Regular posters and contributors to the SFM may remember that in October last year I wrote to Mr McRae, President of the SFA.
I posted the text of my letter on 28th October http://www.sfmonitor.org/whose-assets-are-they-anyway/?cid=20786
I had not received a reply or acknowledgement by 12th December, so I sent a reminder. I received a reply to that reminder, dated 16 December 2015, in which Mr McRae apologised for not having responded to my previous letter, and invited me to come and see him. We arranged that I should visit him at Hampden on 19 January 2016 at 2.00 p.m.
Following the meeting, I wrote a summary of the conversation. I emailed that summary to Mr Darryl Broadfoot, Head of Communications, asking him to check whether my recollections were accurate, because I was my intention to post the summary on SFM.
I have not had a reply and I think I have waited a fair enough time, so, here is the summary of an approximately 45 minute conversation.
I should first make it clear that Mr McRae said that he had no recollection of airing any of the views recorded in my letter as attributed to him. I should also say that I made it clear that while I contribute to SFM, I was not there as ‘officially representing’ SFM, although what I would say broadly reflected the view of many.
“Note of informal meeting between me, and Alan McRae, President of the SFA, with Darryl Broadfoot, Press Officer, at Hampden park, 2.00 pm Tuesday, 19th January.
Background: I had written to Mr McRae in October 2015, to ask whether Mr McRae had really (as had been reported to me) aired the following opinions:
- that Rangers FC were not Liquidated
- that Rangers FC were put down to the third Division
- that Rangers FC were bought by Charles Green and that the team currently playing out of Ibrox Stadium and calling itself The Rangers Football Club Ltd is one and the same as the club known as Rangers Football Club, which is currently in Liquidation.
Mr McRae, through Mr Broadfoot, went through the points one by one.
On point one, there was no difficulty in agreeing that RFC had been Liquidated. That was accepted as a matter of fact.
On point two, I argued that;
- Mr Green’s new club had had to apply for league and SFA membership, and were therefore admitted as a new club to Scottish Football and allowed into SFL Third Division.
- They had as an emergency measure been granted conditional membership, and had had to seek the Administrators’ and Football Authorities’ agreement to the use of certain RFC (IL) players who had decided to sign on with the new club in order to play their first game as a new club.
- They were ‘put in ‘the Third Division as a new club, not as an existing club being relegated.
Mr McRae, through Mr Broadfoot, argued that ‘put in’ and ‘admitted to’ are pretty much the same thing, and that the legal advice obtained was that Mr Green’s new club was not a new club, and the Authorities were stuck with that.
I referred to the 5-way Agreement, and made the point that two entities other than league or SFA representatives were signatories to that agreement: RFC (IL) and Mr Green’s new club. The two could not be one.
Mr Broadfoot said that was a matter of opinion.
I said that it was rather a matter of fact.
Likewise, on the third point, there was disagreement.
Mr Broadfoot, for Mr McRae, argued that Charles Green bought the club (and Mr McRae personally added ‘and the “goodwill”’).
I pointed out that Mr Green had NOT bought the club out of Administration, as had happened with other clubs, but merely had bought the assets of a former club that was NOT able to bought out of administration and was consequently Liquidated.
Mr Broadfoot said that Celtic and Rangers supporters might continue to disagree but that could only be expected.
I pointed out that this was not at all a Celtic-Rangers supporters’ issue, and that the Scottish Football Monitor, for instance, represented the views of supporters of many clubs. I further made the point that many sports administrative bodies had come under the spotlight in current times and people were naturally concerned that the governance of football should be above suspicion: and that substantial numbers feel that the Football Authorities have been at fault, in permitting a new club to claim to be an old club and pretend to the honours and titles etc etc.
Reference was made in the passing to some allegations that had been made that certain evidence relating to the Discounted Option Scheme had been withheld from the LNS commission, which occasioned Lord Nimmo Smith to be misled; and to the apparent negligent performance of the SFA administration under the previous President, who, both on account of his personal knowledge of the use of the DOS by Sir David Murray, and as a subsequent recipient of an EBT, might reasonably have been expected to ensure a thorough and diligent examination of the information provided by clubs about payments to players.
Mr Broadfoot ruled out discussion of the first of these matters because ‘there was no evidence’, and the second matter was also ruled out because, he asserted, the previous president is a man of the highest integrity.
I replied that work was in hand to provide evidence, and that the question of negligent performance of duties was not a question of ‘personal integrity’.
Mr Broadfoot opined that the future would show whether Scottish Football supporters were really concerned about the old club/new club debate, if huge numbers turned their backs on the game.
I replied that a sport based on a false proposition, on what could be seen as a lie, no matter on what pragmatic reasons, would certainly wither if and when people thought the sport could be rigged.
As the meeting drew to a close, I was asked if, coming from Edinburgh, I was a Hibs or Hearts supporter, or perhaps a Celtic supporter? And whether I was going to tonight’s (Celtic were playing that evening at home) game?
I replied that as my name suggests, I was of Irish extraction and perhaps conclusions could be drawn from that. Also that I would not be going to tonight’s game, and that my interest in the present matter was rather more academic and objective than partisan.
The meeting ended cordially at about 2.45.pm “
I think I can say that Mr Broadfoot, opening the meeting, explained that
“for the purposes of this meeting, I am the SFA.”
