Walter Smith statement
It is with the greatest of regret that I have to announce to Rangers supporters that I have decided to step down as Chairman of Rangers Football Club. It is, I am convinced the correct thing to do under the circumstances.
Unfortunately, recent events have led me to the conclusion that the only option left open is for me to submit my resignation and to leave the Board of Directors with immediate effect.
Working with a Board which could rarely find consensus and agreement has created a highly-dysfunctional environment which has not been good for the Club. On top of that, there has been recent further disruption which again has rendered the Board less effective and efficient than it ought to have been.
It is clear that Boardroom change is required and I would urge Rangers fans to get fully behind the resolutions which last week were presented to the Board and shareholders.
Also, I would like to remind the Directors that when a General Meeting was requisitioned earlier in the year I, as Chairman, was urged by everyone on the Board to do everything in my power to avoid such a meeting. At that time, I worked very hard to achieve that and now I am urging the Directors to do exactly the same this time and if that means Boardroom changes then so be it.
In fact I am now imploring everyone to back these proposed changes so that much-needed stability and a level of integrity can be restored to the Ibrox Boardroom.
However, so far as the chief executive and manager are concerned, let me say this: Craig Mather, as I have said before is doing a good job. It is unfortunate that this has happened but when change does come I hope he’ll be allowed to continue the job he has started.
As for Alistair McCoist, it is important that we all appreciate that no other Rangers manager has had to work with poorer or more trying circumstances. It is my fervent hope that when the dust settles and Rangers have a clearer path and future he is given the chance to manage under conditions similar to those which were afforded his predecessors.
Last but most certainly not least, I must turn to Rangers supporters. They have suffered agonies and tortures over the last two years but they can be proud of their contribution. They did not waver in their support of their Club and as far as I am concerned they have been absolutely the one outstanding feature of this Club.
Indeed, they are a reminder to those in the Boardroom that Directors have the massive and ultimate responsibility of serving, protecting and nourishing this Club for the benefit of the fans and not an individual or any associates. Rangers fans are a credit to their Club and they really do deserve so much better.
As a manager I had to make many difficult decisions but none was tougher than the one I have just made. Stepping away from this Club is heart breaking but I will always be grateful for the support Rangers fans have given me down through the years.
I will never forget and more than anything else I wish them the Club they truly deserve.
Random Thoughts Re Scots Law by Paul McConville 
Wally doesn’t walk he steps.
Can he not take Ally with him?
Off to Murray mints vineyard for a wee holiday.
Now then, the battle lines are drawn, what say yee?
Stepping away indeed.
Loved the last line for the fans “.wish them the club they truly deserve”…they’ve got that already..!!!!
Seconds Out !! Round Three !! Ding Ding !!
In The Blue Corner—–[ whisper aside __’ who the fecks in the blue corner again’ ? ]
Goodnight sweet dreams
Oh what a night.
Fans……credit to club……Eh?
Fans ……… credit card to club …… Yeh!
Is that genuine or are you surmising??
Thank you Paul for having the respect for Watty to let his statement speak for itself without any analysis or comment.
Second that Gilbert – was from the heart.
A song for Craig Whyte and Charles Green
I read it, I read it again, it said nothing. Never mentioned his tenure as Chairman or what the problems and issues are that forced him to leave.
He hopes The Rangers fans get what they deserve, oh er!!
jeez, talk about a whole lot of F`all!!
what a load of fluff and bluster- Green must be proud!
“It is my fervant hope than when the dust settles and Rangers have a clearer path & future, he (Allistair McCoist) is given the chance to manage under conditions similar to those which were afforded his predecessors”
Sorry Walter…..those “conditions” are gone forever, no more favoured status for the Peepel……….. cheery bye, don’t let the door……….
Mac.
From some reports [ as wullie said ] jabba, after the meeju had been ‘asked’ to leave, said [ and I’m paraphrasing here ] that Green and the rest of the spivs would indeed be told to name their price, ‘or be forced out’.
