Now that we are at the end of the league season, and with respect to the job still to be done at Tannadice and McDiarmid Park, it seems like a good time for a post holocaust report.
Fig 1 Average Weekly Attendances SPL 2011-2014
Peppered around this page are three charts and a table* showing the attendance figures for the SPL in the last three seasons. A school kid could tell you that there is a positive trend in those charts and figures, but the people who run our national sport will look you straight in the eye and tell you “that can’t be right – Armageddon is coming!”
It is one of the most ridiculous and mendacious situations I have ever come across. The people who run our national game, aided and abetted by those in the MSM (sans the eye contact though) are actually trying to persuade us of how awful our game is and how unsustainable it will be in the absence of one, just one, club.
Think about that. The SFA and the SPFL trying to talk us out of supporting the game unless we all recognise the unique importance of one, just one, club. That is what has happened, no matter how they try to spin it. And despite evidence to the contrary contained in these figures, not one of them has admitted to an error, never mind the downright lies that they told to support the position they held, the one where anyone speaking of sporting integrity was mocked and ridiculed.
Whilst growing up as football supporter in the 60s, one of things I was constantly bombarded with via the medium of the tabloid newspapers was that football clubs should be grateful for the publicity afforded them via their back pages. These were probably reasonable claims, especially in the light of the relative lack of access to players and officials conceded to the hacks in those days, and the pre-eminent cultural position in which they helped to place football. Alongside that, the broadcast media, particularly Archie Macpherson’s Sportscene and Arthur Montford’s Scotsport could be relied on to talk the game up. Of course, there was something in it for the papers – sales. The more column inches devoted to the national sport, the further northward their sales, and consequently advertising revenues travelled.
Fig 2 Avg. Attendances excl Celtic & Rangers
The situation was further cemented by the fact that the press in that ante-interweb era held a monopoly over the exchange and dissemination of information. That symbiotic, win-win relationship between football and the press was as much a part of football reality as the Hampden Roar. It also endured for decades. The press would talk up the game to such an extent that folk often remarked that they hadn’t realised how much they had enjoyed a particular match until they had read Malky Munro or Hughie Taylor’s report the next day. Archie Macpherson is on record as having said the same thing about legendary commentator David Francey, “It was a much better game to listen to than to see!”
Today that symbiosis is broken. The press themselves, in print and in front of microphones consistently belittle the product, talk of crises and Armageddon, of our own version of the Eisenhower domino effect of clubs going to the wall one after another.
Aided and abetted by the two chief bureaucrats in charge of Scottish football, Stuart Regan and Neil Doncaster, who have consistently helped to hammer home the message that Scottish football is not good enough, and cannot sustain itself financially without Rangers, a club that could not itself sustain itself financially to the extent that it is being liquidated.
At a time when Scottish football was clearly in crisis, and badly in need of sponsorship which could mitigate the effects of that crisis, the press and the authorities sought to strengthen their own negotiating hand by making negative claims about the state of the game which never came to pass, and for which they have never apologised. The actual situation, which would not have been hard to predict had anyone actually bothered to analyse the business of Scottish football, is summarised quite easily by saying this;
- Since Rangers’ liquidation and subsequent absence from the top league, the average home attendance of the other clubs has INCREASED overall (See Fig 2).
- In this season, the other clubs have added 50,000 fans to home attendances compared to 2011-12 (the last year Rangers were in competition).
- In that time the league has been won (twice) by Celtic, and the other honours have been claimed by St, Mirren, Aberdeen, Celtic and (either) Dundee United or St Johnstone.
- In that time, both Dunfermline Athletic and Hearts (who both had historical financial problems) entered – and exited – administration after fan-led buyouts.
- Dundee United have cleared off their bank debt.
- Kilmarnock have restructured their bank debt, freeing the club from a precarious long-term situation.
- League reconstruction has allowed some money to trickle down to the second tier clubs in an attempt to mitigate the immediate effects of relegation and to reward ambitious clubs.
Looking at the table of attendances above, it is pretty clear that immediately upon Rangers exit, the overall figures took a dip. However there was little difference the in the figures if you leave Rangers out of the equation (Fig 3) – despite Celtic’s attendance taking a hit that year (down by around 5,000 per home match).
Taking Celtic out of the calculations, it is clear that there is a 6,000 uplift in this average (Fig 2).
It is still undeniable that less people overall are watching football (Fig 1), but the trend is upward if one leaves the Ibrox club out of the picture.
Furthermore, this statistic exposes the double edged sword that is retention of home gates. The fact that gates are not shared is predicated upon the notion that the bigger clubs do not depend on the smaller clubs for income. And since the smaller clubs are no longer recipients of big club largesse, their fortunes are not affected, at least not as much as was suggested by the Regans, Doncasters and Traynors of this parish. The “Trickle-Down” theory of Reganomics said otherwise – but clearly and demonstrably it was wrong.
The abandonment of gate sharing has made Scottish football less interdependent than it once was, but the irony is that it works both ways. There is hardly a club in the country that depends on Rangers for their own existence, and here is the news; small clubs are no longer financially dependent on the former Old Firm.
Fig 3 Excluding Celtic
The fact, that is F-A-C-T, is that Scottish Football attendances in the top division are on the increase. The absence of Rangers has made no appreciably negative difference to any other club, far less caused a catastrophe of biblical proportions.
