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.
i see we have a few bears on board who must be feeling vindicated in using the term rangers when many others on this site continue to do so. the last time i brought this up ,it was obvious that those that continue to use this false usage have inflated ego’s or can’t be seen rectifying their position. please TRFC,NEWCO,SEVCO,NEW CLUB,tribute act. please stop justifying their position or do some of you secretly desire going back to the bad old days just for the sake of a bit of competition?.also where do some of you actually stand on the evidence? because am really am having some serious doubts about certain posters here.
a belated thank you to john clark in your efforts to expose the lie.
as for the spineless herald,shame on them ,they are no better than some north korean paper.
we are only human ,we make mistakes,so again please refrain from oldclub terms unless you are referring to the dead club.it must also be said that new bears must love some of you blokes when they see the word rangers. some of you will come back at me and justify your positions,if so then it’s clear that the old club did not die in your eyes ,the last time the excuses of convenience were used but no amount of mental gymnastics can get around your false usage.no doubt i shall see some thumbs down from the sensitive.
oh and remember this continued use of the word rangers is a slap in the face to john clark,phil mac,john mc conville and many many others.
StevieBC 29th January 2016 at 9:51 pm
‘…Yes, “Comments are closed” for this article on their website!’
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StevieBC- if , as I think you must have, you survived the snow storm on the east coast of the good old US of A, why don’t you send a wee account of this story to the ‘Washington Post’, particularly that ‘comments are closed’ bit? Maybe mention Ben B and the other guys?
The story deserves wide dissemination.
motor red 29th January 2016 at 10:27 pm #
Tbh I am (despite an abiding dislike for the club in question) quite happy to use the R word and will continue to do so excepting where clarification is required regarding the corporate entities involved.
And I very much doubt it’s a slap in the face for anyone.
John Clark,
When Ben Bradlee said “no one”, after the resignation of the US President, I don’t think many could be excluded.
Re the CF tweet.
https://twitter.com/TheTributeAct/status/693177764506107904?replies_view=true&cursor=AQAWKt-pngk
Hopefully this cowardice from the Herald sees an SMSM publication swirl the drain and vanish from view. It may be a wake up call to at least some of the others. Some others are beyond hope…..Frankly, and I know I am talking about peoples jobs here, but it simply cannot be allowed to survive.
No more hits from me ! No matter what the bait.
.agree Herald decision just another nail in the coffin for news print but going off topic for a minute…purchasing tickets or the upcoming semi final at hampden on Sunday for myself and family members. Informed that no student or oap concessions or for 16- 18 yr old s(already have concession season books for celtic park). Had to pUll full price for the 3 of them as well as my own…costing me 80 quid instead of an expected 35 -40 quid!!! Informed by staff nothing to do with CFC , told that SFA And hampden set rules…asked if CFC were going to try to do anything about it…Shrug shoulder reply…family day out will be very costly once overpriced food and drink are purchased. Bringing the fans back to Scottish football….not .
In much the same way as newspapers are being beaten by online media….football is being beaten by other entertainment industries.
Corrupt official 29th January 2016 at 10:57 pm
‘….Frankly, and I know I am talking about peoples jobs here, but it simply cannot be allowed to survive. ‘
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Not so much ‘cannot be allowed’ . Rather ‘will not survive’. Except perhaps as a fanzine!
And this presents a huge problem to those of us who do have interests other than football.
Some very good political, social, arts, journalists write for the Herald , and many gifted free-lance journalists as well.
None of these can now be happy in their work.
Even though ‘sport’ may be of no interest whatsoever to them, they must be interested in the fact that they appear to be working for someone who , today, refuses first to stand up for a sports journalist, and then demands the sacking ( by an editor too ready to obey the command)of a journalistic colleague who dared to support that sports journalist; someone who, tomorrow ,might want to cave in to the demands of another disreputable company, and demand their sacking for perhaps upsetting a politician, or a local government councillor, or a theatrical producer, or prominent businessman, or whatever.
I look for the journalists and other writers for the Herald to deal with this situation: tell Llewellin tae get to hell out of it.
John Clark 29th January 2016 at 11:40 pm #Corrupt official 29th January 2016 at 10:57 pm ‘….Frankly, and I know I am talking about peoples jobs here, but it simply cannot be allowed to survive. ‘ ______ Not so much ‘cannot be allowed’ . Rather ‘will not survive’. Except perhaps as a fanzine! And this presents a huge problem to those of us who do have interests other than football. Some very good political, social, arts, journalists write for the Herald , and many gifted free-lance journalists as well. None of these can now be happy in their work. Even though ‘sport’ may be of no interest whatsoever to them, they must be interested in the fact that they appear to be working for someone who , today, refuses first to stand up for a sports journalist, and then demands the sacking ( by an editor too ready to obey the command)of a journalistic colleague who dared to support that sports journalist; someone who, tomorrow ,might want to cave in to the demands of another disreputable company, and demand their sacking for perhaps upsetting a politician, or a local government councillor, or a theatrical producer, or prominent businessman, or whatever. I look for the journalists and other writers for the Herald to deal with this situation: tell Llewellin tae get to hell out of it.
