Daft and Dafter

It gets dafter and dafter. It is just over a year since the ridiculous and embarrassing – but failed – attempts by those in charge of Scottish Football to blackmail the SFL clubs and force them to parachute the shiny new Rangers into the SFL First Division.

A year where the new era of “transparency” heralded by a huge drum roll, gave way to secret agreements (which were never adhered to); panic-stricken measures to rush through change in the structure of the game without ANY delay or meaningful consultation – despite a hitherto intransigent approach to any kind of change; non-denial denials of the charge that Rangers were given a  football licence without due process.

By the way, the SFA sent an official to an SPL Tribunal with a new convoluted interpretation of a rule which had been used to penalise clubs in the past, and ignored compelling evidence that one club had been economical with the truth on matters regarding banned directors when submitting their application for membership.

I could go on of course, but the incredulity bar is lowered with each ridiculous, contorted and corrupt episode, so that by the time we get to the claims made by several sources that Charles Green was in league with Craig Whyte when he bought some of the old club’s assets, we hardly blink an eye that the SFA appear content to accept the outcome of an internal inquiry ordered by the organisation most likely to be disadvantaged if the claims were true.

Whatever RTC was about, and it was about avarice, corporate malfeasance, theft of public money and the destruction of the integrity of competition in the game, we have moved on from there.

Even if the powers in charge of our game are forced to dispense proper justice in the case of both old Rangers and the new club, there appears to be little prospect that they will have done so because of a Damascene conversion in the ways of sporting integrity, fairness and Corinthianism. They will still be corrupt – just corrupt and bad at it. I am convinced that people have left the game in some numbers this season because of their disgust at the handling of the Rangers fiasco. I see no evidence at all that those people who voted with their feet last year will see a reason to change their tune this time around.

Whatever Rangers were guilty of, there is a general understanding of why they did what they did. They wanted to win – to be the best, and they pushed the envelope as far as they could before tearing the thing up altogether. What they did was 100% in their own self interest. It stinks, but at least it is logical.

What the authorities have done on the other hand is far more gobsmackingly illogical and unintuitive. They have acted in the interest of one club to the continued disadvantage of eleven others (in the case of the SPL, UEFA licences and player registration). They acted against the interests of new aspirants to senior football, and in concert with the interest of just one when they shoehorned Sevco (that’s what they were called then) into the SFL Third Division. I am sure they did that in the belief that a full season of no football at Ibrox would probably kill forever the cash cow that Green and his cohorts were fattening up for slaughter.

Despite the punishment that was accepted by Sevco (the transfer embargo), the SFA have stood by whilst the spirit of that sanction (although admittedly not the letter) was ripped up in their (still silent and impassive) faces as the MSM spun a market day frenzy of transfer activity by a club who were ostensibly proscribed from participating in that market.

Of course there are those who do not want to believe that their club, one of the forty-one good guys, is complicit in this nonsense – and yet ALL of our clubs ARE the SFA or the SPFL. Despite this catalogue of shameful inaction, sabotage and double-dealing, not one voice of dissent emanating from any of our clubs has been heard in print or broadcast media. Instead, huge pay increases and votes of thanks to the bureaucrats who acted out the farce authored by their masters, the clubs.

Is this because they (the clubs) are in agreement with what has transpired? I find it impossible to come to any other conclusion.

There are those who argue compellingly that if clubs, especially those who have a history of rivalry with Rangers tinged with some rancour, were to speak out, the press would have a field day; that allegations of bigotry and Rangers-hating would ensue from the MSM which would wind up the otherwise reasonable chaps who support Rangers.

In my view, if the situation is thus, then we are saying that we all have to keep our thoughts to ourselves, know our place and just take what scraps we get. If fear of violent retribution is the trump card here, then the trick for success in Scottish Football is not to have the most feared football team, but the group of fans which fills others with most dread. That is the death of the game – period.

What crystallises itself for me here is this fear factor. Anonymity has been carefully protected by most of us on this blog for exactly the reasons outlined above. Our desire to remain anonymous has been strengthened by the failure of authority, jointly AND severally, to itself stand up for the sport. The key from day one has been fear. Fear and corruption, which is merely a microcosm of the life in our country.

Whether it’s the media ignoring the wrongdoings of a football club, or a corrupt political system where for £40m donation you can get yourself £400m in tax breaks, we see those with resources pissing all over us from a very prodigious height. And when we do find out about it, we are cautioned to be very afraid of taking any action. Afraid of terrorism, afraid of unemployment, afraid of the mob.

I find myself resigned to the realisation that no matter WHAT evidence is uncovered, it will make absolutely no difference to anyone unless Joe Public keeps his hands in his pockets. People in boardrooms all over the country are betting that football fans are too emotionally invested in their clubs to do so.

The cheats, the spivs and the blazers will in the short and medium term get their own way, many of them aware of the fact that they are not quite as equal as others – and yet happy to go along with that.

We all have to decide whether or not we are as content as they are.

Suspecting as I do that most of us will find that unacceptable, I think there is still a war to be won, even if the battles seem to be going against us time and again. As long as we continue to feel that sense of outrage, that sense of betrayal by the custodians of our sport, we will still be shouting from these pages.

Thanks to the generosity and commitment of our readers, the shouting is about to get louder. We have reached our funding target and we hope to start organising our Podcasts within the next few weeks. The fight goes on, but hopefully it will also have greater reach.

TSFM

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Tom Byrne

About Trisidium

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

727 thoughts on “Daft and Dafter


  1. SFA again do sfa.
    CG on tape to CW you are SEVCO.

    CO to SR WATP nothing to see or HEAR here.

    SHAME on you all. The SFA will never see another penny of my money.
    Sevco own the press, own certain pundits and have top man at SFA. Only in Scotland..
    If they get rid of TSFM their journey will be made easier. Keep up the good work.


  2. Well to be fair to the SFA, if the TRFC takeover were to be referred to Mr Lunny, when would he get the time to do his work investigating all those non TRFC managers who might swear, kick water bottles or punch the roofs of their dugouts to the horrific detriment of Scottish football.

    Sorry to be flippant but my remarks should be taken as seriously as those of the SFA in this latest scandalous display of their worthlessness.

    We did expect it I suppose but the reality of their incompetence & connivance continues to shock and amaze.every time.


