Journey’s End?

It has taken a year longer than predicted, but a critical appraisal of  TRFC’s progress through the lower leagues must include recognition of the improvements on the playing field made under the new manager Mark Warburton. SFM usually precludes lengthy discussion on subjective issues like relative abilities of players and managers and referees, but on this subject, and by any objective standard, that is a given.

It is therefore right that he and his players should receive the congratulations of us all at SFM.

It has to be said that, despite the pitfalls, man-traps and honey-pots that remain to be successfully negotiated by the Rangers board, they have implemented their own stark version austerity, contrary to their rhetoric, whilst managing the expectations of their supporters. Perhaps some of what we have come to term “reasonable” Rangers fans would argue that the lack of humility still evident in the demeanour of the TRFC board is an essential part of managing those fans whilst imposing the austerity package on them.

Much like a political party conference, a football board has to play to it’s core support as well as the rest of the country.

How that will pan out is anybody’s guess, just like the random bagatelle that is the “TRFC in Court” saga.

There is also the existential problem to deal with. Many TRFC fans bought into the ‘same club’ myth at the outset, not because they actually believed it, but because it suited them, and because it served as an understandable GIRUY to the rest of us. With the passage of time, the suspension of disbelief, even in that constituency, is now complete and arguably irreversible. The problem for them is that the rest of have not subscribed to that rather bizarre set of contradictions. No other club has to have the “company that operates” prefix. Nor does any other club compel observers to skirt around the facts and search for a form of words acceptable to both sides of a mutually exclusive argument.  In short, and existentially, the new Rangers don’t fit into the same kind of comfortable groove that other clubs do.

All of these problems for the new club, and many more, will exercise our minds to a greater or lesser extent moving forward, depending on how sensitive our outrage thresholds are to the various legal and Jungian issues. However we at SFM need to focus our sights on those whose maladministration of football gave rise to those problems in the first place – the SFA, SPFL, and by extension, the clubs – all of them.

Here are some facts;

  1. The SFA award clubs a licence to participate in UEFA competitions.
  2. The licence is only to be awarded if the applicant club has no unpaid tax debts.
  3. Both the club and the SFA have responsibility to notify UEFA of any debts (belt and braces routine in case the club ‘forgets’ to notify the SFA).
  4. In 2011, one club applied for and was awarded a UEFA licence.
  5. That club had accepted debts to HMRC – which were outstanding and overdue.
  6. These facts have been in the public domain since 2012,and were brought to the attention of ALL clubs in Scotland as well as the SFA.
  7. Nothing has been done by any club, or the SFA, to investigate the claim at #5
  8. SFA Chief Executive Stewart Regan, when asked by an SFM member what he would do if these claims could be substantiated, said; “Nothing!”
  9. All clubs will be within a few weeks, issuing season ticket renewal forms.

The story contained in points 6 and 7 above is a lengthy and protracted one.

From sources inside two clubs I have been informed that the problem here is subversive and obsessive fans, who don’t represent the vast body of fans generally. On points 1-5, my sources refused to comment. Conversations with SFA officials and print journalists yield the same reaction, with the addition that it is “just Celtic fans obsessed with Rangers” making the claims.

The lesson, if there is one worthy of the name, is that the bearers of the message need to attacked, and the message itself ignored. We could speculate why that is, but that would be to fall into the trap, taking our eye off the ball.

Perhaps I am being naïve, but my inference is that the SFA and clubs have no intention of doing anything about what was at best incompetence on an unbelievable scale, or at worst corruption. A source at Celtic Park  was complaining in victim-like fashion to SFM that many Celtic fans were threatening to close their season book accounts over this issue, and that Rangers might have 45,000 SBs next season whilst Celtic could be down to as low as 20,000.

It had never occurred to him that actually supporting an investigation into SFA malpractice would add another 10,000 to the SB takeup.

Overall, the clubs and the SFA want us to believe that an investigation into this licensing issue is a Celtic or Rangers thing. It is neither of those.

An investigation, even if finds that corruption or incompetence has taken place cannot harm Rangers – old or new. There are no titles to strip here. The licence has been used and thrown away, so it cannot be “un – awarded”.

The only people who have anything to lose out of this are those individuals who allowed it to happen – those who our clubs seem so keen to protect.

More importantly, an investigation may be the catalyst for changes in procedures at the SFA to ensure that rigorous accountability is enforced -accountability that the clubs are eager to avoid.

Are we wrong? I hope we are not foolish enough to imagine that everything we believe is set in stone. I am confident that we are correct in our assumptions and in our interpretation of the facts, but please, let’s hear the counter-argument. Thus far, not one word of rebuttal save the usual invective reserved for the messenger has been uttered.

So what do we do? For me it is simple. If we really love our sport, and do nothing, the sport is lost to us completely and irrevocably.

If our view that sporting integrity has been killed off by those in charge of the game is correct, we lose nothing by embarking on a season ticket boycott. However by doing so we may awaken those in charge to the realities of our power as fans and prioritise in their minds the need to listen to what we say.

My view? if they ignore us, they can take their industry that they pretend is sport, and put it somewhere away from my reach. I neither want it nor need it.

If enough of us feel the same way, we WILL get a clean game. If we are as few as the MSM claim we are, at least we will have freed ourselves from a bent one.

I won’t be buying any more season books until I see these issues addressed. It certainly is tough love, but it is the only way for me.  And it is driven by love – a love of the game I spent decades supporting, thinking that on the whole it was played on a level playing field. Certainly not driven by a sneering disregard for truth and integrity and a worship of acquisition.

Maybe it’s not just the end of Rangers’ journey then. Certainly if it’s not the end of ours, we find ourselves at a crossroads. The fans, the clubs, and Rangers too. The decision we make over the next few months may determine the future of our clubs, our sport, our Saturday afternoons.

I can tell you this though. Even when the dark facts are laid before us starkly as this, and when football is at the mercy of those who really do hate sport for its own sake, it is worth mentioning the common thread of decency and purpose we have all shared here on SFM, the friendships we have forged, and the love of football we have demonstrated.

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Tom Byrne

About Trisidium

Trisidium is a Dunblane businessman with a keen interest in Scottish Football. He is a Celtic fan, although the demands of modern-day parenting have seen him less at games and more as a taxi service for his kids.

1,108 thoughts on “Journey’s End?


