A guest blog by Auldheid
In the previous blog (http://www.tsfm.scot/how-not-to-govern-scottish-football/), TSFM wrote to Harper Macleod raising questions on their advice supplied to the then SPL Board in February 2013 when the Lord Nimmo Smith Decision re use of EBTs and side letters was announced.
A reply was received from Mr McKenzie on 18th September the gist of which can be discerned in the following reply sent on 4th October.
Dear Mr McKenzie 4th Oct 2014
Thank you for your response of 18th September to my letter of 5th September regarding the consequences of information on the true nature of EBTs for Craig Moore, Ronald De Boer and Tor Andre Flo being withheld from your good selves when establishing in 2012 the Lord Nimmo Smith Commission into the use of EBTs and side letters by Rangers FC from 1999.
In recognition of the points you made about publishing your responses on line, your letter of 18th September will not be published although readers of TSFM will be able to gather from this reply which is being published what those points were.
Anonymity.
It is a matter of real regret that not only was anonymity required, but that Harper MacLeod were used as a conduit to try and elicit a reply from the SPFL or SFA. In terms of anonymity there were three factors at play:
- Security. The individuals asking the questions are aware that any raised concerning Rangers can attract threats from the worst of the Rangers support. We know that they are a minority but nevertheless, as we have recently witnessed, some are ready to turn threat into action. It is a condemnation of Scottish society that fear has played its part in preventing the truth being revealed about Rangers FC’s use of EBTs since 1999.
- Collective. The Scottish Football Monitor is made up of supporters of many clubs in Scottish football and is in effect a collective. The letters reflect to a large extent the thinking and feelings of the majority of readers. If a name is required for any future correspondence from the SPFL or SFA, then it can be addressed to Mr John Macnab, and a Post Box address can be supplied if necessary in addition to this e mail address press@tsfm.scot.
- Accountability. The final factor is the most important because it is why Harper Macleod were approached. It was not just because you were responsible for commissioning the Lord Nimmo Smith enquiry, but because there is absolutely no form of direct accountability by either the SPFL or the SFA to the supporters of Scottish football clubs. Correspondence can be ignored or the content not fully addressed and the customer who pays the wages of both organisations has no means of redress at all. Had there been some oversight in say an Ombudsman type role, it would not have been necessary to involve Harper MacLeod and indeed your good self. We sincerely apologise for doing so along with our thanks for actually responding to our correspondence, but we would like the reasons for our approach being addressed by the clubs who make up both footballing authorities. We hope you pass this particular point on to both SFA and SPFL.
Provenance.
You ask what the provenance is of the information/evidencethat you were given. The answer is we do not know, it was taken from material uploaded mainly in June last year for purposes unknown. Whilst its provenance may be in doubt there is no question as to the veracity of the content of the material itself.
This, when put together, sets out the narrative that prompted our correspondence. This question of provenance simply looks like an excuse for football authority not investigating what the material suggests took place when Duff and Phelps were asked to supply all documents relating to EBTs (no distinction being made) from the inception of the SPL.
Even if the material itself could not be used directly, it should have prompted questions that would have either corrected the narrative or established that the Lord Nimmo Smith Commission was indeed misled either by accident or design, when those documents were not supplied.
The SPFL must surely have the powers to seek the original documents from BDO and the SFA cannot be totally impotent in that regard either.
Then there is the personal knowledge of current SFA President Campbell Ogilvie to draw on. A simple statement explaining why he saw no reason to make any distinction between the irregular DOS REBTs that he launched in 1999 and the later MGMRT EBTs of which he was a beneficiary would surely help clear the air?
Existence of Side Letters.
We note that the Commission were aware of the existence of side letters to Moore, De Boer and Flo at the time of its decision of 28th February 2013 and these were taken into account when determining the appropriate sanction. The existence of side letters is not the issue that was raised in our previous correspondence, it was the nature of the EBTs that was the issue raised. In fact it would seem that the Commission themselves were confused by the switching from the irregular REBT ebts in 2002/03 to the MGMRT EBTs that are subject to further appeal with regard to regularity by HMRC.
The side letters to De Boer and Flo of 30th August and 23 November 2000 related to the DOS REBTs that they were both paid under. It is not known if they had subsequent side letters relating to the MGMRT EBTs , which is possible, but as set out in previous correspondence there were two distinctive types of EBTs and the side letters supplied relate to the earlier irregular type.
The position regarding the Moore EBT is interesting in that whatever EBT side letter was known to the Commission in February 2012 it could only have related to payments made to him under an accompanying side letter from the MGMRT ebts after 2002/03.
That Mr Moore was paid under the REBT scheme in 1999 is a matter of supplied evidence. However there is no record of any side letter in relation to the payment under the 1999 arrangement, which may or may not have been reported in the contract lodged with the SPL and SFA. It was the absence of any side letter in respect of this payment that prevented HMRC pursuing the tax due on it as they did for De Boer and Flo in what has become known as “the wee tax case. “ The evidence of deliberate concealment by the Murray Group of the side letters to De Boer and Flo allowed HMRC to seek repayment outside the normal 6 year time limit.
However the absence of a side letter or tax demand for Mr Moore does not mean this particular payment is not deserving of further scrutiny since
- It was an irregular payment that other clubs could not avail themselves of (as applies to the other two EBTs to De Boer and Flo)
- It is not known if it was reported to the SPL/SFA under the registration rules of that period.
Finally thank you for forwarding our letter of 5th September and previous correspondence to the SFA Compliance Officer. Hopefully any further correspondence will be between him and ourselves, first to our email address, later to a PO Box if required.
It is the hope of all readers of The Scottish Football Monitor that the SFA will stop hiding behind the provenance excuse, which is destroying any semblance of integrity and proper governance of Scottish football and they will use their powers to properly acquire the information that will set the record straight and in doing so start to restore some of the lost trust which is essential for the wellbeing of Scottish football.
John Macnab
TSFM
I have till this point stayed away from commenting on the league cup draw which has brought Celtic and Rangers together. Largely because the swelling tide of opinions in the media left me cold.
Those banging the ‘old firm’ drum are in one sense entirely correct.
But, and it’s a big but, it is not an ‘old firm’ of clubs – instead it’s an ‘old firm’ of fans.
Whatever one makes of TRFC the one constant is the fans, and the rivalry between those fans and fans of other clubs, particularly Celtic is continuous.
It’s a game which without doubt will be a sell-out.
The newspapers will have their copy and on the day the pubs will be profitably bustling with excited fans, eyes fixed on LED screens.
There will be no empty seats in Hampden and no room to move in A&E wards around the city as hard pressed nurses dodge blows and insults as the post game dysfunction moves from a sporting venue to a clinical one.
