IT is now more than six months since the Scottish Rugby Union decided on a plan to sell off its two professional clubs, Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors.
It was The Rucker who exclusively revealed that the SRU was contemplating such a move and sure enough, one day later the high heid-yins at Murrayfield gave hasty notice of a Special General Meeting which took place on October 28 and which saw more arms twisted than a WWE wrestling match.
It was all done very hurriedly and more than a few people were disturbed at the speed and the manner in which this huge decision for rugby in Scotland was pushed through. All these months later and no deal has taken place for either club and nor are there any signs of one – so why all that hurry back in Autumn last year?
There are all sorts of rumours surrounding the sell-off. The most interesting is that at least two consortia have had talks with the SRU executives about possible deals.
I understand one of the consortia is not Scottish-based, and that in both cases, the sticking point has been the fact that the SRU is insisting on retaining a majority share in both clubs. That is just pure and utter nonsense, if it is true. There is no way that any sensible business people will invest in either club if they are not allowed to have control of their assets.
If they want to know what it’s like when the SRU maintains such control, all they have to do is contact Bob Carruthers who had such a very bad experience when he tried to invest in Edinburgh Rugby on a franchise basis. Carruthers even wrote a book about it, and it made very funny reading at the time, though there was nothing humorous about the huge rows between him and Murrayfield.
Carruthers tried hard but eventually had to walk away – this time there appear to be not even triers.
Surely now the council of the SRU should be asking questions as to why this deal – any deal – is taking so long to achieve.
Is it really the case that the executives at Murrayfield pushed for the SGM without an overarching plan to achieve the sale?
Any sell-off surely cannot go ahead now over the summer and the fact is that Edinburgh and the Warriors very much remain in the control of Murrayfield and that deals have been done for players and coaches which suggests, quite frankly, that the SRU has no intention of letting go of either club in the near future.
Warriors did make it to the quarter-finals of the European Champions cup, and Edinburgh did the same in the Challenge Cup, but neither side acquitted themselves admirably in the Guinness Pro 12, so maybe potential investors have been put off because of that rather than any problems with the SRU.
Either way the SRU has plenty of answers to give about that plan which they cobbled together last year and which has not yet come to fruition. Just saying…
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here