Mike Ashley is set to test the nerve of Dave King by putting Sevco shirts on sale across Scotland tomorrow- without permission from the club.
Mr King and Ashley have been involved in a long running dispute since the South African based criminal stormed to power at an EGM in March 2015.
Ashley’s Sports Direct company have exclusive merchandising and retail deals for the Scottish Cup runners up but the club and the sportswear giant have been involved in a summer long staff off over the new Puma kit.
Sevco haven’t been involved in any formal launch for the kit which puts very little into the club coffers with the bulk of the money from sales being split between Sports Direct and Puma.
Matters are about to come to a head now in the lead up to the new season with Sports Direct ready to sell kit without permission from the club.
According to the Daily Record, who have broke a number of exclusive stories relating to the contract, including the seven year notice period, ‘Rangers’ are ready to take legal action to stop the selling of the jerseys.
Countering that action Sports Direct will be able to point to a number of breaches of contract by the club after the initial deal was set up by founding father Charles Green.
Mr King has been strong on promises and sound-bites since fronting the takeover but has failed to deliver in a number of key areas. Failure to challenge Ashley in court will be seen as a major step down by the non-billionaire from Castlemilk.
With Sports Direct selling the jerseys he has to decide on a costly legal challenge to save face or the embarrassment of seeing Sports Direct selling the jerseys in direct opposition to the man in power in the Blue Room of dignity.