A guest blog by former Celtic & Scotland defender, Jim Craig
“What time is this to come back?”
Dolores McCann (her Mother had been a great fan of foreign films) stood in that classic pose of the wounded woman – up to her full height and chin forward – as she glared at her husband who had just come in the front door. Before he could say a word, she gave him another volley;
“you left the house at half-past-two for a three o’clock kick-off, it only takes you 20 minutes to get to the ground, a match lasts only one-and-a-half hours plus ten minutes for the break and you’ve just walked back in the door at half-past-seven! So where the hell were you?”.
Wayne McCann (his father liked Westerns) tried to calm her down.
“Dolores, you don’t know what it’s like at football matches nowadays ; it has changed out of all recognition; a match goes on for much longer”.
“In what way?” Dolores asked.
“Well, for a start, the players and even the managers can complain about any decision that is given against them. If that happens, the referee then goes and has a word with firstly, the two assistant referees, then the fourth official and gets their comments before he reflects on the situation. If he is still in any doubt that he made the wrong decision then he can ask the guy upstairs sitting in front of a television screen what he thinks. And, of course, all through this, the managers and players of both teams can chip in with their comments. That all adds a fair bit of time to the match”.
“Aye…but turning up at half-past-seven is still a bit over the top…is it no’?”
“Well, no’ really……you see, nowadays you are not allowed to have a drawn game, so if the match is level at the full-time whistle, there is extra time, which takes a minimum of half-an-hour”.
“The time is still no’ matching up!”
“Aye, mibbe so, if that was the end of the match. But if the match is still level at the end of extra-time, then it goes to a penalty shoot-out. I told you…you are not allowed a drawn game”.
“ A penalty shoot-out disnae take long”.
“That might have been the case at one time but because so many keepers were being accused of moving before the ball was kicked, nowadays they are strapped in to a harness which anchors them in the middle of the goal. They can only move when the foot of the guy who is taking the penalty actually touches the ball. So, after each kick, the keeper has to be put back into the harness and it all starts again. And, of course, you get the complaints from the managers and players that the harness wasnae working properly or that the officials who put the harness on didnae put it on right. That all adds up to the time factor”.
“Did you go to the pub?”
“As God is my judge, Dolores, after the match finished, I came straight here”.
“Who won anyway?”
“That’s a difficult question… there was so much noise and kerfuffle both on the pitch and in the stands, nobody was quite sure what the final score was. And the guy who usually does the announcing had gone home. Somebody said that he had a date. Anyway, if you let me turn on the radio, I’ll hear the score there. And Dolores?”
“Yes”
Wayne walked over to the drinks cabinet and took out a couple of glasses. “I don’t suppose you would fancy a wee drink”
We will leave the smooth-talking Wayne to his attempts to mollify Dolores and reflect on the situation. What you have just read is probably the ultimate scenario for those who wish to tamper with the current rules of football. Do I think that the game needs radical changes like that? No but I do think that some change is necessary and in one specific circumstance.
Now, I was a professional footballer for 9 years and in all that time, I can put my hand on my heart and state with complete conviction that I never pulled any other player’s jersey. Did I try to half him in two with a tackle, yes! But no jersey-pulling. And, of course, I was penalised for the challenge.
Today, though, I feel that there is a lot of body-checking and jersey-pulling going on in every match. Very often the referee lets it go and then you get the ridiculous scenario at a corner kick when all those waiting for the ball to come in are pulling and pushing, with the referee watching it and ignoring it. It is a foul, ref!
When the referee decides that an offence has been committed, then the player will be spoken to first. If he does it again, he will be given a yellow-card. The problem is, though, that the offence might possibly have affected the play in the match, whereas the yellow card does not affect the player’s participation.
If the player is daft enough to do it again, then of course he gets another yellow and will be off. Most, however, are sensible and keep the head, so they go unpunished as far as the current match is concerned. What we have to find is a punishment that affects the match in which the transgression occurred. Which means that we have to consider the sin bin.
This works very well in rugby and gives the referee a means to punish an offence a little more harshly – yet more efficiently – than a yellow card but without having to go for the ultimate, drastic – and for many unpalatable – option of the red card. I hope it comes in soon.
I think this was suggested here before, but if there is any justice in the world…
I would love it, just love it 😉 if King was arrested on Sunday.
Of course, I am assuming King will actually be at Hampden to support his club/team in their biggest game of the season.
And to add to his dourness, he should only be lifted AFTER the game has finished!
Wishful thinking on my part, but it could top off a super Sunday.
Absolutely!
FAN OF FOOTBALLAPRIL 13, 2018 at 20:58
If you type The Rangers Football Club LTD statement into google it leads you to the official site and there is a link to Dave King ,click on the link and it lists all his statements with reference to club this and club that continually calling him chairman .
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That would put a smile on my face.But i bet any ibrox fan doing it will have other expressions
STEVIEBCAPRIL 13, 2018 at 21:08
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As the camera pans, to an empty seat would say a lot more
JC / CO
There is a podcast with king on that site that should be sent to the SFA with the question .
Is this the same dave king that you declared not fit and proper to be on the board of a scottish football club .
Truly astounding
The SFA can be tough when it suits them. Just depends what kind of mood they are in. They are an emotional lot. Sometimes their hearts rule their heads.
jimboApril 13, 2018 at 21:45
‘….The SFA can be tough when it suits them. Just depends what kind of mood they are in. They are an emotional lot. ‘
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No, jimbo!
