Is Stewart Regan, Chief Executive Officer of the Scottish Football Association a DIDDY?
Disingenuous: Incompetent: Dishonest: Duped? You decide.
Ladies and gentlemen of the Scottish Football Monitor sorority/fraternity jury, who want an honest game, honestly governed, are invited to pass judgement on Stewart Regan, the CEO of the SFA.
The main stream media are finally asking questions of Regan’s performance in that role, but based on a rather shallow (by comparison to what he has presided over) single issue of the recruitment of a national team coach, and not his character.
Maybe we can help the three monkeys media men (you know who they are) push for change at the SFA. How? By highlighting for them the appropriate response to Regan’s performance on the basis of what follows if he really is a DIDDY.
Disingenuous is defined as:
not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does.
Evidence of such can be found in the written exchanges with the SFA that Celtic initiated on 27th July, and continued on 18 August, 21 August, 4th September and 7th September 2017; and published on the Celtic web site with SFA agreement at http://cdn.celticfc.net/assets/downloads/SFA_Correspondence.pdf
This from the SFA letter of 18th August 2017:
Comment: the statements are not alleged, they are a matter of court record and if untrue represent perjury.
…. And then this from subsequent SFA letter of 4th September 2017
Both paras give the impression that the SFA were unaware that Rangers had accepted the liability without question before 31st March 2011. Yet the SFA’s attention was drawn to this fact in July 2015 by lawyers acting on behalf of Celtic shareholders as follows:
- Our information in respect of this £2.8M in unpaid tax is that Rangers PLC had been alerted in November 2010 by HMRC that they would be pursuing payment of this exact sum.
- From that date onwards, the Directors of Rangers PLC should have known there was a potential liability to HMRC for back taxes specifically relating to payments made to Tore Andre Flo and Ronald De Boer. These sums became an accepted liability in March 2011.
- Matters had been brought to a head on 23 February 2011 when HMRC presented Rangers with a written case for payment of back tax owed in respect of Flo and De Boer. As your department may well be aware, that case for payment involved hitherto undisclosed side letters which were found to be an adjunct to their declared and disclosed contracts of employment.
- Those contracts of employment were, of course, disclosed to the Scottish Football authorities (including the SFA) as part of the necessary compliance procedures followed by all clubs and demanded by both the SFA and UEFA.
- Additionally when replying to the initial enquiries by HMRC in 2005 regarding these alleged side letters and ancillary agreements, the then Group Tax Manager of Murray International Holdings (MIH) acting for Rangers PLC on tax matters, apparently advised HMRC that no such agreements or side letters existed.
- It ultimately proved that these representations to HMRC were completely untrue and without foundation. The tax Inspectors concerned in turn saw these false misrepresentations as being an attempt to simply hide the true financial position and an attempt to avoid paying the taxes which were lawfully due on the contracts of the players concerned.
- As mentioned earlier, Rangers PLC accepted liability on 21st March 2011 for unpaid tax having taken legal advice on the matter.
- In turn, HMRC then chose to formally pursue payment of the back taxes and penalties in relation to these two players, all in terms of HMRC’s debt recovery procedures under what is known as regulation 80.
- Prior to 31st March 2011, there was clear knowledge within Rangers Football Club of the liability to make payment for these back taxes and, as can be seen from the attached documentation, by 20th May 2011 HMRC had served formal assessments and demands on Rangers PLC for the sums concerned.
The impression given by Regan’s reply to Celtic is that the first time the SFA were aware there might be an issue on granting was in June 2017 as result of testimony at the Craig Whyte trial. This is clearly not the case and the only explanation that would clear Regan of being disingenuous is a that he was incompetent as in not knowing what the SFA already had in their possession, however a bit more on being disingenuous before looking at incompetency.
The above extract of the exchange of 4th September where Regan mentions Celtic being satisfied on the UEFA Licence 2011 issue was challenged by Celtic on 7th September 2017 as follows:
“on the matter of the Licensing Decision in 2011 it is not accurate to describe Celtic as having been “satisfied” at any stage. Like everyone else we were in a position of responding on the basis of information available to us. In correspondence, Celtic raised continuing concerns as did a number of Celtic shareholders.”
In dealing with the Celtic shareholders the SFA and Regan appeared keen to welcome from the early days of correspondence that only the process after granting i.e. the monitoring phase of June and September was being questioned and not the granting itself. That was the case initially but as new information emerged in respect of what UEFA judged to be an overdue payable, upheld by the Court of Arbitration on Sport in 2013, focus swung back in 2016 to the significance of what the SFA had been told by the Res 12 lawyer in July 2015. However the emphasis the SFA put on shareholders accepting the grant was in order was puzzling at the time. The suspicion since is that the SFA did not want the circumstances around the granting investigated and the SFA and Regan were being disingenuous in their attempts to keep that aspect under wraps. especially when their defence of not acting as required in 2011 was based around when the SFA responsibilities on granting ended and UEFA’s on monitoring began. (for more on that read the Incompetence charge)
In response to a separate point in Regan’s letter of 18th August about the QC advice on there not being a rule in place at the time to use to sanction Rangers or the limited sanctions available to a Judicial Panel, Peter Lawwell responded on 21st August to Regan’s disingenuousness as follows:
” In your letter you refer to advice from Senior Counsel that;
‘there was very little chance of the Scottish FA succeeding in relation to any compliant regarding this matter and that, even if successful, any sanctions available to a Judicial Panel would be very limited in their scope.’
As I said in my last letter Celtic considers that this misses the point. The fact that disciplinary sanctions may not be secured is in our view not a reason for Scottish football to ignore the opportunity to review and possibly learn lessons from the events in question.”
Although they didn’t refer to it in that reply of 21st August, Celtic could have pointed out the following catch all rule in existence in 2011 (and presumably earlier) under Article 5 in SFA handbook.