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This blog may be about football establishment corruption but I sense it is opening up the carcass of the Scottish Establishment too.
ianagain 29th January 2016 at 10:10 pm
‘..Can you use your contacts to get the finality of this, been burbling for a week now..’
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I think we have to look to our greater London based fellow SFMers to explore this. Baxendale-Walker? Another football, tax, related thing? Or a wee pornographic business thing?
But you never know. There might conceivably be some kind of connection with Scottish football nights.
John Clark 29th January 2016 at 10:31 pm #
StevieBC 29th January 2016 at 9:51
…StevieBC- if , as I think you must have, you survived the snow storm on the east coast of the good old US of A…
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Yes thanks JC I survived Storm Jonas – but looks like it caused problems in the home country!
Re: sharing stories with US MSM, I have tried several times in the past e.g. to the NYT & WSJ wrt Duff and Duffer’s involvement, as their global HQ is here in Manhattan. No take up.
And a current indicator, IMO, of how the US MSM is not any better than the SMSM is the Will Smith movie ‘Concussion’ and how the condition and long-term effects have been covered up for years by the NFL – and a compliant MSM willing to look the other way.
Likewise, IMO, there is another timebomb in the pipeline here wrt steriod abuse. Not just in the NFL but also basketball when players up to the 70’s/80’s were tall, thin, beanpoles. Today they are typically tall, hulking bodybuilders!
They haven’t all been blessed with fantastic genes…
But too much money involved, vested interests, TV deals etc, so nobody rocks the boat. Unless you are a Nigerian doctor, (as in the above movie.)
I’ve got mixed feelings on the whole Herald issue. On the one hand it is shameful what they have done with Graham Spiers and Angela Haggerty. Left them out to dry. On the other hand their editorial policy is now exposed for all to see with proof conclusive.
I have mentioned before I visit this site every day, The Clumpany, Etims and now johnjames. One thing in common? Every site mock The Herald & esp. The Evening Times as jokes of Scottish Football reporting. How the mighty have fallen. Joke newspapers.
I don’t always agree with everything GS says, but I will say this for him, he is always moderate and considered when he is critical of Rangers, why they hate him so much is beyond me. You can tell he is a ‘son of the manse’ (meant respectfully).
Hopefully he will move on to be the top dog at the Daily Record, that would be good for a laugh. KJ reporting to him.
How much positive PR have we been undeservedly lavishing on Level 5?
What I mean is, has the saturation coverage of the big lie really been the end product of schmoozing and succulence, or have other publications succumbed to similar, or possibly even more sinister “guidance” into how, and what, they can report on?
Remember this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZBT8CjbjhY
Bogs Dollox, couldn’t agree more. I was in the pub an afternoon ago or two, and read the back page of The Sun, Anne Budge wasn’t holding back in her condemnation of the misbehaviour of Hearts fans. I said to the barman it’s a pity the Ibrox Board didn’t come out and deal with their fan’s unruly behaviour in the same way. Instead we get them bullying a compliant newspaper to submission.
StevieBC 30th January 2016 at 12:05 am
‘..And a current indicator, IMO, of how the US MSM is not any better than the SMSM .’
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And how that depresses me! We take it for granted that politicians, as a class, lie, and that any ‘good’ they do for the rest of us is just sort of incidental to the good they do for themselves. And some at least of the MSM are as sceptical as we.
But how we hate the idea of sports cheating!
From the old ‘punching below the belt’ to horse-doping and the wee bast.rds who dive in the penalty box, and the steroid-swallying body-builders ,and the twenty-six year old footballers from Iran/ Saudi Arabia ( was it?) playing as 16 year-olds at Tynecastle in that whatever it was tournament that made me worried about the safety of my then 10 year old ,such was the attendance.
And how we hate the very thought thought that a sports governing body should not only have accepted cheating, but should have created a whole ‘new-speak’ language, in defiance of actuality, to endorse it, and propagate it as ‘Truth’.
That both the ‘media’ and ‘sports governance’ should be , these days, rotten……is a proposition that by any ordinary standards of proof, has been proven.
Today, we reached a stage when it has been proved conclusively, that the Fourth Estate in Scotland has been undermined by a commercially motivated entity.
This a direct attack on democracy and the freedom of the Press.
That this has happened under the thinly disguised veil of threats to individuals, which have been apparent for the past two or three years, places this situation firmly at the doorstep of Holyrood.
It is no longer about football. It is about how a Government tackle anarchy within their country.
How long will it take until the Scottish Government take a stance on this virulent cancer that is destroying not only football, but the whole fabric of society?
CanuckBhoy 29th January 2016 at 10:23 pm #
This is exactly why I posted my comment on here, to get this kind of reply. Thanks for taking the time.
The “lowers a right thinking member of the public” defence is interesting, as is the defaming a small group.
