Green frustrated by 'negative energy'

Charles Green completed his purchase of Rangers' assets on Thursday
15 June 2012

Charles Green has expressed frustration over the negativity surrounding his attempts to revive Rangers - but the key issue is whether it will be enough to force him out of Ibrox.

Green completed his £5.5million purchase of the 140-year-old club's assets on Thursday on what he described as a bittersweet day. Attempts to avoid liquidation formally failed in a creditors vote but he succeeded in ensuring the business would continue in some form.

"All this negative energy dealing with this bid and that bid is diverting away from resolving outstanding issues with the SFA and sitting down with members of the SPL and asking them if we can come back in their club," Green said.

"No-one had confidence we would buy the club. I've got confidence in Charles Green. I knew on February 20 we would buy the club. That's why I've been working for four months. All we have is distrust, that I'm Craig Whyte's man or that we haven't got any money, or that we're going to use season ticket money. It just goes on forever."

Green was left with a further sour taste as Walter Smith, winner of 21 trophies as Rangers manager and an icon for supporters, launched a last-minute bid with local businessmen including Douglas Park and Jim McColl. The circa-£6million bid, announced about an hour before confirmation of Green's bid, was doomed to failure given the last-minute nature.

But the timing crucially further undermined the credibility of Green's newco club and McColl later issued a public plea for the Yorkshireman and his investors to sell his company, which will be called The Rangers Football Club.

Green countered by offering Smith a role as chairman of his football club board but he exhibited signs of exasperation over his difficulties in winning over supporters.

One of Green's partners, Imran Ahmad, claimed the true cost of their purchase was £10million with professional fees and operating costs included and that the investors would only consider an offer in "multiples" of that total to walk away quickly.

However, making a long-term return on their investment requires the financial backing of fans and the Rangers Supporters Trust on Thursday night raised the prospect of a season-ticket boycott. Fans are angry over the failure of a creditors deal and sceptical of unknown owners following years of financial recklessness from Sir David Murray and Whyte.

Entrepreneur McColl said: "Mr Green does not have the backing of the Rangers support and the longer he delays, the harder the situation will become."

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