Mr McRae’s personal contribution to the conversation was therefore very little more than mentioned above, Mr Broadfoot doing most of the talking.
I will say further that I spoke to BP, and consulted one or two other posters before I went to the meeting, in order to make sure that my general understanding both of the principal events of the ‘saga’ and of the thrust of most of SFM’s contributors, who are drawn from supporters of many clubs, was sufficiently sound.
I give it as my opinion that I may have been invited to a personal meeting only because it might have been thought in some quarters that I was in possession of an electronic recording of what I told Mr McRae that he was reported as having said.
And, finally, I declare here that my note of the meeting was written within two hours of the meeting, and reflects the substance of the conversation. It is exactly the note I sent by email to Broadfoot, except that I corrected a typo in the spelling of Darryll (I had ‘Caryll’), have omitted my own surname, and changed references to myself from the third person to the first person.
Corrupt official 28th January 2016 at 1:31 pm # Auldheid 28th January 2016 at 12:35 pm #Corrupt official 28th January 2016 at 11:59 am # Yup. and how about the transfer fees lost when SFA said players were free to leave? —————————————————————————————————————- Auldheid, Further to that, They want to turn it into a TRFC/Celtic thing. (I disagree it is, but trying not to digress) lets give them it. An attack from all sides to see this legal evidence. Two different tacks, seeking two different outcomes, on the same target, namely this legal advice. If they were given such advice, why did Regan say it was a matter for the fans? Why were TRFC demoted 4 leagues, under which rule, If we (all fitba fans) can unite on this, albeit from different perspectives, the bunker door will come off its hinges. If the legal advice is solid, then TRFC fans have every right to be frothing at the mouth, because on the surface it would appear they have been treated beyond harshly. If it is flimsy, it can be challenged and decided upon under that challenge. Either way, They must meet such a weight of calls for transparency head on. Whatever way you look at it, If the team in blue survive, we will all be meeting up again at some stage, so nobody is losing the team they currently follow, and no-one is losing what may become am intense rivalry. In that respect nothing will probably alter, but a lot of issues may be finally put to bed and not only decent rules of governance put in place (such as FFP), but decent governors too. So C’mon bears, get your marching boots on. We can sort this mess and get what we all want…..A game free from shysters, fraudsters, and allegedly,organised criminal gangs. Then every team in Scotland can have a wee go at giving you a right good tanking on the park for all the trouble you have caused. Or are you feart that DB was talking mince?
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I’m beginning to think there may well be some ‘legal advice’, but not to say that TRFC are the old club. I very much suspect that any such advice would have been in connection with the 5 Way Agreement, in that, for the SFA’s requirements re payments of fines etc, to be enforceable, they would have to either:
a) announce that TRFC ad RFC were the same club, or
b) say nothing that would make it clear that the SFA viewed them as a new club, even though they were treating them as such.
They chose b)
I think that might explain the rather strange ‘stuck with’ remark! ‘Stuck with’ doesn’t suggest something is accepted because it is a fact or correct, but rather is something that is forced upon them through circumstances. There is no way that legal advice that they are the same club would result in the SFA being ‘stuck with’ anything. It would be cause for celebration (at Hampden).
Mr Broadfoot, if you have some advice of a legal ruling, or bona fide interpretation of company law, that shows TRFC and RFC are one and the same, just publish it.
Of course, to publish such ‘evidence’ might end up rather embarrassing should Green’s assertion that he didn’t buy the club be upheld!
neepheid
http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/article.php?i=91&a=rangers-withdraw-business-from-the-herald
A rambling thought:
I wonder if this sheds any light on the ID of the Director referred to in the GS article?
One element of this never ending story that i had never considered was whether members of the SFA are compromised, being blackmailed or being threatened. Just to be VERY clear, I am no way making an accusation.
However, we have journalists letting it be known that their newspaper employers print stories under the journos name that they did not write. We have well known journos confirming threats made against them and their family. We have journos who are afraid to speak or write publicly about Rangers for fear of reprisals. We have newspaper owners being threatened with the withdrawal of valuable income from advertising. We have shopowners threatened for daring to stock a certain book. We have newspaper articles pulled due to threats made concerning excerpts from that same book. We have club owners threatened with arson. We have members of panels who try to impose punishments on Rangers threatened with their lives and the lives of their family. We have a club who not only tolerate the illegal mass singing of a banned song, but appear to love the song from the boardroom down. We have threats, intimidation, reprisals, revenge and hate lists. We have a club, based on the historical assumption that they are the best of society, that they are the PEOPLE. That they can do what they want.
Taking that all into consideration, it wouldnt surprise me if genuine, real threats have been made to members of the SFA, even if some of them are sympathetic to the club. That would explain a lot for me. It would help to explain why this club seems to transcend and evade real punishment. It would help to explain why the SFA appear so in thrawl to them. It would help to explain why we are in the mess we are in now.
You wait and see what happens if leave to appeal the EBT decision is refused and title stripping rears its head again. You wait and see how the clamour for title stripping goes, and how the threats will really begin. I do not anticipate ANY stripping of titles. I hope i am wrong. However, a prominent member of the Rangers boardroom has already made it clear that there will be no title stripping. He was very confident about that.
