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.
I always had the feeling that, if there were to be a ‘Nuclear event’ it would turn out to be the highly unusual dealings between BOS and Scottish football. Insiders in Hollywood say there is the makings of a block-buster here!
Now if Mark Daly wishes to keep up his high standards of investigative journalism he need look no further than this potential scandal. What’s the betting that a lot of shredding has taken place down BOS way?
Charlie Adam said on TV after what was a brilliant match with a cracking atmosphere that the final everyone really wants is a Celtic Rangers one. That sums up why Scottish football will never recover. We need lots of strong teams but that’s not what those at the top or in the media want.
_________________________________________________________________________
Who’s this “everyone” that Adam refers to? Certainly not every Hibs and Hearts fan I have ever known. Or anyone I’ve ever known that supports their local “diddy” team instead of “rangers” and Celtic. What a monumentally arrogant and condescending statement. And one which totally sums up the Scottish football establishment and why Scottish football is dying.
No Charlie, we are not all out here secretly supporting the big two instead of our professed first team. The LAST thing I want to is an “old firm” (died 2012 RIP) final. I want two different teams in it ever year. I also want a league where someone, ANYONE, outside the big two (well big one now really) can and does win, and I in fact is actually ALLOWED to win. Let’s imagine that Hibs, or Aberdeen or Hearts win the SPL next year. The sky won’t fall Charlie I promise you. In fact it would be entirely positive.
My apologies to Celtic fans as this diatribe isn’t aimed at Celtic, it’s aimed at the Charlie Adams of this wold, who refuse to take off their blinkers and accept that a strong Scottish football requires LOTS of strong teams and equal competition and coverage.
But one thing is 100% clear to me, the game is scotland is totally corrupt and, quite simply, does not merit our support.
If you want to continue funding this farce, fill your boots. If your club does nothing about it – then they are equally complicit, so don’t expect change and accept what you are given.
But i’ll not spend another penny on the professional/senior game in this country until it is completely overhauled
__________________________________________________________________________
Another great post NTHM.
hat.
#Charlotte18 beginning to appear on Twitter.
The tweets from Andrew Young@Hullbhoy look interesting. A developing story?
Andrew Young@Hullbhoy
Many folk think of Stuart Cosgrove as a bit of a daftie. Far from it imo. Saturday’s Off the Ball was well choreographed by him #charlotte18
48mJMcMullan@JMcMuIIan
@ImGarry88 @EdgarBlamm @Hullbhoy If Masterton sells shares the truth will out. Is this why he’s refusing to deal.He’d rather liquidate DAFC?
Retweeted by Andrew Young
1hAndrew Young@Hullbhoy
A random pic of the British Virgin Islands. Very nice. #charlotte18 pic.twitter.com/j3tx9yiF1k
1hAndrew Young@Hullbhoy
So who do we know who has ‘Charlotte’ in the address of his business HQ? #charlotte18
2hAndrew Young@Hullbhoy
The term ‘Charlotte 18’ mentioned on Saturday’s BBC Off The Ball will soon be going viral. That’s ‘Charlotte 18’. Got that?
Does Charlotte 18 = nuclear I wonder?
I can’t be alone in never watching any televised OF matches, league, cup finals, I am just not interested in listening to two sets of fans trying to out-bigot each other. I find the media hype around them sickening and the turning a blind eye to the chants (Mr McAskill!) even more so. I’ll even go shopping where I’ve found it to be surprisingly busy. Many, many folk have no interest in Celtic v Rangers.
FAO Stuart Cosgrove
Did you KNOW Jimmy was gonna drop that bombshell or was it just a slip from JC?
is there more coming on this story?
Charlotte 18 – A secret bank account?
This complaint involves the professional actions of the former Treasurer and Managing Director of [Bank of Scotland], and the subsequent behaviour of [HBOS] in clearing up these alleged irregularities, which would appear to involve the hiding of substantial debt write-off and the resulting over-inflation of the asset value of the [bank’s] balance sheet.
It requires a full inquiry and a public statement from the institution about whether it allows its senior executives to conduct business on their own behalf while running a [listed banking group]. This is a matter of public interest and needs clarification by the FSA. Given the status of the individual concerned … then I would assume that this would have merited a more detailed investigation … One fundamental question needs to be raised about whether the operations of a secret bank account held in the British Virgin Islands, called Charlotte 18, was acting in the best interests of the customers and shareholders of the Bank of Scotland. Were money laundering processes and procedures clearly followed? Clearly not, given that the current office-bearers of the bank, as recently as October 2004, did not know of the existence of this company and the fact that it was the parent company behind some of the former Managing Director’s companies … I refer you to the legal case of Woods versus Martins Bank, which states that a bank manager has a “fiduciary duty” to act in the customers’ best interests. Mr DK claims this is not the case in relations to the Bank of Scotland. Mr DK knew nothing of the activities of Charlotte 18. And Mr DK claims that in “fixing” this position the parent company, HBOS, has used assets to cover up the bad debts caused by the collapse of a company run by the former Managing Director of the Bank of Scotland. Such serious irregularities need to be properly examined by competent and independent authorities.
What is concerning is that the FSA can make a judgement on this matter without viewing the proper information …. I’d also like to remind you that there are conflicts of interests involving this case because James Crosby is a non-executive director of the FSA. He is well aware of this case and has chosen not to investigate it inside HBOS.
Source:
http://www.ianfraser.org/the-worst-bank-in-the-world-hboss-calamitous-seven-year-life/
bobferris70 says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 12:48
Many, many folk have no interest in Celtic v Rangers.
===================
I would rather drill out one of my own teeth than watch that excuse for “entertainment”.
bobferris70 says:
Last season you beat Hibs, 5-0.
=========
Bob I don’t even know if you can play football but last season you and I could have beaten Hibs 5-0. I’m a Hibby so I can post that 🙂
cowanpete says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 13:11
bobferris70 says:
Last season you beat Hibs, 5-0.
=========
Bob I don’t even know if you can play football but last season you and I could have beaten Hibs 5-0. I’m a Hibby so I can post that 🙂
_____________________________________________________________________
As can I cowanpete :). We were mince last year and have been for some time. Anyone that didn’t beat us 5-0 should have been indicted by the Compliance officer for not trying hard enough
I guess that’s a consequence of spending years paying our debts and trying to live within our means.
