About the The Scottish Football Monitor

The purpose of The Scottish Football Monitor is to pay homage to, and carry on the work of the groundbreaking RangersTaxCase blog (RTC). The aim of the Scottish Football Monitor is to cast a questioning and watchful eye on Scottish Football officialdom and the compliant mainstream media (MSM).

Scottish football, in the immediate wake of the Rangers FC liquidation, faces great challenges. The MSM have provided no sensible checks or balances on the actions of the authorities. The Scottish Football Monitor aims to provide those checks and balance.

The cosy relationship that has existed between the media and people at the top of Scottish Football has dissuaded those who may otherwise be moved to blow the whistle on wrongdoing. The Scottish Football Monitor aims, through time, and by winning the trust of ordinary fans, to fill a gap in the football media in Scotland that has been up to now filled only by RTC.

The Rangers FC saga, its consequences, and consequences of the accompanying stream of untruths and misdirection fed to us by the MSM is far from over. RTC was successful in getting the previously buried truth of the Rangers tax case into the mainstream despite a hostile MSM reaction. The Scottish Football Monitor hopes to use the skills and expertise of those in our community to a cast light on matters that those in authority would have concealed, or at least present alternative arguments to those being presented as having none.

Scottish Football Monitor asks contributors to remember only a few things;

1. The site is not the domain of any one club and is open to fans of all clubs.

2. Absolutely no discussion with regard to religion should take place.

3. Posters should refrain from using foul or abusive language.

Welcome to The Scottish Football Monitor

This entry was posted in General by Trisidium. Bookmark the permalink.
Tom Byrne

About Trisidium

Trisidium is a Dunblane businessman with a keen interest in Scottish Football. He is a Celtic fan, although the demands of modern-day parenting have seen him less at games and more as a taxi service for his kids.

2,167 thoughts on “About the The Scottish Football Monitor


  1. So we’re back to the specious ‘financial advice’ argument:-

    “I left it all to my lawyer/financial adviser etc”. In McLeish’s case, his lawyer was with him “every step of the way”. Aye – Murray’s Way!

    All the benificiaries quite happily, and no doubt in ignorance (!), left ‘technicalities’ to their advisers who will now will plead ignorance or, eventually, as the ‘cracks’ appear, blame others.

    However, it’s all really quite simple …

    Naebudy thought they’d get caught!


  2. Para Handy says: August 6, 2012 at 23:32
    Good; thank you for asking, although office too close to some of the Soho pubs…

    BowenBoys says: August 7, 2012 at 00:44
    MARSHALL Struan WMG Management 33 Soho Square – 5th Floor LONDON W1D 3QU

    Wait a minute…..

    Hehe joking aside, I work down by Borough Market and used to work on Haymarket so there’s a few decent boozers I know round there. If there’s ever a meeting of the SFM Exiles give me a shout 🙂


  3. Charlie Brown says: August 7, 2012 at 11:09
    Working for the BBC…whilst admitting he participated in a scheme.

    Also did Dodds declare this conflict of interest to Sky when he was acting as a pundit? After all if he owes £190k for an outstanding loan, which may or may not be influenced by his former team, surely that brings in question his impartiality…

    So we write a joint letter to all the newspapers on this? 😉


  4. Anent the future shaping of TSFM, the great paradox is that its strength comes in large measure from the anonymity of its contributors, which allows us to report what we believe to be facts, as well as what we what we would like to be facts,and our speculations about the significance of various inputs, and so on without the constraints that perhaps the print media ( to be,as we always try to be, more fair to them than they to us) can labour under.

    Another strength has been the realisation that, broadly speaking, we are all equal in the sense that there is not an editorial board ( elected or unelected) that determines ‘policy’, albeit some right of ‘moderation’ is necessarily vested in ‘TSFM the person.

    The downside of anonymity is that it seems to inhibit the possibility of the blog having ( as said before) a corporeal, ‘real’ existence , with representatives empowered to take directly into the public domain the consensus view(s) expressed by the general run of posters on any particular aspect of football administration and coverage.

    Because in order to be properly representative in a way that would be recognised by the outside world, we would require to have the kind of mechanisms for elections and so on that democratic organisations need to have.

    That would blow the concept of anonymity to the winds, and perhaps thereby diminish the effectiveness of the blog.

    I don’t know how that paradox can be easily resolved without at least some group of posters being willing to renounce their anonymityto serve as a de facto ‘board with the right to gauge ‘majority poster opinion’ and go out on behalf of the blog to express that opinion from time to time.