5. Obligations and duties of Members (where all members shall)
5.1 Observe the principles of loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship in accordance with the rules of fair play.
This Article could have been used to demonstrate sporting dishonesty by Rangers FC. However by recognising this Regan would be on a collision course with an issue that he wanted to avoid at all costs;
whom to sanction? Rangers FC? The Rangers FC? Those currently at The Rangers FC who were officials or on the Board of Rangers FC in 2011?
Consequently, the SFA chose to hide behind QC advice – but to protect whom? Not the integrity of the game. Here is a suggestion to restore it:
That the Rangers FC admit that the trophies won in the EBT years were won as a result of clear wrongdoing (the wrongdoing Regan was so desperate to say never occurred – see later), and that The Rangers give them up. Surrendering them is not being defeated, it is simply the right thing to do for the game AND for Rangers to restore some integrity to themselves.
If they want to lay claim to their history, lay claim to all of it, just be honourable and act with dignity and we can all move on.
In summary then, Regan is being disingenuous by pretending to know a lot less than he does – and on that note the case of disingenuousness ends.
Incompetence: is defined as;
lack of ability to do something successfully or as it should be done:
Whilst a CEO would not be expected to know the minutiae of any process, he would be expected to seek such information before going public to defend the SFA’s position.
On 23 October 2013, Stewart Regan had an interview with Richard Gordon on BBC Sportsound. Excerpts from it can be heard at http://www.bbc.com/sport/scotland/24685973 . Interestingly or strangely, the following excerpt regarding the lines of responsibility between the SFA and UEFA fell on the BBC cutting room floor.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6uWzxhblAt9YktGc0kwWjJCY1E/view?usp=sharing
In it Regan is saying that the 31st March is a key date and AFTER that date, the SFA having granted the licence on evidence provided to the SFA (now under Compliance Officer investigation) have no more responsibility in the matter. Richard Gordon asks Regan to confirm that after 31st March there is no other course of action the SFA could have taken. To which Regan answers “Correct”.
This understanding however does not stand up when compared to the information supplied to the Res 12 Lawyer on 8th June 2016 by Andrea Traverso, Head of UEFA Club Licensing and so ultimate authority on the matter.
That letter (more famous for its new club/company designation of the current incumbents at Ibrox), confirmed that the UEFA Licence was not granted until the 19th April 2011, so Regan was wrong on his dates, but even more significantly UEFA stated that the list of clubs granted a licence was not submitted to them until 26th May 2011.
This raises the obvious question (though not so obviously to Regan);
” how can UEFA start monitoring until they know who to monitor?”
More significantly, and one for the SFA Compliance chap to consider, should the licence have been granted, irrespective of what “evidence” the SFA Licensing Committee acted on in March 2011 , when it was obvious from a HMRC Letter of 20th May 2011 to Rangers, that HMRC were pursuing payment of a tax liability which could no longer by dint of being pursued, be described as “potential” which was the justification for granting at 31st March/19th April?
Here ends the case of incompetence.
Dishonesty;
lack of honesty or integrity: defined as disposition to defraud or deceive.
The line between incompetence and dishonesty is a thin one and so difficult to judge, however some discernment is possible from observation over time.
On 29 March 2012 Stewart Regan was interviewed by Alex Thomson of Channel Four news, a transcript of which with comments can be found on a previous SFM blog of 8th March 2015 at
https://www.sfm.scot/did-stewart-regan-ken-then-wit-we-ken-noo/
It is a long article, but two points emerge from it.
Stewart Regan bases his defence of SFA inaction on the fact that at the time of the interview no wrongdoing had occurred . Regan emphasises this rather a lot. Had he been an honest man, he would have confessed that this defence fell when the Supreme Court ruled that wrong doing in respect of Rangers’ use of EBTs had occurred.
This extract from Regan’s letter of 4th September 2017 beggars belief in light of his position on wrongdoing during interview with Alex Thomson.
” The reality is that the final decision in “The Big Tax Case” signalled closure for many involved in the game. It is hard to believe that a “wide review” no matter how well intentioned and how wide ranging could ever bring closure in the minds of every Scottish football fan and stakeholder.”
How on earth did the Supreme Court decision signal closure to Regan given his emphasis on no wrong doing?
Had Regan (in response to Celtic in August and September 2017) acknowledged that wrongdoing had taken place, then that at least would have been honest, but the defence of not acting was on the grounds that admitting dishonesty would be raking over old coals. An honest man would have accepted that the situation had changed, and some form of enquiry was necessary, but instead Regan fell back on unpublished advice from a QC.
The second point is a new one. Regan was asked by Alex Thomson in March 2012
AT: But did anybody at any stage at the SFA say to you I have a concern that we need an independent body, that the SPL can’t and shouldn’t handle this?
SR: Well under the governance of football the SPL run the competition
AT: I’m not asking, I’m saying did anybody come to you at any stage and say that to you. Anybody?
SR: No they didn’t as far as the SPL’s processes is concerned. The SPL ,
AT: Never?
At time of interview in March 2012 this was true but 2 months later on 25th May 2012 the issue of a Judicial review WAS raised by Celtic
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/scotland/celtic-still-pressing-sfa-for-inquiry-8p25q8wbb
for the same reasons that Regan had ignored in 2011 as the LNS Commissioning proceeded apace and Regan continued to ignore in the 2017 correspondence. An honest man would have recognised that his truth to Thomson in March was no longer true in May 2012 and acted. He didn’t.
These do not appear to be acts of an honest man, rather they appear to represent the behaviour of a man who is being dishonest with himself; although perhaps Regan was simply duped?
Duped is defined as;
“ If a person dupes you, they trick you into doing something or into believing something which is not true.”