I don’t think I can be part of Charlie Adam’s ‘everyone’, because I hated watching Old Firm games. Think of all the hype surrounding them, the build up, the headlines – now think when was the last time you actually saw a decent one? The standard of football was always horrendous, as you had players crashing around in the hysterical atmosphere, not knowing what they were doing. There’s been the odd fairly one sided victory over the past 20 years or so that the supporters of the winners have probably savoured, but the last Old Firm that I watched that I can actually remember thinking ‘That was brilliant’ was probably the 3-3 draw when Andy Thom scored. The rest of them have, for the most part, been dour, scrappy games with very little to recommend them. Try watching one with the volume turned down, and you soon realise what meagre fayre was actually being served up to supporters for their over priced tickets.
I think to be fair to Charlie, footballers aren’t known for their brains, and are usually just brought in to spout bland plaudits to fill air time. Occassionally, you get the odd one who’s actually coherent and verbose, but nobody wants that!
areyouaccusingmeofmendacity says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 13:22
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I think to be fair to Charlie, footballers aren’t known for their brains, and are usually just brought in to spout bland plaudits to fill air time. Occassionally (Sic), you get the odd one who’s actually coherent and verbose, but nobody wants that!
====================================================
The BBC seem to like the young man who used the word cathartic in a post-match interview after the League Cup final. All is not lost.
Just catching up,
So some HBOS peepil, over funded ra peepil, burst ra peepil, ra peepil shafted the people who also bailed out the HBOS peepil with money deducted from the people but not ra peepil, as they are ra peepil, just coz. Got it?
My being paranoid or was ra peepil naw singing at the weekend full stop. Or have sky strategically placed the microphones in the back of the van.
NTMH
Re your post above , ticks all the boxes for me and no doubt a few others,
Office bearers in place : check.
Dodgy finances 1 (small tax case – pled guilty. Kicked into very long grass) – check
Dodgy finances 2 (big tax case – under appeal) – check
Know your opponents weaknesses ( financial and otherwise). – check (look there’s a squirrel.)
“Appoint” your oppositions managers/coaches – check.
What’s that one thing that would tie it all nicely up and the leave you relatively free to reign over Scottish football for 20 years, unencumbered to chase the big one , mmmm.
Never mind I’m sure somebody on the blog will “flag ” it up for me after all its full of “whistleblowers” or is that too much ” timmy ” paranoia kicking in.
@bob ferris
Bully beef for you on your selective choice of football. But I amongst many others get a great deal of pleasure from watching Celtic play football. At times I have been ashamed to hear republican chants from some so called supporters of the club but never have I heard any bigotry. Perhaps you could enlighten me with some facts on your statement.
Mr Calderwood interview on ofb he stated that mr masterton was ahead of his time and they were “kinda running Dundee and Livingston at the time”
What does that mean?
In what capacity ?
Could not find anything in papers today, not really surprised as this is again a massive negative story linked to Mr Murray and his football club Institution FC.
I am not denegrating Celtic fans for their choice of team, of course you get pleasure from following your team. I was referring to OF games and the almost unbearable hype surrounding them when in reality it is an excuse for the knuckle draggers in our society to have a jolly. If you have heard chants where the IRA is mentioned, and you must have, that’s bigotry right there. Please don’t give me the dictionary definition of bigotry as you know exactly what I’m meaning. Sectarian songs = bigotry. Why mention the IRA or Bobby Sands or even the bloomin Queen at a fitba match?
I find it sad that perfectly reasonable remarks by myself yesterday attracted so many TDs. This really is becoming a Celtic fans forum. Yes, you have valid reasopns for paranoia and I don’t blame the “we were right all along” faction but this nonsense about teams lying down does you no credit. 39 TDs for saying it seems Celtic are the only team that can thrash teams ligitimately? When you can shaft all the rest with 60,000 and 50,000 fans, engineer a voting system to suit your cartel and divvy up the bulk of the prize money with your “pals” across the city, then of course you are going to get ridiculous scorelines from time to time. Larsson against Zander Diamond; Ronald De Boer against Scott Wilson, nope, 9-0 and 6-1 seems about right to me!
valentinesclown says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 14:34
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Mr Calderwood interview on ofb he stated that mr masterton was ahead of his time and they were “kinda running Dundee and Livingston at the time”
What does that mean?
In what capacity ?
Could not find anything in papers today, not really surprised as this is again a massive negative story linked to Mr Murray and his football club Institution FC.
No direct link to Murray, this refers to Stadia Investment Group investing in the ‘non-football’ assets of those clubs, and acting as subcontractors to deliver such things as catering,.
They were in effect running the non football sides of these clubs, but you wouldn’t expect a football manager to understand the subtleties of the corporate structure.
The arrangements themselves were perfectly above board, the real story is what happened when it started to fail. I would refer you to the link to Ian Fraser’s blog posted elsewhere, as his article entitled ‘Keane’s Last Stand’ is a very accurate account.
Sorry missed out the following very important item on checklist
Compliant media ( even to this day) – check.
No Bob you seem to be applying a big tarry brush to the bigotry on display at old OF games, possibly through memories of past times. I have not heard much of that, if any from CFC fans for some time, political ( still wrong ) yes, Irish stuff ( maybe dispropotionate on OF day) yes, but not what you described. I thumbsed you up, I know what you meant, I dont miss it either.
bobferris70 says:
“This really is becoming a Celtic fans forum”.
……………………………………………………………………………………..
Wrong Bob this forum is a lot more than that, a lot lot more.
Its a real pity Rangers fans don’t seem to want to use it.
Yes there are a lot of Celtic posters, some very good ones and some who don’t quite see the bigger picture, but that doesn’t make it a pro Celtic or even an anti Rangers site.
Its a genuine anti corruption site and there has been plenty of that in Scottish Football mostly to do with how the blue side has historically dominated and tried to stay dominant in our game.
In this forum fans of all the clubs come together and insight is welcomed. There has always been respect for the fact that some of us sometimes see things differently.
The lack of Rangers fans asking pertinent questions or moving the agenda forward on this site is however one of the most peculiar things.
I think that would be better for the long term health of the blue club rather than the attempt to avoid any genuine forensic analysis combined with the transparently obvious ongoing attempts to rewrite history that we have been subjected to.
@ bob ferris
Sorry but I have never mentioned anything about teams lying down. I’m guessing your referring to the 6-1 title decider in 02/03. Incidentally you can watch highlights of that game on youtube and you can see Stefan Klos making a world class save from a Craig Brewster rocket. So I’m not in the camp of “they didn’t try”. If you don’t want to use words within their dictionary capacity then you are opening yourself up for some questioning that is all. To defend this stance will get you a job on SSB.
