Dave King backs Rangers fans in Sydney Super Cup storm and issues Ibrox board demand

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Supersonic2.0

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DAVE KING has thrown his weight behind furious Rangers supporters and called on chairman Douglas Park to 'reverse the cult of personality' has developed at Ibrox.

The Light Blues board - which has been headed by Park since King stepped down in March 2020 - and the champions' executive team have come under severe criticism following the decision to sanction a controversial trip to Australia.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side will take part in the Sydney Super Cup and play the first ever Old Firm match outside of Glasgow in November as two A-League sides - Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC - also participate in the four-team tournament.

Fans unfurled banners during the Premiership clash with St Johnstone on Wednesday night and made their feelings clear towards their board with a series of protest chants throughout the 1-0 victory.
King has harboured deep worries over events at Ibrox for some time now following Rangers' public fight with the SPFL over the cinch sponsorship deal and the departure of manager Steven Gerrard to Aston Villa in November.

And the former chairman - who voted against the re-election of Graeme Park at the AGM last year - has expressed his concern at the way in which Rangers are being managed at boardroom level as they fight to retain their top flight title.
King told Herald and Times Sport: “I am 100 per cent with all supporters on this. It is not something that I would have sanctioned if I was still on the board.
“Unfortunately, this is another in an increasingly long list of recent instances where the club has shown its indifference to supporter wishes and interests.
“The shoddy treatment of Club 1872, the firing of Mark Hateley, Richard Gough, Derek Johnstone, etc, as ambassadors, the unseemly spat with the football authorities to assist Douglas’s personal agenda, and the completely unnecessary loss of a manager that won title number 55 and would have successfully defended the title are among the concerns that have caught my attention.


“I have not spoken to Douglas since I stepped down as Chairman but, as an ordinary supporter, I call on Douglas to reverse the cult of personality that has developed at the club and to remember that the present board are temporary custodians of the club on behalf of present and future generations of supporters.
“Recent success has unfortunately created short memories and supporters have every right to be concerned.”
 
most interesting from that and King's latest line is:

"and the completely unnecessary loss of a manager that won title number 55 and would have successfully defended the title are among the concerns that have caught my attention."

shit stirring? if it's about lack of transfer funds available - bit rich from King given that he has withdrawn all funding and selling up.
 
Supersonic2.0 said:
most interesting from that and King's latest line is:

"and the completely unnecessary loss of a manager that won title number 55 and would have successfully defended the title are among the concerns that have caught my attention."

shit stirring? if it's about lack of transfer funds available - bit rich from King given that he has withdrawn all funding and selling up.
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That was what also caught my attention, I wonder if he has spoken to Gerrard and heard first hand some of his grievances.

Not saying Gerrard or King are right but it is interesting.
 
Manhattan_Loyalist said:
Really mixed on this.

I 100% agree with King’s sentiments on the Rangers board and the way we’re run (not necessarily on Australia but in general)

Yet the other part of me loathes to criticise Park too much as he’s put in tens of millions he’ll never see again to keep us afloat alas has a right to run the club in the meantime as he sees fit.

Something needs to change though. I know that much. If it was Park’s motor business where this much damage was done to it especially from the press and rest of Scotland the problems would be sorted instantly at source
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let's not pretend that we weren't getting battered on a daily basis when King was chairman
 
let's say Gerrard left because of a lack of funds. given that King has no funding left for Rangers - is he suggesting he would be able to have given King more funds to play with and kept him? and would that have stopped him exploring the Villa opportunity, i doubt it.
 
Scrubs UK said:
The Gerrard comment is strange. Cannot help but think King is just using this situation to 'get back' at the board memeber(s) he fell out with, even though I agree with him regaring the Oz trip.
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Its 100% him hitting back.

Gerrard got off a train in London with his suit with him, he never even spoke to any players about leaving. All done a few days before a semi final.
 
"and the completely unnecessary loss of a manager that won title number 55 and would have successfully defended the title"

Guessing no-one need ask Dave what he thinks of our current coaching & backroom setup, then.
 
tazzabear said:
Not all of it justified.
If King has something to tell us about Gerrard leaving, he should be telling us the whole story and not simply giving us teasers.
Also, if he is against Park’s argument with the SPL, he should tell us why.
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Park's argument is a very good strategy to show up the SPFL's incompetence, i highly doubt he will benefit much personally from the whole ordeal. how much is the contract with Rangers worth to him? probably a lot less than he's personally invested into Rangers.
 
Probably take heat for this given the furore over Sydney but he's only pushing his own agenda I think by shoehorning the 'shoddy treatment of club 1872' in there. Also far too personal and public an attack on Park by someone who apparently only has the club's and supporters best interests at heart. Dragging their dirty laundry through the press doesn't serve that purpose in the slightest imo. He was the perfect man for the job when it came to ousting Ashley, he is the antithesis of that here imo. Too controversial and fractious.
 
IbroxForever said:
King is a disgrace for running to the scum media over this. As for his comments over Park and the sfa and Gerrard leaving, shocking.
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Slightly agree perhaps the wrong way of going about it but some major issues being brought up and we need to figure out whats going on there is no balance and no questions being asked along with supporters who pay week in week out being completely disregarded

King will also know exactly what has went on with Gerrard, would not be surprising if they have spoke and this is coming from someone who has zero time for gerrard and his staff at this point
 
He's spot on about the Sydney Cup debacle. There isn't a hope in hell it would've happened if he were still around.

But to use it as an excuse to launch another attack on the board because people he was close to were let go or because his Club 1872 grand plan is down the toilet isn't a good look (especially when it's not our board's fault either).

The Gerrard comment isn't particularly helpful and completely unfair to Gio.
 
cooprfc said:
Very interesting comment on Gerrard.
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In May we heard Gerrard talking about how Rangers had become such a big part of him… by the end of July he looked like he wanted out and our transfer activity was on the minimalist side.

Something happened.

Wary that King and Park are developing quite the spat and that Rangers FC and the wider support will be pawns in that, but if I’ve learned anything over the last 20yrs of football club politics about Rangers it’s that there’s never one party, or one individual who has it 100% right.
 
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Candyass said:
"and the completely unnecessary loss of a manager that won title number 55 and would have successfully defended the title"

Guessing no-one need ask Dave what he thinks of our current coaching & backroom setup, then.
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It’s poor form from King, but the current manager had a healthy head start to build on and has, as of current time, blown that lead and sees us in the verge of relinquishing the title.

If he loses the league, then the questions need asked.
 
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