A Guest blog by redlichtie for TSFM
From what I can see Mike Ashley is likely to be the only game in town for RIFC/TRFC fans unless they want to see another of their clubs go through administration/liquidation.
That particular scenario potentially allows for a phoenix to arise from the ashes but on past evidence it is probably going to be an underfunded operation with overly grandiose pretensions taking them right back into the vicious circle they seem condemned to repeat ad nauseam.
Ashley has the muscle to strongarm the various spivs to give up or greatly dilute their onerous contracts and I suspect that is what has been happening behind the scenes.
From Ashley’s point of view I believe that what is being sought is a stable, self-financing operation that he can then sell on whilst retaining income streams of importance to SD.
I also suspect that he will come to some arrangement with the SFA to dispose of his interest once he has stabilised the club.
The problem for RIFC/TRFC fans is that Ashley is not going to fund some mythical “return to where they belong”, though that is beginning to appear to be the second division of the SPFL where they are heading to have a regular gig.
Like at Newcastle, Ashley will cut their coat according to their cloth. This will mean, again like at Newcastle, a mid-table team with good runs every so often. If the finances can be fixed then they will have an advantage over most other Scottish clubs but in the main we will be back to actual footballing skills and good management being what is important (pace “honest mistakes”).
With recent results and footballing style clearly those are issues that will require attention and McCoist seems likely to present RIFC/TRFC with an early opportunity to address at least one aspect of that if he continues with his current “I’m a good guy” press campaign. It may take just one unguarded comment or action and he will be out.
But will the Bears go for Ashley’s plan? So far they seem antagonistic and still cling to their belief that the world owes them a top football club regardless of cost.
If the fans don’t get behind the current entity I can see Ashley deciding the game’s not worth it and cashing in his chips. Some ‘Rangers Men’ will probably turn up and create a new entity for The People to believe in and Ashley will continue to draw in income from shirt sales and, most likely, charging fans at the world famous Albion car park which he will then own.
The upcoming AGM is crucial and from what we have seen of Ashley so far he gets what he wants.
The crushing reality about to descend on The People is that there really is no Santa Claus. A Sanity Clause, perhaps but no Santa Claus.
Artificiality . Seems like a good word to describe what has been happening at Ibrox since 1998.
Synonyms for artificiality:
insincerity, deceit, dishonesty , disingenuousness, double-dealing hypocrisy.
All of the above ring true to anyone following the various saga’s of Rangers over the last 16 years.
Artificiality works both ways. Having Rangers , Hearts and Hibs ,given the size of their respective fan bases , outside of the top tier of Scottish football is an artificial situation , in as much as all 3 have never been outside of the top tier at the same time .
Equally the financial doping that took place at Rangers , and to a much lesser extent Hearts , resulted in more artificiality. The illusion of clubs able to outperform their peer group based on vision and good management rather than insincerity, deceit, dishonesty , disingenuousness, double-dealing and hypocrisy.
So whilst there is an inevitabilty about clubs with large fan bases competing in the top tier eventually and almost all the time, the most important duty of the SFA and SPFL is to ensure that artificialty can have no part of our game.
They have continuously ignored the damage that is caused by wreckless deceitful owners. From Brooks Mileson to a whole host of owners at Dundee to Romanov to most damagingly of all David Murray.
Yet , we have no indication that Financial Fair Play is immininent in Scotland. We don’t have the report promised by Stewart Regan which would provide key financial data on all Scottish Clubs. The authorities still seem paralysed by events at Ibrox, and consequently leadership and the best interests of the other 41 Scottish clubs are left hanging in the air.
Clubs who have commendably taken action to restructure and put themselves in a better place financially need to be protected. Why should their efforts at financial stabilty be denied their reasonable sporting rewards just because one club refuses to behave in a responsible manner.
Artificiality started when Masterton decided that the Bank of Scotlands money could be used to fund Murrays ego. The consequences of that are well understood, however the SFA & SPFL appear to have learned nothing and have done nothing to prevent similar artificiality in future.
What Scottish football needs is an environment where the vision and outstanding management of an Alex Ferguson , a Jim Mclean or an Eddie Turnbull is given the opportunity to outperform all opposition .
What it doesn’t need is to create an artificial situation where one club is allowed to continually behave in a financially wreckless manner due to a sense of entitlement .
So my hope for 2015 is that the regulators will do their job properly and introduce FFP for the benefit of the Scottish game and publish the financial data that they promised they would 2 years ago.
They could also start to reclaim the trust of fans by investigating the actions of Murray and Ogilvie over the last 20 years , publish their findings and take appropriate action. Until they do all of the above they are unlikely to be considered fit for purpose, and the game will run the risk of more upheaval
Breaking news is that Newcastle boss, Alan Pardew, has left for QPR, subject to the 2 clubs reaching an agreement on a compensation package.
Guess who’s not in the frame to replace him?
Keep on digging Alistair!
smartie1947 says: December 29, 2014 at 5:04 pm
Breaking news is that Newcastle boss, Alan Pardew, has left for QPR, subject to the 2 clubs reaching an agreement on a compensation package.
Guess who’s not in the frame to replace him?
Keep on digging Alistair!
