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
Great to see a new blog to carry on the good work.
I came across RTC some months ago when trying to find out where things had got to on FTT, and since then productivity has dived.
Thanks PL, for filling the void left by RTC.
As good as RTC’s content, surefootedness and integrity were, it’s success was due, in great measure, to the calibre of many of the contributors to the blog.
Hopefully those same correspondents will reside here in futre.
Good luck, as there is still much to be done.
Testing again
At last – got held in moderation. Thought RTC was refusing to allow me to TUPE. Best of luck to the Arabian Knights at Tannadice tonight
So the campaign to ignore sanctions by way of stripping titles is now really underway
Guidi’s comments that Murray should be the one punished is beyond belief
They are all going on about EBTs, but that is not the issue, a fact that is escaping the MSM
Why did nobody ask what sanctions he would advocate should the use of dual contracts be proved ?
That is the question, as improper use of EBTs will be dealt with by Hector, not by the SPL
Make no mistake, their campaign will soon be in overdrive, and we need to show the MSM, that we have not gone away
Quite remarkable:
SPL announces the appointment of an independent commission today and several hours have passed without McCoist demanding the names of the commissioners!
Delighted to hear about the SPL’s independent commission.
At the risk of looking over their shoulders ;), it should not be forgotten that a lot of the evidence they will be reviewing is available to “those pesky kids”. All that anyone should ask is that all of the evidence is reviewed and the punishments driven by the effect of the financial benefits on playing squads.
With this site up and running (yes- my legal advisors told me that I could get transfer fees from this site, but it appears that I use the same lawyers as Charles Green), I will lock up posting on RTC.
Thanks everyone so much for all of your help and contributions.
test
All the Best of lock with the new blog
Hello Scottish Football Monitor.
Constant reader of but infrequent poster to RTC here.
All the very best to all in this endeavour – two things to be wary of, 1) that we become evangelical & 2) we become elitest.
That said, let’s see what’s what and have fun while we’re at it.
ATB
Another transfer from RTC
Best wishes on the new blog. Great to know that the many names I have become so familiar with will be continuing to post and monitor the goings on in Scottish footie.
RTC will the professional composition of the independent commission resemble that of say the appellate tribunal?
Glad the blog has started for real now. Looking forward to a dissection of the misinformation from the MSM, SFA, and the SPL from our long list of clever posters.
Also looking forward to posting my rubbish again.
Best of luck PL
Do not post very often but I am an avid follower, only comment when I have “a bee in my bonnet” so looking forward to being educated by the professional guy ex RTC
Pass on my heart felt thanks to RTC, he/she has done a great service to Scottish football, more than could be said for those in the corridors of power in Hampden, shame on them
Good luck! I’m looking forward to reading (and hopefully contributing to) your content. For as long as Regan, Doncaster and Mr Silence Ogilvie are in office someone needs to keep a close eye on their actions and it sure as heck won’t be the old guard in MSM. Once again very best of luck
Glad to hear you guys are carrying on the good fight – I won’t have much to contribute but I do intend to read on with great interest.
Evil lurks in every corner of the Governors of Scottish Football.
i’m in
Is this just a Celtic message board or can any fan post? Pars fan
Looking forward to the new blog,thankyou RTC,such a brilliant and fruifull blog it was!
Now… to look forward and to carry on the excellent work of RTC and MANY……MANY more…..
Am in.
Wish list. Lord Hodge comes back from Holiday with a very bad case of Sunburn,with a mood to match.
Sevco get relegated,
RFC (IA) go into Liquidation and lose 8Titles .
Yorkie has Plastic Surgery,but the operation is not a complete sucess,as he wakes up looking like Craig Whyte.
Spartans take Sevco’s place in the league.
I win the Euro Millions Jackpot.
test
How did you get my photo?
Good luck with everything.
It is good to know that the SPL have learned from all of thats gone on.
No wait a minute they haven’t.
There still seems to no timescales set in this latest independent enquiry.
Honest to goodness for those who are old enough; we did not have to wait this long to find out who shot JR.
At this rate I’ll be drawing my pension before I find out that the six grand, that’s £6000, I paid watching football in Scotland since 2000 has been wasted.
Lost in a sham.
Disgrace barely covers it.
Thank you to all the RTC bloggers. I loved it and thank you to RTC….
