Inside the Rangers phonecall that began the Souness Revolution – but it turned ‘nasty’ for Ibrox chairman David Holmes
FORMER Rangers chief David Holmes says the club’s directors made it “nasty” for him after his spell as chairman.
The 88-year-old returned to Ibrox for the first time since 1989 to launch autobiography ‘One Voice’.
But Holmes says he was saddened by Gers bosses freezing him out following his exit.
He said: “It’s nostalgic. It’s the first time I’ve been invited back in 34 years.
“That’s the bit that hurt. I was never invited back because when I came in I wasn’t the most popular person on the board.
“They made it very nasty, and I was pleased to move away at the time.
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“But my affection for the supporters and their affection towards me will never be broken.”
Holmes revolutionised Gers by bringing Graeme Souness in as player- manager in 1986.
He recalled: “I came in to make Rangers an asset, not a liability.
Lawrence Marlborough asked me to sort the place out.
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“There was only one way to do that — clear it out and start again.
“I told Lawrence I’d get a world-class player and a new manager. He asked how I’d get two of them.
“I said, ‘No, there’s only one, Graeme Souness’.
“I offered him the job and there was a pause. I thought he’d hung up.
“Souness had all the attributes I needed, a winner, world-class player, he had the reputation.
“When he walked into the Blue Room and I introduced him, there wasn’t a single Rangers supporter who didn’t have the hairs on the back of their neck sticking up.
“Souness made it all happen, but if the fans hadn’t come back it would never have taken off.”
John Brown was also at the launch of the former chairman's new book.
The sees similarities with Souness and new Gers boss Philippe Clement.
He said: "I like some of the things Philippe Clement has been saying.
"He needs time to put his own stamp on the squad, to bring in his own players.
“The good thing about him — and I’m reminded of Graeme Souness when he was here — is that he certainly doesn’t take any prisoners.
“He’s letting the players know if they don’t produce what he’s looking for, they won’t be in the team and won’t be at the club. That puts fear into players.
“I had it myself with Souness. He said to me on my home debut, ‘If you turn your back on the ball Bomber, I’ll sell you’.
“He said, ‘There are 45,000 fans in this stadium, and if you give the ball away I’ll accept that. But the minute you don’t want the ball when you’re under pressure you’ll be out the door’.
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“That’s what he did, during the first couple of years there were probably eight or nine that he moved on.”
JOHN BROWN was speaking at the launch of former Rangers chairman David Holmes’ book ‘One Voice’, available from bookstores and www.onevoicebook.co.uk
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