  3. Jings getting on here today was as difficult as entering Fort Knox.
    Well the SFA have done us all proud.There a lot of angry reactions in cyberspace as a result and rightly so.Despite the lessons of history and the revisionist tendencies of many, those people who wanted to know what happened ,found out what happened, They will never forget and rather like an ailing love affair,the grief,anger and despondency will turn to indifference.Fans will always love their clubs but they won’t love the arena in which they compete.
    I am 55 tomorrow and the sparkle and memory of great Scottish footballing moments will always be there for me.Lisbon stands out as the pinnacle.
    As to the future, the analogy of a birthday party for a child whose parents have shown indifference to him/her in the preceeding weeks can assuredly take the moment away on the celebratory day.

    When the SFA ask us to embrace our game they will find it difficult to maintain the party atmosphere.
    The candles on the cake burn but they do not shed a warm glow on the expectant gathering.

    Like the child at the party ,we did not expect a grand present,but we did want a warm and reassuring embrace thus giving out a clear and direct message that if all was not well,honest and direct steps would be taken to put matters right.


  4. Peter says:
    July 16, 2013 at 11:18 pm
    =================================
    By witholding money from Celtic does that not weaken them and Scottish football in general? In a few years time that will be to the benefit of Rangers.


  5. twopanda says:

    July 17, 2013 at 6:50 am

    SFA Shame:

    `However, it emerged last night that the SFA have decided that there is no case for Green and Ahmad to answer. On the basis of the evidence they have seen from the Pinsent Mason findings, they have ruled that there is no requirement for the issue to be referred to compliance officer Vincent Lunny.`
    .
    Time now for the entire SFA Board and Executive to resign.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    I wonder if that evidence conflicts in any way with what CF has revealed? But how would we know if it is not published? If not in full at least reference to the areas where PM were satisfied. Have the SFA looked at what CF has made public and dismissed? If so why, they must be certain of their grounds so why not share them?

    The real problem here is a Rangers support so desperate for survival they are not interested in how that survival is achieved.

    Honest folk do not hide things for they have nothing to hide. For dishonest folk hiding is a way of life.


  6. neepheid says:
    July 16, 2013 at 9:23 pm
    368 7 Rate This

    What a brilliant big two finger’s up to the power’s that be, that want this blog down. Internet bampottery is normally dismissed by journalist’s saying were uneducated, fantasist’s or fanatic’s. Now it seem’s people are all too aware of the power we now have, and don’t like that idea. As many other’s have said let’s keep the pressure on the rotten element of our national game.


  7. It occurs to me…

    The SFA Compliance Officer was employed to take disciplinary matters out of the hands of potentially conflicted committees. It is his job to assess alleged rule breaches as a neutral person and – if a prima facie case exists – raise a Notice of Complaint and refer it for consideration by a similarly neutral judicial panel.

    The point of the new system, is that it is designed to be transparent and (“broadly speaking”) disciplinary matters are seen not to be influenced by “the blazers'” supposed club affiliations.

    5. compliance officer
    5.1 The Scottish FA shall appoint a “Compliance Officer” who shall have general responsibility for observance by all those involved in Association Football in Scotland, of the Disciplinary Rules, including offering fixed suspensions to players and Team Staff where provided in the Protocol and the pursuit of proceedings before Tribunals for enforcement of the Disciplinary Rules,

    5.4 The Compliance Officer may carry out such activities as are necessary for the exercise of his function.

    http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/resources/documents/SFAPublications/ScottishFApublications2011-12/Scottish%20FA%20Judicial%20Panel%20Protocol.pdf

    It is clear that very serious allegations have been made which – if true – connect the banned Craig Whyte with the new Rangers FC via ex-directors Charles Green and Imran Ahmad. It is simply then a matter of protocol that Mr Lunny should have considered these matters and has worked towards a decision on whether the evidence was sufficient to warrant a referral to a Judicial Panel.

    We hear today that the SFA have decided there is “no requirement for the issue to be referred to compliance officer Vincent Lunny.”

    Which is strange…

    From my understanding of the disciplinary procedures, Mr Lunny does not require allegation of disciplinary breaches to be made via the SFA executive. In fact, it is vitally important that he is (and is seen to be) independent and remains free from undue influence. We should remember that Mr Lunny has a professional reputation to uphold that goes beyond the boundaries of the Scottish football community.

    So, regardless of how, when & where he became aware of the allegations, one would imagine that Mr Lunny would have already been compelled to investigate the purported links between Mr Whyte & the new Rangers and followed the existing protocols. It fundamentally undermines his raison d’etre, if he has been prevented from doing so,

    I would humbly suggest – in such circumstances – that it is time for Vincent Lunny to consider his position.


  8. All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing….


  9. HirsutePursuit says:
    July 17, 2013 at 11:26 am
    _________________________

    Good shout. As I recall CW and/or his lawyers have written a Letter(s) Before Claim to Rangers, CG and IA alleging that he was duped and that the The Rangers assets belong to his interests. Did PM consider these documents? Did Lunny ask to see them?


  10. Castofthousands says:
    July 17, 2013 at 1:13 am
    I have noticed that documents have been removed from Charlotte’s twitter account. They all appear to pertain to Media House activities. If anyone has copies of these could they post them up please.
    08 June 2013
    http://i.imgur.com/L39Tl9F.jpg
    http://i.imgur.com/MAwsebG.jpg
    http://i.imgur.com/N3ChL8H.jpg
    i.imgur.com/b16PXFZ.jpg
    http://i.imgur.com/SjSgKqH.jpg
    http://i.imgur.com/RvlCZkl.jpg
    http://i.imgur.com/brSGrkY.jpg
    http://i.imgur.com/SjSgKqH.jpg
    http://i.imgur.com/RvlCZkl.jpg
    http://i.imgur.com/brSGrkY.jpg

    I have these, but because they are jpgs they will take up a fair amount of space. They can be pasted into a word document, and sent by email, any preferences? TSFM? I am mindful of recent problems!


  11. HirsutePursuit says

    Good points there, HP.

    Effectively therefore, the SFA have stopped the independent Mr Lunny from doing his job. So much for transparency and integrity.

    But hey ho, he was never going to be able to find out what’s not in the PM report without major time & cash costs (and legal risks?) for the SFA, The conflicted committees would still be the ones ruling on his findings anyway, and we all know how that turns out when TRFC are involved.

