Charles Green has declared war on the Scottish football authorities. His statement and that of Duff and Phelps today deserve detailed analysis, which is ongoing at McConville Towers as we speak, and will be concluded as soon as Stewart Regan, Neil Doncaster and Peter Lawwell tell me what to write.
For now, I wanted to speculate if Mr Green had managed to forget the terms of the SFA Rules, under which Rangers FC was censured for his comments some time ago. Mr Green could well have forgotten, as the censure took place as long as eleven days ago.
The relevant rules are as follows:
Rule 1: All member clubs shall:
(a) observe the principles of loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship in accordance with the rules of fair play;
(b) be subject to and comply with the Articles and any statutes, regulations, directives, codes, decisions and International Match Calendar promulgated by the Board, the Professional Game Board, the Non-Professional Game Board, the Judicial Panel Protocol, a Committee or sub-committee, FIFA, UEFA or the Court of Arbitration for Sport;
(c) recognise and submit to the jurisdiction of the Court of Arbitration for Sport as specified in the relevant provisions of the FIFA Statutes and the UEFA Statutes;
(d) respect of the Laws of the Game;
(e) refrain from engaging in any activity, practice or conduct which would constitute an offence under sections 1, 2 or 6 of the Bribery Act 2010; and
(f) behave towards the Scottish FA and other members with the utmost good faith.
Rule 2: Each member shall procure that its officials, its Team Officials and its players act in accordance with Rule 1.
Rule 66: No recognised football body, club, official, Team Official or other member of Team Staff, player, referee, or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA shall bring the game into disrepute.
Rule 71: A recognised football body, club, official, Team Official, other member of Team Staff, player or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA shall, at all times, act in the best interests of Association Football and shall not act in any manner which is improper.
Now let’s see where Mr Green might, through inadvertence, have sinned against those rules, accidentally of course. The following are extracted from his statement on the official Rangers FC website.
“Our lawyers have made that point repeatedly to the SPL in correspondence and yet our requests for an explanation from the SPL have been completely ignored. The SPL’s silence on these issues is deafening. The outcome of the SPL’s process will have no legal effect.
…
“Although the SPL goes to great lengths to emphasise the independence of its Commission, the Commission is not independent of the SPL. It has been appointed by the SPL. It follows SPL rules and its process is managed by SPL staff. I don’t question the impartiality of the individual panel members but whatever decision they reach is a decision of the SPL.
…
“Did the SPL launch an investigation? Did they appoint a Commission? Did they ask to see EBT correspondence? Did they ask any questions at all? No. They did absolutely nothing.
“What compounds the breathtaking hypocrisy of the SPL in this whole saga, is that the SFA, the SPL and us – as the new owners – took part in numerous discussions regarding the new company’s league status during which it was made clear that a deal was there to be done where ‘the EBT issue’ would be dealt with as part of a package of sanctions which would be implemented in return for membership of the SFA and a place in either the SPL or Division One.
“We do not accept that people who are willing to come to an agreement on such matters then have a right to instigate a full blown inquisition when matters do not unfold as they thought they would.
“In our view, it beggars belief that an authority which can be heavily involved in these discussions to the point that the Chief Executive Neil Doncaster repeatedly stated he was not interested in stripping titles from Rangers can lurch from that position to setting up its own Commission under the chairmanship of Lord Nimmo Smith.
“I must make it clear that we are not questioning for a moment the integrity of Lord Nimmo Smith and his colleagues but we believe the SPL have been hypocritical in their approach to this matter.
…
“Why is the SPL rushing to judgement now when it has been sitting on the matter for two years? Their haste is particularly difficult to understand when the tax tribunal judgement is imminent.
“The factual issues in both cases are identical. We have to ask why is the SPL so anxious to issue a judgement in this matter before the tax tribunal’s findings are made public.
…
“Nothing has changed as the judgement still has not been made public. Why is the SPL rushing ahead when in April the SFA felt it unwise to do so?
“Rangers was not the only club in Scotland to use EBTs yet nothing was done and little has been heard about it. Also, Rangers stands accused of achieving sporting advantage unfairly – yet there is little debate over the fact in all the years EBTs were in existence at Ibrox, the Club often failed to win either the league title, or the main cup competitions.
…
“The decision we have taken has not been taken lightly. There are powerful representatives from Clubs within the SPL – not all of them by any means – who appear hell bent on inflicting as much damage on Rangers as possible.
“It is lamentable that the Board and executive of the organisation have not been able to deal with this appropriately. We do not hold every SPL club in the same regard. Several clubs were placed in an invidious position and we believe their interests were not best served by those in more powerful positions.
“Furthermore, as a Club we are not satisfied that the issue of conflict of interest relating to advisers to the SPL has been satisfactorily dealt with.
“Once again I would thank our supporters for their patience and tolerance. They have been asked to take it on the chin time and again and we stand united in saying: No more.”
——————————————————
Have a read through these edited highlights once again…
The SPL’s silence on these issues is deafening … the Commission is not independent of the SPL … They (the SPL) did absolutely nothing … the breathtaking hypocrisy of the SPL in this whole saga … a full blown inquisition … it beggars belief that an authority which can be heavily involved in these discussions to the point that the Chief Executive Neil Doncaster repeatedly stated he was not interested in stripping titles from Rangers can lurch from that position … we believe the SPL have been hypocritical … There are powerful representatives from Clubs within the SPL – not all of them by any means – who appear hell bent on inflicting as much damage on Rangers as possible … It is lamentable that the Board and executive of the organisation have not been able to deal with this appropriately. We do not hold every SPL club in the same regard. Several clubs were placed in an invidious position and we believe their interests were not best served by those in more powerful positions … Once again I would thank our supporters for their patience and tolerance. They have been asked to take it on the chin time and again and we stand united in saying: No more.
——————————————————
Mr Green has issued a lengthy statement, as can be seen from the fact that what is shown above is only an extract from it. It is on the official Rangers website, and is stated to be by “Rangers Football Club”.
If this is not a declaration of war on the SPL and by extension the footballing authorities in Scotland, I don’t know what is.
I spoke to a friend who compared some of Mr Green’s recent statements to what has become known as “dog whistle politics”. There is little of the dog-whistle about this – instead it is a clear rallying cry to the loyal support of Rangers, which will, I am sure ensure that the turnstiles keep clicking at Ibrox for some time yet.
As of a few minutes ago the respective posts regarding the statement on two of the main Rangers FC fan sites showed a total of 867 posts and over 26,000 views. Not bad for a statement issued two hours ago!
I also suspect that the reaction there will be 100% positive.