It just wouldnt surprise me if members of the SFA were under real and present danger of reprisals. If you think that sounds far fetched fair enough, it probably is. But SFA panel members, from other clubs, from outside football, have been seriously threatened. It is not a stretch to consider that real threats have been made higher up in the SFA. Hence the silence, the helping hands, the rules based on discretion. The avoidance of correspondence and any kind of serious response. Until JC’s breakthrough. Where a minder was clearly present with the SFA president.
Sorry for the long post….i admit i have an active imagination ☺
Bogs Dollox 28th January 2016 at 2:09 pm
‘…but those advertisers have a right to withdraw their money as they see fit…’
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That is correct, in the advertisers business sense, but can it be right to use it as a blackmail device, especially when used for some other entity’s benefit?
You are, of course, correct that the Herald are culprits, jointly (with TRFC and the advertiser) and in their own handling of the matter.
RYAN!!! I think it’s about time you came back to the site. You will have at least 3 pals on here now to back you up. Regarding Friendlybear being a squirrel (whatever that means!) I don’t believe it. His first post explained that he came here because of jj’s 5 star rating of this site. Argue his points by all means, but cut him a bit of slack as to his intentions for being here.
I have just called my pal, who happens to be an advocate and obtained legal advice that Jim Traynor is Kylie Minogue.
It’s blatantly bollocks – but it is legal advice (albeit in very bad taste – with profuse apologies to Miss Minogue)
I suddenly need eye bleach at the hideous thought of Jim wearing gold hotpants.
https://twitter.com/MainBart/status/692697585044328448
Tweet suggesting PhantomBlogger software included his name in the html page.
Also @pzj_1 (stateaidboy) twitter site suspended.
Cheers Jimbo! Also to Vansen, I doubt the SFA are being threatened or blackmailed but I am sure they probably would be aware of the less evolved angry types in our support. Who are not in the majority in my experience might I add! I think they fear the loss in revenue in a top league without the old firm and I do believe they would equally support celtic if the shoe was on the other foot
At last a petition ! Let’s support it.
https://www.change.org/p/scottish-football-association-return-integrity-to-football-administration-in-scotland-94421b40-2d6b-4d4b-9cff-912c9849478f
Allyjambo 28th January 2016 at 2:34 pm #Bogs Dollox 28th January 2016 at 2:09 pm ‘…but those advertisers have a right to withdraw their money as they see fit…’ ______ That is correct, in the advertisers business sense, but can it be right to use it as a blackmail device, especially when used for some other entity’s benefit?
You are, of course, correct that the Herald are culprits, jointly (with TRFC and the advertiser) and in their own handling of the matter.
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AJ I didn’t say that it was me quoting AmFearLiathMòr 28th January 2016 at 12:57 pm
But since you ask – no it is not right that it should be used as a blackmail device which was the point I was clumsily making by saying that we too could control the editorial content of the Herald if we were to raise and pay £45k for advertising. Its a national scandal that it only takes £40k to control a newspaper these days.
The Herald Editor should have made it a matter of principle that no retraction be printed and should have resigned if necessary. I had a conversation with a senior person at the Herald recently who is disgusted with the lack of a backbone and resource the paper has to investigate and report properly and can’t wait to retire. It’s all just a part of the declining influence of the print media and no bad thing in many ways provided there is an online reliable alternative that reports with integrity.
friendlybear 28th January 2016 at 3:22 pm # Cheers Jimbo! Also to Vansen, I doubt the SFA are being threatened or blackmailed but I am sure they probably would be aware of the less evolved angry types in our support. Who are not in the majority in my experience might I add! I think they fear the loss in revenue in a top league without the old firm and I do believe they would equally support celtic if the shoe was on the other foot
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I too don’t think the SFA are being threatened, well not in a physical sense. Blackmailed? Perhaps with the threat of ‘no more Rangers’ hinted at from time to time. I also think they would support Celtic if the shoe was on the other foot, in much the same way they’d support every other club. It is their job, after all.
I do not believe, though, that that support would stretch to the level of ‘at all costs’ that it has done for RFC/TRFC. It is actually possible to lend support while observing the rules and integrity of football with more than a nod to company law.
There is also the fact that this particular brogue belongs solely to Rangers and their replacement! It is not only the shoe of liquidation, it is liberally laced with EBTs and mis-registration of players.
jimbo
why does it need my address ? i dont give that out to other websites
Tony, I wasn’t asked for my address. Maybe I was the first I signed a petition the first time I can’t remember. This site seems to be reputable, I suppose they might need your address to make the signatories valid. Wouldn’t like to advise you either way, if you feel uncomfortable with it, leave it alone.
Bogs Dollox 28th January 2016 at 3:43 pm # Allyjambo 28th January 2016 at 2:34 pm #Bogs Dollox 28th January 2016 at 2:09 pm ‘…but those advertisers have a right to withdraw their money as they see fit…’ ______ That is correct, in the advertisers business sense, but can it be right to use it as a blackmail device, especially when used for some other entity’s benefit? You are, of course, correct that the Herald are culprits, jointly (with TRFC and the advertiser) and in their own handling of the matter. ____________________________________ AJ I didn’t say that it was me quoting AmFearLiathMòr 28th January 2016 at 12:57 pm
But since you ask – no it is not right that it should be used as a blackmail device which was the point I was clumsily making by saying that we too could control the editorial content of the Herald if we were to raise and pay £45k for advertising. Its a national scandal that it only takes £40k to control a newspaper these days.