Makes me think that it wouldn’t be in the board’s interest to take this to court….they win their case against this awful slur then…..well, what they going to do when it gets sung again…or between now and the case. Herald could have called their bluff. The Herald doesn’t have the will or resources to protect a weekly columnist. Like Rangers, these places are running on fumes.
The newspaper industry is dying because of the internet, that’s 90% of the problem. they’re surviving hand to mouth, they haven’t got the backing to deal with this. I understand spiers comments about his editor.
Fisiani 30th January 2016 at 1:17 am #
Good job we don’t live in a Nationalist police state, the government will be all over this like a rash and get it sorted pronto.
Phew, could have been really scary that.
So…Yesterday has passed…and we are left with the following…
The Herald offered an apology to SEVCO fc based on a supposed legal threat in relation to the content of one of Grahams columns?
Graham Spiers then issues a counter statement re-affirming his column piece to be 100% correct, which leads to Graham parting company with the Herald….
Can we therefore assume that the SEVCO fc board will now be threatening Graham Spiers directly with legal action for repeating that his story to be 100% true?
Thought not….whether the legal threat was actually made in the first place is hugely questionable…this points more to the withdrawal of advertising revenue…which makes it even more shameful…
I cannot under any stretch of the imagination accept this matter to be ‘complicated’ as has been suggested by some…
Graham wrote a column piece…SEVCO fc didn’t like it…the Herald received communication from SEVCO fc…apparently a threatening communication…the Herald agrees to apologise without challenge…Graham draws a line in the sand and issues a statement that his column piece is 100% accurate…they part company…
When faced with a threat of legal action… ‘I’ll see you in court’ response…generally has the desired effect of sending a chancer back into the shadows to consider his next move.
However it did not get that far…instead what we appear to have is….what sort of an apology and or denouncement would you like Mr SEVCO? and can we expect your usual advertising order next month?
Sadly the paper no longer appears fit for purpose to even wipe your ar*e with!
Spiers made two allegations.
1. Relating to a conversation with an unnamed board member and he claims to have email correspondence regarding that conversation.
2, He questioned the mettle of the board in their desire to curb the singing of a universally banned song.
MercDoc 28th January 2016 at 11:52 pm posted a youtube of the requisitioners meeting which included at least one prominent current board member.
At 46:20 onwards, he may find something that will help him with point 2 and an indicator as to their “mettle”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCeQPM4TMF8
So Graham Spiers is gone and so too will the herald readership. What has this country come to when a journalist is sacked for telling the truth. Angela also bows to no one and has departed side door. The wrath of decent journalists would be a joy to behold if both decided to tell the true story of their ousting.
We also have an eminent QC acting for TRIFC2012 telling all that only the neanderthals from the slums believe it’s the same club. Will we see a prolonged attack on this fine gent? Somehow I doubt it but will it be reported. Will it hell.
This is going to end horribly for the new club from Ibrox and any sympathy which possibly could have gone their way is now beyond the pale. The only solution for the shambles created by charlatans and knaves, is liquidation and banishment from our shores. No acceptance in any shape or form and immediate removal from office for all of those party to this shambles.
A complete and utter clear out is needed with people who are beyond any suspicion taking the seats.Corruption allegations must be launched against our administrators past and present and the fans must take back the game because it belongs to them. E-mail sent to Ladbrokes for a start telling them any product with their name on it will now be ignored by myself, friends and family until they do the decent and right thing.
i suggest similar behaviour from all at sfm wouldn’t go amiss. More power to you John Clark. A credit to the bampots.
StevieBC 29th January 2016 at 8:49 pm #And because of a crappy little football team.
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Stevie…I sincerely believe that this “crappy little football team” has caused a goodly number of wise and (genuinely) wealthy individuals to be in the most irrational manner over the last few decades…and particularly so over the last four or five years…
Catching up. Firstly a belated thanks to JC for his tremendous efforts. As for BD I agree I think the carcass of the establishment is being opened up. None of this has signs of ending well. The Herald can just wither and die and hopefully take the shark jump and daily ranger with it. To be honest if sevco die then the papers will probably go with them anyway.
I feel sympathy for the likes of Ryan (where r u) Friendly Bear and the like because we all have our own views and not every bear is caught up with the morons that support the same club. However the current stream of court cases might take this to a place neither DCK or the baying mob want this to go.
We all said the sooner this finishes the better but even the case yesterday seemed to indicate the decision was some way off. In the meantime our main target in the Hampden bunker continue to screw up the game royally. As RTC predicted, one day it will all come out and when that day comes, to use a JCISM, he’ll mend them.
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath and East Fife.
Corrupt official 30th January 2016 at 3:51 am # Spiers made two allegations. 1. Relating to a conversation with an unnamed board member and he claims to have email correspondence regarding that conversation. 2, He questioned the mettle of the board in their desire to curb the singing of a universally banned song. MercDoc 28th January 2016 at 11:52 pm posted a youtube of the requisitioners meeting which included at least one prominent current board member. At 46:20 onwards, he may find something that will help him with point 2 and an indicator as to their “mettle”
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An interesting aside from that video is, I think, that once the ‘cheery banter’ subsides, Mr Hello, Hello introduces himself as Brian Bowman. It rang a bell and so I’ve just checked, and that is the same name as the man who wrote to James Blair, of Rangers First, requesting that RF put the £500,000 loan to TRFC on hold.