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I hope someone has told Harry Rednapp that he is being replaced at QPR 😈
lagerbeer says:
December 29, 2014 at 1:12 pm
Law Financial – the company that was set up to chase the claim (Directors Craig Whyte and Gold Manson)has been sold to…..Worthington. If you remember, a few months ago shares in Worthington were suspended whilst the ownership of certain holdings were clarified. After a brief re-instatement and a surge in share price after several announcements of mining deals in Iceland and Africa shares are now suspended again.
It is my understanding that Craig sold his shares in Law Financial and therefore the claim against Rangers, in return for something – options in Worthington – which may or may not be worth a million depending on what happens to the share price when re-instsated.
A few familiar names in the companies that they’re doing business with so it might be worth watching.
Not a stock market type, so perhaps one of our resident suits could check it out and give a better explanation. I’ve not posted for a while but still keeping a keen interest. Keep up the good work, folks.
Not sure I follow your logic or argument here at all EasyJambo
What Hibs appear to be doing is converting some debt to equity, and some (more expensive) bank debt in to a mortgage. This is being done for a number of reasons including increasing fans’ ownership of the Clumpany.
Unless I’ve misunderstood you, you appear to be advising caution at this ‘good news’ as the quantum of the mortgage has increased by £1.5m. in fact you go on to say, that increasing the mortgage by this value will now require ‘serious cost-cutting’ at Easter Road. One would expect that Hibernian FC can afford this additional mortgage AND the cost to the service this debt is the same, or less than current costs. The investment by fans is for equity, the additional mortgage doesn’t have to be repaid in the same way as Bank debt, nor does it have to be repaid immediately.
[]
I’m sure Hibs will continue to try and live within their means and having resisted the urge to achieve success through reckless borrowing and spending, will, slowly, over time reap the benefits of their own stadium and training facilities. Today’s news is another positive example of Clubs and fans coming together to create long-term, and realistic, sustainability.
Talk of ‘serious cost-cutting’ and ‘keeping the lights on’ using fans investment seems inaccurate at best and at worst, scaremongering.
Thanks Easyjambo
For post at 5.04, please amend QPR to read Crystal Palace.
When you support Arsenal, the other London teams are liable to slip under the radar.
Apologies to all I have confused.
No idea if this is accurate….apparently Durrant been told to stay away from Ibrox for 14 days… ❓
http://www.ibroxnoise.co.uk/2014/12/durrant-latest-victim-of-nightmare-at.html?
Barcabhoy
The removal of Ogilvie is the flag that would symbolise minds are changing.
FFP would be the foundation on which to base trust, not only in its implementation but in the policing of it
Given the SFA’S abysmal record of policing under Ogilvie and latterly Regan, no one could trust FFP under their custodianship.
The misleading of LNS that made a mockery of the sporting advantage principles that are the basis for points reduction can be laid solely at the door of the SFA.
Quite how the whole LNS Commission was set up from the off tells a story of deception.
thirdmanrunning says: December 29, 2014 at 5:40 pm
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It is probably what Hearts have gone through that makes me cautious about the proposal, just as I think the Ann Budge deal at Hearts is overly expensive and delivered over an unnecessarily extended timescale before fan ownership is delivered, but that’s a different argument. (for the record, Hearts fans will end up contributing between £7M-£8M before they own a single share in Hearts, currently forecast to be in May 2019)
Of course, it’s great that Hibs indebtedness has gone down from an apparent £9.5M to £5M. No one would say that is not good news.
What we are not party to is how either the £9.5M or the £5M was arrived at. The 2013 accounts showed bank debt should have been £6.3M in July 2014. Internal debt to STF was £1.75M. That is £8.05M accounted for. When the accounts for 2014 are published we should find out where the extra £1.45M debt has come from over the last 12/18 months.
I fully expected that Hibs would be running at a loss for 2013/14 given their relegation. ST sales being lower as have crowds this season will also contribute to a continuing negative trading position. Hibs can’t afford to be losing £1M or more a season. Hence my statement about cost cutting. They have Terry Butcher on gardening leave because they couldn’t afford to pay him off (and he wasn’t on £750K a year).
It is not scaremongering to say that Hibs need to balance their books in the short term. If fans investments’ help them do that over the next couple of seasons while their income and expenditure is matched, then great.
I don’t think it is clear from Leeann’s statement, either the extent of the required fan contributions or the timescales involved. (is the £2.5M the actual cash requirement or the nominal value of the shares).
I’m only advising caution, to understand the business plan for the next few seasons, what is being offered in terms of shares, what it will cost, and over what period. If you are comfortable with all that then go for it.
P.S. If you wish to debate Hearts financial mismanagement, you won’t find me arguing much with the facts of Robinson’s and Romanov’s tenures, administration and its impact on creditors.
parttimearab says:
December 29, 2014 at 5:50 pm
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No idea if this is accurate….apparently Durrant been told to stay away from Ibrox for 14 days…
http://www.ibroxnoise.co.uk/2014/12/durrant-latest-victim-of-nightmare-at.html?
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Always surprised how the Bears fail to “look under the bonnet” or even consider there may be more to this than a simple exclusion of Durrant.
Should they not be asking why this may have happened? Perhaps just continuing evidence of why they have reached this point in the short history of the second club they have supported.
