From the TSFM Manifesto š
A spectre is haunting Scottish Football ā the spectre of Sporting Integrity. All the powers of the old firms have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this spectre: Billy and Dan, Blazer and Cassock, Record and Sun, Balance Sheet and P&L.
Where is the football fan in opposition to these that has not been decried as a “sporting integrity bampot” by his opponents in power?Two things result from this fact:
I. Sporting Integrity is already widely acknowledged to be itself a power for good.
II. It is high time that Lovers of Sport should openly, in the face of the whole world, publish their views, their aims, and meet this nursery tale of the Spectre of Sporting Integrity with a manifesto of fair play.
To this end, Lovers of Sport of various partisanship have assembled on TSFM and sketched their manifesto, to be published on tsfm.scot.
Those who love sport though are challenged not just by the taunts of the monosyllabic automatons in the MSM, but by the owners of our football clubs who have displayed an almost total disregard to our wish to have a fair competition played out in the spirit of friendly rivalry. In fact the clubs, who speak those fine words, are not nearly as outraged as we are by the damage done to the integrity of the sport in the past few years .
In fact the term Sporting Integrity has become, since the latter stages of the Rangers era, a term ofĀ abuse; a mocking soubriquet attached to those who want sport to be just that – sport.
Sporting integrity now lives in the same media pigeon-hole as words like Islam, left-wing, militant, Muslim – and a host of others; words which are threats to the established order now set up as in-jokes, in order to reduce the effectiveness of the idea.
In fact, a new terminology has evolved in the reporting of football by both club officials and The Succulent Lamb Chapel alike;
“.. Sporting Integrity but …”.
For example
“We all want sporting integrity, but finance is more important”
Says who exactly?
Stated in such a matter of fact way that the obvious question is headed off at the pass, it is sometimes difficult to re-frame the discussion – perhaps because crayon is so hard to erase?
This is the backdrop to The Scottish Football Monitor and the world in which we live. Often the levels of scrutiny employed by our contributors are far in excess of any scrutiny employed by the MSM. Indeed our ideas and theories are regularly plagiarised by those very same lazy journalists who lurk here, and cherry-pick material to suit their own agendas; regularly claiming exclusives for stories that TSFM and RTC before us had placed in the public domain weeks earlier.
This was going to lead into a discourse about the love of money versus the love of sport – of how the sacred cows of acquisitiveness, gate- retention and turnstile spinning is far more important to the heads of our football clubs (the Billys, Dans and Blazers of the intro) than maintaining the traditions of our sport.
However events of Friday 14th November have given me cause to leave that for another day. The biggest squirrel of all in this sorry saga has always been the sleight of hand employed instil a siege mentality in the Rangers fans. The press have time and again assisted people (with no love of football in general or Rangers in particular) to enrich themselves – legally or otherwise – and feed on the loyalty of Rangers fans.
A matter for Rangers fans may also be the identity of some of those who had their trust, butĀ who also assisted the Whytes and Greens by their public statements of support.
Our contention has been that rules have been bent twisted or broken to accommodate those people, the real enemies of the Rangers fans – and fans everywhere.
Through our collective research and group-analysis of events, we have also wondered out loud about the legality of many aspects of the operating style of some of the main playersĀ in the affair. That suspicion has been shared most notably by Mark Daly and Alex Thompson, but crucially now appears to be shared by Law Enforcement.
I confess I am fed up with the self-styled “bampot” epithet. For the avoidance of doubt, the “bampots” in this affair are those who have greater resources than us, and access to the truth, but who have lacked either the will orĀ theĀ courage or the imagination to follow it through.
We are anything but bampots. Rather, weĀ have demonstrated that the wisdom of the crowd is more effective by far than any remnants of wisdom in the press.
I have no doubt that the police investigation into this matter is proceeding in spite of great opposition in the MSM and the Scottish Football Authorities – all of whom conspired to expose Rangers to the custodianship of those for whom football is a foreign language.
I have no doubt that the constant exposition of wrong-doing on this blog, in particular the questions we have constantly raised, and anomalies we have pointed out, has assisted and enabled the law enforcement agencies in this process.
If we are to be consistent in this, our enabling of the authorities, we MUST show restraint at all times as this process is followed through. People who are charged with a crime deserve to be given a fair trial in the absence of rumour or innuendo. We must also, if we are to continue as the spectre which haunts the avaricious – and the real bampots – be seen to be better than they, and give them no cause to accuse us of irresponsibility.
This affair has now evolved way beyond one club gaining unfair advantage over others. For all the understandable Schadenfreude of many among us, the real enemy is not Rangers, it is about those who enabled and continue to enable the farce at Ibrox.
This is now about systematic cheating at the heart of the Scottish game (in the name of cash and in spite of lip service to sporting integrity), and how the greed of a bunch of ethically challenged officials allowed another group of ethically challenged businessmenĀ free rein to enrich themselves at the expense of the fans.
Whether laws were broken or not, theĀ players at Rangers have come and gone and are variables, but the malignant constant at the SFA and SPFL are still there. Last night, even after the news that four men had been arrested in connection with the takeover at Ibrox in 2011, they were gathered together at Celtic Park with their Irish counterparts, tucking into succulent lamb (perhaps) and fine wines, doing someĀ back slapping, makingĀ jokes about the vulgarities of their fans, bragging about the ST money they have banked.
The revolution won’t be over until they are gone, and if they remain, it is Scottish Football that will be over.
Big Pink says:
November 22, 2014 at 10:33 am
I think the only practitioner of long termism at the top of the Scottish game has been Fergus McCann. Everyone else has displayed a field and depth of view of 1Ā° and 1 cm respectively.
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Indeed. Yet the wee man suffered constant ridicule and abuse from the media and an element of his own club’s support. Everything, absolutely everything, Rangers did in those days was portrayed as right and good by the media, and Celtic were derided for not matching it. Some Celtic fans bought into that. Thankfully Fergus was made of strong stuff.
yourhavingalaugh says:
November 22, 2014 at 11:03 am
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I might have missed this but can anyone update on what the10 positions where that where made redundant at the RIFC
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I read somewhere that it was the entire marketing department.
This from the BBC (most of the article is about the King/Easdale pillow fight)-
“Around 10 administrative staff have been made redundant at Ibrox, including commercial and marketing employees.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30134269
The New Capitalism
What does it mean when the shares of a public limited company show virtually no reaction to criminal charges against those fundamental to its foundation and pre-IPO ownership ?
What does it mean when someone with less than 10% of those shares ātakes controlā and then explains that the plc will be insolvent within six weeks ā and then fails to explain any plan to avert that likelihood ?
What does it mean when a national sports governing body appears to be allergic to governing in the interests of its members and customers and sport.?
Is this the new capitalism of football ?
Maybe this revolution will be of more interest to Robert Peston or Evan Davis than the sports desk hacks who appear to have difficulty distinguishing the simplest economic concepts.