Even if the fools who were the harbingers of our doom were simply guilty of making an honest mistake, it is clear that they are uncontaminated with the slightest notion of how the game in this country operates. The Old Firm may be dead, but the OF prism is still being peered through by Stuart Regan, Neil Doncaster and the vast majority of print journalists. The latter who failed to honour that age-old football/press symbiosis because they believed, erroneously that David Murray’s dinner table was the hand that has fed them for over a century.
The irony is that as job opportunities diminish in the print sector, so too will the fine dining and patronage. I think they call that evolution.
Two years ago, in the wake of the fans’ season ticket revolt which saw the new Rangers forced to apply for membership of the league and begin at the bottom, those same MSM hacks taunted fans about putting their money where their mouths were. The fans responded splendidly as our statistics demonstrate, but typically there has been no recognition of this either at Hampden or in the media.
And the message from those fans is this: Scottish football is not dying. Not any more. At least not as surely as it was when David Murray started to choke the life out of it in the late 80s. The supporters are returning in numbers to see a competition untainted by the outrageous liberty-taking and rule-breaking of the last couple of decades, and all but one club has emerged from the mire of the Moonbeam Millennium looking forward to a new era.
If authorities allow the new era to thrive by restoring sporting integrity to the agenda, then the numbers, like the opportunities available to more and more clubs, will grow. The question is … will they?
Admittedly, these figures, like any set of statistics, can be cherry-picked to suit almost any argument that you care to construct. The fact remains though, that whilst it would be fanciful and ridiculously over-optimistic to claim that they bear witness to a burgeoning industry, it is utterly dishonest to conclude that they represent financial Armageddon. Armageddon? Aye right!
Shooperb says:
June 14, 2014 at 6:41 am
8 0 Rate This
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What does he bring to the managerial table, I wonder? Certainly lots of experience, but can he help bring through talent? Hope he is genuinely interested in Clyde and not just parking himself short-term, while he waits for another job to become available at a Scottish Championship club.
StevieBC says:
June 14, 2014 at 2:41 am
It’s one of the first MSM references that if DL sever connections it`s because they can’t support the `going concern` status caveated in their Report. It`s a good summary of where they are, – at the moment – including the spin of a `magic pill` of new shares with little detail.
I think the point of the article is to highlight a current position and in effect alert that if DL does elect to re-consider its position – who would or could replace them in such a `Going Concern`?
Apologies if the post irritated
I can certainly understand that Shooperb. I never rated BF when he was at Ibrox ( I thought he was hyped by the SMSM because of where he played) and his treatment of PLG appalled me. Also, the drinking incident on Scotland duty and the subsequent signalling to the cameras was shocking.
However, once he p!ssed off to Blackpool we heard less about him and he rarely passed my mind. I thought he deserved some credit when he stepped up to the mark as manager there, albeit it was not the most successful managerial debut ever. He seems, to me at least, to have matured a bit (apart from the tripe ghost writen in his name in the DR.) He does seem to want to do things the right way though, learning his trade at lower levels before, presumably, trying to take over at a bigger club (or maybe Rangers 🙂 ) I appreciate though, that nobody really wants someone using their club to ‘learn’. He might be okay though.
As far as Bob Malcolm is concerned; I had not heard that and that would truly concern me. I just don’t see what he brings to any backroom.
http://t.co/7w9FrcdpYB
From James Forrest- The Cost of Doing Business.
StevieBC says:
June 14, 2014 at 2:41 am
4 1 Rate This
TWOPANDA says: June 14, 2014 at 1:55 am
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Bit of a crass photo to use and, crass to the extreme, to use the poppy with that banner.
King Where Are Your People Now ?
So the ST sales are way below the “key assumptions” needed to avoid “the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern”.
For the innumerate, halved ST sales “reduces the potential requirement for short term financing”
The SoS are calling for renewed talks on commitments to secure Ibrox and MP
MP is said to be up for sale.
Deloittes may walk rather than risk their reputation signing off the accounts of a small, dodgy company.
And there is an empty spotlight, centre stage waiting for King to soliloquise.
But where is he ?
Is he doing some cunning deal with those he openly detests and whose stated goals are diametrically opposed to his.
Is he unable to act for financial and judicial reasons ?
Maybe, he expected the board to resign by now and he has no strategy beyond that.
The crowd is getting restive and the show must go on and the stage management puts on some interlude music because they don’t know what else to do . . . . .
King, where are your people now?
Chained and pacified.
Tried in vain to show them how.
And for that you died.
You had a dream of a promised land.
People of all nations walking hand in hand
But they’re not ready to accept
That dream situation, yet.
Correct me if I am wrong but isn’t the Letham loan repayable in shares?
James Doleman says:
June 14, 2014 at 1:12 pm
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Correct me if I am wrong but isn’t the Letham loan repayable in shares?
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As I understand it, the loan itself is to be repaid in cash. It is the interest element that can be repaid in shares.
Various media articles over the past few days that make depressing reading. Stories of FIFA corruption are bad enough in themselves, but the fawning endorsement of Stewart Regan adding his tuppence worth to the debate is sickening in my view. Is Regan the only one with a licence to do what he likes using the ‘good of the game’ argument? At the very least we should expect the BBC, as the publicly funded broadcaster, to remind Mr Regan to at least think about the theory of people in glass houses throwing stones. He tried his best to throw the principle of fair play out the window two years ago to help an entity born out of (among other things) robbery of the public purse and many others on a grand scale. Until there is real closure on what happened then the bitterness and division in our game can never be healed. Regan should not even be in the official position to comment on FIFA. The fact he is (and Ogilvie too) means to me the SFA are nothing other than FIFA on a smaller scale.