The ‘old firm’ circus that Tom English in his piece for the BBC describes is indeed back, though quoting enthusiastic voices in the football world to undermine a coherent argument that what we are about to witness is at least in some significant sense different, is no argument at all.
I happen to like the writing style of Tom English it is at times imprecise, but always lyrical and evocative. Great attributes for a sports writer.
A good example and possibly the most telling paragraph in his BBC piece tells us everything about the mental dexterity required when considering ‘it’, the ‘old firm’ game.
“It’s back – or soon will be. It was inevitable. Plenty have missed it. Plenty of others have not. It is possible to celebrate its return while also having an acute dread. That might seem like a contradiction, but in the strange world of the Old Firm, it makes some kind of sense.”
I’ll have none of it myself, and the plentiful seemingly equal groups on either side that Tom describes are entirely vague.
The algebra of the real world outside of football, tips the balance in favour of those who have not missed ‘it’.
Plenty does not equal plenty, and no one with an acute sense of dread celebrates the cause of it.
Engaging lyricism only works when what you are describing is separate from life’s harsh realities.
Sport at its simplest takes us away from every day troubles.
It can also be enlightening, often uplifting and even transformative in ways which shape our everyday lives.
Then again – there is also the ‘old firm’ game.
If that’s what you want.
Big Pink says:
November 2, 2014 at 1:04 pm
Yesterday, a few people pointed out that my theory (that the right people rebuilding a new Rangers would be good for the game) was flawed on account of the people who appear to be hinting at that very thing.
I concede that point. On reflection though it may be that the humility inherent in such a move with an obviously new club may well temper the worst excesses of self-entitlement. Additionally it may actually give the Bears pause for thought about just what their traditions are. Some interesting and thoughtful contributions on that on FF at the minute.
Thoughts?
—————————————————————————————————-
I replied to your initial post on this subject.
Further to that post I would like to add the following thoughts.
1. No breakaway will be successful unless there is an insolvency event at the present club which creates a critical mass of disillusionment among the fans. Either a liquidation or “strange” administration.
2. The most significant change in the last 2 years among the fanbase has been the setting up of Rangers First as a Community Interest Company. I followed the pre-meeting inception discussions in the Bears Den, through first meeting and beyond. There was no appetite to form a breakaway and the stated aims are to work to improve and support the present Club. The fans already involved in this group are the fans who would be able to set up and, most crucially, sustain a breakaway club under their own steam. They are now a one member – one vote group and recently voted to buy more shares in the RIFC so they have not changed their aims.
However, the fact that this CIC is already in place with an organisational structure and fund generating capacity is extremely positive though as it could immediately pick up the pieces if there is an insolvency event of sufficient magnitude.
3. A businessmen led club would only be successful if it was a successor to the present club rather than a competitor.
borussiabeefburg says:
November 2, 2014 at 6:21 pm
_______________________________
IMO. TRFC desperately need bums on seats
What better way to bring back the dwindling attendance’s than a rallying call that their So called nemesis is on the horizon
Should drag more stay away fans back the closer the game gets for both teams
And the added bonus of a Glasgow giant in the final for the SFA
Walter Smith compensation paid to the SFA ?
============================================
“Subject: Compensation query / follow up (+1 week).
Dear Darryl,
re: my simple request below asking – where in the 2007 accounts of The SFA Ltd. is the Walter Smith compensation included ?
I would have expected your finance colleagues would have been able to provide the answer rather promptly.
A week has now passed, so could you please indicate if you have any intention of communicating a response ?
Thanks in advance.
[StevieBC]”
I don’t have time to write anything about this and no existing emoticon seens to fit.
As a short term solution I’m going to use my previously suggested ‘WTF is Sandy Easdale talking about’ emoticon, in the hope that a similar feeling of incredulity is conveyed.
_(‘-‘)_/
http://sport.stv.tv/football/298092-strachan-manipulation-could-be-needed-to-get-big-three-back-in-top-flight/
The word on Twitter is that Stuart McCall has walked away from Motherwell.
I thought he was nailed on to replace Ally at some point.
McCall has quit
Assistant Black in charge temp
jimlarkin says:
November 2, 2014 at 8:15 pm
Ally is, as Ally was, and it never was Ali, except for someone of the Islamic faith. At 62 years of age, and a life-long Ally, I can assure you that the first time I ever came across the use of Ally to shorten Alison was when the US comedy ‘Ally McBeal’ was first aired. There is no more reason for Alistair (or any of the many spellings, not all of which begin Ali) shouldn’t be shortened to Ally than Alison (which is almost invariably Ali) should be.
There is much to criticise, or even micky-take, about Mr McCoist, but his chosen name is not one of them, though the variations it lends itself to mirror his character are all very amusing.
Cheers,
Ally 😀
Big Pink says:
November 2, 2014 at 1:04 pm
‘…On reflection though it may be that the humility inherent in such a move with an obviously new club may well temper the worst excesses of self-entitlement. Additionally it may actually give the Bears pause for thought about just what their traditions are. Some interesting and thoughtful contributions on that on FF at the minute.
Thoughts?’
—————-
For all my strictures of TRFC/RIFC plc as being ‘gersatz'( physically present and branded as RFC but patently not the ‘real’ thing), such possibly encouraging moves you may discern among posts on FF possibly would be welcome.
The basic, the most fundamental problem, however, is that it is the ‘5-way agreement’ that needs to first, openly acknowledged by the parties to it, secondly, rescinded and apologised for by the SFA and(now) the SPFL to the fullest extent now possible and practical.In effect, I suppose, that could only be a declaration that TRFC is not entitled to certain trophies and titles won by the cheating RFC(IL) or to falsely claim an unbroken history.
If that agreement was acknowledged-solemn blood-oaths to secrecy notwithstanding- some kind of move towards ‘truth and reconciliation’ might be begun, with a view to restoring integrity and justice. At that point,perhaps even the existing TRFC might, by consent, be formally legitimated, and Scottish Football be cleansed.
In the bigger, much more serious and dirtier world of international politics, that kind of minor miracle can happen.
But the first move has to come from the ones who committed the first wrong-in this case, the Football Authorities.
Could they be persuaded to come clean, confess their ‘error’ and look to reform themselves?
If they can be, then we could be in business ‘reconciliation-wise, and a new, honestly-based and respectable and respectful Rangers might properly take its place in the football scheme of things.
Bill1903 says:
November 2, 2014 at 9:05 pm
The word on Twitter is that Stuart McCall has walked away from Motherwell.
I thought he was nailed on to replace Ally at some point.