They have proved to be a dishonest, unprincipled Sports Governance body over many years now in relation to the Liquidation saga, and, allegedly, party to a conspiracy to slide millions of pounds to the unentitled, hugely financially distressed club once owned by SDM, which in spite of that, still went into the grubber, never to rise again, but died, stripped of dignity.
We will get them.
Read it again John. Their hearts rule their heads. Their beloved Rangers/ Sevco was my inference. I’m agreeing with you. Always have.
A poor attempt at satire.
jimboApril 13, 2018 at 23:05
My apologies.
‘..A poor attempt at satire…’
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No, my lack of literary sophistication!
And, I will add, that while some of the principal baddies were indeed motivated by ‘club loyalty’, I can see that others might have been motivated by ( a hugely mistaken) notion of the ‘good of Scottish Football’.
But of course, the readiness of a Sport’s governance body to jettison personal and professional integrity AND sporting integrity to protect and defend cheating is not at all ‘good for Scottish Football’, and never could be.
No matter which club was/is the cheating club.
Essentially, the cheating behaviour of one club was monstrous.
Even more monstrous was/is the cheating that the Sport’s Governance body,for whatever reason, was party to.
And we know that they know that they are dishonourable wretches of men in office, who have sadly abused their office of trust.
They are like Macbeth, I suppose, when he says ” “I am in blood stepped in so far that should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er”.
That is, they ( our Sport’s governance body) have so far defended and protected cheating that there is no way back for them, so they have to keep protecting and defending the cheating in hopes of getting out of the mess.
Hence the constant urging that we should all ‘move on’, the insistence that nothing has changed, that TRFC LTd is the very Rangers of 1872, that Dave King is not to be questioned, that the ‘old firm’ is alive and well, and that football hacks had better toe the line and sing the party song or else!
It gars me greet!
The peepil at the SFA are all good honest peepil running a fair honest game don’t ye know .
The same was said about J Farry and IIRC he was exonerated in two SFA internal inquiries ,how did that one pan out ,when the investigation was taken out of the SFA ‘s hands .
Least we forget who was JF sidekick in the registration department at that time ,none other than S Bryson ,Yes that’s right the same S Bryson that all these years later gave us the most ludicrous interpretation of the SFA rule (comic )book in living memory .
It’s just a simple coincidence that it happened to be for the very same club that benefited from J Farry’s indecresion .
So forgive me for not awaiting the CO outcome with baited breath ,I will hang on till a real investigation gets underway
There’s a lot in what you say John. For example Regan & Doncaster, how could they have any deep love for Rangers or Sevco. Englishmen, up here recently, no boyhood heroes history. No, they fall into the camp of ‘for the good of Scottish football’. Completely wrong of course and dishonest. And, very very ambitious in a selfish way. Maybe they didn’t realise the Pandoras Box they were opening when they signed off on the 5 way agreement. But from then on, they were in it up to their necks and cannot get out.
Like Tony Blair. He will go to his death bed still trying to justify invading Iraq. Even though the whole world and his dog have accused him of war mongering. He has since admitted mistakes, but has never apologised. Still thinks it was worth it for regime change. Many thousands died. The place has been in turmoil ever since.
You can but wish there was enough humanity in these tyrants at Hampden to admit their mistakes and apologise. Confession is good for the soul and all that. Be at peace with themselves.
As for the others – Ogilvie et al, I despair. They are all Real Rangers Men through and through. They are the ones who let their hearts rule their heads. Add to that their corruptive natures and you have an admix of attitudes which results in never saying sorry. No surrender, if you like.
From DR / Gary Ralston / Level42;
“Graeme Murty tells Rangers rebel David Bates he’s chosen greed over improving his game
…
[Murty said]”…What he wanted was excessive and it wasn’t something we could or were prepared to pay.”
…”
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This young, promising football player is a mere 21 years old.
Like most kids, I didn’t know much about the big, bad world at 21. (Even though I thought I did!)
But this headline / article is despicable on 2 counts.
First: a national paper has tarnished the reputation of a young player…because he got a much better deal in a free market.
But Level42 – I suspect – have cruelly prepared the piece to deflect from the fact that TRFC just couldn’t afford to keep a promising youngster.
And the DR has obediently copy/pasted, as per.
Second: TRFC and the SMSM both desperately cling to the lie that Rangers FC still exists. The club which entered liquidation because it attracted (greedy) players on huge wages and tax free loans, which the club couldn’t afford to pay in the normal, legitimate manner.
Another reason why I will be ecstatic when there is no football team playing out of Ibrox.
Best of luck to David Bates in his foreign adventures.
STEVIEBCAPRIL 14, 2018 at 08:24
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Bates apparently wanted £7500 a week to stay at Ibrox. Leaving aside any argument of what he is really worth Hamburg obviously think he is worth more than Rangers were prepared to pay him. Let’s not forget bigger Scottish clubs would not take a chance on Paul Lambert when he left Motherwell on a Bosman. He went to Germany and the rest is history, so who knows with Bates. It’s the sympathetic media coverage that hacks me off. Rangers clearly saw this guy as a key player for the future. They pay fortunes to people like Alves and Pena but can’t muster a much lower amount for Bates, yet HE is being portrayed as the bad guy.