Deciding that they are refusing to play and denouncing the process before the first hearing takes place is an interesting tactic. Now, if the Commission proceeds, in the absence of both oldco Rangers and newco Rangers and delivers a damning judgement, it will be ignored, it appears, by Mr Green and his company. And, if action is taken, then they propose to invoke the aid of the courts to stop disciplinary action happening.
What strikes me is that, once again, Mr Green is playing a masterful hand. He is a king of diversion. When the transfer of the SFA membership took place Mr Green said:-
“There remains, however, an outstanding issue with the SPL regarding EBTs. As we have proved in the last couple of months we will stand up to any challenges that face Rangers and will continue to fight for the Club’s best interests.”
What he has managed to do is to build the impression that the one penalty, above all others, which newco will not accept, being the most horrendous possible, is the stripping of titles. Not being barred for all time from, membership of the SPL; not being suspended for a longer period than the next three years; not the imposition of further financial penalties…
No, the one penalty to be fought against, above all others, is one which will cost newco not a penny, and will in fact generate more support from the fans.
As I said, it is brilliant!
He has challenged the football authorities to take action, as indeed he promised he would. So much gratitude for the three ruling bodies pledging to “facilitate” Rangers entry to SFL3!
And as far as his attack on some, but not all, SPL teams, one wonders why he felt constrained from telling us who they were. After all, Ibrox is the home of clarity, transparency and free speech!
However the extracts above indicate numerous ways in which the rules quoted at the top of this piece are broken. Will the SFA have the courage of its convictions to take action? Will the SFL take any steps itself?
Or has Mr Green stared them down, and, as long as the share flotation comes along in the near future, enraptured the fans into subscribing in their thousands?
As has been the case ever since RTC started, this piece could end with the line:- we have no idea what will happen next; we will have to wait and see!
Posted by Paul McConville
Just had Sportsound on in the car for a minute while moving it … has Richard Gordon fallen out with Traynor, or has Traynor been elbowed out of the footie coverage?
Gordon asked Traynor for an update on the shinty final, to which he replied “I am watching the game, I have it in front of me here and I refuse to indulge you by giving you an update.”
Gordon then gave the score of 4-2 so far, deadpan, with no chuckle or anything to suggest a humourous situation.
Anyone caught anything, or am I reading it all wrong?
blueskies – the mere mention of TUs and TDs is guaranteed to result in a large number of automatic TDs. 😉 🙂
@Angus
There is no love lost between Richard Gordon and Jabba or Chic
Even though hes a Don i think Gordon sits on the fence a bit too much for my liking
fair play to Tam Cowan in The Daily Record today – praising Roger Mitchell’s annihilation of Chuckie Green http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/its-roger-and-out-for-charlie-in-ebt-1324810
Some great reading today, especially the posts highlighting the influence a 3rd division club accused of cheating continues to have on the MSM.
As an aside, would love to have a conversation face to face with Jabba.
Bill says:
September 15, 2012 at 16:29
There is no love lost between Richard Gordon and Jabba or Chic
Even though hes a Don i think Gordon sits on the fence a bit too much for my liking
He obviously enjoys the sensation!!
I think jabba and cosgrove are on the radio tonight, cosgrove tore him a new one last time.
jabba talking nonsense about EBTs again
its just a technicality now after celtic got away with it apparently
Remind me … how much are TRFC paying these players for all these draws in the 3rd Division?
jabba
HMRC are only going after Rangers on a technicality
Scottish football & FIFA rankings.
============================
There was discussion over the last couple of days about how the SFA has failed in the last 30 years or so wrt the national team, grass roots coaching etc.
A more recent indication of failure is the FIFA ranking.
Agreed that the calculations/results can seem a bit strange, but this is still one independent indicator of SFA performance.
But most would agree that a Scotland team which ranked 14th as recently as 2007 but which will soon drop down to 56th is not a team going in the right direction.
Would love to hear someone from the SFA give an explanation about this – and how they plan to reverse this trend for their paying customers. (I know…)
September 2012 / 56th
——————————
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/scotland-suffer-new-low-as-cape-1324992
May 2007 / 14th
———————
http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=1848&newsID=2784
Traynor lying again
So for months now we have been told by everyone from Young, Traynor, Keevins, and Jackson that EBT’s were perfectly legal. The great man, Chas Green himself, has also said they were legal but it was how they were administered that was the issue.
Now according to the geniuses within our media they have decided that all EBT’s are illegal.
In a strange twist of fate they have finally, after months of searching, found a way to link Celtic to this story in an attempt to show that one is as bad as the other yet again. I call it “two cheeks of the same @rse” syndrome.
The problem with this story is that it has been available to, and discussed by, “the bampots” months ago. So sadly yet again the MSM are months behind the curve.
Now correct me if I’m wrong but the bones of this so called story are as follows;
Juninho signed a contract with Celtic.
Was he paid to play football via an EBT?
Answer: NO.
Were all of his payments included in the contract registered with the SPL and SFA?
Answer: YES.
Were Celtic at fault or did they break any of the SFA or SPL rules in his registration to play professional football in Scotland?
Answer: NO.
Celtic and Juninho decided to terminate his contract early and, like most players in modern football, he was paid a pay off to terminate his contract.
Was this payment part of his contact?
Answer: NO. It was a termination payment and, as a termination payment, there was no need to have it in his contract to play football.
Was this one off payment paid via an EBT.
Answer: YES.
Were any of the SFA or SPL rules broken in this transaction?
Answer: NO because it was not a payment to play football rather it was a payment not to play football. In short it was a payment to bugger off.
Now at this point Celtic, being wary of EBT’s, since they had decided not to implement the same system as Rangers asked HMRC, or took advice, clarifying if this payment required the payment of income tax. Celtic after discussion with HMRC paid the tax due.
Now much has been made by the media that the EBT scheme used down Govan way was mentioned in the accounts every year. Yet again there is no problem with EBT’s for non-football playing staff, so perhaps Campbell Ogilvie can sleep safe, as long as it is administered properly. Some other clubs may adopt such a scheme for non-playing staff however as soon as it becomes linked to a player’s salary it becomes fraught with difficulty.
Did Rangers ever specify in their accounts that such large sums of money were going into the EBT or did they specify that players were being paid in this manner?
Most likely not as either of these would have meant that they had to be registered with the SPL and SFA and, if they did that, then they were liable for tax as it would not be a discretionary payment.
Now getting back to the Juninho EBT; are the media really trying to tell the Scottish footballing public that this is really the same as a club systematically avoiding registering all payments made to players and using a scheme designed to avoid paying tax for a period of over a decade?
It is almost like listening to Tony Blair make the case for going to war with Iraq and we all know how that panned out.