As chico and his backers control 51% it would seem that they can name their price then?
The ‘real’ rangers men will have rescued the club and all live happily ever after.
The problem with this particular fairy tale is a] who is going to pay the spivs?
b] how much do the spivs want?
c] If they control 51% – how can they be forced out ?
GAWD – There must be a hundred more q’s but that will do for now.
Looks like there is gonna be a wee terr up on the horizon. I can’t get the image of Sally in a big nappy throwing salt about out my heid.
So its the Sevco founding fathers v the mob wi nae money for a liquidation sale.
The spivs v the bigots. I don’t see it being a draw, but if it goes to extra time, Sally is fecked! Whatever way it goes, there is gonna be a disgruntled side, papping shares on the market Somebody posted earlier, Sevco shares Forfar a pound…….Tickled me that, but they may be right. Lol..
barca.
Who are the spivs ? If it’s chico and his investors then they own 51%. Valued at around £13.5m. They will not go for the current share price though — why should they ? Who is going to pay this price ? They will want possibly £15m-£20m to go away and let the bloo nights save the day.
Chico and chums WANT to sell, but for what they see as a good return.
barca.
Don’t forget about the lock ins. How does that work? Trust me and shake hands on future deals?
How does a lock in work? The barman dims the lights and locks the door from the inside, simple. 🙂
@Bud,
I think it will take more than that. I have no idea how much is in the biscuit tin at Ibrokes, but I don’t imagine they will be selling cash, without factoring it in.
Lord Cardigan hasn’t said much really, but it seems to me it is only board change that is the challenge. Ownership is not mentioned. It is going to a shareholders vote, so who knows what board wll be put in place.
Did I read that the fans share allocation were non voting shares. That being the case then they are fighting like feck in the bears den for nothing. Some other shares can count as a double vote I believe.
They can change the board every day, but if the owners don’t want to sell,tough!
A take over will mean meeting the purchase price and finding working capital to run the club.
Or buying “The Club” and leasing the premises.
barca.
McCoist today described his mentor Smith as the “glue” that was holding Rangers together and his resignation adds to supporters’ fears that their club may be torn apart again.’
Evostick announced as official sponsors.
@Bud.
Might come to a sticky end. :-).
barca.
‘come to a sticky end’. Never really understood that phrase.
come to a sticky end (British & Australian humorous) also meet a sticky end (British & Australian humorous)
to die in an unpleasant way
Ok. got it ! — ‘ to die in an unpleasant way ‘ .
Lets be honest, however this pans out, Chuckles walks away a lot richer than when he arrived. He sells shares to the Knights, he wins. Club goes bust, he will have moved the assets off the balance sheet and he wills till win.
Now, when RIFC sell and lease back Ibrox and MP will Charlie’s work then be done or will this omnishambles keep rolling along? I think we should be told.
“Working with a Board which could rarely find consensus and agreement has created a highly-dysfunctional environment which has not been good for the Club.”
Is Walter admitting he played his part in creating this “highly-dysfunctional environment” or have I picked him up wrong?
Walter thinks he’s coming back. This time under a different regime. Hence the myriad references to “change”. Even holding out an olive branch to Mather. Remember, he was a Blue Knight before.
If Jim McColl is really gonna stump up, that’s a game-changer. Three card brag, methinks.
Iain — Money talks.
Surely for continuity purposes and to be considered a serious player in this Reservoir Dogs style saga Mr McColl has to change his name to a colour? If I’m correct he has the choice of Pink, Blonde or Orange? Tough call Jim.
Bullshit walks
@Iain
I don’t see McColl coughing anything up, apart from his breakfast when he hears the asking price.
