defended by the Germans of two years ago, it would certainly have been impregnable…"
So, what has that got to do with Rangers?
By a roundabout way I’m trying to suggest that a change of ownership will come but not perhaps in the way we imagine. It will be messy with many false hopes and false alarms.
It probably won’t have a victory procession with the new owner parading up the marble staircase with a flute band behind him.
Some voices have been raised about the club’s finances and the way Rangers were being run for ten years now - but did they get the prominence they should have in the media? Were they taken as seriously as they should have been by the Bears? What do the neds who tried to attack protesters outside Ibrox think of their “dirty Fenian bastards” chant now? Anyone care to admit to that now Sir Dave has left the building?
The foregoing shows that we had a support many of whom were either slow or unwilling to accept the crisis facing the club. And that many now accepting the reality of the situation do not have a deep understanding of it as the mass media has failed to properly inform their readers, viewers and listeners.
Nor should we underestimate another couple of factors: for roughly twenty years David Murray’s position within the club was unchallengeable - whether he had 50.1% or 91.8% of the club. People have grown used to having their opinions ignored. The sheer scale of the money involved to solve our problems can also induce something approaching a state of collective shock. Shaking the support out of that lethargy will not be easy.
So, prepare for a bumpy ride. I predict there will be drama queens throwing their rattles out of the pram with gay abandon at every twist and turn if things are not done exactly the way they want. Tough - hard decisions will have to be made. But let’s get this clear - the world does not stop turning because some of us are throwing a strop on the Internet. FF has learnt that the hard way.
The train is at the station. Its boiler is being heated. The timetable is at the printers. Where it is going, how it is going, the speed it will go at - are all a little unclear. But it’s best if everyone clambers onboard when the guard waves his flag.
I do hope we get to stop off at Ibrox for a victory parade up the marble staircase.