The cruel hand of fate 😈
I don’t want to wish any harm to the lad, but I can’t help feeling that there is an element of poetic justice at play.
Link to story on TRFC website – http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/2203-gers-wait-on-temps
Larsson7
Are you and Edward Munch’s ‘The Scream’ in anyway related? I think we should be told.
justshatered says:
September 15, 2012 at 18:15
Did Rangers ever specify in their accounts that such large sums of money were going into the EBT or did they specify that players were being paid in this manner?
Most likely not as either of these would have meant that they had to be registered with the SPL and SFA and, if they did that, then they were liable for tax as it would not be a discretionary payment.
______________
http://rangerstaxcase.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/ebt-declaration2007.png
above link was tweeted by RTC today
only amount that was paid into EBT was disclosed in their accounts no breakdown or if it was playing staff or other employees
MSM and Rangers fans have convinced themselves that it was all disclosed and transparent in the accounts and the SFA did nothing about it
Doon the slope…
You should demand to know!
easyJambo says:
September 15, 2012 at 18:19
“The former Hearts winger left the field on a stretcher after a fierce challenge and his left ankle was hurt.”
Above quote from RM website
AND this from the beeb match report
“Templeton crumpled to the ground holding his left ankle without anyone near him as he ran with the ball down the wing and the former Hearts player was soon carried off”
C.W. 15 September 2012 00:08 and others
My apologies for perturbing the discussion with my idle musings. No troll was intended I can assure you. Sometimes in my search for impartiality I spring back too far in the opposite direction. Contributors have educated me in their views concerning Mr. McCoist and these have in turn reformed my own. I am suitably chastised and will try to be more measured in any future contributions.
Andy says:
September 15, 2012 at 18:00
jabba
HMRC are only going after Rangers on a technicality.
————————————
Oh it’s a technicality rather than an administrative error now.
No, afraid not.
To evade tax, using an inappropriate scheme, with the knowledge you are doing it, is not “a technicality”, it is not an “administrative error”, it is not mis-management, it is stealing.
If Rangers took all of this advice, legal and accountancy which they claim to have then they must have known payments to an EBT had to be discretionary. There is no way round that. We have seen evidence that at least some of them were not. We can surmise that HMRC have evidence of at least some others, enough to justify their assessments.
Just more lies and propaganda from the media.
One wonders if there will be any retractions if and when the ruling is made public.
On “Your Call” tonight, Stuart Cosgrave tore into Traynor for his attempts to defend SDM over the debacle that is RFC(ia-nil). According to JT it’s all Craig Whyte’s fault and nothing to do with the supplier of “succullent lamb and fine red”, There is a link between them somewhere, though I’m damned if I can see it.
Your Call is well worth a listen whenever Cosgrove is on with Traynor. Got quite heated from the bit I heard, with Traynor treading water by repeating “EBTs are not illegal, EBTs are not illegal” then taking the next caller before Cosgrove could respond.
Traynor treading water by repeating “EBTs are not illegal, EBTs are not illegal”
==========================
He’s right, unfortunately that is entirely irrelevant.
What Rangers did was though.
Do people really think that HMRC can impose penalties when people do things which are “not illegal”.
The Sun prints lies shocker!!!
We are posting that now.
Castofthousands says:
September 15, 2012 at 19:08
6 1 Rate This
C.W. 15 September 2012 00:08 and others
Sometimes in my search for impartiality I spring back too far in the opposite direction. Contributors have educated me in their views concerning Mr. McCoist and these have in turn reformed my own …
———-
Don’t think there’s anything wrong with showing some humanity. There but for the grace of god and all that. Even his physical appearence has changed for the worse though. He seems to have been well and truely dropped in it. If he’d retired on February 14 he’d perhaps have emerged with some pride. At the start I felt some of his rantings were due to the unreal amount of responsibilty that was shoved on him. But there is no excuse for his continued threats and inflamatory language. He, Jardine, and others have turned into cheerleaders for the mob.
I think CW got it right with these observations:
” Couple of thoughts come to mind Re- Mr McCoist. He’s either :
1. Desperate to pursue a career in Football Management, and is trying hard to prove he is no Dud.
2. He is totally a Blue Nose, and has a WATP mentality.
3. He’s no more than a wee puppet, having his strings pulled by Chuckles, with the promise of a good pay day at the end !”
To me it looks like a mix of all three of the above. It’s very sad to see any human being descend into this state.
A £49M technicality ,bawheid.
EKtim says:
September 15, 2012 at 19:31
There is a link between them somewhere, though I’m damned if I can see it.
========
Having seen Jabba , I suspect that you are correct and that he has eaten SDM.
Jim Traynor is a person who loves nothing more than arranging opinions against each other, while all along claiming to be the originator of both. I cannot listen to him or these phone ins anymore- how can anyone take these people seriously after their ‘considered responses’ over the last few months? These guys are charlatans, they will try to impose their version of events in the coming months because their arses are for the chop.
Andy says:
September 15, 2012 at 18:00
13 0 i Rate This
jabba
HMRC are only going after Rangers on a technicality
==========================================================================
Andy…I assume he meant 82 “technicalities”…how utterly careless of a government department…I must right to my MP and complain…!
“right”….ok….”write”…!
Traynor’s relationship with Murray – just think John Selwyn-Gummer and Margaret Thatcher.
Jabba was and is quite simply besotted by him.
His attempts to delink Rangers liquidation from Murray’s policies are futile. The only reason Whyte got the chance to do what he did was because Murray had got himself into a situation where he cared not one iota for what was going to happen or who was going to do what – as long as he was a million miles away from the blame. And knowing he had lamb suckers like Jabba to ensure that message got out to the masses in phone-in world made that easy for him. Whyte did what he did because there was no other option – Rangers were dead when Murray sold them.
Buckfastswallier says:
September 15, 2012 at 20:56
Agreed. He’ll be getting off on getting mentioned on here. He must be intelligent enough to understand the subject but it’s more controversial to put forward a different interpretation. As a journalist and football fan he should know some of the finer details but generating calls and provoking reaction is the name of the game – the perpetual news story. Little effort and months of income. Income that I help to fund and I resent that.
As for “EBTs aren’t illegal”, in my simple world I like to think of it like withdrawing cash from the bank. Perfectly legal, provided you go about it the right way.
Option 1. Go to your bank – it might be Lloyds Bank of Scotland (other high street banks are available unless they’ve heard you’re bad news and you have to use some pay day loan mob). Take your bank card in and politely ask the cashier for an amount not more than your balance, receive your cash and off you go.