In his e mail of 7th December to Ali Russell, then Rangers CEO , after a discussion on the 6th December 2011 with Andrew Dickson, Rangers Football Administrator and SFA License Committee member in 2011, Regan set out the basis on which the SFA granted a UEFA License in 2011.
This was a letter from Ranger’s auditors Grant Thornton describing the wee tax liability of £2.8m as a potential one with the implication that it was subject to dispute, an implication carried into the Interim Accounts of 1st April 2011 signed by Rangers FC Chairman Alistair Johnson.
The true status of the liability and the veracity of statements made that justified the UEFA License being granted are under investigation by the SFA Compliance Officer.
However Regan’s belief that the liability was disputed and therefore hadn’t crystalized, is supported more or less by his Tweets at
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6uWzxhblAt9NG5CNXcwLW9RZjQ/view?usp=sharing
The case that Regan was duped is a plausible one, at least up to 2015, but I would contend that the SFA responses to Res 12 lawyers after July 2015 suggest that whilst the SFA may have been duped initially, they subsequently appeared more concerned with keeping events beyond public scrutiny (like the effect on the licence issue of HMRC sending in Sheriff’s Officers to collect a £2.8m tax liability in August 2011).
At this point, based on the foregoing –
You the SFM jury are asked to decide: Is Stewart Regan a DIDDY?
Copy paste this link for GUILTY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejizOV-IQEM
And this for NOT GUILTY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwXGdgFZmNk
The Sin of Omission by Margaret Sangster ends:
And it’s not the things you do, dear,
It’s the things you leave undone,
Which gives you a bit of heartache
At the setting of the sun.
JIMBOFEBRUARY 14, 2018 at 16:18
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It’s funny but the more I think of it David Murray is seldom spoken about in the hundreds of hours I spend listening to Scottish football programmes. It reminds me of Harry Potter when they refer to the one who’s name should not be spoken aloud.
“Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard who intends to become immortal.”
It’s David Murray to a T.
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On this day Feb 14, 2012 they did speak of him, but not in a good way
A default interest rate will, in all probability, not be much higher than that already being paid as it could be held, by a court, to be invalid as a result of being seen as ‘penal’. It appears that it should reflect the additional costs and effort in dealing with a defaulter, but can also reflect the following:
1. was there a commercial justification for the term?2. was the term extravagant or oppressive?3. was the predominant purpose of the term to deter breach?4. were negotiations on the term on a level playing field?
It would appear that the inclusion of a default rate clause is quite the norm in commercial contracts and so I don’t think we should read too much into it’s inclusion by Close Brothers here. Their expectations of a full repayment will, in all probability, be contained within the interest rate applied, and it is unlikely that that will be revealed any time soon.
http://www.fieldfisher.com/publications/2013/04/is-your-default-interest-clause-enforceable#sthash.hTa3Vp0r.dpbs
ALLYJAMBOFEBRUARY 14, 2018 at 16:48
Yes i’m still laughing at that. You can just imagine the conversation. Look! look we have to change the name again,they are all laughing at us.
When another person in our company mentioned “Murray Park, the Rangers Scout said that they have been told to refer to it as “Rangers Training Centre”.__________________
I take it’s as a memorial to Rangers! I wonder, though, if they call it RTC for short
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Now that you have pointed that out, the name may be changed again.
With a successful Scottish club playing in the knock-out phase of a European competition tomorrow…
I suppose Level42 will be busy dreaming up some more mince for the SMSM to copy/paste ?
Something to steal the headlines, and especially if the Scottish team earns a decent Euro result.
I’ll go for an ‘unnamed, wealthy RRM’ showing a keenness to throw his money into the Ibrox money pit.
Or some such tosh!
I’d be very surprised if Close Brothers refused permission for them to use it in the unlikely event of a fire at Ibrox, and, indeed, would have to build a fence around it to stop anyone entering it in the first place.
———-
Would a small charge for it’s use keep close brothers happy?
ALLYJAMBOFEBRUARY 14, 2018 at 18:30
A default interest rate will, in all probability, not be much higher than that already being paid as it could be held, by a court, to be invalid as a result of being seen as ‘penal’.
—————————————————–
Thanks. I can see the basic rate being penal in any event. Wondered if in this case the Default Rate would be even more so. Not exactly a Blue Chip company Close are dealing with here. Blue Chippie maybe…
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
StevieBC – that very thing (something good about to happen behind the scenes at Ibrox) was hinted at on SSB this evening. Spooky eh?
STEVIEBCFEBRUARY 14, 2018 at 18:52
I’ll go for an ‘unnamed, wealthy RRM’ showing a keenness to throw his money into the Ibrox money pit. Or some such tosh!
————
Or an ibrox player signs an extension to his contract.
SMSM to copy/paste ?
Level42 mission accomplished.
easyJamboFebruary 14, 2018 at 17:35
“……Another Unstarred Motion (counsel not required) in the BDO v TRFCG/Wavetower/Henderson & Jones case…..”
_________
So, presumably Henderson & Jones came up with ‘caution’ of £25,000 ordered by Lord Doherty on 15/12/17 to be paid within 6 weeks.
Or maybe not? Perhaps they’ve dropped the action?
[…can you place the ‘for orders under 4.16 ‘ ? Doesn’t seem to be in schedule B1?]
I don’t think it’s worth going in to the Court tomorrow. There’ll be no discussion.
In the text of the loan agreement, my eye fell on Para 6.1 on page 10:
“6.1 The Borrower will produce to the Lender such documents or information relating to the property as the Lender may from time to time reasonably request…….”
I wonder will the lender ask for sight of the deed of novation which substituted SevcoScotland’s name for that of Sevco 5088?
I imagine that that was the most quickly executed deed of novation ever seen in legal history. It seemed to happen before the ink was dry on the words ‘Sevco 5088.