  1. Anyone read DAVIE provan’s piece in the paper today? now as a player i liked DP but as a guy who writes a page for a newspaper. well.
    It had everything that is wrong with ex-players thinking they know what is best for scottish football.DP writes rangers return to the big league will end the phoney war.
    I never knew there was a war going on in scottish football,but there you go.
    he also writes.
    four seasons of sham that damaged every top flight club in the country and left our premiership resembling the dog and duck league.
    he goes on to call the keyboard gladiators the mob,his article was more like a DK puff piece that can go unchallenged.
    David provan frank and fearless every sunday? have a part of your article where fans can respond to your Nonsense 
    frank and fearless as you won’t allow anyone to challenge your nonsense.
    rant over


  2. After four years of the Sevco saga and listening and reading points of view from numerous current and ex football people I have come to the conclusion that they live in a bubble.  Not one dissenting voice ref the Rangers old/new club nonsense.  They all recognise  the Ibrox club as the same Rangers who were liquidated in 2012. 

    Their arrogance knows no boundary. The fans don’t count.How can they when they never played professional football. 

    They sicken me and anger me as they insult my intelligence. 


  3. Up the hoops
    The Offshore Game have an interest in misgovernance that costs the tax payer and with SFA misgovernance costing the UK taxpayer anything north of £17m before BTC is finalised then no reason why SFA should not attract their attention.

    No reason at all. I look forward to their findings being published. Everyone should.


  4. Allyjambo
    bordersdonApril 10, 2016 at 12:20 John Clark April 10, 2016 at 02:15 And in Ms Budge, they have , not a philanthropist, but a hard-headed businesswoman of business integrity. Like Fergus McCann, she wants to get some return. But she is not a cheat. the return has to be an honest return. At least that is my assessment.—————————————————————————-Carefully chosen words JC. Business integrity she may well have but as far as ensuring that integrity is applied in the governance f Scottish football she is no better than the rest. In my opinion! ____________________
    I would imagine there is a fairly wide spread of opinion amongst football chairs and CEOs about football integrity, but too many just follow like sheep, afraid to rock the boat. I’m sure there are some who would welcome a complete adherence to integrity and proper and open governance, they are just too ready to stay silent and go along with things, because that’s how it’s always been with the big boys (Celtic and Rangers(IL)) viewed as always getting their way.
    While I have no cause to think that Ann Budge will do anything about past wrongs, she has already shown a willingness to speak out, loudly, whenever anything she considers not to be in Hearts, or it’s supporters, interests comes to light. She has also been prepared to back others, pushing aside local rivalries, such as when she backed Leanne Dempster of Hibs last season.
    Just having one chair or CEO prepared to speak out whenever they think something is wrong will be a huge step in the right direction, and will, hopefully, catch on.
    But, she is not on a crusade, and may very well back proposals that benefit Hearts that are not to the benefit of, say, teams in the lower divisions. I just don’t know, and, I suspect, neither does she at this point.
    I’m not so sure I want her to get involved in the game’s governance, at least not yet, and think it might benefit the game more if she was to stay on the outside, creating a pressure group of like minded club leaders, while learning more about running a football club before entering new territory of the games governance. Hearts need 100% of her attention as it is, anyway.
    —————————————————————————————————–
    Did she sanction the s@@t postponement or was that left to Craig and Robbie 030303


  5. valentinesclownApril 8, 2016 at 10:06 27 1  Rate This 
    Another Res 12 summary and why not to be idle https://t.co/9SMAJawB2z
    //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

    Thanks VC, I am trying to read as much as I can on res 12 at the moment as I feel very strongly about it.
      I was reading CQN where a poster (Kill Ultra) had been asking questions re transparency etc on res 12,
    and he is being absolutely slaughtered for daring to ask the questions others won’t ask! I mean vicious and personal in the extreme. That’s why I like it here. The worst you usually get is accusations of being a troll – sometimes justifiably.
     It seems that if you rock the res 12 boat, even slightly, you are accused of being of the blue persuasion.
    I don’t post on any partisan forums at all, although I have never hid the fact I have season tickets at CP.
      I know that there is a significant ‘Crossover’ between here and CQN in terms of readership, and would just like to say that the guy (Kill Ultra) that is being accused of all sorts is not any of the things mentioned, but is a good Celtic man. More importantly, he is one of the original signatories of res 12.
     The man is being accused of many things – and one of the ‘Big Hitters’ of res 12 is denying that he knows Kill Ultra. I was in KU’s house in October and seen with my own eyes several emails regarding res 12 between the denier and KU.

      I’m sorry if this seems a little Celtic centric, but I’m starting to worry about people’s motives more and more.
    If any of you have time, have a look if you dare. It’s depressing – well, to me anyway. I think we’re peeing in the wind to be honest.

      For a man that would help anyone to be treated like this for not toeing the party line or sticking to the ‘script is absolutely disgusting – hang your heads!
      For any CQN members on here that doubt he is who he says he is, I have known him for 20 odd years
    and shared lunch with him and his son before the 2003 cup final in Seville. Like me, they hadn’t travelled to cheer on Porto!  Rant over… for now.
     


  6. TrisidiumApril 8, 2016 at 16:20
    “I don’t think that Sporting integrity can be a little alive any more than you can be a little pregnant.”
    —————————–
    It certainly is a leap of faith on my own behalf to harbour the hope that somewhere within the SFA there are individuals who feel deeply ill at ease over what has transpired over the last few years. Admittedly, none of these individuals has made their feelings publicly known, though we can’t be entirely sure of that. However I don’t think an all out assault will topple the bastion of the SFA. Its slow and gradual undermining I believe offers its greatest jeopardy. As the whole edifice destabilises I think there might be an opportunity for any lone voices to make themselves heard, in the absence of any alternative strategy.
    Of course any future reform of the SFA will likely fall short of the revision that we might like to see and in that sense sporting integrity has been dealt a mortal blow. However 100% of nothing is nothing. Nailing your colours to the mast of a vessel that might be becalmed will not represent progress.
    I think many people will have been put off supporting their club because they see that the game is to some extent skewed in favour of certain teams. That is their own personal decision and they are entitled to make it. However I believe that the majority of supporters will not be sufficiently motivated to follow this course of action. However righteous the cause, if it cannot be summarised succinctly then it will struggle to gain traction. SFA misdemeanors are anything but straightforward. They have been covert and intentionally misleading.
    I think the real battle in this saga is yet to be fought. At some point RIFC are going to want to ditch the debt accumulated by TRFCL over the last few years. At that time the SFA and their cabal will wish that there is no cogent and credible criticism of the fudge that is manufactured to smooth over the inevitable anomally. All you have to do is take up position high up over the pass and rest your rifle on your knee. While you’re perched up there they will be reluctant to execute switcheroo 2. However their patience will not be infinite. Time will force them to play their hand; and when they do…


  7. Yakutsuki

    Now hold it there soldier. Kill Ultra was asking for the names of the funders who paid the solicitor fees. 

