The “Lawwell Letter” is trending everywhere this week. To elucidate, it is email sent to (among others) Peter Lawwell and Eric Riley of Celtic on 26 July 2012 by SPL CEO Neil Doncaster.
The email came with an attached copy of the Five Way Agreement (hereafter “5WA”, the deal between Sevco, Rangers, the SFA, the SPL and the SFL). Now that it has been made public, it seems safe to speak openly about what it all means for us as folk who believe in sporting integrity.
I would preface my comments with a caveat though. On the face of it, the Celtic Chief Executive appears to have misled the gathering at the recent Celtic AGM. He was asked by a shareholder if Celtic were involved in the Five Way Agreement. Lawwell replied, “No”, and gave same “No” response to the follow up question, “have you seen it?”
Given that a copy of that email was in the possession of a few folk before that AGM, I have to admit to being surprised by that answer – although even more surprised at the apparent lack of due diligence implied by the lack of knowledge of its content.
We have attempted to contact Mr Lawwell to ask him if he would like to comment on the apparent discrepancy between the evidence and his answer (and I am sure we are not the only ones to have done so). To date, we have received no response. Given the complete lack of acknowledgement of the existence of this anomaly in the MSM, we should perhaps assume that none will be forthcoming.
Perhaps there is an explanation (yes I know), but Celtic should know, like Rangers old and new have come to realise, that silence on these matters breeds deep suspicion and distrust.
Assuming for the minute that Occam’s Razor applies here, there may be an uncomfortable truth emerging for Celtic fans – that Rangers (old and new) do not have a monopoly on dishonesty. There is also an uncomfortable truth that should emerge for Rangers fans too – that as we have said all along, this has never been about just Rangers, but about the governance of the game.
If the Celtic CEO did lie to the AGM a few weeks ago what are the consequences? He broke no laws as far as I can see. One insider I spoke to said simply this,
“So he lied. So what? What happens now? It’s irrelevant”
That is of course absolutely true. As long as controlling shareholders are happy that Resolution 12 is buried, and that no deep inquiry into governance is held into the workings of the game in Scotland, the lie is nonpunishable, though it would be a mistake to believe that accountability is confined only to the corporate rules governing Boards and shareholders; the corporate veil of “I was only following company policy” can be readily challenged in the court of public opinion, which has no statute of limitations.
What all this demonstrates of course is that Celtic have been saying one thing to their fans and shareholders, nodding agreement in private meetings about how appalling Rangers behaviour was, tut-tutting over how amateurish the authorities were, and wringing their hands in frustration at what a sham the LNS inquiry turned out to be.
At the same time, they have done nothing, allowed small shareholders to spend not inconsiderable suns progressing the matter, and quietly hoped that the “appetite” for justice would diminish so they could get back to whatever it is they and the rest do when subject to little or no scrutiny.
Whilst ten in a row is on the table of course, they can get away with it. To Celtic fans right now, understandably, nothing else matters. But what if TIAR is derailed? Not a stretch to imagine that the Parkhead kitchen could get uncontrollably hot in that circumstance. And when the TIAR squirrel finally ends its scurry, in either success or failure, where will the fans attention be diverted?
Perhaps the arrogance that permits making (allegedly) false statements to a general meeting, and (allegedly) misleading shareholders over Res 12 is borne of the knowledge that the parachutes are ready to be deployed when either of the above scenarios come to pass? If TIAR is achieved or goes south, are they already prepared for an emergency exit?
Celtic have two major shareholders whose combined holding is over 50% of the club’s shares. Dermot Desmond and Nick Train. Desmond is now in his eighth decade and Train is reportedly having some business difficulties. Both may well be moved to get out anyway, but fan unrest would make their decision a whole lot easier.
And Lawwell himself is – if you believe the MSM – on the wanted list of nearly as many top clubs as Alfredo Morelos.
The foregoing of course is extremely “Old Firm” centric, and as the two biggest clubs in the country they certainly have the biggest impact on the game, culturally, socially and financially. However there is no get-out clause here for others.
We KNOW there is evidence of fraud surrounding the licencing issue in 2012. We KNOW there is evidence of a cover up over that, and the EBT-related registration issues for Old Rangers. We KNOW that the Five Way Agreement was signed by football authorities in the knowledge that it would rob their own rules of judicial authority with regard to compliance by RFC prior to 2012.
We also know that NOT ONE club has taken a meaningful stand against any of it.
Clubs are saying one thing to supporters and doing their best to derail those supporters’ efforts on the other. We can also infer (not unreasonably) that the folk who run the clubs think that we as fans have no right to interfere in how they run their operations.
