The following post comes about as a result of the research and work put in by Auldheid.
He has drafted the submission to FIFA detailed below after closely looking at their rules, and taking on board the points contained in the Glasnost “Golden Rule” blog. TSFM has attached the blog’s name to the report since the overwhelming – but not unanimous – view of our readership is that the SFA and the SPL have again gotten themselves into an almighty and embarrassingly amateur fankle over this issue.
We believe that tens of thousands of football fans will be lost to the game if the outcome of the LNS enquiry is not perceived to be commensurate with the scope and extent of the rule breaking that LNS found had taken place. In view of this, we believe that we have to do what we can to explore all possibilities for justice for those who love the game so much and yet are utterly disillusioned by recent events.
LNS is not being questioned here. He has found that RFC were guilty as charged by the SPL.
What is being questioned is the SFA’s crucial – and seemingly conflicted – role in the LNS enquiry, as is the effectiveness of LNS’s recommended sanction as either a deterrent or an upholder of sporting integrity.
It came to our notice last week that FIFA have created a web site at
https://www.bkms-system.net/bkwebanon/report/clientInfo?cin=6fifa61&language=eng
that tells us that FIFA have implemented a regulatory framework which is intended to ensure that all statutory rules, rules of conduct and internal guidelines of FIFA are respected and complied with.
In support of that regulatory framework FIFA have set up the above site as a reporting mechanism by means of which inappropriate behaviour and infringements of the pertinent regulations may be reported.
FIFA say that their jurisdiction encompasses misconduct that (1) relates to match manipulation; (2) occurs in or affects more than one confederation, so that it cannot adequately be addressed by a single confederation; or (3) would ordinarily be addressed by a confederation or association, but, under the particular facts at issue, has not been or is unlikely to be dealt with appropriately at that level.
Discussions arising from the previous blog on TSFM, “Gilt Edged Justice”, which was published after Lord Nimmo Smith (LNS) ruled on the registration of Rangers players who had contractual side letters that were not disclosed to the SFA as part of their registration, suggest that there may be possible unfortunate consequences for football arising from the evidence presented by the SFA to the LNS enquiry that informed its findings on registration and consequent eligibility. There is also a question of the propriety of the SFA providing evidence on an issue which could have had a negative impact on them had it been found that they had failed to carrying out their registration duties with due rigour over a period of ten years when the existence of EBTs was known to officials within the SFA.
On the basis that the LNS findings require that registration rules be clarified by FIFA and rewritten globally if necessary to remove any ambiguity and under clause 3 above, this appears to be an issue that the FIFA should examine and that the SFA cannot address.
The following report has therefore been submitted by TSFM on behalf of its readers to FIFA drawing on the content and debate following the “Gilt Edged Justice” blog in respect of the possible footballing consequences of the LNS enquiry.
The hope is that by speaking for so many supporters, FIFA will give the TSFM submission some weight, but individuals are free of course to make their own points in their own way. We await acknowledgement of the submission.
The report Submitted to FIFA is as follows;
This report was prepared on behalf of the 10,000-strong readership of The Scottish Football Monitor at http://scottishfootballmonitor.wordpress.com/
It is our belief that FIFA general rules of conduct were breached by the SFA and their employees in both creating and then advising The Lord Nimmo Smith (LNS) enquiry into the non disclosure of full payment information to the Scottish Football Association (SFA) by Rangers F.C during a period of player registration over 10 years from 2000.We believe that although the issue has been addressed by the SFA the particular facts at issue suggest that it has not been dealt with appropriately and we therefore ask FIFA to investigate. The facts at issue are that the process and advice given failed to uphold sporting integrity, and that a conflict of interest was at play.
We believe the advice provided and the enquiry set up, where SFA both advised and is the appellant body, breaches not only the integrity the registration rules were intended to uphold, but also totally undermines the integrity of the SFA in breach of General Conduct rules 1, 2 and 4. (See below.)
1. Firstly we believe that the advice supplied to LNS that an incorrectly registered player was eligible to play as long as the registration was accepted by the SFA however unwittingly, undermines the intent of the SPL/SFA rules on player registration and so undermines the integrity of football in three ways.
• It incentivises clubs to apply for a player to be registered even if they know that the conditions of registration are not satisfied, in the hope that the application will somehow ‘slip through the net’ and be granted anyway (in which case it will be valid until revoked).
• A club which discovers that it has made an error in its application is incentivized to say nothing and to ‘let sleeping dogs lie’ – because it would be in a better position by not confessing its mistake.
• And most importantly, it incentivises fraud. By deliberately concealing relevant information, a club can ensure that a player who does not satisfy the registration conditions is treated as being eligible – and therefore allowed to play – for as long as a period as possible (potentially his entire spell with the club). Then, if the club is no longer around when the deception is finally discovered, imposing meaningful sanctions may be impossible.
2. Secondly we believe the process followed was inappropriate due to a Conflict of Interest. Had the LNS enquiry not ruled on the basis of advice supplied by The SFA, they and those persons advising the LNS enquiry, could have been subjected to censure and the SFA to potential compensation claims had LNS found that the players were indeed ineligible to play and results then been annulled as was SFA practice when an ineligible player played.
3. Finally we contend that a law should not be applied according to its literal meaning if to do so would lead to an absurdity or a manifest injustice or in this case loss of football integrity.
See http://glasnostandapairofstrikers.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/gilt-edged-justice/4. We therefore ask FIFA to investigate both the process used and advice given to Lord Nimmo Smith to satisfy themselves that FIFA’s intentions with regard to upholding the integrity of football under FIFA rules have not been seriously damaged by the LNS findings and also to reassure Scottish football supporters that the integrity of our game has not been sacrificed by the very authority in whose care it has been placed to promote the short term cause of commercialism to the games long term detriment.
General Rules of Conduct (These are taken from the FIFA web site itself and can be found as part of completing the submission process)
1. Persons bound by this Code are expected to be aware of the importance of their duties and concomitant obligations and responsibilities.
2. Persons bound by this Code are obliged to respect all applicable laws and regulations as well as FIFA’s regulatory framework to the extent applicable to them.
3. N/A
4. Persons bound by this Code may not abuse their position in any way, especially to take advantage of their position for private aims or gains.
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/superscoreboard/id307483087
you can just click play but i am not sure if you get the whole program
chipsandblog says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 08:21
0 0 Rate This
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/superscoreboard/
id307483087
you can just click play but i am not sure if you get the whole
program
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“We are unable to find iTunes on your computer. To download and subscribe to Superscoreboard by podcasts@clyde1.com (Radio Clyde), get iTunes now.”