    Having been outed myself  so to speak on social media by a couple of the less welcome Twitterati,  I think such an enquiry comes with malevolent intent. It’s not as if Kill Ultra has done anything for the Res12 cause any more than any other person who signed up to it.

    Such hostile interest in Res12 is interesting of late and I count your post amongst the hostile variety. I do wonder what is the cause.

    Sure Kill Ultra got some pelters  from CQN posters, a bit less shall we say diplomatic than my good self, but your post is a total misrepresentation of the circumstances. A bit like Kill Ultra whose suspicions are totally unfounded.


  8. I  never  watched much  of the game today and saw nothing of the second half but heard that a former St Johnstone player helped kill the game off. I then got to thinking about the £250k fine that wasn’t paid and wondered why they were allowed to sign a player when they owed money to the SFA. It was then I remembered who we were talking about. ? silly me


  9. So,Auldheid you are counting my post as hostile? Come on now soldier! I don’t know the answers, but I’m starting to ask questions now (In as non hostile a way as possible of course)

      The way I read back was he was saying there should be accountability/ transparency and not demanding name as suggested.
      Unlike some, I will keep an open mind. The truth will out eventually.
     Are you trying to justify his treatment? The names he is being called? I would hope not.
      Anyway, I suppose I imagined seeing the emails between KU and the correspondence denier, eh? Funny, I can even remember the guys real name, which I won’t divulge. Is that not just a tad strange? Why would someone correspond several time with someone apparently singing from the sme hymn sheet, then deny such emails ever existed??

      I have no axe to grind, but I will not give up on searching for truth. Regardless of who it makes uncomfortable.


  10. Auldheid, can you prove that Kill Ultras suspicions are unfounded? If you can, it will convince me that he’s wrong and all’s well and I can happily go and renew my season tickets. Thanks. ps, can you tell me what the suspicions are and a reference of where to read them.


  11. yakutsukiApril 10, 2016 at 22:06
    First he is the only one from many signatories who has asked for the information regarding funding. Many have obtained the full narrative if they asked and none of them have as much as hinted at obtaining that information.
    I think, but am happy to be corrected, it came from a belief Celtic are funding Res12.
    To prove that is not true would be to expose some folk to unwelcome treatment, that and apart from the fact the suspicion is untrue, makes me wonder about his true motives.
    He is not entitled to such information, specially in the circumstances.
    What is really concerning is I had invited to meet him and asked him to e mail; me via CQN, the normal way that posters can be put in touch with each other. Instead he asked that we find his e mail from the 100 plus signatories we received.
    That then turn sit into the issue of do we have the email or not.
    All he had to do was take up the invite to contact me via CQN. Why didn’t he?


  12. Yakutsuki,   I have posted twice on CQN in the past few days.  Something I rarely do but I was totally at a loss to where the poster Kill Ultra was coming from.  (I was very polite  btw) regarding Res.12.

    What harm are the requisitioners doing?   It’s their money, their time and their efforts.  If it works, brilliant, if not at least they tried.

    I don’t know any of the players in this drama but any group of people who try to bring exposure to the SFA & SPFL have my vote.   I honestly can’t understand why he has a bee in his bonnet about this.  

    Res.12 is typical of what we all want to achieve in cleaning up Scottish Football.  Surely?


  13. HomunculusApril 10, 2016 at 14:26
    ‘…Charles Green never bought the club, through Sevco 5088, Sevco Scotland or any other vehicle. He bought it’s assets from the administrator.’
    __________
    When that fact , and it is an absolute fact,is expressed in such clear and simple terms, Homunculus, the enormity of the deception being practised upon the Scottish Football community is staggering.

    It is  mystery that so many of our clubs’ boards, who (most of them) have at some time or another sweated blood to avoid ‘Administration’ never mind ‘Liquidation, can stomach the idea that one club should be able to shed massive debt by the simple expedient of going bust, on the understanding that the SFA would , perhaps by pre-arrangement, help The Administrators and CG in the creation and propagation of the LIE that all that had happened was that the ownership of that club had changed hands, and it had somehow emerged from Administration.

    There are  no criminal charges against anyone in the SFA.

    I personally hope that that will change.

    Whether it does or not, the moral charge of cynically acting with intent to deceive us all will stick to them like a very, very bad smell- for the rest of their individual lives.

    As far as I know, none of them is a sociopath, without any understanding of ‘conscience’.

    No, they know they’ve done wrong. And they  know that honest men metaphorically spit on them with contempt.

    Whatever personal ‘honours’ they achieve in the rest of their working lives  in Scottish Football – even the minute’s silence (or applause) to mark their demise!-  will be rendered hollow by the dishonour they brought upon themselves as defenders and champions of the destruction of Football Integrity.

    In my opinion.


  14. There is undoubtedly a frustration with the lack of progress and apparent laisse faire stance from Celtic fc. All very understandable , but to direct fire upon or question the motivation of people who were willing to propose the motion in the first place is ridiculous.The resolution will fail not because of any inaction of the football supporter but because of a perverted view of shareholder interest. I can sense Yakutsuki’s annoyance but that is surely an ‘in house’ issue rather than something to be debated on this forum.


  15. Only caught the 1st half of today’s cup final.  Peterhead certainly gave it a go come the end of the 45 and could have bagged a goal or two but the writing was,perhaps, on the wall. However the main thing that struck me is that the boy Travernier has a fair shot on him. I know he has bagged a few this season. His defending could be questioned but wondering if Warbs has factored in possibly selling him on. Cash in the bank but a weapon lost?


  16. Regarding Davie Provan’s lamb-article: as I understand it, Mr Provan’s was a childhood fan of OldGers: seems he TUPEd over.

    anyone seen the quotes from Barry Ferguson saying that NewGers need to spend £2m more a season (from £6m to £8m) than the current wage bill in order to compete with Celtic? That’s £2m more than the wage will that is currently losing them money… 


  17. I see Auldheid is being got at on SFM. The poster Kill Ultra has been hassling away on CQN trying to dig out names and financial info Auldheid and another poster, Camalar, gave him more info than he was entitled to,imho. Despite being offered a face to face, he declined the invite. Now we have a counterpart, Yakutsuki, joining the game,both,if you believe them,Celtic supporters.  Am strongly reminded of Mr Macoist and his Who are these people quote.