Good Morning
It appears that I may owe PL an apology if he did not say yesterday that is was causing Celtic to lose out on Ā£10 Million in the absence of Rangers.
I still believe that the loss of revenue, only a small percentage of which would in fact be profit, is worth it for the peace it has brought to society.
I do not know if Celtic have pointed this out but they must have the information and that is the fact that many season ticket holders, I hear in the region of some 2,000 no longer travel from Ireland. This has nothing to do with the absence of a certain team but everything to do with the economy.
Even people in this country who buy their season ticket because they want their seat and to financially support their club, simply cannot afford to attend every game.
I commend PL for stating that sporting integrity is paramount and no advantage will be given to anyone.
looking forward to today’s games
Now that the ‘Ā£10 million PL Celtic AGM myth’has been challenged and put to bed.
Another myth is about to be challenged today, Re the biggest game in Scotland, like 4ever!
6 points currently separate top 7 in SPFL, and top 2 in Championship.
Tynecastle will today have only 1300 visiting adherents.Segregation will be in place.
Should Hearts win by a handful, will the most exciting, league in Scotland myth be truly busted, more importantly the sense of entitlement, expectation, ‘road back to where we belong’ bubble burst too?
Will it pass off peacefully? I really hope so.
I had never heard of RTC before the famous ‘Administration’ and only picked up this site when I was told to go to the RTC site if I wanted to get the unexpurgated version of events leading to the ‘crash’ back in Feb 2012.
From then I have viewed it ,excellent and high quality as it is , almost as an online ‘Fabian Society’ for Scottish football governance albeit dominated by the compelling and corrosive RFC soap opera .
Auldheid earlier this morning disappointingly but not surprisingly infers the SFA etc will just ignore his and (by definition) this site’s input and tough it out on the LNS enquiry stitch up ..I think he is right .
I posted a few days ago and say it again now the reality is unless and until crucial points raised and supported here get the oxygen of mainstream media support on our side at least on a few key initiatives..eg the LNS issue…then we are doomed to talk online to one another ad nauseam perhaps enjoying ,and feeling good about, ourselves also having as someone recently suggested pub like conversations which as we know mostly get nowhere and influence no one of substance.
The outstanding players on here have put far too much high quality effort into assimilating many facts on potential corruption etc for that work to be allowed to be ignored because no one appears to ‘guard the guards ‘ of Scottish football..We need to find a way somehow to breakthrough here .
Perhaps we could invite one or two MSM players to come on and give their views on some key issues..It is a long time since he posted but i would be very interested to hear what eg a Cosgrove would suggest!
scapaflow says:
November 22, 2014 at 12:04 am
borussiabeefburg says:
November 21, 2014 at 11:56 pm
the only thing I can think of is that given their fixation on the Rangers/Celtic as USP model, that they have been holding out for Rangers return, in the expectation that a better deal would make up for the lost income during the Old Firm interregnum.
Whatever the real position, I very much doubt that Mr Doncaster will be acting on anything other than the instructions of his board. He doesnāt appear to have the intestinal fortitude or the imagination to do anything else.
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I really struggle with this. Surely some income ā or in the absence of that a partnering project with a charity which would raise the profile of the leagues whilst doing a social good ā is preferable?
How that could be structured with the absence of TRFC and the uncertainty of when (if?) they reach the Premiership?
Structure the deal as a multi-year contract reflecting what is on offer. Treat the arrival in the Premiership of TRFC whenever it happens as a ābonusā ā extra payment being made by the sponsor if it does happen. Give any sponsor signing up a discount on what would be the going rate for working on that basis.
I understand that the worldās best administrator is in the house. I believe too that he may have some experience of imaginative contracts that maximise benefits for those involved. Why oh why is that expertise not being harnessed for the good of the game? The current situation calls for all hands (big or otherwise) being required on deck.
More seriously, there are so many good points to spin in the above scenarios. That the SPFL executive has been unable to capitalise on all of the headlines and the competitive landscape that now runs through the leagues is an indictment of their management on behalf of the clubs.
Scottish Football needs clubs to start asking pointed questions of the SPFL & SFA.
Tailothebank
Whilst SFA/SPFL might choose the fingers in the ear la la la route for a time, they are chancing that nothing will come out of the recent 4 arrests that might drastically change the odds on being forced to respond and not looking too clever or perhaps not even innocent.
There was another arrest reported re the source of much that is in the public domain but only mentioned rarely or in veiled terms.
I would be factoring that into the odds too of I were taking a punt on the silent treatment.
RyanGosling says:
November 22, 2014 at 10:51 am
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Ryan I agree that the Rangers support are conditioned in the way you suggest but would Mike Ashley fill that role?
The ‘one man in charge’ would need to be David Murray style rather than Anne Budge style. The Rangers fans I know expect Ashley to spend not save if he comes in.
I’m not sure how many will accept the streamlined squad which many on here think needs to be put in place.
The problem in my eyes is that none of the fan ‘spokesmen’ are trying to paint the picture which is recommended on here.
A high profile fan or ex player championing the austerity route would in my opinion be rubbished and shouted down.
I find Peter Lawwell to be as odious as Ogilvie, Doncaster, Regan or any of the other alleged administrators.
His position and silence re Sevco is beyond disappointing and his argument yesterday that the living wage issue was for poiticians not the employer, truly baffling.
The man is vomit inducing.
redlichtie says:
November 22, 2014 at 12:46 pm
Agree, and yet there the league sits with no sponsor – dereliction or incompetence on an industrial scale ā
Anyone running a pool on how many players aren’t booked at Tynecastle today?
Now we just need Queen of the South and Hibs to Win and Close the Gap on 2nd place… No Offence intended to the Teams there Playing.
The_Pie_Man says:
November 22, 2014 at 2:50 pm
Now we just need Queen of the South and Hibs to Win and Close the Gap on 2nd placeā¦ No Offence intended to the Teams there Playing.
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That could make Queen of Sth v Rangers, 12th Dec another biggest game of the season – assuming Mike Ashley keeps writing the cheques and RIFC plc and its subsidiaries are still trading. What will Ally’s excuse be this time – god only knows who he’ll blame – maybe the impact of lay-offs on morale. Sad Lad.
I meant to add. Peter Lawwell has been presented with an opportunity to shine to both his club’s support and the general footballing public. He’s failed miserably in my eyes.
He’s run a tight ship at Celtic, I’ll give him that. Maybe too tight at times. But he could have achieved so much more during this period.
Electronic Tims ā@ETimsNet 21h21 hours ago
What noise would the fans of Airdrie make if they found out the Rangers Requisitioners (Hee hee hee) were in talks to buy their club?
0 replies 11 retweets 7 favorites
Iceman63- just to correct you there, the BBC is not taxpayer funded in that it is funded via the license fee, not tax revenues. Not at all relevant to your point but ah well.