Sevco as a business, is still a basket case. It is not an improved product on the product he attempted to shimmy in on last year. His/Their offer…£6m
If anything, Sevco is a worse product, now that it has a short history. A bad reputation, and a toxic fanbase, drunk on the fuel of delusion, victimhood, and entitlement this past year. A managerial and board situation which is quite frankly laughable. And a host of unsettled issues yet to be resolved.
Why pay so much more for the business now, when upping last year’s bid by a couple of mill would have bought a new club, to build as he seen fit. Why would anyone?
A £20/25m offer now, may have meant a successful CVA, last year. Same history, same club, same titles, less issues.
It doesn’t make sense to buy them now, and when it did make sense, nobody thought it was worth more than Chiccos bid.
Looks like curtains to me.
I think we agree, Bud.
Barca, I agree to a certain extent. Mr McColl is a million miles from daft and won’t pay “a thin dime” more than he has to in order to secure what he wants. Fair play to him for that. I think, and stand ready to be corrected, that the share price is key. And the lock-ins or out as the case may be. That brings in Messrs Easdale. Have little doubt that share price is everything there too.
Loved your stuff re the toxic brand. Do you think that’ll impact on share price?
Wee smiley required at end of last post 🙂
Barca, so it couldn’t be bought out of admin, part 2?
Do you know Frank Blin????
@Iain,
A buy out at admin 2, is a possibility, but the assets and club are separated now. Would the assets company go into admin? I don’t think Chicco et al would walk into that loss maker!
Only the club will be on offer.
I can only see a total buy out of club and assets, or buy the club and lease the assets deal. Neither are viable.
The purchase price plus working capital is highly restrictive, and the leaseback, means all of the same costs plus rent. I can not see either being affordable alongside a full time playing staff. The bears, tho gullible, have turned up i droves. I think lack of success will be met with a downward gate spiral. Quite quickly.
I don’t see anybody being able to sell the same club myth a second time round. Not to the league’s, the SFA, nor more importantly, the majority of fans.
The chance to save them, was the CVA. A more tempting offer would have made a difference.
D&P should have sold the playing staff when they had the chance. MP could have went also. That money plus purchase pricein the CVA pot would probably have been successful. If not, sell a bit more, Then with the flotation, they would have had a chance.
They missed the bus.
Lets be honest, Walter was a crap football manager. Actually he seemed to hate football — his managerial style was described as anti-football and he was sort of proud of that.
I can’t even imagine what he was like as a chairman. Thick as two planks with a mouth like a sewer (check him on youtube), we can only guess what he brought to the table…
So, at long last, there’s a new hope that Walter will finally find a role that is appropriate to his skill-set. I don’t think he would look out of place walking in the park with about 6 dogs strapped to each wrist — wouldn’t cost much to buy a poop scoop and a van, start your own business, old fella.
I’m sick of his tired old face. But even I think it’s humiliating to see these various factions use him as a sort of token figurehead to win over the supporters. As soon as the season ticket money is in the bank, Green comes back and they get shot of Walter.
No. Give the old bloke some peace, for Christ’s sake. That goes for you too McColl, don’t you try it on.
We are the people. No, we are the people. Naw yay urny, wee tha peepole, ya bams.. Actually, chaps, I think you’ll find we are the aforementioned people. We were the people first. True, but we own the club which I think you will find makes us the people. I own shares in the company that owns the club, clearly I’m the people…. Zzzzzzzzzz
Jeez, Gortchomhor, I was with you right up to the last paragraph and you kinda lost me, there. Never mind, we are Brothers-in-Arms. Hail hail.
The ‘last ‘paragraph’
Who are the true inheritors of the mantle of Bill Struth and the only ones entitled to speak in his name.
” To be a Ranger is to sense the sacred trust of upholding all that such a name means in this shrine of football.”
Bill Struth
” “You have turned My Father’s house into a den of thieves.” (Matt. 21:13)
Would love to know what Jabba actually said, some bear would have recorded that I am sure…
What’s interesting is that if he said anything anti-Green (which has been speculated) who effectively is the main man paying his salary will Jabba be signing on soon..?