  18. Yakutsuki 

    Let’s get it clear what I offered Kill Ultra. 
    1. A request to contact me by the normal means used on CQN which he did not take up.
    2. An offer where I said I would see if I can get one funder who had himself suffered from social media abuse in the past to let Kill Ultra understand how the funder felt about Kill Ultra ‘s request.
    That wasn’t a threat it was a failed attempt to get Kill Ultra to understand what he was asking someone to do in order to satisfy his sense of entitlement.
    It obviously failed given the way Kill Ultra chose to respond. He may be the longest ST holder on Celtic’s books but he is getting back what he is giving out in equal measure –  mistrust.


  19. yakutsukiApril 10, 2016 at 23:01
    _______
    I am afraid that the cloven hoof is showing, yakutsuki. 03

    Tokyo Rose was better trained, but was still as unconvincing in the eastern theatre of war as Lord Haw-Haw was in Europe.

    And you’re a long way from even their laughably poor standard.

    What you say is not particularly relevant, and you overly emphasise your ‘Celtic’ connections. I suspect that if you were looking me in the eye, you wouldn’t look me in the eye!

    Just quietly go away and stop taking up people’s time on stuff that belongs , if it belongs anywhere, on partisan sites.

    Thank you.


  20. Okay folks,

    Been at a family function tonight when I was supposed to be on mod duty. On the basis that the genie can’t be put back into the bottle, I will allow the CQN posts to remain, but ask you all to draw a line from now.

    Why on earth people are arguing about something that goes on another forum is beyond me I m afraid. I am fairly au fait with res 12, but I really haven’t a clue what the hell this is about.

    I suspect that someone has sensibly shut down this discussion on CQN, and some folks have seen fit to export it there. Please find somewhere else.


  21. Gunnerb,  I know Auldheid uses the term ‘Locus’ a lot in terms of Res.12 and rightly so.  It is to do with Celtic, SFA, SPFL, Rangers and UEFA.   But we all know that the consequences of Res.12 are far more reaching than that.  This is not an ‘In house matter’ for Celtic alone.  This affects all of Scottish Football.  If not wider.


  22. AuldheidApril 10, 2016 at 21:44
    ‘… hostile interest in Res12 is interesting of late .’
    __________
    There are, it seems to me, four lots of people who wish the ‘Res 12 ‘ issue to go away:
    a) the lying bandits in the SFA who did not discharge their  governance duty to inform UEFA that RFC(IL) was actually in debt to HMRC
    b)  the SMSM pretendy journalists ( and I listened this morning to Bob Woodward speaking about the ‘Panama Papers’ and reflected on how contemptuous he would be of the Scottish crappers who   claim to be ‘journalists’)
    c) the board of the new club
    d) and, now, it would appear, the board of Celtic plc.

    Four lots of parties interested in dodging the truth.

    And not one of them able to go public with evidence that our ‘allegations’ are groundless!

    Why not? Because they have no such evidence.Rather, there is overwhelming evidence that RFC(IL) WAS ,at the material time under UEFA rules ,in debt, IN DEBT, not discussing or negotiating their tax liability: but bloody well in receipt of actual factual demands for payment of their social taxes liability!

    Personally, as a member of the ‘integrity soviet’, I will tell all of the parties to deceit to go take a flying leap from the 6th Floor, holding hands.

    And bloody well bad cess to them all.


  23. AULDHEIDAPRIL 10, 2016 at 20:34
    Up the hoopsThe Offshore Game have an interest in misgovernance that costs the tax payer and with SFA misgovernance costing the UK taxpayer anything north of £17m before BTC is finalised then no reason why SFA should not attract their attention.
    No reason at all. I look forward to their findings being published. Everyone should.

    =========================
    Auldheid, do you know if the Offshore Game have got any record of the mainstream media following up on their findings? Sadly it still appears a scandal can’t be a scandal unless the mainstream want to report it. If even an English based publication would run with this story. It certainly seems clear the Scottish media will report nothing come hell or high water. As I’ve said before, they can’t afford to concede an inch in terms of the SFA doing something which favoured Rangers. If they concede that inch, hundreds more miles would come into play, and they just won’t go there.


  24. Why was the Challenge cup final held at Hampden yesterday, knowing it needs re-laid for the SC back to back semis’? Here is what Wiki says.
    Final venue[edit]The final match of the tournament is played at a neutral venue, usually one that is geographically close or equidistant to where the clubs contesting the match are based. Eight different venues have hosted the final. Fir Park in Motherwell was the first, in 1990, and has since hosted three more finals, the last in 1997.[3] McDiarmid Park in Perth has been the most frequent venue, staging it nine times between1994 and 2015. Other venues to host the final more than once are Broadwood Stadium (Cumbernauld), Excelsior Stadium (Airdrie) andAlmondvale Stadium (Livingston).[24] The 2016 final was held at Hampden Park, the national stadium in Glasgow, due to the large support of finalists Rangers.[25] 

       Did Sevco not have a large support in the 13/14 season when they were beaten 1-0 v Raith? Has Hampden moved closer to Peterhead? 
      The fact is it could have been -re-laid last week, but instead it will not be completed before Wednesday this week, and will be like playing on a rug on a polished floor when the semis’ of Scotland’s flagship trophy come Saturday. Will they lay it using carpet grip?
       

        


  25. JOHN CLARKAPRIL 11, 2016 at 01:29 16 1  Rate This 
    AuldheidApril 10, 2016 at 21:44‘… hostile interest in Res12 is interesting of late .’__________There are, it seems to me, four lots of people who wish the ‘Res 12 ‘ issue to go away:a) the lying bandits in the SFA who did not discharge their  governance duty to inform UEFA that RFC(IL) was actually in debt to HMRCb)  the SMSM pretendy journalists ( and I listened this morning to Bob Woodward speaking about the ‘Panama Papers’ and reflected on how contemptuous he would be of the Scottish crappers who   claim to be ‘journalists’)c) the board of the new clubd) and, now, it would appear, the board of Celtic plc.
    Four lots of parties interested in dodging the truth.
    And not one of them able to go public with evidence that our ‘allegations’ are groundless!
    Why not? Because they have no such evidence.Rather, there is overwhelming evidence that RFC(IL) WAS ,at the material time under UEFA rules ,in debt, IN DEBT, not discussing or negotiating their tax liability: but bloody well in receipt of actual factual demands for paymentof their social taxes liability!
    Personally, as a member of the ‘integrity soviet’, I will tell all of the parties to deceit to go take a flying leap from the 6th Floor, holding hands.
    And bloody well bad cess to them all.
    ______________

    This is something that really gets to me, and is true of all the things we are looking for or demanding. They, the football governors, and the SMSM, have, at their disposal, the evidence to prove us all wrong. We can see by the way they continue to insult us (instead of justifying their position) that they would happily stick it right up us if they could. Not once, in over four years, has anyone from Hampden, or the SMSM, produced or published one piece of documentary evidence, and there must be documents available to back most, if not all, of their stance, unless, of course, that evidence would, instead, back each and every one of our assertions.

