From the TSFM Manifesto 🙂
A spectre is haunting Scottish Football — 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 of 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, but 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 players 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 or the courage or the imagination to follow it through.
We are anything but bampots. Rather, we 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 businessmen free rein to enrich themselves at the expense of the fans.
Whether laws were broken or not, the 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 some back slapping, making 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.
John Clark says:
December 10, 2014 at 11:10 am
On the ball as usual John.
I think Yerevan at 3.00am summed it up very well.
The money is undoubtedly due under the rules of the system in place which is there to protect all clubs.
The only thing is that as the entity which carried out the majority of the development is no longer there, then there should be an apportionment of the sums due and as you point out BDO have a duty to go after this money.
It would be appropriate to lodge a claim.
Sooner or later something will come before the Court which decides the OC/NC debate once and for all.
In Law there is only one decision which could be made. You cannot survive Liquidation.
I note that the SPFL are prepared to sell the rights to the cup ties. In my opinion not so much attracting sponsorship as prostituting the game.
I would not trust the SFA/SPFL and their officers to run me a bath far less entrust them to run the game.
It needs a clear out. It can only be cleared out when the chairmen who are in a position to make change vote to do so and they will only do it if the fans shout louder.
Three years down the road and we are still being treated like mushrooms by the self serving blazers.
Barry Hearn was right last week, they wouldn’t work for him, so why do our chairmen allow them to work for them.
Revolution (peaceful) needed!
The last AGM had five board members plus two hangers-on.
http://i4.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article2942854.ece/alternates/s615/rangers.jpg
This year, with Wallace, Stockbridge and Crighton gone, the board will now barely outnumbered hangers-on – assuming Llambias attends, complete with M&S blazer.
Is the AGM even valid with only an executive chairman and two non-executive directors in place. Has Mr Somers miscalulated the board attendance figures and who/what exactly does he chair.
btw Nash came and went between AGMs.
It’s been at least 18 years since I last went to Ibrox (as an away fan), so I’ve no idea how admittance works for season tickets holders, but presumably there must be some mechanism at the turnstyles to register that they had turned up – afterall , in the event of an incident, how could they accurately inform the emergency services how many people were in the ground?
At Clyde, you hand over your voucher for that week to the turnstyle operator (although, we do have a deal where if you don’t attend a game, your mate can use that ticket when you next attend), so even we are fully aware of how many are in Broadwood. It’s all nonsense, really.
Danish @ 1130
Good point that re the free tickets which were then a regular part of the scene.
Canny ploy, as ever, by Charles le Grand Duc de Normandie.
BTW, when walking backwards for Christmas, would that be with or without the aid of a Mukkinese Battlehorn? 😀
mungoboy says:
December 10, 2014 at 12:38 pm
Assuming the suggestion that the free tickets took the attendance over the trigger point for that particular onerous contract is correct:
It must take a particularly devious mind to think up such a plan, no messing around with total matchday income, or even tickets sold, just bums on seats and cream the money off the top. And wasn’t there something about Rangers Charity buying tickets to give away free to the homeless? More worms around Ibrox than there’s cans to open!
Allyjambo says:
December 10, 2014 at 1:34 pm
10 0 Rate This
mungoboy says:
December 10, 2014 at 12:38 pm
Assuming the suggestion that the free tickets took the attendance over the trigger point for that particular onerous contract is correct:
It must take a particularly devious mind to think up such a plan, no messing around with total matchday income, or even tickets sold, just bums on seats and cream the money off the top. And wasn’t there something about Rangers Charity buying tickets to give away free to the homeless? More worms around Ibrox than there’s cans to open!
———-
Indeed, just a suggestion and a bit of idle speculation. May also have been metely to swell the crowds to record-breaking numbers.
Problematic precedent being set down south:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/dec/10/hereford-united-suspended-fa-football
“The club’s majority shareholder, Alan McCarthy, had been charged with acting as an officer of Hereford United without written confirmation from the FA to do so.
…
“The club and Mr McCarthy, officer of Hereford United FC, were ordered to fully and correctly comply with their obligations under the owners’ and directors’ test regulations by 4pm on Thursday 4 December 2014.
“Following consideration of a document submitted by the club, the Independent Regulatory Commission gave the parties until 4pm on Monday 8 December 2014 to submit further documentation to satisfy the orders of the commission.
“Having failed to provide the requested further documentation by the deadline, both Hereford United and Mr McCarthy shall remain suspended until such time as the order of the Independent Regulatory Commission has been complied with to the satisfaction of the commission.”
Alarm bells going off elsewhere?
CanuckBhoy says:
December 10, 2014 at 2:24 pm
Alarm bells going off elsewhere?
——————————————————————————–
No alarm bells, just the scratching of quills as our backwards administrators scribble up some hastily revised conditions to ensure all goes well for Big Mike frae Govan 😛
CanuckBhoy says:
December 10, 2014 at 2:24 pm
Alarm bells going off elsewhere?