And I remember listening to the alleged tape of the alleged phone call between a word-slurring SevcoScotland ‘owner’ , in which the words ” But you are Sevco, craig..” were repeated reassuringly to a less than convinced Whyte, who seemed to suspect that he had been beautifully stitched up.
JC – It’s Rule 4.16 of the Insolvency Act 1986
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1925/article/4.16/made
Notice of appearance
4.16.—(1) [[FORM 4.9]] Every person who intends to appear on the hearing of the petition shall give to the petitioner notice of his intention in accordance with this Rule.
(2) The notice shall specify—
(a)the name and address of the person giving it, and any telephone number and reference which may be required for communication with him or with any other person (to be also specified in the notice) authorised to speak or act on his behalf;
(b)whether his intention is to support or oppose the petition; and
(c)the amount and nature of his debt.
(3) The notice shall be sent to the petitioner at the address shown for him in the court records, or in the advertisement of the petition required by Rule 4.11; or it may be sent to his solicitor.
(4) The notice shall be sent so as to reach the addressee not later than 16.00 hours on the business day before that which is appointed for the hearing (or, where the hearing has been adjourned, for the adjourned hearing).
(5) A person failing to comply with this Rule may appear on the hearing of the petition only with the leave of the court.
JC, I chuckled when you used the word ‘seemed’ twice in your latest post. I’m paranoid about that word now.
“Seems,” madam? Nay, it is; I know not “seems.” – Hamlet (1.2.77)”
After you posted that a couple of days ago later that evening I was watching an episode of Sherlock Holmes ‘The Redheaded League’.
It was one of the earlier encounters of Holmes and Moriarty. After Holmes had thwarted his evil plan, Moriarty said ‘Seems this Holmes chap is a very clever person’ I laughed out loud.
This is my last off topic post tonight, I expect a million votes from my friends ‘The Thumbsdowners’ (Evening chaps hope you are well).
I mentioned earlier I did the Arts Foundation Course with the OU. The Philosophy section begun with the words “It’s elementary dear Watson”. About deduction. If something cannot be A or B it must be C. Leads on to the idea of Philosophical argument.
Anyway I really like the portrayals of Basil Rathbone even the latest one of Benedict Cumberbatch. But my favourite is Jeremy Brett. He is supposed to be the best ever and closest to the books. Incidentally, if you ever watched My Fair Lady, Jeremy played the part of Freddy. Remember the scene ‘On the Street Where You Live’? That was him. Except he didn’t sing it, that was Bill Shirley. (uncredited)
Glad I got all that off my chest. Thanks for scrolling past.
JC Edminston House and the Albion Car Park weren’t directly part of the Sevco 5088/Scotland switcheroo . They were purchased by Sevco Scotland, already renamed TRFC, from money loaned to them by RIFC from the monies raised in the IPO.
redlichtieFebruary 14, 2018 at 18:56
ALLYJAMBOFEBRUARY 14, 2018 at 18:30A default interest rate will, in all probability, not be much higher than that already being paid as it could be held, by a court, to be invalid as a result of being seen as ‘penal’. —————————————————–Thanks. I can see the basic rate being penal in any event. Wondered if in this case the Default Rate would be even more so. Not exactly a Blue Chip company Close are dealing with here. Blue Chippie maybe…Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
_________________
I think we have to remember, Close Brothers are not at war with RIFC/TRFC, they will do everything, in the event of administration, to help the club pay off the debt rather than be lumbered with two pieces of real estate they do not want, and that selling off will be difficult, if not impossible. For, unless TRFC die, and no replacement appears, then getting planning permission for any development will be virtually impossible for as long as there are bears and masons on Glasgow City Council. For similar reasons, losing the carpark is not going to result in the closing down of the club deck.
The loss to TRFC will be in carpark revenue and the deterioration of the asset column on their balance sheet. On the other hand, they may well be pleased to see responsibility for a derelict building pass to someone else.
Cluster OneFebruary 14, 2018 at 18:59
STEVIEBCFEBRUARY 14, 2018 at 18:52I’ll go for an ‘unnamed, wealthy RRM’ showing a keenness to throw his money into the Ibrox money pit. Or some such tosh! ————Or an ibrox player signs an extension to his contract.SMSM to copy/paste ? Level42 mission accomplished.
______________________
Go to the top of the class, though you did miss out the bit about targeting the league title
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43066488
Rangers’ James Tavernier signs new contract and targets league title
JOHN CLARKFEBRUARY 14, 2018 at 19:51
And I remember listening to the alleged tape of the alleged phone call between a word-slurring SevcoScotland ‘owner’ , in which the words ” Butyou are Sevco, craig..” were repeated reassuringly to a less than convinced Whyte, who seemed to suspect that he had been beautifully stitched up.
—————-
I do have that on disk somewhere, will take a note and when i remember i will have a listen again
ALLYJAMBOFEBRUARY 14, 2018 at 21:20 “I want to aim high and be playing in the Champions League, so this club has got the capability to do that.”
————-
Add to the list
This list
Add to the list James Tavernier aiming for The Treble!
JIMBO
Think that might have been James traynor
Beethoven? Pah! We have our own miracle in Scottish football!
https://www.thepoke.co.uk/2017/11/06/book-beethoven-contains-contender-best-typo-2017/
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
Here’s the jpg.
Redlichtie,
Scottish Football needs a strong Shotts Bon Accord.
Listening to Radio Clyde last night and they touched on the possible appointment of Alex McLeish as Scotland manager.
The general view from listeners phoning in and tweeting was that it was a no no. A step backwards.
The pundits were entirely predictable. Jim Duffy and Mark Guidi, not exactly Real Rangers men, were by and large supportive. They seem resigned to the gloomy scenario that there is no one else. There was no mention of EBT payments, perish the thought, being a barrier or possible ramifications in the future. But they did address the fact that he had walked out on the job previously.