Option 2. Burst into any bank firing an automatic weapon at the ceiling and screaming that everyone should get on the floor “and nobody”ll get hurt”. Throw a large sack at the cashier, push your gun in their face and (still screaming) demand they fill the sack with used notes in 20 seconds or you’ll blow said face off. Grab the filled sack of loot, rudely ignore the attempt to cross-sell you an ISA and run out.
Option 1 should be just fine but Option 2 may result in some stickler picking you up on a technicality.
Sorry, I’m not sure I’ve progressed the debate much.
…….besotted with…….
I can feel your thoughts, grammatical pedants
Did the draw at Annan cancel the Broken Crest and “Celts in Crisis” headlines tomorrow?
Surely anyone spending the kind of money that McCoist has must be getting asked questions by now?
If they cannot win with the playing staff they have now in SFL3, what chance next year with no transfer day signings
Brechin (after 90 mins), Peterhead, Berwick, Annan, When was the last time “The Rangers” actually won away this Season, apart from the League Cup game against Falkirk ?
Really pleased that Forres Mechanics have not folded to pressure to relocate their Scottish Cup Tie to a “Neutral” venue to make more cash !
Forres Supporters will see their team give it a go against Newco in a few weeks, on Their Own Ground !
There is not a lot of difference between Forres and their Northern SFL counterparts like Peterhead and Elgin.
Really could be an interesting contest in a few weeks, on a tight ground, in front of a sellout 1500 Crowd !
Wouldn’t be surprised if The Mechanics are planning on a Replay back at IBrokes !, if everything goes to plan. If not, they will already have made a few bob !
“The Rangers” appear to have a Jinx on their Away travels !
Forres ? Could Be !!! Now that would be funny !
There you all are………
Just been reading some of the parent’s stories from 1989, that could have been you, me or anyone who went to a game in those days…………the only thing I have to add is that whoever decided that Liverpool’s first post Hillsborough game should be at Celtic Park is a genuis……..
Stand up Kenny Dalglish…………
Dobbin on duty on Tuesday ,will update on Wednesday,got the apples.
Traynor is a joke. Everyone knows what he is about. It’s cringe worthy stuff and will only get worse because he has put himself in a position where he is now forced to continue defending the indefensible.
He is still having to pretend he doesn’t have any understanding whatsoever on anything that is going on. Despite the size of the issue, the length of time it has been going on for, and the fact it would take about 10 minutes of reading to get a grasp of the scandal engulfing the entire Scottish game, Traynor persists with degrading himself.
He is an embarrassment to journalism.
easyJambo says:
September 15, 2012 at 18:19
Do you believe in Karma? I do 🙂
Anyone seen this yet?
Regarding Phil Mac’s book
http://frontlinenoir.com/clairvoyant-reviewers-and-other-mysteries/
Creepylurker says:
September 15, 2012 at 14:21
Wow! What a really uncompetitive league the spl has become without rangers in it. Well done st. Johnstone, from a tic fan.
I’d like to say well done to St Johnstone as well and I can empathise and agree to a certain degree with Creepylurkers comment that the league may be uncompetitive. Psychologically any Celtic team that took to the park would always have the added presssure of results elsewhere to ensure they were totally focussed on each game and that’s gone. The new Rangers are possibily missing that as well judging by their result in the SFL rather than the cups they have so far played in. Celtic in each CL qualifying game managed to raise the effort and hopefully they can continue to do that as they open their campaign next week.
From a personal point of view I have always wanted more competitive games and my team should find it hard in most of the domestic games they play in. The two horse race that in part came about because of the way one club played the rules resulted in a very boring league. If I’m honest I used to love watching the success of other Scottish clubs in Europe or domestically going even to see Aberdeen and Dundee Utd in their heyday and not against Celtic. I have never been a Rangers fan and the only time I ever supported them was when they were playing Leeds as I cannot stand they way our game and league are viewed by those down south. I watched them play Leeds in a house full of those I would describe as non Unionists in Belfast, brave or daft!. I digress.
Here’s what I hope. I hope Rangers don’t get out the 3rd division this season (Swally for Manager) as I hope that other teams in the SPL get the opportunity to build stronger teams and a bigger support as they get success. Hopefully those kids especially in areas outside Glasgow begin to follow their local team and those teams that would normally lose young supporters to the Rangers and Celtic start to pick up the support they should have had in the first place. Fathers who would be old Rangers supporters begin to be asked by their children to take them to see Inverness, Dundee or whoever. I hope that Celtic do put on a good show in the CL and retain the crowds and we don’t hear the “they did crap because they are playing in a crap domestic league”. Domestically I hope to see Celtic wake up and smell the coffee and they start to get results and I hope each game they play in, is competitive and entertaining. I would say to each team in the SPL sieze the opportunity because this may not last to long (unless of course swally keeps his job) so keep up the competition. I have always been an advocate of the, if you keep saying something crap it will become crap, so lets be positive folks and make sure armagedon never happens and we go from strength to strength, even with that new team.
Tina Turner 15 September 2012 at 00:08
Tina, your post has been remarked upon but there has been no follow up on the main point you raise, so I’ll see if I can start the ball rolling.
The critical point from the terms of reference of the panel investigating the dual contracts you’ve highlighted is:
“3. Newco, as the current owner and operator of Rangers FC, although not alleged by the SPL to have committed any breach of SPL Rules, will also have the right to appear and be represented at all hearings of the Commission and to make such submissions as it thinks fit.”
You reckon this is linking Oldco and Newco in a judicial setting that could provide legitimacy for the continuation of history argument.
My paltry understanding is that Oldco sold certain assets, trade marks and good will to Newco. The mechanism of the transfer of the SFA share between the two is beyond my knowledge but I’d suppose that since Newco were granted a conditional membership to the SFA and Oldco’s share was no longer in use then there might be some logic in the transference. Someone with a better understanding of the procedure might be able to clarify/re-iterate. I’m not sure if the transference of a share necessarily carries with it the honours accrued by its previous owner, even if you do have their trade marks and good will.
It does seem a little strange that Newco have been given the opportunity to be represented at the hearings. Perhaps this is where the linkage seems most tangible.There were some posts that suggests that Charles Green distancing himself from this opportunity was due to the possibility that linkage with Olco might risk creditors pursuing Newco for Olco’s debts. I feel I’m covering well trodden ground here. If so perhaps someone could provide a summary for Tina and perhaps other readers like myself.
FIFA says:
September 15, 2012 at 22:39
Dobbin on duty on Tuesday ,will update on Wednesday,got the apples.
——-
Is this something to do with Van Klomp’s “Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies?”
I do hope so.
p.s. Listening to SSB Rewind at the moment.
Old RFC PLC Fans are beginning to ask questions about Management (Football Management, not Club/ Company Management / Mismanagement !).