Thank you
PL
Agreed, I think in the early days at least, we will have occasion to refer back to matters originally raied on RTC. I was introduced to it by a Celtic supporting colleague, and was initially about to dismiss it as a Celtic paranoia forum. So glad I didn’t it has been a massive part of my life for almost a year now. As a result, I now spend hours every night e-mailing MSM editors to correct every factual inaccuracy I find in relation to Sevco. I have yet to reveive aresponse, but that’s irrelevant, we must continue to make them aware that the ‘Bampots’ are still here, we’re not walking away, and we will NOT be ignored
And my ‘hellos’ to the SFM, with every hope that the model set up by RTC will be faithfully followed in its focus on the main point, albeit with the occasional little diversion.
In relation to the SPL statement on the setting up of a Commission, it strikes me that
they seem not to have learned that it can sometimes be as bad to say too little as to say too much!
Are we supposed to assume that they have drawn their Commission members and Chair from the SFA panel of 100 minus Lord Carloway?
Will the majority be legally qualified persons , or just a bunch of blazers, with a token QC as Chair?
One would have thought that the SPL would now be trying to win back some trust.
( And, I wonder, have there been any violent calls for names to be named and published?)
SPL Press Release
The Scottish Premier League today announced that it has appointed an independent Commission to inquire into alleged EBT payments and arrangements made by Rangers in relation to PLAYERS during the period from 2000 until 2011.
Players. Is it beyond the scope of the SPL appointed commission to investigate managers, directors and other employees (or ex employees or referees)?
Or are we seeing further investigation evasion?
It appears that “The Rangers” will not be fielding a team in the U20 League this season. The SPL has announced the fixtures for a league of 15 which includes the 12 SPL teams plus Dunfermline, Falkirk and Hamilton.
So it seems Charlie boy doesn’t intend spending much on youth development in their wilderness years.
http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=s2&newsid=11537&back=home
Test
Hartson’s Comb says:
August 2, 2012 at 20:17
SPL announces the appointment of an independent commission today and several hours have passed without McCoist demanding the names of the commissioners!
==========
You are making me suspicious.
Bomber Brown has been very noticeable by his absence recently.
TSFM @ 21:07
Not even a day old, and the power has gone to your head 😉
Let’s start of with a nice easy one:
With the announcement of an ‘independent enquiry’ into the possible improper registration of RFC 1873 players during a period of +10 years (in which tax evasion on a massive scale may have been very deliberately and calculatedly carried out) what are the key questions and possible outcomes?
Q. what is an appropriate ‘sanction’ for +10yrs improper player registration?
Q. what is an appropriate ‘sanction’ for +10yrs of tax evasion?
Q. what is an appropriate ‘sanction’ for +10yrs of fielding ineligible players in home and European competition?
Q. what is an appropriate ‘sanction’ for +10yrs of ‘financial doping’?
Q. what ‘role’ did certain directors and ‘other consultants’ play in this?
Q what ‘role’ did the players and agents have in this?
Q. What ‘role’ did the governing bodies and associations play in this?
This year we have seen an “unprecedented” (therefore ‘precedent’ created) £160k fine & 12mth signing embargo for a clear and flagrant breach of rules. The ‘core’ of the charge was bringing the game into disrepute and NON payment of Tax and Liabilites.
The breach was described by the Appelatte Tribunal as being “as close to match fixing”. Clemency was shown however to RFC1873. The next logical step and available sanction was suspension or expulsion.
As RFC1873 were in administration at the time, and it was lauded by many (including so called experts, the SMSM and the Administrators and purchaser themselves) that the CVA would be acheived there seemed to be an uneasy willingness by the Appellate Tribunal to look for leniency.
Will leniency be shown again? Are any possible (undisclosed or undetermined) sanctions scalable?
Whilst the quality of mercy should not be strained, title stripping will be a consequence, not a sanction!
Not sure i understand how Rangers Tax Case feels his blog has run its course as the fat lady has still to sing in the First Tier Tribunal, that case is far from over. And today’s announcement that the SPL is only now setting up an “independent” commission to preside over whether or not Rangers FC(IA) have a case to answer regarding EBT’s, just shows that there is still untold scope for back-tracking, white-washing and obfuscating. A grand effort so far by Rangers Tax Case and congratulations on the Orwell prize but job far from done.
