It’s not the 49ers! Daily Record in humiliating climbdown over Ibrox ‘takeover’

The Daily Record has published a significant confession- admitting that the 49ers have only a minority share in the 2012 club playing at Ibrox.

For almost four months the Glasgow based publisher has inserted the 49ers name and the giant SF logo into the Andrew Cavenagh deal with nothing in the way of scrutiny.

It has been a case of constant moonbeams, war-chests and Revolutions as another season ended trophy-less at Ibrox while Celtic strengthened their position as Scotland’s most successful football club.

Two weeks after the reported takeover Companies House has still to be updated on the transfer of 51% of the shares or the removal of three directors with three new directors, including Cavenagh added to the Board.

Any news from Leeds United has been been dressed up as a good news for Ibrox fans, reaching a peak when the announcement of a £120m share issue was converted into a transfer kitty for the incoming Ibrox manager.

Over the last week it has emerged that Crystal Palace’s Europa League place is being challenged by Nottingham Forest due to the links between the London club and Lyon who will be playing in the same competition.

The Record’s campaign has linked their cherished club at Ibrox with Leeds and the Red Bull empire at every turn, with the Crystal Palace case in the spotlight the Record has given the game away on the 49ers role at Ibrox.

Mike Mulraney insists the SFA would never allow dual ownership where it could cost clubs a place in Europe.

Co-Leeds United investor, the 49ers group, has just bought a minority share in Rangers, similar to Brighton owner Tony Bloom at Hearts and Bournemouth’s holding company Black Knight who have put money into Hibs.

But, but, but. Since February 19 the Record has been telling their army of readers that the 2012 Tribute Act was being taken over and bankrolled by the San Francisco 49ers.

That was quickly downgraded to 49ers Enterprises before mystery man Andrew Cavenagh emerged from the shadows.

Anyone that cuts a deal with Dave King is one for the watching, Google is your friend when you type in ‘South African judges’ or ‘glib and shameless liar’. Paul Murrat played matchmaker to King and Cavenagh, Murray has been a director of both Ibrox clubs.

SFA President Mulraney explained to Record readers:

We make sure if ever there is a contention about a dual-ownership model whereby the Scottish club would be seen as subordinate, that cannot be. You can’t get investment rights unless you agree the Scottish club is never subordinate.

In the event UEFA said, ‘these two clubs can’t play in the same competition, we’ve changed the rules’, nobody really thought about it. The SFA ensures that the Scottish club is never subordinate.

The SFA are a law onto themselves, especially when it comes to clubs from Ibrox.

After six drafts in 2012 they produced the secretive Five Way Agreement which involved the Rangers administrators, the SFA, SPL, SFL and the new club formed by Charles Green.

That document remains under lock and key with SPL clubs being given a July weekend to raise any objections to the email sent out by Neil Doncaster on Thursday July 26 at 21.01.

At the 2019 Celtic AGM Peter Lawwell was asked if anyone at the club had been involved in the document, in trademark fashion he laughed back that he had never read the Five Way Agreement.

Since inception in 2012 the SFA has pandered to the excesses of Charles Green’s club, there has never been any form of Financial Fair Play in the Scottish game which allowed the Ibrox club to race through the divisions to revive the toxic O** F*** brand in 2016.

Now after losses averaging £10m a year and being propped up by Director loans converted to shares the club is about to go private, handed over to Cavenagh and his fellow ‘investors’ with Rangers LLC registered in Delaware.

Mulraney and the SFA won’t get any answers from Cavenagh as they bow down to Scotland’s newest club, at some stage, such as with racist banners and chants UEFA may intervene.

In 12 days time an EGM will be staged to take the Ibrox club into private hands, accounts will be published nine months after year end with the AGM  a quaint throwback to the good old days of winter Gazebo’s and shouts of rats from the dignified shareholders.

The SFA could always bring in Financial Sustainability Regulations in line with other UEFA nations but since July 2012 one club has had their own separate set of rules inside Scottish football.

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