A senior partner with Scottish Third Division Rangers administrators Duff & Phelps knew former Owner Craig Whyte "had sold season ticket rights to buy the club despite publicly denying it," according to David Taylor of the Scotland DAILY RECORD. The BBC "obtained a secret recording" in which it appears partner David Grier "admits to knowing about the shady deal." Duff & Phelps have "strenuously denied they were ever aware Whyte had sold four years of season tickets to fund his takeover"(DAILY RECORD, 10/25). The BBC's Mark Daly reported that Duff & Phelps "tried to persuade" Whyte to lie about their knowledge of the season-ticket deal, which was used to buy the club. Duff & Phelps asked Whyte to lie because they were afraid of U.K. tax authority HMRC would remove them as administrators over a potential conflict of interest." The revelations are contained in a recorded conversation between Grier and Whyte. Duff & Phelps has "not yet commented" (BBC, 10/25).
WHYTE'S LEGAL ADVICE: The SCOTSMAN reported that Whyte is "thought to be taking legal advice" ahead of a bid to sue Duff & Phelps over claims that they "reneged on a deal to return the troubled football club to him." Whyte claims that Duff & Phelps agreed on a £500,000 ($806,000) fee to "guide Rangers out of administration before handing the club back to him." However, Whyte said that "they dragged out the process to rack up a bill of around £3M ($4.9M) instead" (SCOTSMAN, 10/25).