Jim Spence is wonderful to listen to – its the best of the BBC – as opposed to Traynor
From the BBC website…
“EBTs were administered by the company that formerly ran Rangers and is now in the process of being liquidated”
Continuing to peddle the myth that the Club is somehow a seperate legal entity, you know what to do fellow Bampots
test
Best of luck with the new venture. If it’s half as good as RTC it will be a great success. Keep digging.
I understand that the enquiry announced tonight will investigate the oldco use of EBTs as dual contracts / side letters but is it also in their remit to determine whether there was SPL/SFA collusion?
Phone test.
And probably about as interesting as anything else I’m likely to post.
They aren’t investigating tax evasion/avoidance; that’s a job for HMRC (and they have already delivered their verdict). They are investigating whether or not players received payments outside their standard contracts that were not declared to the SPL/SFA.
PL (you might want to change those initials- all of those paranoid types guessing your identity will see it as a clue! ;))
1. RTC archive. It will remain exactly as we left it- with the exception of the monument to Scottish Sports Journalism and any reactions I have to issues that seem to merit a post. As comments have transferred here, I will not reopen comments on RTC should I write posts in the future.
Exporting it is a bit of an issue. I have played around with this and it is basically far too big already. The wordpress import tools do not allow this easily. (A non-wordpress server would make it possible, but that leaves you much more vulnerable to DNS attacks). But, the archive is not going anywhere.
2. I tweeted 21,000 of my closest friends 🙂 on twitter and many have asked if this site has a twitter account. You probably want to bring twitter into your management of this site. It is very powerful.
yarmy 21:23
This is what I aid earlier, but the usual culprits are I think, deliberately trying to confuse the two separate issues
Hello all 🙂 feel like I’m starting a new job! thank you again to RTC good luck and best wishes to you and yours. Stay safe always.
yarmy says:
August 2, 2012 at 21:23
_____________________________
You nailed this issue. The SPL will regulate players alone and that will limit the scope of the inquiry.
retest
Checks and balances – I like it given none exist at present when they become part of the system of governance then we can retire.
Lastonetoleave..
Would payments to the manager be an issue? Would it not just be the players whose payments would have to be detailed in the contract?
It’s nice to see things getting back into their normal rhythm!
Dare I ask, though … was the announcement of a commission to investigate the EBTs a red herring to distract from the fact that Sevco have yet to be awarded unconditional membership of the SFA and hence a place in the SFL? Why is there no announcement on that subject?
Just saw the tweet/comment/post to lead me to this blog, and have already seen some familiar names.
Delighted.
Need to read all the posts but suffice to say I can’t wait to enjoy this blog
Good to see the new blog up and running. Constant reader of RTC Blog. Looking forward to new blog continuing great ideals of RTC. RTC thanks for a terrific effort.
Test
Good to be able to carry on carrying on, before the blog starts to monitor Scottish football and the custodians of the game, there is one thing that is puzzling me.
What is the legal status of the club formerly known as Rangers FC.Are they gone, vanished or does the history continue with Charles Greens motley crew of investors.
This is the one point that fans of RFC will fight tooth and nail over and it would be great to get a legal perspective of what the situation is going forward and to get the accurate information out into the MSM if that is possible.
One way to get the truth out there could be a Twitter account similar to the way RTC released snippets of info, i know it might be invasive to the administrators of the site but is there a way to do it and keep absolute anonymity.
You’ve just been bookmarked 🙂
Geordie, perhaps Regan has read Paul McConville’s latest offering and isn’t quite as sure as he once was that the people who really control Sevco would pass the ‘Fit & Proper’ test
Last test of the night.
chancer67 says:
August 2, 2012 at 21:37
The fans of RFC are being aided and abetted in that aim, see my earlier quote from the BBC :(.
The duty falls upon the rest of us to complain as often and as loudly as we can whenever we see this myth being portrayed as fact.
Being a bean counter, not a lawyer, my knowledge is limited, however, RFC has no legal status as far as I can understand it. Unfortunately, the issue is clouded by the fact that Sevco are being transferred RFC(IL)’s SFA registration, thus opening the door to claims of continued membership. And the SFL’s website actually backs this up, as it reports Airdirie Utd as being have been founded in 1965, which was the date Clydebank were founded, the company whose membership was transferred to them.
rangerstaxcase says: August 2, 2012 at 21:28 0 0 Rate This
yarmy says: August 2, 2012 at 21:23
_____________________________
You nailed this issue. The SPL will regulate players alone and that will limit the scope of the inquiry.