    All other things being equal, in spite of the manifold difficulties that would have to be overcome,it is not absolutely outwith the bounds of possibility that TSFM the Blog could aspire even to become a registered Charity as a voluntary organisation!

    I am pretty sure that there are users of the blog who know a whole lot about this kind of thing. Perhaps some of them could give us the benefit of their expertise in even sketching out all that might be involved in trying to go down the road of giving the blog a publicly identifiable legal body?
    Maybe not now, when things seem to be coming to a boil, but for a quiet, wet Sunday.


  5. some juicy tweets from @rangerstaxcase happening just now – wish I understood them all!

    newspaper industry let itself down again today – maybe some Sunday papers could put some more time into analysis this week? nah didn’t think so


  6. Could RTC be about to pull the trigger ?

    Rangers Tax-Case ‏@rangerstaxcase

    Do you think it would be useful to release a couple of example ‘road maps’ for SPL investigators? So they know exactly what to look for?


  7. Jockybhoy

    I don’t agree a witchhvnt against Billy Dodds is appropriate indeed it might be a bit vindictive considering he was only one individual out of almost a hvndred who participated in the EBT scheme. I agree with highlighting the inadequacies and gaps in his statements and explanations and seeking further clarifications from him where appropriate however to his credit at least he has broken silence and been prepared to speak in public, live and on record about it.

    What about the others who remain shameless and in hiding keeping silent.

    Iam not a great fan of Dodds by any means but i’ve more respect for him for at least going public on it than the literally dozens and dozens of others who took the money but still keep their head below the parapet.


  8. seems RTC’s work is never done 😉

    There may be a ‘road map’ to the paper chase that will dispel Mr Murray’s recent PR statement. RTC will post up on the site in a couple of days 🙂

    RTC also makes an interesting point which no one has really picked up on.

    How can RFC / Murray recall the loans if they were genuinely administered by a third party ……?


  9. jockybhoy says:
    August 7, 2012 at 11:33

    1

    0

    Rate This

    Charlie Brown says: August 7, 2012 at 11:09
    Working for the BBC…whilst admitting he participated in a scheme.

    Also did Dodds declare this conflict of interest to Sky when he was acting as a pundit? After all if he owes £190k for an outstanding loan, which may or may not be influenced by his former team, surely that brings in question his impartiality…

    So we write a joint letter to all the newspapers on this? 😉
    ___________________________________________________________________________

    An interesting point, which if taken a step further would imply that all ex employees who benefitted from the EBT scheme are, according to (S)DM indebted to a trust run on behalf of RFC-ia (i.e. all players, managers, coaching staff, journalists & agents who are now employed by clubs other than RFC-ia) and therefore have a conflict of interest that would surely be of interest to the likes of FIFA and UEFA?


  10. campsiejoe says:

    August 7, 2012 at 11:49

    Could RTC be about to pull the trigger ?

    Rangers Tax-Case ‏@rangerstaxcase

    Do you think it would be useful to release a couple of example ‘road maps’ for SPL investigators? So they know exactly what to look for?
    —————————————————————

    Beat me to it drat. I thought the same when I read it. Asks for a day or two to put it together. Can’t wait 🙂


  11. Allyjambo Taxpayer @ 12:06

    Like yourself, I can’t wait

    RTC has always said he had the information, and would release it when appropriate
    If you recall, on the day of the 2nd Daly documentary, he told us all about Nerlinger’s EBT, just to whet our appetite
    If they thought he had gone away, the were very much mistaken


  12. Maybe our friends in the MSM will publish said road map next to the New Clubs season ticket hotline information that they have been so keen on printing……………………….nah, didn’t think so either


  13. Some credit due to Mr Dodds for putting his head above the parapit.

    Some questions that I would like to see being put to Mr Dodds:

    Have you had any assistance, coaching etc. in terms of responding to questions put to you on creation, management and administration of payments made to you through EBT? And if so, from whom?

    Were you asked to give evidence to the FTTT in writing and/or in person?

    Did you give evidence to the FTTT if so requested?

    Did you have to receive permission from Murray International Holdings and/or RFC (IA) to publicially discuss your EBT?


  14. agropelican says:

    August 7, 2012 at 12:08

    Excellent idea!


  15. I wondering if it’s possible that RTC has indeed been privvy to the verdict and is now (in the shape of a “road-map”) about out to release, the information that he/she was only going to divulge following the publications of the findings.
    Go RTC, fill yer boots!


