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‘Tit for Tat’ In Ownership Battle Is Unnecessary

Over the last 24 hours, Rangers chairman Alistair Johnston and potential buyer Andrew Ellis have engaged in a ‘Tit for Tat’ war of words on Ellis’ plans to buy Rangers from majority shareholder Sir David Murray.

Rangers have been up for sale for a few years now and Ellis has proved to be the only interested candidate for owning the club, but has yet to make a formal bid for the SPL Champions. Last night, Alistair Johnston criticised Andrew Ellis, by ultimately telling the former Northampton Town owner to “put up or shut up”, similar to what Walter Smith said a week or so ago. Johnston said, “this saga has gone on way too long – so let’s just say I am sceptical about it”. Not only that, but when Ellis first made his intimations about being interested in buying Rangers back in March, I set up a meeting and was all set to fly out to meet him, when that meeting was abruptly cancelled”.

But Ellis wasn’t convinced with Johnston’s comments and replied, “I’m surprised to be honest, very surprised. I wasn’t very happy when I learned of his comments and I think he is being unfair. I don’t understand where he is coming from. I’ve never had a meeting arranged with Alastair Johnston and he has never requested a meeting with me”.

And the next blow was from the Johnston camp this morning, “I hope people will believe me that I’m not in this (being chairman) for me. I just want to protect the club’s interests. I’m a life-long Rangers fan and the very best for Rangers is all that concerns me. Nothing else. He (Ellis) can say what he wants but I am working for Rangers’ community of fans and if Ellis comes through with a bid, I will welcome him with open arms. But right now I am dealing with the expectations of ownership among our supporters – and it has gone on way too long without something coming to the table.”, said the Rangers chairman.

So where are we now in terms of ownership?

Nobody really knows.

The way Ellis, Johnston, Murray and the rest of the parties have handled this saga has been nothing short of a disgrace. With a fanbase like what Rangers have, the fans deserve to know what is happening. £400 for a seaston ticket? £100 for Champions League? – If the fans didn’t cough up for all this, where really would Rangers be right now?

I personally don’t trust anyone, but I have always said I believe supporter-ownership is the way forward for Rangers Football Club and I have my fingers crossed that the Supporters Trust have maybe stepped their plans up a gear during this time of uncertainty. I, along with the majority of supporters, are getting sick of being left in the dark and sick of the majority shareholder going into hiding whenever we need direction.

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