The initial view of Follow Rangers is that Rangers FC should be listed on the Stock Exchange and that not striving to achieve this has been a major failing of the current board. The concert party ruling was not a surprise in that City regulations are very clear with regard to takeovers. It is difficult to see what was be achieved by repeated appeals following the Takeover Panel ruling and FR is pleased that Mr King has now accepted the Court of Session ruling and made a bid as instructed.
It is a condition that no Follow Rangers office bearer, either on the committee or in any working party, will accept any free tickets or hospitality from Rangers FC. Should any free tickets from another club or anyone else be offered, the office bearer must report them immediately before accepting or be expelled from Follow Rangers. FR board members will not accept invitations to the Directors Box as it is felt that would be unbecoming an independent fans group.
While FR may initially purchase existing shares through our brokers, it is hoped that (as existing shareholders) FR can purchase shares directly from the club in future share issues to increase the shareholding, provided FR are allowed to buy beyond our pro rata holding. By amassing a significant shareholding in Rangers FC, Follow Rangers will be placed in a position whereby the club will listen to FR and the fans whose views we represent.
Follow Rangers is acutely aware of previous mistakes, particularly the RST/RF merger after promises were given that no merger would take place. To that end, the FR Constitution includes a binding assurance that there will be no merger with any other fan group without the agreement of 100% of members.
The shares cannot be asset locked but Follow Rangers will use the same 100% voting requirement to prevent their transfer.
The Follow Rangers constitution is structured in such a way as to eliminate any possibility of such an occurrence.
All Follow Rangers members will be encouraged to vote. We will poll our members and vote according on the results, i.e. if 70% vote for, 20% vote against and 10% don’t know, that is how the votes will be cast. This ensures everyone’s opinion is represented, not just the majority. Members will be informed of the results of all polls and ballots, both in % and numeric format, so everyone knows the full result.
If a member chooses to leave, they must notify Follow Rangers in writing or by Email. If the member has more than £60 in their share buying account, then it will be converted to shares, minus broker’s buying and transfer fees etc, and the shares will transferred to their owner. If the member has under £60, then they will be given 30 days to increase their balance. Any balance in the member’s account under £60 after 30 days noticed have been received will be forfeited.
No, membership is by application. Candidates for membership must be proposed and seconded by existing members. Enquiries may be made about prospective members, including an Anti Fraud/Money Laundering check by a third party approved specialist company. The candidate will pay for this in advance, irrespective of the outcome.
Follow Rangers will neither ask for nor hold anyone’s credit card details. Funds will be transferred to us by direct debits or standing orders from your own bank or else via PayPal and GoCardless.
No, the group’s own shares would be voted to mirror the results of the proxy shares so as to reflect the wishes of the members.
Yes, Follow Rangers will hold shares. FR will accept any shares donated or bequeathed to us and will also accept financial donations for shares owned by the group
The overriding aim of Follow Rangers is to have as many ordinary Rangers fans actively participating in the club they love through directly owning shares themselves.
Follow Rangers aim to make full use of social media to interact with members. In addition, FR will make use of recent advances in communications to hold live meetings where members, either in groups or as individuals, can log in or participate.
Follow Rangers will be run in compliance with all relevant FCA guidelines. Annual accounts will be drafted by an accountant and will be made available to all members prior to presentation at the annual AGM for members’ approval.
There will be no spokesperson. All statements will be approved and issued by the media working party in line with FRSL rules and not attributable to any individual.
Any complaints or enquiries internally will be dealt with by the enquiry panel and rules panel to see if any Follow Rangers rules have been broken. If so, the appropriate action will be recommended to the FRSL committee for a final decision.
Any external conflict will be dealt with by the media working party and, again, they will try to resolve it in line with FRSL rules and aims.
Follow Rangers intend to hold the proxy on behalf of as many Rangers fans as possible. In doing so, we this will provide a powerful voice and a mandate from Follow Rangers members to address concerns or worries they may have regarding the club.
Follow Rangers will set up working parties, reporting back to a committee with ideas and suggestions. FR would encourage all members to contact these groups with suggestions and ideas to help both Follow Rangers and Rangers FC. Members will be encouraged to participate in these groups. Rangers has a global fan base and modern communications allows members from all over the world to take an active role and to bring their ideas to Follow Rangers. You do not need to be a graduate or in a profession to join a working party, in fact the more diversity of skills and experience, the better.
Follow Rangers intends to join Supporters Direct at the earliest practical opportunity.
