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The National
9 hours ago
- Business
- The National
Time has not restored Murray's battered Rangers legacy
The former Ibrox chairman has been busy promoting his new book, entitled 'Mettle', a play on the industry where he made his fortune and the quality he undoubtedly showed in abundance to overcome personal tragedies and live the life that he has. The one challenge though that it seems impossible for him to overcome is to rebuild his shattered reputation in the eyes of the Rangers support, to the vast majority of whom he will always be the man who sold the club to Craig Whyte. And for a sum 22 times less than the RRP of his book, no less. The subheading to the book's title – 'Tragedy, courage and titles' – is telling, because that only gives the story up to a point. Anything that came after that is deemed unworthy of inclusion in this short summation of Murray's life, while anything that came before his fateful exit from Rangers now, sadly for him, seems irrelevant to the Ibrox fanbase. (Image: SNS Group Steve Welsh) The book itself does include Murray's telling of his thinking leading up to that fateful sale to Whyte, and the context was that he, undoubtedly, was in a difficult situation. Lloyds were seemingly turning the screw on the Rangers chairman (though he downplays this) and urging him to offload the club, which owed the bank around £18m. There was the tax liability on top of that stemming from Murray's ill-judged use of the EBT scheme, which at that time was thought to be as high as £70m, though it was later reduced to around £20m or thereabouts after HMRC admitted to errors in their calculations and a subsequent settlement agreement. The bottom line is this, though. Without Murray embarking upon the use of EBTs, no matter how much he may still stress the legality of the scheme, HMRC would never have had cause to darken the Ibrox doorstep. Furthermore, Rangers would never have been in a position where they could be sold for a quid to a character such as Whyte. Most damning of all - and this is the part that doesn't pass the smell test - is that Murray argues he had no notion of the ruinous path he had set Rangers on when he handed the keys to Whyte. In his book, he says that he took that decision 'in good faith', and that he 'went on the facts in front of me'. 'A journalist asked me at the time if our due diligence should have been more thorough,' Murray writes. 'It's easy to look back and say: 'Yes, of course it should' but anyone typing Whyte's name into Google back in 2011 would have found one article from years before. Nothing else.' The fans are expected to believe that this feted businessman, who had spent years cultivating an image as a meticulously shrewd, savvy and abundantly connected operator, simply didn't know who he was dealing with when it came to passing on the club he had spent 23 years leading. That his background checks on the man went as far as a simple Google search. In short, they don't. Instead, the narrative that has gained most traction is that Murray knew exactly where Rangers were heading, and he didn't want to be the captain at the helm when the ship went down. That Whyte was a convenient fall-guy. If this is true, and I should stress there is no evidence to prove it, then as an exercise in saving face and safeguarding his legacy, it was entirely redundant. Instead of protecting his name, he has instead been christened with a new soubriquet – Sir 'Duped'. The inverted commas are, of course, always included to denote sarcasm. Whether he did know who he was dealing with in Whyte or not, neither position reflects well on him. If he didn't, he should have. Many Rangers supporters will never forgive him either way. (Image: SNS Group Bill Murray) In some ways, it is a great pity that it has all ended like this for Murray. The good times he brought to Ibrox were among some of the most memorable ever seen at the club. He broke down barriers, signing Mo Johnston. He was at the helm as the team brought home nine-in-a-row. Away from football, his fortitude is commendable and impossible not to admire. The proceeds of his book, incidentally, will go to Erskine, the veteran's charity. Ultimately though, the hubris that spawned his famous quote of spending a tenner for every fiver that Celtic put on the table was the same that led to his – and ultimately, to Rangers' – downfall. Not only do the supporters place the blame for what happened back in 2012 firmly at Sir David's door, but for the sorry state they have found themselves in for most of the time since. For the single league title in the 14 years since he left the club. For Celtic's subsequent domestic domination. And now, just as an exciting new era is dawning at Rangers at long, long last, even the timing of his re-emergence to shift the narrative away from the positive changes taking place at Ibrox this summer has hardly helped to restore his battered image. After 14 years, it appears nothing, not even the passage of time, will.