    Resolution 12 is the perfect example, there must be a paper trail with a perfect timeline! There is no argument that Rangers FC Limited, the entity with a legal personality, is in liquidation, so confidentiality can’t be an issue, even if it might be if it still operated. To put this matter to bed, all the SFA needs to do is publish all the relevant documents, with, perhaps, a letter from HMRC confirming the timeline and veracity of what’s produced, and the matter is at an end.

    We all know why they won’t do that!


  26. CORRUPT OFFICIALAPRIL 11, 2016 at 09:15 6 0  Rate This 
    Why was the Challenge cup final held at Hampden yesterday, knowing it needs re-laid for the SC back to back semis’? Here is what Wiki says.Final venue[edit]The final match of the tournament is played at a neutral venue, usually one that is geographically close or equidistant to where the clubs contesting the match are based. Eight different venues have hosted the final. Fir Park in Motherwell was the first, in 1990, and has since hosted three more finals, the last in 1997.[3] McDiarmid Park in Perth has been the most frequent venue, staging it nine times between1994 and 2015. Other venues to host the final more than once are Broadwood Stadium (Cumbernauld), Excelsior Stadium (Airdrie) andAlmondvale Stadium (Livingston).[24] The 2016 final was held at Hampden Park, the national stadium in Glasgow, due to the large support of finalists Rangers.[25] 
       Did Sevco not have a large support in the 13/14 season when they were beaten 1-0 v Raith? Has Hampden moved closer to Peterhead?   The fact is it could have been -re-laid last week, but instead it will not be completed before Wednesday this week, and will be like playing on a rug on a polished floor when the semis’ of Scotland’s flagship trophy come Saturday. Will they lay it using carpet grip?
    ___________

    Wasn’t this an issue last year? Didn’t TRFC want the game played at Hampden, Celtic Park, or even Ibrox to maximise their income, but the request was refused as the rules of the competition didn’t allow it? Has there been a stealth change to allow a favoured club with a large support to gain income to help see out the season? That might fit in with the ludicrous campaign to up the stature of the competition to encourage a support that might otherwise ignore a ‘diddie’ cup to come along!


  27. AllyjamboApril 11, 2016 at 10:18
    Wasn’t this an issue last year? Didn’t TRFC want the game played at Hampden, Celtic Park, or even Ibrox to maximise their income, but the request was refused as the rules of the competition didn’t allow it? Has there been a stealth change to allow a favoured club with a large support to gain income to help see out the season? That might fit in with the ludicrous campaign to up the stature of the competition to encourage a support that might otherwise ignore a ‘diddie’ cup to come along!
    ——————————————————————————————————————–
    I have to say that a bit of me admires the numbers they got yesterday. If Peterhead agreed to the venue (and why would they not given it would also significantly benefit them financially) I don’t really see a problem. Sponsors happy, both teams happy. I didn’t watch it though!


  28. CORRUPT OFFICIALAPRIL 11, 2016 at 09:15

    I see from the BBC website that the Warbmeister shares your concerns! Must be a serious issue, the state of the Hampden pitch, for it’s not like this former City trader to complain – about anything 14


  29. BORDERSDONAPRIL 11, 2016 at 10:45 
    AllyjamboApril 11, 2016 at 10:18Wasn’t this an issue last year? Didn’t TRFC want the game played at Hampden, Celtic Park, or even Ibrox to maximise their income, but the request was refused as the rules of the competition didn’t allow it? Has there been a stealth change to allow a favoured club with a large support to gain income to help see out the season? That might fit in with the ludicrous campaign to up the stature of the competition to encourage a support that might otherwise ignore a ‘diddie’ cup to come along!——————————————————————————————————————–I have to say that a bit of me admires the numbers they got yesterday. If Peterhead agreed to the venue (and why would they not given it would also significantly benefit them financially) I don’t really see a problem. Sponsors happy, both teams happy. I didn’t watch it though!
    _________

    True – but, MW is now questioning the suitability of the pitch for the semi-finals, and we can be certain that Peterhead’s finances were not a consideration in deciding the venue, no matter what might be claimed if the question is ever asked of the authorities.

    It is, I think, symptomatic of how the governance of the game is now constantly called into question (though not by the SMSM) whenever a decision is made that is beneficial to TRFC. It is what happens when trust is destroyed.

    Wait a minute! Warburton isn’t happy with the state of the pitch,! Shouldn’t it be Celtic, Hibs and Dundee United who are unhappy that a game was played there to benefit another club’s withering finances instead of having the pitch relaid a week (or more) earlier? Still, it wouldn’t be Monday morning if there wasn’t a Warburton story or ten, would it?


  30.     “Wasn’t this an issue last year? Didn’t TRFC want the game played at Hampden, Celtic Park, or even Ibrox to maximise their income,”
         ——————————————————————————————————————————–
        I don’t have an issue with maximising income in the game, per se, as long as it is done even handedly, although it didn’t appear to be taken into consideration when EK met Celtic. 
        I don’t mean any disrespect to the challenge cup, I think it is a cracking wee tourney, but it is what it is. It doesn’t have a Euro slot as a reward for success, as the Scottish cup does. Therefore priority should have been afforded to the SC to have the best surface possible, or is best team on a ploughed field our main hope of Euro success? 
       I doubt an extra week bedding in would make a great deal of difference, but it would make some. 
       I had a garden lawn laid last year, and was advised not to even walk on it for three weeks, let alone run my mower over it FFS!  
         Hampden is expected (I believe) to be completed by sometime on Wednesday, and it needs pinned out for line marking and goal posts erected before Saturday. …..It’s mental before two back to back games, which can never be considered a good scenario under any conditions.
       Tom English tweeted that Murrayfield took weeks to lay, and wasn’t allowed to be played for months afterwards.

    https://twitter.com/BBCTomEnglish/status/719430908760170497   
       


  31. I see someone finally asked Souness in public about his EBT.

    He replied he was in between jobs and it was for doing some scouting work for Rangers on the continent.
    (The follow up, given it is the hot political topic,  is of course that if he was working on a scouting mission then should he not have been paid in the usual manner and paid his tax, why the need for and EBT)

    Simple and straight forward. No-one got hurt. Souness didn’t seem to take any offense at the question. He seemed to pooh-pooh the trivial amount so I guess he is not overly worried if Hector does knock on his door.

    Why has it taken so long?