—————–
No alarm bells. To paraphrase Christopher Marlowe “Thou hast committed Liquidation: but that was in another country, and besides, the club is dead”
Now that there has been some negative coverage of TRFC re: dwindling attendances…
Is it not about time that Smiler King reappeared with his latest takeover wheeze ?
After a failed ‘fans trust’, and an imaginary £16M takeover bid…mibbes he can organise a “Loyal Christmas Raffle” to finance his next attempt ? 🙄
ecobhoy says:
December 9, 2014 at 8:25 pm
“Anyone with info feel free to contribute – Such as who were the 4 investors who put £1 million into Rangers Youth Development Limited after it was incorporated in 18 November 2003?”
——————————
I see you have plugged this knowledge gap in a subsequent post so I can’t add to your conclusions.
More recently I do recall that Brian Stockbridge’s name did crop up as part of the youth development system (as you state) and also that Craig Mather was championing this cause for a time.
Claiming record attendances off the back of free tickets puts me in mind of the Philadelphia Bell of the World Football League. In 1974, the league’s first season, the Bell reported a startling combined attendance of over 120,000 for their first two home games. Within a few weeks it became apparent from tax returns that only around 20,000 tickets had actually been paid for. The Bell – and indeed the WFL itself – never really recovered from what the media dubbed the Papergate scandal, and both folded mid-season the following year, although obviously that couldn’t happen here. :irony:
Castofthousands says:
December 10, 2014 at 3:34 pm
2 0 Rate This
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That Craig Mather appointment as youth development director was all very puzzling at the time. Makes you now wonder who ultimately benefits from the Telfer cash. Perhaps the claim was so big because the proceeds need to be split so many ways?
Hereford? Could be MA is hoping to get his new club suspended by his brazen takeover of Ibrox! That would solve a few problems for him (like putting any insolvency blame on the authorities). Thing is, he can break any and every rule but the chances of suspension are remote, at best.
The 2010/11-2012/13 Business Plan (appeared online August 2013?)goes into some detail about the hopes for development of young players. The IPO prospectus has RFC Ltd owning 100% of the Ordinary Shares in Rangers Youth Development Ltd.
Seasons Greetings to all at TSFM, and a big thanks for keeping the public up to date with your insightful analysis of the goings on in our game. I have not posted for several months as I am more than a little busy, but I do try to keep up with events and still find TSFM the best by some distance.
Much has happened over the past while but little has changed. We still have a supine administration who have demonstrated as recently as yesterday where their allegiences ‘lie’ and remain wedded to a twisted version of events underpinned by reasoning which would make a Jesuit blush.
I may be wrong about this, but IMO the most significant occurance in our game in recent months may well be the arrival of Ann Budge at Tynecastle. I have always been hopeful that if one, just one, prominent stakeholder was to break ranks, others would inevitably follow and we could all agree that we are witness to the emperor’s nakedness. Alas, Such is the power of the ancient regime it was always going to take a newcomer and I hope Ann Budge continues her sensible utterances and, more importantly others offer words of support rather than continue to pursue the self interest that has been so damaging to the game. Steven Thompson, Peter lawwell (and the rest), could perhaps engage with this new presence in the game and who knows the timing for once, may be fortuitous as the next few months may offer the game an real opportunity for change…….if the forces for progress are working in concert.
Its Phil time!!! http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/no-comment-no-denial/
paulsatim says:
December 10, 2014 at 4:56 pm
Very, very interesting, but we must remember, not saying no, doesn’t mean yes. My wife has never understood that 😐
If BDO really did send in the lawyers, then that is very interesting indeed. The only possibles I can think of, apart from BDO, are DUFC and the SFA. Maybe a journalist should ask them?
Lots of what ifs here:
BDO would have been aware of the Telfer tribunal. They are attempting to get as much back for creditors as possible. They are probably also aware that TRFC are obligated to pay all footballing debts of RFC(NIL). Would they possibly have had a quiet word with the SFA requesting that the portion of the fee relating to pre-liquidation should be paid to them rather than TRFC? Could they have advised the SFA what course of action they might take if this request was not agreed to? And could this explain why the SFA left it to the clubs to put their spin on the verdict rather than detailing it themselves? Could it also explain why DUFC didn’t use an OCNC argument – as BDO had already got in there?
Lots of speculation, please feel free to pick holes in it.
AmFearLiathMòr says:
December 10, 2014 at 12:33 pm
================
exactly AFLM, at Broadwood and all other grounds they know exactly the number attending whether by ticket, turnstile or electronically. They won’t get a license to operate otherwise on HSE requirements alone. That’s why, if you want to know the attendance, you can get FOI data from the police (how ridiculous is that?) for any ground any time as long as you wait long enough.