The Herald Editor should have made it a matter of principle that no retraction be printed and should have resigned if necessary. I had a conversation with a senior person at the Herald recently who is disgusted with the lack of a backbone and resource the paper has to investigate and report properly and can’t wait to retire. It’s all just a part of the declining influence of the print media and no bad thing in many ways provided there is an online reliable alternative that reports with integrity.
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Apologies Bogs, and to AmFearLiathMor, I should have been more careful of what post I was copying
friendlybear 28th January 2016 at 3:22 pm #
I think they fear the loss in revenue in a top league without the old firm and I do believe they would equally support celtic if the shoe was on the other foot
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The shoe was on the other foot, Celtic were literally hours from going bankrupt. This was pre things like administration. So the Bank of Scotland would literally have just closed the club down. The same Bank of Scotland who couldn’t give enough money to Sir David Murray.
Fergus McCann came in and saved the club with his own money.
Can you tell me what the SFA did to help the club. I don’t remember them assisting the club in any way. In fact in subsequent years their leader was forced out of his job because he corruptly blocked a transfer into Celtic. That only happened because the same Fergus McCann would not let the matter drop.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Farry
In 1999, an independent commission was called to examine allegations made by the then Celtic managing director and majority shareholder Fergus McCann concerning the registration of Portuguese player Jorge Cadete in 1996. A player must be registered with the SFA before he is permitted to play in matches in Scotland. A delay in the registration had forced Cadete to miss a Scottish Cup semi-final against their Old Firm rivals Rangers, which Celtic lost 2–1. McCann claimed that the delay was deliberate and the commission ruled in his favour. On 8 March 1999, Farry was sacked for gross misconduct
I’m sorry but there is nothing to suggest that the SFA would help Celtic “if the shoe was on the other foot”. Certainly nothing historically.
My, my. Looks like the O’Halloran deal may not be happening since Billy King joining on loan from Hearts. Wonder if Kris Boyd was aware a few days ago?Had my club had such protracted and very public bids for players and not got either of the managers’ main men – they’ll not have been “snubbed” of course – most fans would be disappointed by their boards lack of support.However over on Rangers Media there’s rejoicing about the new loannees name and the ways it can be used rather than criticism of the Board.
They really do deserve everything that comes their way.Cue derision from the SMSM re investment failure? I think not. The bigging up already under way; number of top team appearances already made, capped at all levels except full, of course.
Surely Warburton must be raging having made to look so stupid these past few weeks?
Following the intervention by Alex Thomson, the respected ex-Herald journalist, Robin Dinwoodie, has blogged on the Graham Spiers case.
Read it here:
https://robbiedinwoodie.wordpress.com/2016/01/28/whos-next-in-line-for-the-bully-boys/
yes I know some of the more tin foil headed in the celtic support see masonic conspiracies at the SFA and elsewhere but wasn’t the farry incident a simple mistake and/or a mutual loathing between him and McCann?
back to the Spiers story though, hasn’t he been a bit foolish by claiming a rangers director said they loved the billy boys without having it recorded or written on the record?
I’m wondering if maybe JC was granted an interview with those at the top of SFA hierarchy as they sought to establish if he had any hard proof of previous statements made by Mr McRae (how many ways can you spell his name ?). They may have expected him to be naïve enough to show his cards and allow them to neuter any threat . They are professionals, you know .
A new chapter has been added to the Sevco story,a very disturbing one at that,let’s hope this is now quickly nearing the end of this entities life,the cancer has now spread to every part of this club ,board room also ,everyone that has had dealings with this club must be hoping for an early end,no one is safe from the scourge that this continues to inflict on our society ,to live with the threats that seem to be made to people trying to carry out their everyday life has now gone beyond anyone’s belief ,even in a corrupt society,certain people in positions which have a responsibility to the public now need to pay for what there actions or inactions have brought to our country .
jimbo 28th January 2016 at 4:00 pm #
“Tony, I wasn’t asked for my address.”
I know that a petition carried out in Swindon regarding the Future of Lydiard House and Park was ignored by Swindon Borough Council despite the large number of signatories. Their rationale for this was that it did not comply with some rule / standard / regulation requiring an address rather than just a postcode.
Vansen – perfectly valid observation.
Indeed, it would seem highly inconsistent if threats had
NOT been directed at the Hampden blazers.
Mibbees that’s why there is a need for a low profile –
and the metaphorical bunker?
Jimbo re the petition.You think it’s for real? The author’s name is Tony Bliar ???
I see we have signed King, Billy. Excellent – this will help shirt sales
jimmci 28th January 2016 at 4:04 pm # My, my. Looks like the O’Halloran deal may not be happening since Billy King joining on loan from Hearts. Wonder if Kris Boyd was aware a few days ago?Had my club had such protracted and very public bids for players and not got either of the managers’ main men – they’ll not have been “snubbed” of course – most fans would be disappointed by their boards lack of support.However over on Rangers Media there’s rejoicing about the new loannees name and the ways it can be used rather than criticism of the Board. They really do deserve everything that comes their way.Cue derision from the SMSM re investment failure? I think not. The bigging up already under way; number of top team appearances already made, capped at all levels except full, of course. Surely Warburton must be raging having made to look so stupid these past few weeks?
