GERS TO PAY ASHLEY AND GREEN’S BILL
Judge hits club after court case KO
RANGERS will pay the legal bills of Charles Green and Mike Ashley after the club withdrew a demand for crucial documents.
Lawyers for the club attended the court yesterday because their current owners object to a 2012 deal which allowed billionaire Ashley’s Sports Direct to have naming rights to Ibrox Stadium.
The club’s legal team allege Charles Green, Imran Ahmad, Brian Stockbridge and Derek Llambias – all former directors – acted negligently during their time at the club.
The Glasgow team believe the men didn’t act in the business’s best interests when they negotiated commercial deals with Sports Direct. Rangers believe the naming rights were given to Sports Direct at a price well below their true market value.
Lawyers acting for Rangers went to Scotland’s highest court to recover documents from the former employees.
They believe they would help their case against those involved in the deal.
However, during a twohour hearing at the Court of Session, lawyers acting for Rangers tried to amend the document, which detailed what they wanted to recover.
Those representing Green, Ahmad, Stockbridge, Llambias, Sports Direct and Ashley objected to the proposed changes.
They argued they needed time to consult their clients about the changes. This prompted Rangers’ lawyers to withdraw their alterations and stop the bid to recover the documents.
Lawyers acting for the defenders asked the court for Rangers to pay their legal costs for the hearing as it was “unnecessary”.
Judge Lord Brailsford said: “I award each of the defenders their expenses.”
The bill for the Glasgow side could run to several thousand pounds.