Last week, the news that Mike Ashley's last two representatives on the Rangers board have been put out of power was billed as a crushing blow to Mr Sports Direct's hopes of taking sole control of the club. Chief executive Derek Llambias and Barry Leach, the finance director, were removed from their positions after a decisive vote from the Gers' shareholders. But where does that leave Mike Ashley and Newcastle United Football Club? Looking at the bigger picture, Ashley still has considerable influence at Rangers but not in terms of making the decisions. Dave King, who had been embroiled in a battle with Mike over the last few weeks, will now oversee the day-to-day running of the Scottish giants. It is also good news for the clubs' respective European 'ambitions' (if there are any). Concerns had been raised by the Newcastle United Supporters Trust and others as a conflict of Ashley's interests could be in breach of certain UEFA rules. Those have now been out on the back burner. Back to more domestic matters and like Newcastle, Mike Ashley still has Rangers gripped by 'the proverbials'. He has loaned the club £10 million, and took security over Gers training ground, club crest and trademarks. So King will have to negotiate to get them back, and the club will have to work with him to do that. Its up to Ashley how difficult he makes that, he certainly still has more than a couple of balls in his court. Not much has changed in all reality after last week's EGM. Unlike his dealings at Newcastle, Ashley will have to do things by the book at Rangers. This is because Rangers are a public limited company and so every move Ashley and his men make needs to be announced to the London Stock Exchange. NUFC were de-listed in 2007, which means Ashleys power is unchecked. By calling that Emergency General Meeting and then galvanising shareholders against him, a rival was able to usurp him in the short term. The ousting of Messrs Llambias and Leach was really down to public favour and not much else, something that is foreign to Mike at Newcastle matters little at Newcastle, given the dictatorship he runs at NE1. All will be made clearer of his intentions for both Newcastle and Rangers with the dealings regarding Gers training ground, club crest and trademarks. The removal of his men from the boardroom was a little step back, but won't hurt things too much in the long term. As you were. At the end of the day, it's all just a huge masterplan to make Sports Direct bigger though, isn't it?
