NafisaWith the sudden news of American investment in Rangers—through Paraag Marathe and the San Francisco 49ers—Alistair Johnston’s remarks from December seem even more insightful now.
Johnston made these comments during the club’s Annual General Meeting two months ago.
As a former Rangers chairman who now serves as a non-executive director at Ibrox, the 76-year-old Scot discussed ways in which one of Scottish football’s dominant forces could work toward narrowing the vast financial disparity between themselves and Europe’s wealthiest leagues.
The English Premier League, in particular.
Many often point to the idea of Rangers and Celtic moving south to join England’s top flight. While discussions have taken place regarding the possibility of their women’s teams joining the Women’s Super League, a similar move for the men’s teams remains highly improbable.
Johnston, however, suggested that Rangers should explore alternative strategies.
Alistair Johnston’s comments gain relevance amid Rangers takeover discussions
Interestingly, the 76-year-old Glaswegian highlighted the increasingly popular—and often debated—’multi-club model.’
Manchester City leads the way with City Football Group, which includes clubs like Troyes, New York City FC, and Girona. These affiliated teams frequently benefit from their connection to the Etihad club.
Girona, for instance, secured Champions League qualification for the first time last season with four former Manchester City players in their squad.
Meanwhile, Manchester United’s recent majority takeover by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe has fueled speculation that the Red Devils might adopt a similar approach.
Johnston himself visited France and had direct discussions with Ratcliffe, whose Ineos group owns Nice and Swiss club Lausanne Sport. As financial disparities continue to widen across European football, Johnston’s message was clear—Rangers must adapt to these new models or risk being left behind.
“I was in Nice and had lunch with several friends and directors there, and the owner there is Jim Ratcliffe,” Johnston said, via the Daily Record. “Through his company, [Ratcliffe] has authority of Manchester United. But he basically owns everything else.
“For example, everybody knows Manchester City’s got clubs under its umbrella. I think that’s one we may be looking at more carefully.”
Paraag Marathe and the San Francisco 49ers in discussions for Ibrox investment
Interestingly, Johnston also serves as vice-chairman of IMG, a major US-based sports and entertainment group.
Rangers’ American connections are expected to strengthen significantly, with The Sun reporting that Marathe and the San Francisco 49ers have engaged in ‘advanced’ and ‘detailed’ discussions with Ibrox officials.
Those involved in the potential deal reportedly see ‘huge potential’ in Rangers.
That does not necessarily mean the club will become a mere cog in a larger football machine—Scotland’s equivalent of Girona, for example. Given Rangers’ storied history, such an idea would likely meet strong resistance, particularly from the fans.
However, Marathe also serves as chairman of Leeds United, where Red Bull holds a minority stake. Notably, Red Bull has refrained from rebranding Leeds or renaming Elland Road, setting them apart from the more tightly connected Leipzig-Salzburg model.
With Marathe’s expected arrival at Ibrox closely following Johnston’s calls for change, the former chairman’s comments from that December AGM now appear even more significant in retrospect.
“We’re looking right now at different issues as to whether or not club formations can be a pathway for us,” Johnston added. “We’ll look for [chief executive] Patrick Stewart to provide advice on that. I want the new chairman and new CEO to look at the big issues.
“Why do we get such poor media money? Why do club finishing in bottom of Premier League get 28 times more than we do?”
Nafisa