UPTHEHOOPSAPRIL 14, 2018 at 08:47
They pay fortunes to people like Alves and Pena, is the reason they have not enough money left to pay to keep their young talent
StevieBCApril 14, 2018 at 08:24
From DR / Gary Ralston / Level42;
“Graeme Murty tells Rangers rebel David Bates he’s chosen greed over improving his game…[Murty said]”…What he wanted was excessive and it wasn’t something we could or were prepared to pay.”…”=============This young, promising football player is a mere 21 years old.Like most kids, I didn’t know much about the big, bad world at 21. (Even though I thought I did!)But this headline / article is despicable on 2 counts.First: a national paper has tarnished the reputation of a young player…because he got a much better deal in a free market.But Level42 – I suspect – have cruelly prepared the piece to deflect from the fact that TRFC just couldn’t afford to keep a promising youngster.And the DR has obediently copy/pasted, as per.Second: TRFC and the SMSM both desperately cling to the lie that Rangers FC still exists. The club which entered liquidation because it attracted (greedy) players on huge wages and tax free loans, which the club couldn’t afford to pay in the normal, legitimate manner.Another reason why I will be ecstatic when there is no football team playing out of Ibrox.Best of luck to David Bates in his foreign adventures.
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Bang on, Stevie, and just to illustrate the truth of it, take the SMSM’s coverage of TRFC’s attempts to pick up Jamie Walker from Hearts (on the never, never) and how he was being ‘held back/to ransom’ by the club he was still under contract to, and contrast it with this absolute TRFC/Level5 PR nonsense. The stance taken in each case is the exact opposite of the other. With TRFC, forever the ‘wronged’ party!
It is true, and very accurate to say, that the SMSM coverage of Bate’s transfer is reminiscent of the reaction from some Hearts supporters to Jamie Walker’s protracted departure (though he ended up at Wigan). However unfair such criticism and name calling might be, it is at least understandable on a supporters’ forum. But then…is there actually any difference between the two, other than the teams supported?
The duplicity from the SMSM, the SFA and SPFL, and, of course, Ibrox, is the only sign of transparency we ever get from them all! So transparent we can all see through it instantly! No ‘Slow Glass’ (credit to Auldheid) here.
Rangers plunged into Administration in 2012 and later went into Liquidation.
————–April 14,2018.
why this article is released today and not last year during the time of the Craig Whyte trial i don’t know.
May be a subliminal message to the bears to get the tin hats on for just a couple of weeks
Cluster OneApril 14, 2018 at 11:23
I’m stunned by that, CO. The Sun actually publishing a line or two of truth! A truth that they, along with the rest of the SMSM, have steadfastly refused to acknowledge since Green introduced the lie in 2012.
I expect an apology from them will appear within a day or two.
CLUSTER ONE
APRIL 14, 2018 at 11:23
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How random is that, hardly a “story” just some random nonsense.
As you ask, why was this published today. What’s the context.
ALLYJAMBOAPRIL 14, 2018 at 11:32
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would love to see that retraction as it would have to be followed by another apology that the article was correct.
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just wondered why this article has appeared now and not last year
CLUSTER ONE
APRIL 14, 2018 at 09:28
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The young talent whose development must surely be part of any sustainable business model.
Scottish clubs need to be developing players and selling them on at a profit. It is an essential income stream. The ideal scenario is several good seasons helping a club compete and then they move on for a healthy profit. There just isn’t enough money in the game without that.
This is nothing new, it has been a fundamental part of Scottish football for as long as I can remember. The years of clubs spending more than they were earning, some more than others, only masked that reality. Celtic were £18m in debt when getting to the UEFA final, unsustainable madness.
I have to laugh at the managers bunkum that he is putting greed ahead of his footballing development. Is he suggesting that Rangers could have developed and improved the player but Hamburg can’t do that.
HOMUNCULUSAPRIL 14, 2018 at 11:33
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CLUSTER ONEAPRIL 14, 2018 at 11:23====================================
How random is that, hardly a “story” just some random nonsense.
As you ask, why was this published today. What’s the context.
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put much better than me.
HOMUNCULUSAPRIL 14, 2018 at 11:39
I have to laugh at the managers bunkum that he is putting greed ahead of his footballing development. Is he suggesting that Rangers could have developed and improved the player but Hamburg can’t do that.
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And stay and win medals.Let’s not beat about the bush here.
sometimes you just have to laugh.
Phil Gordon, The Independent Sep. 1997
“A feudal nature has characterised the SFA’s relationship with players, managers, clubs, fans and media over the years. It has played the role of Lord of the Manor while everyone was treated with the kind of disdain your average serf was given around the Middle Ages.”
“The irony is that the SFA is probably the world’s least accountable organisation. It has, frankly, never given a damn what anyone thinks.”
It was speaking on the debacle that Jim Farry wanted the Scotland game to go ahead on the day of Princess Di’s funeral.
That was about twenty years ago.
It would seem the main characters might change, the plots in the drama will change but the SFA remains constant. Not until Farry locked horns with Fergus McCann was he exposed for what he was. Of course they had to go outwith Hampden before justice could be done. Farry was sacked in disgrace. Pity his sidekick Bryson didn’t go with him.