It was felt that changing jobs or returning to previous employers is no biggie. (Indeed I have done so myself). However, call me old fashioned but it used to be a great honour to manage your country. It’s not just any job. To walk out on it is indeed a biggie. In my opinion.
Apart from anything else does the fact that McLeish has not worked in management since May 2016 – an Egyptian team – not tell you something? (Despite him punting himself around embarrassingly).
So much for a forward thinking dynamic SFA then.
The mentions of Close Leasing’s loan being secured against some of TRFC Ltd’s properties reminds me of the charge over Auchenhowie in favour of Sportscotland.
The original contracts under which Rangers FC ( Murray’s ‘Rangers’) obtained £650,000 from Sportscotland were entered into in 2001.
If the money was a grant, would there have been any need for security? If it was a loan, I wonder what the terms were-and if repayments are being made?
I seem to remember that it took Sportscotland a good wee while before it realised that the contracts with David Murray’s ‘Rangers’ would not be enforceable against a new legal entity, and they got round to transferring the contracts to TRFC Ltd.
I would hate to think that they were similarly slow to ensure repayments of any loans.
Anybody got any detailed knowledge of how Sportscotland disburses our lottery monies?
Do Not Forget
https://www.byline.com/column/68/article/1976
https://www.byline.com/column/68/article/1975
Those were two very interesting links posted by Woodstein. regarding Trust in Journalism. It’s very low. Printed media sales are declining rapidly. Yet some people continue to buy newspapers.
Of course it could be for a variety of reasons. Opinion pieces, columns, crosswords, TV listings, fashion, gossip – whatever. For the news and current affairs I think people trust the TV much more.
After the stramash of The Daily Record’s report on Liam Miller, James Forrest called on his followers not to click on the Record listings on News Now. He has not been alone in advocating that. I tried it a few years ago but couldn’t stop myself when the headline was intriguing.
The thing is we need a starting point.. I don’t have the contacts and sources to know what is going on. I can’t go to pressers. So I have to begin with what I read in the press.
Perhaps where James falls down a bit is in not trusting his followers to have discernment. Yes I have no doubt there are fans out there who only read what the newspapers say and take their word for it. But nowadays with the internet and social media, blogs, people can compare and contrast.
I approach reading anything in the press with a fair amount of scepticism. I can also read other opinions on here and elsewhere to get a fuller picture or additional information. It is then possible to make your own mind up.
But I’m afraid we still need them to some degree, if only they would up their standards and regain trust.
http://www.scotzine.com/2016/09/ex-rangers-manager-admits-ebts-were-used-to-keep-pace-with-celtic/
But now a former Rangers manager and recipient of the EBT scheme – Alex McLeish – declared in the BBC documentary ‘Scotland’s Game’ that without using the tax avoidance scheme, Rangers would not have been able to afford the players that they signed and they would not have been able to keep pace with Celtic.
McLeish, who received £1.7 million through the EBT scheme, won two league titles, three League Cups and two Scottish Cups in his time at Ibrox.
=============================
So the choice for Scotland manager is someone who admits Rangers cheated to win trophies and himself was involved in tax avoidance. The BBC have seen his side letter, so he was aware of what was going on, and believed himself to be covered if they were caught.
He will also be looking forward to a bill from HMRC of something like £850,000 plus potential penalties and if he doesn’t pay it will be made bankrupt.*
A man who left the national team to take up a post with Birmingham.
Tha’s who we are thinking as appointing as the Scotland manager.
*Follower notices and accelerated payments
Overview
If you’ve been involved in a tax avoidance scheme, you could receive a follower notice, accelerated payment notice (APN), or both from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
The notice you receive will tell you what you need to do. Make sure you follow the steps in the notice, if you don’t, you may have to pay a penalty.
Follower notice
If you use a tax avoidance scheme that has the same or similar arrangements to one that HMRC has successfully challenged in court, HMRC will check your tax affairs and may send you a follower notice.
A follower notice asks you to settle your tax affairs with HMRC. If you don’t, you may have to pay a penalty.
As well as a follower notice, you may also receive an APN. If you do, you’ll need to pay the accelerated payment as well as settling your tax affairs.
John Clark February 15, 2018 at 12:11
The mentions of Close Leasing’s loan being secured against some of TRFC Ltd’s properties reminds me of the charge over Auchenhowie in favour of Sportscotland.
The original contracts under which Rangers FC ( Murray’s ‘Rangers’) obtained £650,000 from Sportscotland were entered into in 2001.
If the money was a grant, would there have been any need for security?
===========================
The answer is documented in the terms of the SS security. Basically the facilities can only be used for sporting activities.
https://twitter.com/MontaukAlly/status/964143093816668162?ref_src=twcamp%5Eshare%7Ctwsrc%5Em5%7Ctwgr%5Eemail%7Ctwcon%5E7046%7Ctwterm%5E2
JIMBO
FEBRUARY 15, 2018 at 13:13
…
Yet some people continue to buy newspapers.
Of course it could be for a variety of reasons. Opinion pieces, columns, crosswords, TV listings, fashion, gossip – whatever…
=====================================
To my eternal shame, I did buy the DR daily when I was a student in the 80’s.
In my defence, I knew it was a crap paper then, [it took about 2 minutes to ‘read’ through the paper / mostly adverts], but the only reason I bought it was to get the football news… [I know!]
I stopped buying the DR in about my second year as it was simply the worst
and from then onwards I would buy a daily ‘quality’ paper.
Ha!
…and now we have the MSM / politicians complaining about ‘fake news’ on the internet.
Yet they are the t#ssers who invented fake news !
[WMD anybody?]
JOHN CLARK
FEBRUARY 15, 2018 at 12:11
Anybody got any detailed knowledge of how Sportscotland disburses our lottery monies?
