Straight-talking Gers interim chairman puts out his hopes for the coming months as he tries to bring Rangers back on track.
John Gilligan has witnessed what a club in turmoil looks like. Nine and a half years ago, he, along with Dave King and Paul Murray, rescued Rangers from Mike Ashley’s grasp.
Back then, he walked into the boardroom of a struggling club that was not even in the top flight, with decaying facilities, a second-rate squad, a manager on gardening leave, and a slew of legal difficulties that needed to be addressed as the dust settled on the financial crisis of 2012. The temporary chairman, who returned to Ibrox last week, dismissed King’s assertions that the club was “in crisis”.
Gilligan’s temporary term, which he hopes would last only a few months, may be filled with priorities, including the search for a new CEO at the very top. But even the immediate need for new figureheads, his admission that the financial difference with Celtic is “considerable,” and the general sense of dismay among the supporters following a succession of summer defeats don’t compare to the low Gilligan felt when he initially took over in 2015.
The fact that he was persuaded back into such a stressful work at the age of 72 undoubtedly confirms this. Gilligan, speaking publicly for the first time since his appointment, stated: “It is almost ludicrous to compare it. It would make me cry instead of laughing.
“You can’t imagine how bad we were in 2015 and what we inherited in terms of all facets of the club. Since then, it has changed beyond recognition. Listen, every day at Rangers Football Club is a challenge, and the level of expectation is huge. As a fan, I contribute to this situation. But it’s ludicrous to even try to compare it.”
The former MD of Tennent Caledonian Breweries is well conscious of the divide that is forming between his club and that which exists in the shadow of his previous business in Glasgow’s east end.Celtic said last week that they have £77 million in the bank and expect to earn even more from this season’s Champions League participation.
Gilligan’s proposal to bridge the divide is simple to explain. However, it is incredibly tough in practice. He emphasised the importance of player trade in achieving success and qualification to the Champions League. It’s a catch-22: player trading generates income, but Champions League generates income.
“When you don’t receive it, it’s difficult because Scottish football’s level of support, TV coverage, and sponsorship just cannot be compared to England’s. So it’s always a difficulty. It’s all about the squad, bringing in new players, winning matches, and moving forward.
“History teaches us that sometimes we are ahead, and sometimes Celtic are ahead. At the time, we are chasing. There is no argument there, and I am not stupid enough to claim otherwise. But we’ll keep chasing.”
It’s one thing to chase, but punters want their bitter rivals caught. And soon. In an inflammatory statement last week, King calculated Rangers would need £50 million to accomplish short and medium-term goals, alleging the amounts would “never be raised under the current board structure”.
But Gilligan responded, “I don’t think you can put a number on it. The current gap is substantial. But all you have to do is win your games and challenge for the top spot again, and if we reach the level of Europe that we aspire to, the gap will close swiftly.
“There is new investment coming into the club. To be honest, Dave is discussing new investments, but he does not want to make any. I’m not sure where he means the funding will come from.
“There will be investments. The existing investors have made significant investments over the years and are eager to do so again.
“We are open to anyone who contacts us about investing. We receive approaches from all over the world through various channels. But it must be the right people, the right conditions, and the right number of shares. “We don’t want one person to own the club.”
Stability was a word that came up frequently in Gilligan’s comments yesterday. The most essential action in the coming weeks, he stated, will be to recruit a new CEO. Bisgrove’s departure for Saudi Arabia in May was set to shake Ibrox to the rafters due to his role in the delay of the Copland Road stand refurbishment, which forced the club to relocate to Hampden.
They might be back home now. However, there has been no evidence of a new CEO taking over. Gilligan said they are well on their way to finding a “top-level candidate”. He said, “We’re moving swiftly on it. Recruitment in all walks of life is currently in high demand. The individual must be versatile and proficient in all areas.
“They must have great commercial acumen, expertise, and have led firms under pressure to execute. They must be capable of communicating effectively. And they must have a strong work ethic because it is obvious that it is extremely challenging.”
Rangers returned to Ibrox for Saturday’s Premier Sports Cup triumph against Dundee, but the Copland Road end remains closed pending final approval.The temporary chairman believes a full capacity return is “imminent”. He remarked, “We are quite positive. But we must observe local authority approval, as well as fire and insurance regulations – it’s all about the little things now. Structurally, we are almost there.
“I believe it will be tremendous. It’s been a really difficult period. I want to thank Mike Mulraney and Neil Doncaster for assisting us and allowing us to play at Hampden. But here is home, and we are back. It’s an incredible difference.”
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