There was thread the other evening on FF entitled ‘The night is darkest just before dawn’, used in a way to describe the current goings on at Ibrox stadium. Taken from the blockbuster Batman movie the parallels are quite similar. Like Gotham City, Rangers are also searching for that one ray of hope, that White Knight to guide the club to some sort of even ground, away from the current financial plight which threatens quite clearly to ruin the club and our almost immediate future. Similar to the film, Rangers have also been haunted by a Joker whose actions have created turmoil for the club after a decade of mismanagement which has finally caught up with everyone in dramatic fashion.
For us the support there doesn’t seem to be anyone we can actually trust to show us that path back to where this club belongs, or at least that’s how it feels to me sometimes. There is no need for me to go over old ground or point blame at anyone’s door, those who are not aware of our current plight and who has caused this situation really need to have a quick reality check. The situation is as clear as it can be and my biggest worry is that without that appearance from that White Knight this drastic situation will only get worse.
It seems clear to me that the current situation has finally caught up with us. Some will point out that we are only being shown up for exactly how bad we are but I would instead argue that things have finally become too much. The management look overawed by the situation and seem no longer to be able to galvanise the squads' morale to produce the goods on the field during the 90 minutes: too often they stand defeated on the touchline unable to offer support or fresh ideas. The players look tired; mentally, physically and physiologically. They seem to me to be almost beaten before they take the field, playing as if the weight upon their shoulders is almost too much. They look scared to take responsibility and devoid of ideas and leadership. The support have become nervous and tired, with tempers beginning to fray. The atmosphere is somewhat different on match days with people almost searching for that one moment when everything will become clear again.
This weekend the Herald/Evening Times ran with the exclusive story that Graham Duffy, a Glaswegian lifelong Rangers fan, was about to lead a consortium to rescue and save the club. With an idea that the consortium clear the debt on takeover, a percentage of the club would then be sold back to the support with around 15,000 fans targeted each year, over a three year period, at a cost of £1000 per share, in exchange for a vote and say in running of the club. This raising around £45m to help re-establish the club on an even keel and able to operate back at the levels it should. Mr Duffy says the focus should be youth development and that’s where he would be concentrating our future upon. Funds also to be made available to upgrade the stadium and breath life into the atmosphere on match day, with suggestions of perhaps even a standing area brought in.
Reading that article was like finally finding that Golden Ticket we have all desperately been longing for. Further music to our ears was also further provided when FF poster Barrybaldy (a poster rarely wrong on many fronts before) confirmed that this was a goer and had a good chance of happening. Part of me wants to run and punch the sky with joy, part of me is sceptical and on the defensive because I just do not want to see my hopes built up then ruined by disappointment. But this is as close to the news ‘we have all been waiting on’ we have received so far. Now my heart beats in anticipation of this deal actually coming to fruitation. What we all must be is patient, however, whilst we all want this deal done yesterday, these things do not happen overnight, however frustrating that me be.
I have a feeling that things will begin to happen over the next few weeks with regards to the Supporters' trusts/associations to help smooth the path any takeover might have to travel. What they might be is anyone’s guess but what we all must do is pull in the same direction as a support and help galvanise any venture they might undertake. This is a crucial time in every aspect of our club and probably the most difficult I have known in my 26 years on this earth; some may say you are lucky but at this moment in time I don’t really feel like it.
At this moment, especially after Saturday's result, it feels very difficult to be anything other than down. It feels like no rousing speech or cry of ‘No Surrender’ will help at the moment. I have been guilty of saying recently that I have had enough and just won’t take anymore, I’m sure a feeling most of us have felt at some time or another. I desperately need something to cling onto, I desperately need this situation to be resolved or at least the situation to be given some clarification - to at least know that Mr Duffy is going to carry out his plan and how long we can expect it to take. Patience, as much as I may preach it, is not my strongest point as much as we will need it at the moment.
For this venture to have any chance of getting of the ground the supporters will once again need to dig deep but will be rewarded with that crucial say in how we operate. Finally the club could not be accused of taking the support for granted because as a democracy we would actually have the power to do something about what is actually going on. But it is in the coming months when our club will once again need us most, to support as we do best and try and stay with them (as difficult as it sounds at the moment) to guide them through this current storm.
Somebody said to me this morning in a solitary text message ‘Keep the Faith Brother’. As I try and do that I can only hope that the dawn is about to rise and we are coming through the darkest of nights.