As I said earlier, Celtic can do what they like whilst TIAR is live, but afterwards, however it ends, the fans and shareholders involved in Res 12 will still be asking questions. Celtic in particular know how fatal it can be to alienate their own fan base – a fan base that has flexed its muscles with devastating effect for the boardroom in the past. And it is the wrath of the fans of all clubs that will eventually see the charlatans get their just desserts.
Our job as fans is to continue to hold those who care little for the honour and beauty of football to account, to continue to press them on their refusal to deal with arguably the biggest sporting scandal in Scottish history.
The bottom line (which is of course what the folk in boardrooms care about) is this. They need us far more than we need them. As fans of different clubs, the sensibility of those of us at SFM recognises that the real battle, the real war, is not between rival fans or rival clubs, but between the arrogant, self-entitled clique who run our game; who lie for fun, who cheat and belittle the sport; and the good folk who make it possible for the game to prosper.
Resolution 12 is not just about Rangers – nor is it just about Celtic. It deserves to be embraced by every true football fan in the country. The Res 12 franchise needs to widened
Sooner or later the fans will demonstrate their unhappiness with the money men. They did it in 2012, and they will inevitably do so again.
John Clark 13th February 2020 at 21:59
Thanks for that , JC , and so eloquently put that even I understood it .
Some might remember that on 28 December 2019 I sent an email to Dr Candy of HES [Historic Environment Scotland] querying her decision not to amend the entry in their 'listed buildings' list, which clearly says that Ibrox stadium is the home of Rangers Football club of 1872, and querying her academic detachment if it allows her to accept an actual untruth ( or words to that effect-canny be arsed looking my email) to be printed in HES material.
I believe she dodged the column disgracefully (like our PR gurus and the SMSM generally) in a way which I find shocking in an 'academic'.
So I've sent this reminder.
To:Julie Candy
13 Feb at 22:42
Dear Dr Candy,
Busy as you no doubt are, it is now a fair number of weeks since I emailed you.
Might you by now be in a position to reply to me, please?
Yours sincerely,
JC'
___
What is it with people who choose not to reply to correspondence?
Have they no reply to make? Are they afraid to reply?
There is an actual untruth in an HES 'publication'-why won't they try to prove that it is not an untruth and just shut me up with their 'proof'?'
And what kind of 'academic' is it, that won't look at the facts, and to hell with propaganda?
Would I now trust any kind of 'research paper' published personally by Dr Candy?
Any more than I would trust a paper from Level 5?
Seriously: can it be, can it possibly be, that the tentacles of RFC of 1872 reach not only into the political government sphere and Edinburgh University 'academics' but into the public service that we directly pay for?
Dr Candy, if and when she replies, had better have a good explanation [ such as the SFA has not been able to supply] as to why HES believes that TRFC is Rangers of 1872!
Utter nonsense from 'football people' is one thing.
For any kind of professed academic to subscribe to that nonsense is something quite different.
paddy malarkey 13th February 2020 at 22:35
'..Thanks for that , JC , and so eloquently put that even I understood it .'
_______________
The really important thing , I think, is that guys like you and me, should keep asking questions to force the smart guys to explain their actions in words and language that we understand .
If the smart guys are speaking truth, and we can see the truth in their explanations, great. No problem.
The problem lies( huh!) with secrecy, non-communication, false communications….
I expect that of the SFA and SMSM.
I did not expect it of 'academics'.
Bloody well annoys me , to tell the truth, if any academic bows to 'political' pressure.
Eppure si muove , said your man Galileo Galilei ( under his breath, granted!)
https://twitter.com/physiomac/status/1228058698569797632?s=21
A wee diversion.
Ex Ludo 14th February 2020 at 00:40
'..A wee diversion.'
________
Nay, rather a wee reminder of hard facts!
"Third Lanark went out of business in 1967 as a result of mismanagement"
As did Rangers of 1872,
Scottish Football Governance was quite happy to accept the death of Third Lanark then.,caused by mismanagement !
How absolutely corrupt must they be to have accepted in more recent times actual cheating , proven cheating, and to have manufactured a wholly ridiculous lie to protect the most cheating football club there ever has been!
Honest to God.
John Clark 14th February 2020 at 01:06
Nay, rather a wee reminder of hard facts!
"Third Lanark went out of business in 1967 as a result of mismanagement"
==========
They did, and it remains a tragedy. Last year I went to see Cathkin Park for the first time. I have been to Hampden countless times but never did I ever take that 10 minutes out to see the famous old ground nearby. It was a weekday, very peaceful, and the sun was shining. I was delighted to see that areas of the terracing are being restored, and the crush barriers have been painted. There was something very poignant just standing there leaning against a barrier, thinking of what once was. An older gent I spoke to told me football anoraks from all over the UK come to see the ground. Reading the history of their demise shows how it just didn't need to happen. I believe the club who benefited most from their demise was the fairly nearby Pollok Juniors, as the Thirds Fans could not support another senior team, and who could blame them. Your team, and memories of your team are for life.