Scottish Football needs questioning minds.
.
The latest from Sons of Struth- and very relevant to Goosy’s latest posts on here.
easyJambo says:
December 29, 2014 at 6:13 pm
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Good man EJ – a TSFM worthy response…
I’d very much agree that Hibs need to balance the books, but they benefit from Sir Tom Farmer’s willingness to provide soft-loans, or even cash to reduce the effects of poor decisions on and off the park.
neepheid says:
December 29, 2014 at 6:33 pm
The latest from Sons of Struth – and very relevant to Goosy’s latest posts on here.
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Timing of alleged meeting very interesting as it coincides with his purchase of Rangers. Perhaps he was discussing a merchandising deal.
I have never seen any mention that NU dealt with Ticketus so I doubt there would be a connection there.
Just thinking- was Green a front man for Ashley all along? Do Green and Ashley have previous? Sheffield Utd maybe?
Someone within the magic circle is feeding SoS with interesting titbits. I wonder who? And why?
PhilMacG is in fine form tonight 😀
from: http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2014/12/29/the-big-house-and-the-beautiful-game/
” Some people view ‘Rangers’ as the embodiment of bigotry, gangster finance, deference and all that is worst and retrograde about Scottish society. Others take a more negative view. “
So many questions…better late than never…or too little to late…. ❓
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/11316773/Rangers-fans-demand-answers-from-board-over-Mike-Ashleys-involvement-with-club.html
jean7brodie says:
December 29, 2014 at 9:01 pm
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I have no idea what you mean
neepheid says:
was in touch with Big Mike back when 
was putting together the original £5.5m for Duff & Phelps.
December 29, 2014 at 8:58 pm
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Our pal
PhilMacGiollaBhain says:
December 29, 2014 at 10:08 pm
I have no idea what you mean
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OH YES YOU DOoooooooooooooooo!!! 😛
apologies if old news but one bookie is offering odds of the rangers playing a home game not at ibrox soon …….on twitter..????
roddybhoy says:
December 29, 2014 at 10:24 pm
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William Hill.
I think they were offering 8-1.
Or perhaps that it what the score will be the next time they visit Tynecastle…
Comedy gold from Andy Goram in a sky sports news interview this evening. Half my mug of cocoa just about landed on the dog!
As a matter of fact, he basically informed the nation that it was a ‘strange one’ that the board knocked back a £16 million personal pledge from Dave King and accepted £2 million from Ashley instead.
Where to start?!
Death should be a welcome relief to this mob!
rougvielovesthejungle says:
December 29, 2014 at 10:59 pm
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Ah the myth of Dave King and the £16m.
Actually the RIFC were not fibbing about this.
They had genuine concerns that the £16m was a chimera and that DK was fibbing about the size of his quantum
Edit – liquidation should be a welcome relief for this mob.
Esteban 10 29
You couldnae mark their neck wi a blowtorch. Let’s remember what we’re up against. And for anyone who assumed everything about Hector was above board, read this and have a word with yourself.
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To be fair: HMRC were only trying to get their wee tax bill paid. That this meant helping circumvent UEFA licensing requirements was the last thing on their minds.
They knew what was riding on CL money OK.
The SFA on the other hand should have been monitoring the wee tax bill under UEFA FFP rules….. but they knew the same thing HMRC did.
neepheid says:
December 29, 2014 at 6:33 pm
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Sons of Struth
4 mins ·
I mentioned a few days ago that I believe Ashleys first contact with Rangers pre dated admin and in fact took place when Craig Whyte was at the helm.
His earliest contact that I can find so far was 3.30pm on Friday 20th of May 2011 at 120, New Cavendish, London.
A meeting was set up between Ashley, Derek Llambias, Craig Whtye and Andrew Ellis with Rangers high on the agenda.
Whyte decided at the last minute to send his side kick Phil Betts to the meeting to talk for him.
I’m unsure at this point what the outcome of the meeting was or exactly what was discussed although it has been confirmed to me that the topic was obviously Rangers.
I do however know a man who would easily be able to tell the Rangers fans what was discussed and the outcome, he has recently been made our CEO and was at the meeting. Over to you Derek.
The latest from Sons of Struth- and very relevant to Goosy’s latest posts on here.
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At that point RFC were still in the CL so perhaps they were exploring possibility of a loan to see them through until CL money came in…..
See that Malmo (and Maribor) mob…..
What are Ashleys motives?
The Spin
Ashley wanted to underwrite a share issue up to 29.9% in shares and £8m in cash. As a preliminary step towards this goal Ashley made an application to the Scottish Football Association to raise his RIFC stake from 8.92% up to 29.9%
That spin got blown out the water when Ashley voted against Resolution 9 the dis-application of pre-emption rights for existing shareholders .
So
What is the real reason Ashley wanted 29.9% of RIFC?
What does 29.9% give Ashley that he can`t get for 8.92% ?
Here`s one possible reason
If you subtract 8.92% from 29.9% you get approx 20%
What if
The Spivs who own the onerous contracts also own 20% of RIFC shares for which they paid next to nothing ?
And
The simplest way to launder the cost of buying them out is to agree to purchase their freebie shares and give them a tax free capital gain?