“Windows Requirements
PC with a 1GHz Intel or AMD processor and 512MB of
RAM
Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later; 32-bit editions
of Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8
64-bit editions of Windows Vista, Windows 7 or
Windows 8 require the iTunes 64-bit installer 400MB of available disk space
Broadband Internet connection to use the iTunes”
Click and play does not appear to be an option for me. That said, I have no great desire for iTunes anyway. Thanks for trying to help though.
Carntyne Riddrie (@Riddrie) says:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 23:45
27 1 Rate This
The truth has already been laid bare by RTC and others, but is of no interest to those who don’t want to know the truth.
Andy Walker tonight claimed the worst mistake the SPL clubs
made was voting Rangers out of the SPL.
Walker is either ignorant of the facts, or willfully bending the
truth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I know some are fed up repeating the old/new club position, but if the lies are not challenged, they will be left to hide the facts (which is what they are designed to do).
Nobody voted Rangers out of the SPL. The vote was whether to transfer the SPL share from Rangers to The Rangers. Effectively, the clubs (and fans) voted not to admit The Rangers in to the SPL. And quite rightly.
Please desist in trying to provide Lord Wobbly with a link for said prog. His mind and body are pure.He is a virgin for having never been exposed to that particular airwave and he is a better person for it.
Leave Lord Wobbly alone.
rantinrobin says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 09:22
Please desist in trying to provide Lord Wobbly with a link for said prog. His mind and body are pure.He is a virgin for having never been exposed to that particular airwave and he is a better person for it.
Leave Lord Wobbly alone.
————————————————–
Sounds like a good campaign, I can see the placards now: “Free The Wobbly One!”
“Free The Wobbly One!”
—————————–
Welease wobbly 😀
The good Lord has no time for Clyde
With hope in his heart
And God on his side!
LOL guys…especially “Welease wobbly”, Brilliant. 😀
Occasionally,very occasionally,in the past,I have listened to that programme and I have felt,somehow, that I have let myself down.
With regard to the SSB debate.
I listened to some of it last night and at least Jim Delahunt finally got it by admitting that what the panel was basically saying that a new rule would need to be set up after reconstruction saying that Celtic and Rangers could never be relegated.
It is perhaps unfair to say that those on the panel and callers reflect the whole of T’Rangers support but the facts remain from what is contribuited to the show.
They still do not understand the differecne between punishment and consequence.
They do not understand that Scottish Football did them a huge favour by allowing them access to Div 3
They want to pick and choose the rules and precedents that suit them. (This is however understandable being the Footballing Authorities failed in their duty to apply existing rules without fear or favour).
They fail to realise that to make a football match it takes two teams and to make a league and a season it takes more than the same two teams.
They continually let their mask slip.
Thats is to say that they still believe their rightful place is at the top. Despite all the talk of making new friends the ‘diddy’ teams that were kind enough to allow them to survive and welcomed them on match days, these kind souls now get classed as dross and their grounds are seen as being undesirable dumps that T’Rangers need only grace once or twice in their lifetimne
If we had the status quo next season why are some T’Rangers fans thinking Forfar is going to be an improvement of Montrose or Stenhousemuir an improvement on Stirling Albion (no offense to the clubs mentioned)?
And finally if we had the staus quo and then introduced 12-12-18 in 2014-15 and T’Rangers struggled finally ending up in position 2 or 3 in Div 2 do you think they would be calling for themselves to be demoted into the 18 in favour of promotion for the Div 3 winners.
I DON’T THINK SO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS
I appreciate that they are perhaps small beer but if SSB is the enemy then better to understand it.
Sun Tzu and all that 😉
Grant King (@Sprotson) says:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 14:12
will more police time be wasted in investigating “leaks”, or is it only investigated if it is to do with scotland’s establishment “team” ?
So breaking the law should not be investigated?
……………………………………..
Out of interest……what law was broken?
I would guess the official secrets act
willmacufree says:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 22:55
Angus 1983, to go back to yourself @ 21.48, I don’t feel that anybody whose tax affairs are as unorthodox as these deserves confidentiality.
——
Morally correct but, I fear, not legally. You canna be handing out confidential personal info before proper legal procedures have been followed to demonstrate unorthodoxy.
Sorry for putting the Arbeit thing in your heid, by the way. Probably says more about me than you! 🙂
angus1983 says: Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 21:52
TU and TD? “They’re often a good indicator of the level of bias present in readers around the time of posting – sums things up nicely, no suggestion that others may read your post and diagree only an assumption of bias.
’nuff said.
Grant King (@Sprotson) says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 09:52
Out of interest……what law was broken?
I would guess the official secrets act
——
Seems to be the “Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005”, if info was sourced from an HMRC employee.
This from an online HMRC employee guidance page:
“Confidentiality of Information.
Your legal obligations to maintain confidentiality as an employee of HMRC are determined by the Act that established HMRC. This is the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (PDF 273kb) (CRCA).
You must be fully aware of these obligations and comply with them at all times. There are criminal sanctions for those who disclose information when there is no lawful authority to do so.
The legislation states that:
1. you must not give or disclose HMRC information to anyone, including other government departments and their agencies, local authorities, the police or any other public bodies, unless you have lawful authority to do so – Section 18 CRCA
2. all new staff must sign a declaration of confidentiality when they join HMRC – Section 3 CRCA. This is in the Manager’s Induction Pack.”
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/emmanual/em0070.htm
smartie1947 says:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 22:07
43 1 i Rate This
Neepheid @ 20.49
Willmacufree @ 21.08
I accept the thrust of both your posts above.
I still find it appalling however that the man who orchestrated the scheme to avoid PAYE/NIC on £47 million worth of payments to players and staff, can then have the gall to demand to know who made such information public and consequently the police feel it necessary to conduct an investigation.
If the new Chief Constable of Scotland had stated on receipt that he regarded the complaint by SDM as fatuous and that he was not prepared to waste police resources on it, then it might have put an end to such coordinated press releases.
=================================================================
Smartie, I agree with you that the beknighted one’s business practices have been poisonous for Scotland. Chances are that it’s deflection and bluster but you’d have to wonder why he would want all of this raked over in an open court and splashed all over the papers again? Despite the outcomes of the FTTT and LNS enquiry being presented as wins for Rangers, there is a widespread perception that the club was rotten. It went bust because Mr Murray managed it badly and this would all be given a high profile again.
Should anyone ever be charged a public interest defence would almost certainly be successful for those who published the information. It may be more difficult for a member of HMRC staff though. If it came from within Ibrox a whistleblower defence might have a chance. Maybe it’s Campbell Ogilvie and that’s why he’s retained his job at Hampden?
scottc says:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 21:18
So what say Francisco Sandaza gets hammered by one or the other and decides to fight it in the courts?
—————————————————————————————————————–
I would hope that Sandaza would be represented by the Players’ Union in this issue if Rangers take action against him as I’m not sure that legally it’s as clear-cut a case as might appear at first sight.