I know that other organisations have been very poor, to say the least, at responding to emails, letters etc so well done to the office of the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland for getting back to me so quickly.
I am posting the response in full but without naming the responder respecting GDPR. The email is ended by a number of standard statements including "Any views expressed by the sender of this email are not necessarily those of Children & Young People’s Commissioner Scotland."
"Thank you for sending on the article. I have discussed your concerns about the wording you have highlighted with our Head of Advice and Investigations. We do not believe that the text implies guilt and in any case it does not identify the young person involved. In terms of fairness in the legal process, the law requires the Children’s Reporter or the Procurator Fiscal to ensure that the necessary evidential standard is met before proceeding any further and those decisions can be tested in court.
However, if you would like a further opinion on this, you may wish to contact the Independent Press Standards Organisation who are the independent regulators for the UK newspaper and magazine industry (https://www.ipso.co.uk/contact-us/) for their advice.
Should the young person themselves have any concerns, they could of course contact us directly for advice."
I have not received any response, even an acknowledgement, regarding my email to the office of the Children's Reporter
Had a quick look around the online media this morning and the general theme is 'where did it all go wrong for Rangers?'. Aside from the fact the league is not over yet I Simply can't understand why Rangers could end 2019 on such a high, then effectively go to war with the world. Why not take the plaudits, and keep focused on the park? Instead they went straight onto the attack and entered a disastrous PR campaign surrounding their star player. This has resulted in a complaint to Ofcom which Rangers, or someone working on their behalf may be implicated in, and some mainstream media people actually putting their head above the parapet to criticise the absolutely ridiculous nature of the PR coming from Ibrox.
It was all so unnecessary, and I would not bet against Steven Gerrard thinking that too.
I don't think you'd have seen an article like this a few weeks ago:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/18232998.steven-gerrard-went-wrong-rangers-bid-premiership/
J.J I think that article could also be shrunk right down to the main point;
"It was the Winter Break's fault!"
https://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.php?/topic/249121-the-chronicles-of-the-banter-years-2012-%E2%88%9E/
A great compilation of the banter years , some great memories
Timtimi will keep that for tonight with a wee half
upthehoops 14th February 2020 at 10:52:
My view:
TRFC made a decision to go ‘all in’ with Morelos this transfer-window just past.
This was probably in train way before they ‘won the league’ (
) on 29.12.19.
This has back-fired on them, bigly: the sending-off & subsequent ban, the gestures, the long investigation into allegations of racism towards him, Lambogate, Skygate, the ever-more ludicrous transfer speculation (Barcelona! No, it’s Liverpool!) etc. etc.
As a consequence of all the attention, Morelos’ head has been affected: worse than that, team unity has suffered. Look at the results since the break; I wonder how many players feel ‘unloved’, simply because all the attention is focused on one individual? Certain players barely broke a sweat against Killie; that would indicate that the manager is in danger of ‘losing the dressing-room’. The worry there is that, in the current first-team squad, TRFC seem to lack an individual strong-minded enough to pull them back together. Even the manager’s default is to blame the players’ lack of mental strength. Gerrard himself has questions to answer: his inexperience is showing through as it did at a similar period last season. Hasn’t he learned?
Finally, TRFC’s response to anything ‘bad’ is to appeal to the staunchness of their fans: WATP. They, and their PR guru, appeared to have control of the SMSM & could plant the most ridiculous stories, knowing that the sycophantic Chrisses & Keiths would happily run them. It’s strange that Skygate has made the turgid worm that is the Scottish media begin to turn & reconsider its position, at least temporarily. Has someone told Traynor that, when you’re waist-deep in sh*t, you don’t go snorkelling?
adam812 14th February 2020 at 09:44
‘…so well done to the office of the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland for getting back to me so quickly.’
===============
That was an excellent response you got, adam812,and speaks volumes for the fundamental honesty and sensible management of the CYPCS.
It is that kind of response that we ought to expect as a matter of course from our public bodies, large corporations and the governance bodies of our sports organisations.
Allowing for all necessary and legally required confidentiality when we ask questions about their use of their powers etc, such agencies should be prepared to provide reasoned responses justifying their actions, or, if necessary, apologising for errors or misuse of their powers.
Failing to do so, or simply ignoring questions, leads one to believe they have no proper justification and/or have something to hide.
As I believe ,for example, that the SFA have.
