Financial dealings 100% accounted for, says Rangers owner
Rangers owner Craig Whyte is “100% confident” administrators will prove that all money that has come in and gone out of the club during his tenure has been properly accounted for.
In a statement released today, the Ibrox chairman also claims the safeguarding of the future of the Scottish champions remains his intention.
Whyte says he fully understands fans‘ anxiety after Rangers were forced to call in the administrators on Tuesday.
Whyte said he would not be attending tomorrow's match against Kilmarnock in order to avoid becoming a distraction to the team.
Duff and Phelps were appointed on Tuesday after Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) forced the issue in the Court of Session in a bid to secure payment of £9m in PAYE and VAT, a debt accrued during Whyte's tenure.
Whyte purchased David Murray's majority shareholding in the club in May.
In a statement today, Whyte said: "When I took over as majority shareholder of Rangers in May last year, I knew I had been handed a huge privilege - and an enormous responsibility.
"My intention then was to do everything I could to safeguard the club's future. And that remains my intention today.
"The traumatic events of the last few days have, understandably, led to a great deal of angst and uncertainty as well as firestorm of media speculation, much of it ill-formed and some of it downright malicious.
"That an internationally-renowned institution such as Rangers should find itself in administration is bound to create shockwaves, particularly among the club's magnificently-loyal fans, and I fully understand their anxiety.
"As chairman, I have been at the centre of this firestorm - and quite rightly so.
"I knew when I stepped up to take over the club that the challenge of restoring Rangers to financial health after many years of living well beyond its means would be daunting.
"But I accepted it, both as a life-long Rangers fan and as a businessman with experience in turning round companies in distress.
"The decision to call in the administrators was painful but it was the right thing to do.
"They have promised to publish a full report as soon as possible and I very much welcome that.
"In spite of the endless speculation and attempts at character assassination by certain sections of the media, I am 100% confident that the administrators' report will prove that every penny that has come in and gone out of Rangers has been properly accounted for.
"And I wish to state categorically for the record now that I personally have not taken a single penny out of Rangers since I became chairman and have paid all my expenses from my own funds."
It emerged last night that former Rangers chairman Alastair Johnston has written to the Crown Office asking for an investigation into the background surrounding the acquisition of the club by Whyte.
Whyte said: "Today I learned that my predecessor, Alastair Johnston, has urged the Crown Office to order an investigation into my takeover of the club.
"Again, I have absolutely nothing to fear because any fair investigation will prove that I have always acted in the best interests of Rangers and been involved in no criminal wrong-doing whatsoever."