If we can’t get clubs to report attendance honestly what chance do we have with the important stuff?
Spotted this on CQN and hadn’t thought about till then.
When Wallace and Nash left the board the announcement to the LSE included thanks to both of them for their excellent and hard work during challenging/ difficult times.
Today’s announcement merely stated quite curtly that Crighton had left with immediate effect.
So…….. What did Norman do that merited no thanks?
CanuckBhoy says:
December 10, 2014 at 2:24 pm
Problematic precedent being set down south:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/dec/10/hereford-united-suspended-fa-football
============================================
A bit puzzling because it appears that: The Independent Regulatory Commission has as its objective:
‘To be an independent arbiter in all matters relating to the sale of electricity’.
Not quite sure how they end-up mediating – mibbe the club didn’t pay the leccie bill 🙄
Was it correct when I heard Neil Doncaster was a member of the independent tribunal?
So someone with a vested interest in the success of one club above all others is now independent. Neil will be hoping that the £200K helps ‘The Rangers’ back to their rightful place.
Meanwhile it is to be hoped that a reporter asks the simple question as to why the story on ‘The Rangers’ website was altered.
Struth………………….. and I don’t mean Bill.
justshatered says:
December 10, 2014 at 7:19 pm
Meanwhile it is to be hoped that a reporter asks the simple question as to why the story on ‘The Rangers’ website was altered.
___________________________________
A Scottish journalist asking that would be a story in itself! The answer being published would be…well, it just wouldn’t happen!
mungoboy says:
December 10, 2014 at 6:07 pm
Spotted this on CQN and hadn’t thought about till then.
When Wallace and Nash left the board the announcement to the LSE included thanks to both of them for their excellent and hard work during challenging/ difficult times.
Today’s announcement merely stated quite curtly that Crighton had left with immediate effect.
So…….. What did Norman do that merited no thanks?
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Good spot mungoboy
In my experience a Management Statement is always circulated to staff when a top level person leaves the company. Certain protocols are followed including a comment thanking the person who is leaving. The business speak “code” for being fired is to exclude any “thanks” and include the phrase “with immediate effect”
The aim is to let staff know that the executive is leaving under a cloud
However
The target audience for an RNS is not the employees.
It is generally aimed at the Regulatory Bodies, Brokers , Small Shareholders, Fund Managers who have invested in the business and Fund Managers who haven’t invested.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
So what can we deduce from the Crighton RNS?
IMO
This is an attempt by the RIFC Board including LLambias to darken Norman Crighton`s reputation in the City of London
It infers that Crighton is associated with some past event or series of events which are not acceptable to the Board This is the reason he has been asked to leave.
So what could Norman have done to warrant being treated like this?
It could be that Norman has been fired for leaking confidential information .However it would be a cheap shot to attempt to blacken his name as an act of revenge
IMO
Either
Norman is about to blow the whistle to a Regulatory Body
Or
Norman was outvoted at a recent Board Meeting and does not want to be associated with implementing the decision
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
We won`t have long to wait
If Norman is a whistle blower we can expect some timeous action affecting RIFC by AIM or the FSA or maybe even the Bill
If Norman represented Laxey on the Board he may well be leaving because the Spivs have enough votes to dilute the Laxey holding after the AGM. So we could expect Ashley to be on the side of the Spivs since if he voted with Laxey he could prevent a 75% vote to dis apply pre-emption rights
Goody,
Interesting that you should raise the fact that Norman may have been fired for leaking confidential information.
In a recent blog Phil hinted that the Big House went into a bit of a tizzy over his revelations about the McLeod transfer situation and where any monies might be destined.
He said that anger was being concentrated on the wrong guy they thought might be a source of info.
“Rash conclusions were jumped to as regards the provenance of the scoop” …… See “In the Loop” over at Phil’s.
Was Norman put in the frame?
Interesting isn’t it.
I’ve still to catch up with things today but just been reading Phil’s BDO piece.
If it comes to pass that BDO make a legal claim to the Rangers Oldco share of the compensation figure then surely Rangers have massively shot themselves in the foot? I’d expect they would get less than the £100k offered by Dundee Utd in that case.
And maybe thats exactly why Dundee Utd thought if they offered 60-100k it would be accepted. I’d imagine if Dundee Utd and Sevco had come to an agreement over a transfer fee then BDO would have no claim on that.
IF this was the case then Sevco just shot themselves in both feet in their desperate attempt to bully the world into believing they are in fact something they are clearly not.
Shame.
Sorry, Goody!
Meant to type Goosy.
Predictive etc…
GoosyGoosy says:
December 10, 2014 at 7:43 pm
“…If Norman represented Laxey on the Board he may well be leaving because the Spivs have enough votes to dilute the Laxey holding after the AGM. So we could expect Ashley to be on the side of the Spivs since if he voted with Laxey he could prevent a 75% vote to dis apply pre-emption rights”
_____________________________________________________
It was mooted on here earlier that jonny come lately may not be quite so late after all. Sorry can’t recall who mentioned it but if the support for disapplication comes to fruition as Goosy intimates then it certainly lends substance to the claim.