_____________________________
So new enquiry (under the auspices of the SPL) into players registration and BDO unravel the tax evasion but potential collusion (CO et al) goes under the carpet ?
Looking forward to the SFM taking Scottish football to a better place. All the best.
The independent tribunal – if it establishes consistent abuse of registrations – has to make the sanctions proportionate to the abuse. It cannot follow the mantra of ‘they’ve been punished enough’. This would leave the regulations around the registration of players vulnerabale and exposed for evermore, and run the risk that clubs would simply ignore or devalue the approriate registration of playing staff, leaving the SPL vulnerable to lax practice at best and fraudulent money laundering at worst. If the association cannot be certain what players are being paid and by whom, it becomes a rogues charter.
Stunney, are you still willing to ‘bring in the papers’?
This site is a great idea. On the dual contracts investigation, folks here, or the MSM (ha ha) should be asking the SPL what the consequences are of an SPL team fielding one or more ineligible player. What were the rules in 2000, through to 2011. How do the Articles of Association deal with this scenario?
They should be pressed for an answer to this BEFORE the independent panel returns its findings. They managed to avoid stating the consequences of liquidation of Rangers prior to the event, and this gave them an opportunity to ‘fudge’ the response. We need unambiguous leadership from them if they want to restore any credibility.
Good to see there’s no awkward silences for this first date on ‘I can’t believe it’s not Rangers Tax Case’.
It would seem from the rumours with regards to the current and potential The Rangers signings that they are dangling the carrot of SPL football next sason. This would suggest players are extremely gullible or their agents are being shown proof or guarantees that this will be the case. I would imagine any football agent would insert clauses in the players contracts for their contract to be void if an SPL berth is not forthcoming.
New club are playing a dangerous game if there was another player exodus during a transfer embargo. I still suspect short term thinking by Green and his investors to get the fans on board and walk away with a profit.
I see that Giovani De Stefano has been looking into who owns ipox – he has dug up these numbers GLA82306 GLA85587 GLA33072 GLA49863 GLA65736 GLA20007 and claims that they prove that six different entities own ipox – it has been carved up
IF this is true (don’t know how you would verify same) what advantage does this give the sevco sharks who are circling the rotting corpse of RFC2012(IA)?
Sarah, I agree wholeheartedly. I may be over-optimistic, but I suspect that maybe this independent tribunal will be a mechanism to expel Sevco while leaving the SPL able to claim ‘It wasn’t us, it was independent’, thereby leaving Donkey free of responsibilty. Your fellow Saintee (in Asia) has disproved the Armageddon theory, and I would reckon that your club (and also mine) will have already recovered most of the £100K shortfall via well attended European matches.
Good luck with the new blog.
RTC,
So long and thanks for all the fish!
Rfc* will be soundly thrashed for being very naughty
TheRfc* will tut loudly and say, nuffink to do with us Guv
The SPL will say ,its them Independent lot wot done it
Gordon Smith will say, I know nuffink
James Traynor will say ,its time to move on now
Walter Smith and Graham Souness will say, phew that was close
They think its all over ? it isnt yet !
It’s a long long way from over timtim. The real fun starts when BDO ‘get medieval’ (C) Alex Thomson, on them
I take it that if the enquiry finds them guilty then any punishment can be passed to The Rangers?
If it can’t as they say it was the previous owners then what’s the point in wasting everybody’s time?
I’m not interested in titles getting passed to the teams that were runners up as we all have the memories of the days we didn’t win it and that will never be changed. That being said the records should be altered if it is proven that they did cheat.
This could be the deciding factor if they want to try and keep history.
Time to decide if they are new or old, can’t have it all ways
Rtc was great.
Dont let the planks ruin this please….
Geordie Bhoy says:
August 2, 2012 at 21:32
Why is there no announcement on that subject?
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It is customary for them to make their shameful announcements at the time of their choosing.
What ever happened to the Nimmo-Smith report? was there ever any explanation of that?
Best of luck with the new blog. Scotland badly needs some truth in our football coverage if we are ever to move the quality of our national sport forward.
As has been shown with the reaction of Scottish fans to the Rangers debacle, I sincerely believe that blogs like this can come to represent the Mainstream view, rather than MSM.
So I’m keen to see how this whole Bampot movement pans out! Keep up the good work everyone.
Maybe 3pm Saturday this time, when most of us are at the game