Dave King has issued a personal statement telling Sports Direct that they have misunderstood last week’s High Court victory over Sevco!
The South African based criminal has a very flexible relationship with the truth but has surpassed himself with his latest interpretation. Strangely King has made the statement on a personal basis, it doesn’t appear on the tribute act website.
Last week the Elite Group were halted by Sports Direct from distributing Sevco kit which was mainly available through JD Sport and an online enterprise set up by the club.
As well as paying out the legal costs to Sports Direct Sevco will also have to pay damages which is likely to exceed any profits from punting the Hummel kit.
It’s expected that Hummel and JD Sport will follow up with claims against Sevco for failing to deliver on the terms of their contracts.
The Scotsman reports Kings personal statement:
“I note with interest Sports Direct’s press statement following Wednesday’s court judgement,” said King. “I also note Sports Direct’s failure when it went back to court on Friday, 26 October, in an attempt to extract from the court a more favourable interpretation of Wednesday’s judgement than was clearly warranted by the court’s narrow ruling.
“In my view, this failure was another significant setback for Sports Direct – it clearly misunderstood the impact that Wednesday’s ruling would have on the club when making its statement.
“In its statement Sports Direct expressed the hope that Rangers will now move on and put in place commercial arrangements with Sports Direct and that this would be for the benefit of Rangers fans and the club. There is no mention of what benefit such arrangements might bring to the club and its supporters. I challenge Sports Direct to follow up its statement by sharing with Rangers supporters how much last season’s retail agreement benefited the club.
“In terms of profits from Sports Direct’s sale of Rangers kit under the prior agreement, the club has still not, despite repeated requests, received a proper accounting for the retail activities or payments due under it.
“That certainly does not provide me with any comfort in dealing with Sports Direct as a partner. It is solely because of Sports Direct’s refusal or inability to act as expected of a normal commercial partner that Rangers now has no choice but to litigate to secure payments that are due and are long outstanding.
“My advice to Sports Direct is that whatever short-term success it might enjoy through its courtroom manoeuvrings will not affect my resolve, nor that of RIFC’s other investors to ensure the best deal for the club and its supporters. We continue to show the resolve we have demonstrated over the last three years in resisting all attempts by Mike Ashley and Sports Direct to take further advantage of our club.
“As in previous litigation, Sports Direct’s urgent court injunctions will always be complied with – but will not be the final word.”
King is expected to appear in court at the end of November to face a charge of contempt for failing to make an offer to shareholders outwith his concert party from the March 2015 takeover.