If Deloittes don’t walk away then they will almost certainly qualify the audit opinion. They are virtually obliged to inform the regulatory body AIM of this decision before the accounts are published. I believe that AIM will then have no choice but to suspend dealings in RIFC shares thereby scuppering any share option scheme and sending the club/company/ethereal entity to its doom.
Ian Steele of Deloittes has an important decision to make and I wouldn’t be surprise if he decides that they walk away. Do they want to be seen to be responsible for the demise of an institution? I would not blame them as after all they were lied to in September 2013 over the £2.5M unsecured loan facility and were given dubious information with respect to season ticket renewals in March of this year
What a lot of miserablism on here at the moment.
Football is and always has been corrupt, it’s a mirror on human nature.
But RVP’s header for the ages, 15,000 Aussies cheering on the soceroo’s spirited fight-back in a stadium in Amazonia, what’s not to like?
Let’s hope it turns out to be the classic it promises to be!
A thing of beauty
Mrs Mcfc – who is far from ignorant about football – last night sighed a weary sigh at the whole FIFA corruption thing and said blithely “Why don’t they just send in UN peace keepers to take it over – FIFA’s too important to be run by crooks”.
Good God – I married a genius – FIFA sets the ethical framework for hundreds of millions of children worldwide and look who we allow to run this. Kids are like sponges, simulating by the age of eight, effin and jeffin by the age of twelve, taking bungs by the age of . . . .
It’s time for the blue helmets to secure the perimeter, initiate tribunals and stabilize things before handing over to UNESCO. I know just the woman to run it.
To be honest I don’t think he’ll be a bad appointment, and if nothing else we’re getting probably the best midfielder in Scotland outside the top league into the bargain, even if his best days are well behind him.
However, I do worry that it’ll be a bit of a media circus rather than anything constructive for Clyde’s benefit.
The statement on the Clyde website mentions Bob Malcolm, and the thought of someone with a reputation as unsavoury as his getting anywhere near my club does make me very uneasy. Having said that, he may have learnt from his mistakes, but I think it’s probably more likely we’ll be labelled The Billy Wee….
Giovanni says:
June 14, 2014 at 1:43 pm
If Deloittes don’t walk away then they will almost certainly qualify the audit opinion. They are virtually obliged to inform the regulatory body AIM of this decision before the accounts are published. I believe that AIM will then have no choice but to suspend dealings in RIFC shares thereby scuppering any share option scheme and sending the club/company/ethereal entity to its doom.
Ian Steele of Deloittes has an important decision to make and I wouldn’t be surprise if he decides that they walk away. Do they want to be seen to be responsible for the demise of an institution? I would not blame them as after all they were lied to in September 2013 over the £2.5M unsecured loan facility and were given dubious information with respect to season ticket renewals in March of this year
——————————————————————————————————-
Phil seems to have the inside track that there’s trouble a’brewing.
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/deloittes-receive-documentation-from-rifc/#more-4764
Phil has a string of interesting observations going on right now – by all means take it with a pinch of salt – but Phils logic analysis fits MOs – and he aint` doing too bad ahead of the pack [to say the least]
– Could the SFA being drawn in?
Whatever the reality – the SFA [the lot of them] did approve CGs Plans and FFPs
If this turtle belly beaches – the lot of them – can’t avoid Full and Proper Accountability
SouthernExile says:
June 14, 2014 at 1:45 pm
What a lot of miserablism on here at the moment.
Football is and always has been corrupt, it’s a mirror on human nature.
But RVP’s header for the ages, 15,000 Aussies cheering on the soceroo’s spirited fight-back in a stadium in Amazonia, what’s not to like?
Let’s hope it turns out to be the classic it promises to be!
==================================================
The RVP header was a real spectacle. Watching Holland dismantle Spain reminded me that since 1974 they have so often been the nearly team of the World Cup. Was last night an early indication this might be their time, or will they ultimately fail again? Interestingly a couple of guys in the pub were going to get the best odds they could this morning for Spain to win it!
Still on Stewart Regan, I found this quote from an interview he gave to the BBC in February 2013.
“It’s OK having sporting merit but if you haven’t got any money to run your game and you end up with clubs going down the tubes, that doesn’t help anybody.”
Just how wrong has Regan been on this? Only one club has gone down the tubes since 2012, and he pulled out all the stops to ensure a new, broadly similar entity was allowed to replace it. Other clubs, notably Hearts and Dunfermline have come through pain but have come out the other side in a leaner, healthier position, with their historical identities intact.
Why does no-one from the Scottish media ever try and hold Regan to account on anything?
upthehoops says:
June 14, 2014 at 4:15
Other clubs, notably Hearts and Dunfermline have come through pain but have come out the other side in a leaner, healthier position, with their historical identities intact.
————————————————————-
To be fair, they only came out the other side having not paid debts so that is not a good example.
It seems that Sandy Easdale wishes to distance himself from Jack Irvine with tonight’s press release.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BqHJE-FCMAELp5n.png:large
easyJambo says:
June 14, 2014 at 8:01 pm
Weird statement, has a misspelling and hyphenates “highly professional” for some reason.
James Doleman says:
June 14, 2014 at 8:20 pm
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easyJambo says:
June 14, 2014 at 8:01 pm
… and hyphenates “highly professional” for some reason.
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Adjectival?
