Group Reiterates Call For Boycott

Photo by Jeff Holmes

A Rangers fans' group has urged the Ibrox faithful to continue boycotting the club's kits after Mike Ashley successfully gagged Dave King from revealing just how much money Sports Direct make out of the Light Blues.

Ashley went to London's High Court to take out an injunction preventing Rangers from disclosing "confidential" details from the retail firm's contracts with the Glasgow giants to shareholders at Friday's general meeting.

But the Rangers Supporters Trust claims that court victory was an "absurd spectacle" and wants fellow fans to take action.

In a statement, the Trust said: "In his panic to stop Rangers fans from knowing definitively about his questionable dealings with our club, Mr Ashley has done them a valuable service.

"There can now be absolutely no doubt that the Sports Direct contracts with Rangers are of benefit to one party and one party only.

"We call on the hundreds of thousands of Rangers fans who have already stopped purchasing official merchandise to continue to abstain from an arrangement which benefits only Mr Ashley.

"We also ask them to spread the word to their friends and family and those remaining few who may as yet not be aware of the disgraceful retail arrangements which are holding our club to ransom.

"In the last accounts reported, the club received nothing from the retail agreement with Sports Direct.

"Mr Ashley must think the Rangers support are suffering from some sort of mass delusion if he expects us to buy merchandise despite his continuing attacks on our club.

"Our message is simple. Unless the current contracts with Sports Direct are negotiated to the satisfaction of the Rangers board, and that satisfaction is clearly communicated to fans, then we urge Rangers fans not to buy any official merchandise from club shops, Sports Direct or any other outlet.

"The only thing Mr Ashley understands is money. Take action and let's make sure that in the near future both players and fans can wear the Rangers jersey with pride again, knowing that it is a true symbol of our club and not a testament to one man's greed."

Sports Direct were granted the injunction at the Chancery Division of London's High Court after the clothing company complained information had already been leaked to the press.

Judge Mrs Justice Asplin ruled: "I'm satisfied there is a real risk of disclosure tomorrow of confidential information".

Newcastle owner Ashley sent his lawyers to court after the Daily Record reported what the judge was told was secret information relating to commercial links between Sports Direct and Rangers which, it was claimed in court, must have come from King's board.

Rangers' lawyers said there was no evidence as to the actual source of the leaks.

MASH Holdings, the company which holds Ashley's 8.92 per cent shareholding in Rangers, called the general meeting to discuss the immediate repayment of a £5million loan made to the club.

But media reports say new Gers chairman King has threatened to use the shareholder meeting to expose the real extent of the club's commercial contracts with Ashley's empire.

Mrs Justice Asplin granted the injunction, saying if a breach of confidentiality occurred it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to quantify and compensate.

The legal action is the latest development in a conflict which broke out after King swept Ashley's allies out of the Ibrox boardroom in March.

David Quest QC, appearing for Sports Direct, told the judge there was concern that information would be disclosed at Friday's meeting which was in breach of a confidentiality clause.

Quest said Rangers were offering an undertaking to stop disclosure, but there was a dispute over the scope of the offer.

Confidential information had already been revealed to the Daily Record that could only have been known to people from Sports Direct and Rangers.

Quest said: "We have not told the Daily Record. When we read this we were naturally suspicious this information had been leaked by the new board of Rangers."

He said an article in the Record stated: "Rangers are ready to go to war with Mike Ashley in a bid to rip up a crippling commercial deal which includes a massive seven-year notice period."

It also stated that King planned to use the meeting "to blow the lid off secret details of the contracts handed to Ashley's retail company Sports Direct by previous Rangers owner Charles Green".

Louis Mably argued for Rangers that an injunction was unnecessary as there was no indication from the club directors of any intention to breach undertakings of confidentiality and the claim was "entirely speculative".

Mably said the Daily Record was a tabloid newspaper and an article "not short of hyperbole or drama" was not a satisfactory basis for drawing such conclusions. But the judge ruled the "balance of convenience" was in favour of granting the injunction.

Clyde Sport understands the Rangers board plan to take questions during Friday's general meeting but club insiders admit they will now be able to say "virtually nothing" about the Sports Direct deal.