Rangers* have served proceedings on Elite Sports for £2.8m for the amount they say they are owed for supply of kits and other products. So Elite have decided not to cave in and part with the money that will probably be due to Ashley anyway . Remember that Elite do have indemnity from Rangers* should SDI come calling . It's all getting a bit messy (and expensive) . On the plus side they now have one more party to blame for their troubles .Elite can join Gerrard , SDI , corrupt refs , racist children , the Corona virus , Close Leasing and the unseen Vatican hand that controls the SFA. Pity tho as I'm sure that £2.8m would be very handy right now.
“Timtim 14th February 2020 at 17:09
Rangers* have served proceedings on Elite Sports for £2.8m for the amount they say they are owed for supply of kits and other products. So Elite have decided not to cave in and part with the money that will probably be due to Ashley anyway . Remember that Elite do have indemnity from Rangers* should SDI come calling . It’s all getting a bit messy (and expensive) . On the plus side they now have one more party to blame for their troubles .Elite can join Gerrard , SDI , corrupt refs , racist children , the Corona virus , Close Leasing and the unseen Vatican hand that controls the SFA. Pity tho as I’m sure that £2.8m would be very handy right now.”
If I was SDI, I’d be making an application to the appropriate court to have this money placed in escrow of some kind. There is likely to be a substantial award in SDI’s favour in the near future and this cash due from Elite, if it gets into the hands of Rangers*, will disappear like sna’ aff a dyke.
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
https://twitter.com/dbestseventy2/status/1228305559679651840?s=21
Apparently there’s more than one way to become a billionaire.
Timtim 14th February 2020 at 17:09
"..Rangers* have served proceedings on Elite Sports."
+++++++++++++
Good spot, Timtim!
The full statement
https://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/club-statement-91/
"THE Rangers Football Club Limited (Rangers) has served proceedings on LBJ Sports Apparel Limited trading as Elite for payment of the sum of £2,840,236.75 plus interest and expenses.
The payment relates to sums that require to be paid to Rangers by Elite in terms of the Agreement between Rangers, Elite and Hummel A/S for the manufacture and supply of Rangers Kit and other products."
I'm pretty sure that currently, RIFC/TRFC has a list of aged, overdue supplier payments – as long as the Clyde – and growing daily.
Now, if I was a p!ssed off supplier, and I read about these proceedings against Elite, I'd be thinking;
– that's rich! [pardon the pun]
– well if they think it's OK to take a business partner to Court over unpaid monies, I just might get a bit stroppier when getting fobbed off by the Ibrox Finance Department, when I ask about my own money due.
– IF RIFC/TRFC somehow secured c.£3M cash, then I'd be at their door ASAP demanding my money – or the bailiffs are coming instead…along with a few others perhaps…?
Doubt that RIFC/TRFC will see the cash, but if they did then everybody and their dug would be lining up to collect their cash – as they know there is cash at Ibrox but only very temporarily!
The next move should see SDI approach Elite for that same 2.8m which would allow Elite to then invoke their indemnity clause which would then see Rangers* having to then fight SDI to keep the money they haven't got yet. What is guaranteed is the lawyers will end up with a hefty amount as always , so Rangers* may just have set off another chain of events in which they end up out of pocket . Either they haven't thought this out properly which is quite feasible or they are totally desperate for cash and are trying their luck also quite feasible. If anyone is going to come to a deal here it will be SDI and Elite.
Manchester City well and truly f f p’d by UEFA this evening. I’m hoping that the SFA are paying attention.
It is science fiction at present but a Brazilian drama on Netflix may suggest a way of solving sectarian and racist abuse once and for all!
In Omniscient everyone has a very small personal surveillance drone that monitors them 24 hours a day. Contravention of the rules of law results in a punishment immediately with no chance of challenging the ruling because audio and video evidence proves it.
It got me thinking that it sounds a great solution for us in Scotland but then think about who sets the parameters?
Just consider if the company running it in Scotland was called Surveillance For All would we be confident that the drone master would work in everyone's interest without fear or favour?
I wish to make it clear that I abhor sectarianism and racism and the above is not meant to minimise the harm it causes. I welcome every step to stamp it out but this must be carried without fear or favour. Uefa has done it so it is possible.
Spoiler alert it's not straightforward in Omniscient either
Ex Ludo 14th February 2020 at 19:21
But they are too big to be punished in this way.
Wait, where have I heard something like that before.
Timtim 14th February 2020 at 19:16
‘…or they are totally desperate for cash…’
Does lodging a claim for payment of a debt supposedly owed to it allow a Company to state the debt due as an asset when doing their accounts, for the purposes of showing that it isot insolvent?