The aim of Follow Rangers is to supplement C1872 and all other share buying vehicles, not to oppose them. Follow Rangers is aware of and grateful for the hard work put in by the various share buying efforts to date. However, from canvassing the views of Rangers supporters, it is widely suggested that there is a need for an additional and wholly independent Rangers fans group. That is precisely what Follow Rangers will be.
Categorically not; Follow Rangers is not anti-Dave King or indeed any Rangers FC board members. We may not always be in full agreement with board decisions but we will support any person or group who put the best interest of Rangers FC and its fans first.
Follow Rangers will not be the cause of any trouble, as disharmony benefits only Rangers haters. Follow Rangers will, however, never shirk from calling out anyone they feel is not acting in the club’s best interest and will at all times seek to represent, without fear or favour, the views of Follow Rangers members.
Follow Rangers Shareholders Ltd has been established to support the needs of fans who don’t believe the CIC model used by Rangers First and adopted by Club 1872 is the best model, for a variety of reasons. That is why Follow Rangers (FRSL) is set up in such a way that allows every participant to be a member and gives every member the opportunity to own shares directly in Rangers International Football Club (RIFC). The best way to protect Rangers’ assets is to put them in the ownership of people who love the club. That is why FRSL has been structured in such a way as to make this as easy as possible. While the share ownership may be safe under a CIC, the control and how those shares are used does not offer the level of comfort desired. If members own the shares then they are in complete control of their own shares.
Q: You seem unhappy with the CIC model where one person holds all the financial and legal control of the organisation. But CIC protects any assets in perpetuity, so are you adopting a different model? Isn’t that a risk?
A: Follow Rangers Shareholders Ltd has been established to support the needs of fans who don’t believe the CIC model used by Rangers First and adopted by Club 1872 is the best model, for a variety of reasons. That is why Follow Rangers (FRSL) is set up in such a way that allows every participant to be a member and gives every member the opportunity to own shares directly in Rangers International Football Club (RIFC). The best way to protect Rangers’ assets is to put them in the ownership of people who love the club. That is why FRSL has been structured in such a way as to make this as easy as possible. While the share ownership may be safe under a CIC, the control and how those shares are used does not offer the level of comfort desired. If members own the shares then they are in complete control of their own shares.
Q: Is Follow Rangers opposed to Dave King and the current Rangers board? If so, why should fans fund a fans’ group intent on causing trouble?
A: Categorically not; Follow Rangers is not anti-Dave King or indeed any Rangers FC board members. We may not always be in full agreement with board decisions but we will support any person or group who put the best interest of Rangers FC and its fans first.
Follow Rangers will not be the cause of any trouble, as disharmony benefits only Rangers haters. Follow Rangers will, however, never shirk from calling out anyone they feel is not acting in the club’s best interest and will at all times seek to represent, without fear or favour, the views of Follow Rangers members.
Q: Are you setting up in opposition to Club 1872? Surely that only weakens us as a support?
A: The aim of Follow Rangers is to supplement C1872 and all other share buying vehicles, not to oppose them. Follow Rangers is aware of and grateful for the hard work put in by the various share buying efforts to date. However, from canvassing the views of Rangers supporters, it is widely suggested that there is a need for an additional and wholly independent Rangers fans group. That is precisely what Follow Rangers will be.
Q: What relationship will you have with Supporters Direct?
A: Follow Rangers intends to join Supporters Direct at the earliest practical opportunity.
Q: What do you hope to achieve? By what means? How will you select volunteers and avoid accusations of bias?
A: Follow Rangers intend to hold the proxy on behalf of as many Rangers fans as possible. In doing so, we this will provide a powerful voice and a mandate from Follow Rangers members to address concerns or worries they may have regarding the club.
Follow Rangers will set up working parties, reporting back to a committee with ideas and suggestions. FR would encourage all members to contact these groups with suggestions and ideas to help both Follow Rangers and Rangers FC. Members will be encouraged to participate in these groups. Rangers has a global fan base and modern communications allows members from all over the world to take an active role and to bring their ideas to Follow Rangers. You do not need to be a graduate or in a profession to join a working party, in fact the more diversity of skills and experience, the better.
Q: How will conflict be managed?
A: Any complaints or enquiries internally will be dealt with by the enquiry panel and rules panel to see if any Follow Rangers rules have been broken. If so, the appropriate action will be recommended to the FRSL committee for a final decision.
Any external conflict will be dealt with by the media working party and, again, they will try to resolve it in line with FRSL rules and aims.
Q: How will you stop fans using this as a vehicle for self-promotion and the chance to get on television? How will you select a spokesperson and who/what will decide their remit and the party line?
A: There will be no spokesperson. All statements will be approved and issued by the media working party in line with FRSL rules and not attributable to any individual.