This site does have a lot of input from Celtic fans. Some I agree with and some I don’t. So I td/tu accordingly. So if you want to use words out of context don’t moan when you recieve negative feedback.
Meanwhile news from Engerlund
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21829894
Watford have been placed under a transfer embargo until August because of the omissions of previous management. But here’s the rub it does not preclude them signing players if they have prior permission from the Football League!
How did the Conflicted One miss that little trick?
I can’t remember the year, but some time back, London Transport workers went on strike for the duration of the visit of Scotland and supporters to Wembley Stadium and environs. The workers acted in response to what they felt was unacceptable behaviour by those fans on previous visits.
With about ten thousand other Scotland supporters, I walked from Baker Street in London to Wembley for the game, I think about 4 miles. Nobody applied for any permission to hold a march. No police tried to prevent us walking. The protest by fans was good humoured, and made a point. I can’t remember the score, or the year. But everything passed peacefully. It could have been different.
I was reminded of this on Saturday last when members of the Green Brigade, about two hundred or so I gather, were prevented from walking from Gallowgate to Celtic Park by a force of some two hundred police. Batons were used reportedly. No matter what anybody thinks of the GB, they are entitled to the protection of the law. They are entitled to freedom of speech, of movement, and of association. I think.
I’m surprised that there has been no mention made of this incident on here. For anybody who wants to find out the facts of the matter, the story is here http://www.Philmacgiollabhain.ie
with linked input from Angela Haggerty, journalist, who happened to be present until identified as a real journalist and removed from the kettled group
Did you all catch the wee throwaway line by Danny Lennon when interviewed by Chick Young at end of game? “Well Chick, at least ONE of your teams has won a cup this season”
great weekend of entertaining Scottish football .
let me start by pointing out that i am no fan of Mr Brown and never will be but i have to commend the improvement he,s made at Dundee fc.
Mr Mccall has the steelmen back on track for 2nd in the league. I watched the game on sky and found it thoroughly entertaining.
I went to parkhead on Saturday and was subjected to “every” emotion ” a football fan can go through in 90 mins.
And finally. WELL DONE ST MIRREN ! Im so so chuffed for you,se .. A great game to watch..
NOW ? WHERES THAT ARMAGEDON THINGY DONCASTER ?
The Dons fans had a “poignant” banner up at parkhead on saturday.,
it read
DONCASTER OUT….
“RESPECT !”
Forest Hills (@ForestHills1903) says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 09:02
……………………………………….
And it really annoys me…that a club like St. Mirren who are playing a terrific style of football…deserve a better turn out for their home games….a club who need the revenue the extra fans would generate…
The comment was not intended to poke a stick at St. Mirren or it’s fans…but merely to spotlight the obvious…
I also appreciate that as a one off cup final day you are going to see the unusually high numbers attend…it’s a day out…a day to remember…an occassion…a day your club may not see on a regular basis…
This has nothing to do with Celtic….but has everything to do with a smaller club needing to generate more cash…I hope and I really do…that this success encourages more to go and watch St Mirren…because they have earned it! and they play good football!
paranoidmotherwellfan at 14:51
Thanks, I have now read the article from Mr Fraser.
It just seems that the relationship with Murray & Masterton has been to the detriment of the whole of Scottish football with no doubt more to come.(the history of the 2 clubs Dundee & Livingston being a prime example).
Where is the Charlotte 18 issue going to take us? And who is going to take us there? My money is not on the MSM chasing this, in saying that maybe Mr Cosgrove may challenge this.
Chris McLaughlin @BBCchrismclaug
#Rangers chief exec Charles Green wants the Ibrox club to go into middle tier of 12-12-18 if league recon goes ahea
timalloy67 says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 16:06
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Did you all catch the wee throwaway line by Danny Lennon when interviewed by Chick Young at end of game? “Well Chick, at least ONE of your teams has won a cup this season”
———-
Yes, it’s been mentioned and highly amusing it was too. Bravissimo Danny Lennon! We must all hope that Charles Green finds it in his infinite Yorkshire wisdom to employ Chick alongside Monsieur Traynor at La Grand Maison 😀
(no laughing at the back, please)
RANGERS Chief Executive Charles Green has released the following statement on league reconstruction:
“The continuing debate on reconstruction of Scottish football is leaving football fans up and down the country bewildered and thoroughly exasperated – and who can blame them?
“They feel their voice is being ignored by their own clubs let alone the football authorities and fear the current proposals will not herald meaningful change.
“I would like to make Rangers’ position on this issue crystal clear so there can be no ambiguity when clubs within the SFL and the SPL come to vote on a reconstruction model.
“First, we obviously support the creation of a single league body as anything that can be done to streamline the byzantine structures of Scottish football should be welcomed.
“Secondly, I am disappointed that the notion of a league structure of three leagues comprising 14 teams each was not pursued more vigorously as this would have gone some way to addressing the concerns of many football fans regarding small leagues.
“Given we are where we are, I am putting forward the following league structure proposals which I firmly believe to be in the interests not only of Rangers but also Scottish football as a whole. It is essential that any proposals address satisfactorily the issue of sporting integrity and I believe our proposals do that.
“All things being well, Rangers should win the Division 3 title and, that being the case, we should be promoted. That should happen regardless of what league structure the powers that be put in place.
“It would be manifestly wrong to deny any team promotion having won the competition they have entered into at the start of the season. Equally, teams which have been relegated should not benefit unfairly from any a restructuring of leagues.
“The principle of promotion and relegation for the clubs which fall into these categories at the end of this season should be enshrined in any new league set up. So, if, as widely predicted, we end up with a 12-12-18 set up, Rangers should be promoted and this promotion should be to the middle tier.
“There is already a precedent for this situation, established by the SFL at the end of the 1993-94 season when Stranraer, winners of the lowest of three divisions, were promoted to the new second tier on the basis they were champions of their division and merited promotion.
“Indeed, recently the chairman of Stranraer FC referred to the matter and supported the prospect of Rangers being promoted in the event of a 12-12-18 outcome. There has been no shortage of voices banging on about sporting integrity over the last year but sporting integrity must cut both ways. Should that be observed during reconstruction discussions then significant benefits would delivered, particularly to clubs in the middle tier who have yet to reap any financial benefit from Rangers playing in lower divisions.
“As we have seen recently many clubs are struggling and the likes of Dunfermline would be given a much-needed financial boost by Rangers playing in their division.
