Writing in the Glasgow Evening Times, Rangers ambassador Derek Johnstone has made an assertion about Dave King amid the ongoing legal battle with Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct.
Earlier in the week, King announced that he is to step down as the club’s Chairman next year, after a four-and-a-half-years in the role.
He stated that the club was “the best financially and operationally” that he had seen it and that it no longer needed his “services and support” as Chairman [BBC Sport].
However, it was made clear that he would continue on as a shareholder and in negotiations with Sports Direct. Johnstone asserts that King won’t rest until the matter is resolved.
“That [King remaining as a director of Rangers Retail Ltd] is for one reason and one reason only as he looks to finally bring an end to the battle with Sports Direct and Mike Ashley,” wrote the club ambassador in the Glasgow Evening Times. “Dave has dealt with so much during his tenure at Ibrox but Sports Direct has been the major issue throughout it all.”
“If he can finally get a result on that front, what a way that would be for him to then be able to cut all of his ties in terms of holding any directorships at Ibrox.
“We know how important the retail operation is to Rangers and how costly the years of litigation have been…If Dave could get a favourable settlement and agreement for Rangers, that would be quite a legacy for him at Ibrox.”
Verdict
Across his years of service to the club, Dave King has shown that he isn’t a man to shy away in times of crisis.
He was lauded by fans for his massive contributions following Tuesday’s AGM and rightly so.
It’s hard to imagine the Gers being anywhere near where they are now, on or off the pitch, had it not been for his selfless efforts.
Going forward, if he could get over this final, costly hurdle, it would be another big step in the right direction for the club.