Ex Ludo 14th February 2020 at 19:21
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51510284
The limit is 25m losses over 3 years the last 2 seasons saw losses of 14.3m and 11.3m , while there is some leeway taken into account for infrastructure spending it leaves very little wiggle room with the 2019/20 figures . I believe the 2.8m they are currently fighting for was counted as an asset so this figure can now be added to the shortfall which was conservatively thought to be 10m . If Uefa can bar Man City they will have no issue in barring Rangers* and the income from Europe is a crucial component for them to function. Giving Gerrard and Morelos bumper long term contracts in the hope of cashing in should other clubs come calling may have backfired . If the Gerrard project implodes then it will be very expensive to pay him off , similarly if Morelos loses form and resorts to ill discipline then he along with Kent will be burning a hole in the pocket . Finally some good news , as far as I know Dave King wasn’t robbed at gunpoint today.
@JC I hadn’t seen your question before posting I can only assume we are developing a psychic understanding lol.
BBC report on Man City European ban.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51510284
This paragraph stood out to me;
"Clubs need to balance football-related expenditure – transfers and wages – with television and ticket income, plus revenues raised by their commercial departments. Money spent on stadiums, training facilities, youth development or community projects is exempt."
That reads to me that Director loans should not be used for football-related expenditure, (transfers and player wages etc.). I can't believe the many millions "loaned" to 2angers were all spent on stadium maintenance, youth development and community projects. Hence they would appear to be in direct contravention of these rules???
Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?
Normanbatesmumfc
And that is why the SFA have " no apetite for FFP " coz The Rangers would be Fecked
Pep Guardiola is consulting with Sandy Bryson as I type this. No worries now.
https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/ljb-elite-newco-partner-with-200-shareholder-value/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
An interesting article on Elite , could it be possible that King really was duped . Elite siphon off the cash ,go into admin , SDI sues Elite , Elite refers them to Rangers* due to indemnity so not only do Rangers* not get anything from Elite they get an extra 2.8m bill from SDI .
John Clark 14th February 2020 at 19:44
Timtim 14th February 2020 at 19:16 ‘…or they are totally desperate for cash…’
Does lodging a claim for payment of a debt supposedly owed to it allow a Company to state the debt due as an asset when doing their accounts, for the purposes of showing that it isot insolvent?
===========
Good shout there JC!
In the RIFC audited accounts – at best – the claim could be a Note to the accounts as a Contingent Asset. It wouldn’t be included in the numbers in the Accounts though.
BUT
if you were the ‘highly creative’, unqualified accountant Dave King – and you hadn’t yet been robbed of that fag packet…
then you could – absolutely – recklessly add the full £2.8M to your totally unaudited Interims – due out this month!
Ha!
He wouldn’t… would he…?
According to an earlier court document, the Hummel/Elite/TRFC agreement makes the following reference, "At page 6, Hummel agreed that in the event of Elite’s insolvency, Hummel would undertake Elite’s obligations and undertakings."
Timtim 14th February 2020 at 17:09
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Rangers* have served proceedings on Elite Sports for £2.8m for the amount they say they are owed for supply of kits and other products. So Elite have decided not to cave in and part with the money that will probably be due to Ashley anyway . Remember that Elite do have indemnity from Rangers* should SDI come calling . It’s all getting a bit messy (and expensive)
………………….
I believe that shirts have to be registered by 30, june each year. If these court cases drag on, and we know they do drag on, it does not leave the ibrox club much time to have these court cases concluded, find a new supplier and and kit maker. Or is the ibrox club not thinking too far ahead to worry about this?
And after all the court cases who would do business with the club? It will be very hard and a long slog before any kit maker and supplier would put pen to paper on an agreement with the ibrox club.
John Clark 14th February 2020 at 19:44
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Timtim 14th February 2020 at 19:16
‘…or they are totally desperate for cash…’
Does lodging a claim for payment of a debt supposedly owed to it allow a Company to state the debt due as an asset when doing their accounts, for the purposes of showing that it isot insolvent?
……………….
https://twitter.com/JBLuvsCeltic/status/1228416784950185984/photo/1
John Bradshaw
@JBLuvsCeltic
This is the balance sheet (albeit end of 2018) of LBJ Sports (aka Elite), from whom Rangers seek to recover £2,840,236.75.
Good luck with that.
Timtim 14th February 2020 at 20:05
'..@JC I hadn’t seen your question before posting I can only assume we are developing a psychic understanding lol.'
_______________
My favourite chocolate biscuits when visiting the grandweans in Brisbane are called 'Timtams':
psychic understanding via chocky bickies and blog names?
But wheesht! People may begin to talk!
I think you and StevieBC (@21.17) answered what was tugging at my memory about 'contingent assets'.