“Clubs in Division 3 are already enjoying a season where their home matches against Rangers are generating 10 times the revenue they would expect from any other home game. In the exceptional case of Queen’s Park, their home matches against us at Hampden will generate several seasons’ worth of gate receipts.
“We are genuinely pleased to have done our bit to assist these clubs financially and have been warmly welcome by SFL clubs. We would like to continue helping the game in Scotland and that’s why I am proposing that a Rangers’ Colts team be admitted to the SFL, and I hope Celtic would also consider doing the same.
“The SFL has shown real leadership in proposing this initiative although it should be pointed out that this was not the result of lobbying from this Club. This is an SFL initiative and is genuinely practical in that it would result in bringing much needed additional income to the game.
“My rationale is that when Rangers are promoted, the lowest league will return to where it was in terms of revenue generation. A Rangers Colts team would add value to the league and other clubs would see their home gates enhanced significantly by Rangers fans, particularly those who lived locally.
“I would also be prepared to guarantee other clubs the ticket revenue equivalent of 300 Rangers fans turning up for matches.
“This initiative would help smaller clubs who have no choice but to generate revenue any way that they can. I should point out that such a proposal would often double the gate at in the lowest division. In fact, such a scheme would have virtually doubled the attendance at the weekend at one Division 1 fixture.
“If the 12-12-18 structure is to be the chosen one then I would propose that two additional teams, one a Rangers Colts team, are added to the lowest league. Of course, as chief executive of Rangers, I have a duty to pursue the interests of this club. I have talked openly in the past about exploring other playing environments and change may well happen at some time in the future but no-one knows when.
“As things stand, we all have a duty to do the best for the game as well as our clubs and that is why I think these proposals would be good for Scottish football. All I ask is that these proposals are discussed and considered in a fair and balanced manner.”
“If the 12-12-18 structure is to be the chosen one then I would propose that two additional teams, one a Rangers Colts team, are added to the lowest league,” says Charlie Green.
Since there are presently 42 senior teams playing in the Scottish system, Green must be wanting to jettison a couple of clubs. Will anyone in the MSM ask him which clubs are going/to go?
Looks like the initial softening up re reconstruction fast tracking is over. Green has made his play and will now receive widespread plaudits from the media about his sensible and magnanimous proposal. The time is now folks if we want to prevent another blatant act of corruption concurring before our eyes. Our clubs have to be told now, what the response to this gerrymandering will be. I truly believe every club in Scotland will lose supporters (except the new one) if this goes ahead, but we must let them know unequivocally the cost in terms of fans and finances lost to the game
No to reconstruction to fast track “Rangers”!
No to colt teams!
An end to their bullying, sneering superior condescension.
Will no-one in any position of public authority stand up to this man?
Will no-one in any position of public authority stand up to this man?
they don’t need to.
they can just vote to allow sevco to continue their wonderful journey through the leagues.
same as before.
kerching.
” precedent ” It would be the first precedent you wanted to follow since last valentines. I’ll miss him.
So there we have it, colt teams the favoured cash cow of trangers, what a surprise……..now I can understand both sides of the Celtic should/not speak out, but the time is coming that Celtic need to take a position, for the benefit of their fans, commercial partners and all other stakeholders in the game……what will Celtic plc say to the prospect of a home game every week? I think I can guess….
I had to double check that CG had actually referred to sporting integrity although it really needs no comment .
As has been stated who in the MSM will ask him which two clubs will fall on their swords to allow the so called colt teams to save the 3rd div .
Then their is CGs wee bribe too all the DIv 3 teams of say £3600 if they play ball ,if he is in the mood to hand money out ,may I suggest the pays the face painter and the rest of the creditors who lost out when he spouts about having old clubs history .
As for his club saving Scottish Football ,do me a favour
We should promote sevco to Spl 1 and every game they enter the field of play the opposing team and fans should applaud them on wave banners with sorry on it.
And Mr Green should then be elected as president of the SFA.
This is page 2 of Charlies statement.
willmacufree says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 16:02
I was reminded of this on Saturday last when members of the Green Brigade, about two hundred or so I gather, were prevented from walking from Gallowgate to Celtic Park by a force of some two hundred police. Batons were used reportedly. No matter what anybody thinks of the GB, they are entitled to the protection of the law. They are entitled to freedom of speech, of movement, and of association. I think.
I’m surprised that there has been no mention made of this incident on here. For anybody who wants to find out the facts of the matter, the story is here http://www.Philmacgiollabhain.ie
with linked input from Angela Haggerty, journalist, who happened to be present until identified as a real journalist and removed from the kettled group.
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I have undernoted the comments I made on Sunday and would add that the right to free speech and to march is actually legally constrained depending on various factors and that is a fact although people are free to disagree with the position.
I would point out that it would appear that the info initially available that English casuals were organising a ruck appears to have been wrong and that it was actually English-based fascist organisations who were originally meeting in the south of the city but apparently this was altered to I believe to the City Centre – but the fascists didn’t turn-up which is one bright spot I suppose.
However, assuming the police were aware of the fascist demo this may well be the reason that so many police and their resources were available to be used re the Green Brigade march. The StrathPol statement that they were only alerted to any Green Brigade problem at 1 o’clock on Saturday quite simply IMO is a lie not just because they could have never amassed the force that turned-up as quickly as they did within a few minutes.
Also what was Focus doing – the march info was on various Celtic sites before Saturday so the police must have known that there was an intention to hold an unauthorised march and the marchers had made it clear they wouldn’t be stopped.
Organisers of unauthorised marches bear a heavy responsibility to ensure not just the safety of marchers, the general public and, although some might not like this, also towards the police. I have in my younger days taken part in many unauthorised marches and demos and would do so again for the right cause with the right people organising. It appears to me that Saturday was poorly thought-out and made the organisers look childish and sadly some people might end up with convictions for no real gain and to be honest it’s hard to see how anything could have actually have been achieved.
Tbh I think this could all have got very nasty and ugly if the overwhelming numbers of police hadn’t been there as by and large the situation was contained. The police claim they were prepared to let them walk on the pavement to Celtic Park along a route set by the police which presumably would not have passed any supporters pubs. That according to the cops was refused and I understand why if the attention was to involve Celtic fans with a bevvie to get stuck-in.
I have serious reservations as to what Saturday was all about and what the real reason behind it was.
