The following document was submitted to Rangers Fans Voice a little over a week ago but we have been unable to publish it till now due to annual holidays. As far as we are aware the matter remains unresolved. Rangers Fans Voice would be happy to publish any updates on the situation here. It seems very unusual that a situation like this can be ongoing between a core element of Rangers support and the official Supporter’s Liaison Officer. Rangers Supporters Clubs call for Rangers Supporters Liaison Officer to be asked to resign It can’t have escaped your notice on social media and the various Rangers forums the stooshy concerning the Rangers Supporters Liaison Officer Gregg Marshall, his father Robert Marshall, owner of the Rangers pub the Louden Tavern on Copland Road and various registered Rangers Supporters Clubs and other supporters. A number of Rangers Supporters Clubs have released the following statement . In recent days it has become clear that we now have a situation where due to the actions and utterances from his father( Robert Marshall) we feel the current SLO Gregg Marshall’s position has now become untenable and we are now calling on the club to ask for his immediate resignation. For those of you not aware of what’s been going on, over the last few months some of our members have been involved in meetings and the setting up of a supporters working group whose main aim was to secure an greater allocation of away tickets for all RSCs, the group has requested meetings with Stuart Robertson And each time been instructed in the first instance to speak to the SLO. At the first meeting which was also attended by Susan and Gordon from the ticket office, we attempted to put our case across for the increase in allocations. From the outset it was clear that the SLO had his own agenda, and was more concerned in promoting Club1872, than seriously considering any of the points we tried to put across. Following this a second meeting request was sent to Stuart Robertson along with notification that we were not happy with the input or outcome of the previous meeting. Stewart Robertson again declined to meet us, though we did meet again with Susan and Gordon, and with all due respect to both, zero progress was made. Along with the general dissatisfaction we felt when meeting with the SLO, we now have the situation where his father in recent days, has been posting on the Louden Bar Facebook page requesting members for a new supporters club he has set up, he outlined his idea that if he could get around 2000 people signed up to the CCS, even if they had no intention of attending away games this would allow him to get access to cat +a ticket allocations, as a sweetener for signing up he would also give preferential access to events being held in the bar. As this whole process is totally against everything the working group was set up to achieve, and is nothing more than a money’s making exercise which potentially reduces the allocation given to hard working RSCs, we feel that due to these actions and the involvement our SLO has with this bar, there is a clear conflict of interest, which perceived, or otherwise removes any trust we had or have had in the SLOs ability to be objective and fair minded in dealing with our working groups aims. In our opinion we are struggling to decide who actually is the SLO at Ibrox, Robert and Gregg appear to have identical ideas, indeed by his own admission Gregg informed us he is, or was the Secretary of the Louden RSC, and although they attempted to set up this “ghost club” have demonstrated no understanding of the hard work that goes on week after week to obtain tickets for RSCs the length and breadth of the UK As such we are calling on all like minded RSCs to support us and to use the various social media forums to garner support which hopefully will ensure RSCs are properly represented and supported at the highest levels of our club. Bridgeton Loyal Rangers Supporters Club Absolutely staggering I’m sure you will agree. Gregg Marshall paid handsomely (I imagine) by Rangers FC to work as the Supporters Liaison Officer is also Secretary of his father’s supporters club the Louden RSC. They want to get 2000 people with no intention of going to the games to apply for away tickets on their behalf. In return his father’s business, of which he was a director until recently, will give freebie tickets to events at the pub and no doubt make a killing on beer sales. The Louden has issued a statement that Gregg is not secretary of the Louden RSC but why did he say he was? Either the supporters clubs are lying or the Louden is. The Louden also seems to be “sad and disappointed” that Gregg has been targeted. Whilst I understand fully it is never nice to be singled out but I can’t help thinking – is this not what his father has done for years and in particular, during the various fans groups elections over the years and to Rangers fans with absolutely no case to answer? I tend to agree with the Rangers Supporters Clubs that have complained. It does appear that the Supporters Liaison officer is left with no choice but may now be forced to resign. Also note he disappeared from twitter for a spell last week which is interesting in itself. Why the comeback I wonder or is it just a routine step to take now the dust has settled somewhat? I would love to tell you the story stops there but I’m afraid it doesn’t a quick glance at Companies House tells an interesting tale. The Marshall’s seem to have a say over one of the clubs major assets Edmiston House, valued as recently as 2014 at £500,000. On the 20th November 2015, Robert and Gregg Marshall set up a community interest company, aided by James Blair Company Secretary of Rangers Football Club (yes him again) called Edmiston House CIC. Why the board of Rangers Football Club and the Company Secretary allowed this to happen is beyond me. Mr Marshall senior when asked by various Rangers supporters about the CIC has said on many occasions it has nothing to do with Edmiston House and was being used for something else, he has never explained what that something else was. The stated purpose of the CIC at Companies House completely contradicts his protestations that it has nothing to do with Edmiston House the building owned by the football club. So guess what? If the board of Rangers Football Club want to do a deal with say Tennents to develop Edmiston House into a pre-match bar, shop or museum they will have to seek permission from the Marshall’s. One wonders what the quid pro quo would be for such permission? What is the role of James Blair Company Secretary of Rangers Football Club in this. I am told James proposed Gregg for the Board of Club 1872 the organisation of which he is sole shareholder a position Gregg stepped away from some time before he was appointed Rangers SLO. It is also important to note the Gregg Marshall resigned from Edmiston House CIC just weeks before he was appointed Supporters Liaison Officer. The Louden Tavern is undoubtedly a great Rangers pub but there are also many other great Rangers pubs that don’t push an agenda that will solely benefit their business in the guise of, in their words, “considering the interests of the Rangers support”. A Supporters Liaison Officer should not favour one supporters club over another and whatever the truth is of his being Secretary of it or not in the “interests of the Rangers support” I ask if his position has become untenable? Submitted by Peter Storrier
Source: Rangers Fans Voice, Blog
Source: Rangers Fans Voice, Blog