For anyone interested in what he said, from the JJ blog:
https://johnjamessite.wordpress.com/2016/01/08/a-letter-to-james-blair/
I’m not sure from the video if his ‘Hello, Hello’ indicates yet another member of the ‘it’s a great song’ crowd, or if it was an off the cuff method of getting attention, but he does sound, from the clip and his open letter, to be the kind of man the TRFC supporters need to be leading them, at least in a financial awareness sense, of not a moral one.
It seems that predictions that a certain element of the Rangers’ support would only be emboldened by what has happened to Graham Spiers and then Angela Haggerty are true.
This is from the follow follow website, a thread started by someone who has been a member there since 2009 and has over 11,000 posts.
Why do so many of their threads read like a “call to arms”.
I have copied the post in it’s entirety.
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Let’s stop congratulating ourselves
…on this small victory and redouble our future efforts.
This applies to both the club and the support.
To see the club fight it’s corner against Spiers was as refreshing as it was welcome,it is but one small step, a line drawn (hopefully),but no more than that. The icing on the cake was,of course,both Spiers and The Hag being binned.
However the outcry,the outpouring of support for these people, serves only to show us that the war is far from won.There will be renewed attacks on the club and the support in the coming weeks and months,these attacks will be even more vitriolic and intense,we must be prepared to fight our corner.
To quote the great man “It is not the end,it is not even the beginning of the end,but it is,perhaps,the end of the beginning”…..even if that beginning has lasted the best part of 50 years!!
No going back,no retreat and No Surrender!
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Building bridges seems to be the last thing on the minds of a certain element of the support.
However to be fair the club has been sending out mixed messages of late. Building bridges whilst threatening every other club.
It’s difficult to make the right noises to the rest of Scottish football, whilst playing to the baser element of the support at the same time.
Allyjambo 30th January 2016 at 9:34 am
I think his subsequent “We Are The People who put money in … yes that was another one” (I paraphrase) gives a bit more insight into the chap.
Though again to be fair, the former manager (who are these people we deserve to know) did something similar at an end of season celebration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTfwkU3gROw
Allyjambo
Do we know if two hats Blair gave up one of his hats,well at the very least the RF hat,or has he even replied to the email requesting his resignation ,I might have missed this event happening but if he has not even replied to the writer then that is another slap in the face to the RF organisation ,what a friendly bunch we have here.
Fisiani 30th January 2016 at 1:17 am #
…Only in a sectarian country like Scotland would…..or could such events happen and be tolerated (my edit)
…I never believed that I could change it so 35 years ago I emigrated…all the way to Englandshire… I hope you guys can change it…but somehow I doubt it.
Apologies to you Fisiani for “cribbing” the sentiments of your post…tragically so many of us in my position could do so also!
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I will not buy one more Herald newspaper. I hope others will do likewise. The NUJ should advise its members to withdraw their labour forthwith. This is not about football any more.
I’m not religious myself and whatever faith anyone else has doesn’t interest me. It doesn’t influence the way I interact with them or inform my opinion of them. I am Scottish, proud to be so, and have spent my entire 37 years on this planet living in Scotland.
I am not sectarian and don’t believe, from my experiences and the experiences of my friends and family, that I live in a sectarian country. Some balance is desperately needed here to stop this site heading off in an unpleasant direction.
motor red
I call them Servileco.
Childish, I know, but fun when you see the reaction.
Agreed – if anyone wants to see sectarianism in action they might look at Raqqa.
There is sectarianism in Scotland, no doubt, but that does not make Scotland a sectarian country.
On the Graham Spiers Angela Haggarty/ Herald ‘sackings’. I believe as he appears regularly on BBC, and has a whole back-page in todays Times sports section (physical version) that he is indeed a freelance?
‘there is something about this player’s name that warms the cockles of a section of the Rangers support’ which loan signing could he be talking about? no prizes
apologies cant find on-line link
incredibleadamspark, I wouldn’t be too concerned about the direction of the site re. sectarian issues. The site is merely engaging in one of the big stories of this week. The site is very dynamic, in the past week it was all about JCs meeting at the SFA, and the shambes of the EK tie.
We know it is a problem in some areas of life, thankfully I have been spared it.
This site is one of the most unsectarian (is there such a word?) sites around. Posters are treated with respect in the vast majority of cases.
Don’t worry friend.
Besides BP & Tris would be on to it like a shot.
jimbo
i believe we can be called nonsectarian
I say this for a bit of balance, and then I hope we can get back to the main topic.
People are entitled to their opinions on a range of subjects, but when it comes to the claim that Scotland is a sectarian country, I would reject that.
In the past, and from anecdotal evidence passed on through family members, I certainly grew up with that notion, but having been in the jobs market since the 1970s, I have never experienced any personal disadvantage because of my own particular provenance.