The whole Bates story and how the views on him have changed in the last 48 hours are a rather amusing example of the fickle nature of football fans as a whole. Before he was moving to Germany, most Rangers fans I knew and certainly on forums talked about how he was a future Rangers and Scotland captain. The best defensive prospect in the league. Opposition fans had a somewhat more realistic view that he was a fairly decent young defender. Fast forward 48 hours and our schizophrenic self exiled blogger is stating he’s a £10m prospect, the rival fans talk about how we’ve lost our best player and all of a sudden to Rangers fans he’s a ‘poor mans Danny Wilson’
. The truth as always is somewhere in between. This isn’t just a Scottish football phenomena as I’ve seen it all the time in the EPL but for some reason this just seems more stark an example.
The MUrty reaction to Bates move is no more than a version of we are the people and the hubris central to that. The lad was at Raith then to TRFC on loan first I believe. That itself would indicate the state of the Ibrox economy not not that perhaps he has a true understanding of the inherent fragility of any football career. For him to move to Germany and the life experience that gives would be compelling even without multiplying his income by a factor of perhaps 10.
there was talk of TRFC making a profit of £100,000 before normal factors of depreciation etc. It is unclear from that whether or not the expenses omitted things which should have been done but we’re not. For example it appears that insufficient funds have been spent on upkeep of the stadium and training ground all that does is to delay cost and perhaps increase them later not only that but it can reduce income until work has been done.
Having said that I used to love going to Brockville in its latter days with all its dilapidation and poor facilities perhaps the miasma of dry rot and steam from the bare wall urinals remembered from there is making proustian memories.
All the best to the boy. I hate this ‘no ambition, lured away by money’ nonsense. I could see that if he was going to some lowly side in China but he’s not. He’s got a great life experience of playing in Germany and football is such a volatile uncertain career he’s got to look after him and his family first. Poor comments by Murty and quite disappointing from him in my opinion.
jimboApril 14, 2018 at 12:05
‘…Of course they had to go outwith Hampden before justice could be done. ‘
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And I say again that if it had been possible for the Celtic shareholders to go to law (rather than let the SFA carry out its own CO investigation) as soon as there appeared to be a serious possibility that they had been victims of a conspiracy to defraud them, the dirty nest might well have been emptied long since, and one or to undesirables might still be in the pokey.
Who knows? That might still happen.
DARKBEFOREDAWN
APRIL 14, 2018 at 12:11
… the rival fans talk about how we’ve lost our best player …
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I don’t know what rivals (of Rangers) fans forums you are reading but I don’t know of anyone who thinks Rangers have lost their best player.
Personally I think he is a decent young centre back who could develop into a very good player given the proper coaching, opportunities and luck. Hardly Rangers’ best player though.
In the past two days both Martin O’Neill (on Talksport), and Mark Lawrenson (on BBC) have opined that Scotland ‘needs’ a strong Rangers. Neither of those two gents have Rangers in their blood, and O’Neill’s Celtic was up against a financially doped, tax cheating Rangers so their views puzzle me, however they are only two of many to state the same view. So how is a ‘strong’ Rangers supposed to work? Let’s consider the possibilities.
1. A genuine billionaire with deep pockets throws money at them that he/she doesn’t mind losing? If that was going to happen it would have happened by now.
2. A bank gives them a huge overdraft facility similar to what they once had with the Bank of Scotland? However, there are no Scottish owned banks left who see Rangers at the top as good for business so rule that out as well.
3. They cheat on the tax they owe to get better players they can afford? The ship has sailed on that one.
4. They are given taxpayers money to buy better players? Not even in Scotland.
5. They are given lottery funding to buy better players? Not even in Scotland.
6. The SFA redirect the money Celtic got from the Champions League to Rangers instead? Not even in Scotland.
So how do Rangers become ‘strong’?
UTH, I read recently (might have been on Ibrox Noise) some wishful thinking that Ibrox be redeveloped to accommodate a safe standing area and increase the capacity to 60k. Thereby giving them a chance of parity with Celtic financially.
I think that was looked at previously with David Murray (especially by using those corners) but was found to be impossible.
The problem too is that if Celtic wanted they could build a new two tier main stand – completing the bowl – and increase the capacity to somewhere between 70k – 80k. It’s not needed of course other than about 6 occasions per year. But Dermott Desmond might just do it to spite them.
I believe the talk was of a LOSS of £100,000 before deductions
JIMBOAPRIL 14, 2018 at 15:30
UTH, I read recently (might have been on Ibrox Noise) some wishful thinking that Ibrox be redeveloped to accommodate a safe standing area and increase the capacity to 60k. Thereby giving them a chance of parity with Celtic financially.
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How on earth could they fund that without a friendly bank to call on?
As I said, wishful thinking. But it’s why Murray had dreams of a new stadium with a retractable roof, floating pitch & casino etc. How things have changed. They can’t afford a proper overhaul of the roofs. Rumour has it.
upthehoopsApril 14, 2018 at 15:13n the past two days both Martin O’Neill (on Talksport), and Mark Lawrenson (on BBC) have opined that Scotland ‘needs’ a strong Rangers.
its funny that all the radio stations never bring on guys to say we need a strong Hibs and Hearts and Aberdeen, in fact why not a strong Scottish SPL pumped with money, i mean if the clubs mentioned were finacially strong it does not matter the size of the crowd as TV revenue is the key, Burnley, Huddersfields,Watford,Hull to name a few and their like are not exactly big crpwd pullers, but their player squad are worth more than most of the teams below Celtic.