For those of you interested in attending Euro2016 the first opportunity to purchase any tickets you want began at 5.00pm today. See link below for full details.
SPOILER ALERT – Wealth off the radar required.
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/finals/hospitality/index.html?emv_mid=1115006589&emv_rid=1132281865008
campsiejoe says:
December 10, 2014 at 11:33 am
‘ John Clark
Have you seen this from
ecobhoy December 9, 2014 at 11:39 pm ..’
———
I had seen it, thanks,campsiejoe, and I think he is more likely to be correct than I am. Maybe I was taking the very long view that the purchase of the main assets by Sevco Scotland might itself be called into question and rendered legally null and void, let alone any purchase of the Youth development stuff!
Although, for all our mockery, CG was/is no fool and was probably wise enough to get really good legal advice relating to every conceivable ‘property’-bodies, souls, naming rights, etc- although he did become unstuck with TUPE!
arabest1 says:
December 10, 2014 at 4:26 pm
63 4 Rate This
Much has happened over the past while but little has changed. We still have a supine administration who have demonstrated as recently as yesterday where their allegiences ‘lie’ and remain wedded to a twisted version of events underpinned by reasoning which would make a Jesuit blush.
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Arabest…good to see you post so well…however, I can only assume that the four TDs to your “credit” are from the anti-Jesuit faction of this glorious blog…. 👿
mungoboy says:
December 10, 2014 at 8:23 pm
‘…..Was Norman put in the frame?
Interesting isn’t it.’
———–
Are there any two directors in either TRFC or RIFC plc who could possibly trust one another? Do even the brothers trust one another?
The whole saga is playing out like a Jacobean tragedy- blood ( thus far, only metaphorically speaking)all over the stage as each succeeding faction slaughters its rivals, only to be slaughtered in its turn. ‘The Duchess of Malfi’ has nothing in it in comparison.
Interesting is rather too mild a word. 😀
How much simpler would life have been if TRFC had just been told by the football authorities and the media.
1. We can’t regard you as the same club, as the previous club was incorporated into the company which has been liquidated.
2. We do however recognise that the new club holds very strong links to the old club and that the fans will see little difference.
3. The new club however, will have to build it’s own history, but the the previous club’s history will of course remain in the record books with a cut off year of 2012.
4. The new club will have much to offer the Scottish game, conditional on acceptance of the first three points.
upthehoops says:
December 10, 2014 at 9:39 pm
‘… if TRFC had just been told by the football authorities and the media.
———-
You forgot point 5- ” honours and trophies won by cheating the Football Authorities and all other clubs by NOT abiding by the rules relating to disclosure of all emoluments of whatever kind paid to players will be revoked, cancelled, and otherwise consigned to the bin.”
And a word of apology to us all from the master cheat himself would not go amiss!
neepheid says:
December 10, 2014 at 5:07 pm
If BDO really did send in the lawyers, then that is very interesting indeed. The only possibles I can think of, apart from BDO, are DUFC and the SFA. Maybe a journalist should ask them?
================
Which in fairness they (in this case the DR) may have and I posted a link on this yesterday.
“But after a lawyer representing United had forced Rangers to pull it off their website a new, shorter statement was put up – with no mention of the new club claim.”
No direct quotes so take your pick between Phil and the DR…
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-forced-u-turn-charlie-telfer-4778953?
upthehoops says:
December 10, 2014 at 9:39 pm
_____________________________________________
Excellent post.
Danish
When CWs filmic rights are fulfilled it will no doubt be filmed in Schizorama or split screen style. 😆
Les Hutchison made his money the old fashioned way .
He married the boss’s daughter, who herself became the boss when daddy passed away.
Thats not to take anything away from his own talent, i’m sure he’s successful in his own right, but it doesn’t hurt when the Mrs is loaded
Well OT but has been playing on my mind.
If EBT’s are loans and CO is a recipient of such loan and still has the loan. Conflict of Interest or maybe some influence, however small on his future decisions? His future employers might have wanted to know this small detail.
What about the rest of the loans. How many professionals have played against their former team, with this loan hanging over their head. Could this loan affect their performance on the park. Who knows? I’m sure I recall somebody has already done the groundwork on this, could I be pointed in the right direction!
I’m confused by it all!
Merry Christmas and remember!
‘No man is a failure who has friends’
MercDoc says:
December 10, 2014 at 11:06 pm
‘..If EBT’s are loans and CO is a recipient of such loan and still has the loan…..’