Q: How will you ensure strict financial propriety and appropriate governance?
A: Follow Rangers will be run in compliance with all relevant FCA guidelines. Annual accounts will be drafted by an accountant and will be made available to all members prior to presentation at the annual AGM for members’ approval.
Q: How will you engage with fans or canvas opinion? Not everyone has email and those that do often change their minds. This issue was never resolved by RF so how can you do any better?
A: Follow Rangers aim to make full use of social media to interact with members. In addition, FR will make use of recent advances in communications to hold live meetings where members, either in groups or as individuals, can log in or participate.
Q: What’s the ultimate aim of Follow Rangers and what is the essential difference between FR and Club 1872?
A: The overriding aim of Follow Rangers is to have as many ordinary Rangers fans actively participating in the club they love through directly owning shares themselves.
Q: Will the group itself hold shares and if so how will it buy them?
A: Yes, Follow Rangers will hold shares. FR will accept any shares donated or bequeathed to us and will also accept financial donations for shares owned by the group
Q: Would the committee have the right to vote the group’s own shares?
A: No, the group’s own shares would be voted to mirror the results of the proxy shares so as to reflect the wishes of the members.
Q: When are you going to ask for my credit card details?
A: Follow Rangers will neither ask for nor hold anyone’s credit card details. Funds will be transferred to us by direct debits or standing orders from your own bank or else via PayPal and GoCardless.
Q: Can anyone join?
A: No, membership is by application. Candidates for membership must be proposed and seconded by existing members. Enquiries may be made about prospective members, including an Anti Fraud/Money Laundering check by a third party approved specialist company. The candidate will pay for this in advance, irrespective of the outcome.
Q: What happens if I want to leave?
A: If a member chooses to leave, they must notify Follow Rangers in writing or by Email. If the member has more than £60 in their share buying account, then it will be converted to shares, minus broker’s buying and transfer fees etc, and the shares will transferred to their owner. If the member has under £60, then they will be given 30 days to increase their balance. Any balance in the member’s account under £60 after 30 days noticed have been received will be forfeited.
Q: What if I don’t agree with the majority of members on an AGM question?
A: All Follow Rangers members will be encouraged to vote. We will poll our members and vote according on the results, i.e. if 70% vote for, 20% vote against and 10% don’t know, that is how the votes will be cast. This ensures everyone’s opinion is represented, not just the majority. Members will be informed of the results of all polls and ballots, both in % and numeric format, so everyone knows the full result.
Q: Could Follow Rangers be taken over or merges with another group the way RF was?
A: The Follow Rangers constitution is structured in such a way as to eliminate any possibility of such an occurrence.
Q: Are the shares held by the Follow Rangers asset locked?
A: The shares cannot be asset locked but Follow Rangers will use the same 100% voting requirement to prevent their transfer.
Q: There were lots of broken RF promises that we all believed, like the impossibility of an RST merger. Why are these new assurances any different?
A: Follow Rangers is acutely aware of previous mistakes, particularly the RST/RF merger after promises were given that no merger would take place. To that end, the FR Constitution includes a binding assurance that there will be no merger with any other fan group without the agreement of 100% of members.
Q: Is there a detailed plan on how Follow Rangers proposes to effect positive change at our club?
A: While FR may initially purchase existing shares through our brokers, it is hoped that (as existing shareholders) FR can purchase shares directly from the club in future share issues to increase the shareholding, provided we are allowed to buy beyond our pro rata holding. By amassing a significant shareholding in Rangers FC, Follow Rangers will be placed in a position whereby the club will listen to us and the fans whose views we represent.
Q: How are those who will be running any new group not going to be seduced by power and the invites up the marble staircase to meetings, etc and stay true to representing the group and not self-interest be the main interest, and ensure no one is paid to represent the group?
A: It is a condition that no Follow Rangers office bearer, either on the committee or in any working party, will accept any free tickets or hospitality from Rangers FC. Should any free tickets from another club or anyone else be offered, the office bearer must report them immediately before accepting or be expelled from Follow Rangers. Board members will not accept invitations to the Directors Box as it is felt that would be unbecoming an independent fans group.
Q: What would be the new group’s stance on the following: no stock exchange listing, the concert party ruling and even Dave King as chairman and how that affects potential investment?
A: The initial view of Follow Rangers is that Rangers FC should be listed on the Stock Exchange and that not striving to achieve this has been a major failing of the current board. The concert party ruling was not a surprise in that City regulations are very clear with regard to takeovers. It is difficult to see what was be achieved by repeated appeals following the Takeover Panel ruling and FR is pleased that Mr King has now accepted the Court of Session ruling and made a bid as instructed.