The annual general meeting of Rangers shareholders took place this morning at New Edmiston House.
Not only does it give the club directors the chance to present the club’s yearly results and performance in greater clarity, but it also acts as an open forum for fans and influential figures – both who can rightfully stake their claim in having a say in the club as shareholders – to ask the board big questions that demand answers.
When it comes to standard corporates businesses in any other sector, this will see high ranking figures being grilled on decisions such as employment certainty, and how they plan to keep the business running in the green over the next five to 10 years per say.
Unfortunately, this is football we are dealing with, and sadly, there are several owning shares that just don’t understand what the big issues are beyond their own personal gripes.
Having gotten over the embarrassing AGM years that saw the event once held with the directors in a gazebo, recent years have seen hard hitting questions such as why its so difficult to get a pie at Ibrox 40 minutes into a game.
After the disaster show that was Rangers summer transfer activity, the likes of Colin at Heart and Hand who was live updating the proceedings would have liked to have been reporting something of substance.
Instead, with the floor open to ask absolutely anything, the first questioner could only ask where the venue for the meeting was big enough for purpose.
Not why it took so long to reappoint a director of football or if the squad still remains for purpose. No, just why he wasn’t asking if from the Armadillo.
When it comes to public facing questioning like this, I’m not usually one for vetting what is asked ahead of time, as it increases the chances of those answering them having what they say thought out in advance.
However, I think there comes a time where someone, be it someone the shareholders bring in to collate them on a independent basis, gets sent questions ahead of time and determines what are the most suitable to be taken forward.
For far too long, the Rangers board have been given an easy ride and haven’t consistently had the results to back up such treatment. Even if we were performing to a much higher standard on-and-off the pitch, shareholder scrutiny is vital in order to avoid any sort of level of complacency.
Imagine what might have been if the pressure was put on the chairman and chief exec to put the foot down after 55 instead of resting on their loreals.
Fall outs from AGMs need to be all about how the board plan to improve the club moving forward in all areas. Not just a few soundbites poking fun at the subway loyal for a cheap pop.
Until that happens, we will never fully be taken seriously again as a well-run football club in the eyes of the wider audience.