That would be a good deal between Spivs…….. Yes?
i.e.
The 20% Spivs sell their onerous contracts plus their freebie shares for a fixed sum in cash
The Ashley Spivs gets 20% more shares and the long term income from the onerous contracts
Sounds like the kind of deal Charles Green or even Mike Ashley might dream up…….Yes?
Maybe they did
GoosyGoosy says:
for the image rights.
December 30, 2014 at 12:24 am
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For Ashley a Rangers without the Onerous Contracts (well the ones that do not benefit him) is, I think, quite appealing.
Advertising, kit deals, shirt sponsorship and the retail side.
Especially if he can do a deal with
Before I head off to work
. . . The “old” operating company of the Football Club myth cont…
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/sir-david-murray-escapes-regulatory-action-over-sale-of-rangers.114970599?
According to Martin Williams, the club had an operating company but also it’s own board of directors. How does that work?
Reports Lewis McLeod is having a medical at Brentford
Somers’ sending begging letters according to Keith Jackson
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-boxing-day-begging-letters-4891366
What a difference a company name makes…..
We have seen all sorts of sophistry in the SMSM describing the Rangers fiasco with terms such as “slipping into administration”‘ “tipping into admin, etc. varying versions have been invented including the then new-found holding company nonsense. Very seldom does the term liquidation get used.
A browse at the same SMSM Titles today tells us a very different but much more accurate tale regarding City Link. The company is, rightly, labelled as “doomed”, “heartless” and ” about to be liquidated”.
The owner, again quite properly, is being thoroughly castigated as being heartless profit driven; generally a disgrace of a man and a scourge on all our houses.
If the SMSM can get the City Link story described accurately why is it so difficult for them to correctly describe Rangers demise?
jimmci says:
December 30, 2014 at 10:08 am
the SMSM describing the Rangers fiasco with terms such as “slipping into administration”‘ “tipping into admin, etc.
My Favorite.
“Should rangers go into liquidation again” 😕
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/keith-jackson-rangers-stagger-another-4886939
What Keith (and other ‘succulents’) fail to acknowledge is that the improvement in the top flight clubs (Celtic aside) is precisely because Rangers aren’t there skewing the league with their arms race mentality to the transfer market.
Clubs no longer need to try to keep up with Rangers fraudulent spending (and Celtic certainly haven’t been trying to buy success) so have been able to spend money on what’s best for them.
The nuclear winter was the one that Sir David Murray presided over!
jimlarkin says:
December 30, 2014 at 5:58 am
The ‘holding company’ myth can easily be challenged by a simple question; Why was the club docked 10 points when it was the ‘holding company’ that entered administration?
Hearts were not fined when there owners enter Admin but they managed to keep their heads above water until the seasons end and then they went into Administration.
After they have answered the above question another simple follow up could be: Why did you, as a journalist, not question this at the time?
Indeed another follow up could be: Were all the fans, who filed out of Ibrox the day the CVA was rejected, aware that they had been duped and did not actually own shares in a football club?
I always thought that to be a journalist you had to have an enquiring mind and be a bit cynical but not in Scotland. All you need here is to be feisty, yet spineless, at the same time!!
So, the greatest, non-player,football sporting cheat not only suffers no national disgrace for his insidious long-term poisoning of the well of football integrity, but also escapes any kind of commercial censure for his part in the death of a football club.(The Herald, today re SDM)
Some people really are as well looked after as ‘magic circles’ of lawyers or highly-placed government ministers and politicians (many of whom,of course, were/are highly placed in legal and business circles).
One of the ‘great things about a ‘free press’ of course,is that evil sods are free to be as partisan as they like in choosing the who,what,where,when and how of what they report.
The ‘saga’ has been a wonderful demonstration of how that freedom has been used in Scotland.
Pete Lambie says:
December 30, 2014 at 10:20 am
Because it’s business editors managing coverage of CityLink story, where it’s sports editors managing reporting on rfc/sevco story.
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Apologies this is the superficial nonsensical answer that’s put forward by SMSM churnalists.
You may recall that when Celtic were in their darkest hour the Record sent a Hearse round to Celtic Park.
The problem many folk have with the idea of Rangers having died is that this would mean the end of the “world-record breaking, 54 league titles” schtick that those with brogues, cardigans, a sense of entitlement and a superiority complex need to justify their existence.
Perhaps there is a wee business opportunity here for a dictionary of non smsm jargon – succulent, the complete leggoland, and many more. When the history is written proper definitions will be needed.
Quite off topic I know but can anyone enlighten me as to why Leggoland isn’t doing the blog thing anymore??
Pete Lambie says:
December 30, 2014 at 10:20 am
‘…Because it’s business editors managing coverage of CityLink story, where it’s sports editors managing reporting on rfc/sevco story…’
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Douglas Fraser,though, business chappie of BBC Radio Scotland , did not make much of a fist of digging into the business facts, either.
To be fair to him,some people, including me, believe that that may have been because he was told not to by his senior editors ( the same men/women that allowed Chick Young to give a misleading account of King’s status, and who allow a wholly disproportionately weighted panel of partisan, part-pris, pundits to maintain the fiction that TRFC are RFC(IL!
jimmci says:
December 30, 2014 at 10:08 am
A browse at the same SMSM Titles today tells us a very different but much more accurate tale regarding City Link. The company is, rightly, labelled as “doomed”, “heartless” and ” about to be liquidated”.