Could you imagine the arrogance, if the humbling and death had not taking place, they cannot even accept their fate when they are dead.So why a Rangers of some sort because of the crowd, this means nothing. MON is talikng out a hole in his erse, he is a money man and looks to his next gig and will say what the media wish to hear if the price is right. What ML says is of no importance when did he last roll up for a gig in Scotland. Media muppets.
SCOTTC
Loss of 105k
Money has been spent on the stadium, hospitality suites have been brought up to standard after years of neglect.
Work will begin on the overcladding of the the Sandy Jardine stand roof at the seasons conclusion.
Very sad that MON would come out and say something like that. He was one of the cheated ones.
Scottish football needs a strong Arbroath.
DarkbeforedawnApril 14, 2018 at 12:32Poor comments by Murty and quite disappointing from him in my opinion.
Are you still hanging onto Murty comments, do you honestlty think those are mutys words, dear oh dear. Sevco are not able to afford to keep boys like Bates McKay or Gilmour, they have no money to invest in them, its quick buck to Alves in the hope to apppease the fans and make a quick buck in the competitions and season books. 7.5K is not a lot to ask today for a first team player who was playing alongside guys his own age in the Tierneys bracket etc and holding his own.
Jim traynor runs Sevco…..into the ground
Before anyone pulls me up, I know the Rangers MON faced was the original club and the club he is speaking about now is the new club. But the current board at Ibrox have adopted the same attitude as the previous club. The same superior attitude, thinking way above their reality. Just like David Murray. Moonbeams.
18470 attendance today at Hampden. Terrible to see on TV. Why don’t they hold a semi like that at Tynecastle or Easter Rd. ?
jimboApril 14, 2018 at 16:4418470 attendance today at Hampden. Terrible to see on TV. Why don’t they hold a semi like that at Tynecastle or Easter Rd. ?
was thinking the same today find a middle ground for travel and have it there. The showpiece semi and an empty stadium, sort of makes a mockery of the guff at the build up.
BigBoab, I don’t think the Gilmour deal was too bad considering the money we got for a guy not having played in the first team. McKay was a joke – to let him go for so little and replace him with £3m must be among the worst dealings in the history of our club (and when you look at guys like Mladenovic, Ball and Sandaza that’s saying a lot!!). Bates was no world beater but would have been a good squad player and if the rumours of what he was looking for is true then I can see why he would leave. He wasn’t looking for much in comparison with Alves and Cordosa. It’s definitely bad business by the club, but I stand by my earlier comment it’s not the end of the world.
upthehoopsApril 14, 2018 at 15:45
JIMBOAPRIL 14, 2018 at 15:30UTH, I read recently (might have been on Ibrox Noise) some wishful thinking that Ibrox be redeveloped to accommodate a safe standing area and increase the capacity to 60k. Thereby giving them a chance of parity with Celtic financially.=========================How on earth could they fund that without a friendly bank to call on?
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When Murray bought Rangers he created a belief that he was much richer than he actually was, and not only did this benefit Rangers, it allowed him to borrow the millions he would not otherwise have been able to borrow to finance his burgeoning steel empire. He, or rather those unlucky enough to have trusted their working lives and pensions to him, now know the truth of that fabulous wealth.
But. The veneer of wealth can often work – if you are without conscience, and care not who you hurt or ruin. That veneer worked for Murray, and now, King and co, via Level5, are no doubt trying that on again, though, this time, probably with the sole purpose of financing TRFC. (King’s own benefit would come if this tactic works)
We have seen it work, they’ve managed to attract players who believe it is Rangers they are signing for and have never looked at a balance sheet in their lives, and, like the supporters, and possible sponsors, investors etc., they have bought into the veneer as the SMSM are not even prepared to scratch the surface of that cheap varnish.
I reckon they are ‘funding’ the project on the never, never, lies and a PR strategy that goes unquestioned by those who are meant to question, in the hope that one day a genuine ‘wealth off the radar’ supporter will turn up, believing what he reads and thinks he sees.
I get the impression that many (not all) top millionaires and billionaires are crooks with suits. Same as many in top positions in the city. You would think they could sniff out a crook like King or a knight of the realm like Murray from a mile away. Likewise Chuckles Green. Takes one to know one, so to speak.
But there always seem to be plenty mugs around. Green danced with joy to get Ashley on board to encourage others into his IPO. But Ashley was no mug. He got gold plated deals on a plate as his reward.
I know that Murty’s words were perhaps formed in a galaxy far away….
It would have been interesting though if one of our intrepid SMSM had asked whether he himself would turn down the coach/manager role at Hamburg.
This opportunity coming with a substantially increased salary and the chance to show his mettle against the likes of Bayern Munich.
Scottish Football has a strong Arbroath (0-5!)
DarkbeforedawnApril 14, 2018 at 17:16McKay was a joke – to let him go for so little and replace him with £3m must be among the worst dealings in the history of our club
Surely knocking back 11 million must be the worst deal in the history of the 6 year old club.
JIMBO
APRIL 14, 2018 at 17:53
Green danced with joy to get Ashley on board to encourage others into his IPO. But Ashley was no mug. He got gold plated deals on a plate as his reward.