It has come at a good time for the club in a financial sense as they may see it as an opportunity to get rid of a high-earning player apparently on a longish escalating contract and, of course, it’s a warning shot across the bows of others to toe the line.
Still not sure that the club would be too happy with questions in an open-court about the ‘culture’ at the club with regards to Sandaza’s religion and I would say this line of questioning could be relevant if Sandaza says it’s why he was prepared to talk to Tommy.
But we have to remember that Imran Ahmad has been ‘taken’ by Tommy as well and indeed invited to Ibrox and certain financial matters discussed which are well worth listening to on Tommy’s site. It could all be very messy if it came out in a courtroom and I wonder if there was any investigation into Imran being ‘duped’ by Tommy.
It may well be that it is all settled quietly with Sandaza going but walking away with say 50% of the rest of his contract at a minimum.
Tommy has now found a new following on the Darkside who have quite a few others that they want the taxi driver to phone asap to make way for some fresh players on cheaper wages. Indeed, at this rate, Tommy might be Green’s financial saviour 🙂
Sandaza, I suspect will shortly be exiting the hallowed portals of Ibrox. Perhaps at present he will be drawing up his CV with the final entry being;
Played for the worst team in club’s history ,with ,of course,the caveat that the club was in its infancy.
This is very basic I still find it completely incomprehensible…how can we be in a situation where what needs to be done to prevent Rangers going under again is reorganise the leagues to suit? Or how can they be having to cope with losing £1m a month?
There was an obvious solution – if Duff & Phelps had enforced cuts, and reduced the budgets, Rangers might have had to scrape and scrap their way to narrow victories this season, but that’s what they’ve been doing anyway. They could have gone out of their way to make friends with each and every club on the way up, while mending bridges with premier league clubs – just think what power that might have given them in future votes about reorganisation etc. Instead, having to rely on bluff and bluster, share issues to cover running costs, tortuous arguments put forward by legal representatives (now we’re old club / now we’re new club), or by the football administrators. It’s a dangerous game. One false step…
It may have seemed like the administrators were doing Rangers a favour at the time, but in retrospect, the biggest millstone around Rangers’ neck may turn out to be the curse of Duff & Phelps.
Grant King (@Sprotson) says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 09:52
1 0 i
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Grant King (@Sprotson) says:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 14:12
will more police time be wasted in investigating “leaks”, or is it only investigated if it is to do with scotland’s establishment “team” ?
So breaking the law should not be investigated?
……………………………………..
Out of interest……what law was broken?
I would guess the official secrets act
~~~~~~
I’m sure there are a number of individuals who were in a position to leak the relevant information who have never signed the Official Secrets Act. You are pre-judging the source.
Lots of pre-judging has already taken place in this saga eg FTTT and LNS outcomes. Lesson to be learned there.
wottpi says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 09:48
9 0 i
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With regard to the SSB debate.
I listened to some of it last night and at least Jim Delahunt finally got it by admitting that what the panel was basically saying that a new rule would need to be set up after reconstruction saying that Celtic and Rangers could never be relegated.
It is perhaps unfair to say that those on the panel and callers reflect the whole of T’Rangers support but the facts remain from what is contribuited to the show.
They still do not understand the differecne between punishment and consequence.
They do not understand that Scottish Football did them a huge favour by allowing them access to Div 3
They want to pick and choose the rules and precedents that suit them. (This is however understandable being the Footballing Authorities failed in their duty to apply existing rules without fear or favour).
They fail to realise that to make a football match it takes two teams and to make a league and a season it takes more than the same two teams.
They continually let their mask slip.
Thats is to say that they still believe their rightful place is at the top. Despite all the talk of making new friends the ‘diddy’ teams that were kind enough to allow them to survive and welcomed them on match days, these kind souls now get classed as dross and their grounds are seen as being undesirable dumps that T’Rangers need only grace once or twice in their lifetimne
If we had the status quo next season why are some T’Rangers fans thinking Forfar is going to be an improvement of Montrose or Stenhousemuir an improvement on Stirling Albion (no offense to the clubs mentioned)?
And finally if we had the staus quo and then introduced 12-12-18 in 2014-15 and T’Rangers struggled finally ending up in position 2 or 3 in Div 2 do you think they would be calling for themselves to be demoted into the 18 in favour of promotion for the Div 3 winners.
I DON’T THINK SO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
——————————————————–
Excellent post, sums up the situation perfectly! The cosy world of Glasgow sports journalism has suffered an armageddon, of sorts, and the lamb suckers now long for golfing afternoons with Durranty, scavenging for the merest morsel of a story on an appraoching Champions league tie…..everyone else? They are just diddies, and subject to a relentless discourse of derision. On the plus side I do take a modicum of schadenfreude at listening to the Chic Youngs, and Murdo McLeods with their pathetic efforts to convince the rest of us that we must go back to a lost epoch…. and epoch where gormless toadies like those two pass for journalists or ‘experts’.
Arabest ; ‘A lost epoch’,.’gormless toadies’.
Yep,that just about sums it up.
A fresh start,fresh media,fresh new administrators,a fresh vision which encompasses a level playing field for all the Scottish clubs
For a country that prides itself on radical thinking,and a supposed ability to smell bullshittery at 1000 paces, we haven’t half made a right cod of our football world.
It’s not our fault but clearly there is now a determination that we will no longer accept the status quo.
rantinrobin says:
…… radical thinking, and an ability to smell bullshittery at 1000 paces….
———————————————————————————————-
If only……………..
Indeed
So Alloa or Brechin to follow QOTS.
In the event that dunfermline go under we need one other. So, em, still Alloa or Brechin then. Where’s the confusion? OK, to expand. In the absence of any major sponsor or TV company openly stipulating their requirements for new league two being that Sevco take part which they know would be commercially questionable (not suicidal since 500m bearz would flood to their shops/branches/brands) where’s the confusion? Unless of course someone has (again) promised them they’d be there and maybe has been saying so for a good few months (say about 7) now.
They never learn, but they’re all still in a job and at least one of them just got a 16% pay rise.
As one of the more respected chairmen said yesterday, it is their right to put across their viewpoint, it is my (our) right to ignore it. He was only referring to sevco. I will use a much wider reference point.
Lord wobbly, just have a large dram to hand should you listen to SSB. THe play button is hit and miss and probably requires quick time installed. Come on, get with the 90s!
rantinrobin says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 09:22
27 0 Rate This
Please desist in trying to provide Lord Wobbly with a link for said prog. His mind and body are pure.He is a virgin for having never been exposed to that particular airwave and he is a better person for it.
Leave Lord Wobbly alone.
———–
If he’s that pure, why is he so wobbly? 🙂
PS Simple listen-again function. No iTunes. Will help you stay genuinely petty and ill-informed 😀
http://www.clyde1.com/on-air/superscoreboard/listen-again/
I’ve always believed that there has always been a wider plan re RFC from way back since the fostering of McCoist under Smith when he was brought back in January 2007.