  32. Sensitive about losing votes I wonder.

    Still, I suppose the fact that they actually replied says something.

    I wonder if the date that it was written is relevant?


  33. AuldheidApril 10, 2016 at 21:44‘… hostile interest in Res12 is interesting of late .’__________There are, it seems to me, four lots of people who wish the ‘Res 12 ‘ issue to go away:a) the lying bandits in the SFA who did not discharge their governance duty to inform UEFA that RFC(IL) was actually in debt to HMRCb) the SMSM pretendy journalists ( and I listened this morning to Bob Woodward speaking about the ‘Panama Papers’ and reflected on how contemptuous he would be of the Scottish crappers who claim to be ‘journalists’)c) the board of the new clubd) and, now, it would appear, the board of Celtic plc.Four lots of parties interested in dodging the truth.And not one of them able to go public with evidence that our ‘allegations’ are groundless!Why not? Because they have no such evidence.Rather, there is overwhelming evidence that RFC(IL) WAS ,at the material time under UEFA rules ,in debt, IN DEBT, not discussing or negotiating their tax liability: but bloody well in receipt of actual factual demands for payment of their social taxes liability!Personally, as a member of the ‘integrity soviet’, I will tell all of the parties to deceit to go take a flying leap from the 6th Floor, holding hands.And bloody well bad cess to them all.
    Excellent JC
    In my opinion 22
    I don’t know anywhere near all I would like to know about Res 12 but I don’t understand why anyone would seek to undermine the purpose which is quite clear, to me at least.
    In one way or another, the Scottish Football authorities will be forced by Res 12 to ensure their scheming ways will never again be tolerated by the people without whom football is nothing.


  34. Quite bizarre that Souness would adopt the, “I only cheated a wee bit” policy. Did he think that by dragging Minty, the highest paid recipient into it, it would be buried? Take me on and you will have my big bruvva to answer to.
        Looks like it went a bit Pete Tong.


  35. James D hints on Twitter Souness Ebts. Interview maybe a clanger for BDO appeal.
    Did he say how he was paid?


  36. ianagainApril 11, 2016 at 17:02 
    James D hints on Twitter Souness Ebts. Interview maybe a clanger for BDO appeal. Did he say how he was paid?
    ================================
    You can hear what he was asked and what was said from the second of the video clips in this article.
    http://stv.tv/sport/football/1349924-celtic-have-better-players-but-result-isnt-certain-says-souness/

    As Souness is being featured on Sportsound tonight, I’ve asked if they will pose a similar question to Steven Thompson in respect of his £485,000 EBT, given he is a studio guest.

    I won’t hold my breath that it will actually be asked, far less answered, though.


  37. Incredible admission by Souness. Of course the mistake he made was putting the suspension of disbelief on hold and referring to ebts in exactly the same way as everyone except Rangers did 😉

    If he also misled the DR by stating that he was ‘between jobs’ when in fact he was no such thing, then that’s a whole other can of worms. Clarification might be required on that one. Of course he may have been ‘between jobs’ when he did the work, but employed when he applied for the funds?

    On another matter, I have been informed that both Aberdeen and Celtic are in perplexed mode regarding significant Season Ticket downsizing – and we haven’t even started a campaign yet. Interesting.


  38. BIG PINKAPRIL 11, 2016 at 18:23
          “On another matter, I have been informed that both Aberdeen and Celtic are in perplexed mode regarding significant Season Ticket downsizing – and we haven’t even started a campaign yet. Interesting”
         ————————————————————————————————————————-
       I’ll un-perplex them !….. Publicly support Res 12. Get the lawyers in and get it worded ! 


  39. BIG PINKAPRIL 11, 2016 at 18:23 
    On another matter, I have been informed that both Aberdeen and Celtic are in perplexed mode regarding significant Season Ticket downsizing – and we haven’t even started a campaign yet. Interesting.
    ==================================

    The ball is in their court if they are so perplexed. I wonder just how many e-mails and letters have been sent at least threatening not to renew. A strong statement approved by their lawyers might do the trick.


  40. Incredible comment from Chris McLaughlin on Reporting Scotland tonight. Speaking in sarcastic tones he said ‘nothing to see here’ regarding the SFA refusing to allow the media to film the Hampden pitch being ripped up. If you are reading Chris, that’s how we all feel when you and others refuse to acknowledge much worse behaviour from the SFA than keeping a film crew away from Hampden. 


  41. easyJamboApril 11, 2016 at 17:39
    Thanks for that link EJ
    What a pathetic performance from the interviewer . Any journalist worth his salt would be prepared before asking such a question and have all the relevant facts at his disposal .
    Who was the largest beneficiary of the scheme ? Why SDM ,of course, with a whopping £6million (plus half a million EBT consultancy fee per annum if Johnjames is to be believed ) .
    How much was paid to Souness ? £30,000 – when he was manager of Blackburn Rovers .
    Why did he accept a “loan” for his scouting services and not a cheque ?
    I bet Bernard Ponsonby wouldn’t have let him off the hook so lightly .


  42. UPTHEHOOPSAPRIL 11, 2016 at 19:02 
    BIG PINKAPRIL 11, 2016 at 18:23 
    On another matter, I have been informed that both Aberdeen and Celtic are in perplexed mode regarding significant Season Ticket downsizing – and we haven’t even started a campaign yet. Interesting.
    ==================================
    The ball is in their court if they are so perplexed. I wonder just how many e-mails and letters have been sent at least threatening not to renew. A strong statement approved by their lawyers might do the trick.
    ==================================
    Mibbees wrt CFC, this is relevant to Phil’s assertion that Desmond, [or one of his ‘confidantes’], is now interested in the detail ?

    As for Souness ? 
    Immediate reaction was that there is no way a SMSM just bravely asked him the question – and especially after all this time !
    To me anyway, it wouldn’t be hard to believe that he wanted to be asked the question, [he had arranged it in advance?], so he could at long last ‘kill’ this murky story…but he made a bit of a balls up with his answer?


  43. I didn’t recognise the voice of the chap who asked Souness about his EBT. Whoever it was sounded extremely hesitant.I wondered-still wonder- whether that hesitancy was because he was afraid in case he would muff the pre-arranged lines, or out of fear of an over-the-table two-footed lunge.
    Can anyone name the questioner? ( Lord, now I sound like the Gardener!)


  44. souness scouting for Rangers? how could that work?
    GS “Hi Dave, you should sign this guy for sure.”
    DM “He already plays for Rangers ?”
    GS “Ahhh, thought he was familiar. Still counts as scouting though, I watched a whole game. I took notes and everything.”
    DM “Aye, while SKY were paying you!! Ach, no bother here’s 30k oot the ST money.”