    So a big waste of time all round has been avoided. Nothing to see here, move along, & keep buying those tickets….Sorry, not me, I will not attend any SFA event until the Scunner Campbell and co have gone and have been seen to be replaced by the competent, and the unconflicted. (Still swithering about club games, not a season ticketer).

    Do you think I’ll live that long? (59 now)

    On the bright side if our posters with the spreadsheets are right, with any luck TRFC will not survive the season which might hasten the SFA clear out before this mortal coil is shuffled or dementia arrives and I’ll think I’m 26 again.


  12. Has anyone seen a formal statement on this from the SFA? There is nothing about it on the SFA website, as far as I can see.

    What a shambles of an organisation.


  13. HirsutePursuit says:
    July 17, 2013 at 11:26 am

    Totally correct.


  14. Auldheid says:
    July 17, 2013 at 11:12 am

    The real problem here is a Rangers support so desperate for survival they are not interested in how that survival is achieved.
    ++++++++++++++++
    That is a good observation. What has struck me about the Rangers support throughout this saga is that the vast majority of them just want to be kept in the dark, relying on silent Saint Walter to ensure that everything will be all right in the end. Any rare poster on their forums who points to any uncomfortable facts is basically told to shut up in no uncertain terms.

    What a weird attitude. I recall that a poster on here (sorry, can’t remember who) mentioned cognitive dissonance some time ago. Obviously I had to look it up, but it seems to cover the symptoms exhibited among the Rangers support.

    Or you could say that they’re being played like a fiddle by the spivs and the “Rangers men”, who appear to have at least one thing in common- the need to extract as much cash as possible from their “victims” in double quick time. The spivs have certainly chanced upon the most gullible bunch of suckers on planet Earth. The fact that those suckers actively prefer not to know what’s going is really the icing on the cake. But don’t worry- when it all goes pop again, it will be entirely down to that big timmy conspiracy.


  15. I hate to sound like a broken down record player but I’ve said it time and time again – To get what we want we have to ask all Scottish football fans to boycott Hampden. The people there will resort to hiding behind ‘statements’ and will remain invisible for most of the time otherwise, they are all corrupt liars and cheats but it doesn’t seem to bother them that much – and we know why – but sure enough, come a match at Hampden and folk will populate the place as normal and all is rosy in the garden of C.O. et-al.

    It won’t be so rosy in C.O.’s garden if the next set of domestic cup semis and finals are played to a ghost stadium. I won’t even go down the route of the ‘tartan army’ as anytime I bring this up, no-one is able to give their particular stance but I think a boycott from clubs fans is possible. I for one will not step foot in Hampden whilst C.O. remains and I plead with all other fans to adopt the same principles.

    It’s a message that needs to be spread amongst the general Scottish football community and their fans sites. We can get rid of the lot of them in one go – all it takes is an empty Hampden. The power to rid ourselves of these rotten swines is in each of our hands (pockets..) and is the only way we’ll get rid of them. Nothing – and I mean NOTHING will shift these buggers otherwise.


  16. So, the next time ANYONE is called before the michty Vincent Lunney and the powers that be, I suppose they can now

    1. call for their own club to have an “independent” investigation
    2. wait until that investigation is complete – no matter how long it takes
    3. “act” solely on the outcome of said “independent” investigation several months later.

    I fully accept that NO player/Manager/club can EVER be found guilty of breaking any rules ever again – of if they do, it will be after the end of the season in which the crime was committed.


  17. Just to show that even i can get frustrated.
    I posted this letter a litttle earlier, using my real name and address, of course.

    ‘” 17th July, 2013
    Mr S Regan,
    Chief Executive Officer,
    Scottish football Association
    Hampden Park,
    Glasgow, G42 9AY

    Dear Mr Regan,

    The news today –as learned from the ‘Scotsman’ newspaper rather than from any public statement by you!- that the SFA will not further(!) investigate the circumstances surrounding the very suspicious purchase of RFC by, first, Craig Whyte and subsequently by Charles Green, is appalling, if not unexpected.

    You will know better than I the extent to which it is believed that the SFA’s credibility as a reliable, truth-telling organisation was seriously weakened by the heavy compromises it made to truth and integrity in its dealings with men who contemptuously forced it to disregard its own Articles of Association.
    This readiness to compromise, and the decision not to further investigate, is believed by many to be related to the heavily conflicted role of its President, who for some years had a very personal involvement with RFC.

    Events have shown that under his administration of the SFA there were serious breaches of the rules that it was his duty to enforce fairly and impartially.
    It is probably the case that had he ensured that the relevant rules were enforced at the time, RFC would not have ended up in so much financial and other trouble that it had to be sold for a pound!
    I for one am astonished that on the word of an investigation- internal to the club (how absurd, to take the report by Pinsent Mason, commissioned by a club director, as having any kind of validity in the public forum!) – the SFA thinks it can discontinue an investigation into the many troublesome and troubling facets of the sale of RFC.
    Nothing the SFA now say can or will be accepted as bearing any real relationship to objective truth.
    Subsequent events have shown beyond doubt that the contempt which the various purchasers of RFC manifested for the SFA was, in fact, richly deserved.
    We do not forget that the SFA is not a law unto itself.
    It is in receipt of substantial sums of public money (that is, the money of thousands of honest men and women)
    And, of course, my money!
    On which basis I demand the immediate resignation of the SFA Board, or a cogent reason as to why, for the good of Scottish Football, they should not.

    Yours in truth,
    ……”


  18. HP says……..

    I would humbly suggest – in such circumstances – that it is time for Vincent Lunny to consider his position.
    ……………………………………………………
    I can’t think of anyone in a senior position connected to the SFA that i would keep if I had the choice. And that is very sad indeed because I wish it was otherwise and we could all talk about football.


  19. Matteo Galy says:
    July 17, 2013 at 12:04 pm

    Just seen this posted on another forum, is it the infamous 5 Way Agreement?
    https://twitter.com/GLASGOWSGREENW/status/357434790045175808/photo/1
    ================================================

    Nope – not even a draft. It is from the Rangers AIM Prospectus and I have referred to it quite a few times on here for a number of months. The main point of interest for me is the whole question about legal action as I have never been able to work-out exactly what the legal action mentioned would be for – all very strange.