============================================
Who knows Bill, a piece of the jigsaw may be hovering over its space. According to Phil McG Ashley’s people are aghast at McCoist’s remuneration and McCall would surely take the job for a quarter of that. If they continue to lag behind Hearts, and Hibs maybe get their act together, the excuse for getting rid of McCoist will be laid on a plate. How many of their fans would truly object anyway? All conjecture of course.
On league ‘manipulation’, when they set up the SPFL they put a three year moratorium on messing about with it.
McCall-for whom, I have to say, I have a deal of respect- seems inexplicably to have lost his way.I may be badly out of date, but is his player-pool not pretty much as it was earlier this year? Were his hopes of sustaining at least something of last season’s form not well-founded? Has there been a seismic change for the worse in manager/dressing-room relationships?
As far as I’m aware, the only significant change at Fir Park was the departure of Leeanne! But would the departure of a CEO cause a manager to lose his talents and team-management skills so completely?
It’s a rum old game, right enough.
Strachan’s comments are nothing short of outrageous. He should be charged with bringing the game into disrepute. He won’t be, of course, but somebody tell me- in what other country in Europe could an employee of the Regulatory Body suggest manipulation of their competitions, and just get away with it, while the media stand by applauding his comments?
I post this in great sadness, having previously been a great admirer of Strachan. Not any more.
Martin says:
November 2, 2014 at 8:16 pm
Those banging the ‘old firm’ drum are in one sense entirely correct.
But, and it’s a big but, it is not an ‘old firm’ of clubs – instead it’s an ‘old firm’ of fans.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Absolutely spot on Martin
Somebody once said
“Be careful what you wish for, it might come true.”
Which begs the question
Do Rangers and Celtic fans really want to go back t0 2012?
Here’s a thought
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
In the years leading up to the First World War, Home Rule tensions in Ireland were often played out on the terracings of Ibrox and Parkhead .Yet when war came the fans combined and fought side by side
One hundred years ago this Christmas some 200 odd soldiers had a football kick around with the Germans in No Mans Land It’s hard to believe that no Scots took part……. Including a fair sprinkling of Bears and Tims
For a brief period the agony of trench warfare was put on hold .If thoughts strayed anywhere it was to peace and the last Christmas they spent in Glasgow
No doubt all those present really enjoyed this impromptu match. A welcome relief that was sorely needed
But
Would they want to relive that event?
I think not
That would mean reliving the agony as well
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Sad news about McCall. He’s done a cracking job at Motherwell IMO and I’m quite surprised to see him step down despite the poor results this season. I think there was plenty of time for him to turn them around yet.
I don’t suppose he has another job lined up just yet but time will tell.
If McCoist were to walk away for some reason or other, the appointment of McCall would be a “no brainer” in my opinion.
My take on the Celtic News/L Cup Fixtures publishing time – there’s really nothing to see, “system” clocks on PCs and Servers are not kept half as accurately as you might think and the time stamp on the page will have come from a PC or Server somewhere. Bottom line is the time cannot be relied on in any meaningful way.
I wonder if the league cup draw will paint Rangers into a corner come January transfer window as I’m sure McCoist and the fans will both be desperate for reinforcements to be acquired at all costs.
Personally I think this is a disaster for the ‘Well and NO he wont be at them anytime.
Offishul statement
Motherwell FC can announce Stuart McCall has resigned from his position as manager.
McCall, who was appointed in December 2010 and was the second longest serving manager in Scottish senior football, informed the board of his decision late this afternoon.
The 40-times capped former Scotland midfielder has overseen a period of incredible success at Fir Park, including taking Motherwell into the Scottish Cup Final in 2011, then three ‘Best of the Rest’ finishes in the Scottish top flight.
As manager, he smashed a number of long-standing records, including for games won, goals scored, clean sheets and points accumulated; the 50-year old also led Motherwell into the UEFA Champions League for the first and only time back in 2012.
In contrast, the current season hasn’t started as well as anyone would like.
Speaking on behalf of the Board, Derek Weir, who was instrumental in McCall’s appointment, said: “Everyone at Motherwell FC would like to sincerely thank Stuart for his contribution to the club, which will go down as one of the most successful managerial tenures in our 128-year history.
“We have been acutely aware of results this season, but everyone at Fir Park was confident in his, and the team’s, ability to turn things around.
“However, following a long conversation this afternoon, Stuart felt it better for all concerned if he stepped down with immediate effect and we respect that.
“Assistant manager Kenny Black will take charge of first-team team affairs in a caretaker role to allow the board to start the process of recruiting a new manager, which will begin right away.”
ianagain says:
November 2, 2014 at 9:52 pm
1 0 Rate This
Personally I think this is a disaster for the ‘Well and NO he wont be at them anytime.
========
No offence intended Ian by my comments Ian! (suspicious minds at play)
I do agree its a bad thing for Motherwell as they have been quite excellent under McCall. Very consistent every season and he did a great job building and rebuilding that team.
scottc says:
November 2, 2014 at 9:26 pm
5 0 Rate This
On league ‘manipulation’, when they set up the SPFL they put a three year moratorium on messing about with it.
———–
Aye, but add the magical word ‘discretion’ and all bets are off.
Anyone checked the small print?
:jobbyicon:
😆
Danish Pastry says:
November 2, 2014 at 10:35 pm
Vows are a bit of a discredited item these days. That said, after all the furore last time, I doubt they will be keen to revisit it. I suspect they only have two things on their mind at the moment:
What Ashley is up to
&
Hoping like blazes that the Celtic/TRFC tie goes off without a hitch. Any future freedom of movement they may hope to have, very much depends on this.
“This is not the Rangers I know. To me it is a new entity which has to establish its own history and tradition” – Donald Findlay, Daily Mail 1 Nov 2013.
If that had been said by Bankier, the Celtic Chairman, or indeed any other club Chairman in Scottish football, all hell would have broken loose.
Indeed, following Peter Lawwell’s Rory Bremner “joke” at last years AGM, Rangers actually lodged an official complaint to the SFA, and Campbell Ogilvie came out and publicly “ticked” him off.
Recently, the Livingston programme editor lost his job for much less, but since Findlay’s newspaper interview the usual suspects have been remarkably quiet.
Strange that none of our intrepid hacks have asked Ally his views on the matter. They’ve been happy to ask him his views on Guidetti, Deila, and Craig Gordon over the last few days.
Just looking back on some saved posts from RTC, and thought we might all like to be reminded of the ire from that time – thanks to “The Battered Bunnet” on 30 June, 2012 at 17:34:
“Senior Hampden source tells #c4news cannot see how RFC were allowed to play last season at all. Doesn’t believe they met finance criteria…”
Alex Thomson’s tweets yesterday re ‘senior Hampden source’ casting doubt on Rangers’ eligibility to obtain a Club Licence last year were rather intriguing.