Secularisation inevitably brings with it less religious conflict, leaving tribalism in its place, and in fact the whole Celtic/Rangers thing has always been an affront to those people I know (of all faiths) – and many with a particular interest in Irish history and politics.
I think that our community, if it is in any way a representative cross section of Scottish people (and I think it is) is a fair induction that football rivalry outside of the Celtic/Rangers bubble is non-sectarian in nature.
And the broad brush approach is offensive to the millions of Scottish people who have no sectarian inclinations at all.
I don’t believe that the favour shown to Rangers – old and new – has anything to do with sectarianism at all, but more to do with the love of the pound.
As I said t the start of this comment, people are entitled to hold their own opinion, but SFM isn’t equipped for, and wasn’t established to provide for, discussions on religion.
I hope that we can respect each others’ views, and resolve that this is not a matter where we can find consensus, and even worse, will probably fall out over.
RE the Herald vrs spiers,apologies if mentioned,I would think it obvious that spiers could not publish anything without the editors ok so why did he not go rather than spiers ?
I am a smoker. In no way do I consider the smoking ban was devised and implemented to persuade me to give up the dreaded weed. But it was devised and implemented to protect the next generation. They should not be subjected to it in pubs, clubs, theatres, buses, work, school, the car,or in the home. They should not be reared viewing smoking as “the norm”
Advertising is banned, as are shop displays and promotions. Only on UK Gold or old movies will you see someone having a drag.
I understand all this, and can be found in all weathers, legging it down the garden to the shed for my guilty pleasure. Yes, my kids know I smoke, but they are under no illusion that it is nothing other than a filthy pursuit.
To any pretendygers looking in I can also tell you this……..I don’t want them wading knee deep in anything, let alone a fellow human’s blood. So either stop taking your wee yins to the game, or tell the guy next to you to STFU !……. Your weans will grow up to be better adults on the back of it…….And there is still some hope for you.
30th January 2016 at 12:32 pm # On the Graham Spiers Angela Haggarty/ Herald ‘sackings’. I believe as he appears regularly on BBC, and has a whole back-page in todays Times sports section (physical version) that he is indeed a freelance?
‘there is something about this player’s name that warms the cockles of a section of the Rangers support’ which loan signing could he be talking about? no prizes
apologies cant find on-line link
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To be accurate, that should read, at the very least, ‘a large section of The Rangers support’.
How large? Well can anyone think of a bear they know that won’t see (or at an other time wouldn’t have openly seen) this as something to smile broadly about? There may be ever more supporters aware of the need to be seen to be dropping the trappings of Orangeness, but I’d be very surprised if this ‘section’ doesn’t encompass all of those that sang Billy Boys so loud and proud recently at Ibrox for a TV audience, and also those who didn’t sing, but enjoyed the experience none the less. I’m also sure that Mr Spiers will be sure that it also raised a smile or two in the Ibrox boardroom.
There may be a section of the Govan club’s support that doesn’t enjoy hearing ‘Billy Boys’, and who might prefer not to have a transposition of King Billy in their player squad, but that might be more suited to the qualification of ‘section’, than is used in this article.
(attachment taken from the replies section of the latest John James blog)
Was this edict to all Herald workers delivered from the upper management balcony of Herald Towers? It reminds me of the phrase, “Trust me, I’m a doctor”. However, in Mr McBain’s proclamation there is the implied threat that should any of the underlings be caught disobeying his royal command then they are for the high jump.
Corrupt official 30th January 2016 at 1:21 pm
Very well said.
I take it it’s the baccy that ‘corrupted’ you?
@AllyJambo – you have a PM
Big Pink 30th January 2016 at 1:15 pm
Secularisation inevitably brings with it less religious conflict, leaving tribalism in its place, and in fact the whole Celtic/Rangers thing has always been an affront to those people I know (of all faiths) – and many with a particular interest in Irish history and politics.
“Democracy demands that the religiously motivated must translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific values. Their proposals must be subject to argument and reason, and should not be accorded any undue automatic respect”.
– President Barack Obama
Yesterday in the Court of Session Senior Counsel, Alan Dewar Q.C., said:
“The Rangers Football Club does not exist, it is an idea in people’s minds, a myth of continuity.”
Does this qualify as “legal advice”?
If Darryl I AM THE SFA Broadfoot has read this does this qualify as “obtaining legal advice”?
If so does this mean that Darryl Broadfoot and the SFA (which he has told us he is) are “stuck with that”?
If not why not?
This aricle is recent but refers to one from 2010/11.
The question it begs is has anything really changed since then? Has the metanoia mentioned in the final para occurred?
Recent events suggest not and in that sense Speirs was right to question the mettle of the current board of TRFC.
http://celticunderground.net/the-integrity-famine-revisited/
Do the current Board of TRFC unequivocally condemn the singing of The Billy Boys?
Of course the chances such a question will be asked by our media have diminished considerably because of threats of legal action , so who will ask?
Not the SFA not even UEFA, too cowardly, but how about the Scottish Government in terms of their anti sectarian policy and OBB act?
