EXCLUSIVE: We can reveal today that former Newcastle owner Freddy Shepherd is giving “serious consideration” to joining the group.
SFA boss Stewart Regan is to demand full disclosure of the people and groups behind Charles Green’s Ibrox takeover.
The former Sheffield United chief executive doesn’t want to reveal his team until a CVA can be agreed but the game’s governing body will insist Green lists everyone involved – and also provides full details of his business plan.
We can reveal today that former Newcastle owner Freddy Shepherd is giving “serious consideration” to joining the group.
The controversial 70-year-old broke cover to speak exclusively to Record Sport last night after seeing his name linked with Green’s anonymous 20-strong consortium.
But one name will not satisfy Regan – he wants the full story behind the deal, believing it’s the correct and responsible thing to do.
And he should be applauded for stepping forward and demanding answers.
Only yesterday in these pages, we said the SFA had to act on behalf of Rangers, who are in the hands of administrators, and it appears that’s exactly what they are doing.
We can also reveal that Green will be back in Glasgow tomorrow because he wants to meet the Ibrox staff but now he will also have to provide answers to the SFA.
Rangers fans are desperate to know who is in with Green and how much money they can muster after their £8.5m buy-out but these supporters don’t have a board of directors or anyone to speak on their behalf.
On Sunday night, just after our sister paper the Sunday Mail had revealed Green was in line to be the next owner, an SFA spokesman said they couldn’t get involved and that they didn’t have a fit and proper test.
But common sense has prevailed and we believe Regan will now demand full information on Green’s men and their backgrounds, even though he made it clear he had no desire to do that when he stepped forward on Sunday as the leader of Rangers’ next owners.
The Yorkshireman, 59, reaffirmed this last night in a statement but said he would welcome talks with the game’s governing bodies over any future sanctions the club may suffer.
Green said: “Quite rightly, fans and the media have raised the issue of the identity of those involved.
“The reason I can’t do this at this time is some investors would like to wait until a CVA proposal is advanced or agreed before going public.
“What I can say is that there is a broad church of investors, from families in Singapore and India to
individuals in the UK.
“The identities of those involved will be revealed as we pursue the CVA and know what the outcome of that will be.
“I am also hoping to meet the SPL and SFA soon to discuss the consortium and all matters regarding the club. I would also like to say that as soon as the CVA process is further along the road I would like to meet supporters’ representatives again to discuss progress.”
Regan will push through tougher controls on clubs and new owners at the SFA’s agm on June 6.
They will place a great onus on clubs to conduct more detailed due diligence on prospective new owners to avoid one of their members falling into the hands of another Craig Whyte.
But because the SFA are limited on what they can demand of certain businesses they will make it harder for clubs to change hands.
They hope that by doing so the futures of their clubs and the game in general will be become better protected.
Meanwhile, Shepherd confirmed Green has asked him to pump some of his family millions into the Ibrox rescue package. But he insists he won’t make a final decision until he has seen more details of Green’s vision for the club.
The man who sold his shares in Newcastle to Mike Ashley in 2007 said: “We’ve been approached about joining his consortium and are considering it. He has obviously approached other people – we are not that daft – but he has spoken to us and we are thinking it over.
“We haven’t been given a timescale but you’d be an idiot to think this can go on for weeks or months.”
Shepherd has asked for more information on the crippled state of the club and will also be keen to obtain a clearer view of any further football sanctions likely to be imposed on Rangers before he digs into his own pocket on their behalf.
But he won’t be scared off at the first sign of trouble, having helped build his local club up from nothing into a £100m business.
Shepherd added: “Nothing is impossible so once we’ve got all the details we’ll be able to make our decision. The bottom line is Rangers are a big club. It’s a global brand and we are seriously looking at it.
“I’ve been at the bottom end before. When I took Newcastle over it was hardly the Bank of England I was buying. So I have experience in these matters.”
Green is not only trying to bring in more financial muscle. He is also engaged in a PR offensive with the club’s supporters.
After attending Sunday’s 4-0 win at St Johnstone, he released a statement through the club’s website yesterday which said: “Although I have spent many years in and around football, nothing could have prepared me for the passion and commitment I saw in the last few days.
“I hope the consortium I lead can repay that and we are now pressing on with the job of completing the sale of the club.”