Regarding today’s Rangers game- I thought generally here we don’t discuss individual games and their results. It appears everyone wants to talk about an individual game when Rangers have lost. It’s a bad result for Rangers but I don’t think this is the correct forum for gloating.
To be fair the comments on the game are relatively few. I suspect the impact of the result will be more far reaching (though not necessarily in the direction all on here would wish) and thus the level of comments will rise as well.
Iceman63- it wasn’t so much your comment I was referring to, and no apology necessary.
Joethebookie, sorry for taking so long to reply to your comment- I think the vocal Rangers fans would not take well to austerity measures which would probably be in place under an Ashley reign, however everyone I know and everyone with a brain wants to see a well run club that is not in the papers every day for financial mismanagement. To be blunt I’d rather we were shit than bust and while such a scenario wouldn’t see 50,000 at Ibrox every week it would be desirable to the majority of Rangers fans. And don’t forget that with the size of the support we wouldn’t exaclty be paupers even if run sensibly.
Auldheid says:
November 22, 2014 at 12:59 pm
Ryan,
Great slogan! I’m thinking Christmas cards, t shirts, stocking fillers, the possibilities are endless!
Auldheid says:
November 22, 2014 at 12:59 pm
There was another arrest reported re the source of much that is in the public domain but only mentioned rarely or in veiled terms.
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Apparently this arrest took place approx 4 weeks ago.Not apparently mentioned in public domain.
Smugas why do I get this horrible feeling like I’ve just created a new chant for supporters of any team playing against Rangers…
To be fair your slogan had the word ‘or’ whereas my chant……
Good to see you take it in the right spirit.
Silent Partner says:
November 21, 2014 at 11:39 pm
@TwoPanda
Genuine question. Whilst (along with others it seems) I struggle sometimes to understand your intended meaning, you come across to me as someone who feels very strongly that the current bunch of spivs controlling the club playing out of Ibrox deserve some jail time for their behaviour since 2012.
Apologies if Iāve got this wrong, but I assume you are/were a fan of āRangersā.
I was wondering how you feel about the role of Murray, Ogilvie, Johnstone, King, Bain, McLelland et al in the demise of Rangers Football Club. Do you perceive them to be spivs deserving of jail time?
Personally, I believe thereās more of a case for seeking retribution from them than from the current gang who appear to be on course for achieving the same end without having denied any other team of a major trophy.
___
Apologies SP and others if my posts a bit cryptic or not understood ā maybe I assume too much
Itās a matter of record Iām lapsed CFC and her indoors is my long term nutcase
As for the previous characters you mention, I donāt really care, itās not my business. But you should know the missus and all her group and our neighbours did not plot or participate or sanction the denying of trophies to other teams, or had any knowledge that deceit of that order was in play.
Theyāre not at fault. The people in charge were the people in charge and theyāre responsible
So you know
mrstp, her sisters and her pals would have the lot of them shot sparing any niceties of last meal, dawn or blindfolds. As thatās not allowed in this day and age she would settle for throwing the whole rotten bunch in for jail time as the next best thing.
She would add the cells should be furnished with copies of the sports section of the daily record and a tannoy repeating SSB broadcasts so the many assorted spivs and chancers could suffer the same torture as the rest of us.
tp
wildwood says:
November 22, 2014 at 1:28 pm
I find Peter Lawwell to be as odious as Ogilvie, Doncaster, Regan or any of the other alleged administrators.
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I have no personal experience of Ogilvie, Doncaster or Regan, so can’t agree or disagree. However I think this much is worth repeating. Whatever anyone thinks of Lawwell (or any other paid executive at a football club for that matter), he is merely the mechanic who carries out the wishes of [insert name of your club’s major shareholder here] and is not the ideas man.
That much is clear from the embarrassing inability of Scottish Football to adapt to the changes in society – including the absence of Rangers. Ideas people (and there are hardly any of them in the game at all) would be constantly on the look-out for additional or alternative income streams, but most of our clubs go back to the same old trough time and again; advertise merchandise in club media outlets, arrange a dinner, put out (another) DVD, get Rangers back š
Chief Executives are often a convenient curtain behind which club owners can hide from the fans’ gaze – just as the SFA are a handy sofa behind which the clubs cower. Clubs are seldom slow to publicly disagree with the SFA. And yet there has been no dissent at all of the SFA’s handling of this affair.
Deflecting blame is a major strategy, Not just of David Murray, but of every club and club owner in the country. I don’t think we can draw a proper roadmap for recovery until we understand that properly.
Sorry totally off topic but an advert on TV just made me think of this. If I buy something I can’t afford on credit, and then stop making the repayments, the credit company or sale company will repossess what I have “bought”. Why has nobody thus far repossessed David Murray’s ill gotten gains? As far as I can fathom he hasn’t paid for anything but has trousered millions in wages and dividends while ultimately losing money for everyone who ever shook his hand. Knight of the realm? In the words of Kevin Bridges, “Did ye aye?”
Auldheid says:
November 22, 2014 at 12:59 pm
There was another arrest reported re the source of much that is in the public domain but only mentioned rarely or in veiled terms.
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That’s because there was no arrest. At least that is my understanding. There is an investigation taking place into a matter which is I am informed not directly Rangers-related. The “story” – and the attendant spin – were provided by MH.
ernie says:
November 22, 2014 at 10:50 am
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Iām in awe of some of the legal etc expertise on here but feel confident enough in my experience within several PLC (including one FTSE 100) at management and board level to share the following on the neoliberal, non challengeable mantra that the sole purpose of a PLC and therefore the directors is to return, and even maximise, profits to the shareholders. Firstly youāll find that this is not usually the primary objective of the company, in terms of subsequently setting strategy, and that itās more likely to be survival, expansion, diversification, growth blah blah. All of which should increase financial performance or, more importantly, share price (not the same thing!) of course but not an objective that will deliver on itās own. The objectives can be non-financial of course.
Second, and most important: customers. In any PLC a board that exists solely to maximise shareholdersā profits will not exist for long. In the fitba business, given itās community element and the direct correlation between fans and revenue, any board who does so is well and truly plucked.
Of course, there is an element of ānot telling the childrenā here in that a board may well choose to go the maximise returns at all costs route but whatever you do, never tell the customers that.
On PL. Read all the reports and, as usual, he didnāt really say any of the stuff as headlined.
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Excellent post Ernie IMO.
You have confirmed my own suspicion as well, a CEO cannot “maximise profit” by alienating or ignoring their customers. So I never quite saw how that argument was supposed to add up.
Nevertheless as you point out it seems there is significant doubt Lawell said what he did anyway.
If it turns our Chris Mclaughlin “misquoted” him then I find that quite unacceptable tbh. I don’t believe that would have been an honest error by CM and it leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
One last comment on this from me, if Lawell had said that Celtic are losing Ā£10m a year due to lack of competition then I’d also have to question the accuracy of that assessment tbh.
Sure Celtic’s revenues are down and perhaps the Premiership IS less competitive at the top spot (more competitive everywhere else as it happens).