———-
If they do indeed be loans under the scheme devised by the pornographer/struck off solicitor, then , even if the lender says ‘forget about repayment’ the amount loaned is still taxable, on the death of the recipient.The estate left by the deceased will owe the tax due.
The tax on the amount of a loan that would scarcely fund a good night out is probably minimal. Nevertheless some widow or children of a deceased recipient of such a ‘loan’ might have cause to be feckin well aggrieved when HMRC call to collect from the estate of the loan beneficiary.
I used to think Neil Mccann was actually a good footballer.
I think he was a bloody smart cookie finance-wise as well!
John Clark says:
December 10, 2014 at 11:30 pm
‘I used to think Neil Mccann was actually a good footballer.
I think he was a bloody smart cookie finance-wise as well!’
——-
Meant to add ‘ in NOT agreeing to accept an EBT’
I think he was one of two, or maybe three, people who declined the offer of payment of the major part of salary by EBT.
Smart enough to see that anything that was a ‘loan’ might bloody well be called in at some future date, even if his club indemnified him against any tax liability.Because they could not, I imagine, give an assurance in writing that they would never ever seek repayment, since that would destroy any idea that it was a repayable loan.And the word of what we now know to have been a cheating SDM would…..
They do say that Britain has returned an almost Dickensian state regarding the huge disparity between rich and poor. If the DR report is true there’s a bit more evidence of it — the place man of the billionaire Ibrox controller has cancelled the Christmas party.
Scrooge indeed.
As poor Mabel used to say in ‘You Rang M’Lord?’ — ‘Where will it all end Mr Twelvetrees?’
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/stunned-rangers-staff-told-christmas-4785326
John Clark says:
December 11, 2014 at 12:23 am
Every so often I take another glance at that BBC list of EBT beneficiaries JC.
According to that, young Neil benefited to the tune of 500k via an EBT and the Beeb had seen his side letter as evidence too.
They were all at it . . . . 🙄 😉
Danish Pastry says:
They do say that Britain has returned an almost Dickensian state regarding the huge disparity between rich and poor. If the DR report is true there’s a bit more evidence of it — the place man of the billionaire Ibrox controller has cancelled the Christmas party.
Scrooge indeed.
As poor Mabel used to say in ‘You Rang M’Lord?’ — ‘Where will it all end Mr Twelvetrees?’
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/stunned-rangers-staff-told-christmas-4785326
—————
From the article: “If just one job can be saved by pulling the plug on a Christmas party then so be it.”
They were going to spend £800K on a Christmas party?
Nothing like cancelling Christmas to hack off employees.
My guess is, that combined with redundancies, there may be a few disgruntled employees heading to to the phones with tales of doom and gloom.
From the Bears Den: “Christmas will be the only time of the year where there isn’t a pantomime at Ibrox”
Jake Cantona says:
December 11, 2014 at 8:45 am
2 0 Rate This
From the Bears Den: “Christmas will be the only time of the year where there isn’t a pantomime at Ibrox”
. . . Oh Yes there Will !!!
rougvielovesthejungle says:
December 11, 2014 at 7:24 am
9 0 Rate This
John Clark says:
December 11, 2014 at 12:23 am
Every so often I take another glance at that BBC list of EBT beneficiaries JC.
According to that, young Neil benefited to the tune of 500k via an EBT and the Beeb had seen his side letter as evidence too.
They were all at it . . . . 🙄 😉
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Rougvie and JC….you will be pleased ( :irony: ?) to note that on account of HMRC’s legitimate anti-avoidance legislation, commonly known as the GAAR, or General Anti Avoidance Rule, EBT’s are making a comeback, and in a very refined form.
Without opening up an ancient can of worms, had the Murray Group administered Baxendale-Walkers’s schemes to the letter of the law, none of us would be blogging on here about the two (soon to be three!) football clubs playing in blue at a stadium in the Govan area.
John Clark says:
December 10, 2014 at 11:30 pm
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If the EBT available to CO is found to be a loan (after HMRC go to the Court of Session), then CO will be financially embarrassed in the sense that he would owe monies to a trust, associated with a former member Club.
I would assume that if CO believed that the EBT was a loan, then it must have crossed his mind to replay that loan, so not to be in any financial conflict between monies owed and his role at the SFA. If media reports are correct he settled his other financial affairs e.g. transfer of shares to another family member etc.
Was CO led to believe that the EBT was not a loan?
Long Time Lurker says:
December 11, 2014 at 8:56 am
Was CO led to believe that the EBT was not a loan?
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2116686/Rangers-crisis-Campbell-Ogilvie-received-95k-EBT-cash.html
The words of the conflicted one himself, for it is he-
Barcabhoy says:
December 10, 2014 at 10:47 pm
Les Hutchison made his money the old fashioned way.
He married the boss’s daughter, who herself became the boss when daddy passed away. Thats not to take anything away from his own talent, i’m sure he’s successful in his own right, but it doesn’t hurt when the Mrs is loaded.