————————————————–
Whatever you do, don’t read this*:
https://sportscotland.org.uk/state-aid/
*Joking, honestly.
HOMUNCULUSFollower noticeIf you use a tax avoidance scheme that has the same or similar arrangements to one that HMRC has successfully challenged in court, HMRC will check your tax affairs and may send you a follower notice.
A follower notice asks you to settle your tax affairs with HMRC. If you don’t, you may have to pay a penalty.
As well as a follower notice, you may also receive an APN. If you do, you’ll need to pay the accelerated payment as well as settling your tax affairs.
Do you know if any such notices have been issued and if so when have they to be paid?
BALLYARGUSFEBRUARY 15, 2018 at 16:55
from memory Aug 2019, but happy to be corrected
Leeann Dempster rules herself out of the SFA chief’s role. She is very happy at Hibs and has no notion to leave.
“If I’m being absolutely honest, it would have to be something really, really special to encourage me away…”
Quite right too Leeann. More of a poisoned chalice under the present set up than something really really special.
BALLYARGUS
FEBRUARY 15, 2018 at 16:55
================================
Sorry no.
However HMRC have issued a settlement opportunity with regards Disguised Remuneration.
It was issued in November 2017.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disguised-remuneration-detailed-settlement-terms/disguised-remuneration-detailed-settlement-terms
Re McLeish / SFA Job
STV on 6.0pm news reporting McLeish to be appointed in next 48 hours – I think this is a mistake for all sorts of reasons & sort of sums up where we are with regard to the SFA (looking back not forward) .
So it’s McLeish.
Suffice to say that if Radio Clyde’s audience is anything to go by they were overwhelmingly against this appointment. Gordon Dalziel will be happy. But I will say no more about him.
Petrie, McRae & Maxwell? have got their way. Despite Scottish football fans from everywhere being against it.
What was the panic? Months before a competitive game. Malky McKay whatever you may think of him would have sufficed for the meaningless friendlies.
Maybe they wanted their 3rd choice man in before they go. Their last claim to fame. Pitiful.
naegreetinFebruary 15, 2018 at 18:42
‘..Re McLeish / SFA Job..’
_______________
And Pat Bonner making an ingratiating ar.e of himself singing McLeish’s praises!
No mention of the corruption of EBTs, or of previously walking away from the job! The man has no honest place in football.
Bonner said McLeish is a ‘wealthy man’, so he wouldn’t be in it for the money! The man was touting himself for the job from the off, probably with one eye on how he settle up with HMRC!
I do not wish him well, any more than I would wish a cheat, in any sport, well.
And Chris McLaughlin in there very quick to tell us it was a unanimous decision of the Board!
God help us all, when we are expected to believe that the Board being unanimous makes this appointment any better.
The opposite is the case: it confirms that the SFA board is beyond redemption, when it appears to have no person of principle whatsoever!
McLeish?
It’s taken the blazers 4 months to come up with McLeish?
His background of working for a dodgy club, earning dodgy money, and winning trophies with ‘imperfectly registered’ players should make him ineligible to even apply.
To state the bleedin’ obvious.
And he is such a highly regarded manager that he has been chasing every job going for the last 2 years.
The SFA: “Respected and Trusted to Lead Not.”
Well that’s one box ticked.
Anyone for Stewart Robertson as top gun at the SFA? Even although he doesn’t know the difference between a pay day loan and an overdraft with a current account.
Alex McLeish £1.7million .EBT Managed Rangers from 2001-06.
Looking back at today 6 years ago and found Paul Murray asking the day after the ibrox club going into administration, If craig whyte was a fit and proper person to run a football club.Looking back you do get to see just how they all viewed the club going into administration
I’m finished with Radio Clyde after tonight. Gordon Dalziel is nothing but a sycophantic friend of McLeish and a hypocrite. He spoke so much shit tonight that I will move over to the BBC for my punishment.
I’ll choose to comment purely from a footballing perspective. Yes we got good results against a very poor France side and Ukraine at home, but his dreadful team selection in Georgia cost us our best change of qualifying for a major tournament in the last 20 years. Also, I can’t remember many examples of managers returning to a club or country with any real success. For me it’s a no.
DBD, It’s half time mate so I will have to be quick.
I have no issue with McLeish as a football manager. I certainly was not screaming against him as Scotland manager. Even as Rangers manager he was always personable, not a person you could ‘hate’. By his own admission he had players Rangers could not otherwise afford. (EBTs)
I don’t doubt he has managerial and coaching talents. But.
The snake Gordon Dalziel said tonight “when Scotland come calling” McLeish responded as a player and a manager. But he walked away. That’s unforgivable in my opinion. See out your contract. Then do whatever.
I guess the only positive regarding the McLeish appointment is that the SFA was in a very strong negotiating position – and probably got him for a lot less than what the were paying Strachan?
…which also means that should McLeish show any signs of success with the national team, he will be off to the first club – again – willing to pay him market rate.
It’s a win/win for McLeish,
&
it’s a lose/lose for the SFA diddies, IMO.
Jimbo, I agree completely. I forgot to mention that – to walk away at our time of need for a relegation folder team in the Premiership after only ten games shouldn’t be quickly forgotten
Another point is a guess this pours water on JJ’s latest “exclusive”
My brother ‘Thumbsdowners’ I don’t know what to talk about this hallowed eve.
1. The Scotland Manager appointment (1 vote)
2. My favourite crime dramas (2 votes)
3. The Celtic Result (3 votes)
You have half an hour to cast your votes brethren.
Cheers friends. It was a close run thing. I guess you are all fed up listening to the Scottish Football manager drama. Me too.
The Celtic result, although popular with some of you was pipped at the post with my favourite crime dramas.
Agatha Christie is the master (mistress) of this category. Auld Miss Marple no matter who plays her are brilliant. I may have mentioned before I have watched them all many times but my memory is so bad that give it a month or two and I haven’t a clue who done it. Inspector Poirot is good too but he is so fussy and full of himself that I feel it hard to make a connection.