I would have though it was Chico who forced the Hutt onto the street to address the masses. If you see some of the photos, Jabba does not look comfortable or indeed well at all, It looks like he may have forgotten to put his bottom set of Wallies in..
I wonder if Chico will be giving Jack a call anytime soon, leak a lot of non positive anti-Celtic stuff to the various bear’s sites in typical Jack fashion..Noticeably the meeja have not had much time this week to put their usual negative spin on Celtic prior to a big game..
Chico can hold out for any sort of price, I speculated last year whether the rangers fans will have as high a regard for him as they do Whyte, must be a close run thing..
Nightmare to be a rangers fan right now I do not envy them one bit.
You sure you don’t envy them? Even a wee bit? I envy them a lot. Why? Well, they basically own the country; they are the people. They get all the best jobs in Glasgow’s booming industry — they don’t even need to bother with education. They are apparently racially superior, even if its a bit I’ll defined. They get away with dressing like turds…
How things have changed in Glasgow, eh Derek? Entitlement now is a section on a housing benefit application form. Sad really. I used to look at the Glasgow coat of arms and wonder but it all makes sense now…
The tree that never grew, the fish that never flew, the bell that never rang, the bee that never stang. Something like that. It’s all starting to add up.
On a positive note, they still get to dress like turds.
TICK TOCK TICK TOCK.
2Sides, Wonka, Deniall et al.
Come out, come out wherever you are.
We don’t do walking away.
Rats from a sinking ship
HAW HAW HAW
Jimbhoy,
Did you say address the mattresses? Thought we were going straight back to the Godfather stuff there.”
The Godfather was easier to follow (follow).
@Iain I suppose i could have used ‘Molasses’, Lethargic support stuck in an old mindset…
Seems like they are getting the club they deserve.
Bit like the failed New Labour experiment. Great opportunity to recalibrate things but wasted.
Blind faith and avarice are not great bed fellows.
Wonderful to see Jim T, Director of Non Communication at Ibrox, turn on the STV reporter as he left the stadium last night, needing, it seems, an intervention by the Police to calm him down and encourage him to speak to the fans without press or even recording devices in attendance…perfect guy for the perfect job. The supine Scottish press are in a poor second place to Big Walts departure compared to coverage of his going by the Daily Mail, of all papers!
I can’t understand why the media representatives present didn’t simply stand their ground when faced with that demand. Disgracefully supine and compliant. If they had remained in situ, the fans would still have demanded communication of some sort from Mr Traynor and he would either have had to return indoors or speak on the record. A failure of basic democracy : civic Scotland 2013.
Surely Mr Traynor would not have utilised the fans’ strength of feeling to ‘encourage’ the departure of offical media outlets and, as others have commented, it is in any case, extremely naive to expect no unofficial recording to have occurred.
I’m not talking until the official media have left. Get out of here media. Dignity. Transparency. Job remit – to communicate and promote public relations. Mr Smith issues the most appropriate summation : ‘dysfunctional’.
LETTER FROM SEVCOVIA
Walter No More, Ally No More, The Rangers No More…
Walter Mitty: “It is my fervent hope that when the dust settles and Rangers have a clearer path and future he is given the chance to manage under conditions similar to those which were afforded his predecessors.”
Well, HELLO EBTs.
“…ultimate responsibility of serving, protecting…”
WS, Rear Gunner, Second Platoon.
A Manager who can’t manage. A Director of Communications who can’t communicate. And now a Chairman who has given up his chair. What next, a support without a club? Going, going…
Maggie
How about some siegfried Sassoon
Everybody sang
Everybody suddenly burst out singing
And I was filled by such delight
As prisoned birds must find in freedom
Winging wildly across the white
Orchards and dark-green fields; on; on; and out of site
Everyones voice was suddenly lifted
And beauty came like the setting sun
My heart was shaken with tears; and horror drifted away
O but every one was a bird; and the song was wordless
The singing will never be done
Sums it all up for me
@Steven Brennan
I see your Siegfried Sassoon,and raise you one Stevie Smith
Nor Waving But Drowning
Nobody heard him,the dead man
But still he lay moaning.
