For the first time in his glittering career Dave Murray is finding his business dealings open to criticism.
With Rangers as his flagship investment Murray found doors opening, planning consent granted and access to loans that others wouldn’t get close to as the image of a captain of industry was glowingly reported.
When the tide turned, known as Halifax’s takeover of the Bank of Scotland, the excesses of the Murray Group were called in with an even tougher line taken when Lloyds TSB took over HBOS.
That transaction effectively sealed the end for Murray with Lloyds taking a massive stake in the company as they attempted to stem losses and try to find any profitable areas in the empire.
Such is the state of chaos for the Murray Group that pension payments have been with-held prompting the anger of the Daily Record.
Under the headline of ‘Anger as staff at ex-Rangers owner David Murray’s firm face £22.5m black hole in pension fund’ Record readers discovered that the garden hasn’t been quite as rosy as has often been portrayed.
Murray has largely escaped criticism for the liquidation of Rangers with Craig Whyte viewed as the main culprit having ‘duped’ Scotland’s greatest ever businessman into a £1 sale of the second most important institution in Scotland.
For over 20 years a series of moonbeams were glowing covered whether it was world class signings or stadium redevelopment, regeneration of Ibrox and Govan while plans for inter-gallactic space travel were reported as ‘ambitious’.
With pensions under threat the sheen of the Murray empire is under threat from two fronts. Critical commentary is probably something that he can deal with but former colleagues losing out on their pension may prompt some into revealing some of the business practices employed by Sir Dave.
While Michael Kelly and his cohorts remain detested and figures of fun for most Celtic supporters Murray still retains the affection of a large number of Ibrox supporters.
Recent rumours of a glorious return to duty were warmly received but with no friendly loans from the Bank of Scotland or dubious tax policies available a second generation of moonbeams is regarded as highly unlikely.
Murray received EBT payments of £6m according to BBC Scotland.