Rangers: Who is pulling strings? - Murray group

The group of dissenting Rangers shareholders led by Paul Murray and Jim McColl yesterday urged the Ibrox board to disclose the “outside influences who are pulling the strings” at the club.

Rangers have appointed Crighton to the board. Picture: Robert Perry

The plea came after former oldco Rangers director Dave King warned that failure to reach a workable agreement at the annual general meeting will mean administration is a “distinct possibility”. It also came on the day Rangers announced the departure of communications director James Traynor.

King held talks with a number of key parties involved in the ongoing boardroom battle but has returned to South Africa saying that “certain influential shareholders are unwilling to compromise”.

Former director Murray and former Rangers chairman Malcolm Murray – as well as allies Alex Wilson and Scott Murdoch – are backed by wealthy businessman McColl and hope to win directorships when the club finally holds an AGM, which must occur before 31 December.

A statement on behalf of the group read: “It is now clear that there are outside influences who are ‘pulling the strings’ at Ibrox.

“Over the last couple of weeks we have attempted to clarify the identity of who is really behind [institutional shareholders] Blue Pitch Holdings and Margarita Holdings. We are now calling upon the board to do the right thing and disclose to everyone who is really in control.

“If they will not disclose this information then all of the stakeholders in Rangers should ask themselves two simple questions: Why will the board not disclose this information? What do the board have to hide?”

King has said he would not rule out a takeover attempt but he is resigned to a stormy and indecisive AGM, and said that administration was “not an imminent threat” but still a “distinct possibility if the AGM results in a continuing lack of continuity on one side or the other”.