——————————————————————————–
UNDERNOTE
It’s was clear from a number of Celtic sites last week that a march was being organised from the Gallowgate to Parkhead on Saturday in support of those banned from the stadium either by Celtic or the Courts and for the general activities of the police aimed at, in particular, the Green Brigade.
I do believe that there are some issues that need to be sorted between StrathPol and particularly some sections of the Rangers and Celtic supports who quite unusually seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet on this issue.
However it was quite clear that a conscious decision was being taken with regard to yesterday’s march that it was going ahead and the police would be powerless to stop it because of the numbers who would be taking part and the fact that it would be happening in the public arena.
The whole tone was one of confrontation and that force would prevail and although I don’t know this for a fact I formed the impression that the necessary permission wasn’t being sought.
From a long history of being involved in official and unofficial marches and demonstrations my personal view is that the marchers/demonstrators were very ill-advised. They had issued a challenge to StrathPol that they would control the streets and the police would be powerless and would actually be unable to stop them. There is also the ordinary members of the public to consider and their convenience.
There was no way StrathPol were going to ignore this – they had to act and I have no doubt that some organisers behind the whole thing would be hoping for some split heads to get the blood and the passions flowing and I hope there was minimal physical contact for everyone’s sake.
As to costs obviously the taxpayers picks up the tab but I doubt if the organisers or the participants gave that aspect much thought. The police cannot allow no-go areas in Glasgow or the prospect of thousands taking part in an unlicensed march along a route where tens of thousands were heading for a football match. It doesn’t take much imagination to see this could have turned into a disaster and Celtic’s good name would have been dragged in the mud by an ever-eager MSM.
I have watched some of the clips on the net and must admit I was surprised to hear the sound of the police helicopter and the police horses in attendance as well which shows that StrathPol obviously expected the possibility of large numbers taking part which thankfully didn’t appear to have materialised.
Later yesterday I saw various reports that English casuals from various teams were meeting in Glasgow for an organised ruck today and this may have been another factor in police thinking that the best thing to do was nip the demo in the bud. As I mentioned earlier there are some issues that need dealt with re the police and some sections of football support but breaking the law is usually not the best way to achieve this IMO.
You have to hand it to Charlie.
Not even a ‘please’ or a ‘promise we won’t do it again’ in his entire diatribe. His Yorkshire used car salesman pitch almost makes it sound as though he’s doing us a favour.
You know the old ‘I could sell this for double the money tomorrow, but you seem like a nice guy so I am prepared to cut my profit and let it go for half what it’s worth’ routine.
He’s even more of a chancer than most of the dodgy characters I have come across on the streets of Glasgow. More like ‘Buckfast’ than ‘Last of the Summer Wine’.
Who’s betting the MSM try to convince us all it’s a fantasic ‘not to be missed’, ‘once in a lifetime’ deal ?
NTHM – Absolutely spot on !
Can anyone please provide me with relevant info to settle a dispute I am having with a Sevco fan.
He is stating that Celtic will suffer a reduction in world-wide television income for 2012/13 of £6 million in comparison with the previous year viz 2011/12 and that this has skewed their budget plans accordingly. Without stating, but implying, he believes this is down to Rangers now playing in SPL3.
My view is this is hogwash, almost akin to RFC’s 500 million fans world-wide. I believe Sky’s/ESPN’S contracts are with the SPL/SFA/SFL, who retain the rights to almost all domestic fixtures, as do UEFA for CL/Europa League matches. Any income derived from said matches is first forwarded by broadcasters to the rights-holders for onward distribution by them to the individual clubs. Celtic patently will have a substantial income this year due to their progress in the CL.
To suggest that Celtic have taken such a massive hit to their finances because of the absence of Celtic v Rangers games is fanciful. In any event I do not believe there was ever any International demand for these matches. Granted a smattering of cable stations might have shown them, but I would suggest any income derived from such sources to be minmal.
Like so many of these stories, it carries a fair amount of embroidery as it is supposed to have emanated from PL. Why the Celtic supremo would indulge in such a conversation, seems to have been overlooked.
Can anyone supply me with any pertinent info on what INTERNATIONAL tv income might have accrued in past seasons from Celtic v Rangers matches, but which will not be forthcoming in this season ( and hopefully the two thereafter)
ecobhoy says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 19:08
______________________________________________________________________________
As to costs obviously the taxpayers picks up the tab but I doubt if the organisers or the participants gave that aspect much thought. The police cannot allow no-go areas in Glasgow or the prospect of thousands taking part in an unlicensed march along a route where tens of thousands were heading for a football match. It doesn’t take much imagination to see this could have turned into a disaster and Celtic’s good name would have been dragged in the mud by an ever-eager MSM.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Funny how nobody among FoCUS, the MSM, etc, never gave similar thought to thousands..ok, hundreds of Tribute Act’s supporters led by Sandy in Royal Blue as they prepared to march upon Hampden. Nowhere near the number of police that were in attendance in the Gallowgate despite the fact that this (also-unlicensed) display of defiance was well-publicised.
The most sinister aspect of the police presence on Saturday is the current stream of information that there may have been some collusion between the Celtic hierarchy and Strathclyde Police on the runup to the events in the Gallowgate – it’s one thing for the MSM to demonise the GB, it’s entirely another for the club to assist.
While not condoning the heavy handed tactics of the Polis do you think that if they were called the Green Fun Bunch and didn’t have a nasty looking skull as their logo they would attract the same level of attention from the authorities both at Parkhead and outwith?
parmahamster says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 19:29
According to Scotzine the Rangers March was authorised and okayed by both Police and Glasgow City Council.
If the GB can organise the fantastic display for the Barca game, the four horsemen etc etc the least you think they could do was get permission for a relatively small march?
Of course a well organised authorised and peaceful march may not attract that much attention to whatever cause it is you are trying to raise support for.
That being said on a match day how do you distinguish 200 fans as being a march? At 2:45 there must be one of these marches close to every SPL ground.
Think games are being played on both sides and frankly has very little to do with the thousands of fans from all over the country who just want to turn up and support their team by singing a few acceptable songs, poking good humoured fun at the opposition and throwing the odd swear words in the direction of the oppositions star player, manager and the referees.
wottpi says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 19:33
1 0 Rate This
While not condoning the heavy handed tactics of the Polis do you think that if they were called the Green Fun Bunch and didn’t have a nasty looking skull as their logo they would attract the same level of attention from the authorities both at Parkhead and outwith?
———-
Or if they were a simple flash mob? Help oor collective boabs!