We have by now a clearer picture of the failure of governance at Rangers through the David Murray/ John McClelland/ Alastair Johnston/ Craig Whyte years, albeit we await further definitive details from the judgement of the Tax Tribunal. Essentially, over a period spanning 2 decades, the means that Rangers used to sustain its football operation utterly disregarded the requirements of both corporate governance and football regulation. While the scandal related solely to payments and procedures within Rangers, we could hope that it was contained internally.
However, the revelation that Rangers paid former manager Souness via EBT while he was manager at Blackburn Rovers confirmed for the first time that the scandal had become external. I understand that RangersTaxCase and Alex Thomson have further information on the extent of payments to Souness and also to Walter Smith, and look forward to the details being revealed, but it is now clear that the Rangers ‘toxin’ had leached out of the club by 2001.
The compelling question now is: How far did the toxin spread?
Was it contained within the ‘outer circle’ of former Rangers employees, however inexplicable such payments may appear? Or did it extend beyond that outer circle, and contaminate senior figures in the Game in Scotland. The contamination does not relate solely to payments from Rangers’ offshore trust, but more subtly perhaps, the behaviour of individuals in positions of influence.
We know that Rangers’ Executive Chairman John McClelland was an SPL Board member during the startling ramp up of EBT use from 2003 to 2005, and was himself a beneficiary of the scheme.
We know that Rangers’ Chief Executive Martin Bain was an SPL Board member 2008 to 2011, coinciding with the receipt by Rangers of the HMRC assessments on the EBT scheme, of which he was himself a beneficiary.
We know that current SFA President Campbell Ogilvie was simultaneously an SFA Director and Executive Director and Company Secretary of Rangers, and was a beneficiary of the scheme.
These parallel functions of course present a profound conflict of interest for each man, at once implementing a scam on the Game to disguise a fraud on the Revenue, while owing specific legal duties of care to the Game being scammed.
So far, so shabby.
Thomson’s tweets yesterday indicate a doubt on the part of a ‘senior Hampden source’ that Rangers were eligible to hold a Club Licence last season, thus disqualifying them from participating in European competition, and perhaps Scottish Football too. Is this doubt grounded in a retrospective review of the licence qualifying criteria given what has emerged recently? Or was there a ‘blind eye’ turned by the SFA’s Licensing Committee to information in the public domain at the time of the Licence application? In this respect the ‘Wee Tax Case’ represented a fundamental failure against at least one Licence criterion.
The proposals to the SFL clubs this week make it plain that should the SFA conclude the outstanding Disciplinary issues against Rangers with either suspension or expulsion of Rangers from the SFA (perhaps the only sanctions remaining available to the SFA following Lord Glennie’s Judicial Review) that the Game will face ‘financial meltdown’.
Concurrently, the SPL has adjudged Rangers to have a prima facie case to answer in respect of SPL rule breaches on player registration, the outcome of which will confirm that the club fielded ineligible players in upwards of 400 SPL matches. The only possible disciplinary outcome given such a sustained breach of SPL rules, corrupting the completion as it did from its inception in 1999 to 2011, is expulsion from the SPL.
As a consequence, the SFA, as the authority responsible for implementing FIFA’s Rules on the Registration of Players, will be required to act on these breaches of FIFA rules. Again, expulsion for what amounts to Championship fixing is inevitable.
Curiously, the SFL, this week asking its members to vote to admit the Sevco Rangers club into their top tier, has the same issue given that its League Cup competition featured dozens of ineligible Rangers players through the years, and further claims by Hugh Adam that its ‘Premier Division’ competition during the 1990s was similarly bent through the use of ‘off the books’ payments to players by Rangers.
The scale of it all is breathtaking, and were the rules of the Game to be applied, Rangers FC would be expelled from each Governing body in turn, before we even consider the extraordinary breaches of faith and duties by co-serving Directors.
But according to the SFL/SFA/SPL circular to clubs, “Rangers Terminated or Suspended’ will cause “Financial Meltdown”.
To avoid this meltdown, it is proposed by the Executives of the combined SFL/SFA/SPL that the rules of the Game are not applied to Rangers, and that the clubs effectively rewrite the rule book to permit what remains of the club to compete at the top of the SFL.
In effect, according to the Governing Bodies, the Rules of the Game CANNOT be applied to Rangers or the Game’s finances will ‘meltdown’.
The corollary question this raises is: For how long have the Governing bodies been so unable to apply the Rules of the Game to Rangers? Is this a new epiphany, or a longer standing recognition?
When Rangers submitted their allegedly ineligible application for a Club Licence in 2011, did the SFA recognise that Rangers failing to participate in Europe would cause the club to fail, as it subsequently did? Were the Rules ignored to avoid ‘financial meltdown’ then?
How far did the toxin spread?
Did this recognition extend back to the period following the disintegration of Murray International, hitherto Rangers’ source of continuing funding? Was the season of ‘Honest Mistakes’ some absurd, dutiful reaction to the recognition that should Rangers fail, Scottish Football would melt down?
Was the ineligible status of so many of Rangers’ first team players noticed prior to the SPL’s Inquiry commencing on 5th March? Was it noticed in an Audit as part of the SFA’s Club Licensing process some years ago? Was it noticed by the recent SFA Chief Executive Gordon Smith, who as an Agent had represented players on Rangers’ books through his Directorship of Prostar Management and other Agencies?
Beyond the duplicity of Ogilvie, McClelland and Bain, were Rangers’ irregular practices known to others at the SFA and SPL, others who chose not to address the matter, thus further contaminated the Governing Bodies with the Rangers toxin?
It is heartening that the Liquidators of Rangers plc will be instructed to examine all of the circumstances surrounding the failure of Rangers as a corporate entity. Equally, perhaps the detail contained in the Tax Tribunal judgement will reveal further connections, hitherto unknown.
What is likely to remain hidden from view though, is the full extent to which key influencers at the Governing Bodies were aware of Rangers’ conduct and circumstances, and how this affected their behaviour and their decision making in applying the rules of the Game to that club.
What we can say with certainty now though is that the people holding office at the Governing Bodies are unable or unwilling to apply the Rules of the Game to Rangers, despite the breaches being fundamentally and profoundly corrupt. The SFA and SPL, despite having outstanding disciplinary cases against Rangers that will, in all other circumstances see the club expelled from the Game, are intent to delete the cases provided the SFL clubs accept the Sevco Rangers into the SFL’s top division.
The Rules of the Game cannot be applied to Rangers.
When the rules cannot be applied, the Game itself is broken, and we can say now with some certainty that the Rangers toxin has spread beyond the club, its former employees and Directors of the Governing Bodies, and contaminated the very Game itself. The Office Bearers of the SFA, whose FIFA mandate requires them to “protect and foster the Game” in Scotland, and “protect it from abuses”, have contrived to do the contrary, to the point where the Game is stricken.
