King must follow Fergus McCann’s formula

His official coronation may have been put on “fit and proper person” ice, but the success of Dave King’s accession at Rangers was clear for all to see at Friday’s packed Press Conference.

Calm and composed, the South African batted away all manner of questions in a measured tone and even got a laugh when drily discounting the possibility of Derek Llambias and Barry Leach having a future with the Light Blues.

He deserved his moment of triumph. Having polled 85% of the shareholders’ vote, he has been handed an overwhelming mandate to lead the club.

Yet where there was jubilation among the fans who waited outside on a cold March day to noisily roar their approval, it remains to be seen whether he is quite as well received by the support overall.

And, indeed, the Scottish footballing public on the whole.

A conversation between two Rangers-supporting colleagues about Tuesday night’s home game against Queen of the South illustrated the difference of opinion. The first man predicted there would be a 50,000 sell-out to welcome the new man in charge. The second claimed the Light Blues would be lucky if the ground was three-quarters full. “We have seen this all before,” he opined.

Fit-and-proper-person investigations notwithstanding, King has already gone some way towards convincing he is a considerable upgrade on what has gone before.

He is a Rangers fan, who has pursued his goal of fixing what he believes to now be a “broken club” with diligence and tenacity.

But having got the power he craved, he will be only too aware that actions speak louder than words.

An interesting warning was issued during week from the other side of the great Glasgow divide. Peter Grant was a Celtic player when Fergus McCann rescued the Hoops in 1994, a time when, famously, they came within minutes of being shut down. Many Rangers fans don’t appreciate the comparison. These are, after all, two very different football clubs with very different histories footballing and financial.

There are definite similarities, however, which have been acknowledged by King himself.

McCann had to get rid of the old Board in order to move forward, and had to invest heavily to achieve his vision to rejuvenate Celtic and turn them into the successful going concern they are today. Grant’s point was that contrary to the perception held by many young Hoops fans today, the process was anything but smooth. McCann was welcomed in, much as King has been, but six months on with the team struggling they got stick from all sides. And, he pointed out, they were in the top flight and had a side which included established players such as Paul McStay, John Collins and Grant himself. Even more drastic surgery, clearly, is required at Rangers.

Speaking on Friday, King, interim chairman Paul Murray and respected businessman John Gilligan were diplomatic but firm about the need for footballing change in the dug-out and on the pitch.

The changes, it was stressed, won’t be made in haste but in a measured and responsible manner. Much, in fact, like McCann did at Celtic.

The problem is that while the £20-million King and his backers can put in could if not should be enough to indeed make them the second force in Scotland, it will leave them some way short of the Hoops.

For even if the re-building process goes absolutely to plan, it could still be undermined by events outwith their control.

Scottish Premiership champions-in-waiting, Celtic will go forward as the country’s Champion League entrants.

Qualify to the group stages and they will gain an additional £20-million to their domestic cash streams.

And barring a shock of seismic proportions they will get exactly the same chance 12 months later.

Qualify two years in-a-row and they will have gained £40-million on Rangers.

That is a huge amount of potential revenue, and goes some way to explaining the efforts that were made to have the newco placed in the top flight back in 2012.

Settled under the charge of manager Ronny Deila and with a stable Board of directors, the Hoops are in the perfect position to consolidate ahead of Rangers’ eventual promotion to the Premiership.

That could be next season, that could be the year after.

The hope is a rejuvenated support can help lift the team into and out of the play-offs. That beating the likes of Falkirk, Queen of the South and even Hibs should not be out of the reach of this group.

Then, with a dozen players out of contract in the summer, there is scope for an overhaul in which the logic goes the best and brightest from Scotland’s other clubs can be brought on board to take part in a people’s revolution, led by a King.

But as yesterday’s dull, goal-less draw at Cowdenbeath illustrated, there’s still a long, long way to go.