The owner, again quite properly, is being thoroughly castigated as being heartless profit driven; generally a disgrace of a man and a scourge on all our houses.
If the SMSM can get the City Link story described accurately why is it so difficult for them to correctly describe Rangers demise?
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…yet another Chartered Accountant “struts his stuff”…makes me feel proud (not!) 👿
Pete Lambie says:
December 30, 2014 at 10:20 am
7 0 Rate This
jimmci
Because it’s business editors managing coverage of CityLink story, where it’s sports editors managing reporting on rfc/sevco story.
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…but still no excuse for sloppy “churnalism” and “stenography” on the part of these contributors to the story (I almost called them journalists 😳 )…I think John Clark(e) should be let loose on these peepil…again!
easyJambo says:
December 30, 2014 at 9:32 am
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Somers’ sending begging letters according to Keith Jackson
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-boxing-day-begging-letters-4891366
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It’s easily done. Too much champers loosens inhibitions.
I have to say, I thought Keith’s tweet on the subject was soooperb! 😆
https://twitter.com/tedermeatballs/status/549683141292851200
Did the SFA get the answers it sought ❓
I was looking for something else and came across an email from Biggart Baillie Solicitors to Brian Stockbridge on Monday, June 25 2012.
There was a bit of pressure on with a deadline of the Friday for information required in relation to the application to transfer SFA membership.
The solicitor writing the email stated:
The solicitor said they were missing certain info among which was:
1. An explanation of the relationship between the two Sevco companies (and indeed any other Sevco companies) and any common ownership.
2. Statement of roles and responsibilities of directors of Sevco.
6. “Full details” of all Sevco shareholders. I have names and percentages. I know that you will be keen to keep adresses confidential but perhaps we can confirm the occupations of the individual investors. This is the one that the SFA are most converned about (they appear to be convinced that one of the shareholders is Craig Whyte in disguise). The more information we can give the better. The ‘nature’ of the investment needs to be specified.
8. Confirmation that no director or shareholder owns shares or has any other form of interest in any other football club. This includes institutional investors.
Pete Lambie says:
December 30, 2014 at 11:09 am
But for it to be so consistent across all media outlets, I don’t understand it
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It really was quite simple. We saw a sublime PR campaign created by the best in his field in Scotland. The one with the best contacts; owed the most favours; who knew where most of the bodies were buried or at least which cupboards the skeletons were hidden in.
Giving it to thicko sports hacks who couldn’t investigate their way into a wet paper bag and who were totally out of their depth with the biggest and most important business stories that Scotland has seen in decades ensured that everyone stayed on line and gratefully accepted the PR handouts.
Football reporters walk a tightrope where they can’t offend anyone in the game unless the nod is given that their time at a club is over.
Even when they are provided dirt on a player or club through an ‘authorised’ leak they don’t do the hatchet-job themself but hand it off to a news reporter who doesn’t need to protect football ‘sources’.
The various editors involved knew all this and so did all the news and investigative reporters and the few business and financial reporters that remain. Even if they had tried to dig deeper their story would never see the light of day.
So the real story was basically ignored and the unfolding of the myth was shaped and manipulated through a steady stream of PR releases. It really has been a tawdry episode in the history of Scottish journalism and one that all the particpants ought to hang their head in shame over.
Everything that is wrong with the SMSM can be found in this one headline:
“Enraged Dundee United tell Celtic they’ll have to put up £6million if they want Nadir Ciftci and Stuart Armstrong”
Money in and another wage off the bill?
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/rangers-star-lewis-macleod-undergoing-4892494
A happy Christmas one and all. Surely if there was a holding company involved with Rangers*, then there would have to be meetings and minutes concurrent and seperate from the “club” ?
* ( Pan Breed )
The whole Rangers/Sevco thing is summed up in the Mcleod news
Rangers are bigger than Brentford
Brentford are bigger than Sevco
Was it not suggested somewhere (Phil?) that any transfer fee for Lewis Macleod would go straight into Mike Ashley’s pocket to pay off his emergency loan?
Pete Lambie says:
December 30, 2014 at 11:58 am
This is where the conspiracy theories took me also, somehow there was an over arching ‘command’ for want of a better word.
Proper journalists, not aligned to sport, was a hands off decree issued? “The men who sold the jerseys” being the watershed moment, after that the shutters were drawn by & large.
The real brain buster is the *range* of folk on message. From publicly funded BBC, to Murdochs empire & Sky Sports, to *every newspaper*.
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I’m not that big on conspiracy theories and there wasn’t an ‘overarching’ command as that’s not how it works. It’s more akin to an osmosis creating a balanced understanding of what is the best course of action.
And to be fair that wouldn’t be as simple as what would be in the best interests of individual newspapers but would take in a whole host of wider issues which we can all takes guesses at.
Scottish print media is dying on its feet and investigative journalism is very expensive and I’m not sure how many journos are left capable of doing it. Business and financial departments with specialises reporters have probably been dismantled with the odd old-timer hanging on here and there for their pension.