Are there not drug dealers and other anti-social elements enough to be getting on with? Viewed from abroad this seems an absurd over-reaction to a non-event.
wottpi says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 19:46
0 0 Rate This
parmahamster says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 19:29
According to Scotzine the Rangers March was authorised and okayed by both Police and Glasgow City Council.
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oh god, sevconians breaking rules and being let off once again
Glasgow City Council AND Strathclyde police require 28 days notice of any march/procession – this notice was not given by the sevconians
so, rule breached, march undertaken, no one punished – at the risk of having this pulled, once again, its a masonic thing!
One line in the latest CG diatribe stands out :
“Anything that can be done to streamline the byzantine structure of Scottish Football should be welcomed”
I am sure that Charles ,or his scribe ,was using the term byzantine to mean devious or underhand.
Worth pointing out that in great architectural terms “byzantine ” means a mixed style composed of elements which cannot be easily separated.
Not struggling too hard to think of recent examples of hard to separate elements close to Ibrox.
smartie1947 says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 19:27
I would be surprised if the figures you quoted were correct because no one gets £6M in TV revenue in Scotland unless they qualify for the CL.
There is no way Celtic would make £6M a year and the other 11 clubs would split £5M or £6M between them because the deal is somewhere in the region of £14M.
On the other hand if Celtic stand to lose £6M it might be worthwhile asking your mate how much that leaves Celtic with. I mean if he has the drop figure he must know how much it used to be. If he says it is under £2M then that would mean that Celtic were making over £8M a year on TV money alone and that prior to this drop the annual TV revenue for the SPL is somewhere in the region of £20M when you take the rest of the clubs into consideration.
That is simply nonsense.
On a separate note I thought the banner that the Aberdeen fans had a Parkhead on Saturday was superb. Well done guys.
It is a pity that the surnames of the three main culprits in this debacle don’t fit easily into a song lyric.
Quiz question:
Can anyone name the last time five consecutive trophies in Scotland were won by five different teams?
Armageddon is bitting hard now!
If we just for a minute allow ourselves to consider what might have happened if the SFA had not intervened to keep the lights on in the ‘Big Hoose’ then the money would have been spread more evenly throughout the league and possibly leagues. More money for clubs running efficient organisations would have eventually raised standards in the SPL. Celtic’s crowds would probably find there level round about tthe thirty thousand mark and a competitive league would have been reborn. It may not have been the best technically but it would have been competitive.
That option was removed by ‘peepil’ unfit for purpose whose short sightedness has tarnished our sport for the next generation. The next time one of these buffoons state that there needs to be a challenge to Celtic and ‘The Rangers’ they should be reminded that there was and that it arrived in the form of the tax man who wanted what he was rightly due only for our autorities to buckle and ensure that the same old same old continued.
Oh the weight of the shame these ‘peepil’ carry should drive them into the dirt but then again they feel no shame. They have no dignity and that goes for every board, with the exception of one or two, in Scotland because they couldn’t lift there eyes to see a new horizon and take our nation forward.
parmahamster says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 19:29
ecobhoy says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 19:08
___________________________________________________________________________
Funny how nobody among FoCUS, the MSM, etc, never gave similar thought to thousands..ok, hundreds of Tribute Act’s supporters led by Sandy in Royal Blue as they prepared to march upon Hampden. Nowhere near the number of police that were in attendance in the Gallowgate despite the fact that this (also-unlicensed) display of defiance was well-publicised.
The most sinister aspect of the police presence on Saturday is the current stream of information that there may have been some collusion between the Celtic hierarchy and Strathclyde Police on the runup to the events in the Gallowgate – it’s one thing for the MSM to demonise the GB, it’s entirely another for the club to assist.
—————————————————————————————————————–
I don’t know whether the Hampden march was authorised or not or whether it even took place and tbh I’m not that interested as I am not that naieve as to believe that the establishment club won’t get favours from StrathPol.
What happened on Saturday does interest me as it concerns Celtic. What collusion would be necessary between Celtic and StrathPol as the march and the confrontational intention was clearly signalled publicly before Saturday. However if there is any actual evidence of collusion then I would be happy to hear it as there are issues about police action against Celtic and Rangers supporters which are disquieting.
But publicly throwing the gauntlet down beforehand to StrathPol was always going to end-up in confrontation and it did and perhaps that’s what the organisers were after. I think my suggestion as to why the police were there in numbers is a reasonable assumption.
Carfins Finest. (@edunne58) says:
Saturday, March 16, 2013 at 17:48
229
Very interesting revelation from Mr Calderwood that he was offered the Dunfermline FC managers position by….David Murray. My mind has been buzzing with all the possible connotations that this could lead too. With Murray playing his old pal Masterton like a violin all the time he was CEO of the RBS the pressure was constantly applied to the other SPL clubs (9) who had overdrafts with the Disgraced Bank to ‘Sell’ their best players either to RFC (IL) or to the English Leagues. This scenario has been put forward many times by many posters but todays revelation by Calderwood seems to lend credence to these claims. This, in my opinion, is akin to Match Fixing. Having a financial stranglehold over every top team in Scottish Football, Celtic excepted, and a manager of an opposition team placed by Murray and willing to do his bidding has got to be viewed this way. Calderwood is not a silly man and this was no slip of the tongue. I believe he knows more than most and there may be more to come from him in the near future. Maybe revenge for a broken promise by Murray. Exactly how deep the corruption runs within Scotland is slowly but surely being revealed. How infested we are as a nation is becoming more and more scary.
======================
Well. Wee Jimmy Calderwood didnt take too long to try and distance himself from his remarks on Saturday. Trying to fudge over his statements on BBC radio this evening. Being that Jimmy is in the market for a Job at the moment how long until he is offered a position in Scottish to ensure no more wee slip ups like this one?
wottpi says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 19:46
Of course a well organised authorised and peaceful march may not attract that much attention to whatever cause it is you are trying to raise support for.
That being said on a match day how do you distinguish 200 fans as being a march? At 2:45 there must be one of these marches close to every SPL ground.
Think games are being played on both sides and frankly has very little to do with the thousands of fans from all over the country who just want to turn up and support their team by singing a few acceptable songs, poking good humoured fun at the opposition and throwing the odd swear words in the direction of the oppositions star player, manager and the referees.