It is for this reason that a thorough clear out of the Office Bearers in the Governing Bodies is now a prerequisite to the Game recovering from the poison inflicted upon it by Rangers. The dissolution of the Governing Bodies is perhaps appropriate.
Clear your desk Gentlemen, the bus to ignominy departs shortly.
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Loved reading that again, although it made my angry…again.
Who was that masked man?
That was “The Battered Bunnet”
( for all you old timers who watched the Lone Ranger, actually not very appropriate, sorry)
tykebhoy says:
November 2, 2014 at 8:22 am
“Remember Aberdeen have a recent cup victory at Celtic Park and I wouldn’t guarantee Celtic beating either of the new firm in a semi. And teams from Govan don’t have a very good record recently against Dundee United in the Cup while we all know Aberdeen like to upset the Govan applecart too”
———————
I like a good conspiracy theory too.
Probability was likely to pair the big two Scottish clubs in a cup competition at some point and around now has as great a likelihood as anytime. However tykebhoy’s observation had a poignancy about it that any logistician might find compelling.
The build up to the semi-final draw did seem to have some added momentum that to those conspiratorially minded, might easily have indicated prior knowledge.
As others have said, maintaining impartiality is crucial to retaining trust in the process of governance. Once you start selling that trust you are pawning your credibility.
TSFM,it has just dawned on me that you may have missed the point I was trying to make in my first post, which was, with the demise of rangers the former new firm must become the old firm and celtic and rangers mark I , may become the new firm. It was an attempt at injecting some humour into my post .
bad capt madman says:
November 2, 2014 at 11:18 pm
—————————-
Lest we forget.
The greatest scandal and the greatest cover-up in the history of sport. But what the hell, we have an Old Firm game coming up.
Not in my name, you utterly corrupt shower of shameless gobscheidts. And I include those currently running my beloved football club in that. Shame on all concerned.
wottpi says:
November 2, 2014 at 12:15 pm
“The best we can hope for is that those who do attend are on their best behaviour and the day pases without any major incidents.”
——————
I think this could be a real concern.
There has been concerted effort to keep the ‘new club’ narrative off the media agenda. There are many notable exceptions to this rule but these are swamped by the Continuity FC contingent.
Now we have two sets of rival fans meeting for the first time both of whom may have widely differing opinions on what has transpired since they last (allegedly) met. I have no doubt that the Celtic fans will have crate loads of prepared jibes ready to lob at the Rangers supporters. The Celtic supporters may well have went online to get a fresh source of information away from the Scottish mainstream media.
So what happens when a Rangers support that may not be fully conversant with various ‘slights’ that may be levelled at them during this game, are regaled with copious epithets. Will they absorb them, as an opportunity to take on board new information that can be discussed in more detail after the game? Or will they feel a bit aggrieved that a whole pile of ‘made up stuff’ is being attributed unfairly to their club?
As we are aware, many Scottish football fans regard the current Rangers operation as little more than a phoenix of the original organisation, created to glean an unfair sporting advantage; created to avoid the consequences of the club’s business strategy prior to its administration and ultimate liquidation. Such fans of a Celtic persuasion may see this upcoming fixture as an opportunity to air some home truths that have not been fairly vented in the main stream media.
If the situation of Rangers travails could have been more openlt dealt with then I suspect such raised passions would have dimmed slightly. If the media likewise had exercised an enquiring mind rather than printing PR releases, then a bit of heat might have been taken out of the situation. Hindsight is an unfair advantage obviously and we only have one universe to exist in as far as we know.
However, like wottpi says, it will be for the betterment of the sport if this fixture can pass off without major incident and all that is reported is the game. If this is the case, as I’m sure we all hope it will be, then it will be due entirely to the self control of the supporters. It will have little to do with the actions of the sport’s governors or the wider media.
I got the e-mail below today…
Rangers v Falkirk
Ibrox Stadium,
Saturday 8 November,
kick-off 3pm.
Next Saturday Rangers take on Falkirk in another important League clash. The Club and fans will also mark Remembrance day at Ibrox recognising the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First world War and remembering all those who fought for our freedom.
Family section tickets are available for just £20 for 1 adult & 1 junior!
Additional junior tickets from just £3.
Tickets are priced from £21 adults, £15 concession & £5 junior.
Click below for tickets, call 0871 702 1972 or visit the Ticket Centre.
————————————————————————————–
‘Remembering all those who fought for our freedom’, or using their memory to flog tickets to fans who are on the fence about attending?
Cygnus X2 says:
November 3, 2014 at 3:58 am
2 0 Rate This
I got the e-mail below today…
Rangers v Falkirk
Ibrox Stadium,
Saturday 8 November,
kick-off 3pm
_______________
As I said in a previous post
Desperate to get bums on seats
Maybe even more desperate than we realize
Well, well. There was me thinking Remembrance day celebrated the END of the war. You learn something every day. 😕
Yerevan says:
November 2, 2014 at 11:04 pm
===============================
You make very good points. Within hours of Peter Lawell’s comments at Celtic’s AGM last year, TRFC and sections of the media were apoplectic. TRFC even demanded an official policy to be enforced by the SFA. What we got was the erstwhile Campbell Ogilvie making a rare appearance to tell both clubs to behave themselves, which does not amount to what TRFC were demanding. Then more recently the Livingston programme Editor lost his job and for good measure had his name posted on the Internet by a mainstream journalist for pointing out an undeniable legal fact.
Yet the tumbleweed continues to blow over the assertion by one of Scotland most prominent legal minds the notion history can be bought is rather preposterous. No media outrage and no demands for apologies. Why is he allowed to say it and no-one else is?
Announcement on AIM that Derek Llambias has been appointed a non executive director of RIFC.
Re the (EX) Old Firm semi-final.
I can understand the angst expressed by BP and others of the Celtic persuassion regarding their own club’s reaction to the draw and their relationship with TRFC.
However, I would like to express some sympathy for the owners, board and management of Celtic.
Above all else, I think every poster and lurker here is just hoping and praying that the game goes off without serious trouble and with nobody getting hurt. I think we may all, somewhere in the pit of our stomachs, fear the worst.
There are two dangers if Celtic were to say “This is not the Old Firm, it’s the New Firm, against the youngest team in Scottish professional football, or something like it.
Danger one. This fans the flames amongst the hot-heads (on either or both sides) and increases the likellihood of trouble.
Danger two. God forbid there is trouble. Who are the :poop: :slamb: munchers gonna blame?
