Mark Hateley has opened up on his sacking as an Ibrox ambassador in the summer of 2020.
With the promise of a blazer and brogues the former Hull City manager had been on message to back whatever regime is in place at Ibrox, famously that role cost him his friendship with Ally McCoist in 2015.
Reassuring fans that all was well behind the scenes was part of the gig with a token salary and a few trips to Stornoway and Inverness to bang the drum thrown in.
At the start of the pandemic Hateley appeared in a video to deliver handwashes to local Care Homes, a few weeks later the paydays were over.
Listening in to a podcast The Sun reports Hateley saying:
It’s August 2020 and we are five months into a lockdown imposed by the global coronavirus pandemic.
I had been trying to catch up with one of the directors at Rangers for some time and at around 8.30am one Monday, he called. What happens in the next ten seconds takes my breath away when the director utters the words, ‘Mark, your job does not exist any more and will fall away’.
After more than 200 appearances and almost 150 goals as a player and 19 years’ unbroken service since I came back to Rangers in 2001, I’m cast aside as I’m told my role is being down-sized and diminished. So much for loyalty!”
According to Wikipedia Hately played 169 matches across two spells with Rangers, scoring 88 goals but facts have always been something of an inconvenience.
Later he added:
I later heard through the grapevine what the consensus was among the staff when it came to the reason for our departures. Besides being former players, Goughie, DJ and I had another thing in common – we were all the King’s men.
Dave took a step back and suddenly I was surplus to requirements. In my opinion, my downfall was that I asked too many questions. I was not looking to undermine anyone; I was just looking to find out why certain decisions were made the way they were.
After being sacked Hateley was given regular appearances on BBC Sportsound alongside Kenny Macintyre.
? Mark Hateley visited two local care homes to gift them hand wash, thanks to club partner @MoltonBrownUK. #EveryoneAnyone
?? Read more: https://t.co/K9MlEhAZHp pic.twitter.com/GPPOPUScpO
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) March 20, 2020
What a whinging bawbag, Hartleys only interested in himself
The SFA have the CHEEK to ask for a 100% pay rise after watching that shite they put together ladt night.
And as pointed out previously the challenge regarding the sending off has come back to haunt the SFA by allowing the Scottish nickel&dime refs to allow those tackles to go unpunished each week in our game.
One good SCUDDING down only 2 more to go.
Hately is a FUD..
He might have to learn some new phrases for his next career move – instead of ‘We Are The People’ it’ll be ‘Do You Want Fries With That?’…….
The ex-England striker has done alright out of his adopted (second) nation!
Like Gascoigne, Hately’s brand of brutal football would only be tolerated in Scotland hence the reason they ended up here. Don’t know how many goals he and McCoist (on the rebound) scored after he had barged into the keeper.