Somers asks Rangers shareholders to reject rebels

RANGERS chairman David Somers has used the notice of the forthcoming annual general meeting to ask shareholders to vote against proposals for a new board.

New Rangers Chairman David Somers. Picture: PA

In his notice to shareholders, Somers calls for shareholders to back the board’s ten resolutions for the meeting, describing the resolutions as “most likely to promote the success of the Company for the benefit of its shareholders as a whole.”

Somers then urges shareholders to vote against the resolutions calling for Paul Murray, Malcolm Murray, Scott Murdoch and Alex Wilson to be appointed as board members.

‘Not in the best interests of the Company’

Somers states that the current board “does not believe these Resolutions are in the best interests of the Company”, and raises concerns that any new appointments could lead to yet more instability at the club.

Somers writes: “As none of the required AIM or SFA regulatory consents have been obtained for these proposed appointments to the Board there can be no guarantee that each of these individuals will be found to be suitable to act as a director of the Company or that the Board would be able to function properly having made these appointments.

“As such, in the event that the required regulatory consents can not be obtained this may result in certain of these individuals not being able to act as directors of the Company, resulting in further changes to the composition of the Board to ensure a fully competent and functioning Board.”

‘No notices’

Somers also suggests that the prospective board members are yet to provide their credentials, or notices stating their consent to be appointed. He writes: “The Company has not received a notice with the requisite particulars for each of the proposed directors’ appointments.

“The Company has not received notices from each of the proposed directors indicating their consent to act as directors of the Company. As such, the proposed appointments would be in breach of the Company’s Articles of Association.

Background

The Resolutions calling for the four new appointees to the Rangers board are on the agenda by court order, after Paul Murray succeeded in a Court of Session bid to postpone the AGM from its original date in October.

A source close to Murray told the Daily Mail that Somers’ statement was seen as “disgraceful” by the requisitioners and their key ally, Clyde Blowers chief Jim McColl.

Rangers’ AGM will be held on 21 December at Ibrox Stadium.