As the world’s media descended on Murray Park to hear the words of Stuart McCall one face was missing from the state-of-the-art Training Academy- Dave King.
A week after his glorious revolution it is difficult to tell what regime change had actually brought about. Mr King was already back home in South Africa by the time the new manager was presented.
McCall’s appointment continues the theme of having disciples from the Walter Smith school of coaching in charge of the club playing at Ibrox with even the deluded support showing little enthusiasm for the former Bradford and Motherwell manager.
Despite the spin and excitement ahead of last week’s EGM nothing has changed at Ibrox- if anything the club dependent on the generosity of Mike Ashley is in an even more precarious position than they were beforehand.
Promises of accountability and transparency disappeared when a deal was struck with Sandy Easdale to resign from the club in return for an investigation into his actions being dropped.
Ashley’s backing and a stock market listing brought some comfort to current and potential investors- nine days after being de-listed there is still no mention of a NOMAD prepared to take on the troubled company. With four NOMAD’s in just over two years and the company now under the control of a man recently described as a glib and shameless liar by a South African judge the Sevco gig is clearly one to avoid.
In the boardroom King has his trusted side-kicks, Ant n Dec, or Paul Murray and John Gilligan as they are better known, both of whom have strictly on the radar wealth.
The Three Bears that moved to buy shares before Mr King finally put his hand in his pocket have already parted. Hamilton based businessman Douglas Park jumped at the offer of a blazer, George Letham and George Taylor have both body-swerved being associated with Mr King.
Filling up a few seats with nodding dog ‘fan reps’ should have been a guaranteed short cut to appeasing the hordes but whoever did the background check on Chris Graham has a bit of explaining to do.
Within a day of collecting his blazer Mr Graham was engulfed in an anti-Islamic storm that has brought the company unwanted worldwide attention, this afternoon, with no apology offered the company announced that Mr Graham had resigned. The announcement of Mr Graham’s departure has left the more fanatical wings of the support questioning whether the new board are ‘Real Rangers men’.
On the pitch Mr King watched draws against Cowdenbeath and Queen of the South before jetting back to Johannesburg.
While Mr Murray talks in reassuring tones about Sevco leading Scottish football into a golden new era, assuming that he passes a fit and proper person test, supporters are staying away in their droves from the team.
Just 35,000 fans were credited with an appearance for the visit of the Dumfries side, with 23,000 season tickets sold the income from that match would barely pay the weekly wage of the expensive management team that Mr King inherited.
While watching the action at Ibrox on Tuesday night surrounded by numerous adverts for Sports Direct three directors of the football club were serving the first night of their suspension.
Those onerous contracts remain in place, Mr Ashley hasn’t returned a call to Mr King with the only profitable parts of the club firmly in the hands of Sports Direct.
As Craig Whyte and Charles Green discovered previously patience and understanding aren’t qualities that are abundant among the Ibrox clientele, the clock is already ticking towards payday, de-listing day and the fury of the fans turning on their South African based messiah.