=======================================================================
It would be easy to clock the demo because the rallying point was public knowledge and I have little doubt that the Green Brigade will have informants in its ranks and/or have been infiltrated. There was also the question of wearing a special T-shirt that I believe was being printed up. I also have the feeling the intention might have been to march on the road but I could be wrong on that and assembly time was 1 o’clock I think. There only being 200 was a real disaster for the organisers and seems to display quite a large amount of apathy from the Celtic support towards their grievances.
The marchers made it clear beforehand they weren’t going to be stopped by the police – in the old days there would have been a helluva lot of cracked heads instead of a very watered-down kettling which is now being compared to some of the real serious kettling which has taken place in London.
The more I observe the Green Brigade mess they just seem to be getting not only deeper into a ,morass but will likely be losing any sympathy from the club.
so……CG is saying it’s unreasonable that his team could win the league and not get promoted (even though they are moving from 4th tier to 3rd tier)
and then he suggests adding a team of reserves to the bottom tier which, should they win the league(s) could not be promoted up to the SPL
i’m starting to smell desperation
Charles Green: “There has been no shortage of voices banging on about sporting integrity over the last year but sporting integrity must cut both ways.”
Sporting integrity must cut both ways? As in on the one hand, in a way that has integrity, and on the other hand, in a way that doesn’t? The words may make sense but the meaning doesn’t.
TW just beat me to a similar point but anyway…
“There has been no shortage of voices banging on about sporting integrity over the last year but sporting integrity must cut both ways.”
Those voices have been the fans’. I can’t imagine a real CEO referring to customers “banging on” about integrity. Real global companies would at least have a pretence of such things as integrity in their mission statements but to this organisation it’s something to be sneered at. As for “must cut both ways” – is that good integrity and bad integrity? Anti-Rangers integrity and pro-Rangers integrity? Charles Green’s football director veneer is very thin. Do Rangers fans recognise their club, here?
Say what we want about Green, but Ranger not getting promoted is wrong. Whatever they have done, the principle he lays down is right – changing the goalposts during a season isn’t fair.
Is it rich coming from CG? Of course. Brass neck? Yup. But on sporting integrity – 100% right.
gazpops says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 21:25
0 0 Rate This
Say what we want about Green, but Ranger not getting promoted is wrong. Whatever they have done, the principle he lays down is right – changing the goalposts during a season isn’t fair.
Is it rich coming from CG? Of course. Brass neck? Yup. But on sporting integrity – 100% right.
==========================================
Sevco are currently in the 4th tier of scottish football
if they win the league – they will be crowned SFL3 Champions
If the league is reconstructed to 3 divisions of 12-12-18
they will then be promoted to the 3rd tier of scottish football
in addition to this, every other team in the league will also be moved into the expanded 3rd tier of Scottish football.
CG is talking gash!
Now, here is the next question, using CG’s flawed logic, will the winners of the current 3rd tier (SFL2) be promoted to the SPL if this proposal goes through?
Simple solution to the arguments of promotion in a 12-12-18 setup, start from season 2014-2015.
I would be willing to bet my house on another argument being raised if that was agreed!
bigsausagefingers says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 15:24
21
2
Rate This
@ bob ferris
Sorry but I have never mentioned anything about teams lying down.
————————————————————————————————————–
I never said you did. It was a new paragraph on a different topic.
If you don’t like the bigot word then how about “two sets of fans trying to out do each other by singing objectionable songs that have nothing whatsoever to do with football”?
I watched the Rangers-Dunfermline game at the time and I remember Dunfermline giving a damn good account of themselves for the first hour or so and then Rangers just ran over the top of them, which let’s face it, can happen. I remember Pars losing 7-1 at Tynecastle around the same time. Some decent comments though since I posted, I am a bit more encouraged.
would the 3rd div playoff winner no deserve a wee punt up a bit too ?
if no, how no ??
gazpops says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 21:25
Say what we want about Green, but Ranger not getting promoted is wrong. Whatever they have done, the principle he lays down is right – changing the goalposts during a season isn’t fair.
Is it rich coming from CG? Of course. Brass neck? Yup. But on sporting integrity – 100% right.
————————————————–
Yes, changing the goalposts during the season is wrong. Reconstruction being mooted with the basic reason of assisting Rangers up the leagues is wrong. Moving Rangers up by, in effect, two promotions in one is wrong. To call doing so ‘sporting integrity’ is also wrong.
ecobhoy says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 20:21
I don’t know whether the Hampden march was authorised or not or whether it even took place and tbh I’m not that interested as I am not that naieve as to believe that the establishment club won’t get favours from StrathPol.
==========
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-17877910
Well it took place, but no mention in any of the MSM articles which I’ve read as to whether the march was authorised or not. Which funnily enough does interest me. According to police figures, 7000 marched on Hampden last April. No “kettling”, no fuss, no questions asked about what the local residents thought. Compare and contrast with the “Green Brigade” effort at the weekend.
Was the Rangers march authorised or not? If it wasn’t, why wasn’t it stopped? If it was authorised, under what circumstances, since clearly 28 days notice was not given?
I think I am entitled to live in a society where people are treated equally and fairly. And that does not mean Strathclyde Police “favouring” the establishment club. I pay for Strathclyde Police just as much as supporters of the “establishment club”. I am concerned if they act in a partial fashion. It’s a shame that I live in a country where the press will not ask these questions. But that doesn’t mean that I have to be indifferent about it.
By the way, any word on Strathclyde Police’s investigation into the Craig Whyte takeover? No? What a shock!
gazpops says:
…………..Is it rich coming from CG? Of course. Brass neck? Yup. But on sporting integrity – 100% right.
You must be having a laugh, right?
Integrity means ‘adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character, honesty’
Enough said!!
Just a couple thoughts that engage me today. First, and it is something I need to try to fight , is my instant disregard of everything that comes out of Charles Green’s mouth. He has shown himself to be entirely untrustworthy and I automatically reject everything he says without due consideration.
Today is a good day to confess that prejudice because I am able to entirely dismiss his statement after due deliberation. It is self-serving and I realised tday the root cause of my distaste of the man and his club. How dare he try to run my game to his agenda? How dare his club assume the right to dictate to everyone else, those who have tried to honour their obligations to their own detriment, how our game should be run. Rangers have abdicated any right to the moral high ground when they walked away from the millions of pounds they owed.
which leads me to my second thought;
The fall-out from Jimmy Calderwood’s statement also clarifies a lot of the “whys” we have all asked over the past year. It seems quite evident now how the big picture worked. David Murray ran Rangers with the intention of being a European power. They were to be the flagship for Scttish football on the European stage. The SFA approves the plans and were helpful. What I am certain of is that the SFA of twenty years ago were too naive to anticiapte the way things would run so badly out of hand.