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@Barca – I would say you’re becoming an old cynic but then I do know that you go way beyond most people in terms of your personal charity donations – so I’ll let you off this time 😆
However Les obviously had the talent to rise within the company so that he was actually known to the boss’s daughter who appears to have recognised that they were a good match and as a hopeless Romantic I believe the fit was good in both personal and business terms.
Of course a helluva lot of us actually form lasting personal and business partnerships with those we meet at or through work. It’s not for nothing we have the sayings: ‘You can judge a person by the company they keep’ and: ‘If you fly waera craws yi’ll be shot waera craws’.
One of these applies IMO to Les and his wife and the other to the revolving procession of spivs passing through the Ibrox Blue Room. I’m sure everyone can work out which is which 😉
The cancellation of the Ibrox Xmas shindig has had one unforseen consequence in that the traditional party game of ‘Pass the Parcel’ won’t take place.
But all is not lost as I’m sure normal traditions will be restored by the ever-dwindling podium band at the imminent agm. It will be interesting to see who ends-up with the parcel and what ‘favours’ it contains.
neepheid says:
December 11, 2014 at 9:33 am
Long Time Lurker says:
December 11, 2014 at 8:56 am
Was CO led to believe that the EBT was not a loan?
================
The words of the conflicted one himself, for it is he-
“…I don’t want to get into intricacies but you have to repay the loans over a period of time.”
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So how’s the repayments coming along Campbell? That’s 2 ½ years since you talked about the loans to the DR and 13 years since the first loan was granted.
You must have made a real dent in the loan sum outstanding by now. With your and the SFA’s commitment to transparency how much is left to be repaid?
£10K? £30K? £60K? £95K? Could you really have £95K still outstanding after all this time?
Crivens, that’s some fancy ‘loan’ arrangement, isn’t it? Just when DO you pay anything back?
Scottish Football needs the SMSM to do their job and ask CO some serious questions on this subject before he becomes conflicted again.
Raman Bhardwaj @STVRaman
McCoist: ”Stephen [Thompson] knew the rules before they got Charlie..you can’t moan about the rules… you have to abide by them”
🙄 🙄 🙄
An interesting post from the LSE share forum regarding the sudden amendment of the “Rangers” Telfer statement. I’ve no idea whether the poster knows what he’s talking about, by the way.
Martin says:
Raman Bhardwaj @STVRaman
McCoist: ”Stephen [Thompson] knew the rules before they got Charlie..you can’t moan about the rules… you have to abide by them”
——————-
I note that McCoist said “YOU have to abide by them”, and not “WE have to…” 🙄
Interesting to see the rumours connecting Dundee United to a buy-out of a struggling Austalian A-League team. They’ve been downplayed although it’s known that DU is seeking tie-ups with clubs worldwide – including Australia which Stephen Thomson has visited recently – to identify young talent.
It took me back to when Rangers bought the Australian club Northern Spirit in 2001.
http://www.theroar.com.au/2011/04/19/northern-spirits-story-of-failure-in-the-ashes-of-the-nsl/
Some pertinent quotes from the article some of which might be of relevance to the current Ibrox tale of woe:
Northern Spirit’s support was based in the Sydney area and in view of the often claimed gigantic loyal Rangers fanbase in Australia it seems strange that by the time the team died there was only a few hundred spectators watching the men in blue – yip they had changed their strip to match the Rangers colours – at their final game.
The possibility of history repeating itself truly is a cautionary Christmas tale which must send a shiver through the remnants of the Rangers Board as they contemplate perhaps their last Ibrox Xmas. Although I’m sure that thought will be a welcome relief for some.
neepheid says:
December 11, 2014 at 10:07 am
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Phil seems to be saying something similar and didnt get a denial from BDO.
neepheid says:
December 11, 2014 at 10:07 am
An interesting post from the LSE share forum regarding the sudden amendment of the “Rangers” Telfer statement. I’ve no idea whether the poster knows what he’s talking about, by the way.
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The LSE RFC site is a free-fire zone and I wouldn’t believe a word I read there. Still it’s good for a laugh most days 🙂
But the lack of activity in RFC share trades certainly means something – but what that is I haven’t a clue 🙂
Sad that Christmas has been cancelled down Edmiston Drive way but it’s not all doom and gloom.
I’m told by my north of the border spy that the Club Site is offering a full Christmas Experience at Ibrox for a family of 4 for just £40.
Seems you get to have access to all areas of the stadium and you finish up in Santa’s Grotto where a gift is included.
Wonder if it’ll one of those green rubber ducks they difficulty in shifting?
At least Ally and his 2 highly paid accomplices won’t be playing the Three Wise Men.
Final word of warning: watch out for the size of Santa’s hands plus the slight Yorkshire twang as he goes “Ho!Ho!Ho!”
