Rangers board without Murray? NO THANKS
ANOTHER day, another statement. Another good man down. But although some may have blinked and missed yesterday’s bulletin from the Ibrox Politburo – all 121 paltry words of it – its significance should not be lost on a Rangers support which is once again being denied the honesty and transparency it was promised. What happened yesterday, when Paul Murray and Barry Scott gave up seats around Dave King’s boardroom table, provided these fans with the clearest indication yet of the fractured state and dysfunctional nature of the regime in charge of their club. That Murray’s departure in particular was announced in such a low-key, ungracious fashion is typical of the snarling-faced actions of a board which must now limp on minus its only truly class act. Not a single personal word of gratitude from Dave King never mind a ringing endorsement of Murray’s tireless years of selfless efforts to deliver Rangers into friendly hands. It was Murray who raised the alarm months before Craig Whyte had casually tossed a pound coin across a desk in Charlotte Square to complete the takeover which drove Rangers to ruination. It was Murray who warned of the disaster which would follow if Whyte was allowed to get his hands on the club while freeing Lloyds Bank of a potential tax liability which would ultimately tip Rangers over
Murray now escapes a regime that is broken beyond repair
the edge. And it was Murray who, in a state of high anxiety and desperation, attempted to torpedo that deal at the 11th hour when he pleaded with Sir David of Duped to accept a counter offer which would have protected the interests of the club over those of Murray International and the bank.
Ultimately he was not only defeated but also publicly disparaged and even lampooned for attempting to do what he believed was right for his club.
When his late attempt at blocking Whyte’s takeover failed he said to me: “This is a great deal for Whyte, a great deal for Sir David and a great deal for the bank but it’s an absolute disaster for Rangers.”
He couldn’t have been more accurate. But even Murray could not have guessed how right his warning would be. Less than a year later, with Rangers in the hands of administrators and lurching towards liquidation, Murray tried once more to do the right thing by spearheading the Blue Knights consortium, linking up with rival bidder Brian Kennedy to form an alliance.
When they were gazumped at the last minute by a mysterious man from Yorkshire wearing Kenny Everett’s hands, the last chance of escaping from this financial meltdown with limited damage had passed Rangers by.
This time Charles Green mocked Murray for his earnest efforts before driving what was left of this club over a cliff edge into the financial abyss.
Green would later raise a fortune from the ashes of this crash but very little of it was used for Rangers’ benefit. Wounded Murray stepped away from the spotlight and regrouped but never once taking an eye off the carnage and financial vandalism behind the scenes.
In fact this grotesque orgy of greed at the expense of his club motivated Murray to redouble his efforts.
He did all this vigilant work without any assistance from King or the Park family. It often felt as if his was a lone voice. But the louder he shouted, sometimes to his own detriment, the more it became apparent he was acting purely out of passion for his club. There was never anything else in it for Murray. He never wished for anything in return.
Eventually King, Douglas Park, John Gilligan and the Three Bears did come late to join him in this cause, once the damage had been done and another regime – Mike Ashley’s this time – had brought Rangers to the point of teetering on the brink. Typically, King claimed the victory with a bullish litany of brash statements about how his cash won the day as he walked over the threshold with Murray and Gilligan. But the truth is he’d never have pulled it off without all Murray’s honest endeavour. King has mastered the art of making too much noise when none is needed then saying nothing at all when his voice is urgently required. Yesterday was most certainly one of those days. When Gilligan could no longer accept the way King was running Rangers and chose to walk away, the club released a statement almost four times the size of the one announcing the departures of Murray and Scott. King gushed about his contribution, signing off by saying: “John is one of the most passionate Rangers fans I’ve ever known. He brought a great deal to the boardroom table and was never slow to question decisions or courses of action if he thought there were better options. John always put the interests of supporters first. “On behalf of the entire board of directors and Rangers supporters everywhere, I’d like to thank John for his unflinching support, wisdom and commitment. He is a true Rangers fan.” It’s shameful but indicative of the current regime that King could not bring himself to utter one word yesterday in gratitude to Murray. And yet Murray must leave with a sense of utter relief. Having done more than anyone else to fix Rangers he now escapes from a regime which is broken beyond repair, knowing there is nothing more he can do to mend it. If King’s board was not already unfit for purpose then it most certainly became so the moment Murray left the building.