SuperPatsie is also getting it in the neck from a few fans, including Gordon Dalziel of all people !
There was also a Guy on tonight, whom I also heard on Traynors BBC Call-In program earlier, trying to spout out the Cr*p that Celtic & Rangers were both struggling because they miss each other !!!!!!!
Just seemed as if he was reading from a Crib Sheet on both phone-ins ! I Hope there isn’t a Propaganda Exercise going on out there !!
Meanwhile, in other News !
—————————————————————
Castofthousands says:
September 15, 2012 at 19:08
C.W. 15 September 2012 00:08 and others
My apologies for perturbing the discussion with my idle musings. No troll was intended I can assure you. Sometimes in my search for impartiality I spring back too far in the opposite direction. Contributors have educated me in their views concerning Mr. McCoist and these have in turn reformed my own. I am suitably chastised and will try to be more measured in any future contributions.
———————————————————
Nice try, Pal. Trolling is not for you !
p.s. Who are you, We Demand To Know !!!!!!! (as he chuckles quietly !)
Castofthousands says:
September 15, 2012 at 23:11
Tina Turner 15 September 2012 at 00:08
Tina, your post has been remarked upon but there has been no follow up on the main point you raise, so I’ll see if I can start the ball rolling.
——————————————————————————-
It’s Ok, Castofthousands, I’ll set the ball rolling !
Go and do your Trolling elswhere !
You’re as transparent as The Duchess of Cambridge !
Still to hear one comment, good or bad, about Downfall.
Is it really that unremarkable?
briggsbhoy says:
September 15, 2012 at 23:04
briggsbhoy, sorry if you didn’t pick up on the tone of my post. I was just taking a sarcastic dig at the MSM who said that without T’rangers in the spl, the league would be a boring one-horse race with celtic winning by 30-odd points. 6 games in and Celtic are 5th, 4pts off The Well’ who have continued over last seasons excellent form. R.County undefeated in 40 games, Hibs & st. Mirren have started strongly and while I know we’re not even past the first 1/4 yet it looks like no-one is running away with it in the top half and no-one is getting left behind in the bottom half. Like you I want to see a very competitive league too and while I obviously want to see Celtic win every game I would still be happy to see any of the other teams in the spl win the league. I am going to be optimistic here and say that this will be a good competitive season for all clubs.(Minus the team that gets relegated) 🙂
stmiley says:
I’ll try again 🙂
Anyone seen this yet?
Regarding Phil Mac’s book
http://frontlinenoir.com/clairvoyant-reviewers-and-other-mysteries/
(Also now twittered by Alex T)
The implications of this article, by the publishers, are pretty scary if true.
I Haven’t yet read the book in all honesty.
(ps: I just don’t feed trolls- simples)
I am stumped to be honest to make head nor tail of the SPL investigation’s commentary re Oldco and newco.
It appears OLDCO ran something called RFC and this something was then run by NEWCO – to date no-one can pin down what that entity actually is – what was RFC (ia) if not a football club – it was called rangers football club and sold shares as Rangers football club and traded and died as rangers football club – yet some other entity without legal documentation or any means of identity won their titles and was in fact being run by Rangers Football Club – this separate entity was also known as rangers football club – it is now being run by a company called the rangers football club which appears to be a new legal entity which now runs the noncorporeal rangers football club.
So a company called rangers football club ran rangers football club before folding whereupon another company called the rangers football club continues to run rangers football club
And this is apparently the official status of Rangers Football club according to the SFA, SPL and SFL. the players are registered to and paid by a legal entity yet their titles are won by a non corporeal entity and so when the legal entity collapses the titles and history remain. this could continue ad nauseam – it is in essence the plot of Harry Potter – Voldemort surviving through horcruxes and being re-born.
Surely someone at UEFA must have been informed of this insanity ( MPD – multiple personality disorder – it seems two separate indivduals share the same entity ar part of their consciousness and one has gifted it to the other from its death bed – even as it breathes its last) and could gently persuade the SFA that it has gone completely stark staring bonkers!
bangordub
Seen that as well as the amazon ‘reviews’.
Still no-one discussing the books content. Is it any good?
Reading downfall right now. On page 43. Maybe time to put it down. It’s not exactly explosive stuff but I read a great line about both sets of fans thinking the news was either too awful or too wonderful to be true regarding the HMRC assessment. I guess if you are a ‘fair minded’ fan used to reading the record I.e. had your head in the sand, then there is a lot of news in there.
Sevco & McCoist: a marriage of convenience?
======================================
Following another deeply unimpressive display by Super Wally’s team there have been some grumblings of discontent on RM.
So the question is: regardless of results, are Sevco stuck with Super Wally until at least January 2014?
Which ‘decent’ manager would touch Sevco with the ongoing uncertainties with sanctions, ownership, etc…
Which ‘decent’ manager would take on a new club in the knowledge that he can’t buy /assemble his own team until 2014?
Is Durranty able to step up as interim manager – and ‘communicate’ with the media?!
To repeat a previous observation: if Sevco don’t start winning – and by several goals each game – ‘The People’ might just turn on each other big time, to release their frustrations.
That would be Karma – absolutely !! 🙄
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/9543866/Ally-McCoist-baffled-by-SPL-decision-not-to-investigate-Celtics-EBT-payment-to-Juninho.html
Oh Sally!
I said a while ago that the SPL should have held off any probe into dual contracts until after the FTT(T) ruling into the use of EBTs.
Using Harper MacLeod was another bad call.
However, as so often in life, timing is everything and the SPL may well have got that bit right if the FTT(T) ruling is announced before Lord Nimmo Smith’s panel sits in November.
The SPL investigation into dual contracts can rightly be separated from any issue regarding the legality of EBTs.
But the average person naturally links the two – and they would be correct to do so even if they probably don’t fully understand why.
While the matters can be separated I believe it is crucial for the general public to see dual contracts within the context of the EBT scheme.
The two issues are intrinsically related, after all.
For instance, it is possible the written judgement from the FTT(T) will state that RFC wilfully deceived HMRC by deliberately engaging in an illegal tax avoidance scheme for a decade.
The corollary of such a ruling would be that the failure to lodge the full details of player contracts with the footballing authorities was a necessary part of this illegal ruse.
After all, why pursue an illegal tax avoidance scheme and then give the SPL and SFA a copy of player contracts that would prove the you were operating an illegal tax avoidance scheme?
If you are seeking to portray your tax scheme as a legitimate one in order to deceive HMRC you would not hand over contractual evidence that unveils the deception to the SPL and SFA.
While the two issues can be treated separately, I believe it would be better for the SPL to deal with the dual contracts issue after the FTT(T) rules.