With respect to our resident bean counters, cancelling Christmas is a real accountancy blind spot. I’ve seen it done at a few companies and in terms of knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing, it creates the greatest resentment for the least money saved of any austerity I’ve seen. First take the work hours that will be spent discussing it, then multiply by the removal of all doubt that it is now “us and them”, add in the hours that will be spent preparing CVs and scanning jobs on the web, then multiply by the irreparable loss of loyalty that will lead to careless and malicious leaks and gossip. How much did you save again ?
mcfc says:
December 11, 2014 at 11:22 am
With respect to our resident bean counters, cancelling Christmas is a real accountancy blind spot.
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Couldn’t agree more. But you have to remember this mightn’t be just about cutting costs. It could be all about sending out a Macho Mike message to potential City investors in the next share offer that Rangers will be financially turned around.
It could be argued that an increased shareholding especially if the disapplication of pre-exemption rights is voted through at the agm would dilute Ashley’s shareholding if he didn’t buy any new shares.
But if he has totally sewn-up the retail side and the contracts are bomb-proof then so what? The more fresh money investors bring through a share offer the less Ashley has to fork out from his pocket to keep the place going.
And the longer it lasts the more he makes – it really is simple. And there are indications that his merchandise control could survive an insolvency event.
On top of that he holds some very high cards in the deals he can bring to the Blue Room table wrt to player transfers especially on loan. So he can still retain a helluva lot of power at Ibrox without spending a penny in shares.
He’ll probably buy enough to retain his percentage I would imagine but we have yet to discover whether the SFA will allow that to be increased beyond the current 10% figure.
Lots happening down below out of sight in the engine room methinks even if the decorations, party hats, crackers and balloons have been removed from view. Well maybe the balloons will be left on show to soak-up fan ire at the Ibrox agm.
I’m sure the spivs and offshore investors will be far too busy with their Xmas Parties on sun-kissed overseas tax havens to spend a thought on the Bears other than wondering if the Ibrox gold mine will be just as productive next year – or possibly even better 😎
Drive for youth
By Ewing Grahame
12:01AM BST 21 Apr 2004
Rangers yesterday announced the privatisation of their youth policy as they attempt to claw back the lead champions Celtic appear to have over them in that department.
The club have formed a separate entity to be known as Rangers Youth Development Company, in order to fast-track their stars of the future. Four businessmen – Ian Russell, Paul Murray, Jim Whitelaw and Walter Nimmo – have contributed £1 million and Rangers have doubled that amount to fund the project.
The aim is to be self-financing by increasing the percentage of home-grown talent in the first team at Ibrox and there will be financial incentives for success: whenever a player who has come through the ranks has made 10 appearances for the senior side, the RYDC will receive a fee from Rangers in line with UEFA’s current compensation scheme for players under 23.
Ironically George Adams, the man in charge of the new company, was once employed by Celtic, where he was instrumental in the progress of players like David Marshall, John Kennedy, Shaun Maloney and Craig Beattie.
“I’m experienced enough to know that success at this level does not happen overnight,” he said. “It will be a long time before what we want to happen happens. At the moment we have some of the best talent at Under-15 level and below, but it will take four or five years to see the best of them.”
Did I miss it????
With much publicity generated this week by Derek Llambias’s refusal to accept a bespoke Rangers blazer and flannels,I had to laugh at the Daily Record article on the Xmas party being cancelled this year, which contained the line
“last year all workers received a voucher worth £50 from Marks and Spencer as well as a free knees-up on the company in one of stadium’s corporate suits”
Who’s doing the tailoring for Rangers – Evans?
Former Rangers’ administrators agree to transfer insolvency work while police investigations continue
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/business/professionals/former-rangers-administrators-agree-transfer-4787966
Bawsman @ 12.11pm:
“Did I miss it?”
Assuming you mean the first-team talent produced by the Rangers youth system around five years after the article in question:
Among others Andrew Little (now Preston North End), Gregg Wylde (St. Mirren), Jordan McMillan (Partick Thistle), Danny Wilson (Hearts, after a spell at Liverpool), Kyle Hutton (Rangers Redux), and Jamie Ness (Stoke City, on loan at Crewe Alexandra) all came through between 2009 and 2010 and are still professionals at a high level, with 17-year-old Andrew Shinnie (starred for Inverness C.T., now at Birmingham City) and 16-year-old John Fleck (Coventry City) coming through just before them from pretty much the same year group.
It’s not a who’s who of top-class internationals, but as youth teams go it’s pretty decent. Who knows what they could have become with a greater club focus on youth development?
smartie1947 says:
December 11, 2014 at 12:26 pm
Who’s doing the tailoring for Rangers?