  16. Long Time Lurker says: 12:20

    Maybe you could find some way to encourage our ‘intelligentsia’ to submit worthy posts as guest articles.

    Come on you ‘intelligentsia’ you (and we) know who you are.


  17. there are contact TSFM options available at the top of the page if people want to submit or suggest anything.


  18. What’s all this talk on Kerrydale Street about a former Rangers boss and injunctions?


  19. BartinMain says:
    August 7, 2012 at 12:40
    1 0 Rate This
    What’s all this talk on Kerrydale Street about a former Rangers boss and injunctions?
    ====================================================================

    I don’t know perhaps you could enlighten us or give us some context? Not everybody is a Celts fan or read KDS Bartin so some explanation or copy n paste would help. 🙂


  20. oops – that game was on saturday past there :blush:


  21. Here’s a nice story with some real Scottish fitba history attached to it – also a free entry game on Saturday if anybody’s at loose end.

    http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/news/article/historic-gane-this-saturday/

    Historic game this Saturday
    « backall articles »Thursday 2nd August 2012

    Two of Scotland’s most famous names are to meet this Saturday in a battle for silverware more than 100 years since either side lifted the oldest Cup the world, the Scottish Cup and more than 40 years since they both dropped out of the senior ranks.

    Third Lanark host Edinburgh club St. Bernard’s for the right to claim the Rifle Volunteers Cup at Petershill Park with a 2.00pm kick off and it is free to watch.

    Thirds, who lifted the Scottish Cup in 1889 and 1905 before going out of business in 1967, won the inaugural meeting 3-2 in the capital last season with 1895 Scottish Cup winners St Bernard’s, who have spent almost 7 decades out of senior football out for revenge.

    Former Taggart and River City actor Simon Weir, who is now the Chairman of Third Lanark said, “These games are between new clubs that have arisen from what remained of two old ones and they have a real sense of history attached. Both clubs were born out of the Territorial Army in the nineteenth century and they shared many players.”

    “The first professional footballer killed in the First World War, John Ferguson, who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, would often guest for St Bernard’s during his time as a Third Lanark player.”

    Weir added, “We are now looking forward to building a long and close relationship like the one that would have been there between the clubs in the past.”

    The next time the sides meet it could well be at Third’s former home of Cathkin Park after the re-born club were given a Saturday afternoon let for their old ground by owners Glasgow City Council that begins later this month.

    When Third’s left Cathkin in 1967 after they went burst, the ground eventually fell into the ownership of the Council amid much legal wrangling and they have kept the grass pitch in use for amateur sides. Games are played in a ghostly atmosphere with the playing area surrounded on three sides by what remains of the terracing that has been in place for over one hundred and ten years.

    Weir said, “I cannot wait for Third Lanark to return to Cathkin and take the pitch once more. I am sure we will play St Bernard’s there again and what a great occasion that will be.”

    ENTRANCE TO GAME ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 4 IS FREE OF CHARGE


  22. Charlie Brown says:

    August 7, 2012 at 11:51

    Jockybhoy

    I don’t agree a witchhvnt against Billy Dodds is appropriate indeed it might be a bit vindictive considering he was only one individual out of almost a hvndred who participated in the EBT scheme. I agree with highlighting the inadequacies and gaps in his statements and explanations and seeking further clarifications from him where appropriate however to his credit at least he has broken silence and been prepared to speak in public, live and on record about it.

    What about the others who remain shameless and in hiding keeping silent.

    Iam not a great fan of Dodds by any means but i’ve more respect for him for at least going public on it than the literally dozens and dozens of others who took the money but still keep their head below the parapet.
    ———————————————————————————–

    While Dodds has been a tad unfortunate in being caught with his head above the parapet it is not through choice and is merely the consequence of being a radio pundit. He remains uncritical of the Murray years, or of RFC, and his words have merely been an attempt to plead his innocence. I agree, however, that he is not deserving of a witch hont but he is a rotten broadcaster and a Rangers’ appologist to boot! If he should become the first recipient of an EBT to condemn both Rangers and Murray for using the scheme/scam, then he will gain some respect. I’m sure in his case, and others, he was unaware of the implications of the EBTs and was, in fact, not really benefitting from it as he got no more than he would have, had his contract been properly administered.