Sherlock Holmes I love. See my post from last night.
Vera. Now I really like this. I certainly wouldn’t like to go home to her with a broken wage packet.
Grantchester. I know I should love this with James Norton and all that. But I feel it is too full of romances, affairs and carrying ons, too many relationship problems which detract from the crimes. It’s a bit girly. I prefer my sleuths to be virginic singular type people who live for the goodies against the baddies.
Goodnight, sleep well.
(Celtic won 1-0)
I’ve come across this for the first time, after looking up today’s ‘Rolls of Court of Session’ and noticing this :
‘.. The following motions were granted, unopposed, on Wednesday 14th February
… …. .A295/16 David Whitehouse v The Chief Constable of Police Scotland &c
….
( I’ve no idea what the motion was!) but the wee story behind the hearing of the claim for £9m is interesting in itself: (if you’re interested in that kind of thing)
http://petercherbi.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/cry-wolffe-judicial-office-hit-with-new.html
from Court Rolls:
“Friday 23rd February
By Order
between 9.00am and 9.30am
P115/17 Note: RFC 2012 Plc for orders under para 75 Shepherd & Wedderburn LLP Wright Johnston &
________________
Might stagger along to this one, to see what’s what, next week.
And then, the following week, we have Mr King’s appeal.
DarkbeforedawnFebruary 15, 2018 at 20:19
‘…I’ll choose to comment purely from a footballing perspective. ..’
_______________
As I think most of us do, Dbd.
We do not want our game to fall so far into disrepute as consciously to employ guys who are perceived to be vey much yesterday’s men who decide to put themselves forward ( or virtually beg) for the national team manager post that they once were privileged to hold, but, scorning that privilege, walked away from , any more than we want guys who, when in the job, demonstrated, as you say, singular strategic/tactical failure!
Remember when EBT didn’t mean Eck Back Tragedy?
If Alex Rae ends up anywhere near Hampden I think they might as well just ask us to pay their tax liabilities directly.
I really don’t believe there will be a more secretive, insular, disliked football association anywhere in the civilised world than the SFA.
Why the rush to appoint out of work McLeish when we have no competitive games for months. Was it a case of the remaining misfits shoehorning their own candidate in whilst there was nobody at the helm. It is the sort of appointment expected of the SFA, devoid of idea’s, ambition and transparency.
The reason Scotland have not qualified for decades is that we try to stop teams playing instead of trying to win games and bringing an ex-manager with these traits is a step backwards. We are now the worst home international team because of negative managers.
Further to my earlier post about the SFA unless they are blind and deaf they must know how they are perceived. You would think any organisation would want to employ people to put a more positive image of themselves out there. Who do the SFA employ? – their former communications officer, who was an integral part of the secretive, insular policy when he was there. I believe it is fair to say he will want as much to remain under the carpet as the compromised individuals still at the SFA.
As for Alex McLeish, I can’t think of a more perfect person for the SFA to employ at this time. Absolutely everything about him fits the bill. Even his attitude towards football clubs and people not paying the tax they were legally obliged to is the same as the SFA’s. Whether he will be any good at his job is another matter.
I don’t believe Eck was appointed as a way for the SFA to ‘get one of their own’ in. I certainly don’t believe it is a conspiracy to bring in a Rangers leaning appointment.
I think they have panicked because of how the O’Neill and Smith saga’s played out, and didn’t want to wait until the (albeat unlikely) scenario where Eck got fed up waiting and declared himself out of the running. The shambolic handling of the MacKay situation meant they couldn’t really go back cap in hand to him – as I’m sure he would have told them where to go. All the other decent Scottish managers (Clarke, McInnis) are employed and wouldn’t take this poisoned chalace, and the SFA are too narrow minded to consider looking outside of Scottish managers for the job. It has been one embarassing shambles after another, and then a knee jerk appointment of a manager who was mediocre ten years ago, when he left the national team in their time of need.
For what its worth I think he will flop spectacularly this time around. He only had 10 games previously, and they came on the back of a good foundation build by Smith and followed Smith’s strong run of results and a great air of positivity and belief in the players. And he still botched the chance to qualify by underestimating a Georgia team who left most of their first team out and played their youths! Everyone goes on about how we almost qualified against the two world cup finalists, but that misses the point that by this stage France and Italy were past it, in a state of disaray and France exited bottom of their group on 1 point, and Italy would only manage two drab draws and a single win (against France!).
Appointing Alec was a simple act by an under pressure and dysfunctional group of people to get rid of one of the problems that urgently need addressed.
He’s a low risk two year appointment because there
is minimal expectation he will succeed.
He buys a little time.
He will be also be a good deflector of what’s really happening when he starts to feed the media a series of positive wee stories.
I’m quite frankly not impressed with the SFA ambition and I hate the fact he walked away last time but I genuinely wish him well.
The real SFA stuff can get started now.
Whoever picks the ceo will dictate the future.
It all depends whether the brief is one of change or one of plus ca change.
If i was a fan who was influenceable by the sponsors of our game I’d be betting on more of the plus ca change same and a safe and controllable pair of hands as ceo rather than anyone who might threaten those currently in prestigious and powerful positions.
They have clawed their way to get to where they are and will not give any of it up lightly.
There is a total lack of vision and ability in those who run our game.
But there really is no mechanism or process to effect real change.
The blazers led no doubt by future chairman Pettie will convince each other to the point of unanymity that now is the time to play it safe.
They are quite wrong.
It’s the time for vision and change top down and bottom up.
Its time for a Scottish Football Spring.
