Funnyman Clive Anderson admits he'd love to buy in to Rangers

TELLY funnyman Clive Anderson is sure his Rangers-daft dad must be spinning in his grave at the financial disaster that is Ibrox.

TELLY funnyman Clive Anderson is sure his Rangers-daft dad must be spinning in his grave at the financial disaster that is Ibrox.

The ex-barrister believes the solution may lie in ownership being transferred to fans, as happened at Barcelona.

And the passionate Arsenal supporter famous for his sarcastic wit said he’d definitely invest … as long as it wasn’t more than a tenner.

Clive was brought up a Gers fan by his banker dad Gordon, despite living south of the Border.

And the former chat show host says his father would be furious if he could see how years of cavalier financial management had left his beloved club on the brink of disappearing altogether.

Clive was first taken to Ibrox as a youngster by his dad for an Old Firm derby in the 60s, while on holiday at his grandparents’ home on Bute.

He saw fans fighting and a 1-1 draw – but the powerful experience cemented his support for Rangers.

Clive said: “I dread to think what Dad would make of it. It would have offended against both aspects of his character – being such a big Rangers fan and a bank manager – to see his club go to the wall.

“It’s very sad and extremely serious. Rangers should be a prosperous club.

“But even English clubs with their access to more money for TV rights have been disrupted by multi-millionaire owners wrecking the market again.

“It would be good to see the fans given the option of owning the club, like the model used by Barcelona.

“If there was an option to buy shares for a tenner or something, you can count me in. But I’m no white knight. I certainly won’t be investing more than that.

LAUGHED

“I have done well out of TV, but not well enough to buy football clubs. I’m not sure it’s ever a way to make money. The only person I know who it worked for was David Dein, who used to run Arsenal. He invested £200,000 and people laughed at him. But he sold for £75million.

“I know Craig Whyte also sold Rangers’ shares in Arsenal, which, someone told me, were also thought of as vital in the ownership of the club. So he could have disrupted two clubs with that move.”

The Radio 4 presenter and former Whose Line is it Anyway? host was in Glasgow to record new Radio Scotland panel show The Guessing Game, which starts today at 2pm. It stars Phill Jupitus, Rory Bremner, Raymond Mearns, Susan Calman and Record columnist Des Clarke.