Dave King 'pledges' to plug Rangers £3m shortfall if Celtic friendly is scrapped
The Sydney Super Cup in November is set to make the club £3m
Last updated 23rd Mar 2022
Dave King has offered personally cover the £3m shortfall at Rangers if the club pull out of the Syndey Super Cup, according to various reports.
The former Ibrox chairman has made his pledge to the board, which gives the club a possible way out of a friendly tournament, which includes a match against Celtic, scheduled for November this year.
Gers fans have staged several protests against the controversial decision, the latest of which spilled on to the pitch in the weekend's 2-1 win over Dundee at Dens Park.
Streamers and tennis balls were thrown on to the park, disrupting the game on several occasions.
The tournament is set to host the first ever Old Firm match outside of Glasgow and tickets have been selling fast in Australia.
Celtic have billed the competition as a homecoming for boss Ange Postecoglou, with both clubs set to make around £3m.
Rangers commercial director, James Bisgrove, attempted to justify the trip in a club TV interview last month as he highlighted the financial benefits of Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side heading down under to face their Old Firm rivals.
Bisgrove said: “To put some context around this, we’ve spoken before and Stewart Robertson has spoken before about the broadcasting and media values here in Scotland and the club’s view on that has been well documented.
"The participation in this event over eight days will benefit the club to the same level as an entire season in the SPFL Premiership for two friendly games.”
Yesterday, fans group Club 1872 released a statement, criticising managing director Stewart Robertson, communications chief David Graham and commercial boss James Bisgrove, while branding the executives incompetents, liars and bullies.
The club responded by releasing a statement of its own in which it threatened to hit back at a ‘rump’ of rebel supporters at the end of the season saying: “The collective desire of our Board, Management and players, is to have unity of purpose over the coming months. Rest assured, we will address the disruptors and their propaganda war at the end of this season.”