Rangers fans meltdown after Sports Direct reemerge

Rangers fans went into a meltdown as Sports Direct reemerged months after they felt they had seen the last of them.

Online fury developed while many of the Rangers fans were admiring videos and promotion of their new kit by their club and Castore. Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct group popped up claiming exclusive sales rights and lit the light blue touch paper for a load of rockets!

Rangers news carries the story so far ahead of an anticipated club statement due anytime. Let’s remember that when Castore was announced in May it was triumphantly indicated that all connections with Ashley and Sports Direct were gone. Direct questions of club and Castore reps confirmed that point.

So when Sports Direct Facebook page published an amateurish announcement today claiming exclusive rights to be seeking the new kit, it left many stunned and confused.

The Facebook announcement also angered many as it was a bit amateurish and drew attention to Celtic’s impending ten-in-a-row challenges this season. Those words alongside Ashley and Sports Direct are probably banned by the Rangers fans. They definitely don’t want them as a reminder when promoting kit sales from a brand many of their fans are already boycotting.

Past issues with Sports Direct mean that many Rangers fans wouldn’t want to be seen in a store or buying anything from them, especially not kit. Many of those fans see this now as a double whammy as Celtic’s announcement yesterday of the tie in retail deal with JD Sports means those fans feel the need to boycott that brands stores now too. What a dilemma to run out of sports stores where you feel comfortable to buy things, as if those fans haven’t got enough to fret about already.

Maybe there is a promotional T shirt slogan for them.  “More boycotts than trophies!” But it probably wouldn’t work as they are running out of places where they can buy it!

Rangers news didn’t hold back in representing fans views:

"“The entire thing stinks and there’s little to no chance of any Rangers supporter setting foot in Sports Direct to purchase merchandise with the retail giant.”"

They talk of hope that it’s not true and it’s a rogue hacker at Sports Direct, well that’s always a possibility but no-one else has gone back in to remove it yet and we are still waiting on a club statement, which suggests this isn’t an easy message or fix.

While Celtic, Adidas and JD Sports are all settling into their new roles and partnerships it’s a rather stunning thought that perhaps at Rangers they have managed to make a mess of yet another kit deal. How confusing can it be to reach agreements on who sells the stuff?