  23. jockybhoy says:
    August 7, 2012 at 11:28
    2 0 i
    Rate This

    Para Handy says: August 6, 2012 at 23:32
    Good; thank you for asking, although office too close to some of the Soho pubs…

    BowenBoys says: August 7, 2012 at 00:44
    MARSHALL Struan WMG Management 33 Soho Square – 5th Floor LONDON W1D 3QU

    Wait a minute…..

    Hehe joking aside, I work down by Borough Market and used to work on Haymarket so there’s a few decent boozers I know round there. If there’s ever a meeting of the SFM Exiles give me a shout

    =======================================================================

    Jockybhoy…mark me down…!


  24. Reply to Puff Helps says:

    August 7, 2012 at 11:59

    Probably been highlighted on RTC before but would owing an SFA member club money (via EBT ‘loan’) itself not constitute a financial irregularity and possible bias towards that club in the case of Mr Campbell Ogilvie ?


  25. Regarding dodds’ comments about his lawyer handling everything, is there no code of ethics or law for lawyers that states that they must explain to their client what their signing? If there is will the lawyer get punished, if not, whats the point in dodds hireing a lawyer?


  26. Sandaza joins ‘rangers’ on wage 10 times what Saints were able to pay him. As Sarah said last night, its not really a level playing field is it?


  27. I don’t think it a case of witchhvnt against Billy Dodds. It is simply asking him to tell the truth. He said that we will all have to wait for the enquiry to find out what happened, but we don’t. He could tell us. Either him or DM is telling lies. Which one ? If he wishes not to comment on this matter then he needs to resign from the BBC. Why are the BBC paying him for what are effectively “no comment” interviews


  28. Stevensanph

    Last season St.Johnstone´s average attendance was about a 10th of Rangers.


  29. Looked more closely at Murray’s statement and the two consecutive sentences about contracts and EBTs. Often it’s what’s not said that’s more important. The exact sequence is,

    “Rangers agreed contracts of employment with its players (and staff). The EBT scheme involved the contribution of funds into an offshore discretionary trust managed by independent trustees.”

    Where’s the conjunction between the two sentences? There isn’t because it is important to maintain the fiction that the loans weren’t contractual. But why the preceding sentence? All employees have a contract with their employer. It is a completely unnecessary statement. It doesn’t add anything or make sense. Unless of course he’s doing what he’s always done, speaking with forked tongue. To HMRC, no contract, to the agent who negotiated the contract, of course your client has a deal that includes guaranteed benefits. You can almost hear him say “my word is my bond”! And the reply…..”can I have that in writing Mr Chairman.”.


  30. Stevensanph.

    Thats probably ten times more than Trfc can afford to pay him as well. At least St. J wont go bust trying to pay it.


  31. Sir David Murray has put a helluva lot of wonga into people’s pockets or else some of the most succulent lamb and finest red wine on people’s plates and into their glasses – those recipients are not surprisingly not forming an orderly queue round the block to criticize him.

    That will be the job for those of us unconflicted by his apparent generosity.


  32. The real question is this. Who is paying for players’ wages, management, admin, maintenance, etc, etc. There is basically no money (or very little) coming in from the public. Somebody, somewhere,. must be bankrolling Sevco, and big time. Who? SDM? Whyte? Green’s mates? The tooth fairy? Do the SFA know? Sevco are running an SPL budget in SFL3. How, and why? Are they really on a promise of SPL next season? They must be, surely. And who has made that promise? So many questions, so few answers. My advice, as always- follow the money! You may find a Sir David at the end of the trail.


  33. Jambo JammyT making a good point about the signings of Black, Sandaza, Kyle etc

    Posted Today, 13:09

    I think they are gambling on reconstruction within a year.

    I dont believe for a minute that any promises CAN have been made on this.

    Look at what happened with the CVA, the SPL vote, the Division 1 vote. Green suggested he had been told all would go in his favour – none did. I would imagine that Green has told these signings that promises have been made. I’d imagine Green is telling the succulent lamb brigade that promises have been made.

    I dont believe they have.

    Rangers had a real chance here to build themselves as a proper team again. What I mean by that is not just change their behaviours at director and management level (which they haven’t – arrogance, disdain to the rest of Scottish football etc continues apace) but also at football level.

    Take the opportunity that Div 3 football would provide to play some of their better youth players – not only would do this benefit Rangers it would, no doubt, in 3 years or so benefit Scotland (well maybe more likely N Ireland I guess) but anyway, this return to the cash splash (it is now largely scottish journeymen rather than foreigners but it is still spending above what they need) is part of them trying to reimpose their “biggness” on Scottish football.