  20. Re the Pinsent Mason report. did the report not state that they could not get information from those involved and that it only covered the period after the name change from Sevco, thus putting it outwith the time period allegedly being investigated by the SFA?


  21. Charlotte Fakeovers ‏@CharlotteFakes 1h

    Neil Doncaster and Ralph Topping still continue to ignore my direct emails regarding the revised SPL TV Deal (cont) http://tl.gd/n_1rldjec
    —————————————————————————————————————————

    CF is back on the track of the plot to keep Rangers in the SPL – well worth a read


  22. Willmacufree says:
    July 17, 2013 at 9:10am

    Am i missing something here? Finloch meets a guy in a bar who says Celtic and Hearts have had under the counter payments from the SFA.

    On the strength of that Neepheid demands a statement from Celtic.

    Have we forgotten the SMSM storm last year when a couple of players passed honest if unguarded and unwise opinions, as players do? I can’t believe we want Celtic to be the focus of SMSM attention. Have we learned nothing?

    ===============
    Neepheid says:
    July 17th,2013 9:35am.

    In fact I suggested that BOTH clubs should confirm or deny. It’s not, in fact, a story about the clubs, it’s a story about the SFA. If payments have been made to clubs to compensate them for the failure of the SFA to run its own licencing process, then that surely must finish off Regan and Ogilvie permanently.

    However I have to agree that a chat with “a man in a pub” is maybe not the strongest evidence to rely on. I think this hot weather is finally getting to me
    ====================================

    Let me be clear.This is in no way a criticism regarding the previous and ongoing admirable work being carried out by the various contributors to this site.
    It is merely an observation in reference to the TSFM ‘s official statement of intent.
    I fear the site will be accused of being nothing other than an extension of the RTC and whereby some may say so what?,there maybe litigative reasons why this should not be the case.

    I am a Rangers fan. Neither my emotive loyalty or financial contribution to the club over a period of almost forty years has not and will not detract from my stubborn desire to see the perpetrator/s of the crime against my club brought to justice for their appalling abuse of their custodianship.

    This site offers an introductory prelogue of it’s aims and intention.
    However i do see a distinct gulf between the terms ”Scottish Football” and Sevco/Rangers….Monitor.
    There can be no logical defence made that the unfolding scenario at Edmonstone drive and the shenanigans taking pace in the corridors of Hampden are and quite rightly should be at the forefront of any football fans interest. However i believe the claims of the site’s existence are being compromised /predjudiced.
    Surely as the term “The Scottish Football Monitor” implies it should be all encompassing of Scottish football?
    The above comments i have cited from fellow contributors would suggest otherwise.
    There seems to be a concerted effort by many in attempting to portray Celtic Football Club as being “whyter than whyte” {intended} and the martyr to Rangers Football Club’s custodial deficiencies.
    If CFC and Mr Lawell …Mr Romanov and Hearts have nothing to hide regarding the Finloch story then why should it not be pursued in the interests of transparency? What is being suggested here? Did the SFA offer financial inducements? Did the SPL clubs mentioned accept “Bung’s?” Surely this merits further investigation? The SMSM have been economical with this one as well.
    One other point to consider. There is a potential re-run of “The Govan story” coming to our screens shortly,yet this hardly merits a mention. Neither on here,or from the BBC.I suggest it be entitled “The killing of Gorgie…The men who stole the money”…
    The danger is that once a precedent has been set it should negate the possibility of others being absolved of being subjected to similar treatment and scrutiny.

    Neepheid’s original thought process appears to be consistent with my own. Fair play Neepheid you seem to have some moral fibre about you. However you did concede rather easily when a few posters pointed out the perils of taking this further.
    Hearsay and gossip has not stopped the Rangers story trundling on and indeed it should not. But what is good for the big fat goose,should also be applied to it’s fellow barnyard compatriots.
    Just saying… 🙄


  23. nowoldandgrumpy says:
    July 17, 2013 at 12:53 pm

    Re the Pinsent Mason report. did the report not state that they could not get information from those involved and that it only covered the period after the name change from Sevco, thus putting it outwith the time period allegedly being investigated by the SFA?
    ===========================================================
    The report did state something long those lines.PM used the commonplace disclaimer of “the information available”.
    No one co-operated with them.
    They therefore found,correctly,that there was no connection between Green,Amhad and Whyte wrt Sevco Scotland.
    Cue much celebration.
    Problem was,no one,especially CW ever said he was connected to Sevco Scotland.
    His arguement is that the connection is through Sevco 5088 and that Green conned him(something that Green admitted).
    Since then,RIFC have claimed that Sevco 5088 are a subsidiary.If Whyte is still a director then surely it’s impossible to say there’s no connection.


  24. Well CF has ignited yet another firecracker in the inner sanctum of the SPL. So now it appears that the Board may have been aware of the impending financial demise of Rangers and it’s telling that the SPL board members of the time (Celtic, St Johnstone, Motherwell, Dundee Utd) have failed to correspond with CF.

    So we are back to whether Doncaster acted alone after his email exchange with Gary Withey or was Ralph Topping and the other 4 Board members also in on the dirty secret at the heart of the SPL and possible the SFA.

    —————————————————————————————

    http://i.imgur.com/pznUeGe.jpg

    The above extract is from the SPL minutes of the 21 November 2011 meeting. The concern appears to be that the Fans TV proposal wasn’t a serious consideration by the Board. The reasons for such a dramatic turnaround of events, and in complete contradiction to Neil Doncasters note of 4 November 2011, is that new information affecting Scottish Football has come to light and this may jeopardise the BSkyB/ESPN proposals.

    My interpretation of events is that Neil Doncaster knowingly misled the SPL. Did he act alone, or with the full blessing of Ralph Topping and the 4 other Board members?

    I have also attempted to get in touch with the 4 other Board members at that time, namely Eric Riley (Celtic), Steven Brown (St Johnstone), Derek Weir (Motherwell) and Stephen Thompson (Dundee United), in order to determine the reasoning behind the decision to proceed. They have yet to acknowledge my correspondence.