Unfounded rumour of the day
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BqHhQ3JIMAAGty8.jpg:large
James Doleman says:
June 14, 2014 at 10:06 pm
4 1 Rate This
Unfounded rumour of the day
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BqHhQ3JIMAAGty8.jpg:large
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Someone stirring the pot?
Thing is, given everything that’s happened, it’s completely believable.
Sorry but I took it the given figure for survival by Phil’s insider was 30k? It also sounds right money wise.
There has been various inbound viz a viz Jelavicic but its beginning to sound like the 8 mil is needed pronto.
Never a dull moment – not with Charles putting in an appearance again 😀
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27854157
“The BBC has learned former Rangers chief executive Charles Green is seeking financial support to launch a new bid for control of the Ibrox club.”
It now looks as if The Challenge Cup will have no sponsor next year.
What a wonderful job our administrators are doing when they cannot even get a sponsor for a cup competition involving teams from the ‘most exciting league in Scotland’ copyright MSM.
So we do not have a sponsor for the league itself, we are struggling to retain our sponsors, meanwhile Regan is talking about issues within FIFA. I’m sure the irony of that is lost on no one.
At the same time they awarding themselves large pay rises.
We often talk about spivs at Ibrox, which is not a term I particularly like, however the people at Hampden constantly being rewarded for failure is something within the remit of all clubs to do something about. The have utterly failed our sport and our clubs should take responsibility for themselves and ‘clean house’ with the utmost urgency.
These guys are deliberately driving our game into the gutter to prove that all of their declarations of two years ago were correct.
Shambles does not cover it!
Surely after sneering at TRFC fans from his big hoose in France even Charlie can understand that he would not be welcomed with open arms from the battered and bruised fans. Is he coming back for his share of the £8 million about to land at Ibrox? Surely Not.
parttimearab says:
June 15, 2014 at 9:44 am
‘“The BBC has learned former Rangers chief executive Charles Green is seeking financial support to launch a new bid for control of the Ibrox club.”
————
There are all kinds of earthy expressions that spring to mind,for example dogs visiting their vomit, flies round sh..e, moths flying close to the flame, that would nicely describe CG’s further involvement.
Natural born recidivists fill our jails, and the business world appears to have many such types.And some businesses seem to attract more than their fair share!
Looks like the Hyenas are circling
08-May-14 Buy Trade Notifier Information for Rangers International Football Club David Somers 27 GBX 12,000 47000
07-May-14 Buy Trade Notifier Information for Rangers International Football Club David Somers 24 GBX 35,000 35000
23-Dec-13 Buy Trade Notifier Information for Rangers International Football Club Norman Crighton 34 GBX 60,000 60000
19-Jul-13 Notification of Holding Trade Notifier Information for Rangers International Football Club James Andrew Easdale 0 0 357143
19-Dec-12 Buy Trade Notifier Information for Rangers International Football Club Phil Cartmell 76.5 GBX 25,800 25800
19-Dec-12 Notification of Holding Trade Notifier Information for Rangers International Football Club Charles A Green 0 0 5071629
So……………………..When exactly did Chas transfer/sell his shares to Easdale(s)?
Charlie’s Return?
I don’t think Charlie is planning a return as such – just a return to the spotlight.
In fact Charlie and the other “central players” have never really or properly been away.
They are a consortium whose simple collective plan was to maximise maximum financial gain from the Ibrox project that fell into their laps.
To achieve that they had stuff to do and confusion to spread.
They’ve done both in spivbook fashion.
Sucking in a few mug punters, (bears and some, maybe even all of the investing city institutions) has maximised and prolonged their revenue streams.
And along the way all their paid advisers (lawyers and accountants have feasted on the dripping roast of fees with few questions asked).
Confusion abounds and was always part of the plan.
But as a natural part of the story at some point they have to have an exit strategy that will avoid them personally becoming targets for bad stuff.
Bad stuff because they have been ruthless in their revenue removal plans and the carcass will have been picked clean.
So if Charlie is now saying he wants to come back…
First thing he does is tell someone like the BBC – and it seems to be a story that the BBC might run with first.
But maybe in reality Charlie doesn’t really want to come back but simply wants to be seen to fail at trying to want to make a comeback because that failure makes it look like he is currently totally and completely no longer involved in any way, (when in reality he has never really been uninvolved or away – just over the water in his luxury chateau in France).
Then you get the picture and if bad stuff is about to happen in this wee project because people like Deloittes might finally say they’ve had enough fees and tell their clients they it looks like they are trading outwith their fiduciary duties and maybe even insolvently with no sign of a turnaround then the game has changed.
A Charlie attempted comeback could run at the same time as a Deloittes development and add a wee further bit of confusion.
Quite simple and an old tactic.
The reality is Charlie and others are part of the consortium, – the kind of organisation you never leave until the end.
I’d guess the clue to who the consortium representatives are or represent can be found in the attendees at Corsica’s Clandestine Swiss meeting nearly two roller coaster years ago.
So welcome back to the spotlight for a wee while, Charlie.
Finloch, agree 100%! However, up and down the country, berrs will be taking comfort from and be encouraged by what will be perceived as a return to the fray of someone who has an offishul dose of Rangersitis.
Never mind what went before, and yes, we know he’s a bit of a big ‘anded wide boy but he’s just said he wants us back in our ‘rightful place’. A season book renewal now looks to be the way to show solidarity. Get behind Mr Charles, show him the support he deserves.
‘And into the valley of debt rode the 17,000 (odd)’ (copyright acknowledged MCFC).