    What a set of twats

    Just when you think you couldnt detest them even more


  34. The crook, the thief, his strife and the pornogropher.

    A belting summer read.


  35. agropelican says:

    August 7, 2012 at 12:08

    The Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan post @ 21:38 should have been a Scottish Football Monitor article and not some post buried away.

    ____________________________________________
    I agree, this post should be elevated to article status.


  36. I agree with Allyjambo Taxpayer says: August 7, 2012 at 12:45 that Dodds kind of painted himself into a corner on this issue (and also that Dodds is “a rotten broadcaster and a Rangers’ appologist”).

    TBH Charlie Brown I’m not after a witchvnt, it was more a dig at the alledged “conflicts of interest” bullsh… that the trio of Rangers Fan Associations were banging on about (hence the winky smiley).

    That said, if/when these EBTs ever fully get into the public domain, it’ll be interesting to see who had what & when. And whether those EBTs, still operating or not, may have influenced actions or statements to Rangers’ benefit or others’ detriment…. I’m looking at you Mssrs Ogilvy & Smith (G).

    & EssexBC – I wasn’t volunterring but your interest is noted!


  37. http://www.beyondthepitch.net/podcasts/edition/index.cfm/beyond-the-pitch/2012/08/03/sean-hamil/

    Friday, August 03, 2012

    Anto is joined once again by Sean Hamil of the Birkbeck Sport Business Centre in London to take a look back at the 2011 House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee Enquiry into the Governance of Football that attempted to take a very thorough and sobering look at how football was being managed in the UK to examine what effect it had over the longer term view. Having provided oral evidence during this process, Sean provides a serious level of analysis into what the this important committee got right, how it provided a degree of visibility to examine regulation as part of a successful licensing system while also pointing out some of the factors that still need our attention. At the center of this discussion is the ongoing debate surrounding the Football Creditors Rule, UEFA Financial Fair Play and recent events with Rangers as case study that should be considered as a serious warning signal as its practices with debt and ongoing liability with HMRC are more rule than exception. Also discussed here is the recent Premier League TV rights deal signed with BSkyB and BT and that it says more about the negotiating power of football than the value of the enterprise itself. We also get into a deeper examination of how football in Europe continues to drift further toward other league systems that are found in the NFL and NBA, among others. We also separate the theoretical elements of UEFA Financial Fair Play from its perception in the mainstream and how there appears to be a high degree of belief that high spending clubs will ever be reigned in during this process, and why the transition to UEFA FFP will continue to be a very messy process given the many disparate systems found all across Europe, beginning with the big five leagues of Europe. Since joining Birkbeck, Sean has focused on his core interest – the corporate governance and regulation of sport on which he has written and co-edited an extensive range of articles – notably the 2001-2003 editions of the State of the Game corporate governance of English football review – and a number of books including, The Changing Face of the Football Business: Supporters Direct, Football in the Digital Age: Whose Game Is It Anyway, and A Game of Two Halves? The Business of Football. Most recently he is co-editor of Managing Football: An International Perspective, and author and co-editor of Who Owns Football? The Governance and Management of the Club Game Worldwide.


  38. The continued signings for big money by “rangers” are an absolute disgrace and a farce. If I was a creditor of Rangers (IA) I would be spitting blood and I can’t understand why they are not.

    Can they really afford this? What have they been promised by the SFA and the SPL, that in turn has enabled “rangers” to promise these players higher league football? SPL next year?

    The fact that Stewart Regan has allowed this joke of a transfer ban to start in September as opposed to it being immediate on getting their SFA membership (against the rules lest we forget) is one of the biggest in your face disgraces in this sordid affair.

    How can responsible football agents and lawyers allow their clients to sign for this “club”, knowing that it could be all smoke and mirrors. What if they are blowing out their erchie and the money runs out in a month? There will be egg on so many faces but worse than that, further damage to the already pitiful reputation of Scottish Football.

    Fit and proper tests?

    Business plans?

    SFL rules on numbers of players over 21?

    FPP rules?

    All blindly ignored by this “club” and their chums in the SFA.

    Sickening.


  39. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan says:
    August 6, 2012 at 21:38

    237 1 Rate This

    ============================================

    Rangers Tax-Case on twitter at 12.40 today:

    “The EBT money is gone”


  40. Just a thought.

    What a pity RFC RIP never had a player injured on international duty post 2000.

    It would have been interesting to see how RFC RIP would have worked out their compensation claim to the SFA.