  45. upthehoops
    April 11, 2016 at 19:02
     
    Strong letters ain’t going to cut it anymore.
    These clubs have had two and half years to deal with this running sore and corruption that now seems to be endemic in our sport.
     
    As has been seen in the last couple of weeks, with the Panama papers, most decent people are utterly scunnered by the connivance, concealment, scheming, I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine, reality now at all levels within our society.
     
    The people in charge of the two biggest clubs in the country are actually part of the problem. They earn salaries or run companies which put them in the very bracket of the warped and morally bereft that we currently see scuttling about publishing their last tax returns.
     
    You really do wonder what type of person, sitting on either of Aberdeen’s or Celtic’s boards of directors who, considering they are highly paid businessmen, did not see this backlash coming!
    That is the reality here; these guys see pound signs, they do not see supporters, they do not see people emotionally invested in clubs. They speak in glowing terms of their fans yet they will not protect those very same people from the catastrophic administration of the last four years.
     
    The guys in charge of our clubs sold their souls four years ago. They are now as much part of the problem that Whyte was, that Green was, that Ogilvie was, that Regan is, that Doncaster is, and that King is. These chairmen wanted a strong RFC/’The Rangers’ back well the reason they will be strong is because they will have impoverished their own clubs by gross negligence and incompetence.
     
    We now have the latest joke from the SFA where the Hampden Park surface has to be re-laid for the second time in six weeks. I mean how DENSE do you have to be to lay a grass park, in Scotland, at the back end of FEBRUARY or early MARCH and then be astounded that the grass doesn’t grow or simply dies. To compound this stupidity they start playing football on it a couple of days after the turf is down. It really does beggar belief!!
     
    Why don’t they just put red ash on it and be done.
     
    That nobody within the press corps even bats an eye at this turn of events is no longer a surprise. Roll up Regan for another financial bonus next year!!
     
    I’m sick to the back teeth of straw men popping up from behind their barricade, making a statement, and then disappearing again: the latest from Souness today “All the people who voted Rangers out of the top league MUST now admit they were wrong” nobody asked ‘Based on what evidence Graham ‘EBT’ Souness?’ Would that be the evidence that has seen an unparalleled distribution of domestic trophies since the 1960’s.
     
    They are a spineless toadying media beyond comprehension and beyond contempt.
    I listened to Stuart Cosgrove on the radio on Saturday night and was so embarrassed to listen to an intelligent man grope for words and yet avoid using the dreaded ‘L’ word. I think he eventually came out with the phrase ‘Economic meltdown’!
     
    Shameful does not even cover it.
     
    A few people commented on the title of this piece however the only Journey’s End that I’m aware of is the play set in the First World War. It is entirely set in the claustrophobic officers bunker where, as the play progresses, the main players mentally and physically scarred suffer a quite horrendous artillery bombardment as the play closes.

    The bombardment our clubs are about to feel is of the ‘Friendly Fire’ variety; it will be tough love but no less deadly for that.


  46. JOHN CLARKAPRIL 11, 2016 at 19:44
        “Can anyone name the questioner? ( Lord, now I sound like the Gardener!)”
        ——————————————————————————————————
       I think it was a Mark McDougal,  J.C. …At least he wrote up the DR story, and I have seen him mentioned in a couple of blogs.


  47. I’m open to correction but this is how I see the Souness reason for his ebt given the dates involved.

    The first ebt that RFC used for which records exist was for Craig Moore in 1999. Interestingly there is no side letter which perhaps explains why the £2.8m sought only covers de Boer and Flo with side letters of 30 Aug and 23 Nov 2011 respectively. Those ebts were paid under the label of Rangers Employee Benefit Trust. REBT.
     Now De Boer moved over to the non DOS ebts (let’s call them BTC ebts under The Murray Group Management Remuneration Trust. MGMRT in 2002/03 season. Flo was by then off ski I think but the point is that at some point in 2000/01 the decision was taken to move to the BTC ebts.
     Thus Souness would be paid via them but it is unlikely he had any side letter. It would have been sold to him as a legal scheme and without a side letter it could be construed as such although whether there is tax payable on the £30k or not will depend on the view taken about all payments under the MGMRT.
     What was he paid for? If work in 1999 or earlier and he took up work with Blackburn in March 2000 then being paid for scouting work preceding his Blackburn job actually stands up or put another way is going to make it hard to prove it was for services rendered on player transfers. 
    The devil is in the detail. Get that wrong and we can look daft.

     


  48. Corrupt officialApril 11, 2016 at 21:19
    ‘.. I think it was a Mark McDougal, J.C. …..’
    ________
    Thanks, Corrupt Official. Not a name I know. But if he works for the DR………… I’ll maybe send him an email.


  49. AuldheidApril 11, 2016 at 21:22

    The fact that Graeme Souness claimed his ebt was for work/services provided . Does this not hit a tad below the plimsoll line
    when considering discretionary loans ?


  50. Gunnerb 
    My point was not in relation to the taxable nature of his payment  but what he was paid for.

    I suspected it might be a back hander for transfers.  It may still be but the timing could relate to scouting activity and there is no proof unless we see invoices submitted.


  51. With regards to Souness’ claims that his 30,000 EBT was in return for scouting services in between jobs, can anyone throw some light on how much professional clubs normally pay for scouts? 

    I used to believe that this role tended to be done by some old retired bloke, who would spot a young players whilst out exercising his dug. 

    Of course things may have moved on a bit since then, but 30,000 EBT or otherwise, for a couple of months ‘casual’ work, in between ‘real’ jobs, would seem to indicate that this is an extremely lucrative number.   

    So, how many players did he actually find in this time? 

    Does anyone know where I can get an application form?


  52. Re Souness 
    Call me a cynic but why him and why now ?
    What could damage him more an unpaid pittance (to him) EBT or allegations of backhanders for player sales .
    I am in no way suggesting the latter , I am just wondering why a journo would pluck that question out the BLUE and a journo from the sevco fanzine too 
    Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
    181919191919


  53. IANAGAINAPRIL 11, 2016 at 22:55 Looks like this for top 6 fixtures.
    =============================

    How shambolic is it that any team has to visit the ground of another team three times against once at home! My understanding is the SPFL have a seeded system on how they decide this. What’s the betting it doesn’t apply to the newly promoted team next season? However, no league can be truly fair if this happens to any team.  

    On a personal note as a Celtic fan I’m just hoping we get at least one Saturday fixture post split. It will be one more than last year. 