What I had been thinking about was the occasion when a creditor of TRFC had sought 'ring-fencing' of the money he was owed, arguing that at the time there was every likelihood that insolvency was looming, and he wanted to make sure the money would be there to pay him!( I would need to look up the record to see what case that was), and my thoughts were on how exactly the judge decided that Administration was not likely, and could he have been informed that there were 'contingent assets' -monies that might come in if certain things in the pipeline happened.
That business was conducted in the judge's chambers, so I never heard the grounds for the judge's decision. [This is not in any way to suggest that anything other than the legitimate protection of commercially sensitive information was involved!]
Cluster One 14th February 2020 at 23:05
your twitter link to JBLuvsCeltic
+++++++++++
Again, Cluster One, what a handy post ( I have a Twitter account, but very ,very seldom look at it and never now post on it, my last tweet being to James Dolman during the 'trial')
easyJambo 14th February 2020 at 22:32
'…Hummel would undertake Elite’s obligations and undertakings."
++++++++++++++++
I wonder, eJ, whether that undertaking would extend to accepting liability for 'obligations and undertakings' that Elite entered into without ensuring that the party with whom they were contracting were legally free to contract with them?
The argument would be that Elite owed it to itself, never mind anyone else, to ensure that TRFC were legally free to switch suppliers. They must be expected to have known that TRFC was in contract with SDIR, and should therefore have ensured that TRFC was legally free to end that contract , or depart from its terms, and offer them a contract.
The argument would then be that Hummel had no obligation for debts incurred by a feckless company which incurred those debts negligently and with a reckless disregard of sound commercial practice and the need for 'due diligence' before any business transaction?
From the use of the words ' and expenses' in the TRFC statement, I assume that the action will be in the Scottish Courts? In England and Wales, the word 'costs' is used.
I hope it is here, for I enjoy my wee trips to the Court of Session.
And, seriously, I would encourage anyone whose only knowledge of 'court' is based on TV to take the time to wander in to any Court room where any kind of legal action is being pursued and sit for an hour or two, or as long as your bum (in the older court rooms) can stand [?sit?] the strain.
I say this because I was alarmed today when I read about the 'take back control from the Courts' plans of the new UK Attorney General.
A man called Adolph had similar plans, and carried them into effect.
Any suggestion that the government of the day should tell the judiciary how they should apply the laws that Parliament has passed is absolutely monstrous. Not an opinion of mine, but an absolute fact!
@ JC 23;12
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/26333152
I think as well as Imran Ahmed there was also a failed attempt to ring fence cash from the WiFi company , there was two successful attempts to ring fence cash at Ibrox from Martin Bain and Donald McIntyre but that was with the original club*.
JohnClark@00.32
“I say this because I was alarmed today when I read about the 'take back control from the Courts' plans of the new UK Attorney General.”
If that doesn’t work for the new AG she can always take a leaf out of the SFA playbook and start appointing tame judges like LNS. Without getting too political on here there are ominous signs that the UK is going down a dark path.
What are we to make of the reported attack on James Traynor?
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18237937.police-probe-attack-rangers-media-boss-jim-traynor/
Do I believe any such thing happened?
Do I believe anything that Traynor ever utters?
He has blown his 'professional' credibility sky-(Ha!)high and every word he now utters has to be taken with a handful of salt.
Having said that, I would take no pleasure or enjoyment if on this occasion the man might be telling the truth, and would hope that the assailants were caught and dealt with appropriately.
I would take a great deal of pleasure, however, if it were to be discovered that the story is fake news.
Ex Ludo – well whatever happens post-Brexit we're going to get 'rag dolled' by the Yanks in any trade deal.
To state the bleedin' obvious.
https://twitter.com/alextomo/status/1228593053629370369
???????????
Corrupt official
could it be the reason celtic where reported to be hoarding money?compensation for victims of child abuse?
StevieBC@09.57
The “rag-dolling” has already started in European airports as the British are being directed to the non EU gates. It’ll get really interesting when holiday flights from Glasgow, Manchester and Luton arrive in places like Paphos and Alicante within a 30 minute time slot.
John Clark 14th February 2020 at 23:52
The argument would be that Elite owed it to itself, never mind anyone else, to ensure that TRFC were legally free to switch suppliers. They must be expected to have known that TRFC was in contract with SDIR, and should therefore have ensured that TRFC was legally free to end that contract , or depart from its terms, and offer them a contract.
==============================
Mark Underwood is the MD of Elite. I'm not sure what "All" in his tweet means though.
Tony
Thats the first thing I thought on too but if I remember correctly ,Im sure someone pointed out thet the Celtic Boys club were in fact a totally separate club/entity and not officially part of Celtic FC. If that was the case then would it not be them who are liable for any compensation towards their victims ? Maybe Celtic are doing the right thing and taking on the responsibility ? Really dont know, just guessing here . Dont see it being anything about Sky gate . Thomsons a big hitter , dont think he would be interested in that ?