    And this scandal might have been blown open a lot sooner.


  41. So, more signings. Some people might think he was trying to run the business into the ground, under the pretence of investing in the squad.


  42. What surprises me most about the past few days is the way people are talking openly – Dodds of course, he can’t help himself both in print and on the BBC (but then again he’s got £190K to repay with interest sometime soon), McLeish, McCoist and now Murray.

    Given the general trajectory of, to a lesser extent, the EBT case and, to a greater extent, RFC’s liquidation / BDO’s investigation, any sensible legal adviser would be saying to a client such as these individuals “say nothing to anyone, least of all to the press”.

    Above all Murray who, assuming he’s paid their fees and is still being advised by either D&W or DM, would certainly be getting advice to keep his counsel.

    I am convinced it has nothing to do with the imminent release of the FTT decision (which I feel is some years away) but I simply cannot understand such imprudence.

    Maybe it is just the hubris of being unable to take public criticism, without hitting back, as Murray was once accustomed to do.

    But he has of course happily left us with more questions than answers. All of this could be happily settled were he only to acquiesce to an interview by Mark Daly.

    I am not holding my breath.


  43. slimshady61 says:
    August 7, 2012 at 13:58

    I am convinced it has nothing to do with the imminent release of the FTT decision (which I feel is some years away)……………………..
    ======================================

    Some Years away? why?


  44. Zilch says:
    August 7, 2012 at 11:44

    I have many friends and some family who are / were avid fans of Rangers. For most, this was simply a consequence of following the same club as their old fella – as was following my club, Celtic, for me. These guys are some of the nicest, most decent people I have yet to meet. The WATP attitude was NOT an attribute shared by all Rangers fans ..

    Many of these fans are simply in a state of utter shock and disbelief that their club, for which they felt such affection, has sunk to such depths. It has to be a concern that this situation will discourage decent fans, leaving a vacuum that will be filled by the moronic element …

    I honestly believe that by failing to follow the rules, the football authorities may very well have created a Frankenstein-like monster that will continue to be a constant embarassment and regular disgrace
    —————–

    Zilch,
    Most Rangers fans are probably in shock because what has been fed through the media has been either biased, poorly researched, or downright inaccurate. And now the Rangers that was is soon to be no more.

    In the grand scheme of things this is a good thing. There’s so much non-football associated with that club that it probably deserves a place in the dustbin of history. Personally, I now consider myself club-less (in one sense I have been partly club-less ever since the realisation of the ugly side of Rangers dawned on me). But the reason for the club-lessness is also that I view ‘The Rangers FC’ as financially illegitimate. The whole thing appears to have been an orchestrated plan to walk away from massive debts and wrongdoing. The ultimate insult being Green’s boast of owning a debt-free club.

    I see zero to be proud of. Nothing of any substance has been recovered and distributed to creditors, that I can see. And yet Ibrox, the team, the name, everything seems to be more or less as it was – only now, with a huge dollop of extra arrogance. There is something so wrong about this that it sickens me.

    For the purposes of these blogs I felt it was important to state that my sympathies were always with the blue team. I lived nearer to Celtic Park as a child but my big brother took me Ibrox. We have no Irish background and although I admired Celtic and always have, it’s never been ‘my club’ – probably because of the shamrocks, the Flag of Eire, and so on. The irony is that with age comes the realisation that Celtic is and probably always has been more inclusive than Rangers ever were.

    Anyway, my shock is at the Frankenstein-like monster you describe, and the authorities’ determination to pump life into it. Foreigners and perhaps even some blue exiles will think it’s great that Rangers somehow survived. I just don’t see that the shame of how the death and rebirth occured will ever disappear. I’m clinging to one last tiny hope that some of what has happened will be reversed via the upcoming liquidation process. In a just world what is of value would be sold off to pay outstanding debts, including the sale of properties – if the Green bargain-basement deal can be challenged. A new club in Glasgow should start at the very lowest level – and that’s not Div. 3.


  45. anybody else thinking the glacial pace of legal and bureaucratic enquiries and internet-time frames are mutually incompatible worlds? It’s like a snail racing against a Ferrari!


  46. Michael Mols – The Express in June……………

    “We didn’t believe we were doing anything wrong. I didn’t know anything about the tax laws in Scotland. I left everything to my advisors and the club.

    I was told that it would be beneficial to the club and ourselves because we would have to pay less tax and everything was legal and upfront. My advisors spoke to the club and we were told that if anything did come out, although they didn’t think it would, then they would take full responsibility for it.