What I don’t appreciate are Scotland fans saying they won’t go to games when he’s manager (not on this forum I will add). I have always supported Scotland no matter the manager, and it annoyed me when my fellow Rangers fans used to boycott games. I had the same argument on a Rangers forum when Lennon was being touted. Yes I wouldn’t have liked him as manager, equally I’m disappointed/underwhelmed at McLeish. But regardless of who is in charge I will always get behind the National team and give whoever is in charge 100% backing
For me it matters not a jot if McLeish did have a good run last time (albeit I agree with Stan above that, like all the recent run of managers, the general fault has been trying not to lose game against the likes of Georgia instead of going to win them), it simply comes down to the fact he walked out on his country.
I have no problem with a player, like Brown saying he can’t commit due to age, fitness etc and then coming back when called /having a change of mind / improvement in fitness but the likes of Davie Weir and Steven Fletcher turning their back on the nation because of dummy spitting turns my stomach.
Those two and a few others should never have been allowed back and the same goes for McLeish who chased the EPL dollar. Maybe if he had seen out the other two years of his contract he might have been better prepared to deal with the EPL as opposed to shown up as being nothing more than a run of the mill club manager.
As someone said a while back if they had a chance to play for (or indeed manage) the national team there wouldn’t be a kit big enough to cover their pride swollen chest.
I find McLeish comes across as being quite like-able but clearly his past behaviour (including the EBT tax avoidance issues) shows he clearly has his eye on the bucks and that is where his priorities lie.
Not for me I’m afraid.
WOTTPI, I agree with most of your points but that particular Georgia game was the opposite of trying not to lose. He played 3 up front away from home in Eastern Europe where we always struggle! We got cocky and had he played similarly to we lined up against France or Ukraine in a more conservative approach, we could have won that game. I remember watching in disbelief when I saw that lineup and the dreaded feeling we were going to slip up. And the rest is history
DARKBEFOREDAWN
Just read the BBC review of the match to remind myself of the details.
Noticed a certain Mr Murty played for Scotland that day….
I’m afraid I have to query the accuracy of the arch plagiarist again
================================
Note to Tartan Army – Stump Up For McLeish’s Advance Payment Notice
Word reaches me that McLeish was sent an APN for £901,000 by HMRC. I am led to believe that he negotiated a repayment plan. The salary from the SFA, paid for by the supporters of Scottish Football, will be used to pay off his overdue tax and NI contributions.
=================================
It’s actually an Accelerated Payment Notice. At least try to get your banner headline correct if you want to be taken even remotely seriously.
I can’t believe I typed that last bit.
I would have thought he would have been sent a Follower Notice and possibly an Accelerated Payment Notice with it, but I’m just guessing, I have no sources. If I did I would expect them to at least know what the thing was called.
I believe the Accelerated Payment Notice would only really be needed if there was some sort of ongoing enquiry. As it is an instruction to pay the amount, HMRC hold it and if the taxpayer wins then the money is returned.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/follower-notices-and-accelerated-payments–2
Accelerated payment notice
You may receive an APN if there’s an enquiry, dispute or appeal in progress that relates to your tax affairs and you’ve either:
been given a follower notice
used a disclosure of tax avoidance schemes
(DOTAS) notifiable arrangement
received a General Anti-Abuse Rule (GAAR) counteraction notice
If you receive an APN, you must pay the amount of disputed tax. HMRC will hold this money until the enquiry into your affairs is complete, or your appeal is resolved. You’ll get the money back if HMRC finds you don’t owe it.
If you don’t pay the disputed tax amount by the date on the notice, you may have to pay a penalty.
DARKBEFOREDAWN
Point taken. I do however note that a certain Mr Murty was drafted in at right back for the last of his four caps.
Gordon, Murty, McManus, Weir, Alexander, Fletcher, Ferguson, Pearson (Boyd 66), Maloney, Miller (Beattie 66), McFadden.
Also interesting to note the Georgians played a 17 year old keeper and two outfilders including the goalscorers at 16 & 17.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7032632.stm
Re Daily Record
Just announced Murray Foote (Editor) gone – is this the beginning of the end ? (he thought hopefully)
Surely Alex McLeish won’t have the audacity to bring in Alex Rae EBT as his No. 2? That would be silly and asking for it.
Or a Celtic man as a sop to the Celtic supporting Scotland fans? Probably a bit too obvious.
But you can bet there will be a ‘political’ element to the appointment in any case. Soften the blow attempt.
Wonder if that might be a good job for Ian Cathro?
At least he’s young, forward thinking and not one from the usual old boys network.
Funny you should say that’s Jimbo, Cathro was the name I was thinking should be assistant manager. He was out his depth as manager but clearly has fresh ideas
For the sake of argument, let’s accept LNS as the final a definitive word on the EBT issue.
I seem to recall that the offences were described as “second only to match fixing” in their seriousness.
Alex McLeish has, in his own words stated that the purpose of the EBT scheme was to get players on the books and on the pitch who they could not otherwise afford. This has been confirmed by evidence from others given under oath. AM was himself a beneficiary of the EBT scheme.
Just what is anyone doing in any position either within or appointed by the SFA who has a connection to this period of Ranger’s history?
Darkbeforedawn
February 16, 2018 at 10:04
He only had 10 games previously, and they came on the back of a good foundation build by Smith and followed Smith’s strong run of results and a great air of positivity and belief in the players.
==========================
It’s such a pity he walked out after such a run of results and belief in the players.
Further re Foote’s Departure from Record – saw this classic quote on FollowFollow this pm
“Expect few changes to the anti-Rangers outlook of the paper”
Foote’s biggest problem apparently , was because he is a DUFC supporter !
You couldn’t make it up .
And it’s now £9m (well maybe not) with interest from South America as well as China!
Right enough, he did score two against Ayr United, that’d add a million to anyone’s valuation.
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/rangers/rangers-reject-fourth-bid-for-alfredo-morelos-reports-1-4690048