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I’m really disappointed in this move, if it comes off. Like many Hearts supporters, I had high hopes for the lad with the unfortunate name, but it looks like he’s out of Neilson’s plans. Sadly, TRFC have got a good ‘un
for the rest of the season.
James Forrest – excellent piece.
And to be fair: my opinion of Spiers has risen dramatically!
He deserves a much better outcome for telling the truth…
jimbo
https://www.change.org/p/scottish-football-association-return-integrity-to-football-administration-in-scotland-94421b40-2d6b-4d4b-9cff-912c9849478f
i’ll leave it mate,no need for my addy to be known,just my opinion
friendlybear 28th January 2016 at 4:10 pm #
That will be unlike the foolishness of going on the record and saying you had an email from the Dallas Cowboys in your filing cabinet or were going to over-invest £30m of your own money and that you had a Nomad ready to be appointed in a couple of days.
Charlie boy is soon to be up before the Beaks and we all know what the South African Courts said about DCK.
From what we know of Spiers I have severe doubts that he would be one to tell porkies on such a serious issue.
In the 21st century any director and employee of the football club paying put of Ibrox should be decrying a song that glorifies the bloodshed and death of others. It has nowt to do with football.
Just to make my point clear, I really hate the bad element of Rangers. The bad element of Rangers. How many of us know good bears?
I know plenty. and unfortunatatly some RIP
friendlybear 28th January 2016 at 4:10 pm #
yes I know some of the more tin foil headed in the celtic support see masonic conspiracies at the SFA and elsewhere but wasn’t the farry incident a simple mistake and/or a mutual loathing between him and McCann?
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Firstly I see no reason to rise to your absolutely unneccessary insult, if the mods think you calling other people “tin foil headed” is acceptable that is a matter for them.
Neither did anyone other than you mention “masonic conspiracies”, at the SFA or anywhere else. That is simply putting a spin on something which otherwise wasn’t there.
If the “Farry thing” was a simple mistake then it is difficult to understand why an independent commission found him guilty of gross misconduct which led to him being sacked.
This is from a Scotsman article on the subject. Long time readers of this blog will be amused at the latter part. Well maybe in an ironic way.
“The Burness report exposed the extent of Farry’s bungling. At the arbitration hearing he “substantially damaged his credibility and the integrity of the Association’s case” by failing to produce correspondence from FIFA between 1994 and 1996 on the conditionality of ITCs. He “drew a warning” for “consistently” evading questions; was “unable to give a convincing explanation” why conditions in the second application “were unacceptable to him”; “indicated significant aspects…of registration fell to subordinates” “as he had been abroad”; “he gave evidence … not regarded as credible ….”; “he gave contradictory evidence on the powers of the Executive Committee”; “was unable to explain why retrospectivity of the ITC was not applied in this case” and “deflected responsibility to Mr (Sandy] Bryson (head of registrations] …. (on] certain executive decisions”.
I will leave it there, further discussion on this matter serves no purpose. Other than to say plus ca change re player registrations, or those who deal with them. They make it up as they go along, then, now, forever.
http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/news/4917
Billy King has gone to TRFC on loan until the end of the season. Could you ever have imagined a Hearts player being farmed out to Rangers for ‘game time’ so that he can come back an even more confident player?
No? Well neither could I, and it will never happen!
Having spent many millions of pounds on players over the past three and a half years, TRFC, at their peak, are having to borrow players from Hearts to aid their bid to win the Championship!
If this doesn’t bring a reality check to the bears, nothing will.
I think it’s fair to assume that Hearts intention is to bring in at least one better player, perhaps only on loan, than the young King, and are making room before committing more money.
I have to admit, TRFC have made a good signing today. He was a very good player, at times, last season, and has undoubtedly improved with Premiership experience.
Billy King? his Dad was either having a bookmaker or having a girrafe.
What does 40k and 40k have in common?
Well
If you put a £ sign before 40k
It buys the integrity of the Glasgow Herald
And
without spending a bean
If you put “aggressive bears singing sectarian songs” after 40k
It buys the integrity of
The Police
The Local Authorities
The Scottish Government
The SFA
And
worse of all
The children listening to this filth
Bit off topic……Clicked on AD’s as i see funding is at red
On the petition, the only people who see your email address are change.org, perfectly reputable site.
Tony, did you not give your email address to this site???
Another perfectly reputable site.
Strange that people are trying to put others off!!
grecian urn 28th January 2016 at 8:12 pm #
Billy King? his Dad was either having a bookmaker or having a giraffe.
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His dad’s name is Joe King, ……………….. honest!
Make what you want out of that.
They are actually a great family, with four sons, all of whom have been with professional clubs.
Billy is the oldest at 21. The next son Adam (20) went from Hearts to Swansea two years ago (has been on loan to Crewe this season). Third son Ross (17) was with Livingston, but joined Rangers at the start of the season, although I believe he has recently been released and has or will be joining Selkirk in the Lowland League. Youngest son Robbie is still at the Hearts Academy and plays with Hearts U13s.
Allyjambo 28th January 2016 at 7:40 pm
Hopefully there is a clause that if the Hearts squad gets hit with injuries and suspensions he can be called back a short notice. I have a lot of time for the lad.