    After that, and after speaking to my financial advisers, I agreed because I was assured I wasn’t doing anything wrong by using an EBT.

    If anyone is wrong then it has to be the people who were giving out the contracts at Rangers at that time – nobody else.”


  47. Emilson, Kyle and Sandancer all to sign today?

    Anybody would think ST deadline was fast approaching.


  48. Danish Pastry@14.09: Mild criticism: The ‘flag of Eire’ – unless you’re Irish-speaking, the name of the country is ‘Ireland’. Uses such as ‘Eire’, ‘Southern Ireland’ and ‘The Irish Republic’ are just the failure of imperialist Brits to come to terms with the fact that the people of Ireland (well, the part that was allowed to) opted to leave the British Empire.

    But equally, the fact that you don’t like a particular flag or are not ‘Irish’ (how many Celtic fans are?) really has nothing to do with supporting a football team. We all need to grow up.


  49. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan says:

    August 6, 2012 at 21:38

    Brilliant peice, I’d be keeking ma pants if I was in the already shit filled shoes of some of RFC(IA) former employees, squelch squelch, squeeky bum time. Do they have disabled access at Lowmoss ?


  50. Hi All,

    I am hoping that someone can explain to me how it is possible that a club can walk away from all that debt, and while we all watch, have started to go on a spending spree, which unless I’m mistaken must mean that the debt spiral has started again?

    Maybe I am stupid but how can the authorities allow this to happen again?

    I am totally bemused at what is going on!


  51. Blindsummit

    They must be being bankrolled by non football money and as long as the SFA cling to the belief a strong Rangers is good for the game they will do nothing to prevent that happening.

    That belief like an abused partner convinced by the abuser they have no worth without them in their lives, allows the SFA to be blackmailed and they do end up with no worth.

    It tells you a lot about the lack of values and ethics of those running the game and the country that this continuance of ruinous and tax avoiding behaviour is being allowed to continue with no questions being asked.

    Who is bankrolling this operation?


  52. Thornlyboy says:
    August 7, 2012 at 14:29
     0 5 Rate This
    Danish Pastry@14.09: Mild criticism: The ‘flag of Eire’ – unless you’re Irish-speaking, the name of the country is ‘Ireland’. Uses such as ‘Eire’, ‘Southern Ireland’ and ‘The Irish Republic’ are just the failure of imperialist Brits to come to terms with the fact that the people of Ireland (well, the part that was allowed to) opted to leave the British Empire.

    But equally, the fact that you don’t like a particular flag or are not ‘Irish’ (how many Celtic fans are?) really has nothing to do with supporting a football team. We all need to grow up.
    ——–

    When you’re 10 years old that’s how you think Thornlyboy. Try to understand the context – of living in the East End in the 1960s in a borderline area like Dennistoun.

    I have grown up.

    Apologies (once again) for offending Irish sensibilities. I thought I was actually being respectful to the Gaelic name.


  53. Auldheid @ 14:40

    If they are being bankrolled, there will come a time, when the backers will say no more, as they will realise that there is minimal or no return
    A share issue is far from being a guaranteed success, and the “riches” of Europe will not be available for at least four seasons, assuming of course that there is no contrived league re-construction

    Think Brooks Mileson and Gretna, and how that turned out


  54. Seems that a good few of those ‘big-bad-boys-that-did-and-ran-away’ are being flushed out and already lining up their excuses!

    As for Murray’s statement…… what a pathetic attempt at excusing himself of responsibility for the collapse of the Deid Club. We are now supposed to believe that someone once known as a ‘very astute, shrewd, succesful businessman’, with all the appropriate acumen and hard-hearted attributes that accompanies such a label, suddenly becomes a victimised, wilting flower in the face of his arrogance and methodologies being exposed. Are we really expected to be believe that Jaws is now become a herring, albeit of the red variety?

    Scots (and Glaswegians in particular) can spot chancers at a 100 paces. They have done so with him and his ‘Empire of Dust’ is being eroded bit by bit, as the other lemmings in this saga head for the cliffs, all the while assuming the mantle of the innocent, victimised quarry.

    Incidentally, glad to see so many of the really knowledgeable posters are again evident in the fray.


  55. DP: It was not intended as a personal criticism of you (to say the least); I know the context – not dissimilar to my own, in reverse – and judging by your posts, you’ve not only grown up, but moved on in a way not many people have.