They stated in a regulatory announcement that he ‘no longer had a notifiable holding following a disposal on 10 September 2013’. Sandy Easdale certainly increased his holding at around the same time but not to any extent to the same level as CG had held.
parttimearab says:
June 15, 2014 at 9:44 am
12 0 Rate This
Never a dull moment – not with Charles putting in an appearance again 😀
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27854157
“The BBC has learned former Rangers chief executive Charles Green is seeking financial support to launch a new bid for control of the Ibrox club.”
===========================================
50p each from 500 million fans should sort it!
Trying to piece together CG’s shareholdings from the various regulatory announcements
1. Laxey acquired 2,225,000 shares on 12/08/13 from persons unknown (CG?)
2. Laxey acquired 1,000,000 shares on 15/08/13 from persons unknown
3. Sandy Easdale acquired 2,125,000 on 10/09/13 (CG?)
4. Charles Green no longer has a notifiable interest on 10/09/13
5. Laxey acquires a further 3.3M on 20/11/13 from Beaufort Securities
6 Laxey acquires a further 714,000 on 20/12/13 from Charles Green (per agreement from Oct-12)
Transactions 1, 3 and 6 appear to add up to Charles Green’s reported 5M shares.
The dates of the transactions and the size of the respective holdings would seem to back that scenario.
Re Charles Green. Heaven forbid we have to return to the days of his interviews with Rangers TV being repeated in the media without challenge save for a few decent hacks. Heaven forbid we have to again sit and wonder just what he would have to say to be hit with a disrepute charge, while players and officials of all other clubs are fervently scrutinised by Mr Lunny. In summary Scottish football does not need this inflammatory buffoon anywhere near us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrbY7NmGxHU
Christmas just isnae Christmas!
As long as the supporters of the team from Ibrox self divide themselves from the rest of Scottish society they will always be vulnerable to predators.
Conquering is made so much easier when division already exists. Only the support can stop this and the best place to start would be a good look in the mirror.
Ally `salutes` Green will be the next `headline` 😉
Maybe it is not Charlie, could it be his identical twin brother. Just like the bookie Stevie in Still Game. After all it is a funny old game.
I don’t know who wrote this but i think it is brilliant and if anyone is still not sure about getting their season ticket it may make them think again.
She had been battered, raped and pillaged for several months. Every fresh blow seemed to bring her closer to that final crushing blow. Like a wounded animal she tried to stand on her feet, to regain her dignity and honour, but the attacks were relentless and to the shame of all, none would come to her aid. And finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the end was near. The Haters, Vultures and Ghouls made their way towards Ibrox for the telling knockout blow. In the interests of “sporting integrity” a boxing referee was enlisted to deliver the final count. At the doors of Ibrox they were met by two sentinels who barred their way. Alistair McCoist and Lee McCulloch. It was pointless asking them to move. Neither would walk away. “Start the count” demanded one of the haters. And so it began. But not as as they had expected. 10….9….8 “Wait, wait your counting wrong” screamed the haters. 7…6….5 The two sentinels were no longer alone. For on either side of them filing quietly into line were unknown faces wearing Rangers shirts with No. 12 on the back. They didn’t need names on the back, it was the badge on the front which was important to them. There were young and old, sprightly and infirm, the capable carried the less capable lest they stumbled. As the count continued the numbers, grew, and grew, and grew, until thousands joined the two sentinels barring the way to Ibrox. The silence was broken momentarily when a whisper filled the air, some say to this day it came from within the walls of Ibrox itself……. “We’ve got the battle fever on” “Who are these people?” asked one of the haters. Ally McCoist stepped forward……. “Allow me to introduce you to my No. 12’s……they don’t do walking away either” And so it began. In years to come Rangers historians will recite stories of Baxter, Woodburn, Cooper, Laudrup, McCoist, Gough and of course of No. 12. In the coming months news outlets would feature stories about the No. 12’s – the fans who would not let their club die. Their loyalty, faith and passion in a football club would capture the imagination of nations. They would become the benchmark which other supporters aspire to. Whatever is thrown at them or their club No.12’s will come back for more, time and time again until eventually our detractors can throw no more. Wherever their club goes the No. 12’s will be there. And every other Saturday Ibrox will be filled with No. 12’s. Our children’s children will proudly tell their friends at school that their grandfather was a No. 12. No. 12’s will be the topic of conversation every Monday morning, in factories, offices, wherever people assemble. Newspaper columns will mention the No.12’s in the same breath as resilience and a never say die spirit. Who am I and how do I know all this ? Im a No. 12 and I am taking my place in history. ARE THESE PEOPLE FOR REAL .NEARLY WET MYSELF LAUGHING
sickofitall says:
June 15, 2014 at 3:48 pm
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What you have to remember is that the number 12 is an outcome of combining numbers 1 and 2. When I read that an awful lot of no 1s and an even larger lot of no 2s came to mind.
sickofitall says:
June 15, 2014 at 3:48 pm
tears to a glass eye and, best of all, they lap it up!!! nae wonder CG is “back”!
Regarding the latest story of new shares being issued. The post below is what i posted on New Years day , explaining what I have always believed to be the plan. Nothing that has happened since has changed my view , in fact subsequent actions since January have reinforced it.
The initial investors in my view have been recompensed and are sitting with their investment in real terms having cost them nothing. In gambling terms , they are playing with House Money.
———
Barcabhoy says:
January 1, 2014 at 5:25 pm
0 0 Rate This
ecobhoy says: (2137)
December 31, 2013 at 5:39 pm
24 0 Rate This
Barcabhoy says: (316)
December 31, 2013 at 4:40 pm
@Barca
The thing about a Rights Issue or increase in shareholding that I can’t get my head round is why would those in control do it?