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If memory serves Ashley bought into Green’s limited company prior to the IPO and got the bulk of the deals put in place at that point. So they were already in place when the company became a PLC and they formed part of the IPO prospectus.
I would imagine that Ashley buying into the company encouraged other investors to do the same. Likewise the IPO, where he had his shares in the company converted to shares in the PLC.
As I have said before, I am not convinced that Ashley will not be involved with Rangers next season.
jimbo @16.44
are you kidding Jimbo , thats common sense , it will never catch on !!
A few of my CFC-supporting mates lumping their National winnings on TRFC tomorrow , for insurance and because you can’t get decent prices on the CFC markets . Would anyone on here bet against their team ?
Yes you are correct Homunculus, the deals with Ashley were before the IPO, but the aim was to give ‘comfort’ to potential investors. Ashley’s company was in the top 100 in the uk. A smart move by Green but it cost Sevco.
To this day for a host of reasons, The Rangers Retail is miniscule to Celtic’s. How many ‘Rangers’ shops are there? How many Celtic shops are there?
Bearing in mind that locally we might have roughly the same amount of supporters.
Worldwide, is a different ballgame. Forget Chuckles Green assertion that were c500m bears out there.
With the Scottish and Irish diaspora Celtic have countless more fans worldwide than Chuckles could only dream of. Countless more clubs and associations. Easily on a par with any English team including Man Utd. In every country in the world. Even the Vatican City State I’m told.
Paddy for goodness sake, how can you bet against your own team? That’s gambler talk! To think I’ve been praying to that God you don’t believe in to save Partick Thistle from relegation. it needs a miracle by the way.
Redlichtie well done! (Hope there is no East Fife fans on that I’ve offended)
Whilst I’ll always be optimistic for a game I really think our chance to get the monkey of our back was the recent 3-2 game. I just can’t see anything other than a Celtic win tomorrow
JIMBOAPRIL 14, 2018 at 19:29
Cheers , Jimbo , but we’ll be fine . Even if we’re not , we’ll be fine .
DBD, I remember saying this to you months ago. Think of your moniker. I want Celtic to win tomorrow. But in the event it doesn’t work out that way, I will think of folk like you. And feel very slightly better.
That’s what I’m saying tonight. Take care mate.
UTH 08.47
DB was offered more than 7.5k by an English championship team a month or so ago.
Wish him well and by going abroad shows a willingness to experience a different culture & Lifestyle allied to the German levels of professionalism which should help develop his game.
With motherwell in the final could this be bad news to TRFC if they don’t reach the final and begin to slip down the league.that european spot that was up for grabs just took a dunt i believe.
would be funny if the ibrox crowd could not cheer motherwell to victory incase it costs them a european spot.
DarkBeforeDawn, your fellow Rangers fan (cough) JohnJames is not amused about your description of him as “our schizophrenic self exiled blogger” and seems to have challenged you to some kind of cyber duel on his site. I’m sure he was in two minds about issuing the challenge, possibly even three or four.
BP and Tris, apparently you need to take advice on how to moderate your forum from a man who readily admits to only moderating comments from those who contribute financially to his site, with the additional proviso that all opinions must match his own, ideally contained within a suitably sycophantic comment to massage his ego.
Well colour me surprised, but excuse me if I demur.
HIGHLANDERAPRIL 14, 2018 at 22:10
Does all his blogs start with a dig at SFM and it’s contributors? He talks about SFM so often it’s a wonder we don’t get some of his cash contributors having a look in and an odd comment for Free
CO 21.51
Same could also apply to Aberdeen after todays abject performance.
HIGHLANDER
I honestly believe JJ is in need of some kind of help regarding his mental health. From his ridiculous assassination stories to his Walter Mitty past not forgetting his alter-ego buddy “The Mench”, everything points to a serious set of issues If however he is just ripping off vulnerable supporters who actually believe his daily rants because it’s what they want to hear then that is the mind of a devious individual who should receive no sympathy.
Not sure if it’s a genuine Twitter account, but think it is, and it’s the Aberdeen FC account saying Derek McInnes is gone, with Paul Sheerin in charge until the end of the season.
I don’t think he ever recovered from the combined forces effort to take him to Ibrox. I suppose it was a PR campaign that worked, especially if Aberdeen falter now to the end of the season. Sad way for it to end. Of course, there’s a club down Govan way just announced they are looking for a new manager…surely not!
Hold the front page, just reading it’s a fake account. Apologies to anyone badly affected by my fake news
AllyjamboApril 14, 2018 at 17:24
“…….We have seen it work, they’ve managed to attract players who believe it is Rangers they are signing for and have never looked at a balance sheet in their lives, and, like the supporters, and possible sponsors, investors etc., they have bought into the veneer …” [ my bold, Aj]
__________________
And, of course, the Advertising Standards Agency bought into it as well!
They believed the word of what the very “accused” [i.e. the Scottish footballing authorities] had to say about ‘continuity Rangers’ rather than what the Companies Act, Companies House, the Insolvency Act and commercial law and practice have to say about what Liquidation means!
In my opinion, TRFC Ltd is guilty of false advertising by claiming to be what it is not.
And the newish Chair of the ASA in his reply to me of some little while ago did nothing to convince me that that organisation is at all serious about its business.
