Backed up by their pals in the Glasgow media, Rangers made another attempt at unsettling Hibs midfield star Scott Allan on Tuesday evening but were once again told, “No.”
This third attempt shows a whole lot of disregard for Hibernian Football Cub with the Rangers having been told in a very public manner by means of a club statement that quite simply, he’s not going to be allowed to sign for them this season.
Despite this, they try to call the Hibees bluff with a third offer for the Championship player of the year but Hibs are resolute on this matter- they simply can’t afford to sell the player to a promotion rival and stirring the media hornets nest is likely to infuriate the club further.
The Daily Record/Sunday Mail last weekend saw fit to dredge up Alan Stubbs past by dredging up a story from 20 years ago when he submitted a transfer request to Bolton Wanderers after interest was shown in him by Arsenal and Celtic.
Despite having completed the whole season with the Reebok outfit, a fact mostly overlooked, the publication still saw fit to seek comment from a Bolton fans chief who was still an unhappy bunny nearly quarter of a century later. Such reporting is unnecessary and bold headlines branding Stubbs a hypocrite are merely feeding the Ibrox masses.
The feeling amongst the Hibs support is simply one of a siege mentality. This “story” was only dragged up by Stubbs simply saying “not for sale” when questioned about Allan’s future. The club have made their stance, repeating the same question time and time again won’t get you a different answer regardless of how hard you try.
Stubbs is on record as saying he spoke to his ‘Gers counterpart after their initial offers were rejected and Mark Warburton has since largely declined to comment but the general distrust of the Ibrox club and their relationship with the mainstream media remains with those who support clubs outwith the Glasgow divide and Hibees now expect to see further negative reporting about their club for having the nerve to reject a hat trick of bids from the press’ blue eyed (nosed?) boys.
Hopefully the player himself will keep his head down and not repeat the mistakes of last week where he handed in a transfer request and buckle down to the job in hand, namely helping Hibs to promotion and then he can choose to go wherever he wants.
One thing is clear in this whole repetitive circus and it’s that Hibs finally have a management structure to trust. Both CEO Leeann Dempster and Alan Stubbs should be given credit where it’s due and their stubborn resistance on the Allan situation is both welcome and long overdue. They say a strong backbone is necessary to the success of any team and Hibs certainly have it off the park, replicating it on the pitch this coming season would be the icing on the cake.
Share this article
Related Articles
10 comments
Comments are closed.
Hardly think it’s fair to criticise the media too much on this, after all it was Hibs that revealed in the first place Rangers’ initial bid for Allan. They set off the “media circus” so for anyone associated with Hibs to criticise the media for their coverage is laughable. If you want someone to blame for that, look towards your own club.
Regarding Hibs’ position on not doing business with fellow title challengers, they have not long completed the signing of a St Mirren player have they not? They offered him a new contract but he felt signing for their promotion rivals would be a much better option for him, and so Hibs gladly took him on board. A bit hypocritical again don’t you think? Allan is undoubtedly key to Hibs’ promotion chances yet if another side like Celtic or a team in England came in for him you have to wonder if, as per the verbal agreement, Hibs would let him leave. If they were to do that they would also give up their chances of promotion.
Just as long as it’s not Rangers though!
Hubs had to speak out regarding Rangers bids for Allan such was the media speculation. You can’t honestly believe it was Hibs who started the ball rolling with journalists? The main point of the article is to let people see the Daily Record as the Rangers apologists that they are. There was no reason whatsoever to drag up a story from 20 years ago and seek comment on it. Should an acceptable bid come in from Rotherham or Wigan then he’ll go to either of them. But is he willing to sacrifice happiness for money?
There was speculation but news of an actual bid sparked a frenzy, and that came frome Hibs announcing the bid and rejection thereof. Scott Allan is absolutely key to Hibs’ promotion prospects. Without him they can expect at least another season in the Championship, so it doesn’t really matter whether he goes to Rangers, as he wants, or any other side – losing him will cost you promotion. He may as well be sold to Rangers for all the difference it makes (if you are going to lose him), but from Stubbs’ own personal anti-Rangers stance, as well as many of the Hibs fans with their “zombie”, “Sevco” and “huns” comments, not to mention the abuse Allan has taken from his own fans, it seems to be a case of anyone but Rangers.
Hibs done well to try to end the speculation IMO and their statement made it clear he wouldn’t be sold to them which is completely their prerogative. Selling Allan will not necessary cost Hibs promotion, selling him to Rangers would probably condemn us to another playoff scenario. Of course Hibs fans are calling Rangers Huns, Sevco and Zombies? What Scottish fans aren’t? This incarnation of Glasgow Rangers is less than 3 years old 😃. And Allan was given a warm welcome bar a few on Saturday when he came on against Montrose. Twitter trolls should in general be ignored however our friends at the Record justified making a (non) story about it.
Just because some bitter fans say it doesn’t make it so. I prefer to take the word of all governing bodies, legal rulings and so forth. Though if we’re a new club why so much bitterness? Why hate us like we’re Rangers if you don’t think we are? Can’t be huns if we’re not Rangers surely? But of course losing Allan will cost promotion. Without him Hibs are a poor side, with him they can make the playoffs. Of course to you everything negative is a non-story (SNP supporter by any chance are you?), but these things are relevant. The actions of 3 Rangers fans was flagged up prominently by the BBC, despite other clubs getting away with similar repeatedly. Why shouldn’t attention be drawn to Hibs fans (even on twitter) posting disgusting messages regarding one of their own players just because he wants to join Rangers?
Legal rulings you say? So Rangers weren’t liquidated? Must have dreamt the whole Duff and Phelps charade and the list of unpaid creditors. As for
the SNP comment? Just because they wouldn’t bail out Rangers MK1 when they’d overspent and cheated the taxman the Rangers fans give them stick- now that’s hilarious!!
Well no, obviously, Rangers weren’t liquidated. The oldco is currently in the process of liquidation however that company is nothing whatsoever to do with Rangers as we transferred to a new company. SFA, UEFA, SPFL, FIFA, ECA, ASA and the ruling of Nimmo Smith back up that position. We of course didn’t cheat the taxman as the rulings have found. We used a legal system to reduce our tax liabilities, and stopped in 2010 when this was made illegal. Other clubs could have used it but didn’t, there was no cheating.
As for the ongoing Scott Allan saga I see Rotherham have expressed surprise their bid has been made public. That would suggest Hibs as being the source, again, and inviting renewed media frenzy, again.
Hahahahah! Rangers old co were liquidated… Of course that’s nothing to do with newco. You were forced to start at the bottom of the ladder for no reason then? Dearie me. Dream on.
Here you go. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-20141946
The liquidators, as much as they were, sold your history. If Hamilton had bought it could they claim to be the most successful team in Scotland? Thought not…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-22951447
as the BBC Trust ruled, those biased reporters with an agenda against Rangers were wrong to report in a manner that talked of old and new clubs. Same club mate, everyone knows it, the BBC knows it, even the bitter fans who claim otherwise. If they really thought it they wouldn’t be so bitter. Same club, different company.