  54. Regarding the Souness EBT. He has now admitted he had one and he has offered an explanation what it was for. Aside from any other argument surrounding that he seems to clearly state it was for work provided to Rangers. Should HMRC now go after him for tax, I imagine the bill for a £30k EBT will be easily settled by a man of his wealth. Sky sports punditry alone pays handsomely, never mind what he made throughout his playing and management career. It could also be argued he was pointing a finger at the fact others were in it for far more than he was, which is absolutely true. Interesting times ahead over the next couple of years. Sometimes in life you reap what you sow!


  55. fan of footballApril 12, 2016 at 06:53 
    Re Souness  Call me a cynic but why him and why now ? What could damage him more an unpaid pittance (to him) EBT or allegations of backhanders for player sales . I am in no way suggesting the latter , I am just wondering why a journo would pluck that question out the BLUE and a journo from the sevco fanzine too  Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
    _________________________________

    Just a wee thought on this, and probably turning 2+2 into much more than 4, but:

    We still await news on whether or not BDO are proceeding with the EBT appeal. Could it be that MIH/Murray have been tipped the wink that the appeal is not going ahead and Murray has given Souness the all clear to defend his position however he sees fit?

    Of all the EBT recipients, I’d expect ‘over the ball’ Souness will be amongst those best placed to pay whatever HMRC demand after years of TV work etc, and in, perhaps, an attempt to head off a grilling in a more public and interrogative (English based) forum has got his response in first!

    With tax cheating so high on the media’s agenda, I’d expect many celebrities to be given quite a hard ride over the next few months, with many careers in television put at risk as a result. Any grillings, in Souness’ case, might lead to further investigations by, say, a Newcastle based journalist bearing a grudge or two over questionable signings! (Before anyone asks, I know nothing about any Newcastle based journalists 14)

    I’m sure Mr Souness would rather walk away from it all looking like a mere tax avoider, misled by a ‘trusted’ businessman and a tax advisor, than to face genuine journalists with a hard question or two!


  56. ROBBYPAPRIL 12, 2016 at 02:48
    If the going rate for a bit of casual scouting was £30k over a decadeago, some folks must be crapping themselves at what Frank McParland might be on for identifying lads from Accrington and the best lads playing in opposition teams. 02


  57. http://thecelticblog.com/2016/04/blogs/souness-is-finally-asked-about-ebts-but-his-reply-leaves-more-questions-to-answer

    Interesting time-line drawn up in this Celtic Blog article. It would appear that Souness was one year into his Blackburn contract when he received his EBT. If I was a Blackburn supporter, or even a proper journalist, I would, at least, be asking Blackburn FC if they were advised at the time that their employee was receiving a ‘loan’ from another club, and were they given a satisfactory explanation of why this should be granted?

    Just to thicken the plot. Could an EBT be used for purposes other than tax avoidance? They couldn’t be used to disguise a payment for services rendered while employed by someone who could, in some respects, be described as a rival, could they? 


  58. At a glance it looks like only 10 of the 30 fixtures after the split in the Premiership have 3pm kick off times on a Saturday.


  59. upthehoopsApril 11, 2016 at 19:24 
    Incredible comment from Chris McLaughlin on Reporting Scotland tonight. Speaking in sarcastic tones he said ‘nothing to see here’ regarding the SFA refusing to allow the media to film the Hampden pitch being ripped up. If you are reading Chris, that’s how we all feel when you and others refuse to acknowledge much worse behaviour from the SFA than keeping a film crew away from Hampden. 
    _________________________________________

    But isn’t it terrible that the public have been denied the opportunity to see men ripping up a football pitch? Reality TV at it’s best21 . The BBC must be fuming, though, that they have been unable to unearth what must be the greatest scandal ever to hit Scottish football.

    Oh wait, they did unearth (well maybe lagged behind a couple of bampots) the biggest football scandal ever – in British football – four years ago, but have been very busy helping to bury it ever since! On the other hand, could it be that the Beeb suspects that, with the lump under the carpet becoming ever more obvious, a cunning CEO found somewhere else to sweep the guilty secrets?


  60. Mid-week games – Accies v Inverness, and Ross Co. v Motherwell – SPFL always putting the fans first !!


  61. IANAGAIN
    APRIL 12, 2016 at 11:50  

    Mid-week games – Accies v Inverness, and Ross Co. v Motherwell – SPFL always putting the fans first !!
    That seems like a fair assessment as long as you’re being ( sarcastic ) lol. 


  62. IANAGAINAPRIL 12, 2016 at 11:50
    Mid-week games – Accies v Inverness, and Ross Co. v Motherwell – SPFL always putting the fans first !!
    —————————————————-
    Either you and I are sharing the same brain or you have nicked my post from Steelmen online – how very dare you 09


  63. That was a very strange and random question to Souness about his EBT.
    What’s the feeling on here? Random? Strangely no follow up question? Intentional? Plant? If so why?
    Murray was obviously the greatest beneficiary, was Souness setting him up? Why?
    Souness pumped MILLIONS into Rangers in transfer fees when at managing Blackburn and Newcastle. Tugay, Ferguson, Amaracist, A.N.Other I cannot recall, Boumsong for Newcastle?
    Has he paid his tax on the ‘measly’ £30K and is not best pleased at the size of his EBT compared to Mr. Murrays £6+ Million?
    Something smelly here.


  64. And now we have Walter bleating about ‘there was no reason why Rangers had to re-enter the league in the bottom division’ and ‘ there  be a sense of bitterness..’
    Good God Almighty,what can furhter be said about the poison created by SDM and his tax-avoiding greed, and the guilty men who associated themselves with his sports cheating?


  65. John ClarkApril 12, 2016 at 13:10
    And now we have Walter bleating about ‘there was no reason why Rangers had to re-enter the league in the bottom division’ and ‘ there  be a sense of bitterness..’Good God Almighty,what can furhter be said about the poison created by SDM and his tax-avoiding greed, and the guilty men who associated themselves with his sports cheating?

    Funnily enough I had a similar thought listening to the always predictable Macavennie on Rajo Shortbread.  I haven’t had the pleasure of Walters valued input yet.

    “The game is bigger than anything, all consuming, worlds biggest derby ya da ya.”

    Ok, so actually we could have (correctly, legally and legitimately) kicked them when they were down (down that is in a completely self inflicted fashion) and as long as a club, any club, eventually turned up as the ethereal 11 men in blue at some point then the ‘fairy dust that Scottish football has been missing’ would have presumably returned.

    So why decide, by whom and on what basis to allow them to go completely unpunished, scot free whilst  setting dangerous precedents that will leave us as a footballing backwater for years?  Presumably because they said they were sorry?  Oh, so not even that then! 

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