But the presence of something does not prove causality.
There might very well be a number of other reasons for less Celtic fans taking up season tickets at the moment.
Also, while I think Eco is right to suggest that few fans really hold back their custom on a point of principle, I think its more complicated than that. We have to also consider the loss of fans who are so sickened with the last 3 years, they have simply taken their custom elsewhere.
I kind of favour always digging back to the source of a problem.
Being in this case the guy who advised SDM/Rangers in the first place. Maybe the future holds some idea of how excellent the professional advice was in the first place. Love a professional, got degrees certificates professional bodies to back them up and so on.
One of the lads pointed me to this being PBWs latest stushie but read on. Some name may stand out.
“” Surrey paper”
Court told of defendant’s bid to entrap solicitor regulators
Jun 27, 2014 12:44
By Charlotte Talbot
Prosecutors say Paul Baxendale-Walker forged a letter and used false ID in phone calls to those who banned him from working as a solicitor
A successful tax lawyer struck off by regulators, launched a series of frauds against them in a bid to sue them and others for Ā£230 million, a court has heard.
Paul Baxendale-Walker, of East Road, St Georgeās Hill, who used to earn Ā£5m a year offering tax avoidance schemes to wealthy clients, forged a letter and made five phone calls under false identities to people involved in the decision to ban him from ever working as a solicitor again, jurors were told.
It was alleged he later used secret recordings of the conversations to support his huge claim for damages at the High Court.
Prosecutors claim there was ācompelling evidenceā that one of the recordings had been digitally edited. He denies one count of fraud and five counts of forgery.
As his trial began at Guildford Crown Court on Wednesday, jurors heard how Mr Baxendale-Walker, 50, had been a solicitor between 1997 and 2006 and had his own firm ā Baxendale-Walker Solicitors.
Prosecutor Edmund Burge said the firm āspecialised in giving tax advice to wealthy individuals and recommending tax avoidance schemesā.
He stressed there was nothing illegal in it and the defendantās schemes were found to be legitimate.
However, Mr Baxendale-Walker would recommend schemes through a company called FSL, without telling his clients FSL was a firm he managed.
āIt was a highly lucrative business,ā said Mr Burge. āMr Baxendale-Walker said he was earning about Ā£5m a year in fees.ā
An investigation by the Law Society and accountants Deloitte & Touche in 2002-03 over his tax advice exposed the apparent conflict of interest and led to disciplinary proceedings against him.
After a three-week hearing at the Solicitorsā Disciplinary Tribunal, in September 2006, he was permanently struck off.
Recorded conversations
The court heard that on September 4 2009, David Middleton, head of investigations at the Solicitorsā Regulatory Authority, received a letter from a D Keys claiming to be from Special Investigation Section, working for HM Revenue and Customs investigating Paul Baxendale-Walker.
Five days later āDavid Keysā called him to discuss Mr Baxendale-Walker, and the same person later phoned Anthony Isaacs, chairman of the tribunal that struck the defendant off, the court was told.
The court heard Mr Isaacsā successor, Jeremy Barnecutt, received a similar phone call, as did Mr Isaacs himself six months later, and David Middleton again.
Mr Burge told the court the recipients did not know they were being recorded.
āWhat Mr Baxendale-Walker was trying to do was question Mr Middleton about the way in which the original tribunal hearing had been conducted and trying to get Mr Middleton to make admissions that there had been a conspiracy from the outset against Mr Baxendale-Walker.
āThere were various occasions where Mr Baxendale-Walker seeks to put words into the recipientsā mouths, that the tribunal had a preformed view of the outcome.ā
Mr Burge said Mr Baxendale-Walker had admitted the phone calls and sending the letter.
āHe says his intention was simply to expose a miscarriage of justice and a desire to secure possible evidence for a criminal prosecution,ā said the prosecutor.
āHe said he was motivated solely by noble objectives.ā
The trial continues.
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Then there was this:
Pension Liberation Adviser Fights Court Ruling August 13, 2014 By Lisa Smith inShare Pension liberation adviser Paul Baxendale-Walker is appealing against a High Court ruling that closed his scheme. Baxendale-Walker is challenging the judgeās decision and an injunction granted the The Pensions Regulator (TPR) to stop the former lawyer and media entrepreneur from running alleged pension liberation businesses. The appeal follows a decision in the High Court earlier this year declaring four pension schemes ā A Admin, Warwick Pensions Administration, Lincoln Pensions Administration and Baxendale-Walker LLP- as void. Judge Vivian Rose decided the schemes offered uncertain outcomes to members which left no choice other than to close them. In the case, TPR alleged the schemes were āmisuse and misappropriationā of pension scheme assets. Defrauding pensioners Baxendale-Walkerās solicitor Jonathan Sachs, of law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: āHe has devised a scheme where pensioners could liberate their pension funds without buying an annuity. āThe evidence from TPR was that Paul was defrauding the pensioners because he was taking significant fees and they would be met with very large penalties from HMRC. āWe say those allegations were false. TPR knew they were false when they represented because they were much lower than normal pension fund fees. There was no tax penalty.ā TPR declined to comment about an ongoing case. The next step in Baxendale-Walkerās challenge is to ask the court to proceed with the appeal. He pledged in court not to continue with the pension liberation scheme because Chancellor George Osborneās Budget 2014 pension reforms already allow early access to cash for the over 55s with defined contribution schemes. One of the measures was to remove the 55% tax charge on withdrawing funds early from a pension. Struck-off lawyer Instead, retirement savers receive the first 25% of their total pension funds tax-free and then pay income tax at their marginal rate on the remaining cash as they draw it down. Baxendale-Walker trained as a lawyer but was struck off on the grounds he was involved in a conflict of interest in advising clients about his own tax schemes. He was also involved in adult film production and formerly owned the magazine Loaded. Meanwhile, TPR and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) are involved in an ongoing campaign to alert retirement savers to issues with pension liberation schemes. āPension Predatorsā explains that pension liberation often has a costly sting in the tail as some operators levy fees of up to a third of the transfer balance and HMRC penalises under 55s for accessing their pension funds early with tax charges.
There was me imagining reports he had “disappeared” (PBW)
but no he was one of the first “removed from Google”
Im getting mighty suspicious now.
Am I wrong.
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/solicitor-who-stood-trial-fraud-offensive-tesco-staff-thief-jailed-16-months-all-deleted-history
Big Pink says:
November 22, 2014 at 7:14 pm
‘..Scottish Football needs clubs to start asking pointed questions of the SPFL & SFA.’
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And, sadly,most of our clubs will no more do that of their own volition,any more now than they ever did in the past!
They need to prodded and goaded into exercising their muscle- as the members of the SFA ( and it is largely the SFA that has been guilty of the major offense against Sporting Integrity) to ensure that Integrity is the watchword.