Is this not a football matter that the OBB was designed to counter?
Hello Hollywood, anyone at home?
Billy Boyce 30th January 2016 at 1:32 pm
‘..in Mr McBain’s proclamation there is the implied threat ..’
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Many thanks for putting MnBain’s ‘statement’ on the blog.
The nature of that statement gives a clue to to the psychology of the Herald’s ‘management’. They themselves can be bullied, and respond to bullying by being compliant.They then imagine that ‘bullying’ is the way to go!
And, indeed, that line of approach seems to be the factor that they relied on to keep any of their people from trying to undertake any kind of forensic, journalistic exploration of the ‘saga’ and SDM’s cheating and the Big Lie.
incredibleadamspark 30th January 2016 at 12:04 pm #
All i can say is my experience is a whole lot different to yours I won’t say anymore than that as my last small post on the subject has disappeared I will say I have been on the planet a bit longer.
easyJambo 30th January 2016 at 1:55 pm # @AllyJambo – you have a PM
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Read and replied to EJ, with thanks
LUGOSI 30th January 2016 at 2:29 pm # Yesterday in the Court of Session Senior Counsel, Alan Dewar Q.C., said:“The Rangers Football Club does not exist, it is an idea in people’s minds, a myth of continuity.”Does this qualify as “legal advice”?If Darryl I AM THE SFA Broadfoot has read this does this qualify as “obtaining legal advice”?If so does this mean that Darryl Broadfoot and the SFA (which he has told us he is) are “stuck with that”?If not why not?
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I don’t know whether or not it might constitute ‘legal advice’, nor can I be sure that anyone from the Hampden Bunker will have read it , but it appeared to go without much challenge from the TRFC side. In fact I got the impression that the matter was treated as something that none of the legal folk wanted to go too deeply into (other than to make the necessary comments on points raised), but it had been brought into the case, as it somehow forms an important part of Green’s case, and so had to be treated seriously. I think we can take it that, if there was anything, at all, in Scots Law that would support the separate entity claim (which would then support the same club claim), then the TRFC QC would have brought it up joyfully. I also get the feeling that, within any ruling in this appeal, that there will be no defining proclamation, and that it will just be allowed to hang there. OR! The determination will be withheld from the public or largely redacted. I suspect much will be redacted or withheld, anyway, as much of it will, no doubt, form part of the defence/prosecution at the upcoming trial.
I think the silks involved in the Green appeal will be anxious to leave it to those involved in the criminal proceedings to tackle the ‘separate entity’ arguments, and again, perhaps it was not possible for a clear ruling to be made, other than to grant/reject Green’s appeal, as that might well impact on the upcoming trial.
From the Herald Deputy Editor’s advice to staff (posted above by Billy Boyce)….”The social media frenzy has been founded on a fundamental lack of knowledge of the circumstances that led to the decisions that were made being made“.
Surely this is enough of a news story (albeit for the most part on social media) for the Herald to feel the need to come out and explain what that ‘fundamental lack of knowledge is’. It appears that they’re not going to proactively clarify why they made ‘the decisions that were made’, so would they reply to a request on behalf of this forum?
Tris/BP, is it worth an approach?
Allyjambo 30th January 2016 at 1:33 pm #Corrupt official 30th January 2016 at 1:21 pm
Very well said.
I take it it’s the baccy that ‘corrupted’ you?
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I got 2 TD’s Ally ! There must be some heavy smokers looking in.
Corrupt official 30th January 2016 at 4:40 pm # Allyjambo 30th January 2016 at 1:33 pm #Corrupt official 30th January 2016 at 1:21 pm Very well said. I take it it’s the baccy that ‘corrupted’ you? ——————————————————————————I got 2 TD’s Ally ! There must be some heavy smokers looking in.
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Is that you still puffin’ away?
You just couldny make it up, and kidding aside it doesn’t help matters!…
I can only imagine the ecstatic reaction of “sections” of the Ibrox clubs support…
Scottish fitba HAS a strong East Fife & Arbroath ????
jimbo
never seen him in the hoops
Tony, Can’t believe it I just gave myself a TD for that one. That’s me got 6 so far, I’m aiming for 12, help me out.
Jimbo,
i was was about to go and post a clip of Laudrup heading the goal to secure nine in a row, but then thought I’d save my time as I’m sure both posts would have been removed fairly quickly anyway. And I’d rather not contribute to turning this into a partisan battleground. Perhaps your post would have been better suited to a Celtic message board – I’m not trying to moderate this site, just expressing feedback on your post rather than a simple thumbs down.
The Ibrox club is sectarian the fans are sectarian
BP, I have been moderated many times for what I considered innocuous comments….to leave this comment un-moderated seems strange?
Just a wee bit of creative writing…
What if…TRFC / RIFC finally run out of money and with no tradable assets for a newco, and not enough RRM or no shysters prepared to buy in or to buy another club to morph into a third version….