The much publicised McCoist will be the next Rangers manager and the courting of the press that the ‘club legend’ would be the right man to take them forward when eventually Smith readies him is something that’s always bewildered me.
From the onset I felt that Murray’s plan, when he was selling up; they would need a ‘patsy’ for continuity for when finally the processes would catch up with them. Smith would never want to ‘taint’ his image through the selling on process and may have been party to the plans that Murray had; hence his exit in June 2011 at the end of the 1 year extension to his contract- when the sale would be finally complete to Whyte.
To put it crudely, McCoist was/ is naive enough to be Rangers through and through enough to be used as the ‘sticking plaster manager’ he has since been and is still used as under Green. Whatever Murray’s plan he knew that liquidation eventually would be the course for the then RFC; regardless of the reduced tax liability eventually ‘won’ back in November 2012 (remember there are 36 individual former RFC players that RFC lawyers representing them conceded they would have to pay tax on through their EBT remunerations that were not put forward to the FTT and subsequently the 5 former players that were found to be liable also as part of the FTT; therefore circa a 1/3 reduced tax bill i.e. £30 mil?).
Whyte was also part of that Murray Plan and showed up McCoist’s naivety early doors of the 2011/12 season regarding ‘war chests’ extended 4/5 year contracts of ‘stalwart players’ (securing assets as Whyte thought and McCoist keeping rangers men). This was a period (August- February) where McCoist was ‘hung out to dry’ by his employers- European exits to minnows, early cup exits, fall outs with the BBC, the loss of the 15 point gap, administration and deduction of points, bad mouthing of current/ former players, etc; McCoist was unmanaged by Whyte and never backed by him or the Board at the time- why? Because he was used to deflect the dire situation going on at the time used again as the naive ‘patsy.
Even when Green’s consortium took over (remember Green is just the hired hand in all this- it was never his money) McCoist was used again as the ‘sticking plaster’ of some kind of continuity from ‘Oldco to Newco’ the ‘I don’t do walking away’ statement was at a time of the frosty uneasy relationship between him and Green in the closed season when Green had to find some way of keeping the (T)RFC faithful on board by sweet talking McCoist after changing his mind not to remove him and put in Green’s own personal choice he was told to keep him (IMO) by his backers (you know the invisible ones- the old guard perhaps) for season ticket sales, etc; and so the lasting ‘sticking plaster’ that McCoist still is.
So how long to ‘sticking plasters’ stick? Sometimes they have to be ripped off in a bout of frustrated intolerance of wearing it too long. If/ when ‘normal’ footballing service is returned down Ibrox way- if they can afford it through a rebuilding process how long will the sticking plaster of continuity be allowed to stick?
arabest1 says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 11:01
‘gormless toadies’
—————————————–
Somehow that description seems just so spot on. And also why the (very) occasional pundit who is neither gormless, nor a toady, stands out.
I’ve made a deliberate effort to increase my enjoyment of live football over the past year by not watching the build-up, the half-time chat, or the post-match ‘analysis. As for highlight programmes, I record them and watch them with my breakfast, the ‘fast-forward’ meaning I only see the actual game footage. I will make an exception for Gary Neville, and some of the Spanish coverage. For the rest, amazingly I find that I am able to make my own mind up about the main incidents, and don’t feel the need to rant at the television nearly so much.
deldons says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 11:48
===============================
deldon, I think there’s an element of applying what you know now to what happened then – a re-writing of history to fit a theory, in your post. McCoist will either move to another club, move out of management or be sacked, just like every other football manager.
thereek says
I’m sure there are a number of individuals who were in a position to leak the relevant information who have never signed the Official Secrets Act. You are pre-judging the source.
Lots of pre-judging has already taken place in this saga eg FTTT and LNS outcomes. Lesson to be learned there.
That is a fair point however it does not mean the matter should not be investigated. An offence has alleged to of taken place
Grant King (@Sprotson) says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 09:52
2 1 Rate This
Grant King (@Sprotson) says:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 14:12
will more police time be wasted in investigating “leaks”, or is it only investigated if it is to do with scotland’s establishment “team” ?
So breaking the law should not be investigated?
……………………………………..
Out of interest……what law was broken?
I would guess the official secrets act
……………………………………………..
So you are saying an employee of HMRC released the tax deatils….any idea who?
Carl31 (@C4rl31) says:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 23:40
1 0 Rate This
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/mar/20/doctor-sports-drugs-case
………………………………………………
An Australian journalist has seen the list of names…and has stated some of the biggest names in sport are on the list…including sportsmen from other European countries…the court has prevented anyone disclossing the names as the judge is only interested in the Doctors conduct…not his clients…although the journalist did confirm that payments to the doctor were known to have been made by a certain La Liga club…who surprisingly had a very succesful season finishing second in the same year…
This could be a huge problem for Spain in footballing terms…both domestically and internationally…and who in Scottish media will be up in arms if players who appeared on the list played for clubs against Scottish clubs or our Natiuonal team?…yet ignore the home grown dishonesty in the SFA?
Something is not adding up here. Quote from Tom English, Scotland on Sunday and the BBC. A so-called ‘proper reporter’.
“Sorry. Try as I might I just don’t care about that Calderwood ‘story’. No interest.”
Now call me old fashioned but I thought that a good hack should have a nose for a story. Here we have a story so ripe with potential of all sorts of criminality that the mind boggles, and one of (all?) the top Scottish Sports Journalists is ‘not interested’. The mind boggles…
Just what does Murray have on these guys? Calderwood put the story on a plate for anyone to come and take and none of them are interested. What? WHAT?
This could be the Scottish Watergate going all the way to the very top of our society and these guys aren’t interested. It’s either a complete dereliction of duty, the intimidation tactics from the Rangers fans is working a treat on our ‘brave’ hacks or it’s complete corruption and they have been told to keep quiet.
May I assume that you are all as angry as me?
This probably got lost at the bottom of the last page, so I’ll repost.
I don’t think it’s the Official Secrets Act that binds HMRC employees to confidentiality …
This from an online HMRC employee guidance page:
“Confidentiality of Information.
Your legal obligations to maintain confidentiality as an employee of HMRC are determined by the Act that established HMRC. This is the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005.
You must be fully aware of these obligations and comply with them at all times. There are criminal sanctions for those who disclose information when there is no lawful authority to do so.
The legislation states that:
1. you must not give or disclose HMRC information to anyone, including other government departments and their agencies, local authorities, the police or any other public bodies, unless you have lawful authority to do so – Section 18 CRCA
2. all new staff must sign a declaration of confidentiality when they join HMRC – Section 3 CRCA. This is in the Manager’s Induction Pack.”