The Herald Scotland
9 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Time has not restored Murray's battered Rangers legacy
The one challenge though that it seems impossible for him to overcome is to rebuild his shattered reputation in the eyes of the Rangers support, to the vast majority of whom he will always be the man who sold the club to Craig Whyte. And for a sum 22 times less than the RRP of his book, no less. The subheading to the book's title – 'Tragedy, courage and titles' – is telling, because that only gives the story up to a point. Anything that came after that is deemed unworthy of inclusion in this short summation of Murray's life, while anything that came before his fateful exit from Rangers now, sadly for him, seems irrelevant to the Ibrox fanbase. (Image: SNS Group Steve Welsh) The book itself does include Murray's telling of his thinking leading up to that fateful sale to Whyte, and the context was that he, undoubtedly, was in a difficult situation. Lloyds were seemingly turning the screw on the Rangers chairman (though he downplays this) and urging him to offload the club, which owed the bank around £18m. There was the tax liability on top of that stemming from Murray's ill-judged use of the EBT scheme, which at that time was thought to be as high as £70m, though it was later reduced to around £20m or thereabouts after HMRC admitted to errors in their calculations and a subsequent settlement agreement. The bottom line is this, though. Without Murray embarking upon the use of EBTs, no matter how much he may still stress the legality of the scheme, HMRC would never have had cause to darken the Ibrox doorstep. Furthermore, Rangers would never have been in a position where they could be sold for a quid to a character such as Whyte. Most damning of all - and this is the part that doesn't pass the smell test - is that Murray argues he had no notion of the ruinous path he had set Rangers on when he handed the keys to Whyte. In his book, he says that he took that decision 'in good faith', and that he 'went on the facts in front of me'. 'A journalist asked me at the time if our due diligence should have been more thorough,' Murray writes. 'It's easy to look back and say: 'Yes, of course it should' but anyone typing Whyte's name into Google back in 2011 would have found one article from years before. Nothing else.' The fans are expected to believe that this feted businessman, who had spent years cultivating an image as a meticulously shrewd, savvy and abundantly connected operator, simply didn't know who he was dealing with when it came to passing on the club he had spent 23 years leading. That his background checks on the man went as far as a simple Google search. In short, they don't. Instead, the narrative that has gained most traction is that Murray knew exactly where Rangers were heading, and he didn't want to be the captain at the helm when the ship went down. That Whyte was a convenient fall-guy. If this is true, and I should stress there is no evidence to prove it, then as an exercise in saving face and safeguarding his legacy, it was entirely redundant. Instead of protecting his name, he has instead been christened with a new soubriquet – Sir 'Duped'. The inverted commas are, of course, always included to denote sarcasm. Whether he did know who he was dealing with in Whyte or not, neither position reflects well on him. If he didn't, he should have. Many Rangers supporters will never forgive him either way. (Image: SNS Group Bill Murray) In some ways, it is a great pity that it has all ended like this for Murray. The good times he brought to Ibrox were among some of the most memorable ever seen at the club. He broke down barriers, signing Mo Johnston. He was at the helm as the team brought home nine-in-a-row. Away from football, his fortitude is commendable and impossible not to admire. The proceeds of his book, incidentally, will go to Erskine, the veteran's charity. Ultimately though, the hubris that spawned his famous quote of spending a tenner for every fiver that Celtic put on the table was the same that led to his – and ultimately, to Rangers' – downfall. Not only do the supporters place the blame for what happened back in 2012 firmly at Sir David's door, but for the sorry state they have found themselves in for most of the time since. For the single league title in the 14 years since he left the club. For Celtic's subsequent domestic domination. And now, just as an exciting new era is dawning at Rangers at long, long last, even the timing of his re-emergence to shift the narrative away from the positive changes taking place at Ibrox this summer has hardly helped to restore his battered image. After 14 years, it appears nothing, not even the passage of time, will.
