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Scottish Sun
11 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Inside Rangers owner Andrew Cavenagh's secret Ibrox mission as he bought ticket and sat with normal fans before takeover
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ANDREW CAVENAGH made up his mind to secure a controlling investment in Rangers as he brought a regular ticket and sat in the cheap seats in the Copland Stand. Cavenagh, who made his money in the US health insurance sector, secured a 51% stake in tandem with 49ers Enterprises big hitter Paraag Marathe in June. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 4 Chairman Andrew Cavenagh and vice-chair Paarag Marathe at Ibrox Stadium Credit: Willie Vass 4 Fans at Ibrox 4 Andrew Cavenagh Credit: Getty And he was sold on the deal when making a secret mission to the Copland Stand on November 23 - buying a normal ticket to sit amongst the fans after battling through a snowstorm. Former Rangers director Paul Murray, who had met Cavenagh weeks earlier, told the Daily Record: "I think the two things which really struck me about Andrew that day were, first of all he was really engaged and obviously really interested in what I was saying, but also we were playing a game against Hearts at Ibrox a couple of days later on the Sunday. "He actually said to me, 'I think I'll just with all fly up to and he Ibrox and go to the 'I'm game.' "I asked if he wanted me on his chat to try to speak to someone and he said, 'No, I'll just get a ticket and I'll just go.' "As it turned out, for various reasons he wasn't able to go as he had some family stuff on, but he then contacted me about a week later and said he wanted to go to the Dundee United game, which was in the middle of November. "Again, I asked if he wanted me to help and he said, 'No, I'll just go and get a ticket - a normal ticket for any area of the ground.' I think he actually went into the Copland (Road) Stand. "But I thought that was quite interesting. A guy with that wealth and he just thought, 'I'm going to buy a ticket.' "He flew up to Glasgow, bought a ticket on his own. He went with a couple of other guys and you might remember it was a really bizarre game because it was meant to be a three o'clock kick-off on the Saturday and it was really bad weather. "It was the middle of November, but there were snow drifts and crazy weather to the point that Dundee United couldn't get down the A9. Rangers fans unfurl giant tifo ahead of Russell Martin's first match "He actually contacted me to say, 'When does the game start?' "I said, 'I've just looked and apparently it's been delayed until four o'clock!' "So it was a really weird day and Andrew was basically walking about the stadium, looking at the stands and nobody knew who this guy was. "The other thing that happened that day was there were quite a lot of fan protests as well as having the snow drifts to contend with. But it obviously didn't put him off." Have YOU got a point for Kris Boyd? Kris Boyd and Roger Hannah chew over the big talking points each week SOMETHING you've just got to get off your chest from the weekend action? A burning Scottish football talking point you can't wait to bring up with Kris Boyd and Roger Hannah? SunSport's GoBallistic show wants to hear from you! So why not help set the Scottish football agenda for the week ahead! Have your say on the game's big topics by emailing us on: GoBallistic@ It's YOUR turn to Go Ballistic! 4 Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page


Daily Record
17 hours ago
- Daily Record
Andrew Cavenagh pushed the button on Rangers takeover after undercover spying mission on the Copland Road
It was after this spying mission that Cavenagh opened the talks which would lead to his successful takeover in May of this year Andrew Cavenagh decided to push the button on his multi-million pound buy out of Rangers after going deep undercover to mingle with match day punters in the Copland Road stand. The health insurance tycoon made the secret trip to Glasgow on November 23 last year, battling through a snow storm to buy a ticket for a 1-1 draw with Dundee United. And it was after this spying mission that the American businessman opened the talks which would lead to his successful takeover in May of this year, along with his backers from the San Francisco 49ers The story of Cavenagh 's first ever trip to Ibrox has been revealed by Paul Murray in part of an in depth exclusive interview with our groundbreaking Hotline Live show, which is available to view online. And Murray, who helped Cavenagh and his consortium pull the deal together from the inside, has told how he knew the Americans were destined to take control from the moment the main man turned down a VIP seat in the directors' box to sit among the fans instead. Murray revealed: 'I met Andrew for the first time on a Zoom call in October last year, so nine months ago. We had a bit of a chat - nice guy - and he was then coming to London a week later. 