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/emmanual/em0070.htm
paulmac2 says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 12:21
I can see the scottish MSM up in arms, if this scandal breaks as may be indicated.
As bad a disgrace as the whole Rangers Saga is, including the unjust SPLIC decision and the SFA contribution, I think it pales in comparison to what this story might be.
There is a different level of sporting advantage in actions such as Ben Johnson or Lance Armstrong – physical enhancement using drugs that make the competitor run faster, jump higher, go longer … etc. If things pan out the way they could with this story it will be an international sporting disgrace.
Danish Pastry says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 11:45
PS Simple listen-again function. No iTunes. Will help you stay
genuinely petty and ill-informed
http://www.clyde1.com/on-air/superscoreboard/listen-again/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not possible on my phone. I’m not the most connected of internet bampots I’m afraid.
Grant King (@Sprotson) says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 09:52
Out of interest……what law was broken?
I would guess the official secrets act
—————————————————————–
The City of London Police removed documents from Ibrox under the proper legal authority of a search warrant. Normal practice would be for the police to make copies of these papers available to various parties including RFC. I got the clear impression from reading the RTC blog that RTC was receiving photocopies and ongoing updates from sources close to junction 23 of the M8. I may be wrong. However, nothing that RTC said or reproduced in his/her blog indicated to me that the information could only have come from HMRC. I know the police are subject to similar confidentiality restrictions but the City of London Police were too far removed to have an ongoing interest in the tax affairs of RFC personnel so we can pretty well discount them as the source of the leaks.
No doubt Sir David Murray will be hoping and praying that Strathclyde’s finest identify a HMRC employee as the ‘mole’. That would perhaps deflect some attention from him but it would not turn back the clock. My friend who is a senior HMRC official tells me that the investigators dealing with the Rangers case would be working on a strictly need to know basis, even within their own investigations department. All papers would be kept under lock and key and no general HMRC staff (including him) would be able to access any material either in person or by computer etc.
Some enterprising public servant at Crown Office has sanctioned this police investigation. It will cost a lot of money that could otherwise be allocated to necessary public services. You have to wonder why the Lord Advocate is more concerned with pursuing the whistleblower than the villain himself? I rather suspect that the police will be frustrated in their attempt to interview the mystery RTC, as the Queen’s writ may not not extend to where he/she dwells.
Danish Pastry says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 06:00
Regarding Sandaza, I did not like him being pranked in this way. He’s young, living in a foreign country as an immigrant, and trying to make a living for himself and his family. I feel Tommy could have chosen a better subject. Sandaza is hardly to blame for any of this and hardly to be put down for choosing a club willing to double or treble his pay. Picking on a vulnerable foreigner like him was not one of Tommy’s finer moments. And the irony of Tommy picking on someone who is essentially a young Catholic immigrant, and possibly landing him in trouble with his club, will not have been lost on those looking to discredit the otherwise successful bampot.
———————————————————————————————–
One wonders if Tommy has inadvertently done CG a favour by giving him an excuse to offload an underperforming high earner?
After all the STV (Sevco Propaganda Partners Inc.) article states that players doscussing a transfer to another club whilst under contract is against SFA rules, and we know how much of a stickler for the rules CG is.
Never mind the fact I wouldn’t believe STV if they told me grass is green, far less take their word on the finer details of the SFA rulebook, but nevertheless perhaps an expedient money saving opportunity for Chuck.
I know it’s not important but why are 29 shares in RIFC sold at the ridiculous price of 78.0999p per share?.
Good article from Gers Net
http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/126-why-clubs-shouldn-t-develop-young-players
Celtic Paranoia (@CelticParanoia) says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 13:28
2 0 Rate This
One wonders if Tommy has inadvertently done CG a favour by giving him an excuse to offload an underperforming high earner?
After all the STV (Sevco Propaganda Partners Inc.) article states that players doscussing a transfer to another club whilst under contract is against SFA rules, and we know how much of a stickler for the rules CG is.
Never mind the fact I wouldn’t believe STV if they told me grass is green, far less take their word on the finer details of the SFA rulebook, but nevertheless perhaps an expedient money saving opportunity for Chuck.
———–
He might indeed have done him a favour, I do feel genuinely sorry for Sandaza though. Spoofing Murray, Whyte, Masterton and that crowd is one thing, but this lad is an innocent. Don’t like it.
paulmac2 says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 12:21
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Carl31 (@C4rl31) says:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 23:40
1 0 Rate This
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/mar/20/doctor-sports-drugs-case
………………………………………………
An Australian journalist has seen the list of names…and has stated some of the biggest names in sport are on the list…including sportsmen from other European countries…the court has prevented anyone disclossing the names as the judge is only interested in the Doctors conduct…not his clients…although the journalist did confirm that payments to the doctor were known to have been made by a certain La Liga club…who surprisingly had a very succesful season finishing second in the same year…
This could be a huge problem for Spain in footballing terms…both domestically and internationally…and who in Scottish media will be up in arms if players who appeared on the list played for clubs against Scottish clubs or our Natiuonal team?…yet ignore the home grown dishonesty in the SFA?
——————————————————
Reminds me of the reaction to Scotland’s 1-2 home defeat to Italy in November 2007 which ended faint hopes of qualification for Euro 2008. As you may well recall, the winning goal came from a free-kick which was one of the most absurd refereeing decisions witnessed by many in living memory.
Alex McLeish, Lee McCulloch, Gordon Smith, Craig Brown and David Syme all queued up to basically call the Spanish referee a cheat – ignoring the fact that Scotland’s goal was offside and the Italians had a perfectly good goal disallowed. Some choice quotes:
“the foul on Alan Hutton by Giorgio Chiellini was an appalling mistake that could have been described as robbery and cheating. The assistant referee is only yards away from the incident and for the referee not to over-rule him was incredible” Craig Brown (Daily Record, 19 November 2007)
“We all accept that officials make honest mistakes. They have to decide instantly on ‘is it?’ or ‘isn’t it?’ ‘Did he or didn’t he?’. Jimenez did have these things to consider when he raised his flag. He had to decide whether Alan Hutton had been fouled or not. There was nothing else to consider – but he chose to invent one for himself. In my 30 years of refereeing I’ve never witnessed such a blatant deliberate error. It was no mistake. The big team were going to get a little help.” David Syme (The Sun, 19 November 2007)
“If it was a player making a terrible decision in a match, he may not play in the next match. UEFA have to ask if he should be in a game like this. He made a horrendous mistake and doesn’t deserve to be officiating at a high level” Alex McLeish (The Sun, 19 November 2007)
Something of a departure from the line taken on the sanctity of Scottish officials i.e. you should never question their integrity for fear of reprisals at the hands of a “who are these people”mob?
I wonder why the double standard?