And when I hear on the radio their ‘mantra’ which chunters on about ” if it is not legal, or true or decent….” I smile sardonically.
In the abstract, it’s a nonsense in my opinion ,to believe that ‘self-regulation’ by any kind of business organisation is, ultimately, as trustworthy as external regulation by a body not funded by the very industry that they are supposed to ‘regulate’.
I have been confirmed in that opinion by the ASA’s response to me.
Ah dear poor JJ, seems to have a bee in his bonnet about my Brass Band Connection.
Usher Hall Edinburgh
Assembly Rooms Edinburgh
Royal Concert Hall Glasgow
Paisley Town Hall
Caird Hall Dundee
Beach Ballroom Aberdeen
Glasgow garden Festival
St. Margaret of Scotland pilgrimage East End Park
Papal Mass Bellahouston
Opening of the Scottish Parliament Edinburgh
Carnegie Hall Dumfermline
Murrayfield, Scotland v England
Royal Albert Hall London
Wembley Arena
Leeds Town Hall
Belle Vue Manchester
Empress Ballroom Blackpool
Riviera Conference Centre Torquay
Harrogate International Centre
And many many more.
I’m a Philistine.
jimboApril 14, 2018 at 23:37
‘…I’m a Philistine.’
___________
Aye, fella, but where are ye steyin’?
Sorry, jimbo, couldn’t resist that old crack!
“Sitting on the fence” is a common idiom used in English to describe a person’s lack of decisiveness, neutrality or hesitance to choose between two sides in an argument or a competition, or inability to decide due to lack of courage. ???
John, there is an aspect which has made me angry for 6 years. I don’t know who the regulatory body is or the Act but it is written somewhere that when a firm suffers liquidation it cannot just re-appear. What remnants are left (basket of assets) cannot just start trading again pretending to be the old firm.
Therefore, the trading name of the ‘new’ business should be materially different from the firm which died.
How on earth did Green get away with calling Sevco ‘THE Rangers’ ? Just adding an THE?
If they were started as ‘Ibrox Rangers’ it would have solved a lot of problems for the media and the Hampden lot. And especially all of us who have went to a lot of time and effort to convince people it’s a new club.
It might even have made it a bit gentler for Regan & Doncaster to not attribute any of the old titles – cheated or not – to the new club.
What an opportunity missed.
Ibrox Rangers, New Rangers, Rangers 2012, Phoenix Rangers, Rangers of the Future, Southside Rangers, Honest Rangers.
They all sound better to me.
Thanks Jimbo. You are a true gent. Whatever the result tomorrow I hope you enjoy the day. I quite enjoy old firm games as I go out with around 7 folk to my local pub to watch the game and it’s always a mix of Rangers or Celtic fans (although usually outnumbered 6 to 2 in favour of Celtic haha) so even when my team lose, which happens a lot more than I would like, we still have a great day out.
Thanks DBD, enjoy yourself with your mates whatever the outcome. And please don’t listen to any nasty stuff from JJ. Something wrong there. More to be pitied than laughed at.
I know something of a trauma he has experienced, will never divulge it. But he is aiming his anger in the wrong direction sometimes.
The problem with a personal view is that there always exists a temptation to use assumptions that make your product most attractive. Dave Cunningham King should have thought of this before the rallying call for season ticket renewal.
Success in Scottish football has been dominated by Scottish managers; bar a select few. It’s now clear that Murty, win lose or win or lose on penalties tomorrow, he’ll have a CV to polish once this season finishes.
This leaves the question of ‘who’s next’? If you know the ‘three towns’ on the west coast then you’ll know it’s not Steve Clarke. He just ‘wouldn’t’. Their failure to land McInnes at a time when their ‘next appointment’ was critical, with no back up plan, spoke volumes. Jack Ross, in my opinion, was the obvious substitute; based on form and vulnerability. Perhaps he’s still in their sights. The curveball could be Neil McCann. He’d take it tomorrow. The Scottish traitor McLeish would still give it some serious thought. I truly hope he does. Scotland would do well to look beyond incestuous appointments; there still remains a far better pedigree of management teams that would stand a better chance of taking us to the next level and command more respect from the squad.
Digressing. To this day, (I’m touching 50) I can remember my mother handing me the ‘big” 50 pence in a Saltcoats cafe, ‘pocket money’ she said. It was 50p from there on in. I was 12, or thereabouts. David Bates is 21. ‘All’ he wanted was £7k a week to sign on the dotted line. Rightly so. He only had to look at the press reports of the thousands squandered on imported trash. I tried negotiating an increase to £1 come the time I was 14, but for that I had to find a job. Bates has now found a ‘job’. And rightly so.
Once again we have a basket case in our midst and Scottish Football continue to wear more blinkers than a race card. More will drift away at the end of the season and the hapless support will continue to ‘invest’.
‘They’ should understand that if there is only one person at the top of the company handling things, it’s the definition of a bankrupt company. A bit like my mother giving me 50p, when my faither knew we couldn’t afford it.
Sincere apologies for previous misunderstanding with Phil. He’s not as misinformed as I may have implied.
woodsteinApril 15, 2018 at 00:00
‘..Sitting on the fence” is a common idiom used in English to describe a person’s lack of decisiveness, neutrality or hesitance to choose between two sides in an argument or a competition, or inability to decide due to lack of courage. ???’