Even the majority of experienced reporters have been replaced with youngsters and some might be good enough but I would imagine any with real ability are just passing through.
There’s no need for a hands-off decree being issued – these days I wonder if there is any journalist left who has the luxury to be able to decide what story they are working on. They are – as far as I can see – chained to their desks endlessly cutting & pasting wire copy and PR releases.
If they try and do something on their own initiative it will go through the selection process but never appear. Reporters are seldom told the reason why or not to pursue it. But even if they keep trying they eventually get the message that they are wasting their time and might be incurring some unfavourable attention.
There’s also the simple fact that it’s so much easier to write a story about people and organisations who can’t hit back and who can’t offer ‘bribes’ in the shape of future exclusives.
And when you have highly paid lawyers whispering in the ears of senior paper management that their client could take legal action then that can dampen enthusiasm.
I also don’t think that the ‘range’ of folk on message is as big as you might think. Forget TV and radio in general as they tend to follow the printed output (admittedly nowadays the lines blur in the on-line news sector).
So when you look at the print media you basically start to concentrate on the Glasgow-based operations whose readership will contain significant percentages of Rangers & Celtic supporters who will be most interested in the story.
Papers elsewhere in Scotland would not be as interested IMO.
So I simply don’t see it as a big conspiracy and not even a complex PR exercise. It basically came down to contacts and keeping them happy with everyone getting their ‘exclusive’ slices of the action as dictated by the PR agenda.
But it basically all failed because of the internet bampots who operated outwith the tramlines of the structured media ‘story’ and did their own digging.
Of course the PR side has regrouped and now spends lots of time trying to influence key fan sites and set squirrels running. That battle continues 😆
y4rmy says:
December 30, 2014 at 12:44 pm
“Was it not suggested somewhere (Phil?) that any transfer fee for Lewis Macleod would go straight into Mike Ashley’s pocket to pay off his emergency loan?”
—
yes – he just tweeted a reminder about it this morning:
“Phil MacGiollaBhain @Pmacgiollabhain 2 hours ago
Lewis McLean to Brentford for €1m?
Now remember that extra £1m Big Mike lent to Sevco to bring it up to £3m?
Well that’s where it’s going. “
ecobhoy says:
December 30, 2014 at 12:46 pm
4 0 Rate This
One other reason to consider on the reporting of the whole RFC story was simply the response articles about them created. I’ve stood in front of a news editor with a story on Craig Whyte and Jack Irvine and been told; ‘ great piece but not worth the hassle we will get.’
Up until this year at least, any piece about RFC percieved as negative were picked up on the message boards and the publication/broadcaster will be flooded with emails, tweets, formal complaints and threats. The experiences faced by Angela Haggerty or Jim Spence were not just awful for them, but cost there employers time and money dealing with the fall out.
If Lewis McLeod is indeed joining Brentford ASAP for around £1m it rather suggests Ashley is cashing in his chips and letting TRFC go into liquidation before the Jan payroll is due
Ashley is reputed to have his £1m loan secured against transfer fees so if this one transfer covers his loan, liquidation may follow swiftly
The earlier £2m Ashley loan is secured against Edmiston House and the Car Park.This should be sufficient to recover the full amount of the loan.The only other piece of business will be for Ashley to acquire the rest of Rangers Retail under the terms agreed when the commercial rights were finalised.This assumes of course that the commercial agreement is sufficiently watertight to survive liquidation of TRFC
Its beginning to look like Celtic will get a bye into the League Cup finsl
James Doleman says:
December 30, 2014 at 1:24 pm
5 0 Rate This
One other reason to consider on the reporting of the whole RFC story was simply the response articles about them created. I’ve stood in front of a news editor with a story on Craig Whyte and Jack Irvine and been told; ‘ great piece but not worth the hassle we will get.’
Up until this year at least, any piece about RFC percieved as negative will be picked up on the message boards and the publication/broadcaster will be flooded with emails, tweets, formal complaints and threats. The experiences faced by Angela Haggerty or Jim Spence were not just awful for them, but cost there employers time and money dealing with the fall out.
———-
So essentially, a large number of the Ibrox faithful are happier being lied to. Myths and fairytales to keep them from throwing tantrums. Someone should carry out a forensic study of this. There’s a unique medical condition lurking in there somewhere.
Did your story ever get published James?
GoosyGoosy says:
December 30, 2014 at 1:33 pm
Its beginning to look like Celtic will get a bye into the League Cup finsl
———————–
I hope so as it would prevent a whole lot of other issues surrounding the first meeting, that and the fact I would not put my house on Celtic reaching the final….
James Doleman says:
December 30, 2014 at 1:24 pm
__________________________________________________
It’s disgusting and shameful that we live in fear of our safety by upsetting a section of the public with the truth.
This is, in my opinion, the most heinous aspect of this whole saga.
Danish Pastry
Not yet, saving it for the book.
😉
GoosyGoosy says:
December 30, 2014 at 1:33 pm
Its beginning to look like Celtic will get a bye into the League Cup finsl
________________________________________________
Surely it would fairer to put St Johnstone into the semi instead. (I just smiled when I noticed I used the word fairer there)!
