Rangers First aim to buy 10 per cent of Ibrox club for £100,000 and get seat on the clubs board after backing from Nacho Novo Rangers fans are attempting to buy a 10 per cent stake in the club A group named Rangers First believe they can buy shares worth £100,000 Ex-director Paul Murray and ex-Rangers striker Nacho Novo have thrown their weight behind fan share purchase schemes Fan ownership group Rangers First have set their sights on snapping up 10 per cent of the Ibrox club following a sharp spike in membership. Former director Paul Murray and ex-Rangers striker Nacho Novo became the latest high profile figures to throw their weight behind fan share purchase schemes on Tuesday. Rangers First believe they now have enough fans investing cash to buy £100,000 worth of shares in the club a month. The future of the Scottish giants remains uncertain following continuing financial problems ‘We are up to nearly 4,400 members,’ says director Ricki Neill ‘The momentum is definitely growing rapidly. Even amongst former players we are gaining some backing. ‘We don’t want to own Ibrox. What we seek is representation for supporters on the board. ‘Our long-term goal is to get to 10 per cent of the shares in Rangers and then we can actually have a say in what happens. ‘We can run matters past our members and see how they wish to vote on it. That’s our main goal. ‘We don’t want to fall out with the board - we want to be represented on the board.’ Murray, part of the Dave King group seeking to oust the current board at a forthcoming EGM, is one of the new Rangers First members. The former Ibrox director has also taken a life membership of Rangers Supporters Trust, a different body with broadly similar goals. And has urged Rangers fans to take destiny into their own hands by throwing their financial muscle behind one of two fan ownership schemes. Murray, who together with Dave King and John Gilligan, is seeking a place on the Ibrox board at a forthcoming Extraordinary General Meeting, said: ‘I have today taken out life membership of both the Rangers Supporters Trust and Rangers First. Whilst I would like to make special mention of the RST, who have supported our cause tirelessly over the last few years, I wish to make it known that I fully support these two groups in their desire to help safeguard the future of our club. ‘Along with many of the people who have been working behind the scenes to ensure Rangers can again function fully, both on and off the pitch, I believe the supporters should be able to participate significantly in the club’s rehabilitation. ‘Dave King, John Gilligan and I are committed to introducing meaningful fan ownership and representation at the club and that is one of the reasons I have pledged my support to both groups. Novo, pictured celebrating scoring for Rangers in March 2010, has backed the share-buying scheme ‘RST and Rangers First have bought not insignificant amounts of shares and must be recognised by those of us who are striving to remove the current Directors and begin the process of repairing the considerable damage caused by a constantly changing Boardroom. ‘The Club and not the needs of individuals must be put back to the top of the priority list and the supporters can help us achieve that goal. Rangers First and RST will always have the best interests of their club at heart and they deserve as much support as we can give. ‘I would urge as many of this club’s fans to sign up to either one or both if possible. The fans can play a hugely significant part in forcing change through votes. ‘They are the most loyal supporters any club could wish for but have been disregarded by a succession of directors in recent years and I for one recognise their contribution in the struggle to end the disgrace and level of mismanagement within Ibrox. ‘There is now a demand for a General Meeting and our fans can make a difference in that process, which hopefully will bring about the changes necessary. We have seen what happens when Directors with no feel, no understanding and no real concern for Rangers are in control.’ Between them Rangers First and RST may yet hold around two per cent of Rangers around the time of the EGM. The numbers are tight, but with the King group scrambling for 51 per cent their shares may yet have an influence on the balance of power. ‘At the Hearts game on Friday night you could sense a different atmosphere,’ Neill added. ‘Even within Ibrox people are asking now what they can actually do, asking how supporter representation might work.’ Novo is the latest former player to sign up and the Spaniard said: ‘This is not a football club anymore. It’s just about business and money and things like that. ‘For me, it’s like Real Madrid and Barcelona. This club has that history. It should be run by the fans - end of. There is so much great history at this club and the fans deserve more.’ Seeking to capitalise on a radio advertising campaign and a publicity blitz, Neill claims widespread disgust over the tumult at the club is uniting a previously divided support. And Murray insisted the wider fan-base must be prepared to stand strong in the face of a war of words that’s only going to intensify. ‘In the lead up to the General Meeting the usual suspects will attempt to undermine our cause because they realise their days could be numbered,’ he said. ‘The truth is that for the first time in years there is a group of people capable of rebuilding and repairing our club and malicious speculation will not deflect us. ‘Rangers have to re-engage with Scottish football and take our place again at the top table. ‘We need to be financially stable again and accept our responsibilities to the game in general. Change will come and we can all emerge from a black period in this fantastic club’s history.’
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 08:25:14 +0000
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