If there’s one thing fans of the current version of Rangers excel at, besides walking away, it’s self-sabotage. However, according to reports this morning, their recent efforts have taken it to a whole new level.
Not Woke, and Still Broke
It seems, according to prominent journalist Phil Mac Giolla Bhain, that the backlash from last week’s temper tantrum of a banner from the Rangers support, railing against “foreign woke ideologies”, may have, funnily enough, scared off the “woke foreigners” who wanted to invest in them.
In his latest article, Phil discloses information garnered from sources within Ibrox. The consortium of ultra rich investors that the Daily Record keep telling us are coming to save The Rangers, has already fragmented, if indeed they were ever fully onboard to begin with.
Two Down, Not Many to Go
Two members of the group apparently heard enough after last week’s embarrassment from Scotland’s Shame and, ironically enough, walked away. They are no longer interested in buying into Rangers.
The remaining potential investors let it be known that they were not impressed at all with what they saw from the stands, and the club’s seeming powerlessness to confront it.
Statements Galore But No Action
I remarked last week that the latest official statement from Rangers regarding the banner and the UEFA penalties that followed seemed to be quite an upgrade on the usual blend of fecal matter that emanates from the Ibrox PR team.
And, as I said last week, it was indeed a damage control exercise, albeit a badly-belated and impotent one. The Rangers board don’t want to change, after all, hatred is a major source of revenue for them. But the Americans see the bigger picture.
Takeover Not Worth the Time, Trouble or Money
These money men know that, not only is Rangers going to be difficult to turn into a profitable business, but that any attempt they make at modernizing the business will meet with resistance and defiance from the fanbase at every turn.
Two potential investors have already made the value judgement that such a challenge is more trouble than its worth.
Like anyone with self-destructive tendencies, Rangers fans can’t be helped, until they accept they have a problem.
We’ve Been Down This Road Before
Anyone remember Bill Miller?
Back in 2012 he was one of several sugar daddies the old Rangers courted in a last-ditch attempt to stave of liquidation. The Tennessee-based tow-truck tycoon wanted to buy Rangers out of administration. He was, it turned out, Rangers’ last chance to save their 140 years of history.
The Rangers fans’ response: “Truck off Miller! Yanks no Thanks!” and “Yanks go Home!” two of the targeted banners aimed at Miller, despite his generous offer to save their club.
Those were just a small selection of the various anti-American, anti-foreigner banners the Rangers support proudly flouted for all to see in the final days before their club’s demise.
Meanwhile, Staunch Stupidity and Self-Sabotage Continues
Back in the present day, one enterprising Rangers fan thinks he’s found the solution to all their problems. Its not to eliminate the toxic bigotry and racism, poisoning his club. What they need, according to self-declared super fan Chris Jardine, is more of it. A lot more.
Jardine posted the following on his twitter yesterday:
“Calling All bandsmen. Bring your flutes, Rangers v Hibs, Bring the noise, No surrender.”
Scotland's Shame: Stupidity or Total Tone-Deaf Ignorance?
I like to think Mr. Jardine here is a delightful combination of “a little from column A, a little from column B”.
And sadly, for the decent Rangers fans out there, he is clearly not alone. The widespread outrage from the Ibrox fandom on social media towards the more reasonable parts of the club’s official statement suggest Jardine’s lunatic idea might actually gain some traction.
I guess all we, the Celtic support can do is sit back and laugh.
We All Know How This Ends
I think Napoleon said it best: Never interrupt your enemy while he is making a mistake.
So, I say got for it bears, be as brazenly bigoted, as aggressively “anti-woke” and as imbecilically ignorant as you like.
Just don’t try to blame Celtic, the SFA or anyone else when this all blows up in your face. You brought this on yourselves.