Genuine question. How much will MacLeod be missed from the squad. I understand he’s been injured recently, but how many goals and/or points will his departure cost – if any. Is there an obvious stand-in?
howiemac says:
December 30, 2014 at 1:17 pm
4 0 Rate This
y4rmy says:
December 30, 2014 at 12:44 pm
“Was it not suggested somewhere (Phil?) that any transfer fee for Lewis Macleod would go straight into Mike Ashley’s pocket to pay off his emergency loan?”
—
yes – he just tweeted a reminder about it this morning:
“Phil MacGiollaBhain @Pmacgiollabhain 2 hours ago
Lewis McLean to Brentford for €1m?
Now remember that extra £1m Big Mike lent to Sevco to bring it up to £3m?
Well that’s where it’s going. “
. . . . . . . . .
Going. . . Eventually
iirc, the actual deal has not been concluded yet, and it may be the case that the £1m (or is it €1m) is payable in instalments, so MA would have to wait a wee bitty longer for his dosh being returned.
The £1m would also need VAT? (no laughing at the back) and agents fees deducting would it not?
Macleod isn’t the first Scottish prospect from the second tier to move to the English Championship for a million quid this season. My own lot signed Conor McGrandles from Falkirk for a fee widely reported to be £1m (although actually undisclosed) in August this year.
For some reason the Macleod transfer seems to be drawing a lot more media attention. 😉
Latest from BBC. Suggesting three bears deal may go ahead
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers
James Doleman says:
December 30, 2014 at 1:24 pm
One other reason to consider on the reporting of the whole RFC story was simply the response articles about them created. I’ve stood in front of a news editor with a story on Craig Whyte and Jack Irvine and been told; ‘ great piece but not worth the hassle we will get.’
Up until this year at least, any piece about RFC percieved as negative will be picked up on the message boards and the publication/broadcaster will be flooded with emails, tweets, formal complaints and threats. The experiences faced by Angela Haggerty or Jim Spence were not just awful for them, but cost there employers time and money dealing with the fall out.
===============================================
I agree with what you say. But there was little holding back when it came to Celtic when it hit the financial buffers although tbf there wasn’t the internet/social media pressure we have now.
Sadly for decades the print media in Scotland was heavily biased in favour of supporting one club and employing fans of that club and it was for much deeper and baser reasons than simply because it was the Establishment Club.
However things have improved slowly over time but we still have some dinosaurs tottering about on their last legs looking for fertile soil to infect with their poisonous message.
Simply the major reason why I would be quite happy if my club was never to play them ever again – there are things more important to Scotland and Scottish Football IMO than the steadily diminishing return from the Blue £.
However, as always, I remain hopeful that one day we’ll have a Rangers whose support put playing good football and living within their means as being more important than the old redundant baggage that doesn’t recognise sporting integrity as the keystone of the game.
Danish Pastry says:
December 30, 2014 at 1:41 pm
James Doleman says:
December 30, 2014 at 1:24 pm
5 0 Rate This
One other reason to consider on the reporting of the whole RFC story was simply the response articles about them created. I’ve stood in front of a news editor with a story on Craig Whyte and Jack Irvine and been told; ‘ great piece but not worth the hassle we will get.’
====================================================
I find that really depressing defeatism. Maybe if journalists had the will and balls to do the job they chose, people would buy their failing publications rather than regarding them as sad fanzines for the deluded.
No journalist needs to put their name to an article – nom de plume. Facts can be socialized without enraging the neanderthal. Failing that, have they not heard about anonymous blogs and twitter accounts to get information into the public domain.
With so little will to do your job, prefering the non-controversial easy-life – your industry is doomed – and justly so.
“prefering the non-controversial easy-life”
Yes, that’s why I write about News International and the hacking scandal, so don’t have to worry about offending anyone important.
Just pointing out the realities of the situation. If a publication feels a story will cause lots of trouble for little reward they won’t run it.
We’ve talked on here a lot about how the fans are the best hope for a new, well run club if they can just bring themselves to let go of the trappings of the old one.
When CG first offered them the survival myth, it was understandable that they would jump on it because the alternative was too painful, but 3 years or so down the line, it’s really interesting that the fans are the only part of ‘Rangers’ that still believes in the myth and acts like they want to perpetuate it.
It seems the various board members decided to stop acting like ‘Rangers’ a while back. There’s no longer any pretence that they are a big club, with Somers’ latest a sad indication of how they have changed in terms of finances and ‘dignity’.
The management team gave up pretending they were any good a while back, with Ally’s folded arms routine during defeats a sad indication of how they have changed in terms of ability to get the best out of players/systems (a la Cardigan).
The players gave up pretending they were ‘Rangers’ quality a while back, with all their SPL standard players – Boyd, Wallace, Law, Daly, Black etc – choosing instead to have a well paid couple of years’ rest.
Other teams gave up pretending they were still playing ‘Rangers’ a while back, with Alloa, QoS etc proving that the fear of playing them no longer exists.
Even the SFA might now have stopped pretending!