We know that our individual clubs are extremely conscious of the power of their fan bases, and we know that they previously responded with alarm and alacrity to pressure brought upon them by their fans,fans incensed at the secret deals being made to accommodate CG and the new club.
They were pressurised by emails from their fans, and by the huge volume of comment on social media, and by blogs such as this one,TSFM,-a blog which is still broadly representative of the general run of supporters of football in Scotland.
And they were, and remain, aware that the SMSM are no friends to Scottish Football as a whole, with most hacks seeming to have been told ( or to have chosen) to lie to us all about the whole Rangers saga and indulge in mis-reporting on a grand scale ( right, Chick?).
We must somehow find a way of re-mobilising the powerful force that made our club chiefs highly nervous about agreeing to any proposals (secret or public) to again throw integrity to the wind to try to save, by ‘manipulative cheating’, an ailing, probably dying club, or to ‘resurrect’ if it does die.
I have mentioned before that our desire for personal security stands somewhat in the way of us becoming a publicly recognised organisation, with a democratic constitution, and subscribing members, and an official address etc.
Auldheid achieved some success in getting Harper MacLeod to respond to him as writing on behalf of us all ( or of the majority of us) on the TSFM blog.
Is there a safe way we could begin further to enhance our status and reputation as ‘a representative body’ ( of whatever size), with the legitimate aim of ensuring that our Football Authorities return to honest governance of our national sport.
Remember, there is no underestimating the duplicity of the minds who cobbled up the 5-way agreement. We have to ensure that they will not again even try such a bare-faced act of betrayal.
JC
Your last line
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We have to ensure that they will not again even try such a bare-faced act of betrayal.
Definitely. We will all walk permanently this time.
John Clark says:
November 22, 2014 at 9:33 pm
2 0 Rate This
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Mentioning that secret agreement, isn’t it a pity that public bodies that receive taxpayer money are not covered by FOI?
The SFA appear no more transparent that Blatter’s FIFA. It’s a scandal that there is no transparency on that 5W agreement. Who insisted on the secrecy? And why? The idea of a secret deal with Charles Green would never be accepted now, would it?
Every time the 5W agreement is mentioned I feel sick to the pit of my stomach.
Danish Pastry says:
November 22, 2014 at 9:47 pm
1 0 Rate This
The SFA appear no more transparent that Blatterās FIFA. Itās a scandal that there is no transparency on that 5W agreement. Who insisted on the secrecy? And why? The idea of a secret deal with Charles Green would never be accepted now, would it?
=================
Of course not. But a secret deal with Mike Ashley, on the other hand? No harm in that, surely? The trouble is that a precedent has been set, the clubs went along with it, the authorities consider it a job well done. Probably 95% of Scottish fans have either never heard of the 5 way agreement, or have forgotten all about it. It certainly won’t surprise me if history repeats itself.
neepheid says:
November 22, 2014 at 10:06 pm
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Danish Pastry says:
November 22, 2014 at 9:47 pm
1 0 Rate This
The SFA appear no more transparent that Blatterās FIFA. Itās a scandal that there is no transparency on that 5W agreement. Who insisted on the secrecy? And why? The idea of a secret deal with Charles Green would never be accepted now, would it?
=================
Of course not. But a secret deal with Mike Ashley, on the other hand? No harm in that, surely? The trouble is that a precedent has been set, the clubs went along with it, the authorities consider it a job well done. Probably 95% of Scottish fans have either never heard of the 5 way agreement, or have forgotten all about it. It certainly wonāt surprise me if history repeats itself.
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Neepheid Danish
I sort of think yes they would but then think why on earth would uncle Mike be bothered?
Where’s the dough?
If by some accounts CW is sitting pretty with the IP I believe he will be off. He will sell the shirts regardless.
Too much hastle I reckon.
Neep, in reality, the punters who’ve bought shares and season tickets should really be demanding clarity. Were they misled? Would full and open discussions have saved them a lot of suffering, and cash?
As Auldheid intimated (I think it was Auldheid), perhaps the upcoming trials will force the SFA’s role in this to be revealed. Who knows, maybe Charles has tapes!
RyanGosling says:
November 22, 2014 at 7:25 pm
===============
Ryan, that is a laudable post. In my view though, there is no appetite in Scotland to examine Murray’s role in Rangers. It was a huge period of success for Rangers but, if properly scrutinised, well…
@ianagain
Craig Whyte has the intellectual property? That’s a new twist.
Maybe Paul Baxendale Walker has better tapes
Danish Pastry says:
November 22, 2014 at 10:18 pm
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@ianagain
Craig Whyte has the intellectual property? Thatās a new twist.
Initials initials lost the battle I know.
Retract CW for CG (but only if that signature is real)
Danish Pastry says:
November 22, 2014 at 9:47 pm
‘..on that 5W agreement. Who insisted on the secrecy? And why?’
———
I’ve tended to assume that the whole deal was inspired by Regan/Ogilvie, and bought into by Doncaster and Longmuir, and that probably even some of their various Board members were not even told.
The snake-oil salesman already viewed widely as a charlatan would not be too bothered about secrecy-would probably want to shout out his triumph in subverting ‘honest’ men! And those representing a dead club could always hold their hands up and say they were looking after the interests of the dead club.
I think secrecy was demanded by the men who abandoned their duty, fearful of being caught out in a worse act of sporting cheatery than even that of SDM.
And there is no way back for them. They will have to resign.
Our grandchildren ( or in the case of younger bloggers, their children) will find out eventually, of course.
And spit, actually or metaphorically,on the graves of the guilty!
Haha, ianagain, bampot fatigue.
The antidote is a few minutes counselling from @FrPaulStone and @TheClumpany via their twitter feed, they’ve been on hilarious top form all day. I mean, even some of the Ibrox faithful must see the funny side of it. Latest object of fun is yet another fan-splinter-offshoot-true loyal-no-flash-mobs-at-SD stores from that McMurdo chap.
Honestly …
Sounds logical JC š
Couple of things:
Peter Lawell’s comments about media focus on the living wage is nonsense. It was the Celtic shareholders who pushed for this, NOT the media, so he’d be well advised not to dismiss his customers so lazyily. His follow up comments about Hearts being a far smaller business, and therefore easier for them to implement is, again, nonsense. If anything, because Hearts are smaller, their implementation of the living wage would be even more financially difficult to support. Celtic would merely have to get rid of , say, an Efe Ambrose, and his wages would fund it without them having to earmark any other funds. Hearts will have been faced with far bigger decisions to make it happen, and yet they went ahead. There’s a lot to admire about Hearts these days – the way their fans actually dug deep rather than waiting for ‘too many people with too much money’ to save them, the decision to give youth its head and live within their means, the sell outs every week, not to mention the living wage thing.
