Traynor bang on the money yet again.

Rocket · Aug 20, 2012

By James Traynor

CHARLES GREEN'S speeches and interviews have won over the Ibrox support - now he must deliver the goods.

IF you should happen across someone weeping quietly while slumped against the red-brick facade of Ibrox, spare a kind word.

It wonât be Ian Black feeling sorry for himself after that Easter Road reception, or some down-at-heel Govanite, whose bottle has just crashed â literally â right through a hole in his carry-out bag.

Most likely it will be an employee from Rangersâ media department. Trying to persuade someone like Charles Green to tone it down must be the toughest job in the game
these days.

Yet you would think that working for a club that can attract 49,000 supporters to a Third Division match would be a joy. It should be but it isnât.

While we might have grown weary of the back story, Rangersâ media people are run off their feet trying to cope with interview requests from around the world. Others are just catching up and that was why the Ibrox clubâs first home match in the Third Division attracted attention from various countries including Italy, France and Brazil.

Even the New York Times wanted to know how a club in the lowest league of a tiny country â which struggles to produce mediocre, never mind decent players â can command such a massive support.

How can a club in that situation issue a plea to fans to stop applying for season books because the ticketing system canât cope with the demand?

And so they all came, demanding access and one-to-ones. But it isnât the increased workload which is causing fear and panic among Rangersâ media people, itâs the thought of another microphone being thrust under the nose of Green, who just might be the new Wallace Mercer.

You must remember him, the late former owner of Hearts. He certainly knew how to work a crowd and so fond of a public platform was he that it was said he had a card in his wallet which read: âIn the event of accident or injury, call a press conference.â

Hibernianâs fans didnât think much of him when he tried to merge their club with his own but the Great Waldo, whoâd speak his mind even when he knew the authorities wouldnât approve, is sadly missed. He could be arrogant and loud but there was always the hint of mischief about Wallace, and although he was passionate about his club you suspected his entire life didnât revolve around the Hearts or the game.

Did he take it all seriously, or was he just having a laugh?

The same question can be asked of Green, who has his ashen-faced media people sweating and worried every time he opens his mouth. They just know that no matter how long they spend advising and preparing him, all of it will be forgotten as soon as their man gets into his flow.

Trying to get Green to remain on message is impossible. Easier to herd a swarm of angry wasps or lasso steam but although Green often sounds as though words are just teaming out in no particular order, he is aware of what heâs doing. He knows exactly what heâs saying and the reaction his words will bring.

Of course he knew that by jabbing a finger at the authorities, and âthem over thereâ heâd finally connect with Rangersâ fans. It can be argued he is tapping deliberately into the more extreme element of that support but the fact is he struck a chord with a whole lot of others.

There are many fair-minded and reasonable Rangers fans who also believe they have been badly treated by the authorities and some clubs.

They accept punishment was merited but they also believe fans and one or two influential club people couldnât wait to sink the boot from behind the cloak of sporting integrity.

And I must admit to a degree of sympathy for Rangers. Not at all for their FTP brigade, of course, but for the many decent folk who follow this club.

There is little doubt in my mind a blind hatred of Rangers clouded and also extended this story of crime and punishment but letâs try to remember this club are responsible for their own collapse, although Saturdayâs impressive show of strength suggests anything but a downfall.

Only a month ago Rangers had sold no more than 500 season tickets and now theyâre asking for customers to form an orderly queue and be patient. They have taken in about Â£10m in sales already and Green is preparing to press ahead with a shares issue.

The clubâs wage bill must be down to about Â£7million and money should be piling up in the account. Any more generated by further investors and the issue will, as they say in this business, be a bonus. Unless, of course, there are people, as yet unnamed, to be paid off for having backed the purchase of Rangers.

But the fans, for the moment, arenât thinking about the possibility of hidden agendas. Theyâve been flooding back since the day Ally McCoist said it was time to buy into the new regime.

Ally gave his seal of approval and that was good enough for the masses. If their hero of the past year was ready to back Green then so, too, would they but just to make sure the chief executive himself pitched in with a couple of sound bites.

As soon as he said decisions against Rangers had been taken out of bigotry the rush to the ticket window became a stampede.

The chief executive might sound like a Yorkshire stereotype but heâs probably playing to the crowd. Heâs hamming it up, I suspect, because away from it all he speaks in more measured tones but challenging the authorities pressed all the right buttons with a support convinced they have been wronged by the game.

They squeezed into Ibrox on Saturday to make it clear they and their club remain a force. In fact, there is a sense this support have taken just about enough and are ready now to challenge the gameâs governing bodies as others have done in the past.

They are right behind Green and McCoist who face disrepute charges but even so, the man at the helm would be unwise to play games with this lot.

Just the other day he said he wouldnât stand back with a hand over his mouth and allow his club to be abused, yet another line for the supporters, but now that heâs won them over heâd better deliver.

Rangers fans have given him their trust and a further misuse of that belief would be the biggest abuse of all.
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Very well said indeed Jimbo.

.

Go G YellowScreen · Aug 20, 2012

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Go G YellowScreen · Aug 20, 2012

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Rocket · Aug 20, 2012

The Surreal Dance said: ↑

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Go G YellowScreen · Aug 20, 2012

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Rocket · Aug 20, 2012

Big Jim's upset Timmy with this.....

Mind The Duck · Aug 20, 2012

All I can see is Green ****ing over Sevco

Traynor saying he knew he would all along

Sevco fans looking for another "leader"

Billy Wonka and his Chocolate Orange company make a bid and promise the world

Traynor writes another column

Billy ****s you over

Repeat

rogueleader · Aug 20, 2012

"And I must admit to a degree of sympathy for Rangers." no **** fatso, who`d a thunk ?

Beelzebub

DevAdvocate · Aug 20, 2012

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DevAdvocate · Aug 20, 2012

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eric cartman · Aug 20, 2012

So you all trust charles green now because he called you bigots?

Barrie Lochrie · Aug 20, 2012

eric cartman said: ↑

So you all trust charles green now because he called you bigots?
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Rocket · Aug 20, 2012

EDGE. said: ↑

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Go G YellowScreen · Aug 20, 2012

eric cartman said: ↑

So you all trust charles green now because he called you bigots?
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Mate, they fell for Murray's ****e then backed Craig Whyte. Are you honestly surprised that they're now sucking at the teat of Charles Green?

Remarkably, the only **** who sees through him is Leggo -

Null · Aug 20, 2012

Traynor
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simon_bhoy · Aug 20, 2012

EDGE. said: ↑

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ally mcoist using champ manager 2002 to scout players

FACT

eric cartman · Aug 20, 2012

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beefcake

Traynor bang on the money yet again.

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Traynor bang on the money yet again.

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