Easyjambo@10.55
The “all” is quite ominous. It’s not like he would normally respond to a random tweet like that.
Ex Ludo 15th February 2020 at 11:00
Easyjambo@10.55
The “all” is quite ominous. It’s not like he would normally respond to a random tweet like that.
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Isn't it just! Most unusual for an MD to comment in such terms in a public forum about a commercial agreement and related court proceedings.
Where's the popcorn?
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
roddybhoy
yes they where a different entity,just guessing on my part,if it is to do with child abuse then i think thompson has went about it badly,all very tacky,gimme likes and faves
tony 15th February 2020 at 10:40
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Corrupt official
could it be
A Takeover?
A massive kit deal?
Movement of the SFA on the granting of a european licence to rangers?
skygate?
There are a whole host of reasons for the tweet but for some reason victims of child abuse? is first off the mark.
Read earlier that Thompson has advised FF that they’re “wide of the mark” ref their glee about the boys club stuff..
Early quotes from “Into The Bearpit” :
On administration as a legitimate business tool :
“I saw how things could be done and how ailing businesses could be restructured. The lesson was not to get too attached to one legal entity. ……Yes there were creditors who didn’t get paid, but equally there were debtors who didn’t pay me. It’s a risk you take if you extend credit to someone.”
“You take a firm through the insolvency process and sometimes creditors get left behind.”
On disqualification as a director :
“Banning problem directors doesn’t curb their activities. Anyone with half a brain can get around it…..It didn’t affect me one iota.”
On tax :
“I didn’t like paying tax – I still don’t…”
“My view on tax is that transactions between people should be voluntary, and that goes for the government as well. Tax havens are completely moral as they stop governments from stealing your money. Governments are basically shakedown organisations, like the mafia, but with better manners. They are parasites with no morals whatsoever.”
A case of it takes one to know one?
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
Re JabbaGate.
I'm pretty sure that just because you've been, or used, an Attack Dog for years without any blowback it ill behoves you to complain when you meet a Guard Dog.
I'm also pretty sure that one's date of birth or weight play no part in mitigating your behaviour, in words or deeds, which were described, accurately as it transpires, by Michael Stewart. "Bully":- cf Statements ad nauseam. "Dangerous character":- cf any number of incendiary machinations; although it's the sign of a Mindermast when you create danger for yourself.
I've tried viewing JabbaGate (assuming it's true and given the subject that's not a given) with sympathy and/or empathy but that's not going to happen.
Sympathy would involve misfortune and there's no fortune about it. It's cold, calculated, deliberate behaviour by Jabba and any reaction is down to Jabba. Arsonists should not get a karaoke prize for singing Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.
Empathy would involve putting yourself in Jabba's place. No thank you. I couldn't do it and if I could I would worry.
Desperate times require desperate squirrels.
Meanwhile in South Africa:-
Man who has made a career out of ripping people off is mugged and has his house burgled.
Or maybe not.
Cluster One 15th February 2020 at 11:39
My own automatic thoughts were that it's to do with the Sky fallout. Hopefully something that throws more light, particularly down south, on the ludicrous succulence that still emanates from within the SMSM. Oh, and also throws that same light on the recent outbreak of 'assaults' against a couple of top drawer Ibrox based liars, both north and south of the Limpopo.
LUGOSI 15th February 2020 at 11:48
I've a feeling that if Jabbagate has some substance, it'll turn out to be a bit like Busgate, where Celtic supporters were initially blamed, but ended up without any such connection.
I would love it to be something about Jabba or Sky or both but would Thomson be interested in something like that ?? Really no idea whats going on. He had a potential HUGE story that involved fraud , EBTs, the SFA ,a bank and a knight of the realm . He skirted round the edges and never really got into it and gave me impression the story was nt big enough for him so Im baffled. Takeover ( though thats not as big a story as the EBTs etc surely ) , maybe . Would explain Celtics sudden action after years of inaction regards skygate…….protect the brand and all that !
Cluster One
hope it is wide of the mark,pretty shitty way to announce something like that,
redlichtie 15th February 2020 at 11:40
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To be fair on Craig he clearly never uses roads, hospitals, education, the Police service etc so why should he pay tax.
tony 15th February 2020 at 10:40
Corrupt official could it be the reason
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Dunno Tony as it could be any number of things, but I wouldn't expect Tommo to inject a teaser this way heralding bad news. …..Don't quote me on that tho'.
I’ll have to listen to the “Off The Ball” podcast later (unless it is pulled by the BBC for some reason)
. Craig Whyte was on the show promoting his book.
One of the questions apparently asked was:
Stuart Cosgrove: Are Rangers a new club?