Lord Wobbly says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 12:55
There’s probably an app you can get. I would do a search for Clyde Radio App – or CRAPP – as it’s more commonly known.
Danish Pastry says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 06:00
… who is essentially a young Catholic immigrant …
——
Not sure I get the relevance of the chap’s religion, Danish?
I should imagine that Tommy wished to prove a point and chose his target either on the basis of fortuitously obtaining his phone number, or by realising that the lad was the most likely one to blab (on account of his apparent fecklessness).
In any case, fitba players know the rules. An invasion of privacy by Tommy, probably – but I can’t find any great sympathy for Sandaza, who’s 28 and should have some commonsense by now. He was asked to show his hand by someone he didn’t know from Adam, on the phone, and he did. Perhaps it’ll be a lesson to him.
Has Sandaza committed an offence by agreeing to talk, or is the offence only by the party doing the “tapping-up”?
torrejohnbhoy says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 13:30
I know it’s not important but why are 29 shares in RIFC sold at the ridiculous price of 78.0999p per share?
———————————————————————————————-
I’m sure it’s just a glitch in the automated system and should have been rounded up to 78.10p.
It seems however the share price is being kept around the 78p price either by accident or design – it might be seen by some to be a negative psychological factor if it hits or slips below the initial IPO launch price of 76p on AIM.
With the very light trading and generally low number of shares being traded it’s not only simple but very cheap to keep the price around 78p – you only need to flog a few shares to achieve this given a willing buyer and seller. But you can drive yourself crazy, as an outsider, trying to work out what spivs get up to on the markets.
It eventually comes out in the wash but by then the innocents are cleaned-out or the only ones left holding a very sickly baby.
“We all accept that officials make honest mistakes. They have to decide instantly on ‘is it?’ or ‘isn’t it?’ ‘Did he or didn’t he?’. Jimenez did have these things to consider when he raised his flag. He had to decide whether Alan Hutton had been fouled or not. There was nothing else to consider – but he chose to invent one for himself. In my 30 years of refereeing I’ve never witnessed such a blatant deliberate error. It was no mistake. The big team were going to get a little help.” David Syme (The Sun, 19 November 2007)
___________
i nearly choked on my tea there when i seen symes name at the end of that piece
Rangers where always the big team when he was a Ref
Naughty [Charles Green] caught telling lies – Again-
http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/stranraer/218475-stranraer-vice-chairman-no-precedent-for-rangers-in-my-clubs-promotion/
ecobhoy says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 14:14
torrejohnbhoy says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 13:30
I know it’s not important but why are 29 shares in RIFC sold at the ridiculous price of 78.0999p per share?
———————————————————————————————-
I’m sure it’s just a glitch in the automated system and should have been rounded up to 78.10p.
It seems however the share price is being kept around the 78p price either by accident or design – it might be seen by some to be a negative psychological factor if it hits or slips below the initial IPO launch price of 76p on AIM.
With the very light trading and generally low number of shares being traded it’s not only simple but very cheap to keep the price around 78p – you only need to flog a few shares to achieve this given a willing buyer and seller.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
I know its of little importance to us now but the last shares sold are .25% bellow the second support level which cant be good for longer term value?
Sold at 78.08 and 2nd support at 78.33 , with first support at 78.67, to me its really only Spivs who are buying to keep the price inflated while they offload.
deldons says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 11:48
McCoist was used again as the ‘sticking plaster’ of some kind of continuity from ‘Oldco to Newco’
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.
Agreed..deldon
As I said at the time & IMO..That was the specific reason & sole purpose of the so called “Doctors” appointment by M at MP on that particular day.To have the face to face with FPLG, to firstly talk him down from the roof, calm him down & explain to him (in no uncertain terms) that he was caught het,their very last hope,the last remaining & “mob credible” link between the peepul & the club. !
Had FPLG not taken that particular biscuit,had his tummy tickled & hair ruffled playfully by the master, & had actually done ” walking away” at that point..who knows what or where this fustercluck of a new club/old club/holding/folding club would be today.!
Well worth yon big bowl of wina££ot he eventually received…from the handler in chief.
Right, getting tired of this sevco “promotion” nonsense
if 12-12-18 gets approval
Let Sevco win SFL3 and be promoted to SFL2 at the end of the season, give them a flag and a bauble to add to the bike and the reserve league title they have in the trophy room
On the 1st of July implement the new set up of 12-12-18
That will mean that Sevco won SFL3, got promoted to SFL2, have a title, and then, once everyone is in their new league, they will be put into the new structure based on current standings.
feckin simple.
angus1983 says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 14:06
7 0 Rate This
Danish Pastry says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 06:00
… who is essentially a young Catholic immigrant …
——
Not sure I get the relevance of the chap’s religion, Danish?
———–
His religion has no relevance whatsoever, and neither should it have. But considering that Tommy is a Celtic supporter and considering Celtic’s heritage, there are those who might point out a certain irony in Tommy picking on a young immigrant to this country. Defend it if you must, I found it cruel and unnecessary. There are bigger fish in the sea. Sandaza was an easy target and may suffer because of this.
Celtic Paranoia (@CelticParanoia) says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 13:47
Reminds me of the reaction to Scotland’s 1-2 home defeat to Italy in November 2007 which ended faint hopes of qualification for Euro 2008. As you may well recall, the winning goal came from a free-kick which was one of the most absurd refereeing decisions witnessed by many in living memory.
————————————————————————————————————–
I do remember this well, indeed the performance of the ref was bazarre to say the least, but then was that the year all the ‘big’ teams were mysteriously drawn against the ‘wee’ teams for these play offs? (bit like the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup, whose draws overall represent something of a statistical improbability………….just saying 😉 ) And subsequently the ref was trusted to ensure that the 70 million Italian TV audience and the sponsorship of Fiat et al were deployed for the good to the tournanament of course. 😉
The obvious example being the infamous Henry handball(s) two years later, which you would probably put down to those Calvanists in Geneva and their so called reformation! 😉
Danish – yes, accepted.
—
Meanwhile, Mr McCoist keeps the propaganda machine going at the BBC Sport website today:
—
Rangers: Ally McCoist promotion call over league shake-up
Manager Ally McCoist believes Rangers should be promoted to the second tier, if the 12-12-18 league format is implemented.
Rangers are closing in on the Third Division title and SPL clubs will vote on reconstruction on 15 April.
McCoist told Rangers TV that the club should earn promotion in the event of winning the title.
“Scottish football’s in a sorry state so we have to do what’s best for the benefit of the game,” McCoist said.
“Stranraer won the bottom tier in 1994 and were promoted two divisions due to reconstruction”
Eleven votes are required for a move to a structure of two top leagues of 12, which would split into three leagues of eight midway through the season.
McCoist expressed concern that Rangers may be in the league of 18 despite closing in on the Third Division title.