They have absolute control
================================
The reason to do it, is because they don’t have absolute control. They have control , but not enough to guarantee the 75% needed to pass special resolutions, as was shown by the failure of Resolution 10.
The business needs funds, a rights issue is the obvious way to do this. A loan from Laxey might be an option, but i suspect that would only be Plan A if they were thinking Administration, as this would allow Laxey to control the process.
A rights issue would force the institutions to invest or be diluted to the point the board have absolute control, and can pass any special resolutions that suit their purposes.
I have posted many times on here that my view is the key original investors have been recompensed for their investment by way of fees, commissions, salary, bonus , 1p shares and service contracts. They are therefore in control , having effectively invested zero. Investing cash now to get your side to over 75% and provide the business with operating capital, makes sense on a number of levels.
1 It allows media house to create a story that takes dead aim at Murray , McCall & co. Should they fail to take up the rights issue, they are an easy target for ridicule. They will be seen to have failed to walk the walk yet again. In effect you permanently kill them off as a credible alternative. Should the unlikely happen and the requisitioners take up their rights, then you have their money with them having no say or influence on how its spent
2 the business needs cash. If you dont invest, then some sort of insolvency event is a certainty. That brings risk, as was seen with Duff and Phelps
3 investing cash makes it more likely you will get support for the cut in expenses which are desperately needed. Again media house can spin this to good effect , at the same time as maybe now pointing out the reality of how McCoist has literally profited at Rangers expense. He should be #1 in the list of expenses to be cut, he is not as necessary now as he was 18 months ago. He should be worried.
Barcabhoy
Is there a term for finding ways of using money that you do not yet have to get access to even more money from the source that does not have it?
I am reminded of Von Ryan Express where they take the rail from behind the train to put in front of the train to let it complete it’s journey, but the rails do not belong to the train drivers.
It is a modus operandi employed by CW using Ticketus money to pay off the bank. It is a similar one used to get at CL money to stay alive in 2011 that would have worked but for the twin football Karmic God’s Malmo & Maribor.
Seriously is this a legal way of running a football club or indeed any business that civil and football authority cannot or lacks the will to challenge, or is it what it looks like to the layman -fraud?
Fara1968
Indeed, once they clear the smoke.
Barcabhoy says:
June 15, 2014 at 4:25 pm
The reason to do it, is because they don’t have absolute control. They have control , but not enough to guarantee the 75% needed to pass special resolutions, as was shown by the failure of Resolution 10.
—————————————————————-
But can they do it without going over the 29% threshold ?
Auldheid,
I don’t think its illegal . It completely marginalises the minority shareholders, but anyone with half a brain knows that being on the outside when a business is controlled by a group or individual that you are not part of , doesn’t make you an investor , it makes you a donor.
Look at those who invested in Murray’s Rangers. Every single “investor” from Enic to King to small individual shareholders got shafted. The guys who gave £1 million for a blazer and a share in the “profits ” from Murray Parks conveyor belt of talent, got shafted as well.
Guess who never got shafted……the guy who controlled the business. The guy who handed out contracts to his own subsidiaries and the sold those subsidiaries at a healthy profit . He never got shafted, but when he valued his own shares and everyone else’s at a total of £1 when he sold to Whyte, it was game over for the other investors right then.
You would think BDO would be more than keen to investigate this , because this guy killed the business. However there hasn’t been a mention of this in any of the BDO interim reports. Isn’t that convenient.
parttimearab says:
June 15, 2014 at 5:22 pm
2 0 Rate This
Barcabhoy says:
June 15, 2014 at 4:25 pm
The reason to do it, is because they don’t have absolute control. They have control , but not enough to guarantee the 75% needed to pass special resolutions, as was shown by the failure of Resolution 10.
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But can they do it without going over the 29% threshold ?
—————-
How would anyone know, when they don’t know who BP & Margarita are . My suspicion is Rizvi is heavily involved, and they will buy and keep under 29.9 % and have another placeman take up available shares , but under the same anonymous control
If CG is looking to make a comeback there is more money to be had at rangers… Hope he still has the keys to the 4 safehouses or the radisson SAS as it was known.. Looking fwd to seeing Charles..
Barcabhoy says:
June 15, 2014 at 5:41 pm
…and have another placeman take up available shares , but under the same anonymous control.
——————–
Well CG has just resurfaced 😉
Bit too brazen even by their standards….or maybe not 🙂
Guess we’ll just have to wait and see…
sickofitall says:
June 15, 2014 at 3:48 pm
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I’m not surprised McCoist and McCulloch don’t do walking away. If I had my 15k weekly salary in my wallet weighing me down, I’d find it hard to stand up, never mind actually walk.
CG must have a double dose of Rangersitis…Wattie coming back too maybe??? This could be the trigger to allow the present board spivs to pick up their bonuses and redundancy cash..
I don’t even know what 15k looks like never mind the weight of it. It’s obscene.
Shooperb says:
June 15, 2014 at 6:28 pm
As of July 1st Mr McCulloch will be receiving £17,500 Pwk.
Barcabhoy says: June 15, 2014 at 5:41 pm
How would anyone know, when they don’t know who BP & Margarita are . My suspicion is Rizvi is heavily involved, and they will buy and keep under 29.9 % and have another placeman take up available shares , but under the same anonymous control
=========================
Is this the link you are looking for?