  56. sandancer just back from a leg break

    kyle already had is career on the line twice due to serious injury

    both on £5K a week

    not exactly thrilling safe signings


  57. Campsie Joe
    Even with reconstruction they will still be Newco to UEFA so not eligible if they do manage to get into a football qualifying position earlier.

    The only folk further investment makes sense to is Ticketus to recover their £27M over say 10 yrs.

    That is why I left a Ticketus repay row in my wage calculator spreadsheet as Im not convinced they do walking away.


  58. Is Dean Shiels the first Norn’ Irish C*tholic to sign for them?


  59. Auldheid says:
    That is why I left a Ticketus repay row in my wage calculator spreadsheet as Im not convinced they do walking away.
    ——————————————————————–

    Auldheid,
    Would you be so kind to re-post the wage calc SS? Apologies if posted already, however my laptop search abilities seems to be very limited!

    Thanks
    Dunman


  60. Isnt it astonishing that we were subjected to cries of how the SPL would be devalued
    without Rfc* involvement,how the league would be over by Christmas and how it would be
    an unfair and boring competition that no one would be interested in.
    Have we heard the same of the SFL3 ?
    Surely the gap between Celtic and Motherwell/Hearts etc is far less than the gap between
    Rfc*(2) and Queens Park/ East Stirling etc. Have we heard them tell us how devalued and pointless this excercise will be or are they printing details of how fans can by season tickets to watch this extravaganza galore
    As a Queens Park supporter (yes-ignore my user name) Im pretty apalled they are taking a sledge hammer to crack a nut, to be paying their players £5k/wk and more in some cases to compete against teams where the avg wage is under £100/wk and in QPs case petrol expenses, its financial stupidity as well as stacking the deck in their favour. Be in no doubt tho that 1 single dropped point against any of us diddy teams will be rammed so far up their sphincter that they will be reminiscing about the good old days at Berwick in 67 .
    How did their 1st outing at Brechin go again ?
    Ludere Causa Ludendi v Lost Causus Ludditis (bring it on)


  61. Auldheid @ 15:14

    Quite right about UEFA, my mistake
    Ticketus are just one of the many imponderables in this affair
    I think Sevco have a lot of plates spinning at the moment, but eventually they will try to spin one plate too many


  62. John Clarke

    Nil sine labore eh?

    Your analysis is quite accurate re making blog happen.

    Conduits to real lifers in a position to spread reasoned thinking are needed. Ive found that reason tends to form such conduits although it means stepping out of blog land and risking to a small extent anonymity.

    The CST will be at the SD Conference if you decide to attend.


  63. I see that Football 365 are saying that the SPL and YouTube have signed a deal – quote from article

    “The partnership is a first for league football in the UK and will see the SPL’s official YouTube channel ‘splofficial’ screen highlights from every SPL match, beginning this season.

    Match highlights will be available for supporters in the UK to view from 6pm on Sundays.

    The channel will also cover pre- and post-match reaction from players and managers, as well as exclusive behind-the-scenes features.”


  64. Auldheid says:

    August 7, 2012 at 15:14

    Even with reconstruction they will still be Newco to UEFA so not eligible if they do manage to get into a football qualifying position earlier.

    _______________________________________________

    I wonder if Green is aware of this, and if he is, are all of his backers?

    Green appears to me to be the kind of money man who is happy to assume things will work out the way he wants them to, as long as it’s not his money he is working with!


  65. Auldheid says:
    August 7, 2012 at 15:26
    0 0 Rate This

    Via the website, twitter and private email RTC managed to spread this word and ‘reason’ as well as those of the blog posters and hooked in real-life people like Mark Daly, Alex Thomson, Stuart Cosgrove and Jim Spence who obviously came, looked and liked what they saw as they have since repeated, echoed and pursued the themes of the RTC blog and now this one in their everyday jobs in the mainstream media.

    As my Granny used to say “Truth will always out” – as long as we focus on pursuing and posting truth and reasoned and reasonable opinion then these ideas will catch on and take hold in the ‘real world’

    Build it and they will come. 🙂


  66. Re all these Sevco signings, I wonder if Regan is a little bit embarassed now. Sevco were probably moaning during the infamous ‘negotiations’ that they would have to let go all their players and be left with one or two old cloggers and the youth team. Now look at what’s transpiring, an SPL3 club pleading poverty paying SPL plus wages and long term contracts, building a squad far outstripping its competition.

    Now its time to ask my favourite question, how many players over 21 will Sevco have?

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