That leaves the ‘Rangers’ fans who, as I said, are the best hope of a new start. Look at their fan forums (fora?) – before each game, the majority are on there expecting to win easily (as if they were still Rangers); they are on there hoping to get managers at the level of Tony Pulis, Ronald de Boer, Michael Laudrup (as if they were still Rangers);for the love of the club they expect Ally to leave without insisting on his contract being met (as if they were still Rangers); they still hope for ridiculous transfer targets this window (as if they were still Rangers); they still crack up when Ally is seen to talk up a future opponent – even with faint praise – with benign words like “We know it’ll be a tough match, but…”. Their manager should show no signs of weakness/fear (as if they are still Rangers); they still talk of boycotting their enemies thinking that the blue pound is necessary in Scottish football (as if they were still Rangers); they still rage, even against one of their own (Donald Findlay) who tells them there is no sign of Rangersness in the new club (as if it was still Rangers); etc etc.
While TRFC/RIFC continues to slowly but surely divest itself of any signs of Rangersness (whatever the fans’ pereception of that is) I’m not so sure that many of the fans are yet ready to open their eyes to the ever mounting evidence, at least to the degree where the possibilities of setting up/following a new Rangers will even be countenanced. How obvious does it have to be that the thing they are supporting now has no Rangersness about it before they think “Hang on, maybe this isn’t Rangers!!”
I know the SMSM and PR guys have a lot to answer for in perpetuating the survival myth, but the fans have to want to see through it before anything can be done. I honestly believe that the thing that keeps them believing is not so much the press stuff, but their need to keep the 54 and counting world record. I also believe that they know it’s not as good as Real’s Decimo or Bayern’s trophy haul, but it’s something they can say they beat Celtic in so has to be maintained.
James Doleman says:
December 30, 2014 at 2:24 pm
Just pointing out the realities of the situation. If a publication feels a story will cause lots of trouble for little reward they won’t run it.
==========================================================
You’ve described what you consider “trouble” but what do you consider as “reward” ?
James Doleman says:
December 30, 2014 at 2:12 pm
2 0 Rate This
Latest from BBC. Suggesting three bears deal may go ahead
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers
———-
A bear and his honey are soon parted.
You’ve described what you consider “trouble” but what do you consider as “reward” ?
For print: story gets noticed, picked up by other publications, you get a few follow up pieces about it.
Online: Gets lots of the right kind of page impressions, attracts advertisers
James Doleman says:
December 30, 2014 at 2:32 pm
For print: story gets noticed, picked up by other publications, you get a few follow up pieces about it.
Online: Gets lots of the right kind of page impressions, attracts advertisers
============================================================
So to deter journalists from reporting all my misdemeanours, I don’t need Carter Ruck, I just need to round up a few neanderthals to make life less “rewarding” for the press. I guess the difference between a committed journalist and a journey man is how hard they will work and how long they will wait for their “reward”.
The priorities you describe would have deterred Nick Davies from following the News International story from day one.
mcfc says:
December 30, 2014 at 2:17 pm
I find that really depressing defeatism. Maybe if journalists had the will and balls to do the job they chose, people would buy their failing publications rather than regarding them as sad fanzines for the deluded.
No journalist needs to put their name to an article – nom de plume. Facts can be socialized without enraging the neanderthal. Failing that, have they not heard about anonymous blogs and twitter accounts to get information into the public domain.
With so little will to do your job, prefering the non-controversial easy-life – your industry is doomed – and justly so.
================================================================
The writing was on the wall for the print media at least a decade ago. Those with foresight and ability started bailing out from that point.
Others closer to retiral deided to try and cling-on to get the best pension they could as the traditional big pay-offs dried-up.
I am no big fan of newspaper owners and senior management and especially not editors whose salaries and bonuses were no longer based on circulation figures but the bottom-line.
Eventually there is nothing left to cut without damaging the product and even that point was passed at least 5/7 years ago. It has been steadily downhill ever since.
Quite simply it’s cheaper to fill a paper with pap and stories about Z-list celebs with pics and copy provided for free by publicists and PR Agencies.
The job that decent journalists used to do doesn’t exist anymore and it actually isn’t their fault. I’m afraid the industry isn’t ‘doomed’ but already dead and what we are seeing is frenetic activity from a headless chicken.
As to retaining anonymity by not using your own name on the byline well most stories I see these days no journalist wopuld want to be associated with them anyway.
However to get and stand-up an ‘interesting’ story you have to investigate and talk to people and it’s nigh impossible to hide your identity.
It’s easy to say that journos who have an exclusive story blocked should then leak it online – I’m afraid that isn’t an option for anyone who needs to keep their job.
As I say the industry is simply Xmas Crackered and virtually no one cares anymore neither those employed in it nor the readers.
Citizen Journalists is where it’s all heading but lack of training there is a major issue as is getting any kind of income. There’s also the problem of not having older experienced professionals to show you the ropes.
That’s how the journos you are talking about were made back in the day – it took time and it was expensive. Then kids started going to college/uni full time to do journalism degrees taught largely by nobodies.
I doubt if the saying: ‘Those who can – DO! Those who can’t – TEACH!’ was ever more apposite than in the field of journalism. Still in recent years it has allowed a few good journos a way of escaping and earning a crust 😆
It also gives them the opportunity to steer students away from the print media into other more productive and remunerative activities.