RangersNews @RangersInter · 13m
Things you were never meant to see. Rafat has the cash. Does Imran still maintain ‘No paper trails to Rizvi’?
http://i.imgur.com/r0gi5X4.jpg
Shouldn`t pay attention really to fairy stories peddled in the neutered MSM as in `leaked` 8m shares lark for 40% shares or CG back. Some might think mysterons buying out 70% of stock for 12m to gain 100% [+19m of tasty `debt`] & taking Companies private & avoid `awkwardness’s` might be a better angle – but who cares. Lots of observational fun in watching Charlie squeeze the SFA by the 5WA short and curlies – and gullibles grandstanding as their pockets surreptitiously emptied by sly spivs controlling the MSM.
Looking forward to Charlie’s next Christmas Broadcast – and every year for 20 years or more 😉
sickofitall says:
June 15, 2014 at 3:48 pm
I don’t know who wrote this but……
—————————————————————————-
D’Artagnan Jun 25 2012 02:15 AM The Bears den
There should be a big triangular red sign with a troll with a diagonal bar through it displayed on all the “information” coming out this weekend. A large PR job is underway by MH or the new PR supremo . Charles Green is back on the scene , Sandy Easdale claims nothing to do with MH, and Charlotte resurfaces with a Rafat Rizvi “exclusive” and this all happens now by random ,aye right. Next they will be claiming the Easdale brothers Brian Stockbridge and Jack Irvine all decided randomly to go on the same flight to London for a shopping trip. Whatever is happening or is about to happen at sevco there is a huge smokescreen on the go or a massive herd of squirrels is abroad. The rebel sites like SoS are under increased levels of trolling and attack so whatever is on the go the board faction are putting plenty of effort into it. I suspect we will only know the full truth about what has gone on once the whole thing is over but it has spawned an industry on both sides of the sevco divide. It would be nice if it could all be sorted as all this is a distraction for Scottish Football which given how it is run needs all the help it can get. Must admit the thought of the return of Charles to Rangers is fun as he was good for a quote and kept Paul McConville’s blog in material for months on end. The close season is supposed to be dull but this one has all the hallmarks of an episode of Game of Thrones with all that involves with just a bit more treachery and a few more twists and turns in the plot. 😆
Phil, to be fair, he’ll be earning that extra £2,500 a week, as he’ll no longer be playing against the guy that delivered his mail that morning…..
Barcabhoy says:
June 15, 2014 at 4:25 pm
The reason to do it, is because they don’t have absolute control. They have control , but not enough to guarantee the 75% needed to pass special resolutions, as was shown by the failure of Resolution 10.
—————————————————————-
But can they do it without going over the 29% threshold ?
,,,,,,,,,,,
Easy Peasy
These are Spivs
They will have come across this situation dozens of times in the past
The real question is this
Why are the Bears so disunited that they can`t bring themselves to dump this phony club playing at Ibrox?
They are being milked ruthlessly with no end in sight
Why wont they start another club with no baggage ?
One that would have fullhearted support of the rest of Scottish Football?
It beggars belief
GoosyGoosy
I had this conversation with two TRFC supporters last month.
My advice was Ibrox and the attachment to it was killing TRFC and they should let it go.
The guy in his late 40 early 50s just could not contemplate the idea but his sister a wee bit older said she could see merit in what I was saying.
A club or the spirit of it is not bricks and mortar, it resides in the support, but so important is symbolism to them they are unable to let go of what symbolises what they once were but no longer are.
It might help them to let go if the truth about their self corruption were not hidden from them to reveal a past not worth holding on to.
ohn Clark says:
June 15, 2014 at 10:32 am
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parttimearab says:
June 15, 2014 at 9:44 am
‘“The BBC has learned former Rangers chief executive Charles Green is seeking financial support to launch a new bid for control of the Ibrox club.”
————
There are all kinds of earthy expressions that spring to mind,for example dogs visiting their vomit, flies round sh..e, moths flying close to the flame, that would nicely describe CG’s further involvement.
Natural born recidivists fill our jails, and the business world appears to have many such types.And some businesses seem to attract more than their fair share!
____________________________________________________
This has all gone a bit Monty Python now.
I am confused:
Is this:
1. A great biq terrifying tyrannosaurus squirrelus with the bushiest tail ever.
2. An attempt by the current board to telegraph to the bears how much worse it could get if they don’t get back into line/ how bad the coming austerity isn’t compared to what they could be getting
3. An attempt to get the bears to throw in the towel and walk away so that the club can be MVL’d and the property cashed in.
4. A genuine attempt by the generously manually proportioned one to get back so he can try to bury a few more of the bodies/ cover a few more of the tracks / shred a few surplus documents.
5. just another signal among many of the unmitigated spirit of ‘situation FUBAR’ that has possessed Edmiston Drive with no sign of let up. Expect more B movie Horror elements to follow (Bloodsuckers. zombies, barking, howling, Aimless lurching (mostly on field, that one!), and bizarre plot twists set against a backdrop of anachronistic social context, the contrivance of opulence… strung together with haphazard editing and low production values: in fact all the makings of a 1960’s Hammer are already there… except of course, entertainment! If anyone wants me I’ll be hiding behind the sofa!)
6. All of the above.
twopanda says:
June 15, 2014 at 8:44 pm
‘…. & taking Companies private.’
