Scottish Championship side Rangers made only £2,000 ($3,130) from the club's merchandising deal with shareholder Mike Ashley's
Sports Direct retail chain "in the first half of this year," per the
Union of Fans, the organization "which represents disaffected Ibrox
supporters," according to Roddy Forsyth of the London TELEGRAPH. The UoF described the amount as "absolutely disgraceful." The breakdown of figures shows that, although Rangers supporters spent
£7.6M ($11.9M) on retail in the full year covered by the accounts, "the return
to the club was a mere" £590,000 ($922,700). The fans' group has now called for a
"complete boycott of the club's stores, as well as of Sports Direct." If implemented, a merchandise boycott "will further worsen the club's already
perilous financial position" (TELEGRAPH, 12/2). The Scotland DAILY RECORD reported the UoF "commissioned accountants to forensically examine the club books that were recently released by the Ibrox board." The fans coalition is "urging fellow supporters to steer clear of Ashley's shops." They have "poured scorn" on Chair David Somers' boastings that the club "make quite a lot of money" from the deal. The UoF said in a statement, "We have become accustomed to David Somers', Comical Ali style
proclamations about our club. He stated recently that Rangers 'make
quite a lot of money' from the Sports Direct deal but that is not how
the accounts read in our analysis" (DAILY RECORD, 12/2).