Can see pros and cons of letting him go, along with Wilson and Holt, to what could become our feeder team
Celtic67
i’ll give an rmail it was my house address and postcode i wasn’t going to give
Celtic67
*email*
From STV
Robbie Neilson puts in his cliche application for wearing a magic hat
The point is Farry deliberately delayed the registration of Cadette to Celtic’s detriment and Rangers benefit. Why he did it is less important than the fact that he did it.
Tony,
I will give up after this. They asked you for an address and postcode. I know of many.
Will Mr King to Rangers trump Mr Clarkson to St. Mirren.
See us diddys have a hand to play in all the great conspiracies.
So is his email, KingBilly@rangers.co.blah blah blah. Never mind the shirt sales, I’ve got a few friends that would love that email address!
I (slightly off topic) have just listened to one of the funniest female comics I have ever heard on Radio 4 extra. Susan Calman. The fact that she is Celtic daft has nothing to do with it, nor has she admitted it yet, but I can tell. She is lovely, cuddley (SP) and funny, she just has to be.
I bet you friendly bears are jelous (sp).
I seem to remember the ‘Requisitioners meeting’, where real Rangers men had a good laugh about a remark about ‘Celtic getting behind their youngsters’,
So admitting loving ‘The Billy Boys’ is really hee haw. Gordon Smith and the rest, really have to have a good look at their soulless selves. 20 mins in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCeQPM4TMF8
I remember reading about some of the great hacks in fleet street being in the pub all afternoon and writing their best stuff on their typewriters half drunk. A bit like Winston C.
Drink is a terrible thing. But we get insights. For instance, I like Dundee Utd. And I feel sorry for their state of affairs., I like Motherwell too. And Aberdeen. I only like Hearts because of mates. (only kidding Anne Budge is very good). But you get the drift? We are all Scottish Supporters.
Our league is not as bad as people would make out. It’s our league at the end of the day and is competitive. Shut your eyes to the disgusting English set up and it is still a great game. (SFA aside)
orrupt official 28th January 2016 at 1:31 pm#
Auldheid 28th January 2016 at 12:35 pm #Corrupt official 28th January 2016 at 11:59 am #
Yup. and how about the transfer fees lost when SFA said players were free to leave?
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Auldheid, Further to that, They want to turn it into a TRFC/Celtic thing. (I disagree it is, but trying not to digress) lets give …..
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The Res12 issue started on a Celtic Rangers basis because those were the two clubs affected by the way the UEFA 2011 licence was handled but the way the SFA have dealt with all enquiries since then is a matter of serious misgovernance.
Hence SFA wish to deflect. I’ve seen the letters and responses. If proper and fair governance is about treating all members equally then what happened in 2011 and since is serious misgovernance, trust me.
RE: CHANGE.ORG
This is a site you can trust to have your voice heard worldwide.
As I have lived in Spain for a number of years I find myself everyday signing petitions for various
causes as I feel it’s the only way I can help, so please don’t be afraid of this site when you come
across it read the petition and if you agree sign it.
Listened to the Spirtsound podcast from last night and a couple of points struck me.
The studio team were at pains not to criticise Rangers transfer window dealing with Kenny MacIntyre doing a great job in trying to minimise criticism of the transfer window dealings from Ibrox. Wilson followed suit but Tom English raised the horrible issue of no money…how dare he?
Much mocking was made of Hearts attempting to “aid” Rangers to promotion by loaning them Billy King to help them to promotion. I think the panel were quite correct in describing this simply as business. Wonder if Matthew Lindsay over at the Herald agrees following his ridiculous Hibs/ Stokes comments when “many in football were querying the deal”.
However what really grabbed my attention was the piece that the official , yes official Website had run a mock-up earlier in the week showing Michael O’Halloran in a Rangers top. What the hell are these people thinking and no wonder Tommy Wright was fuming.
Rangers transfer dealings this window have been very frustrating, after starting out with much hope we have settled for loan players of average standard at best. It is obvious there is no money being made available and that’s a real pity and a massive can of worms and lack of transparency. The team under Warburton is light years ahead of the dirge offered up under McCoist and he has been a real find, we need to hang onto him. Hopefully, the financial situation will improve in the summer and we make a few key signings, for a crack at the SPFL title next season (assuming we go up……)
jimbo 28th January 2016 at 7:25 pm #
Just to make my point clear, I really hate the bad element of Rangers. The bad element of Rangers. How many of us know good bears?
I know plenty. and unfortunatatly some RIP
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Jimbo,
I also really hate the bad element of Rangers but I equally detest the bad element of my own club who continue to honour the IRA.
We/our fans claim our songs are political and not sectarian which may be true but they are still being sung in support of terrorists who murdered innocent civilians, and for me Celtic have never done anywhere near enough to distance themselves from this element of the support.
Friendly bear
In the nicest possible way, and for the absence of doubt said in jest, could I suggest you take your cart and your horse and maybe try swapping the two around
.
Assuming no more signings I agree the odds still look in your favour. For once I’ll also commend the board, King and all, for NOT spending money they don’t have, but this is starting to look a bit high risk which I suspect is not what you hoped, nor I expected, to see.
Unless a reconstruction escape hatch has been offered of course!