Secondly, we tend to forget that the clubs are the SFA. It’s not the case that the SFA act in isolation in some ivory tower. When the go ahead is given for Rangers to take their place in a league despite the clear doubts about them being able to complete the season, it’s down to YOUR club. They could raise the issue, but they won’t, which is why it’s so laughable that the belief persists on certain websites that it’s all some sort of ‘Fenian Conspiracy to destroy us’. Celtic could have objected at any time to what has transpired in the last couple of years, but haven’t because they want a Rangers(any Rangers!) in the top league to ensure that they will be able to wring every last penny from their suppor tagain. That would be to single out Celtic , which would be wrong, as EVERY club has been guilty of this. Rather than speak out, ALL clubs have kept their silence. Rather than come out and say ‘You know what, we’ve cut our cloth according to our material and we now no longer care what Rangers do, as they no longer have any affect on our planning.’, they’ve preferred to say nothing, and you have to as why.
I don’t know, I think it might just be on a downer tonight….
Danish
Am I to assume after all your years on RTC and here you’ve become a Twitterati after all?
Ianagain, yes, of course. Although I use my real name on twitter ā @ArthurStramash š
Danish belter
Danish, so YOU are Arthur Stramash?! I’ve seen a couple of your posts, and I always smile when I see the name! š
Up go the heids
Jordan.
GOAL
Indeed lads. I never changed the DP here in the interests of continuity, even though I own the history.
One of my favourite Montford moments was from Firhill where he suddenly swung the camera round and exclaimed, ‘And there’s the Moon.’
Brilliant.
AmFearLiathMĆ²r says:
November 22, 2014 at 10:41 pm
=====
I’m guessing Lawwell wonders why the media’s desire for social justice begins and ends at his club. Some Celtic fans did raise the issue but surely the media have a wider responsibility?
Also, Hearts have been well managed post Administration beyond doubt. However, many millions in social taxes were dodged. That is not the fault of Anne Budge, but the dodging of those taxes allowed her a club to apply the living wage to. Celtic has never dodged any of its many, many millions of social taxes. What is more important and why? What does more good to society in general?
I would disagree. Hearts have paid HMRC what they are due, often at the sharp end of an impending court case (a tactic that was, strangely, never applied to Rangers), but the issue here is the living wage, not who has paid what in taxes. Celtic paying Hector what he is due doesn’t put anymore money in their employees pay packet. Hearts are starting again – they don’t have the benefit of several seasons of multi-million pound profits behind them. Celtic do, and could more than afford to pay it. I get the point that the focus is on Celtic to do it through some altruistic notion rather than putting pressure on politicians to make it law, but Celtic could have made a very substantial gesture here, and it wouldn’t have cost them anymore than peanuts in relation to what they pay out to their first team squad in subsidised meals every week.
twopanda says:
November 21, 2014 at 7:27 pm
‘.In order to satisfy John Clark, who has stated and maybe believes I am some form of `Jack`, I`ll make my position crystal clear; `Rangers` and `Celtic` belong to the last Century and Scots Football would be better off if the OF fixture and the OF ceased to exist.’
——–
Twopanda, I’m running fast to catch up: I lost all of yesterday,being in Glasgow from an early hour ( meeting a lot of really nice and interesting guys ( including an incidental meeting with two guys from Luton visiting the Glasgow of their youth,who were gobsmacked at the huge physical and cultural changes in so many areas of the city) and attending a college re-union and dinner. So I didn’t see your post until about 2.30 this morning- a bit late, even for me.
It makes such a difference when you use a conventional style of posting! I never was able to get into some kinds of modern poetry ( Gerald Manley Hopkins and even T S Eliot gave me problems, and I confess I could not quite understand your use of language. My fault, no doubt)
And you have re-assured me that I was wrong to attribute your style to a desire to be a deflectionary ‘Jack’ -I am sorry for making that assumption, based largely on frustration!
I now completely understand your position, and thank you for making it clear.
And I agree with you that 16th century theology and the divisions arising therefrom should have no part in 21st century sport, any more than racism or sexism or ( is there a word ‘homophobism’?) or druggism or cheating-ism or whatever.
Or mis-governance of a Sport by reason of any of those isms by the bodies responsible for regulating that Sport.
Tell you what. I just watched MOTD there. I don’t think you’ll see the club managers allowing any high intensity friendlies like last Tuesday again any time soon. The English players were dropping like flies at one point!
My only comment that is reliable viz a viz Celtic park and employees is my recent experience last Friday at the Eire game.
The external staff were woeful (and to this day don’t know if employed by SFA or Celtic.
The booking office staff were brilliant and friendly (once we had found them)
Once inside (a 45 minute ordeal thanks to stewards and the Polis) everything no hassle great, Pie Bovril seat.
Question not to Celtic but the SFA why did that cost 78 quid for 2 of us?
And add to that Polis Scotland thought it would be a fun exercise to block off the route back to Glasgow for an hour or two. For everyone.
Not a Celtic rant just pissed off with the SFA
Play at Fir park next game, give us some dosh.
This is all amicably agreed by everyon writing to their clubs and asking what the staff are payed.
Ill write to mine you write to yours.
Stushie sort of over.
AmFearLiathMĆ²r says:
November 22, 2014 at 11:31 pm
‘.but Celtic could have made a very substantial gesture here, and it wouldnāt have cost them anymore than peanuts in relation to what they pay out to their first team squad in subsidised meals every week.’
————-
What I don’t really understand is why Celtic should be expected in some particular way to make a ‘gesture’?
Why not Aberdeen, Cowdenbeath, or any other , ANY other business? Why not RIFC plc?
Where is it written that Celtic have MORE of a moral duty than any other business?
The whole thing is a piece of nonsense.
Social justice is not a matter of charity. It’s a matter of getting people into government who can give effect to what the majority of the electorate want, as opposed to cunning, devious, wicked ‘rich’ whose interest lies in making sure that they stay rich: the political equivalent of the CGs and SDMs and ( I’ve got to laugh) absolute turds like the Paul Baxendale-Walkers).
I would suggest that CFC should at the next SFA AGM propose a motion requiring that every member club should sign up to the Living Wage.
That would shut some people up, and sharpish.
The sheer malice in the SMSM is plain to see. Any stick will do to beat CFC. And if it breaks, voila, you have two!
Has Somers, or any other CEO of a football club been asked why they do not pay the living wage?
As I said, the whole thing is a piece of malicious nonsense. In my opinion.
And that would be my opinion even if the club being pilloried was RIFCplc, or Aberdeen or any other business.
Danish Pastry says:
November 22, 2014 at 11:08 pm
‘.One of my favourite Montford moments was from Firhill where he suddenly swung the camera round and exclaimed, āAnd thereās the Moon.ā ‘
——-
And now you’ve given me a problem, DP. I am tortured trying to remember whether I saw that with my own eyes, or whether it’s a ‘false memory’!
Was there ever a forensic examination into the teleogical significance of such an existential statement? Its relationship to what was happening in the sporting arena ( and my brother-in-law’s old man was ground-keeper at Firhill at that time, or so I was given to believe)? Was Arthur dismissing Thistle’s aspirations as being like green cheese, or the cry of a child for the moon?
