| Misc Articles | Celtic lexicon |
Details
Term: Moonbeams
Ref: Delusions of financial success and backing
Origination: David Murray (owner of Rangers) interview from 2006
Definition: Moonbeams can be defined as referring to a desperate hope for a fantasy injection of financing or structural support that will elevate any club or organisation to another level.
Background
| “There is a massive moonbeam of success waiting for us.” David Murray 2006 |
Back during the events of the death of Rangers football club in 2012, the press as ever pandered to the whims of their supporters, and maintained a shill coverage of events around their club.
Their lead shareholder David Murray was nothing less than brazen in his attitude, and the Scottish mainstream media didn’t half lap it up, with each side feeding off ofthe other. As journalist Graham Speirs later remarked, it was all part of a shill coverage that surrounded Rangers and Murray (‘succulent lamb‘ coverage).
This curious relationship lead to the publishing of some classic sycophantic articles, which in popular Glasgow culture generated a lot of satirising, especially in Celtic circles.
One of the most popular terms was ‘Moonbeams‘, stemming from a quote from David Murray forecasting fantasies of success which stem from a never ending stream of financial aid from private investors. Often quite savvy in his interviews this time Murray slipped up. Hubris and vanity could at times puncture his plans, and this quote little better exemplifies it:
David Murray: “It is people’s entitlement. It does not sway me, nor does it put me off – I will still do my job to the very best. I can understand 300 people getting bloody annoyed if they felt there wasn’t a light at the end of the tunnel – but there is a massive moonbeam of success waiting for us”.
His quote didn’t help matters, and in reflection it helps explain the demise and death of Rangers in 2012. That club had borrowed on the back of ‘Moonbeams‘, an arrogant delusional belief that they were far above the rest in Scotland and all their debts would be covered by external revenues in Europe and dreamt up died in the blue wool Hun billionaires. That wasn’t to be the case, and over time they racked up unsustainable debts; they had dug their own graves. We all just laughed.
Further examples of Moonbeams have included plans on building mega casinos at Ibrox with floating pitches and six star hotels, but the ultimate was that Craig Whyte was a billionaire with ‘wealth off the radar‘. None of this incredibly is made up by ourselves but is actually restating articles printed as ‘truth‘ by the press fed by the spin doctors at Ibrox.
At the end, the lack of any Moonbeams was a cause for the death of Rangers in 2012, but they seemed to be budgeting for ‘Moonbeams‘ to emerge and save the day. Reality hurts. No sympathy here.
Articles
Evening Times: Murray pledges a ‘moonbeam’ to banish long dark season of despair
IBROX CRISIS
Rangers chief broke his silence after fan protests forced him to declare his hand early
Evening Times (Glasgow, Scotland)
February 10, 2006
Author: DARRELL KING
Estimated printed pages: 5
FOR a man who likes to think of Rangers as his family, clearly being attacked from those within his inner circle was just too much.
The 300 fans who protested outside Ibrox after last week’s Scottish Cup defeat to Hibs, and the dozen or so who unfurled a ‘Murray Out’ banner at Pittodrie before Wednesday night’s defeat, may have been small in number.
But David Murray sensed a major fall-out was on the way – something that may even have ended in damaging feuding or even acrimonious divorce.
When the final whistle blew in Aberdeen, Rangers yet again on the end of a defeat, the Ibrox owner and chairman knew it was time to act.
Today he has called for unity behind his decision to reveal that his embattled manager, Alex McLeish, will go at the end of the season.
In his own inimitable style, Murray also rolled out the big guns – a new manager is more or less in place, huge investment is on the way to fund his rebuilding of this pitiful Rangers line-up and the club is making record amounts of cash.
Like the head of the family calling everyone around the table, he has spoken.
Now he wants the Rangers support to prepare themselves for what he will bring to that very table – and if they are not pleased, he says they can protest all they like.
MURRAY said: “The fans have been very supportive, but they want to see direction. My job is to get to the bottom of our problems and get this sorted out.
“I will leave no stone unturned. I am working very hard with Martin Bain to bring all these deals together and bring the direction this club needs.
“Rangers should not be divided. Yes, we are annoyed, yes, we are upset at results – but we must stick together.
“That (protests) is not Rangers’ way. I understand people have the right to stand outside and protest. But Rangers do things another way, not like that. That’s why I meet the Trust, the Assembly, we do it by talking.
“It is people’s entitlement. It does not sway me, nor does it put me off – I will still do my job to the very best. I can understand 300 people getting bloody annoyed if they felt there wasn’t a light at the end of the tunnel – but there is a massive moonbeam of success waiting for us.
“People must accept there are legal issues, stock exchange issues, timing factors – but this will happen.
“And when we make the changes, and if people are not happy, then protest all you want – but big plans are on the way for Rangers.”
“Of course, it has taken the combination of the horrendous results and performances against Hibs and Aberdeen to prompt action from the chairman.
Clearly, with an Old Firm game looming, he has attempted to throw a bucket of water over what was a simmering situation developing between the rightly frustrated fans and those they follow all over the land.
Maybe Murray should have acted sooner. Maybe, looking atthings now, it has strengthened the argument that McLeish should have been removed during the shocking run of results in the autumn and early winter months.
BUT loyalty has always been Murray’s closest friend. Now he wants his support to put more faith in the man who has been the custodian of their club for 18 years.
There is no doubt that his stock is at an all-time low in the eyes of many, but these are not false statements – a new dawn is on the way.
“We all have degrees in hindsight, ” Murray conceded, “Perhaps I should have spoken after the transfer window.
“But, after not being able to win for 10 matches, we were undefeated in 10 matches, and sometimes it’s best left alone.
“However, after the indifferent performances of the week, it had to be said. I had to let the fans know we have been working on plans for a long time.
“There is going to be a major financial input to the club, there is now going to be a new manager and a new structure.
“I am disappointed it’s come to this as we are about to announce very strong financial figures. The club is on a great financial footing after having a difficult time – we are going through record turnover.