Anyone who has followed RTC and TSFM knows the truth about the club in blue playing out of Ibrox. Many Celtic supporters might like their Club to take the moral high ground and state clearly and unequivocally what we all know to be the truth. However, the current custodians of the Club have to consider all eventualities and risks.
Sometimes, it is just best swallow your distaste and keep quite. It’s not right, but it can be necessary on occassion.
Can’t disagree with any of that Tincks. The trouble is, if the only way to participate in something is to go along with a proposition you know is off the wall bonkers and inherently dishonest, why would you bother to remain involved?
I pretend to my kids that Santa exists – but they do grow up eventually.
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/reasons-to-be-fearful/#more-5270 …
Yerevan says:
November 2, 2014 at 11:04 pm
Excellent point, Yerevan.
I wonder if it’s because Findlay is such a hard nosed bluenose that everyone is being so soft with him; or could it be that they know he’s such a red-hot lawyer that they know that he knows he’s on solid ground, and the last thing any of them want is to force him into saying more?
I think, though, that should anyone be brave enough to push him on the matter we can be sure that, like so many before, he takes a backward step and explains he was speaking only from the heart and not from a legal perspective (his comments totally avoided any legal comment).
He has a plan, and a cunning one at that, I’m sure 😯
John Clark says:
November 3, 2014 at 10:37 am
1 0 Rate This
a)Lamb Bias has been appointed as a non-exec director.
b)Archie ‘Woooofffff’ Macpherson is past his sell-by date as any kind of pronouncer on Scottish Footnall. He gets soooo utterly defensive ,the way that people who know they’re wrong tend to get, when he asserts ‘it’s the same Rangers’ as he did today on BBC ‘Same-club-Propaganda Radio, on the ‘Morning call’ programme. He is also something of a bullying shouter-down
of reasoned opposition.Must be an age and ‘feeling irrelevant’ thing.
Let’s see who they wheel out next to continue to foster the big Lie, and defend the indefensible: Fred McAuley? Clare English? The weather girl? The road traffic girl?
And full marks to the two callers who stated the truth- that the team that is to play in the semi-final of the League Cup, whatever else it may be, is not Rangers Football Club of old.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Did Donald Findlay QC phone in and repeat what he said at the weekend
. . . That The Rangers playing at Ibrox now, are not the same entity as Rangers were, when he was on the ibrox board !?
John Clark says:
November 3, 2014 at 10:37 am
Heard Archie this morning falling into the usual trap of saying that, while a league competition benefits from the leading club having to keep looking over its shoulder, why does it always have to be Celtic and Rangers in that position.
Disappointed that given Archie’s age he seemed unable to recall times when Scottish football was just as interesting when other have been involved in title chases.
Of course that perhaps says more about Archie and his belief that ‘The Old Firm’ are the be all and end all of Scottish Football.
Frankly I wonder at times why anyone else even bothers about putting a team out on the park.
While there is no getting away from the importance of this fixture over the years it is the over-hyping of each and every occasion it happens that is stomach churning.
You would hope we would have grown up by now!!!!
I for one will not be attending thr LC Celtic game. I have attended many games against our former rivals over the past 3 decades and have a deep down feeling within me that they were played unfairly and I await the outcome of the BTC which may confirm my concerns. After liquadation the Govan club have to this day not been punished correctly for the way their club was run. They have shown no remorse and claim to be the victims of a conspiracy against them, honestly this is how they feel as fans. They are under the umrella of they have to survive for the good of our game no matter how the club is run. The media have wanted this one game since 2012 and have made ono secret of it. Many fans I know did not want this game at all. If the Govan club had risen through the divisions with financial prudence and admitted the truth of their past then I for one would attend this coming fixture. This did not apply and as so called victims this game does not appeal to me. Donald Findlay stated the truth without fear or favour and this is the way ahead.
Danish Pastry says:
November 2, 2014 at 10:35 pm
8 0 Rate This
scottc says:
November 2, 2014 at 9:26 pm
5 0 Rate This
On league ‘manipulation’, when they set up the SPFL they put a three year moratorium on messing about with it.
———–
Aye, but add the magical word ‘discretion’ and all bets are off.
Anyone checked the small print?
:
Is the manipulation a design of the SFL and SPL – all of a sudden agreeing to merge and introduce 1 promotion and 1 play off from the Championship?
Seems minds were changed very quickly to ‘promote’ the idea after so many years of opposition?
Famous song says:
November 3, 2014 at 7:18 am
Announcement on AIM that Derek Llambias has been appointed a non executive director of RIFC.
==========================================
Obviously a man on a mission and heading fast for his objective. I wonder if the ‘cheerio’ payment has been worked-out yet or will that be left until he’s higher up the food chain?
I’ve read a number of suggestions about fans having some kind of protest at the Celtic – Sevco game.
Would it not be most appropriate if all Celtic and any neutral fans at the match stood and held a minute’s silence in memory of the deceased club?
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
ecobhoy says:
November 3, 2014 at 11:34 am
0 0 Rate This
Famous song says:
November 3, 2014 at 7:18 am
Announcement on AIM that Derek Llambias has been appointed a non executive director of RIFC.
==========================================
Obviously a man on a mission and heading fast for his objective. I wonder if the ‘cheerio’ payment has been worked-out yet or will that be left until he’s higher up the food chain?
……………………….
It’s worked – shares up nearly 10% already !
jimlarkin says:
November 3, 2014 at 11:43 am
A little quicker than I thought.
I wonder what this signals in terms of
A Ashley’s intentions
&
B Whether a deal has been done with SFA/SPFL re the Ashley control issue?
Well the City has always liked wage caps, high unemployment and austerity in general. The way I read it is that a hike in share price in reaction to the appointment of Llambias to the TRFC Board is not good news down Govan way. 😎
jimlarkin says:
November 3, 2014 at 10:58 am
Did Donald Findlay QC phone in and repeat what he said at the weekend
. . . That The Rangers playing at Ibrox now, are not the same entity as Rangers were, when he was on the ibrox board !?
===========================================================
Just my non-legal brain thinking but could this utterance from from Mr Findlay, widely regarded as a top legal brain, be construed as “Counsel’s Opinion” ?
Under normal circumstances, (I know, I know!), this would carry a massive input to any dispute, just short of a judge’s opinion in a court of law. 💡 😉
scapaflow says:
November 3, 2014 at 12:44 pm
===============================
I’ve asked the following question of the SFA, I think we are all aware of the chances of a response 🙄 ,
Good afternoon Darryl,
It has been widely reported that Mike Ashley has, to quote STV, “won the battle for control of Rangers”.
My simple question to the SFA is;
Is Mr Ashley’s ownership of Scottish football’s newest league club in accordance with SFA rules?