In my opinion, it is vital that the issue of dual contracts is seen within the universe of the circle that points to the foundations that hep to contextualise the dual contracts issue and would prevent people suffering unnecessary trials and tribulations as they try to understand the degree of seriousness with which to treat the interlinked issues.
The SPL may get lucky if the FTT(T) judgment is released before Lord Smith announces his decision.
With faith, hope and charity this may come to pass.
Sorry for not being clear, as I meant:
“In my opinion, it is vital that the issue of dual contracts is seen within the universe of the circle that points to the foundations that help contextualise the EBT issue and would prevent people suffering unnecessary trials and tribulations as they try to understand the degree of seriousness with which to treat the interlinked issues.”
Had a few drinks!
RayCharles says:
September 16, 2012 at 03:23
I disagree.
The ONLY thing the SPL panel has to rule on is whether RFC(IA) players received payments that were NOT declared in their contracts.
As enough ex-players have confirmed they did, it should be pretty much a slam dunk case.
Whether or not the EBT scheme was run correclty (it wasn’t) matters ‘not one iota of a jot’ to the SPL’s case.
The quote from Mr McCoist in the Telegraph article commenting on his puzzlement as to why the SPL will not investigate the use of an EBT by Celtic stood out for me.
“That’s the most important thing, being able to show your kids and your grandkids the medals. Even in this era of high finance and big money, that’s still the most important thing to the players and you can’t Tippex that out.
“We have taken a stand. The vast majority of people I have spoken to – not just what Rangers fans, believe it’s fast becoming a witch-h#nt. I can tell you right now, they will never take the titles away.”
“EVEN IN THIS ERA OF HIGH FINANCE AND BIG MONEY”
Is “high finance” and “big money” not the crux of the issue?
A football club who wanted to outspend all of the others to secure glories.
A club who used a perfectly legal tax mechanism (at the time) to reduce their tax bill so that they could finance players they could not ordinarily secure and pay.
Players and club officials who liked the idea of a lower tax bill – but who in turn required a side letter to be satisfied that they would be paid tax free.
A club owner who did not have the riches and finance required to fund his ambition – who then borrowed money from the bank to purchase the club, and then transferred debt between companies to keep the club alive, until they secured “big money” from SPL and CL domination.
“High finance” and “big money” is at the heart of the issue – RFC choose that path, a strategy of jam tomorrow to secure successes, a disaster of their own making. The club could not even administer the EBT scheme correctly – the evidence in the public domain thus far (notably the Bain email re his bonus) suggests that the club deliberately abused the EBT scheme.
Mr McCoist – please tell me, in your opinion, how the perfectly acceptable laws of the land being applied to a company who cannot pay their creditors is a witch-h#nt. Then, can you also please let me know how the rules of sport which require fair play, sporting success on sporting merit (hence the UEFA push for financial fair play) could also be considered to be a witch-h#nt.
One final request – can you tell me why asking for the identities of an independent panel, who all member clubs agreed would not be released into the public domain – (the names of whom were known to your club, should there be any objections) were demanded for in a public tirade – who then had to get protection from the police given the level of threat that they and their families had become subjected to is not a witch-h#nt.
Courtesy of those bad biggits over at KDS:
“aw naw, no a nil nil wi annan anaw noo!”
‘Tis to lolz. 🙂
The winners of last year’s Div 3, Alloa Athletic, accrued 77 points. From 36 games they won 23, drew 8 and lost 5.
If Sevco continue to win all their home games and draw all their away games they will amass 72 points.
Must do better, Sally.
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/sfl-division-three/annan-athletic-0-0-rangers-rough-ride-on-the-road-for-rangers-1-2529423
One thing that has been troubling the last few weeks is the utter silence on something that infers guilt and collusion of the very same parties CG would have the Bears believe conspire against them.
SFA and SFL – subject matter is player registrations
Since CG himself seems ignorant of TUPE laws as he made public statements about the players that did not TUPE over claimed they had never been asked to
http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/rangers/107715-lack-of-contact-from-charles-green-influenced-players-newco-rejection/
After the SFA conspired with CG to try to stop other teams taking them by refusing to transfer their registrations, FIFA stepped in to grant a temporary one for a year in order to grant them the right to work and earn a living while a final decision is made (no idea where or when), You would have expected Frazier Wishart to come out defending the rights of the players – the fact that the SPFA did nothing would make you wonder why these players had paid their dues to a union in order to have their rights protected, when the head of that organisation was not too bothered, it seems.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18771127
It would fair to assume that up until the 5 way agreement and the SPL membership transferred, the player registrations were held by Rangers FC – NIL. The fact that Rangers FC – NIL had no stadium and did not meet the criteria for a going concern as a football club were ignored and CG was allowed to use the Rangers FC – NIL SPL share as a bargaining tool.
Rule A2.5; the Membership Criteria of the League are:-
membership of the SFA;
a Club participating in the League must either own its Registered Ground, whether by itself or through a holding or subsidiary company, or have such rights of occupation or tenure in its Registered Ground as may be approved by the Board;
all Clubs and the Candidate Club must comply and have complied with the Financial Disclosure Requirements.
The Financial Disclosure Requirements are set out at Appendix 3 to the Rules.
Sevco Scotland were then granted a conditional membership in order to play Brechin – even though there is no such thing as a conditional membership. This was announced late on a Friday during the Olympics ceremony. Since there are regulations pertaining to being registered to players being signed late on a Friday being unable to play for their new team that weekend, we would have to be charitable and assume that the players registered to Rangers FC NIL were transferred or registered to Sevco Scotland in the afternoon in order for them to take the field against Brechin. However there was talk of Ian Black being listed as a trialist in order to play – why would he need to be listed as a trialist if all the players were registered with the Sevco Scotland conditional membership? He was signed in time to registered to Sevco Scotland along with the others surely?
Or maybe not.
My theory is he was a trialist because his registration had been cancelled with Hearts and since all the Sevco Scotland players were still registered with Rangers FC NIL, he could not follow the same path – with the collusion of SFL and SFA, they were allowed to play against Brechin – who given that they got a good payday, were from the press quotes from them, very anxious to go ahead with the game. However Brechin never protested about the player registrations – which begs the question about the pressure from up high to get this game going.