“In our eyes, if 12-12-18 is implemented and we are in the 18 then I don’t see us getting promotion,” he said.
“The argument would be that we would in the third tier but I don’t buy that because every other team in the league would be getting promotion with us.
“I don’t think that is fair – especially when a precedent has been set. Stranraer won the bottom tier in 1994 and were promoted two divisions due to reconstruction.
“All we have ever wanted is fairness and if the precedent has been set then we imagine that it should be applied again.”
McCoist believes promoting Rangers would benefit the game in Scotland.
“Dunfermline are clearly in trouble just now, Hearts have troubles too and we have obviously had our well-documented problems so we must do something that is mutually beneficial to Scottish football,” he added.
“If moving us into the second 12 means that there will be such a benefit then surely it has to happen.”
Danish Pastry @15:29.
Re your comment about Sandaza being an easy target and that you found it ” cruel and unnecessary”.
Can we keep this in context. I too don’t see any relevance in saying he is a “young Catholic immigrant”. What has that got to do with the price of fish?
I’ll tell you what “cruel and unnecessary” is. Sending bombs through the post to a young manager, to a female MSP, and a young now sadly deceased QC.
The fact Sandaza was “duped” by “Tommy from Glasgow” was quite amusing in comparison.
There seems to be such an increasing demand from the MSM and T’Rangers themselves to be in league two that I can see it happening.
The 18 team 3rd league has always seemed daft to me. Why not just invite two teams in and have leagues 3 and 4 having 10 teams each.
See the Stranraer precedent (that isn’t really)
did that league reconstruction proposal happen mid season, or was everyone clear what would be happening at the start of the season
I think this whole mess would be easily cleared up if they simply voted for change to start 2014-2015
Although, would make SFL3 kinda pointless next year. (would anyone notice!!!! LOL, sorry diddy fans!!!!)
The problem I see with the ‘Rangers promotion argument’ is that, if being in the league of 18 is not tantamount to promotion then where does it leave the eight current second division sides who will also have to join it? And if winning the third division entitles Rangers to play in the new second, does winning the second not entitle the winners to play in the first? Winning the first then….. Automatic entry to Europe? Their argument is too one dimensional to be worthy of consideration.
bill1903 says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 15:45
1 0 Rate This
There seems to be such an increasing demand from the MSM and T’Rangers themselves to be in league two that I can see it happening.
The 18 team 3rd league has always seemed daft to me. Why not just invite two teams in and have leagues 3 and 4 having 10 teams each.
————————————
part of the problem is that there are too many senior teams as it is in Scotland.
but this could work if you changed SFL3 and SFL2 into regional leagues and allowed promotion/relegation to/from these leagues from the “non league” set up below it.
That would give you 2 SPFL leagues and 2 regional leagues of 10 below it
Play offs between the 2 leagues for promotion to SPFL2 and play offs/promotion form highland/east/west of scotland leagues
would reduce costs for teh teams in these leagues (less travel) improve attendences – more local “derbies” or at least rivalries! real threat of relegation for being bottom – forcing them not to rest on their laurels!
Would provide a boost to the “non” league leagues as well – real chance of making the senior game (without waiting for someone else to die)
All in all, after 10-15 years, we’d see a lot of clubs drop to their true level/rise to their true potential
oh, and most importantly of all – Sevco would get a league title and a promotion so they can extract more cash from their fans – which is what all this nonsense is really about huh?
angus1983 says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 15:35
Manager Ally McCoist believes Rangers should be promoted to the second tier, if the 12-12-18 league format is implemented.
——————————————————
“Precedent” in itself means nothing without comparison with other similar situations to see if it is desirable. If they’re being that blatant about it, why don’t they go the whole hog? Tomorrow’s headings could then say “McCoist asks for Rangers to be gerrymandered into new second tier”, or “Rangers call for league setup to be rigged for the good of the Scottish game”.
Do they not see how they are humiliating themselves by citing a one-off situation in different circumstances as being a template to rush them up the leagues irrespective of performance? And since when have they been arguing that what’s good enough for Stranraer is good enough for Rangers? Is there no start to the dignity of these people?
Meanwhile, Mr McCoist keeps the propaganda machine going at the BBC Sport website today:
“Scottish football’s in a sorry state so we have to do what’s best for the benefit of the game,” McCoist said.
“Stranraer won the bottom tier in 1994 and were promoted two divisions due to reconstruction”
“In our eyes, if 12-12-18 is implemented and we are in the 18 then I don’t see us getting promotion,” he said.
“The argument would be that we would in the third tier but I don’t buy that because every other team in the league would be getting promotion with us.
“I don’t think that is fair – especially when a precedent has been set. Stranraer won the bottom tier in 1994 and were promoted two divisions due to reconstruction.
“All we have ever wanted is fairness and if the precedent has been set then we imagine that it should be applied again.”
“Dunfermline are clearly in trouble just now, Hearts have troubles too and we have obviously had our well-documented problems so we must do something that is mutually beneficial to Scottish football,” he added.
“If moving us into the second 12 means that there will be such a benefit then surely it has to happen.”
Courtesy of
angus1983
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 15:35
__________________________________________________________________________________
Wee Ally, always girnin ‘n greetin’
Whingin’ ‘n moanin’
Ev’n wi’ a pie in ‘is hawn
He keeps goan on, an’ on, an’ on
‘Gonnae git uz oot o’ here’
‘Sno fair! ‘
Wee, sleekit, cow’rin, tim’rous beastie, Ally,
O, what a panic’s in thy breastie! . . . . .
The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain
In League Division Threy.
Apologies to Rabbie ,
and to mice everywhere.
auchinstarry on Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 15:45
6 4 Rate This
Danish Pastry @15:29.
Re your comment about Sandaza being an easy target and that you found it ” cruel and unnecessary” …
——-
Dear oh dear auchinstarry. If there was a prize for whataboutery.
Some late activity on the Sevco share price. Looks like 4 deals of 5,000 shares each. Price continues to slide. Those that can get out now should!
ismellafix says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 16:42
Some late activity on the Sevco share price. Looks like 4 deals of 5,000 shares each. Price continues to slide.
——
Indeed. Down to 75.08p on that last one. Not looking too clever.
Meanwhile, nice to see much of the press reporting on Mr Sandaza being “duped”. We haven’t had a good duping down Ibrox way for a while.
Meanwhile, nice to see much of the press reporting on Mr Sandaza being “duped”. We haven’t had a good duping down Ibrox way for a while.
——————————————————————————————————————————–
Are you forgetting Bryson’s duping of LNS?
auchinstarry says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 15:45
Re your comment about Sandaza being an easy target and that you found it ” cruel and unnecessary”.
Can we keep this in context. I too don’t see any relevance in saying he is a “young Catholic immigrant”. What has that got to do with the price of fish?