_____________________
But, of course, one cannot sit on a fence in any kind of ‘neutral’ way, because one’s legs would be on one side or the other.
‘Straddling’ the fence would appear to be necessary if one wished to be seen as ‘neutral’.
Perhaps our man thinks that being painfully neutered on the palings is what is meant by being ‘neutral’?
That aside, there is a very unpleasant ( and cowardly) use of language that our man indulges in.
He may very well have quite serious mental health/relationship problems.
These days, I suppose, we all have to have regard to that possibility.
[ I don’t access his site, and I am only going on the quote]
Haha I had no idea what you were on about and went on his site and saw the comments
. To be called out personaly I feel quite privelaged – normally an accolade held by very respected members such as Homunculus. A very troubled individual I have no doubt. I take his hatred of SFM and Phil McG as a compliment that we are relevant while his site is generally visited by folk for a laugh at his rants and begging and his conversations with his alter ego The Mench.
DBD. Just re-read your post. I was too concerned to get that off my chest re. JJ and his insult to you. So now I will reply to your post.
During Rangers 9 in a row era, when I wasn’t at Celtic matches I used to drink in the Rangers corner of the pub. I can give you their names because they are nearly all dead!!!
Phil, wee jamesy. Billy (that’s the dead ones) Ian and Andy. I had to sit there and watch all these games Rangers in Europe. And smile at them! Be polite! Truth be told Rangers were shite. I used to sit on my hands when they got beat! Ian & Andy were loaded and over generous with the rounds. I was just a lovely Celtic man who didn’t want to offend.
I miss that company so much DBD. You appreciate yours.
Stifflersmom, You from Saltcoats? You lucky, lucky sod.
Back in the 60s when all the pits shut down, we were quite poor. Not starving or anything near that. But no holidays. two or three daytrips to the seaside in the summer was almost like Christmas. Saltcoats included. For some reason Saltcoats was always a favourite of mine. More than Ardrossan or Prestwick. I don’t know why. Maybe the people were nicer. Or the Fish & Chips were better, I cant remember.
Anyway this is a football forum. What is your point caller?
Just cast my vote on the Football Blogging Awards site.
There is a newly created category;
“Best Football Blog… for making snide remarks about other Football Blogs”.
Jimbo
My experience of wealthy and successful individuals , and it’s extensive, is that the overwhelming majority are ethical and made their money honestly and with integrity
David Murray was a ridiculed figure in Edinburgh amongst the majority of the business community. Dave King has always been viewed as little better , if better at all, than a street corner barrow boy.
The problem with the SFA and the SPFL boards is that they contain many “ professional directors “ . Individuals who have made careers out of being paid for their opinion, but rarely if ever having had their own money on the line. That doesn’t make their opinion worthless, however it carries less weight in my opinion than true entrepreneurs.
It’s a concern when the governing bodies feel the need to fill their non exec positions with the same old same old ,year after year
ALLYJAMBOAPRIL 14, 2018 at 17:24
When Murray bought Rangers he created a belief that he was much richer than he actually was, and not only did this benefit Rangers, it allowed him to borrow the millions he would not otherwise have been able to borrow to finance his burgeoning steel empire. He, or rather those unlucky enough to have trusted their working lives and pensions to him, now know the truth of that fabulous wealth.
===========================
What he also did in my view was exploit to the maximum the way Scotland was at the time. It was still okay at that time to discriminate on religious grounds, or on the grounds of supporting a particular team. Masonic influence at the time was a big player as well, and whether Freemasons like it or not there is an inextricable link in Scotland between their fraternity and supporting Rangers. Anyone who grew up and worked in Scotland with their eyes and ears open would see that. Rangers had the biggest fan demographic resident in Scotland and those working in the media were more than happy to buy into Murray’s world without asking any probing questions. Life was one huge party for Rangers fans at that time, and whether they were rich, poor, educated or unschooled, Murray had them all eating out of his hand. Experienced journalists of the time, who were able to completely control the narrative, happily repeated Murray’s ridiculous notion that Rangers were the biggest and richest club in Britain, and one of the biggest and richest in Europe. Yet all they actually had was a Scottish owned bank onside who obviously thought a partnership with Rangers was good for their business too.
Then along came Fergus McCann to throw a spanner in Murray’s works, and despite some of the most prejudiced media coverage imaginable from Murray’s lap poodles, McCann set Celtic on a path Rangers would eventually not be able to follow. The bank debt grew to £80m and Murray started cheating the taxman. The media still refused to look under the bonnet but the rot had set in, and the 2008 credit crunch was the defining moment in the collapse of Murray’s empire.
Yet incredibly there are still many Rangers fans and journalists who openly talk of a return to the Murray days at Ibrox. I’d love to know how they think it will happen. Scottish society is not perfect by any means but the world of the Rangers supporter in 1980’s/1990’s Scotland has been left behind in many ways. Non-Scottish financial institutions lend money based on your ability to pay it back, not because of who or what you are. Smirking about ‘too many tims’ and ‘token tims’ in the workplace is more likely to result in a visit to HR for a reminder about diversity policy rather than a mutual back slap, because companies not exclusively Scottish owned generally don’t care too much what religion a person is or what team they support.
In my view it’s fair to say David Murray was the worst thing ever to happen to Rangers.