'So I flew down to London and had lunch with him in central London. We had a really good chat. 'He didn't actually mention the 49ers at that time but he was actually with a guy from Leeds so I kind of figured out that there was something else maybe going on. 'We had a really good chat and my first impressions were, 'Really nice guy, very easy to talk to,'. 'As we've been discussing, over the last 20 years I've met a lot of people who want to invest in Rangers and who come forward - I think we all know some of the people we've just been mentioning! 'Andrew was different. You just got a sense immediately this guy is, first of all, he's a very successful businessman in his own right. A very serious guy but also a nice guy and also engaged. 'I talked him through the history of the club, the last 15 years and some of the things that had happened. You could tell he was really engaged. He obviously knew a lot of the things we were talking about. 'As it happened, because the guy was there from Leeds, I did take the opportunity of mentioning the Battle of Britain from 30 years ago which they were quite amused by. 'I said, 'That shows you where Rangers were 30 years ago. Before the English Premier League came into existence, we were, if not the biggest club in Britain, certainly one of the biggest clubs in Britain,'. So they were actually quite interested in that. 'I think the two things which really struck me about Andrew that day were, first of all he was really engaged and obviously really interested in what I was saying but also we were playing a game against Hearts at Ibrox a couple of days later on the Sunday. 'He actually said to me, 'I think I'll just fly up to Ibrox and go to the game,'. 'I asked if he wanted me to try to speak with someone and he said, 'No, I'll just get a ticket and I'll just go,'. 'As it turned out, for various reasons he wasn't able to go as he had some family stuff on but he then contacted me about a week later and said he wanted to go to the Dundee United game, which was in the middle of November. 'Again, I asked if he wanted me to help and he said, 'No, I'll just go and get a ticket - a normal ticket for any area of the ground,'. I think he actually went into the Copland Stand. 'But I thought that was quite interesting. A guy with that wealth and he just thought, 'I'm going to buy a ticket,'. 'He flew up to Glasgow, bought a ticket on his own. He went with a couple of other guys and you might remember it was a really bizarre game because it was meant to be a three o'clock kick-off on the Saturday and it was really bad weather. 'It was the middle of November but there were snow drifts and crazy weather to the point that Dundee United couldn't get down the A9. 'He actually contacted me to say, 'When does the game start?'. 'I said, 'I've just looked and apparently it's been delayed until four o'clock!'. 'So it was a really weird day and Andrew was basically walking about the stadium, looking at the stands and nobody knew who this guy was. 'I thought it was actually really interesting that a guy like that would take the time - because normally these guys want to go to the directors box as VIPs - but this guy was prepared to put on his work clothes if you like and just go and look at it. 'The other thing that happened that day was there were quite a lot of fan protests as well as having the snow drifts to contend with. But it obviously didn't put him off.' Now, a decade after helping Dave King take control of Ibrox in a boardroom purge, Murray believes his club has been passed into the best possible hands. He said: 'There are no guarantees. But I'm hugely excited. 'I spent a good bit of time with Andrew in the early days - I don't know Paraag just as well but we did have a couple of meetings - and I think these guys are going to be great for the club. 'I think, in a funny kind of way, the fact that they are not Rangers fans is a good thing because we've had Rangers fans on the board for a long time and it is difficult. 'It's hard to convey when you are a fan but you are also on the board as a custodian, you feel the weight of expectation on your shoulders. 'In fact, my very last game on the board of directors was just before Steven Gerrard came, when we lost 5-0 at Celtic Park and Celtic won the league. 'I remember leaving that day and I was actually finished. I just had to resign because I was emotionally spent. You sit there as a fan and as a director and it's hard to take. 'These guys are clearly going to be invested in the club from an emotional point of view but they are a bit more detached. And that gives them more objectivity which is a good thing. 'I don't know Paraag as well as Andrew but I think they are quite a complimentary duo and it's maybe this east coast west coast thing. Andrew is obviously from Philadelphia and I think Paraag is from California. 'So they have slightly different styles and backgrounds but I think they are quite complementary.'


Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
Jamie McGrath reveals the truth about his Hibs glory goal as recruit jokes about Aberdeen transfer redemption
The summer addition made an impact in the Conference League after his summer switch from the Dons New Hibs hero Jamie McGrath has revealed his free kick goal was off the cuff - but it was meant. The midfielder marked his debut with the opening goal in the 1-1 draw away to Midtjylland that has given the Hibees the advantage going into Thursday's Easter Road Europa League qualifying return. McGrath scored with a near post free kick, which keeper Jonas Lossl fumbled in at his near post. Hibs manager David Gray suggested it may have been a cross but McGrath claimed he saw the keeper leaving a big gap and exploited it. McGrath confirmed: 'Yes, me and Jordan stood over the ball and we just had a brief chat, We kind of spotted the keeper cheating a little bit. "I was like, yes, I'll whip it into the near post. Worst case scenario, the keeper catches it, but best case, we obviously scored.' McGrath had joked before the game that he had to pay back his teammates because he had been part of Aberdeen 's Scottish Cup-winning squad that had cost them a guaranteed place in the group stages. The last goal he scored in Europe was also a free kick for Aberdeen against PAOK a few seasons ago. The 28-year old acknowledged: 'I had to make it up to them some way! It was obviously a nice start, nice to get my first competitive goal. 'Yes, it was a free kick (for Aberdeen) as well. It is a nice trend. Hopefully we get a free kick next week. It's obviously nice to help the boys out.' Hibs were denied a famous win by another set piece straight out of the top drawer from Midtjylland's Aral Simsir. McGrath insisted it was no thing of beauty for Hibs. He stated: 'No, I never admire it. 'You're just thinking, oh no!. 'There wasn't much we could have done about it. Maybe foul the player a bit earlier in that attack. 'It's always when you look back, you can change different things. 'The pleasing thing was how we defended the box. From the front, I thought we defended really well. The two boys up top worked their socks off and the boys that came in as well carried on the trend. I think probably a draw was a fair result. 'But yeah, they're used to being in the Champions League, so we probably would take a draw going into next week.' McGrath knows from experience that it is fine margins at this level and it could have been so different if VAR hadn't ruled out Martin Boyle's goal that would have given Hibs a 2-0 lead. 'I think overall we defended the box really well,' McGrath insisted. 'We kind of limited them to a moment of magic that obviously equalised the game. 'I think if we were a little bit tidier on transitions, we could have maybe capitalised on that a bit better, especially in the second half. Martin Boyle was very close to being onside at all. 'I didn't see it back, but he obviously was offside if VAR gave it. But, of course there's positives to be taken from tonight. We're going back to a home game next week. I think that's what we aim to do, is bring it back there. 'But, it's only halfway, we can't get too excited. We'll bring it back next week and give ourselves a chance.' There were more than 1,000 Hibs fans in the MCH Arena. McGrath admitted that they were everywhere - even in their Herning hotel. He was delighted to give them something to celebrate and wants them to play their part at Easter Road next week. The former St Mirren and Dundee United player joked: 'Yes, waking us up this morning! 'You could hear them outside the window all day. I don't know if there's much to do around here, but they've been brilliant. 'Hopefully they'll have a good night tonight and get back safe tomorrow. Like I said, Easter Road will be jammed next week. 'I'm really looking forward to it now.' McGrath wants them to make full use of it and finish off the job at Easter Road. The winners face a tie against Fredrikstrad in the third qualifying round and McGrath wants that rather than the consolation of dropping down into the Conference League. McGrath, who scored Hibs goal in Denmark, warned: 'It's only halfway, both teams feeling each other out as well. 'It's going to be a completely different game next week as well. 'We know that. We can't get too high or too low. We have to address it the same way as we addressed it this week. But we have that little edge with the home fans on our side next week.' It might look like Hibs have done the hard part in Denmark but McGrath knows from bitter experience that you need to do the business at home. He was part of the Aberdeen team who battled back to a 2-2 draw away to BK Hacken and then lost the return in a Europa League qualifier at Pittodrie. The new signing warned: 'That's the thing, Europe can switch in the flick of a switch. We know we have to address it like we have done this week. 'We know in Europe if you switch off for a minute you get punished. We're going to have to be on our A game next week to give ourselves a chance to get through.'