I’ll tell you what “cruel and unnecessary” is. Sending bombs through the post to a young manager, to a female MSP, and a young now sadly deceased QC.
The fact Sandaza was “duped” by “Tommy from Glasgow” was quite amusing in comparison.
——————–
You started well but then shot yourself in the foot, what the hell has the bomb plot got to do with the price of fish?
I think it is clear to anyone with an ounce of common sense what was meant by the “young Catholic immigrant” remark and for the record, I also question the need to have it in there. There were better ways to highlight that Sandaza may not have been the best target.
But in the context of what Tommy The Cab Driver was trying to achieve, I don’t believe for a minute he did that to make you or others laugh. He was trying to solicit information to assist with another agenda (quite rightly, in my opinion).
The fact you find it amusing it upto you, I agree with Danish, I don’t see the funny side of it.
arabest1 says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 15:33
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And subsequently the ref was trusted to ensure that the 70 million Italian TV audience and the sponsorship of Fiat et al were deployed for the good to the tournanament of course.
——————————————————————————–
Well the ref did a particularly poor job on that brief then having allowed an offside Scotland goal to stand and disallowing a legitimate Italian one.
And let’s remember this was a free-kick awarded near the touchline not a penalty kick. All Scotland had to do was win a header and launch the ball into the stands to secure the draw (which probably still wouldn’t have been enough anyway).
A bit like when SSB and friends went doolally mental at Celtic getting a dodgy corner against Motherwell that season which they happened to score from. Apparently this was “evening out across a season” we are always told about for the McCurry show the week before.
I don’t doubt UEFA were delighted to see Italy and France progress at the expense of the wee country, I’m just interested that charges of conspiracy can be trumpeted openly in the Scottish media on the basis of one decision in one match, but much more compelling cases of poor decisions are attacked as a symptom of mental illness with ferocity by the same cohort
arabest1 says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 15:33
…
The obvious example being the infamous Henry handball(s) two years later…
=============================
O/T
I still get annoyed whenever I see Henry’s coupon in the media.
He is now playing for the New York Red Bulls, and living in Manhattan – and is feted over here as a superstar.
…but I keep an eye open for him in the street, so I can shout out ‘Tricheur’ at him – and then run… 🙄
What if the SPL is disbanded and the 12-12-18 is formed from the SFL only?
The SPL teams ‘drop’ into this setup – and Rangers rightly claim a place in the second 12?
It would essentially be to assist one teal only … but now Ive thought of it – I almost expect it to happen.
Stranraer vice-chairman Iain Dougan insisted: “We don’t feel it is the same situation as in 1993/94. We were expanding the leagues from three to four divisions, this time we’re slimming the leagues. It is not the same.”
Well spotted Mr Dougan
Comparing apples and pears
No precedent – end of story
🙂
Danish Pastry.
Why describe Sandaza in that way. Why not “Young Spaniard” or “Young striker”
Is his Religion really that important to you?
Madbhoy
Firstly, Educate my lack of common sense and enlighten me on what “Young Catholic immigrant” means?And is it at all relevant to this blog in any shape or form.?
Then read my final line which does not in fact say I “found it amusing”.
Actually it states “was quite amusing in comparison”.
Fixed that.
angus1983 says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 15:35
I think someone should point out to Ally that if Stranraer were promoted 2 divisions when they won the bottom tier, they would have been in the SPL at the start of the next season. I know he’s not the brightest (‘Who are these people?’. Terrible short term memory…..) but surely even he must know that.
Or…… perhaps just saying ‘Stranraer won the 2nd division, and the next season they were in the first division. What’s all that about?’ wouldn’t play as well?
Ally has stated in the Herald that ” Double promotion would help other clubs”
In fact why not go with this idea and when he gets into SPL 2 give Sevco double the points for every win, give them double decisions by the referees and give them double the prize money if they win. If they win a title double it is so they can maybe win 54 titles like the other Rangers in half the time.
Or if that fails we can ask them to p*** off at the double.
manandbhoy
Where do you start with Sally’s latest musing .
1…Sorry state of Scottish football
2…We must do what’s best for the benefit of the game
3…If we are in the 18 ,I do not see that as promotion as everyone in the league will be PROMOTED with US
4…I don’t think that’s fair
5…Precedents
6…All we ever wanted was fairness
7…Dunfermline are in trouble ,hearts have had their trouble too and we had our PROBLEMS
1… Yes Sally Scottish football is in a sorry state thanks almost entirely to your old club
2….Pity it took your old club being liquidated too make you realise you need to do what’s best for our game
3…If you are all promoted why do you keep telling us your club won’t be
4…No S**T sherlock ,I will tell you what is not fair ,
a new club with no accounts getting placed into Div 3 ahead of other teams who met the criteria
not paying your taxes
paying players with undeclared earnings behind the SFA’s back or more likely not (see the great administrator),
being allowed to decide when a transfer embargo starts as to allow you to purchase players to win your league to the detriment of all other teams in that division .
A clubs owner telling the SFA they were out of cash in October and the SFA doing nothing ,then it transpires that the owner was using PAYE/NIC contributions to keep the club going to secure 2nd place in the SPL to the detriment of other SPL clubs run properly.
Dumping £124m of debt and demanding to be pronounced as the same club with all that clubs history but not the debts
Having a CEO of the SFA indebted to one member club to the tune of £96,000 or a good night out
Failing to register over 80 players properly of a 10yr period and yet not have a single game these players played in declared null and void ,when other member clubs have when failing to sign one registration document twice .
and many more ………..
5….shouting about precedents when you are prepared to have all precedents detrimental to your club ignored .
6… That’s all US ,the rest of Scottish football fans ever wanted and have been repeatedly denied ahead of the interests of one new club ,YOUR CLUB
7…What problems have your new club had ,IMO your new club have had only one problem in that the fans of all the HONEST teams in Scottish football refused to allow the peepil in charge to destroy our game as a sport by allowing a new club start in the top league for the first time ever in any league structure in world football.
Apart from the points above Sally you are spot on
auchinstarry says:
Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 17:26
2 3 Rate Thi
Danish Pastry.
Why describe Sandaza in that way. Why not “Young Spaniard” or “Young striker”
Is his Religion really that important to you?
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You know it’s not that important to me and you are either purposely missing the point or have some other motive for being obtuse.
I take it you know the heritage and history of Celtic football club better than I do. And ypu obviously understand the East End of Glasgow better than I do. You honestly don’t see any comparisons with Sandaza? I shouldn’t have to spell it out. I would have thought you and Tommy might have understood a certain vulnerabilty in the lad for all the reasons mentioned. Don’t you imagine he might just be miserable where he is? That he might jump on any supposed offer that gave him a chance of a way out?
Amusing? It’s a chill wind that blows on the high moral ground.