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Simon Jordan defends Dave King for 'setting Rangers board on fire' and criticises John Gilligan as 'no leader'

Simon Jordan
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Simon Jordan has let rip on the Rangers board and defended Dave King's decision to "set them on fire" with his recent chairman efforts.

The club's former chair recently went public with his desires to return to Ibrox to replace John Bennett who stood down for health reasons. That triggered the current interim chairman, John Gilligan, to urge the South African to keep quiet after he called for an EGM to allow fans the chance to decide.

Jordan, though, reckons King was well within his rights to go the public route with his criticisms as well as his decision to call out the off-field issues plaguing Gers from the top down. And the talkSPORT host believes there's some justification for King taking shots at the board and looking for change as he took aim at "no leader" Gilligan and questioned the board members himself.

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"Well there sounds a leader, that was inspiring," Jordan said sarcastically after hearing a clip of Gilligan's response to King. "Who’s Gilligan to define what a proper shareholder is? He’s (King) the biggest individual shareholder, he has 15 percent of the business – he can operate how he feels.

"Do I think it's wise for him to have done what he did? Well he must have his reasons for doing it. He's set the board on fire, metaphorically speaking and I think there's some merit behind it.

"He talked about off the field being poor. I'm assuming that as a shareholder, he's privy to the financial information and is able to make that observation. On the field, the accusation is that Rangers are not in good shape. The structure of the club in terms of it's acquisition policy for players and the main core product doesn't look like a good outcome.

"Despite the fact that they were very hospitable, I wasn't impressed with James Bisgrove as a leader. I wasn't impressed with talking to Douglas Park. I wasn't impressed with talking to his son. I think they're small minded.

"So when I listen to this interim chairman, I don't think there's anything inspirational. I imagine Dave King's sitting there - do I think it's the wisest thing he did? Well he did it for a reason. They make the point that he'd been there before and when he left, other people stepped up. Anyone can step into a vacuum. Doesn't mean you've stepped into the vacuum well, does it?

"Dave King, as a shareholder, has the right to operate how he sees fit. If he's going to bring the board with him, if he wants the court of public opinion to be his judge or enabler to achieve outcomes, then that's his gift. The fact that Rangers and his perception as a significant shareholder is not in good nick, then he can do as he bloody well pleases.

"Who is this fella (Gilligan)? Just because he's sat in the situation. I watched the interview and I watched him shuffling down the stairs. That to me, tells me all I need to know about the capability, quality, outlook, disposition, motivation and energy in that Rangers boardroom. I know what a leader looks like, and that doesn’t look like one, and if that’s representative of the board, then they do need a shake-up and a wake up.

"They do need a boot up the backside. Whether Dave King is the right person to do it or not is a different discussion. He went for the board and said they weren't good enough. Of course they're going to say 'eh do you mind?' At least they've got some backbone about them and aren't the complete invertebrates I thought they might be."