There’s an academic thesis in there, somewhere!
On another unrelated planet. How will Craigy be feeling? Done down, hunted, or relaxed safe in Monaco no matter what?
A la PBW will he be thinking go for it I’ve got the recordings?
Funny both were voice recorder aficionados.
Anyone at the SFA know what they look like?
Also, Hearts have been well managed post Administration beyond doubt. However, many millions in social taxes were dodged. That is not the fault of Anne Budge, but the dodging of those taxes allowed her a club to apply the living wage to. Celtic has never dodged any of its many, many millions of social taxes. What is more important and why? What does more good to society in general?
——————————————————————-
im about to open a huge can of worms here, i think;
I can remember going to celtic park in the 70’s & 80 (pre bunnet days) and actually hearing the celtic fans laugh when the attendance was announced, guys who had been going to parkhead for years scoffing at the official attendance,, knowing what a 35,000 crowd looked like as apposed to the 25,000 declared. (i believe celtic were one of the last senior teams in uk to implement computerised turnstiles.
Was the differential between the “official” Kelly family inter alia, manipulated official attendance and the real attendance subject to “social taxes”????????
c
ps im a hearts fan. was at the game today, Sevco, were a disgrace as was our senior referee!
upthehoops says:
November 22, 2014 at 10:17 pm
‘.In my view though, there is no appetite in Scotland to examine Murrayās role in Rangers.’
————-
Yes, by reason of the fact that too many other hard questions would have to be asked if Murray was put under any kind of examination.
—
Quite separately, big money is usually dirty money, somewhere along the line.
Take a vainglorious blowhard, whose contacts range from guttersnipe petty fraudsters to ‘sophisticated’ Edinburgh bankers, international financiers,and heads of Sporting authorities, who runs a ‘sporting’ enterprise on the basis of monumental cheating, and runs his companies into the ground while ensuring his family’s personal fortunes, all with the complicity of said bankers…. and what you have is an evil, exploitative bast.rd, safe in the knowledge that he can finger the bankers and call in favours and be reported as having been duped, when he manages to wriggle out of debt in a carefully orchestrated plan.
It’s not only media hacks who enjoy lamb, you know, or are not afraid of being exposed.
As a plot for a novel…sounds good to me.
@twopanda 07.12
Brilliant š
I’ve lots of friends who also TUPE ‘d across. I know it’s not their fault.
I do however believe that we should train out collective guns on those whose actions came close to killing the game in our small country.
David Murray’s pompous arrogance came close to achieving that. It infuriates me that I paid fortunes to watch a rigged game over many years and I won’t ever feel any sense of justice until he does.
John Clark says:
November 23, 2014 at 1:58 am
================================
In older days when grounds had large, expansive terracing and unsophisticated turnstyles, I’d imagine accurate attendance figures were not commonplace, anywhere. Add to that the number of people who were able to get in for nothing in many grounds. It has become a stick to beat Celtic with that they constantly fiddled attendances, so much so people now speak of it as a fact, even though there is no proof it happened. That no other club is ever accused of the same in those days is as tiresome as the beating up Celtic are now getting over the living wage issue, while other clubs are never questioned over their policy. I accept the issue was put in the public domain by a Celtic fans group, but if other people unconnected with the club are so concerned about social justice then they they have to be concerned over the wider issue, right?
Me personally, I do not get hung up whether Celtic are an accredited living wage employer or not. They are a model of football club governance and have looked after their fans very well regarding season ticket prices. I do not believe any club can always capitulate to every demand made by their fans. As for those who demand Mr Lawwell to leave, I think they might find attracting top quality CEO’s to Scotland is as difficult as top quality players.
Folks,
Discussion of the living wage issue is perfectly ok.
The notion that Celtic are being singed out for criticism and that this is a “pot stirring” exercise has no basis in fact whatsoever.
Celtic’s attitude to LW is a valid topic for discussion. If some individuals fans don’t like that, then maybe they are not as ready as we thought for objective discussion.
Whatabouttery is not “objective discussion” for these purposes.
Neither Celtic nor any other club should be expected to take the lead in this or any other aspect of our discussions. Let that be accepted as a fact and not an excuse for deflection.
This is the Scottish Football Monitor. Rangers and the authorities are constantly scrutinised and often criticised for their behaviour. The same rules apply to anyone else.
Rangers fans in general don’t come around here – possibly because they don’t like to hear criticism. I’d like to think that Celtic fans are a bit more realistic (especially given the excellent cross party relationships we have all built here), but it is depressing to hear the paranoia that appears every time Celtic are criticised – however slightly or obliquely. We should also remember that all trolls are not of a blue hue.
I believe that Celtic fans are generally grown up about matters. That is just as well given there are more of you than fans of other clubs. Consequently, if we split down partisan lines then this blog is utterly worthless, because we wil have shown that whilst we talk the talk, we don’t walk the walk.
The overwhelming criticisms of TSFM on other social media platforms come not from Rangers fans, but from Celtic fans who are angry that they have not been allowed to frame the agenda here. The message is very simple. No-one is framing an agenda on TSFM.
We have said often that we’d prefer to have half the readership and twice the credibility. Influence is not always about numbers, but is always about quality.
Any observations about this on the Comments Moderation Thread to avoid removal.
100% agree. Preciousness was never a virtue albeit we will all naturally jump to the defence of our own sides. Just out of curiosity paragraph 7, excellent what?
As far as the fictitious attendances at Celtic Park issue is concerned. I have a couple of observations.
Firstly, if it was a fact that some cash was being skimmed, I agree that this would also be Tax Evasion and worthy of criticism – certainly for me given my politics.
Secondly, there is nothing in the way of evidence to suggest that such a thing happened – other than anecdote which is almost 100% sourced from Celtic fans who turned criticism of their board into an art form in those days.
Thirdly, in the era these practices are alleged to have taken place, the custom of “getting a lift” was widespread and could easily add unpaid thousands to an attendance.
Fourthly, and I have a range of direct evidence for this, scams by turnstile attendants, many of them casual, many highly organised, denied clubs revenue on a significant scale and added non-paying numbers to attendances.
Not saying we can’t have a discussion about it, but (unless anyone has a photo of Desmond White putting sack-loads of cash into the boot of his car at half time before heading for his secret stash on the Fenwick Moors) let’s keep a bit of perspective.
Re ; “Getting a lift”
Although Dons fans, we lived in Perth, so my old man and I made regular trips to Muirton Park to get our Saturday fix ( back in the days when Ally McC was an exceptional up and coming talent).
The old man on approaching the main stand turnstile would always instruct me to duck down to about half my height. I “got a lift” until I was about ten!
Smugas says:
November 23, 2014 at 10:00 am
100% agree. Preciousness was never a virtue albeit we will all naturally jump to the defence of our own sides.
_____________________________________________________________
Agreed Smugas. We all instinctively want to defend our own team. I hope that gives us a cause to cut the Rangers guys on here a bit of slack from time to time.