    Were they aware of the earlier communications discussing the future of Rangers FC?

    http://i.imgur.com/Q80r7NK.jpg


  25. Radio 4’s File On Four last Sunday conducted an investigation into the ever increasing blurring of boundaries between corporations and charities, mainly with the aim of using charities as a means of avoiding or evading tax. One scam being used involved penny share companies having their share price falsely inflated through the use of friendly media outlets and also traders being paid to sell back and forth , once the share price was inflated to the desired height , say 90 pence, the owners of the shares would gift them to charity. Why? So that they could claim 40% gift aid tax relief, in essence the taxman would pay them 40p for something that was essentially worthless. My reaction on hearing this was to keep my eyes peeled for the Daily Record’s headline about ” Generous Charlie Green gives shares to Rangers charity”


  26. Sunincapricorn says:

    July 17, 2013 at 1:15 pm

    Nothing to do with defending Celtic – its the source of the gossip that is the issue

    So if my brother’s pal’s barmaid tells him that her taxi driving uncle has heard that from someone that looks like Archie MacPherson who he took to Ikea in his taxi, the following inside information……

    (1) Peter Lawwell is to be knighted
    (2) Ally McCoist is getting the proceeds of 2000 season tickets as his wages
    (3) St Mirren is being bought by a Australian lottery winner who wants to bring back Ian Ferguson as manager

    Do I post it here – and follow the SMSM in printing unsubstantiated rubbish without checking facts…..

    Do we stop all enquiries into whatever links are being discussed and unearthed that are making the attacks on us to silence us…….

    Just saying like 🙄


  27. Sunincapricorn says:
    July 17, 2013 at 1:15 pm

    Hearsay and gossip has not stopped the Rangers story trundling on and indeed it should not.
    ———————————————————————————————————————
    Hearsay and gossip are fine for football banter but when it comes to an earthshaking claim that the SFA has secretly recompensed clubs who were deprived European football income, through lies and deceit by Rangers over its tax liabilities with SFA collusion, then it takes a bit more than a pub conversation as proof.

    Personally I have no doubt that Celtic, at least, would have been recompensed in some way because I think they are in a strong enough position to have forced the SFA to do so and I made a comment along these lines recently. There is no way Lawwell would have taken the financial hit – of that I am sure.

    But proving it is another matter and I doubt if it will be as simple as a straight cash payment. However, it’s something which I have at the back of my mind and I am sure other posters feel the same way and we might well turn something up along the way.

    I think it’s important to distinguish what individual posters might state and what TSFM stands for as they are not always the same thing IMO. But a lot on here try to actually unearth the solid facts behind what has been taking place over the last couple of years and the more that time passes the more what started as hearsay and gossip has been hardened-up.


  28. Pedants Award –

    From the main article
    —————————————————-
    It gets dafter and dafter. It is just over a year since the ridiculous and embarrassing – but failed – attempts by those in charge of Scottish Football to blackmail the SFL clubs and force them to parachute the shiny new Rangers into the SFL First Division.

    —————————————————-

    There was no attempt to “parachute” the new club anywhere

    There was a failed attempt to CATAPULT the new club into the 1st division from their lowly position

    It really grates me to see the term “parachute” used which implies a drop from above. Just goes to show how ingrained the propaganda is when the term has lapsed into common usage even on TSFM


  29. Sunincapricorn says:
    July 17, 2013 at 1:15 pm

    Fair play Neepheid you seem to have some moral fibre about you. However you did concede rather easily when a few posters pointed out the perils of taking this further.
    ==============================================================

    I should have added, out of fairness to Neepheid, that having crossed swords with him a number on times 😆 I have never noticed him ever conceding anything easily and especially not something that is important to him.


  30. I’ve said before…

    The SPL gave a “dodgy” remit to the LNS commission was no more than a crude device to give credibility to a financially necessary commercial proposition that the ethereal “Club” could be separated and sold on from one company to another.

    This was not just a financial necessity for Sevco, it was necessary for the SPL too!

    The Commission’s remit, it appears, attempts to manufacture a legally arguable position that any TV contract that mentions Rangers could be construed as a reference to the new club. Most everything else was fluff.

    As it happens, the SPL clubs did not accept the proposition and refused to accept the new club as a direct replacement for Rangers. Nevertheless, the Commission, accepted the remit and came to the conclusions – through the evidence that was provided – that they were expected to reach.

    The SPL could never, ever be described as “honest brokers” in relation to their handling of the demise of Rangers. They acted only in their own commercial interest.


  31. Sunincapricorn says:
    July 17, 2013 at 1:15 pm

    Neepheid’s original thought process appears to be consistent with my own. Fair play Neepheid you seem to have some moral fibre about you. However you did concede rather easily when a few posters pointed out the perils of taking this further.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Firstly, let me say I have no argument with a lot of what you say. However what was pointed out to me by other posters, and rightly so, was the “man in a pub” syndrome. Absolutely not the perils of taking this further. If there is reliable evidence out there that CFC or Hearts, or any other club have in effect been bought off by the SFA, then I want it taken further. I want to know the facts. I have no issue with holding the management of CFC to account for their actions, inactions or complicity. Check out my posting history. But it must be reliable, first hand evidence. Not taxi driver stuff. I made a mistake, I’m sorry, I’ve said so. If someone can provide me with a shred of credible evidence, then I’ll go to the ends of the earth with them. But it has to be credible evidence. Not just pub talk.


  32. There are times when I would dearly love to get back to talking football…..especially at this time of year…..the balance and skills of your teams new signing, the quality games played in warm weather on decent pitches.

    Then the colostomy bag that is, Scottish footballs administrative body leaks again…and again….and again. Can I add my sincere tribute to the people who keep fighting the good fight, by deed and by cash……..the events of the last 24 hours means ‘they’ hear us knocking…and we’re coming in…….hell we’re already in! There must be serious journalists carefully monitoring this story and when the time is right some big fish will get what’s coming……’a day or reckoning’ to coin a phrase.


  33. Neepheid @ 09.35, I know the feeling well!
    As you and many others, myself included, know, the problem lies with the governing body. I’ve posted several times on the composition of the main board, and sub boards, and wondered about the permanent officers within Hampden’s walls. The response was zero. Maybe that’s what my questions deserved, I don’t know.
    I’ve posted several times that the power lies with those having cross-board membership, and willing acolytes in permanent positions. They have the information. They form a clique. My guess is that any proposal has to be passed at sub-board to make it onto the agenda of the main board. A look at the composition of the Pro-board plus the clique shows the
    difficulty of progressing any ideas to the main board. Getting any proposal accepted apart from those allowed by the clique is therefore as easy as getting a camel through the eye of the needle, and likewise needing divine intervention.
    Apologies if I’ve got the system all wrong.