Is it so difficult to imagine that the football beaks propose (and cowed clubs comply) and establish a “house team” for the “good of the game”. SFA funds and mandatory contributions / deductions from other clubs are used for start up and one season costs to ensure the house team attracts WATP types, encouraged by RRM managers and ex TRFC players to ensure financially viability going forward.
SFA staff will of course handle all that annoying regulations for licence and compliance are seen to and signed off.
Hampden is of course made available, if Ibrox is unavailable due to legal or safety / not fit for purpose issues. The peepel are of course wary of losing their home / club / traditions but the message will be they have triumphed by actually becoming The Establishment Club.
What price a return to more honest mistakes, revolving door appointments, and a resurgent newspaper or two to continue to only offer good news to encourage the success of the WATP house club.
The Scottish Government will of course be nowhere near any of this, using UEFA guidance etc as an excuse.
All that remains is the actual wording of the Club name – (at this point on, it is actually now only an ethereal club thingy, with all the company stuff being dealt with in house by the establishment) – it will probably just be Rangers FC – what the heck, anyone not liking it will just have to lump it or more lumps will come their way.
Many fans will try a boycott or two, but even with a much reduced overall attendances, and even if some clubs try to form a new association, there will be enough compliant clubs to allow the establishment club to play enough teams in whatever league set up can be cobbled together, perhaps with colt teams etc, and the SFA will probably be able to fight off attempts to form a new association at UEFA.
There will be limited opportunities for big monies to be made by “investors” but this will be compensated for by more than a few directorships for RRM / SFA beaks, but thats just way it will have to be until this third Rangers doesnt need the SFA anymore and reverts to a PLC or limited company, and as far as CG levels of directors remuneration & contracts is concerned that ship has probably sailed for a few years.
As I said at the start, just a wee bit of creative writing, but given the doublethink, corruption, moral vacuums in policy land, and economic craziness these days, I think I’ ll file this away and check it every so often, just in case.
Now if I can think up this scenario, would we be surprised if something like this isn’t rattling around in some other heads somewhere.
Look out folks, nothing is off the radar when it comes to protecting certain traditions.
During all the shenanigans of this past week, both amusing and disgraceful, has that esteemed award winning journalist, Keith Jackson, been his usual effusive self on twitter, for I’ve not noticed his usual flashing ripostes? He may, of course, be putting together an ‘all my own work’ piece for our enlightenment tomorrow, which must be quite taxing for him. On the other hand, he may be doing what he does best, keeping out of the road when times are tough for TRFC on the image front! Of course, the transfer deadline approaches, so he’s maybe just saving his ink for the stories he’ll have to write about the last minute world class player signings at Ibrox, all funded by Dave King as a result of Jackson’s recent comments
“Sky Sports News HQ @SkySportsNewsHQ 4m4 minutes ago Gary Locke has resigned as manager of Kilmarnock and will be replaced on an interim basis by Lee McCulloch. #SSNHQ”
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Found this on twitter.
Ryan, good to see you posting again, don’t take my daft posts seriously. I am a jeckyl & Hyde poster. Sometimes my posts are worthty of the gravitas of this site, but at other times I am reminded that for all it’s noble intentions it is at the end of the day a football blog and needs a light touch now and again. Depending on how much wine I have consumed. It’s beyond my nature to get involved in a partisan battle. I have many friends of different clubs. Although I do love Celtic very much.
KILMARNOCK PRESS RELEASE
No worries Jimbo.
On on a different (off topic) note, there was much discussion here some months ago after Rangers lost to St Johnstone in the cup about how St Johnstone had shown how far off the top league standard Rangers were. They were “firmly out in their place”, to paraphrase a number of comments. Now that Hibs have beaten St Johnstone in the same cup, while being 8 points (with a game in hand) behind Rangers in the league, I think that quite clearly demonstrates that observations like those gleefully made in the aftermath of St Johnstone’s victory in the earlier round are of limited value.
Ryan I am so tempted to get into a footballing discussion but I will resist. So what about the January transfer window, how do you feel about that? I made a point recently that your club is doing the right thing in spending next to nothing. We have been critical of TRFC overspending in the past. It’s just your Dave King guy blustering all his nonsense about having an open cheque book that makes it mockable. He brings it upon himself.
Big Pink 30th January 2016 at 10:12 pm #KILMARNOCK PRESS RELEASE
Saturday, 30th January, 2016
Gary Locke has resigned as First Team Manager this evening and will be replaced by Lee McCulloch on an interim basis pending a permanent appointment. Lee will be assisted by Peter Leven and Under 20 Head Coach Alan Robertson.
The Board of Directors would like to thank Gary for his time with the Club and wish him every success in the future.
Lee McCulloch is the holder of a UEFA Pro Licence and has been acting as a First Team Coach this season, although he remains registered as a player.
Ends.
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So Gary Locke’s done walking away before he got given the elbow.
Will Elbows be able to lock down the job permanently?
Nawlite,
I think an approach from us to the editor of the Herald is on the cards. Thanks for the suggestion.
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On another matter, I would caution against sweeping accusations of sectarianism toward either organisations or entire fan groups.