Now reading the SFA Registrations rules some interesting bits came out
http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/resources/documents/SFAPublications/SFAHandbook/13%20RegProced.pdf
Articles 2.6, 2.7 and 2.8 are interesting
In 2.8 it states
a player shall be deemed to be registered on the day upon which such form and any agreement if applicable has been received by the Association and is fully compliant with the Articles and Procedures of the Association. Acknowledgement of the registration will be via the Club Extranet when the player’s name appears on the club’s list of registered players;
Is it my assumption that after a tough week of bartering, a 5 way agreement was finally reached late on Friday night and then to get the game ready, all the forms, agents and players signatures would have had to be completed by Sevco Scotland staff and then sent to SFA where they would then be reviewed and processed by SFA – all while we were watching the Olympics ceremony? Really?
a player after signing a Non-Recreational Registration Contract Form shall not play until such form has been properly completed and acknowledged, as valid by the Secretary;
Now it could be that Sevco Scotland had prepared all the paperwork in advance ready to be sent as soon as the decision was reached – however this is subject to a mystery.
The mystery is probably the biggest clue we have had to the player registration question – it was when CG opened the vault and let slip that SFA were counting Naismith’s registration against him in the number of players he could sign for the SFL campaign.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-could-be-stopped-from-signing-senior-1290784
Rangers have been caught in a red tape wrangle that could ruin their chances of significantly strengthening their squad before the transfer window closes tonight.
An SFL rule, in place for at least a decade, prevents its member clubs from registering more than 22 players aged over 21 in a bid to encourage youth development throughout the lower leagues.
To add to Ibrox woes, up to five senior players, including Steven Naismith, Steven Whittaker, Allan McGregor and Kyle Lafferty, are still officially registered to the club even though they’ve moved
Now given that the registrations require the player’s signature – and given that Naismith had no contact as he stated above with CG or his group other than an email before he left for Everton, the registration papers he would have signed were for for Rangers FC – NIL – these have to be the ones CG is referring to.
So if they are counted against him, then he cannot have registered anyone with T’Rangers since nowhere in the SFA Registrations rules does anyone need to do so based on a conditional membership since rules for registrations only cover full or associate members and rules for conditional members do not exist.
Very interestingly for the loaned players that went to Italy and Spain on loan, 2.10 it states
The registration of a player on a contract basis, who moves to a club in membership of another National Association upon a loan basis, will be suspended and the registration/contract held in abeyance for the duration of the loan period upon receipt of a written request for such to the Secretary signed by an accredited official of the club and the player.
Effect will again be given to the player’s registration/contract upon his return to his club here in Scotland and receipt of the necessary International Transfer Certificate.
Does this mean that Bocanegra and Goian’s registrations were suspended for them to go on loan – how does this affect their return since T’Rangers cannot register anyone – so how can they return during the embargo? Or is it to sell them in January that is the real plan here?
Now that the SFA have confirmed they are now full members on Aug 3rd – is there now any connection with 4 players getting “new” contracts?
Normally players sign “new and improved” contracts – the contracts to Whittaker, Davis and MacGregor last year were given on July 4th despite the need to rely on European football to get through the season – which is ironic that the original plan to get to the end of the season and go into admin/liquidation quickly at the end of the season, be then by prior agreements with ND and SR to be shoe horned into the SPL before anyone noticed in the short summer months when everyone is on holiday or busy watching the Olympics – it all went udders up.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/14013550
Yet one year later, CG is doing the same – or is he? Are the contracts really being extended or new ones negotiated under new T’Rangers – maybe this is them in effect being TUPE’d over?
Wonder if this is why the delay in Rangers FC – NIL getting the last rights from BDO.
Could it be that Rangers FC – NIL actually still have players registered with SFA?
In order to see what our governing bodies agreed to and colluded to in order to avoid “Armagedon” and “social unrest”, we need to see exactly what is the entity that is plying their trade in SFL3 – and in this – the player registrations will be key!
Smallteaser caught them on the 5 year contracts that really were pledges but kind of promises…
Forget the trolls – there is work to be done!
selfassessor says:
September 16, 2012 at 02:33
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/9543866/Ally-McCoist-baffled-by-SPL-decision-not-to-investigate-Celtics-EBT-payment-to-Juninho.html
————————————————————————————–
I see Roddy Forsyth is back … pity, the Telegraph reporting on Scottish football had been pretty good while he was away.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/annan-0-rangers-0-ibrox-men-still-lacking-away-league-win.1347725721
One other thing on the player registrations – next time you hear Jabba or Keevins whine about the state of the local game and a cause being our talent going abroad making our game full of no names etc – do not expect the question
Since SFA sided with Sevco on the player registrations, they ensured any player leaving had to leave Scotland. As a result no reserve team players were able to join other SPL clubs and 2 players playing for Scotland against Serbia were forced to leave the Scottish club game. In siding with CG to try to get him transfer fees (which could be argued should have gone to the creditors and not him), they failed in their mission to promote the game locally.
C.W. 15 September 2012 23:45
C.W. thank you for your implied bestowal of the title ‘Devils advocate’ upon this humble servant. It is an accolade to which I have long aspired but only now have I received any written evidence of its existence. Having been suitably inspired by your Wizard of Ozzness, I would dangle the following morsel to see what reaction I can illicit.
Why did RFC (IA..IL) withold details of contractual payments made via EBT’s from the SFA by not including them in player contracts? All the evidence is that there were enough placemen in the SFA that would ensure such sensitive information was treated sensitively. Is this information published and therefore a source which HMRC would routinely scroll through to ensure all accounts were in order??? I can see the logic whereby if avoiding/evading tax via EBT use then carrying through that duplicity in all related records makes perfect sense. Just seems extraordiarily risky. If you get away with it fine but if you don’t not only do you get clobbered with an unnaffordable tax bill but the status of your club becomes victim of grand moral vilification. Did the placemen in the SFA tell them they would cover for them if it all fell to bits. If they did then what lengths might they be willing to go to to save their own bacon as well as that of ‘Ra peepil?
Castofthousands – CO is the SFA placeman ensuring nothing would be unearthed. However the plan ran aground when the police raided Ibrox..
From the following link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeme_Souness
You can see under Stevens enquiry, what started it all…….
