DJ: Ashley doesn't add up for Rangers

So I was disappointed when the £16million rescue package proposed by Dave King was rejected last week - in favour of a £2m loan from Mike Ashley.

I wouldn't rule Dave out of the equation totally at this stage. Hopefully he can still come on board at some point down the line. I know the man and I know he has a burning desire to see Rangers flourish both on the football front and financially.

But if it's not to be for the time being then it's just not to be.

It isn't absolutely imperative to be a supporter to make a success of a club.

Don't try to tell me Roman Abramovich was a Chelsea fan when he took over at Stamford Bridge?

Was Sheikh Mansour a Manchester City supporter? Were the Glazer family followers of Manchester United?

We seem to be different here in Glasgow in that we want somebody with the club at heart in charge of Rangers. Given some of the individuals who have occupied senior positions at the club in recent times it is entirely understandable.

But we know two things about Mike Ashley for certain. Firstly, he is a brilliant businessman. Secondly, he has got an awful lot of money. You couldn't say either of those things for certain about anybody who has come in to the club in the last three years.

We know he isn't a Rangers fan. We know he's not even a Newcastle United fan. He's a Londoner. His main concern is Sports Direct.

By all accounts he wants to help Rangers get back into the Champions League in order to promote his brand across Europe. But if he invests money that will make Rangers perform better both on and off the park then so be it. Isn't it in his interests, and those of his company, for that to happen?

Having said all that, at the moment all he has done is give the club a short-term loan of £2m that will only keep the club going until after Christmas. I am by no means a business expert. But the deal that has been struck just doesn't make any sense to me. In fact, at this moment in time it is downright mystifying.

His loan is paid back in full in just six months' time. It is secured on Edmiston House and the Albion car park. He gets to place two directors on the board. And now there is also a lot of talk about Ashley getting his hands on the rights to the two Rangers crests as well.

Given that the group fronted by King had put together a package worth £16m, it does seem very strange. But the plc board have ensured that this has gone through. On the face of it, it would appear they are desperate to do that. I am sure, though, that there is more to it than meets the eye.

But someone in the Mike Ashley camp has to come out and tell the fans what his plans for Rangers are. And quickly too. Because as we saw on Tuesday night once again that the patience of supporters is growing thin and the crowds at Ibrox are falling.

I felt sorry for the Gers players to run out in the League Cup quarter-final against St Johnstone at Ibrox in front of an attendance of under 15,000. They did well to win 1-0 and progress. Ally McCoist's side has played part-time clubs like Annan and Peterhead in front of turnouts of over 40,000 since dropping down to the bottom division two years ago. It speaks volumes for the mindset of the fans that so few turned up to see their side in action against an SPFL Premiership team in midweek.

Personally, though, I think we have got to give Mike Ashley a chance. Rangers have had too many chairmen and chief executives in the last few years. At some stage I think you have just got to hold your hands up and say: "Enough is enough!"

As I've stated, at least we know Ashley is a bona fide businessman. There are no ifs, buts or maybes about that. But if he wants to get Rangers to a stage where they can compete with Celtic for the Scottish title and qualify for the Champions League then he has to invest money.

He also has to persuade deeply disillusioned supporters who are staying away from their side's games in their droves to come back through the turnstiles by making the picture clearer.

Because at this moment in time Rangers fans are angry and astounded at what he has received in return for a short-term loan of £2m when £16m of investment was on offer.

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