  34. Eco…Thanks for the reply.
    I do fully understand the site’s unaccountability disclaimer regarding viewpoints or comments posted by it’s contributors. However there are many instances of irrepressible conjecture which have been accepted as factual despite the absence of evidence. This has not deterred further investigative procedures from taking place as you are well aware .
    My main point was in regard to “The monitoring of Scottish football” in a fully inclusive manner.
    Like i said earlier the Hearts story hardly merits a passing comment.
    For the most part while acknowledging the tremendous work that has been achieved by the worker bee’s it appears to me that their main focus of endeavour is focused on the one flower.
    CO seems to be the main protagonist in all of this and the link between the club and the SFA.
    Fine. I can see the case for that and accept it. Further pot shots have been aimed at SR,ND,with David Longmuir already gone. Hopefully Cha’sefforts will cast the net further in the direction of the former SPL’s main players.
    However i do note your intention to consider revisiting the situation i referred to at a later date.
    Is it immoral for the pied piper to take monetary reward for extinguishing the big fat Rat whilst allowing the smaller skinnier ones to flourish? A rat’s a rat… fur aw that…surely.
    Thanks again.

    Exiled Celt…
    There is no need for your childish attempt at using crayons or blackboards to point out the obvious.
    I made no reference anywhere in my comment about “protecting Celtic”.
    I only made a case for transparency.
    Similarly as Neepheid had to reiterate previously, i did refer to Hearts as well.
    Interesting that my post appears to have triggered your defence mechanism though.


  35. Fair enough Neepheid. I am familiar with your past recording history and you appear to be a man of honorable intention and conviction. I was casting no slight on either of those attributes whatsoever.
    It was never my intention to do so,and If this was how it was interpretated i apologise…


  36. I note Rangers share prices are dropping,below 50p now.
    Nothing like the SFA backing a winner, and this nothing like a winner.

    Scottish football needs a strong Hedge…………….fund.


  37. RFC LN GBp 45.50 down 4.50 on the day ….. have I missed something?


  38. Sunincapricorn says:
    July 17, 2013 at 3:11 pm
    ==================================
    One of the strengths of this blog is that when any poster repeats a rumour from “someone in the know”, there are several hundred bloodhounds on here looking to prove/disprove the theory. Very few people will make any comment on rumour unless they know something specific that supports or undermines the speculation. Do not think that because there have been few supposition-based opinions on the topic you find interesting, that no-one else has looked. It is simply that no-one has, as yet, found anything that can add substance to the story.

    In my time on RTC and TSFM there have been literally hundreds of uncorroborated rumours that have fallen by the wayside. Almost without exception, these rumours have elicited just one or two comments before falling away into obscurity. Almost all respondents will begin; “If true….”

    Only occasionally, someone will get wind of a breaking story and we get to hear about something a few hours or days before the evidence emerges. That “rumour” will be given form as the facts emerge and it is only then that the main body of opinion will emerge.

    Nowadays, very much of the conjecture that exists in relation to Rangers slide into liquidation and the new club’s emergence, is not really so much about what has happened; it’s more about the who and the why.

    If something has happened that we didn’t previously know about, some evidence of the event(s) has to become apparent before opinions will be voiced.


  39. OK, a break from the usual stuff again. 😀
    One of the bidders for Hearts has pulled out.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23340145

    That seems to mean the fans’ consortium has a better chance or am I guessing wrong?

    And what about this Massone guy? Has he not got previous as a dodgy owner or have folk been unfair to him?


  40. Someone has got rid of a load of shares today imho

    Now down 15% on the day at 42.50


  41. ….and I’m back.

    Thanks, TSFM for re-registering assistance. Had to capitalise my name.

    The blog has been red hot these last few days, with some outstanding contributions.
    However, with the SFA persisting in defying decency and integrity, I’m afraid the game itself is in it’s death throes.


  42. Someone has dumped 400k shares in 4 lots.

    Who would have that number of shares to sell at the moment?


  43. Sorry for this but I’m just testing after re-registering. 😳


  44. HirsutePursuit says:
    July 17, 2013 at 5:22 pm

    I think Mr Supersmart realised dumping the shares was smarter than holding on to them. An expensive lesson for him, but I’m sure he can afford it.

    Could easily be someone else though, I’m sure it will come out eventually.


  45. share price sinking faster than the Titanic 🙄

    But probably the main question for rangers supporters right now is.
    How many of the so called new signings have actually signed or How many of them will they be able to actually sign?

    but neither question will matter if another couple of big investors decide to dump 😮
    as they wont even make it to the start of the season 😈


  46. @Sam

    Piecing together your info from last few days ….
    will take some of my time up …. but looks more than worthwhile …. 😀

    Have dropped you a PM …. can you respond


  47. tcup 2012 says:
    July 17, 2013 at 5:36 pm

    Market Cap of £27M, how the mighty have fallen. This is “bad news got worse” for those holding shares. Fans might not care as they never intended to sell, but those in for investment purposes will not be happy. Is this the start of a share price collapse?

    If the Market Cap is close to half that of Celtic at the moment, not far to drop before it is under the half mark. How the might have fallen, in such a short space of time. I hate to gloat but :mrgreen:


  48. Looks like the SFA,SMSM HAVE BACKED THE WRONG HORSE 😯
    The next couple of days could decide the fate of the establishment club 😛
    If they cannot stabilize the share price
    Lets see how the SMSM put a good spin on this :mrgreen:
    Or will they jump ship and say they broke the story first. We told you so ect ect


  49. Looking at the shares 🙁
    It looks like The ally wants Miller story in the Sun never went down to well 😀

    I will get my coat……..TAXI !!!!!


  50. I know little about the workings of the stock market other than the basics but I have observed for some time that those who know a lot more than myself always seem to have judge the actual value of Rangers at between 30-40p per share. But that was on the basis that it was washing its face each month and I very much doubt it is anywhere near that.

    Obviously it will be interesting to watch how jumpy and nervous other shareholders now get because even if the share only cost 1p then their potential profit is plummeting. And it’s worth remembering the last 2 million sold to the original consortium investors which went for £1 a share – whoever bought them are taking a right bath.