A quick check of the Scottish Football Association’s 2014—15 Handbook states;
Clause 13; its title is “Dual Interest In Clubs”.
To be brief, it says that no one can have a dual interest in two different football clubs without the prior written consent of the Board of the SFA.
My understanding is, the SFA gave permission for him to have no more than 10% of The Rangers shares. He may not ‘own the shares’ but he certainly controls, and his placemen are running, the Ibrox club from tip to toe.
Clause 13,1 (b) (iii) defines an interest as including having:
“any power whatsoever to influence the management or administration of a club”.
Clause 13.5 (a).
“club” means any club in membership of the Scottish FA and any club in membership of an association in membership of UEFA and/or FIFA”.
Mr Ashley has actually take control of the latest club to play at Ibrox, does Mr Ashely have the prior written consent of the SFA Board?
Regards
Just seen a copy of today’s Sun at work. ’89 days to go’. Where do you start?
I don’t envy him, but I perceive how Celtic field the media and their questions about this vile fixture as a test of Peter Lawwell’ leadership. The blatant goading and misquoting of our players and manager when there was merely a one in three prospect was disgusting enough.
valentinesclown says:
November 3, 2014 at 11:29 am
‘… Donald Findlay stated the truth without fear or favour and this is the way ahead.’
———
For all my criticism of auld Archie, I may be suffering from auld geezer syndrome myself, for I could have sworn I’d put a post last night which I don’t see now!
It was in reference to Big Pink’s earlier post about the possible beginnings of a change in attitudes among at least some Bears.
I was suggesting that the really massive problem in the way of any ‘truth and reconciliation’ is the 5-way Agreement.
IF the Parties to that agreement ‘fessed up that it was a diabolical deal with the devil, and agreed that:
TRFC would not be allowed to claim that they were RFC, or be credited with the ‘history’ of what had been RFC
and that RFC (IL) be stripped of all honours and titles won under the cheating SDM (with possible accomplices in high places), then there MIGHT just be the basis for discussion of a ‘settlement’, part of which MIGHTt possibly include the retrospective legitimisation of TRFC.
I think I had reached the point of observing that the parties to the 5-way agreement [which will eventually come into the public forum!]would have to agree to release themselves from their highly secret blood-oath never to divulge even the fact of the existence of the agreement!
But I must somehow not have pressed the ‘Post Comment’ button, because I see no such post now? 🙁
Or was I dreaming, fantasising that the scoundrels will ever have the grace to do anything other than set their lying faces against breaking ranks and making restitution? Baddies all hanging together in the box-canyon while the goodies quietly work away to smoke them out?
Five all Premiership ties in the 4th round of the cup
(Or if you live in the world of Gordon Strachan, seven.)
Bryce Curdy says:
November 3, 2014 at 1:47 pm
Stock answer from any Celtic employee should be
“The league cup is a wonderful competition and we will be doing our best to win it. However the semi is a few months away and in the meantime we have more pressing matters to deal with such as getting to top our our country’s premier division and progressing in Europe. As for T’Rangers, while they have to business in their own way, I would respectfully suggest they first need to be concentrating on catching a rampant and entertaining young Hearts team.”
Maybe it’s me, or my pc, but that’s another post of mine gone into ether land without trace?
(It was my pc- or,rather, my ineptitude in using it!)
Bawsman says:
November 3, 2014 at 1:19 pm
————————————————————–
As we are all aware of the chance of a response from Darryl I thought it might be fun if posters gave their imagined response. Here’s mine –
Good afternoon Bawsman,
Mr Ashley does not own Rangers yet.
Mr Ashley does not breach Clause 13,1 (b) (iii) as he only has one associate as a Director (with another possible) and there are already 3 other existing Directors who could outvote his 2 nominees.
Regards
Dersatzarryl
P. S. Let me ask you an internet bampot question. I suspect Mr. Ashley could have us over a barrel on dual ownership. We expect the Rangers accounts to be published soon with a going concern qualification that an open share offer underwritten by him is required. We could be left with the choice of having to allow him to go over the previously agreed 10%, even to as much as over 50%, or refuse to allow the share offer to be underwritten by him and get the blame if the club suffers an insolvency event. In order to minimise the criticism we get, do you think we should give our approval before the accounts are published or after?
Bryce Curdy says:
November 3, 2014 at 1:47 pm
Just seen a copy of today’s Sun at work. ’89 days to go’. Where do you start?
—————————————————————
I heard Gordon Smart (Hibs fan), Scottish Sun editor, on Talksport earlier this season talking very candidly about the Old Firm fixture. He stated each fixture was worth a significant sum (I seem to remember £250k TMBW) to his paper in increased circulation in the 7 days prior and 3 days after and although he did not miss the game, his paper certainly did.
Having missed out on at least 12 matches they are merely starting as early as possible to make up as much of the financial shortfall as they can. The misquoting and exaggerating ad nauseam is purely to maximise profit. Sadly, a commercial reality for this part of the football industry
Bawsman says:
November 3, 2014 at 1:19 pm
I applaud your indefatigability. Well done.
weeman says:
November 3, 2014 at 2:56 pm
_______________________________________
Hilarious PS. 😆
Unusually for me had a wee read of the Metro at lunchtime. A small piece told of a £10m pay day for pubs from that tie. What was interesting was that it told of Rangers being demoted to the bottom tier, following liquidation, progress of any sort is to be welcomed 🙂
scapaflow says:
November 3, 2014 at 12:44 pm
jimlarkin says:
November 3, 2014 at 11:43 am
I wonder what this signals in terms of A: Ashley’s intentions & B: Whether a deal has been done with SFA/SPFL re the Ashley control issue?
=========================================================
Quite a few smallish trades – all buys – which have raised the share value on the day approx 10%.
Could mean anything but I would bet on either someone or a group trying to get 75% of the shareholding or another party attempting to prevent them reaching the 75% level.
That’s the percentage needed to disapply the pre-emption rights for existing shareholders so a critical figure for the two opposed camps.
Of course it could be something else entirely – including the SFA doing a deal with Ashley – that’s caused the flurry 😕
ecobhoy says:
November 3, 2014 at 3:49 pm
It’s hard to say, wouldn’t really describe the market in RIFC shares as a normal market, which makes it even harder to get a handle on what’s going on.
ecobhoy says:
November 3, 2014 at 3:49 pm
I wonder what will happen if a rival faction within the Ibrox saga scuppers Ashley’s plans. Will he just leave, providing no more loans and making it clear he will be calling up the current loan as soon as it is due? In which case, unless some wealthy bears are very organised, with a good few million on standby, I’d suspect it would be straight into administration, probably before the Ashley loan is spent (if it’s not gone already). I’d imagine this would be pretty catastrophic (unless it is actually part of someone’s plans) for all concerned, though Ashley can afford to lose some of his ‘pocket money’, TRFC would probably be caught in disarray as whatever plans they might have (to continue trading) will, almost certainly, be totally reliant on Ashley’s cash.