Observing Scottish football from 12,000 miles away I am always gobsmacked by the number of people who want to sing songs about the distant past and other countries. These songs have nothing to do with football and thus football is just the vehicle to parade their sectarianism. I am convinced that the only way to silence these people is to stop the football. The referee just has to blow his whistle , pick up the ball and refuse to restart till the offensive singing stops. Pavlov showed over a hundred years ago that if you want you can train a dog to salivate when it hears a bell. You can also train a crowd to be silent. It just takes one short blast on a whistle repeated several times.
Spanishcelt, I couldn’t agree more. Songs about paramilitary groups, rebels, freedom fighters, razor gangs etc. are cringeworthy and troublesome in this day in age. But there are powerful vocal minorities in each support who don’t want to let go of these as they see them as so intertwined with their identity. We can only hope that this will fizzle out and become a thing of the past but the tribal nature of football supporters makes that difficult!
Not that I particularly want the conversation to go any further down the ‘songs’ route but my simplistic take on it for what its worth is not what the song contains, but simply if someone (in a fair and decent authority) has seen fit to say that you can’t sing something, then you can’t. Period.
To choose an obvious comparison, I understand I’m not allowed to refer to a player descriptively as white (choosing that colour to be as non controversial as possible). I don’t expect to engage in a conversation with a steward about whether the player is really white or more a creamy pinky colour, if he tells me to stop (or I have been warned beforehand not to do it in the first place) then I stop.
stateaidboy back with his third twitter account (pzj was permanently suspended for abusive posts, pzj_1 for disclosing personal details of others) and now new version 1_pzj which doing same things originals were.
Don’t think twitter will take to long to spot link between all three accounts and take further action.
Twitter has report button – the more people that use it against any account the higher up their priority list to review site and remove if it breaches their rules.
If he was posting truth original sites would still be up… they are down. Not truthfull then. 70k posts gone. All those posts about Celtic gone – obsession – if he posted under his own name would only need to post truth once to beat Celtic.
philmacgiollabhain posts under his own name and is still on twitter/wordpress, spiers on twitter/wordpress, johnjames/sitonfence on twitter/wordpress as psuedonm , theclumpany same….
Seems Gers bloggers struggling to stay live and avoid being shutdown or closed (bearsfightback, rsl) – they loosing the online war.
I see concerns being voiced over the safety of signing the petition-
https://www.change.org/p/scottish-football-association-return-integrity-to-football-administration-in-scotland-673d2730-4863-4499-8b6d-b4c6e908318f
This is reputable site that has run many major petitions and, being professionally run, will have security in place.I am sure that there may be IT experts who could glean some info from the page but, if anything is worthwhile, we need to stand up and be counted no matter the cost. History tells us that.
You can also choose not to have your details or comment displayed.
This is no longer about football, it is about the society that we, and our families, live in.
Make a difference.
SIGN the PETITION
Hang on a minute, please allow a right of reply to some of the above posts:
I’d prefer (nowadays) if the Celtic Irish ballads were sung out-with the environs of football stadiums but I do love to hear them, they are part of the club, and supports, DNA.
In Scotland, ANYTHING deemed Irish/Catholic (especially in song) is generally deemed sectarian by the Scottish population, it is an institutionally sectarian country, until that issue is addressed, we will stagnate as a nation.
What other civilised nation would allow traffic/normal life in its capital city, be brought to a standstill in excess of 350 times a year for sectarian marches?
In my (near 60 years) life span Celtic Park was the ONLY focal point (other than Church) for the Irish Catholic diaspora to celebrate their common roots, long may that flourish.
Sinn Fein and the political wing of the IRA are in government, they are part of a democratically elected political movement which is making a decent, civilised fist of running a statelet for the benefit of ALL its citizens regardless of race, creed, colour or sect of said electorate. Most of us have moved on, others are knee deep in it.
I will say no more on this as I don’t want this site going down this alley.
Glad to see some Rangers voices on this site, to which I will add mine!
I think the time the SFA have best said their position onn Rangers was to the Adversting watchdog.
“We also consulted with the SFA, which confirmed that its definition of a football “club” varied depending on context, and could sometimes refer to an entity separate from the club’s corporate owner. The SFA further pointed out that, following RFC’s transfer to a new corporate owner, Newco did not take a new membership of the Scottish FA but rather that the previous membership was transferred across to them so they could continue as the same member of the Scottish FA.”
The last bit mainly. Bottom line: SFA deal mainly in terms of “members”, and a transfer of membership counts as a continuation of that member, even tho the holder’s different.
Same process occurs if a club re-organises, incorporates etc, even though in Rangers case the whole thing was triggered for wildly different reasons.
Same process, same result. Continuation!
Smugas 29th January 2016 at 9:48 am
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You can only spend money you don’t have if people provide you with loans, or the supplier is willing to give you credit terms.
I think the fact that Rangers have already publicly admitted that they are £1m short of seeing the financial year out and that they would need additional external funding next season makes either unlikely. Certainly not without onerous terms.
This is not good governance as far as I am concerned. It is simply that the only people willing to provide loans are directors or supporters. There is a limit to what they will be willing to put into a loss making business with no other credit currently available.
It’s not that there is no money being made available for transfers, it’s simpler than that. There is no money.