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Black’s of Greenock for some 😆
mungoboy says:
December 11, 2014 at 11:21 am
……………………………
There is every possibility those who trudge through Santa’s Groto at Ibrox maybe included in the crowd figures for the next home game 😀 especially if Santa’s voice has a Yorkshire twang and has hands the size of the old Kenny Everitt character Brotherlee love… 😀
ecobhoy says:
December 11, 2014 at 12:48 pm
…………
Do they have a tailors in Barlinnie?…just asking like!
Bawsman says:
December 11, 2014 at 12:11 pm
The aim is to be self-financing by increasing the percentage of home-grown talent in the first team at Ibrox and there will be financial incentives for success: whenever a player who has come through the ranks has made 10 appearances for the senior side, the RYDC will receive a fee from Rangers in line with UEFA’s current compensation scheme for players under 23.
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Wondering how many youngsters like Aird, McKay and McLeod played the 10 games that resulted in the club giving a fee to RYDC and where that money went. IIRC both Stockbridge and Green were Directors, so perhaps they could assist in such matters.
On cancelling Christmas, I should have mentioned customer service dropping through the floor. On a recent night flight with United, the woman in front of me offered a ten dollar bill as payment for a glass of wine . the attendant replied very politely in a strong southern drawl, “I’m sorry ma’am, I can only accept cards, United don’t trust us with your money.”
wottpi says:
December 11, 2014 at 12:56 pm
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Bawsman says:
December 11, 2014 at 12:11 pm
The aim is to be self-financing by increasing the percentage of home-grown talent in the first team at Ibrox and there will be financial incentives for success: whenever a player who has come through the ranks has made 10 appearances for the senior side, the RYDC will receive a fee from Rangers in line with UEFA’s current compensation scheme for players under 23.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Wondering how many youngsters like Aird, McKay and McLeod played the 10 games that resulted in the club giving a fee to RYDC and where that money went. IIRC both Stockbridge and Green were Directors, so perhaps they could assist in such matters.
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I don’t think there is a problem with “where the money went”, it would appear that the RYD was a service provider to RFC.
Rangers, around this time, had quite a fixation on having KPI’s triggered by appearances. There was at least one player who was benched on his 49th (or something random number) appearance till his contract/loan run out. I think he was a loanee from Everton (Ball??). I think the club was very ‘inventive’ with money/payments/accounts etc.
MercDoc says:
December 10, 2014 at 11:06 pm
I understand that the reality is that the EBT were paid out of a Trust that was/is independent (legally), managed by trustees who would decide who to award a loan to.
Whilst it might be “obvious” who influences said decisions, this apparently cannot be proved in law. This is despite claims that loans were “discretionary”, that the 108 sub trusts were only set up for employees of the group of companies, that there was no guiding criteria for how the decision were made and, by pure coincidence of course, 100% of loan applications were granted to all who applied. 🙄
At its root, the “system” is not all that different from a spiv transferring his ill-gotten gains to his maw’s bank account and getting his pocket money as and when he needs it. The funds become unattached to the spiv and cannot be recovered.
We can guess all we like a this. Again, with the “independent” nature of the trust it makes it an exercise in futility – The “Employees’ Remuneration Trust” doesn’t have a team in Scotland so no one plays against the provider of any loans.
If you have the stomach for it, the ruling is here: http://www.tribunals.gov.uk/financeandtax/Documents/decisions/HMRC-v-Murray-G.pdf
However, this line may save you a lot of trouble: “While we accept that there was a degree of orchestration in the arrangements made with employees, we are satisfied that these fall short of enabling an absolute transfer of funds to the employee.”
http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/financial-fair-play-explained.php
Post above with a good graphic explaining how fines work in England based on Championship and LEague 1&2 club accounts which had to be submitted by 1 December 2014.
Last month Championship clubs agreed a new set of ‘Profitability and Sustainability’ Regulations that will bring the division’s approach to Financial Fair Play into line with that used by the Premier League.
Read more at http://www.football-league.co.uk/news/article/2014/20141106-championship-financial-fair-play-rules-rg-2066799.aspx#B2STxbfGHu4L5pl1.99
Well it looks as though down south are serious about this – I suppose Hampden will wait and see how a little local difficulty works out because the problem with ffp is you have to decide at whal loss level the penalties kick-in.
Still I’m sure the suits are on the ball and cooking something up 😉
rougvielovesthejungle says:
December 11, 2014 at 7:24 am
John Clark says:
December 11, 2014 at 12:23 am
Every so often I take another glance at that BBC list of EBT beneficiaries JC.
According to that, young Neil benefited to the tune of 500k via an EBT and the Beeb had seen his side letter as evidence too.
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Had a look myself and it occurred to me (though no doubt I’m wrong and have missed something explained here ages ago) that there are a lot side-letters supposed to have been seen by the BBC. A lot more I think than HMRC were able to present to the tribunal. Or have I missed or forgotten something? I surely must have and would be grateful for having whatever it is pointed out to me.