There are morons within the fan base of almost all of our clubs. My experience is also that there are idiots within the playing staff and officialdom at most clubs as well. Neither the clubs, nor the fans deserve to be tarred with that brush.
The problem is as much a qualitative one as it is quantitative so a quick glance in the mirror is always helpful if we are to avoid the un-selfawareness we see in others.
I really don’t see any evidence that any club in Scotland can be accused of being sectarian. Certainly there is historical evidence available that has Rangers bang to rights, but it seems a bit self-narrative driven to then accuse them of tokenism when they saw the error of their ways and joined the rest of us in the 20th century.
Maybe it would be better if we could stick to known facts when we accuse people of something and leave out the anecdotal stuff.
A group of nasty folk recently demonstrated in Glasgow against refugees from Syria being placed in the city. I hope to God the Syrian community do not think we are all a bunch of racist illiterates as a result of that.
No more generalisations. At the risk of invoking Godwin’s Law, I would point out that Germany went down that road in the 30s.
Nobody has noticed our guest default avatar yet 🙂
You pretty much summed it up Jimbo. I think it’s good that we are not spending money we don’t have (not that we could without advance loans anyway) but I think King has made a right tit of himself by promising over investment etc. and then doing nothing. He obviously should have been challenged on this repeatedly in public, but seems to have got away with it, again frustrating.
I also think it is indicative of long running bad management that a club with an average of c. 40,000 attendees at each home game cannot afford a £500k player.
The Cat NR1 30th January 2016 at 10:39 pm #Big Pink 30th January 2016 at 10:12 pm #KILMARNOCK PRESS RELEASE Saturday, 30th January, 2016Gary Locke has resigned as First Team Manager this evening and will be replaced by Lee McCulloch on an interim basis pending a permanent appointment. Lee will be assisted by Peter Leven and Under 20 Head Coach Alan Robertson.The Board of Directors would like to thank Gary for his time with the Club and wish him every success in the future.Lee McCulloch is the holder of a UEFA Pro Licence and has been acting as a First Team Coach this season, although he remains registered as a player. Ends.=============================So Gary Locke’s done walking away before he got given the elbow.Will Elbows be able to lock down the job permanently?
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Cat…nice to see you have shrugged off (I hope ) the seasonal pressures of HMRC filing deadlines and resumed your usual acerbic posting style…I await your elbow in my ribs…
RyanGosling 30th January 2016 at 6:09 pm #Jimbo,
i was was about to go and post a clip of Laudrup heading the goal to secure nine in a row…
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Ryan…nice to see you back posting…
This clip was of course before or after tax…Mr Laudrup’s goal…?
Essexbeancounter,
im not sure if you’ve done it on purpose, but that is the second time in two days that a comment has been made linking Rangers activities pre 1999 with non payment of tax. There is absolutely no evidence of this, as far as I am aware, and yet dark comments are found here far too often.
We must deal with facts, which is something this site has historically done well. When facts are twisted for the purposes of smearing an entity I think we are on very dangerous ground.
RyanGosling 30th January 2016 at 10:59 pm #You pretty much summed it up Jimbo. I think it’s good that we are not spending money we don’t have (not that we could without advance loans anyway) but I think King has made a right tit of himself by promising over investment etc. and then doing nothing. He obviously should have been challenged on this repeatedly in public…
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Ryan…so why was he never challenged on this “repeatedly in public”…let alone once…or have I missed something?
Essexbeancounter,
im not sure if you’ve done it on purpose, but that is the second time in two days that a comment has been made linking Rangers activities pre 1999 with non payment of tax. There is absolutely no evidence of this, as far as I am aware, and yet dark comments are found here far too often.
We must deal with facts, which is something this site has historically done well. When facts are twisted for the purposes of smearing an entity I think we are on very dangerous ground.
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Ryan… I will as always revert to my professional body’s motto…”Quaere Verum”…I can only ask questions…the answers are never forthcoming, particularly from my fellow ICAS members associated with the events which have occured since David Murray managed to gain control of Rangers…
Sadly, both you and I will never know the truth…but we will will both continue to pay the price…you metaphorically in the way your club/company has been destroyed… and me in the context of my making up the tax “shortfall” for the RFC(IL) signings…
Essexbeancounter, If Ryan had posted that clip I would have been very upset. However he didn’t he is a decent bear.
On an aside issue, I can never understand why Laudrup was not a Celtic player/ supporter, he was good enough, intelligent enough, handsome enough, what the hang happened? Don’t tell me it was those blasted EBTs again?
Trisidium 30th January 2016 at 10:43 pm
‘…I think an approach from us to the editor of the Herald is on the cards. ..’
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And, perhaps, in the interests of balance, an approach to both Speirs and Haggerty?
There is unquestionably a huge question to be asked, even if it is only ‘how feckin stupid can a newspaper be”?
(The Herald’s self-defeating statement makes the Ibrox PR rubbish look positively professional!)
And, incidentally, will that be Speirs blackballed by BBC Radio Scotland, which was quick NOT to defend one of its own against the bullying new club?