Is Charles Green planning to move Rangers from Glasgow?

Charles Green, front man for the consortium buying into Rangers, claims he was misled by HMRC over their voting intentions on the administrators’ proposals to creditors.  Sorry, Charlie, but Sir David’s already tried that one, and nobody believed him when he said he was duped by Craig Whyte.

Green is particularly annoyed that if HMRC have a policy of opposing CVAs, they should have told him so at the outset and he would have gone down the newco route in the first place.  But can you imagine the flak that would have been aimed at HMRC if they had said on day one that they were going to reject the proposals come what may, before they even knew what they were?

In fact, HMRC don’t have an objection to CVAs per se; what they don’t like is a company going bust owing them big bucks, and then being offered peanuts from someone who’s bought the assets at a knockdown price.  Especially if the newco then starts making loud noises about how many players they hope to sign, paying out money on transfer fees and salaries that could otherwise have gone into the pot for creditors.

That’s not to say that Rangers shouldn’t have been lining up potential signing targets in anticipation of being able to bring in new players if all went well.  What was foolish was to blab about it to all and sundry, thus needlessly antagonising the very people you want on your side to approve the CVA proposals, or, failing that, to admit AFC Govan into the SPL with the minimum of collateral damage.  Going public too early on whom you might or might not sign was a mistake.  Premature speculation is never a good thing.

 

Green is no slouch at confusing people, either.  On one hand he is quoted as saying: ‘Forget about playing in Europe, we might not even be playing in Glasgow.’  In the very next breath he went on to add: ‘The solemn promise I can make to Rangers fans today is … that this club will continue to play at Ibrox Stadium.’

Does that mean he’s going to dismantle Ibrox and move it out of Glasgow?

Share and Share Alike

Green was also quoted in the media bemoaning the plight of small creditors who are not going to get anything other than buttons from Rangers’ liquidation.  So, if he’s genuine and not just shedding crocodile tears, why doesn’t he offer them free shares in AFC Govan?

It doesn’t have to be anything more than a small number of shares, just enough to show willing.  It wouldn’t cost him anything upfront, and it would be a positive gesture which could give the creditors some return if the new team does make a go of it further down the line.  Why should his pals in the consortium get all the upside?

Red Shirts or Red Faces

Cardiff City’s Malaysian owners have now explained the reasons for changing the club’s jerseys from their traditional blue to red.

Apparently red has a strong spiritual significance in Asia, where it’s seen as a symbol of prosperity, power, and good fortune.

Try telling that to an Aberdeen fan.

A Joke’s a Joke

I see Ofcom have cleared Gary Lineker of being racially offensive after he made a joke about Arsene Wenger on Match of the Day in April.

Nineteen viewers apparently complained when Lineker mocked the Arsenal manager over his reaction to a decision that went against his team in a game against Stoke.  Lineker’s ‘crime’?  He waved his arms about and said: ‘If you don’t like it, Mr Wenger … au revoir.’

I just hope nobody buys any of these guys a Frankie Boyle DVD for their Christmas.
    
The Name of the Game

Garry O’Connor’s agent says he’s speaking to a number of ‘big’ foreign teams about a possible summer move - if Gazza’s not already in the pokey following his drug conviction, that is.  I just hope whoever he signs for gets his name right on the back of his shirt.  It’s ‘O’Connor’, spelt ‘J-O-S … ‘.
And what price would you put on the former Hibees’ image rights after his recent run-ins with the law?  About the same as on Craig Whyte’s, I would guess.

On the Buses

O’Connor’s most recent court appearance was regarding the insurance claim he tried to make on his £93,000, yes £93,000, Ferrari.  A lot of car, especially for someone who’s still to help any of the clubs he’s played for win a trophy.

Compare this with former England goalkeeper Gordon West, who died the other day.  Describing his move from Blackpool to Everton, where he went on to win two English titles and an FA Cup, West said that when he went to Goodison Park to sign up, he took the train from Blackpool to Preston, another to Liverpool, and then the number 60 bus.  Must have been the chauffeur’s day off.

Super Mario

Germany’s goal machine Mario Gomez has a Spanish father and a German mother, so he had the option of playing for either country.  And, like a good boy, he did what his mammy told him and plumped for Deutschland uber Espana.

Oh why couldn’t old man Gomez have shacked up with a Scottish bird instead?