————–
Certainly, coming out of AIM, de-listing, is a distinct possibility. And I , without the mental capacity to work it all out, feel in my bones that Blue Pitch and/or Laxey ( probably Laxey) has/have been beavering away to get to the point where they can take RIFC plc out of AIM, returning it to private company status and leaving lesser shareholders high and dry ( with no market for their shares) and themselves in full control.
And then Laxey will do what Laxey does: sell land and buildings for maximum profit, and bugger the idea of running a football club.
Now,the world of ‘finance’ is a very small one ( like the ‘legal’ world, or the ‘political’ world, or indeed the football world) with lots of cross-overs of personnel.
So not too much can be read into the fact that the same name , say, sanjeev verma, might be connected with, say, an asset clearing service associated with the nominees of major, but secret, shareholders of, say, a football plc, a clearance service which is a member of a concern which helps companies to de-list from AIM.
Pure idle and utterly uninformed speculation on my part , of course (truly).
But being the majority shareholder in a private company! What power it grants! There are even wild stories about such a majority shareholder generously selling a whole football club for £1.00!
No one really could believe that, of course, ha ha, imagine!
But in principle ( or, maybe, in the ‘wild story’ case, in the absence of principle!) it would be entirely possible for the majority shareholder to do what he liked with ‘his’ private company.
And what Laxey likes ( on behalf of the shareholders for whom they act), is to SELL land for development-not to run companies, and certainly not to run football clubs.
Perhaps there will be a move very soon to de-list from AIM, privatise, shut the business and walk away.
Perhaps not.
Herald on the story. Not sure Grant has the Green timeline completely correct. I believe he left first time amid the swirl of accusations concerning racism. Does make Imran’s hour-long chat with Tommy more relevant. Didn’t Imran mention being ready to become involved again, financially?
One thing that puzzles though is the source of these reports. Anyone know who put the Green story out? Green himself?
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/opinion/plus-ca-change-as-green-fog-continues-to-cloud-dealings-at-ibrox.24488879
Hats off to Michael Grant from today’s Herald. He does not miss Green and hit the wall!
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/opinion/plus-ca-change-as-green-fog-continues-to-cloud-dealings-at-ibrox.24488879
GoosyGoosy says:
June 15, 2014 at 10:58 pm
Why are the Bears so disunited that they can`t bring themselves to dump this phony club playing at Ibrox?
They are being milked ruthlessly with no end in sight
Why wont they start another club with no baggage ?
One that would have fullhearted support of the rest of Scottish Football?
It beggars belief
—————————————————————
Goosy, the answer is very simple …. Timmy might laugh!!
And that’s the sad truth.
From the Herald
“In the roll call of spivs who have exploited Rangers over the past three years Green was the most charismatic and perhaps the cleverest, but he was divisive, provocative, opportunistic and played the club like a fiddle.”
And here was me thinking his rabble rousing was more suited to a flute.
So Mr Green is back. Could the latest episode of this bad acid trip for the bears be more prosaic ?
The thought occurs, that the spivs need to buy off Mr Green’s onerous contracts to free up MP for sale. They don’t want to part with hard cash so they are prepared to give Charles a big chunk of the £8m of new shares at no cost to themselves. Of course that would be unpalatable to the masses, so Charles is forming a consortium driven be a relapse into Rangersitis. Who could object to a chronic Rangersitis suffered from rounding up some investors (un-named) to inject some much needed “cash” into the panto. I’m sure Deloittes would be relieved to be released from their pickle.
There is also Charles’ involvement in the Imran and Whyte cases to consider – best keep him in the tent.
Anyway, once Charles is back, he may have a thing or two to say so the MSM can forget about working for a few months – happy days.
PS is it remotely possible that Charles never left – is he Margharita or Blue Pitch in disguise – well no-one knows yet – do they MSM ?
Fara,
Hell no. It was glaringly obvious from the start he was a fiddler, good and proper, or bad and improper depending on your standpoint. 😈
MCFC. That might release the onerous contracts, making it a more viable proposition to ‘the market’ but it doesn’t yield instant cash – which they are very very short of.
Charles coming back would just be brilliant.
Its just like the old soap operas where the actors feel they can have a go at something else only to turn up a few years later in the same role (Sharon Watts, Tracey Barlow etc etc) because they know what they are good at, know what the audiences and producers want and know where the good money is 🙂
Wottpi I don’t think Charles coming back would be brilliant, not in the slightest.
RyanGosling says:
June 16, 2014 at 11:19 am
Ryan
I appreciate that he is not on your Christmas card list but what entertainment value.
On a serious note the only good thing that would perhaps come out of the return of Green could be the SFA and the SPFL finally trying and take some action with regard to getting the mess at Ibrox sorted out before the start of next season.
Sanctions and possibly threats of being booted out have to be forthcoming soon to ensure the rest of the game is protected from this embarrassing circus.
Smugas says:
June 16, 2014 at 9:47 am
MCFC. That might release the onerous contracts, making it a more viable proposition to ‘the market’ but it doesn’t yield instant cash – which they are very very short of.
==========================================================
Smugas – totally agree – but first things first – reassure Deloittes, sell MP to reduce costs by £1.3 mil pcm, get to the start of the season, get to next ST time (as premiership club), then . . . .
That list alone will require some miracles and I’m not sure what happens after that – because I don’t see how the numbers add up for a football club – or even a property co for that matter. But I always remember Imran’s slip about “there’s £50mil in this” which makes my think there may be a cunning spiv plan. But even spivs can make mistakes and get the fingers burnt.
BTW loving Fargo, hope the Coen brothers are keeping up to date for their new series: Govan.