I was much too far out
And not waving but drowning
Poor chap he always loved larking
And now he’s dead
It must have been too cold for him,his heart gave way
They said.
Oh,no non no,it was too cold always
( Still the dead one lay moaning )
I was much too far out all my life
And not waving but drowning.
Drowned trying to equal out great team.
I se this geezer McColl is being described (by guess who?) as ‘the richest man in Scotland.’ Does that mean he has even more money than Motherwell-born billionaire Wee (Sainted) Craigie Whyte?
ps to Steve Brennan, was thon Siegried Sassoon not an apologist for the war mongers—-the antithesis of Wilfred Owen, I mean?
I prefer William Topaz Mc Gonnigle, whose lines on Sevco might have gone thus: ‘At Ibrox park I saw a team, but as they’re na’ there noo, it musta been a dream.’
That was a play on his immortal lines ‘In yonder field there stood a coo, it must’ve moved cause it’s na there noo.’
What profundity!
@dan
Steven B posted that Mc Gonagall “poem” about the cow the other day.
He’s a well rounded poster is Steven,as are we all,well no’ the Sevconians obvs.I blame the schools.:-)
Are the laptop loyal still billing him as yet another Billionaire? LOL.
See if you can find him on any list of Billionaires, anywhere. I certainly can’t.
Honestly, imagine being treated like the Sevcovians are being treated at the moment. Surely to God they are not going to fall for this kind of drivel AGAIN?
” Yet each man kills the thing he loves
By each let this be heard,
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word,
The coward does it with a kiss,
The brave man with a sword!”
The Ballad of Reading Gaol. – Oscar Wilde
@Cregganduff
Is this a cunning plan to see off the trolls……kill them with culture.I like it
creg,let’s make that happen. 🙂
See you all later bhoys,busy day.
Walters first act as chairman is to resign. Makes a statement basically saying ‘I;m not up for the fight but this is who I want YOU to fight for’.
Maggie, I challenge anyone to read McGonagall’s ‘Great Tay Whale’ and not wet themselves laughing. And if you ever get a chance to hear the late John Lawrie reciting ‘The Great Tay Bridge Disaster’, don’t miss it. I’ve only heard it once—can’t remember where—-but maybe it’s online somewhere. There used to be a ‘Mc Gonagall Appreciation Society’ with members like Barry Cryer (a first rate wit and comedy writer) which goes to show that a thing can be so bad (i.e. McGonagall’s verse) that it’s good.
ps to all, have you seen the pic. of Jabba in the Herald? I actually think the original Jabba would be offended to be compared to JT. You have to hand it to him though, since becoming PR supremo over at IOUbrox, Sevco have never been off the front pages. Luuuurrrrrvvviiinnngg it!
It shouldn’t be forgotten, that all through this saga of hilarity and mirth, back-stabbing and double dealing, and every organisation imaginable that can be formed from 3 letter permutations of the alphabet investigating them. Walter and Sally have always known what Bomber knew!
They hung him out to dry!
£Walter£ came back only to COACH Sally, A Failure ! The Boardroom Shenanigans he knew nout about… perfect excuse !! Cashed in, put on his cardigan and running shoes once again…
This is news to me….
… that Ally McCoist has had predecessors.
So, “Walter” walks away even quicker than expected.
One thing I will agree with him on. “Alistair McCoist” MUST be given at least 7 more years.
What other manager has had to go toe to toe with teams of part-timers without a gigantic advantage. It simply is not fair to expect him to get results with such a level playing field.
After all Charlie boy was ranting about giving him a 10 year contract.
Geyt it signed “QAlistair”