Craig Whyte: Yes, obviously they are.
I think I can hear the clatter of multiple keyboards as emails are sent to the BBC Complaints department.
Corrupt official
true,and i also wouldn't think he would be there to tell us we've signed up to adidas,think we have narrowed it down to sky
easyjambo – Off The Ball is live on the BBC site at the moment. I'm rewinding to the start to hopefully listen to the CW segment.
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
Looks like Alex Thomson tweet is indeed about historical child abuse re Celtic. Perhaps it will put an end to the point scoring. Aye right.
Re what Alex Thomson's tweet is hinting about, I see there's a new piece today on Celtic Quick News stating that he has been in Glasgow this past week "working on a piece about historic child abuse". If his tweet relates to that, as seems likely, his cavalier clickbait approach to it is rather unseemly for a normally serious journalist.
Thomson appears to be inviting speculation.
His tweet of 9 February states "Today it is Keith, Tarves, Braemar, Perth and back to Glasgow."
He recently tweeted something about Aviemore.
I thought White's Grantown -on-Spey pile had been repossessed?
What might any of this have to do with Celtic??
EJ at 13.43
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Transcript of interview.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51515862
Cosgrove and his pal long ago decided (under instruction??) not to go anywhere near the OC/NC issue.
Didn't realise that the TRFC v. Livi game had been postponed…
and just heard it is now scheduled for TOMORROW.
I've never known a postponement to be played so quickly, (European games excepted).
bordersdon 15th February 2020 at 16:36
Transcript of interview.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51515862
Cosgrove and his pal long ago decided (under instruction??) not to go anywhere near the OC/NC issue.
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Q: One emotionally very, very divisive issue, which to this day divides Scottish football, and that is are Rangers a new club? What's your view?
CW: Yes, obviously they are.
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
I have no idea what Alex Thomson is doing with his tweet but have a read at this piece by The Clumpany and then perhaps leave it alone. The subject matter is both sensitive and serious and I for one will not make any further comment.
https://twitter.com/theclumpany/status/1228672850074226688?s=21
Mmmm….
https://twitter.com/pmacgiollabhain/status/1228715604527452160?s=21
If Elite are holding onto about £2.5m and not paying it over to Rangers one has to suspect that there are serious cash flow issues at the club just now.
They are already predicting a £10m shortfall in the accounts this year which clearly has a huge effect on turnover / losses, but cash flow problems will cause a more immediate impact.
Anyway, the game at Ibrox postponed today is apparently being played tomorrow, that seems quite quick.
Don't know the issues with the ibrox game being cancelled, but i believe they had a new hybrid pitch installed not long ago, the last time an ibrox club had a game cancelled the ibrox fans stormed the gates at ibrox, king was calling for an AGM and the ibrox club looked to morgage their ground for a £10mill loan.
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https://twitter.com/ClusterOne2/status/1228777779619155969/photo/1
Last week I was joking about whether King had cut costs at Ibrox – by getting rid of the ground staff – because the Ibrox pitch looked so terrible against Hibs.
There’s been a fair amount of rain today
: will be interesting to see how the pitch looks tomorrow for the rapidly rearranged game…
[Edit]
CO, I wonder if they have the same hybrid pitch that CFC got a couple of years ago: it was really poor in Nov/Dec ’18 and I think it was repaired / replaced?
StevieBC 15th February 2020 at 20:32
There’s been a fair amount of rain today
……………….
Rain due this evening and tomorrow. if it is not playable today? how can it go ahead tomorrow?
……………….
wonder if they have the same hybrid pitch that CFC got a couple of years ago:
……………….
Was looking for that, to see if it was a pitch problem or weather problem or both, we may get more information tomorrow
Homunculus 15th February 2020 at 19:56
'….Anyway, the game at Ibrox postponed today is apparently being played tomorrow, that seems quite quick.'
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Yes, turnstile cash must be urgently required to keep the lights on!
Is there any way [ in terms of time sequence] that the broadcasting by Cosgrove and Cowan of CW's bold assertion of what we know to be the actual factual truth was deliberately done as a diversionary tactic to channel the rage (that will be generated if TRFC enters Administration this week) away from the Board?
As others have already said: how in heaven's name is the Ibrox pitch , with continuing heavy rain forecast, 'guaranteed' to be more playable on tomorrow than today.?
Why the urgency that requires that the game must be played tomorrow, if it be unrelated to the need for instant cash?
One wonders, while, actually, not 'wondering 'at all!
As for CW, I have dredged up from a very old memory a phrase that I then had to look up :
"Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow;"
Whatever untruths CW may have told to SDM and others of the same kind of character as he is, I'm happy to apply that phrase to him, for his bold assertion of the actual factual truth that TRFC is a new football club!