STV News
19 hours ago
- Business
- STV News
Murray: Newspaper tycoon wanted to merge Celtic and Rangers into one club
Sir David Murray has revealed that former newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell wanted to merge the Old Firm into one club. The ex-Rangers owner says he received a phone call from Maxwell in the late 1980s, not long after he had taken control of the Ibrox club. The controversial media proprietor, who owned the Mirror Group Newspapers from 1984 until his death in 1991, told Murray he planned to buy Celtic and asked if he would be interested in merging the two Glasgow clubs. In an interview with the BBC, Murray said: 'Shortly after I bought the club, I got a phone call at my house and my son answered. A voice said 'Is David Murray there' and it was Robert Maxwell. 'So I went to the phone and he said 'I am thinking about buying Celtic and we can put both Celtic and Rangers together as one and be a big force'. 'I told him 'I don't think you know the script up here, I don't think it's practical and I don't think it would work' and that was the end of the story. 'He wanted to merge Celtic and Rangers.' In another interview that was released on Monday, Murray, who is promoting his new autobiography, says he has apologised to Rangers fans for selling the club before it collapsed into financial ruin. He sold the Ibrox side for £1 to businessman Craig Whyte, and was at the helm when Rangers gave £47m in tax-free loans to players and staff between 2001 and 2010. The HMRC brought a case against Rangers centring on the club's use of Employee Benefit Trusts (EBTs), which were also used by other clubs. The EBTs enabled the club to pay players, managers and directors through the tax-free loans, but HMRC argued the payments were earnings and should be taxable. Two tribunals – in 2012 and 2014 – ruled in Rangers' favour. But the Supreme Court found in favour of HMRC after an appeal in 2015. The club had been bought in May 2011 by Craig Whyte after Sir David initially struggled to find a buyer willing to take on a potential 'big tax case' bill. Mr Whyte was later cleared of fraud in relation to the takeover. Under Whyte's ownership, Rangers went into liquidation in February 2012 – just a year after the sale. The tipping point for administration was a £9m tax bill due to HMRC, and total debts reached more than £100m. The club was admitted to the third division of Scottish football. Murray, speaking to broadcaster Ewen Cameron and Up Next Studios, said he has apologised to Rangers fans and staff for his part in the collapse. 'I have apologised, but I did a lot of good things for the club. If you want to remember the negative, that's their choice,' he said. When asked if the EBT scandal led to Rangers' downfall, he answered: 'That plus Craig Whyte. 'The interpretation of the EBT by HMRC and Craig Whyte… I think they could have survived the first one but not the two put together.' He added: 'Craig Whyte was a mistake – I'm prepared to admit that. But on the evidence of the money, what he was going to do, it seemed the only course of action.' Sir David continued: 'I was disappointed for the fans first of all and I was also so disappointed for the people that worked there – people who had been so loyal to me – and all of a sudden their jobs were in jeopardy. 'How many plates can you spin? The average Rangers fan doesn't care about my other businesses – but so many in Scotland – a joiner in Fife a haulage firm in Melrose – were affected by the banking crises.' Sir David's autobiography Mettle is out on Monday, and all proceeds will go to the Erskine Charity. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
STV News
a day ago
- Business
- STV News
Murray: 'I have apologised to Rangers fans for selling club to Craig Whyte'
Former Rangers owner David Murray says he has apologised to fans for selling the club before it collapsed into financial ruin. Sir David sold the Ibrox side for £1 to businessman Craig Whyte, and was at the helm when Rangers gave £47m in tax-free loans to players and staff between 2001 and 2010. The HMRC brought a case against Rangers centring on the club's use of Employee Benefit Trusts (EBTs), which were also used by other clubs. The EBTs enabled the club to pay players, managers and directors through the tax-free loans, but HMRC argued the payments were earnings and should be taxable. Getty Images Craig Whyte leaves court surrounded by police on September 2, 2015 in Glasgow, Scotland. Two tribunals – in 2012 and 2014 – ruled in Rangers' favour. But the Supreme Court found in