In July 2007, Newcastle United was raided by the City of London Police, who were investigating transfer deals involving Newcastle, Rangers and Portsmouth. Two Souness transfers, Jean-Alain Boumsong and Amdy Faye, were among a list of 17 transfers that were not cleared by Quest.[24] The Boumsong deal in particular was so odd that it was widely commented upon at the time.[25] Four months after succeeding Sir Bobby Robson as manager, Souness was in his first transfer window as Newcastle manager. At £8.2m, Boumsong was his first big signing and Souness said he would replace Jonathan Woodgate in the Newcastle defence, which had conceded several leads earlier in the season.[26] Newcastle were well aware of Boumsong prior to his move from Auxerre to Rangers on a free transfer.[27] Robson had travelled to France to watch him, but he declined the opportunity to sign Boumsong.[25] Liverpool were also interested in signing Boumsong.[28] Robson’s doubts were confirmed when Boumsong marked Alan Shearer in a pre-season game against Rangers.[25] Shearer came off to speak in dismissive terms about the Frenchman’s lack of physique,[25] and he later mentioned Boumsong’s previous availability on a free transfer on television.[25] When Boumsong was given a torrid time by DJ Campbell during his Newcastle debut against Yeading in the FA Cup, doubts over the wisdom of the transfer mushroomed.[25] The agent in the Boumsong and Faye transfers was Willie McKay. On 7 November 2007, Quest issued the following statement about McKay’s dealings:
Further to the key findings from the final Quest report published on 15 June 2007 by the Premier League, Quest would like to emphasise that, in that report, it was clear that no evidence of irregular payments was found in the transfers in the inquiry period which involved the agent Willie McKay. Quest would also like to thank Mr McKay for his cooperation with the inquiry.[29]
Castofthousands says:
September 16, 2012 at 08:53
Why did RFC (IA..IL) withold details of contractual payments made via EBT’s from the SFA by not including them in player contracts?
==========
SDM has being telling anyone who will listen for years now that all and any EBT payments were non-contractual.
He is saying that for a reason. If he admits that he knew or believed the payments to be contractual, then by not declaring tax on them, he opens himself and the others involved at the club to criminal charges for tax evasion. By maintaining the fiction that he sincerely believed that this was simply a tax avoidance scheme,which worked by making the payments non-contractual, then he keeps his argument with HMRC “technical” rather than criminal, so no one goes to jail.
If the EBT payments had been declared to the SFA as contractual, but not declared to HMRC as taxable, then the case for criminal proceedings by HMRC would be unanswerable. SDM is not that stupid (or that badly advised).
Someone has kidnapped Hugh Keevins and replaced him with the Scottish Football Monitor
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-owner-charles-green-has-to-stop-1326632
or maybe just maybe the media are starting to get worried that the big tax case and the SPL review will make their words over the last 6months lok very stupid and they are starting to hedge their bets??
Agrajag says:
September 15, 2012 at 13:44
WOTTPI says:
September 15, 2012 at 13:41
Just a wee reminder that the other day on the radio Mr Charles was at pains to point out that EBT’s were not illegal.
It is the administration of them and player registrations that can cause problems.
==========================
The “administration” myth again.
How they were administered is irrelevant. The payments were contractual and therefore not appropriate to an EBT. How they were administered does not change that.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sorry to be pedantic but it is not a myth.
If the EBT had been administered correctly, i.e no side letters or contracts but on the nod and a wink for the loan approval then all would have most likely been fine in the eyes of the taxman, albeit they may have been a bit miffed.
Similarly if the EBT’ payments were declared on the player registration forms, while the taxman may have come chasing Rangers, the footballing administrative procedures would have been correct and the SFA/SPL would have had no interest in the clubs tax position.
It is the maladministration of both processes that appears to have got the club into bother.
I am sorry but I do have to question the TU & TD on this site, I have been a long term lurker, however i do see some ambiguity regards the placement of either TU or TD. Many times I have voted negatively only to see it later removed. How is that acceptable or even in a supposedly all inclusive forum possible? I would also question your desire to be all inclusive, when you ban or charge others as being trolls, simply because they have a different view point, is that not the point of a forum, to discuss and debate?
Long Time Lurker says:
September 16, 2012 at 07:37
The quote from Mr McCoist in the Telegraph article commenting on his puzzlement as to why the SPL will not investigate the use of an EBT by Celtic stood out for me.
“That’s the most important thing, being able to show your kids and your grandkids the medals. Even in this era of high finance and big money, that’s still the most important thing to the players and you can’t Tippex that out.
“We have taken a stand. The vast majority of people I have spoken to – not just what Rangers fans, believe it’s fast becoming a witch-h#nt. I can tell you right now, they will never take the titles away.”
————————————————————————–
Who is McCoist representing when he is quoted in these articles?
Is he the ex-Rangers players who will never lose his medals for titles won on the park?
Is he the ex-Rangers assistant manager who will fight to keep his part in titles won under Walter Smith, and the history that he was knocked out of every cup competition in early rounds in his first season in charge?
Is he the manager of a brand new club who are fighting their way up the leagues, with no links to an old club but that which a £1 would buy and call history?
If the history was worth £1 to the old club and £1 to the new club, whats the problem??
Bummer Broon is starting to make more sense than him. For all those Rangers fans that say Celtic fans are more interested in them that there own club, maybe they should be asking the manager to concentrate on his current role and forget previous happenings
The more progress I make with Downfall, the more impressed I am with the book.
My initial reluctance to accept something structured as a catalog of blog posts has given way to admiration for the simplicity of structure along with the insight and approachability it provides for its sometimes complex issues.
A quarter of the way through it. I may have issues with the missus now as I have switched from verbal to written communication.
Smallteaser
There lies Sally’s problem ,when all this dies down [I KNOW ,I KNOW] he will be seen for what he is and that is not a football coach ,I can see it now ,he will come out one day ranting ,Who is the coach at this club ,we demand to be told,the fans have a right to know ,erm ,what’s that you are saying Charles .
What we have to accept guys, is that “Whataboutery is correct. Many high flyers on this site, are professional lawyers, so does precedence not come into the question? Debate is all about in broad term “whataboutery”, and lawyers feed on this.
Invisible line’s posts
Great analysis of the mysteries over player registrations and transfers.
I had raised such questions previously, but not with the links to the media reports or the SFA rules so well researched, well done Mr Line!
If the scenarios described have happened, and given the irregularities of membership that the SFA conjured up, doing the same with registrations would only be logical. Mr Templeton’s late registration also fits the pattern of active assistance never mind turning a blind eye.
The SFA must prove their innocence in all this I’m afraid. How can anyone get answers or see the documentation? Presumably even a club chairman or SFA Board member can’t demand to see documents relating to another club? Data protection issues might be a problem too. Again with the independent panel I suppose.
You would imagine that clubs would be clued up here, and the deafening silence from them all is a constant disappointment. Just what the heck are they all thinking? There must be some way of getting investigations started without any one club being the one that would be the target for the msm and the mad bears.
I wonder what the chain of command is here though. Is it CO down to SR? or clubs or boards down to CO then SR?, or some other hidden hand?
I imagine the furtive embarrassed conversations when SR has to say to a staff member something along the lines of “i know, its more RFC stuff to be sorted out. Look, we all know its not what the rules say, but we’re doing it for the good of Scottish Football you know, just amend those forms, ignore these ones, and shred the originals. Oh, by the way here’s Templeton’s form, I got it signed this afternoon. Remember its all for the best, and no mention of this to anyone.”
“you didn’t see me, right?”