I’d like to get my foot in on my opinion on the “takeover” for what it’s worth. (I’ve worked in strategic investment banking for a year now, so I no longer get bullied, hahaha).
Looking at the Rangers Board’s actions recently with cutting wages and not spending etc, converting to a “sports science model”, I previously criticised them because I just thought it was typical old Rangers. However, this is where my conspiracy thoughts come in analysing it now like Asa said a year ago. I think this has been a long time in the pipeline, but I don’t think it’s from where we think.
The cutting of the overall costs to run the club to me is from Paraag Marathe. This was his role at the 49ers and other companies and something he done well at Leeds United. So it’s kind of a due diligence before actual purchase to see proof of viability before purchase. This is why companies “tidy the books” before selling, it’s not to hide facts, it’s to show that the buying party’s vision can work.
For me, everything that has been done so far by the Board e.g. share capital etc., has been done for an impending takeover, which could also explain the lack of signings in January – Fernandes being the only one on loan, which I will touch on later.
Now to the conspiracy, John Halstead in my opinion is the main backer in this. However, even if the 49ers wanted to invest, they are limited to do so by the SPFL rules to holding 29.9%. They then have a subsidiary company that only recently invested into them in January (could be wrong) called Ackerley Partners, who could also invest another 29.9% share. However, they hold no shares in any other sports teams so in theory could if they wanted to, hold 100% shares.
But (and I can’t fully go into details, but with my companies software I can access private files that don’t have to be released) they can’t because most internal investment has came from a subsidiary company owned by “Monaco sport invest”. The owner, a Russian called Rybolovlev, then owns a company called IMG who Marathe used to work for and at the same time our left field appointed Patrick Stewart (who if you look at his credentials is way too good for us) and he also was head of United being floated on the NYSE so has contacts.
And was also Marathe’s counterpart in a rival firm “Team marketing” so they know each other. Moreover, Rybolovlev owns two clubs, Monaco and Club Brugge, which could explain Clement staying. He did also try to buy AC Milan through Elliot management under a company called SAM but was not allowed. That SAM company got bought by IMG so is still owned by him and provided most capital on an interest free loan to a company called Callisto Sporting, owned by a JP Morgan investment banker that worked with Marathe (also owns a yacht called Callisto).
Clement’s agent is owned by an ex-player who is Cypriot based and financed by the bank of Cyprus in which the Russian guy owns. In my head I think this is spear headed by Halstead and he has encouraged the Russian on board, but he knows he can’t legally own that many teams so he is going a roundabout way to purchase the club, which would also allow him to enter the UK on business matters and potentially buy the golf course he tried to buy off Donald Trump (which was contested in the US as him overpaying and hiding money), so he took Trump’s Palm Springs mansion instead.
All in all I think it could be amazing for us, but at the same time we could just be a cog in a bigger game. But as this site goes, I’m sorry for the length and I know it’s a conspiracy, but do some digging and you will see yourself I’m not wrong, there are clear links here.
Written by belfastGer55 February 20 2025 10:44:33