James Doleman is currently tweeting live from court on the Charles Green v Rangers legal expenses appeal. Just started.
Interesting!
Homunculus,
Agreed. I was speaking in terms of compared to a situation of spending £500k that they definitely don’t have on O’Hallaran. Tbh whatever wages King is on they’ll no doubt argue they can save in fines for singing songs with the word Billy in them! We all know whats coming.
Neepheid,
If I recall correctly the issue was in establishing if Green was acting for “Rangers” when he was in fact establishing “Rangers nee sevco.” Its not quite OC/NC (since the continuity brigade argue that “Rangers” was magically transferred from PLC to Sevco-soon-to-be-Rangers) but I suspect its uncomfortably close.
“Bawsman…In Scotland, ANYTHING deemed Irish/Catholic (especially in song) is generally deemed sectarian by the Scottish population, it is an institutionally sectarian country, until that issue is addressed, we will stagnate as a nation.”
Sorry Bawsman, I don’t think the majority of people in Scotland would agree with you on that at all.
Smugas 29th January 2016 at 10:50 am # Homunculus,
Agreed. I was speaking in terms of compared to a situation of spending £500k that they definitely don’t have on O’Hallaran.
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Indeed, and that is my very point.
The only options would be to borrow that money to pay for his registration, or ask St Johnstone for terms.
Neither seems particularly likely. Though to be fair not impossible. A wealthy fan, or fans group may provide the money. It would seem a bit rash though, as paying the bills as they fall due is surely more important.
I think Rangers will be promoted whatever happens, unless they are really unlucky with injuries or suspensions. They have a lead in the division and I see few teams capable of taking points from them in the run in. The Falkirk game is very important, it is one of the few potential stumbling blocks left. I believe the remaining Hibs v Rangers games will decide the winner of the division. Though as I say, Falkirk are still a factor.
I apologise to supporters of other clubs in the division. It is simply my opinion.
Smugas, as I recall, Green’s termination agreement, instead of referring to the limited company (TRFC) referred to “Rangers Football Club”. So the court will have to come to some conclusion as to what that comprises. Some interesting wording being used by Green’s counsel-
Bawsman 29th January 2016 at 10:27 am # What other civilised nation would allow traffic/normal life in its capital city, be brought to a standstill in excess of 350 times a year for sectarian marches?
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I didn’t realise Edinburgh was that bad, I had always though the whole marching thing was more of a west of Scotland thing.
Friendlybear 29th January 2016 at 10:56 am
I left Scotland to ‘see the world’ in 1974 as a 17 year old. I was getting scunnered with the “and what school did you go to son?” restriction on any kind of career prospects.
A couple of sweet irony’s to follow:
Irony 1) I served in the RAF for 23 years, retired to civvy street for tea and medals (and another job). The school I had attended was not a hindrance working for Her Maj, in fact she even laid a wreath, and bowed her head in honour of the Boys of the Old brigade in a service in Dublin a couple of years ago, and no doubt will do so again around Easter for the 100 years celebration.
Irony 2) I Cringe at the vision of so many fellow servicemen cavorting round Ibrox ‘celebrating’ Armistice day. I have the memory of being dispatched in Gulf War 1 to Dhahran in heavy duty Green camouflage gear where the temperature reached 55 degrees C with 85%+ humidity. The Ibrox club, during all that time, were evading paying the tax for the gear we needed. Mine was a discomfort, the tank guys swapping (ill fitting) armoured vests to go on duty was a criminal disgrace.
Ibrox Loyal eh? Who to matey?
Homunculus 29th January 2016 at 11:08 am #
My mistake obvs.
Though everyone accepts Embra only has a castle and a main street, not exactly capital material.:-)
Which manager will be up before the Compliance Officer first — Wright or Warburton?
Bawsman 29th January 2016 at 10:27 am
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In my (near 60 years) life span Celtic Park was the ONLY focal point (other than Church) for the Irish Catholic diaspora to celebrate their common roots, long may that flourish.
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Bawsman, that’s your experience (and others on this site and RTC have voiced similar) and who am I to argue what your club means to you or your fellow Celtic supporters? However, Glasgow and Celtic Park don’t hold exclusive rights on the experiences of the Irish diaspora in Scotland. It’s entirely up to Celtic fans to decide what songs they like to sing, and if it’s as others in recent times have suggested in recent times, as mostly being in support of the team or relating to the club’s origins or just songs they like, who can object? Celtic’s You’ll Never Walk Alone or Killie’s Paper Roses or Dundee United’s Beautiful Sunday seem like odd choices to me but make the fans happy and offend no one. But let’s not conflate Celtic supporters with Irish Catholicism in Scotland. I’d wager that most of the Irish diaspora adhere to no religion, and that football gets along much better without either religion or politics.
BigPink: we need means to raise issues/questions to you (own article – sfm suggestion box) – as otherwise you miss questions to you .
Would be nice if upvote/downvote included name of voter…. so we see who always votes me down (2 votes every time – guessing its pzj and phantomblogger in disguises).
Getting upvote from auldheid would be grand…. downvote from him means try harder.
wordpress has lots of options to add – is it time to add things to improve site?
first and second post on new page – hoorah seen by millions, ok 100s but every time they come for next few days – they see me first…
upvotes here we come….
😉