As was seen with Whyte’s plans for administration, once something not within these plans happens, events seem to run away out of control, with liquidation only a creditors’ vote away.
My thoughts are that the anti-Ashley faction better have more than just plans in place, because as soon as he realises his foray into Govan isn’t going to pay off (if that becomes the case), he will bale out and not give two hoots to what happens to the wreckage left behind.
Of course, this could well be the plan (of Findlay’s mates) to let the current club die (hence the opening salvo from Findlay) then hoover up what’s left, perhaps without any of the onerous contracts! I’m sure they’d rather face a battle that doesn’t involve Ashley than one with him trying to save face (or make money from).
Are advance payments for reaching the LC semis payable under the 5 way Agreement?
wottpi says:
November 3, 2014 at 2:27 pm
Celtic employees have a very fine line to tread over the next three months between not inflaming the very highly inflammable whilst not legitimising the unlegitimisable.
It`ll take another 2m `loan` to get to the `fixture`. There’s no financial director or CEO on board at the moment and the AIM NOMAD thing is outstanding, as are accounts which I would presume need all three of the above posts to be filled asap. Clock is ticking on timing for a mid-December AGM.
Not seeing any reason for MA to get more involved than completing the `Badge Package`.
If MA completes the `Badge / Retail Package` he controls Marketing / & part of TV revenues
He`ll need a functioning football club to realise this `investment`
But that may be a medium term aspiration whilst the Courts clear the decks IMO
Just some blether 😉
mtp
GoosyGoosy says: November 3, 2014 at 4:44 pm
Are advance payments for reaching the LC semis payable under the 5 way Agreement?
========================
The receipts for the two semis are shared between the four clubs, as per SPFL rules.
8.5. In each tie in the Semi-Final Round of the Competition, after paying match expenses, 5% of the net receipts will be retained by the League and 20% of the remaining balance will be deducted and paid as ground rent to the respective Clubs which provided the neutral venues. The remaining receipts from both ties shall be pooled and divided equally among the four competing Clubs.
Big jump in the share price today. Up 4p to 24.5p.
Several small trades but little volume (no trades of more than 10,000 shares) though, which suggests something’s afoot.
easyJambo says:
November 3, 2014 at 5:26 pm
Big jump in the share price today. Up 4p to 24.5p.
Several small trades but little volume (no trades of more than 10,000 shares) though, which suggests something’s afoot
___
Silly Bears are buying shares
Shares in what exactly nobody really knows
But Bears seem to like parting with cash to fund spiv enriching
No idea why this should continue but it does
#yetmoresqueezingthelastdropofthisdisgracefulexploitation
mtp
http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/deila-we-have-to-keep-our-total-focus-30711512.html
Clearly not from a Scottish hack
the taxman cometh says:
November 2, 2014 at 1:30 pm
“On the subject of image rights, I walked past a William hill today and it had posters in the window of us and sevco, whilst quite clearly being sevco I noticed the badge had been blurred out? Yet ours wasn’t?”
——————
I noticed this as I was passing a bookies today (not sure which company). There were three players shown in the window posters; Celtic, Rangers and Liverpool. The Rangers scroll crest and five stars badge had been blurred but was still distinguishable for what it was. The Celtic and Liverpool logos were crystal clear.
But I thought Darryl said that what goes on in a PLC is not within the SFA’s remit to interfere with or comment on? It WAS the Celtic PLC’s AGM wasn’t it?
shawfieldtoteboard says:
November 3, 2014 at 6:18 pm
___
Assorted individuals are creaming off big money
It`ll go on as long as WE are culpably blindsided by in on the game SMSM
More blether I know but??
Not right what`s now going on,
but there are plenty paid public servants doing nothing obviously pragmatic at all
That`s gotta change in time, it must
mtp
Can anyone confirm where the semi finals will be held
Have the SSB presenters developed a kind of collective madness? Postively droolng at the prospect of one upcoming match. Poor old Neil Lennon is on having to react to questions amidst the hysteria. I read Phil’s blog referring to Saturday’s SSB and totally agree. It continues.
While talking up that fixture there was talking down of St Johnstone and Motherwell. Scottish football was described as ‘unsustainable’ (Keevins) with clubs like that due to their their tiny support. :irony:
No thought given as to why their support maybe smaller than other clubs. Apart from smaller populations there is one other glaring reason to do with not supporting your local team, not mentioned.
I think what Keevins and others aren’t equipped to deal with intellectually is that Scottish Football is unsustainable as long as people like him portray it as all about two clubs with everyone else as a sideshow.
The contempt that these MSM dinosaurs have for everything outside of the Old Firm bubble is so thick you can touch it.
Scottish football is in fact unsustainable because the MSM have a complete loathing of it. You only have to listen to and read their words over the last few years for evidence of that.
Their only passion in football terms is for a glorified Battle of the Boyne re-enactment four times a season.
If we can fix that single-figure IQ handicap, we can fix Scottish football.
they will want to walk up the share price as much as possible prior to any new share issue
Castofthousands says:
November 3, 2014 at 5:57 pm
Ditto
‘BBC Scotland refuse to commit to showing first Old Firm clash in three years’
– It hasn’t decided whether it will televise the Rangers versus Celtic clash.
– It will mark the first time since the historic rivals have played each other since April 2012.
– A spokesman said yesterday: “No decision has been made on whether we will broadcast the Rangers and Celtic game.
– Last time the rivals met in 2012, Celtic ran out 3-0 winners while Rangers fought to stave off financial meltdown off the pitch.
– The Ibrox club were later relegated from the Premiership to League Two after plunging into liquidation.
The above is exactly why so many Celtic (and now those of other clubs) fans believe there is a Pro-Rangers bias within The Scottish Establishment, instances like this is how paranoia was allowed to grow arms and legs and also one of the reasons I was happy to see Rangers go to the wall.
The above piece is not a case of stupidity, ignorance or just plain laziness, it is a calculated agenda driven policy that has existed for as long as I have been following football and will never change as long as Rangers are seen to be alive and kicking.
Examples of this unspoken rule have been a talking point among Celtic fans for decades, I have many examples that I always used to look out for including but not limited to ‘Walter’, *Dignity’ and ‘Mr’. However, today, two (see below) of my favourites appeared in the same Daily Record piece.
Welcome back lamb munchers, seems like you have never really been away….
1. When talking about both teams, always mention Rangers first.
2. Any Celtic win against Rangers should be excused or seen from a negative standpoint.