    It’s possible that this slump is the City view on the axing of Malcolm Murray and if that’s the case then there could be a lot more of the same if they can find buyers and that comes down to how low will they go?


  51. Sunincapricorn

    If those in charge of football would just come out and explaim that football as a business is interdependent which just means clubs going out of business is bad for business and a big club going out of business is even badder, I think we could all live with that reality.
    That reality explains to a very large extent the behaviour of those responsible for running the game and those running the game are drawn from the game.
    What is unforgivable is the contempt with which they treat the paying customer as if we did not suspect skullduggery that is now proven and it is proven by CF.
    The word in Celtic cyberspace is that we were not paranoid enough and who could now argue with that.
    What has all but destroyed the game is one club forgetting the true nature of the business for whatever reason and putting all other clubs in a quandry not of their choosing.
    That they deny this is so does not help and leaving the rest of the game in a quandry out of some sense of it was other club’s fault only adds to the frustration.
    What would change the scene at a stroke is some sense of honour coming from Ibrox, an admission that regardless of how the UTT judges, those in charge of Rangers AND their supporters delighted in winning by any means necessary and admitting they missed the mark and left sport behind. in unthinking pursuit of glory.
    As matters stand this seems unlikely but yet the game, as personified in the SFA expects football to continue with folk in charge at Ibrox who if anything are worse than those removed.
    Perhaps other clubs including Celtic have been complicit or circumspect or evasive with their support but lets not forget why they had to be and that is because one club thought and acted as if it was Scottish football when it was anything but.
    So whilst we may get angry at our clubs for not handling the situation better and putting us in a position of deciding whether we should continue to support a game we see as corrupt almost beyond saving, lets not forget why we find ourselves in this position.
    I’m glad your angry because I’m effin bealing at the position I find myself in.


  52. Auldheid says:
    July 17, 2013 at 6:06 pm
    Spot on Auldheid. You have answered the ‘ Who, what, when, why and how’ we got to this situation and let nobody forget it.
    It matters not a jot how eloquently the ‘defence case’ is presented.
    I am beside myself with rage and disgust ie ‘effing bealin’ too.


  53. So what will tomorrow bring?.
    The spivs will try to halt the share slide,probably with a few buys.
    Every penny drop costs Green £50k.(unless he’s already agreed a price with the Easdales).
    It won’t take much to send these shares into freefall.More bad news almost every day,board infighting,late accounts etc.
    The “Fabric of Scottish Society” is beginning to look a wee bit threadbare.


  54. ecobhoy says:
    July 17, 2013 at 5:59 pm

    It’s possible that this slump is the City view on the axing of Malcolm Murray and if that’s the case then there could be a lot more of the same if they can find buyers and that comes down to how low will they go?
    ++++
    I think that this may be Prior coming to his senses, realising what a snake pit he has bought in to, and getting out with minimal losses. Didn’t he buy in at 50p? If so, he’s “only” lost about £40k. Remember that he is one of the few large investors without any form of lock-in. Just wait until the rest head for the exit!


  55. tcup 2012 says:
    July 17, 2013 at 6:27 pm

    Ahhh, bless!!


  56. Just home to the amusing news of the great TRFC share slump. Is it just the inevitable reaction to MM’s exit or something bad on the horizon. Twitter rumour of Admin 2, (or Admin 1, depends which way you look at it *waves to Graham Speirs*).


  57. is someone dumping shares because the UTTT planned for tomorrow and Friday will crucify RFC old club and consequently the new club?


  58. WRT the share sale – for every seller there has to be a buyer.

    So who has just spent around £170K buying into this Titanic?

    What is the rationale? What do they know that we don’t?

    Scottish football needs a strong UEFA to have a good hard look at what has been going on at the SFA before it explodes in everyone’s faces…


  59. Mark says:
    July 17, 2013 at 7:55 pm
    1 0 Rate This

    is someone dumping shares because the UTTT planned for tomorrow and Friday will crucify RFC old club and consequently the new club?
    ++++++++++++++++
    Nothing significant will happen this week. The UTTT will just deal with some procedural points, and maybe set a date for the real hearing.


  60. SFA Board: Office Bearers

    Stewart Regan, Chief Executive
    Campbell Ogilvie, President
    Alan McRae, First Vice-President
    Rod Petrie, Second Vice-President
    Ralph Topping
    Tom Johnston
    Barrie Jackson

    SFA Professional Game Board
    Chairman: Rod Petrie
    Members:
    Jim Ballantyne
    Neil Doncaster
    Peter Lawwell
    David Longmuir
    Alan McRae
    Campbell Ogilvie
    Stewart Regan
    Sandy Stables
    Ralph Topping
    .
    These `Gentlemen` should step down from SFA Offices forthwith
    – for contravening the Spirit of the Game in Scotland


  61. Wimacufree, Neepheid, Capn Haddock et others

    Finloch didn’t meet a man in a bar
    He was at a wedding with his kids uncle.

    Not a random event and not a man who talks ballacks

    His views and beliefs were genuine or I would not have posted them.


  62. Finloch says:
    July 17, 2013 at 8:15 pm
    1 0 Rate This

    Wimacufree, Neepheid, Capn Haddock et others

    Finloch didn’t meet a man in a bar
    He was at a wedding with his kids uncle.

    Not a random event and not a man who talks ballacks

    His views and beliefs were genuine or I would not have posted them
    +++++++++++++
    I don’t doubt it for a moment, and I’m sure that what you have reported is correct. It’s just that I think that I went too far in calling for club statements on the basis of what is hearsay, no matter how good the source. That was my mistake, not yours. I was not being critical of you in any way, and I’m sorry if it comes across like that.


  63. Finloch,
    I didnt doubt your account or that of your contact either, but pondered the implications of Lithuanian bankers and liquidators perhaps seeking information and any cash owed who would be well away from this wee country’s shenanigans.


  64. There has been quite a lot of nonsense spouted in recent times that needs to be addressed.

    Dealing with later matters first, the result of the UTTT won’t be known until the autumn or probably just before Christmas so the rash of 100,000 blocks of RIFC shares being sold is nothing to do with that process. It looks more like a concerted effort by someone to deliberately bring the share price down – that could be the bus boys trying to manoeuvre a position.

