Since Charles Green purchased the assets of the soon to be liquidated Rangers Football Club there has been a scramble by some with blue tinted glasses to claim that the ‘Old Rangers’ is still alive and that all history and titles will still be there under the banner of the Newco. Half-truths and outright lies are peddled on Rangers websites as desperate Bears try to convince themselves that this isn’t the end. Stop deluding yourselves; it is indeed the end of the road. Consider the situation of Airdrieonians who were liquidated in 2002 when David Murray called in a modest debt of around £30k stating as he killed a long established and historic Scottish club that ‘business is business’ The new club born thereafter, Airdrie United, rightly discontinued claims on all titles, trophies and past glories of the old Airdrieonians because they recognised that the old club was dead and that they were a brand new entity. Green's own CVA proposal begins; ‘The Rangers Football Club PLC was incorporated in 1899.’ That is to say Rangers FC (Company Number SC004276) currently in administration and awaiting liquidation. Not part of it, not a division of it but all of it. When that same company is liquidated in the very near future, it’s corporate, business and sporting history is over. There was no purchase of the Old Rangers, not one share changed hands.

There was a purchase of a dead company’s assets at a ridiculously low price. UEFA recognise this fact in their 3 year rule on clubs competing in European competition. This is not a ban, nor indeed a punishment of any sort as some blue tinted spec wearing Bears claim. Rather it is a rule which states that any NEW Club must be in existence for three years before they can compete in European competitions. If Sevco bought the old Rangers then why would the SPL expect them to apply for membership of a league they are already members of? The fact they need to apply to join the SPL is clear evidence that they are in no way, shape or form the old Rangers. Indeed, if old Rangers still exists why are contracted players exercising their right to walk away and seek employment elsewhere?  With the Newco also walking away from Rangers debts of up to £120m are we seriously being asked to believe that they can do this and still retain the history of the dead club? The old Rangers are history, dead as a dodo.

Despite this the lies and propaganda continue to spill out. Mr Green states on the Rangers website that…The governing body is sticking to the schedule of announcing the matches as planned but have taken the Ibrox men out of the list after the developments of  last week, which saw Rangers FC change ownership under a Newco scenario.’ This is simply misleading. Rangers FC (1873-2012) did not change ownership, they were liquidated, or soon will be, and Green bought the remaining assets. With a breathtaking disregard for accuracy Green goes on…"The Sevco consortium headed by Charles Green completed the purchase of the club and its assets last week when HMRC refused to support an exit from administration through CVA.’ Nonsense! He did not buy the club, he bought the assets of a dead club, a different thing altogether. Today in the Daily Record we read a fictional piece under the headline…’Rangers in crisis: Demotion to SFL could revive oldest fixture in Scottish game.’’ This fanciful tale tells us that Rangers and Dumbarton, who shared the first league title in Scottish history in 1890, will be reunited in the SFL if Rangers are demoted. One wee snag though, the Rangers of 1890 is dead, liquidated, gone forever. The Newco Club has yet to play a game and subsequently have no history with Dumbarton or anyone else. This sort of cheerful ignoring of the facts by elements of the mainmedia is symptomatic of the drivel we saw in the ‘succulent lamb’ days when their pandering to Mr Murray led to remarkably little criticism of a man who left Rangers mired in debt and at death’s door. At least Celtic see the truth and published a neat little history of Old Firm games from 1888-2012, boasting that just as Celtic won the first Old Firm game 5-2, they also won the last ever 3-0. Those of us who watched Gary Hooper smash that third goal past McGregor in April 2012 were right in assuming that it might be the last ever goal in Old firm history. For despite the deception, the lies and distortion of the facts, the old Rangers is dead and gone and anything else which shows up in blue shirts claiming to be ‘Rangers’ is simply some imposter out to deceive the gullible. Few will mourn the passing of this malignant and intolerant Club. ‘They had,’ said journalist Graham Spiers, ‘a social poison at their hearts.’

Scotland is a better place without them. It remains to be seen what sort of culture attaches itself to the Newco but the omens are not good. The same old arrogance and bigotry may well reappear, rejuvenated by a feeling of persecution and paranoia as SPL Clubs and fans unite to refuse the Newco direct entry into the top tier of the league. The followers of old Rangers used to sing…’No one likes us, we don’t care.’ Did they ever considering stopping and asking themselves why they are so disliked? Let’s hope the Newco brings a new attitude with them as they wander the lower leagues. They will have time to consider the sins of the past before they re-join the SPL at some uncertain future date. It is to be hoped that they also accept the fact that the old Rangers died in 2012, but just as there are still some people claim to see Elvis, there will be those who can’t let go of old Rangers and all it stood for. But the majority of us know that Rangers FC 1873-2012 imploded and were liquidated in the Summer of 2012.  No matter what the dreamers and deceivers say, they are dead and they’re never coming back.

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About the author
David Scott
owner of cybertims.net Website of the Cybertims Celtic supporters club. Live near Glasgow with my wife and three very grown up Children.