“Celtic is burying Rangers” – Sir David Murray Raises Major Rangers Concerns for Celtic EXCESSIVE POWER in SPFL

Sir David Murray Accuses Peter Lawwell of Trying to ‘Bury Rangers’ in Explosive Autobiography

Sir David Murray has launched a blistering attack on Celtic chairman Peter Lawwell, accusing him of wielding excessive power in Scottish football and attempting to “bury Rangers” during their financial collapse.

In a no-holds-barred chapter of his newly released autobiography, the former Rangers owner reflects on the Ibrox club’s darkest days and points the finger firmly at Lawwell, suggesting the Parkhead chief played a key role in exacerbating Rangers’ troubles during their slide into administration and subsequent liquidation.

“Peter Lawwell was someone I knew previously,” Murray writes. “One of my companies, GM Mining, did business with Scottish Coal where Peter worked and I once invited him and his wife to Ibrox for a game. He was delighted to accept and back then was good company, but by the time he rose to become chief executive of Celtic he was on a completely different trajectory.”

Murray, who sold Rangers in 2011 to Craig Whyte in a deal that ultimately led to the club’s demise, alleges that Lawwell operated with a long-term agenda designed to undermine Rangers, claiming his influence across various football committees was decisive.

“For nearly two decades he tried to build up a seat of power and I honestly believe that by the end of his time at the club he was wielding far too much influence in Scottish football,” Murray claims.

“At one point, after I sold Rangers, it seemed he was positively revelling in the demise of the club. He held sway on committees through friends and always used the strength of his power base when he thought it was necessary.

“Of course, he had a job to do for his club – and no one could argue he did it well for much of his tenure – but with very few influential or credible figures working to Rangers’ benefit, he became a pivotal figure in trying to grind them down and make them suffer.

“To me, it seemed the mantra was always, ‘Let’s bury Rangers’.”

In another revelation, Murray discloses that legendary actor Sir Sean Connery invested £1million in Rangers during a 2004 share issue – a contribution that had not been previously known to the public.

“For years, Sean and I would share a catch-up call every weekend to chat through the football and we would inevitably kick off with Rangers,” Murray recalls. “After all, he had put £1million into the club which no one knew about at the time or since.

“I was raising £50million in 2004 and Sean asked if he could invest. I told him that it was football, that there were no guarantees and he should get professional advice but he was adamant. He wanted in.

“Needless to say, he never did get the money back but he understood completely. Football always will be a risky business.”

Murray also expresses regret that the financial collapse at Ibrox derailed Ally McCoist’s managerial career. McCoist was in charge when the club went into administration and oversaw Rangers’ climb back through the divisions.

Murray suggests that, in different circumstances, McCoist could have become a managerial great — a victim of the chaos that engulfed the club rather than a contributor to it.