There is a sense by which Sir David Murray, admittedly on his own narrative, might have selected from a variety of earthquakes with a wide choice of exciting outcomes. 

The chosen entre is the life-defining car crash in 1976 when Sir David was so badly injured as to have lost both legs. Many others, and perhaps most, might have given up there and then.

A personal letter from Sir Douglas Bader, the wartime RAF pilot who was similarly afflicted, provided a high degree of reassurance, and a call to resilience. (Sir David has privately taken up this role himself now – among those to receive an encouraging phone call after the loss of a leg was William Boyle, the late Dundee lawyer.)

An entrepreneurial streak in his family led Sir David from school directly into the world of work without any detour to university, or anywhere else to obtain a professional qualification.

His business initially was finding valuable metal and delivering it to order. No stock was kept in his firm as they were ‘just brokers’, but he knew where to source the material. 
The reader will require to make his or her own mind up about the ups and downs of a rising trajectory based on taking calculated risks: the latter, like backing horses, seems to be innate.

From the metal industry to building property portfolios the chronology of the business career of Sir David is one great purchase after another, but not with an inevitable profitability.

A particular mind is also required to see worthwhile gaps in any market. Sir David at one point had a close look at Canada, but more as a place to do business than as a possible purchase.

Then came the entry to the business of professional football. Sir David had been a keen sportsman, and notwithstanding his disabling injuries he retained his interest. There must be a psychological phenomenon around the infatuation with competitions and all other aspects of football, leading to some sort of personal loss of business acumen.

Perhaps the best approach is once again to invite the reader to make up his or her own mind about the narrative by Sir David explaining his sale of a limited liability company in Glasgow.

Of course, the particular Rangers story at the centre of this book may be all over bar the settling of financial accounts, a form of heavy lifting in its own right. Perhaps more is to come, although that seems unlikely after a decade of it all. Anyway, Sir David sets out his position, clearly, succinctly and often with italics over nine pages. 

Finally, the reader is blessed with photographs of Sir David and sundry others: on the jacket and in the book there are 33 (a recount was necessary for this review), many in glorious colour. 

Regrettably, however, without an index the reader may be left to try to recall events from memory, or by reading the book again: where, for example, did Sir David say his vineyard was?

The answer, you may wish to know, is Chateau Routas in Provence although for a while, 2006 to 2020, ‘we’ also owned Domaine Jeussiame in Burgundy. 

Mettle: Tragedy, Courage and Titles by David Murray. Published by Reach Sport, 294pp, £22.