No pressure on Rangers for Whyte deal, court told
PRESSURE was not put on Rangers to sell to Craig Whyte in order to clear the club’s bank debt, a court has heard.
In 2011, in the months before the takeover, the club owed Lloyds Banking Group around £23million.
Ian Shanks, a relationship director with Lloyds Business Support Group, said the debt had reduced by around £10m since 2009 as it worked to “reduce its exposure” with both Rangers and its majority shareholder Murray Group.
He told the High Court in Glasgow that the bank did not run the club but had worked with the board to manage debt and agree budgets.
Mr Shanks said he first became aware of Whyte’s offer for the club at the end of 2010.
When asked by Advocate Depute Alex Prentice if there was “something of substance” to the bid, the witness agreed.
He said he attended a meeting with Whyte’s representatives and was later sent details of a bid that agreed to pay an £18m bank loan.
The bid was later revised twice, but Mr Shanks said the bank was “happy with the final bid, in the context of everything”.
Asked if “pressure was applied to the Murray Group to dispose of Rangers”, Mr Shanks said there was not.
Whyte, 46, is on trial at the High Court in Glasgow, where he denies acquiring the club fraudulently in May 2011.
Cross-examined by Donald Findlay QC, Mr Shanks was asked if Rangers’ debt was “good business” for the bank. He said: “We wanted away from most football clubs.
“(The bank) took the view it was a sector they were uncomfortable lending against.”
Mr Findlay asked: “Did the bank put any pressure on the board of Rangers to complete the Whyte bid?”
The witness said: “Not to the board of Rangers, no.”
He added: “The decision to sell Rangers was with the Murray Group. The bank was keen for the deal to complete.
“I knew the independent board were looking at the takeover and we were all very keen the independent board granted their approval.”
Prosecutors allege Whyte pretended to Sir David Murray, and others, that funds were available to make all required payments to acquire a “controlling and majority stake’’ in the club.
The court was also told Whyte did not guarantee to invest in the club in the lead-up to his takeover. Mr Shanks added Whyte said he “intended” to put cash into the club.
An e-mail was read to the court from March 2011 in which Ian Shanks told his boss in Lloyds Business Support Group that he did not want the issue to be a “stumbling block” to any agreement.
Mr Shanks said in the e-mail: “If Craig doesn’t inject the cash he will be hounded by the fans and not (Sir David) Murray.”
Defence QC Donald Findlay suggested it was known there were no guarantees over future spending during the takeover, and that the situation was simply “I will if I can”. The witness agreed. The trial continues.