    Secondly, the share price can drop to 1p or even 0p and though it will mean a lot to the remaining investors it will mean nothing to the day to day running of the club. All that matters to the club is having the working capital to get through the next 12 months and there’s plenty of evidence to question that.

    There also seems to be a misconception running through some sites that the money from share purchases goes to the club, it doesn’t, it goes to the vendor. of the shares. Only in the case of the company issuing new shares do the subscription monies come into the club/company/history/holding company/living entity/140 year old giant.

    Finally it seems quite a lot of fans who should know better are making rash decisions on the basis of rumour and hearsay, being spouted without one iota of evidence to support it. Hearts & Celtic are accused of a cosy tie up over compensation for CL monies seemingly diverted from them by the living corpse of the SFA and the dead corpse. No evidence is put forward to substantiate these wild claims.

    Yet again Peter Lawwell’s name is being dragged through the mud as it was in 2012 when he was accused of being ready to parachute the corpse back into the SPL. Of course he had no such intent then and no evidence against him has been led this time but out come all the siren voices, cancelling their season books, vowing to take the nipper fishing and all manner of pious claptrap in that vein.

    The likes of CE and co were quick to criticise Lawwell last year, and slow to acknowledge their mistake. Rashness of that order gives little credit to sites like this or RTC and provides ammunition for that precious, dying breed, the Scottish sports journalist to attack the internet bampots.

    A bit more rationale thought before pressing the “post” button would not go amiss. If you want to change something, you need to do it from the inside, not from without. That’s a basic rule of PR and I didn’t even need Jack to teach me that.

    Finally sorry to read of the death of David White. He was a real gentleman and a good football guy, but he is also the subject of a very funny, human story. As every Gers fan will know, St Leo the Great is the local RC church to Ibrox and in the mid sixties it had a fiery Irish parish priest, Father O Callaghan, who toured the parish in VW beetle with the front passenger seat removed to accommodate his Alsatian dog.

    One day an elderly parishioner had a flat tyre just outside the grounds of the church. Fr O Callaghan flagged down the nearest passing motorist, opened the passenger door, huckled the parishioner in and told the driver to take him to the nearest garage to get someone to come and replace the tyre. He also told the motorist to come back and let him know that everything was taken care off.

    As the then full time manager of Rangers, Davie White probably had more important things to do but he smiled and willingly did as he was told.

    Nice guy, probably the only manager in a top flight league to be sacked when his team were at the top of it. Seems like lack of class and dignity is permanent in some quarters.

    54 (points) to 0 (job)


  65. slimshady61 says:
    July 17, 2013 at 9:30 pm
    =====================
    While I love so called ‘Internet Bampottery’ and it’s willingness to challenge the status quo, one of the downsides is something being posted based on hearsay, almost becoming accepted as fact, then leading to one or more clubs receiving a panning based on this ‘fact’. I came to this site because it offers serious analysis by knowledgeable people, but the good thing is little of it is based on pure hearsay. Let’s hope that continues.


  66. Slimshady61

    As I have mentioned already Hearts would not have had any case to make as the three teams below Rangers qualified for the Europa League see

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010%E2%80%9311_Scottish_Premier_League

    The club with a case of missing out of the Europa League was Kilmarnock. It kills the rumour for me but not the idea that the SFA and Rangers colluded in the granting of a licence they had motive. means and opportunity.

    Apart from disadvantaging Celtic, did it never occur to the SFA to ask Rangers why they had made no attempt to make any payments whatsoever towards the core amount which was by no means a huge sum if CW was a man of means.


  67. Sorry to hear of the death of David White, former Rangers manager. He was unseromoniously booted out of Ibrox, despite his team sitting top of the league. On his dismissal, Davie decided to move into the licensed trade, in partnership with Willie Henderson. It was at this time that I met them both for the first time, although I had shouted abuse at them from the terraces on many occasions. Throughout the negotiations to purchase,both were absolute gentlemen to deal with. Davie in particular was such a quiet man it was difficult to see him lasting long in the pub trade but he was prepared to give it a go. I met Willie a few years ago and he spoke well of his former business partner. Gentlemen both. I say this as a life long Celtic supporter. May Davie rest in peace, and may Willie continue to give good value for money on the speakers circuit. He tells many a good story.


  68. Just a thought, on the 400k shares bought/sold today.

    is it possible the shares are being bought back by RIFC?

    for example – could one of the SPIVS be offloading their shares with NOMADS approval and the club be buying them

    indeed, could that be how the spivs drain the last of the IPO money out of the club?

    just a question – i genuinely don’t know if it’s possible for the company to be buying back it’s shares


  69. rantinrobin says:
    July 17, 2013 at 3:53 pm

    Citibhoy says:
    July 17, 2013 at 3:55 pm

    Not The Huddle Malcontent says:
    July 17, 2013 at 4:02 pm

    Bill1903 says:
    July 17, 2013 at 5:02 pm

    HirsutePursuit says:
    July 17, 2013 at 5:22 pm

    tcup 2012 says:
    July 17, 2013 at 5:36 pm

    beatipacificiscotia says:
    July 17, 2013 at 5:41 pm

    ecobhoy says:
    July 17, 2013 at 5:59 pm

    torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
    July 17, 2013 at 7:06 pm

    neepheid says:
    July 17, 2013 at 7:14 pm

    Araminta Moonbeam QC says:
    July 17, 2013 at 7:31 pm

    https://twitter.com/AnOrangeCount

    He’s back and going by yesterdays tweets, did he know something was in the air?


  70. torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
    July 17, 2013 at 7:06 pm

    The “Fabric of Scottish Society” is beginning to look a wee bit threadbare.
    =====================================================
    As I recall it was Alex Salmond who deemed Rangers to be part of the fabric of Scottish society. What does that say about Scottish society then? As far as I’m aware Alex Salmond has never described any other team in the same way, even those who paid their taxes while Rangers stuck two fingers up at us all and refused to pay theirs.

    I doubt very much if Alex Salmond reads this forum, but on the off-chance he ever does, it’s not too late for him to realise the real fabric of a democratic society is underpinned by those who pay their taxes in full when due. Only he can say why he chose to lavish such grandness on one single club who refused to pay taxes, while ignoring the others who paid theirs. For all his grandstanding about equality and Muirfield Golf Club, it seems he’s very selective on who and what he demands equality for.

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