favour of HMRC after an appeal in 2015. The club had been bought in May 2011 by Craig Whyte after Sir David initially struggled to find a buyer willing to take on a potential 'big tax case' bill. Mr Whyte was later cleared of fraud in relation to the takeover. Under Whyte's ownership, Rangers went into liquidation in February 2012 less than a year after the sale. Ewen Cameron/Up Next Studios Former Rangers owner David Murray says he has apologised to fans for selling the club before it collapsed into financial ruin. The tipping point for administration was a £9m tax bill due to HMRC, and total debts reached more than £100m. The club was admitted to the third division of Scottish football. Murray, speaking to broadcaster Ewen Cameron and Up Next Studios, said he has apologised to Rangers fans and staff for his part in the collapse. 'I have apologised, but I did a lot of good things for the club. If you want to remember the negative, that's their choice,' he said. When asked if the EBT scandal led to Rangers' downfall, he answered: 'That plus Craig Whyte. 'The interpretation of the EBT by HMRC and Craig Whyte… I think they could have survived the first one but not the two put together.' He added: 'Craig Whyte was a mistake – I'm prepared to admit that. But on the evidence of the money, what he was going to do, it seemed the only course of action.' Sir David continued: 'I was disappointed for the fans first of all and I was also so disappointed for the people that worked there – people who had been so loyal to me – and all of a sudden their jobs were in jeopardy. 'How many plates can you spin? The average Rangers fan doesn't care about my other businesses – but so many in Scotland – a joiner in Fife a haulage firm in Melrose – were affected by the banking crises.' Sir David's autobiography Mettle is out on Monday, and all proceeds will go to the Erskine Charity. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scotsman
a day ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Sir David Murray sorry for Rangers sale disaster but defiant over EBTs and untainted trophies
Former Ibrox chief speaks out ahead of autobiography release Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Sir David Murray, the former owner of Rangers, has apologised to supporters for his part in the financial disaster that befell the club in 2012. Murray sold Rangers to businessman Craig Whyte for £1 in 2011 but within a year the Ibrox club was placed into liquidation over unpaid tax bills and forced to restart in the fourth tier of Scottish football. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The financial difficulties were exacerbated by a large debt accumulated under Murray's ownership, where £47million in tax-free loans were paid to players in staff in the form of Employee Benefit Trusts (EBTs). Rangers chairman Sir David Murray pictured at the Murray Park training ground in 2008. | SNS Group 0141 221 3602 Murray has spoken to the BBC to mark the publication of his autobiography, Mettle, and revealed he regretted his decisions and said sorry to fans and club staff. "Of course I'd apologise," he said. "I'm not one of these people who run a company and hide. It was a terrible moment, and I apologise to all the staff, good people, and I know many of them to this day. I'd hope in hindsight, they look at the facts and think I was put in a very difficult position." Murray denied failing to conduct due diligence on Whyte, who had been introduced as a 'high-net-worth individual' but was unable to pay the bills to stave off administration and subsequent liquidation after borrowing £26.7 million against future season ticket sales from the firm, Ticketus. "I went on the facts in front of me," Murray stated. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Craig Whyte bought Rangers from Sir David Murray in 2011 but within a year the club had been liquidation and demoted to the Scottish Third Division. | SNS Group 0141 221 3602 Murray also stressed that "they didn't do anything illegal" when challenged on whether it was morally acceptable to deprive the NHS and other public services of funds so wealthy footballers could pay less tax. "Footballers are getting paid too much," he added. "Not just at Rangers, everywhere. It's avoidance. People do that." Murray has accepted that his Ibrox legacy has been tarnished by the events which surrounded his sale of the club, but insists that the trophies won during his period at the helm were not tainted by the use of EBTs, denying that the scheme allowed the club to gain an unfair financial advantage.