David Murray seems to have seen Murray International as the flagship company of the nation and in both cases, Bank of Scotland has been a far too willing partner. Indeed if the banks had not collapsed, Rangers would still be overspending without limitation.
The infiltration of the SFA hierarchy with Rangers personnel; why else could Gordon Smith have been so grossly over-promoted?; and the recent “investigations”, has fatally flawed the administration.
Rangers goals were the SFA’s goals. Rangers were to fly to the summit and the SFA would be there waving at their side. No-one saw any dangers, certainly no-one dared admit any concerns and we are left wth this unholy mess.
http://forweonlyknow.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/charlotte-18/
More insights into #Charlotte18 from @thehotshot67
http://www.thefootballlife.co.uk/post/45700921419/free-vs-paid-the-tv-debate#_=_
On the future of the SPL on TV and why chasing Sky’s money isn’t the be all and end all.
Listened to Green on Sky. It used to be ‘the carrot and the stick’ method, now it’s become the stick and the stick method!- threats and bribery.
I still say reconstruction is a scam. It is meant to get Servco into SPL pronto. It may not be obvious how this will be achieved but, whether it is done by a deliberate legal cock-up or by some club conveniently going to the wall, Servco will be in the SPL.
Giving the Limbo dancing the SFA/SFL have engaged in to get the special ones into the top tier does anyone really think it plausible that the purpose of reconstruction, at this time, is for the betterment of Scottish football – I say pull the other one.
P.S. Just when the game is blossoming – five clubs win five different competitions – they want to reconstruct the leagues!!! Hell mend them.
neepheid says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 21:44
I think I am entitled to live in a society where people are treated equally and fairly. And that does not mean Strathclyde Police “favouring” the establishment club. I pay for Strathclyde Police just as much as supporters of the “establishment club”. I am concerned if they act in a partial fashion. It’s a shame that I live in a country where the press will not ask these questions. But that doesn’t mean that I have to be indifferent about it.
======================================================================
I will repeat what I said previously – ‘I am not that naieve as to believe that the establishment club won’t get favours from StrathPol’. I never said I agreed with it and I don’t but if you want to catch them out don’t hand them the gift of holding an unauthorised march which was billed as being a test of who controlled the streets.
Does anyone in their right mind think that StrathPol was going to walk away from that challenge. The organisers of this march created the situation either because aggro suited their agenda or because they haven’t a clue what they were doing. They certainly managed to put a lot of impressionable young people into the way of potential harm and arrest and that to me is inexcusable.
valintinesclown. 14.23
Mr Murray and his football club Institution FC.
_______________________
Sorry valsclown, Establishment FC is the name of the club.
Nothing from Chico Green for weeks, Stockbridge was being seen as the somewhat sane ( I know 100million turnover) mouthpiece of TRFC , then Jimmy Calderwood drops a couple of rickets live on the radio implicating SDM in questionable practises , enter stage left Charles spouting forth nonsense about sporting integrity , coincidence , as Jim Royal would say “my a@@@.”
paulmac2 says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 07:58
34 13 Rate This
Well done to St. Mirren…a great game…
Now when can St. Mirren expect home gates to match the numbers that turned out at Hampden to support them?..
……………………………………………………………………
I’ve been away celebrating so missed this venom… And I’m not swayed by your above backtracking when called up on it.
So here’s my genuine, honest answer which just happens to be in the same mean spirited and small-minded vein as your question:
They’ll return when the poison of the Old Scum is finally gone from Scottish football; when the financial playing field is not tilted in favour of those who follow religion instead of sport; when numerically based arrogance is not accepted as a valid basis for criticism; when there’s a chance of genuine competition.
Fans throughout Scotland don’t go to their team’s matches, (which involve either of the bogit brothers), preferring to eschew their often paid-for tickets to having to share the same air as fans of those clubs.
I was at the 2010 final against the Deid club, breaking my self-imposed distancing of 30+ years. Only 9000 buddies turned up. It was an unpleasant experience, not just because of the result or the manner in which the game was thrown away.
I’m saddened to see similar nastiness seep into this forum.
On Sunday, when 16000 Buddies had a great day out, I was heartened to see a final with fans that were there for a good day at the football.
I know that what and who was missing, was the reason it was so much more fun and relaxed… And the day, the match, the competition was all about the football.
The Hearts fans were pretty good, too. 🙂
TD your wee thumbs to the bone……
…if my post is allowed to reach the audience for which it’s intended.
ecobhoy says:
Monday, March 18, 2013 at 20:49
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I wasn’t going to get into the GB debate as I think it has no place for this blog but I feel the need to reply here..
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“Does anyone in their right mind think that StrathPol was going to walk away from that challenge. The organisers of this march created the situation either because aggro suited their agenda or because they haven’t a clue what they were doing. They certainly managed to put a lot of impressionable young people into the way of potential harm and arrest and that to me is inexcusable.”
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The GB in my mind created this event to highlight the harassment at the hands of Strathclyde’s finest.
It worked well. Whoever was in charge of this police operation is an absolute buffoon.
To counter act a few of your points.
a) Why should young people be in the way of potential harm when it’s the Police force that should be protecting them, not attacking them with batons.
b) I don’t know if you’ve viewed all videos and photos, but there was no aggro or even singing. How would you react if you’re freedom of movement is met by kettling and confined into a claustrophobic situation by the said people who’re meant to be protecting you.
c) I was a young person once and have met harassment as a young Celtic fan from police forces around Scotland ( In the rest of the UK and Europe any police forces I’ve encountered have been terrific).
d) Why didn’t the operating officer in this realise that it was a set up to expose their brutality to all?
e) Why wouldn’t Strathclyde Police walk away? Why did it need to be met at all? Thousand of Celtic fans walk to Celtic Park every home match ( Roads and Pavements) What’s the difference.
Whoever was in charge of the operation was an ego maniac and instead of common sense prevailing, they went in heavy handed.
No matter what you think, this is an alleged democratic country . 200 or so people no matter what group they’re in or team they support should be able to walk to the stadium of the team they support on the day of the game without being assaulted by the people who’re funded by taxes to protect them.
Oh they gave us Longmuir, Peat and Jim Farry
They gave us Ballantyne, Smith and Ogilvie
And all those teddy bears
Went up those Hampden stairs
To screw football the Glasgow Rangers Way