Andy Newport's AGM preview
Our man Andy is heading to the Armadillo and here's his look ahead to events.
From Super Cup storms to megabucks Champions League tickets, the Rangers support have had plenty to grumble about this past year.
Today the Ibrox board are bracing themselves for both barrels as the club’s faithful get their chance to tell it straight to the man perched at the top of the marble staircase.
Rangers AGMs have a habit of getting side-tracked but it’s unlikely it will be allowed to wander off topic this time.
The directors have some serious answering to do after repeated own goals left fans feeling ripped off and disenfranchised.
Supporters who were asked to pay top dollar to see their team chucked about like a cheap tracksuit in the Champions League want to know why they should continue pouring their hard-earned in when the club refused to dig deep to give former boss Gio van Bronckhorst a fighting chance against the continental elite?
The same punters branded a “rump section” for questioning board decisions will want to know why they should continue coughing up for the never-ending Castore kits that have left them feeling more like customers than valued supporters?
Grateful as they are for the £80million the board has invested to rebuild the club, the fans will demand an explanation on how the higher-ups have allowed the 25-point lead over Celtic in May 2021 to be squandered, with their side now trailing their rivals for the second straight season.
Despite the combined attempts of former boardroom ally Dave King and fan group Club 1872 to oust him, chairman Douglas Park is almost certain to keep his seat.
But the likelihood is he’ll spend most of this morning squirming in it. It’s been a roller-coaster 12 months for the punters, with the highs of the run to Seville and Scottish Cup triumph replaced by the lows of a failing Premiership bid and Champions League humiliation.
But they are nothing compared to the head spinner the board went through with their breakneck Sydney Super Cup U-turn on the back of a furious fans backlash.
A costly mistake that could yet land Gers with a £1.6million legal bill. Still, not as expensive as the £9.5m that former kit provider Elite are suing them for.
It comes after the club finally made a profit last year – and they should be back in the black next year too thanks to the huge sums raised from selling Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey and returning to the Champions League.
But for now they remain in Celtic’s shade and it will take a huge rebuild from new boss Michael Beale to turn things round. He’ll have a far better chance of doing that if the board straightens out their relationship with the fans.