And I hope that knowledge makes us think twice before we post in matters concerning our own team.
No worries TSFM. And again out of idle and entirely honest curiosity, where exactly on fenwick moor was that? And how big a car might one need?
It was great to get to the game yesterday and go through all the roller-coasters of emotion that only live football and a crowd can actually bring to the game even on a cold day when it’s pissin down.
And the adrenaline was kept going by some terrible Celtic defensive cover; a series of poor refereeing decisions; [].
And then back to one of my favourite pubs which has a mixed support many of whom are known to each other at least on a nodding acquaintance basis akin to ships that pass each other in the mist.
The guy in charge was asking Celtic supporters as they arrived how the game had gone and the earlier-arrival Bears were earwigging. Eventually guy in charge roars out amidst peals of laughter to the assembled customers: ‘See you bluidy Rangers and Celtic supporters you’re never bloody happy at just winning the game you always think you should have scored more’.
Whole pub fell about laughing with the sprinkling of ‘neutrals’ laughing loudest but Bears and Bhoys had the good grace to recognise the truth when they saw it and joined in.
I think there are lessons to be taken from the statement and for me it’s that Scottish Football has survived Armageddon and won’t collapse.
In view of the unknowns we faced a few years ago when clubs were collapsing like dominoes I also think that collectively we are in a much better place albeit Rangers appears to be an exception although it might not be depending on what Ashley does.
I chatted to a couple of groups of Bears and the only topic of conversation was McCoist and the absolute resolution that he had to go and of course refereeing decisions at both games – some things never change.
These guys are hard-core Bears – not in any sectarian sense or I wouldn’t talk to them – but in supporting their team and club and they won’t change. They won’t be boycotting and will carry-on and probably form the nucleus of support in any Rangers III if it comes to that.
But whether others like it or not they really ain’t that bothered about the internet debates that occupy a minority of people many of whom don’t actually support their club in any way financially or go to games.
As to the Celtic supporters yesterday I deliberately asked a few in passing what they thought of the agm proceedings and got virtually no reaction.
I think sometimes internet posters get into a bubble and I believe I have ended-up there as well where it’s easy to believe that righting old wrongs – whether preceived or actual – is more important than actually supporting your team by going to matches and sharing in that despair and joy that live matches bring and which can never be achieved through the ersatz mediums of telly or the internet.
So I’ve decided I’m going to go back to away games which I gave up a few years ago with the excuse I was getting too old. Nonsense of course and mixing with younger passionate football supporters – from all teams – is what will keep me younger and active.
And these supporters are what will determine whether Scottish Football survives. IMO it won’t be in winning some grudged and heavily cloaked apology or explanation from football authorities over historical events.
Any such apology won’t change the future governance of the game. That power comes from more fans whose cash injection into their clubs gives them power to ensure that smaller clubs stand-up to the power of Celtic and possibly a resurgent Rangers or any other team that rises to the top of the power hierarchy.
I don’t dismiss the possibility that forthcoming criminal trials might provide evidence that can expose earlier failings of the Hampden elite and that might force a cleansing of the dump. But I won’t hold my breath.
The only real progress towards ripping the veil of secrecy from our corrupt administration is that done by Auldheid which is truly awesome but it may well founder on the traditional ‘No Comment and Ignore’ defences.
To breach those defences we would need finance for possible legal opinions or any army of organised fans from every club prepared to dedicate themselves to the perhaps unwinnable fight.
I doubt either are actually achieveable. That’s not defeatism but rather my cold estimation of the position.
We can sit and continually travel the old well-worn circular discussions or end-up in the same cul-de-sacs but I doubt if we will advance beyond where we have reached in influence or knowledge.
Well-meaning proclamations might well be worthy but what is actually required is an action plan with actual realistic achievable objectives and the mechanisms to achieve them.
Personally I haven’t seen any broad-based internet organisation capable of achieving that and, indeed, have seen a real slump in the forensic analysis being done that might provide ‘evidence’ to shake the Hampden foundations – Audheid being the honourable exceptions as well as the the Celtic agm Resolution 12 dealing with the UEFA European licence.
And to end my day yesterday I went home on the bus with a Bear who lives beside me and here was another supporter who will be there as long as Rangers play. A former active orangeman who used to play the flute in the local baun who met a girl, had kids and concentrated on his family and just going to matches.
His player and tactical grasp are awesome and, of course, he is of a younger age than myself with McCoist, as a player, his hero. But with a devastating analysis he tore his old hero apart as a manager – not with any malice but with obvious sadness especially in recognising how differently Hearts had tackled similar challenges.
The defeat gutted him. But what really teed him off was the difference in playing personnel and the opportunities that had been lost to build a young home-grown team and have a warchest for when they got back to the Premiership.
He correctly identified that this wasn’t simply McCoist’s fault but that of the Board and identified in detail his reasonings. Despite being a thinking Bear but unable to pick any points where the fans could have successfully intervened without an even bigger threat to the club than it currently faces.
So an interesting end to my day out and one with a lot of food for thought. A helluva lot of Bears are not only human but football supporters too and we should all remember that.
And just like the rest of us they have little real control over our clubs and the direction they take and absolutely none on the top levels of our game’s governance. That is the reality IMO and I have serious doubts as to how many game going fans are prepared to spend time and effort to change that.
Their focus is the footie and the game and they are entitled to their view as they spend their money to support their club.
āgetting a liftā š
Good memories
I, too, am appalled and dismayed at the malice dispalyed by the SMSM to Celtic re the Living Wage.
However, it could have been avoided if they had done the honorable thing form the start and paid it.
It is not necessary to wait till ‘everyone else’ does it.
As Jeanette Findlay said at the Celtic AGM:
The Living Wage is based on peopleās need to maintain āan adequate level of warmth and shelter, a healthy palatable diet, social integration and avoidance of chronic stress.ā
Re people accusing Celtic of fiddling their attendance figures.
I think most teams have similar stories. Many a time I’ve been to a 12k crowd which looked a lot bigger and everyone assumes the club is at it.
Eco,
I would agree to a point and in fact I think you’ve described perfectly the SFA stance on this, albeit they had to adjust/think on their feet a couple of times when the no league/ one league/ 4 league shimmy came about.
People will forget, they thought and, apart from saddoes like me on the inter web on Sunday morning, they were largely right. I know you share my view that commercialism was always going to win through so the entry level of RFCII was right, albeit achieved in precisely the wrong way. Similarly the media position has been, at best, questionably defensive.
All the SFA had to do then was nurture their new babe back to where ‘everyone’ thought they belonged.
The problem of course is that the StJ lad showed many moons ago on here that the plan didn’t work. Winning at a canter was all very well but the horse would need feeding regardless. What if the oat store ran dry? Again?
We can all turn a blind eye for the greater good of the game. I would have a concern if I was asked to it more than once. In fact, in a particularly severe case I would ex