Good Morning,
In the last week, we have seen a number of strange occurrences in Scottish Football, which if taken together might just point to a very different land than the one we were lead to believe we live in just two short years ago.
First of all there was the report from a firm of well known accountants which pronounced that a significant number of Scottish Football Clubs had, in fact, sold more season tickets for this coming season than they had in the course of the last several years.
Then we had the spectacle of the National team travelling to Wembley and playing very well AND being cheered on by a very large travelling support who appear to have been full of fun and who acquitted themselves well in the big smoke.
This morning I read that today’s match at Pittodrie is a sell out — with the old stadium being packed to the rafters for the visit of Celtic. This is the first time that Aberdeen have been able to sell out the fixture for some 6 years!
Not only that, various Celtic supporting websites have lead with articles saying that the return of a strong Aberdeen and Dundee United are to be welcomed– in fact not only welcomed but positively wished for.
In contrast, stories abound about the in fighting on the Ibrox Board. There are surreptitious share dealings and all sorts of company jockeying being deployed by the rival factions who are trying to gain control of The Rangers. Further, there is the suggestion from some well informed parties that not only will Ibrox and the Albion be sold and leased back to the club to generate much needed immediate cash, but that Murray Park has been sold off completely and will no longer be available to The Rangers for any purpose whatsoever!
Clearly, there are big troubles at the club which will not assist in the stated intention of rising to the very top in Scottish Football.
In between all of this, the debate goes on about Campbell Ogilvie, Press manipulation, the correspondence between Media House and the SFA, and between The SFA and Ibrox re the relationship between Charlie Green and Craig Whyte and so on.
Standing with my business hat on, I looked at all of this and wondered what it all meant, and pretty quickly reached the conclusion that we are now in a time of supreme opportunity for some of the clubs in Scottish Football—- particularly Aberdeen FC.
There is a view abroad, that in the absence of the “Strong Rangers” that Celtic Football Club will win the SPFL title for almost evermore — or at least until they are toppled from the top spot by the rise of a strong Rangers club somewhere towards the end of this decade or early in the next– because we are assured that they will be back– in one form or another– in a rather Arnold Schwarzenegger like fashion.
That return or initial rise if you like– its timing and its manner— is dependent on a number of things– not least the exit strategy of Charlie Green and his cohorts.
If it is true that The Rangers are going to part company with Ibrox and the Albion, that they have taken on a loan of funds which attract a rate of interest that amounts to 15% per annum, and that there are set figures for buying the old ( and decaying ) stadium back any time soon, and that they have yet again hawked the season ticket money, then the already flawed Ibrox business plan is burdened even more by interest and rent payments of an additional £3M per annum and rising!
It should also be noted that the accounts for old co from the mid naughties onwards boasted that season ticket sales, merchandising, corporate hospitality and so on had reached unprecedented levels—- but—- the club still did not make an operating profit without strange internals transactions such as the repurchase of media rights which added £15M on to the P&L’s AND the sale of Jean Alain Boomsong!
Accordingly, the current position will not make for good financial reading.
So– let’s presume that in the current climate Celtic are out of sight and will always be champions for ever and a day. What do the rest of the clubs say in the absence of the Ibrox club without whom they have been told they will perish?
Well, If I were in charge of Aberdeen FC I would look out across a city with an inherent population of some 220,000 souls sitting in a county which takes the population up by another 40,000 or so. I would note that the compact city also houses two universities and a number of colleges — all of which attract visitors to the city— and that its position as the oil capital of Europe also draws in a substantial number of itinerant workers.
Further, personal knowledge shows that many who studied at Aberdeen University or Robert Gordon’s in the 80’s left the city as Aberdeen FC fans and no matter where they have ended up in life they still make the journey back to Pittodrie when they can– especially in good times!
Alas, however, Aberdeen has not enjoyed ” Good Times” of late— in fact not really since ……….. the arrival of David Murray at Ibrox!
If you cast your mind back to the pre Murray era, Aberdeen were a force not only in Scotland but Europe as the recent nostalgia re Gothenburg has reminded us.
The city has an economic micro climate which suggests that it can ride economic hardship better than most and so all things considered this current period provides a great opportunity for the Dons.
Unlike Dundee United, Hearts, and Hibs, Aberdeen FC sits in a large one team conurbation and should be on the doorstep of a populace which can fill Pittodrie every single week …… IF that fan base can be motivated.
And there lies the rub– how do you get a notoriously fickle fan base out of the armchair and into the stadium?
The late Bob Crampsey once described Pittodrie by saying ” And there are the masses of Aberdeen fans, masquerading as rows and rows of Empty seats!” yet in their heydey an Aberdeen crowd on a visit to Glasgow were among the noisiest– and to this football fans eyes — the scariest ( in a good sense ) supports to be seen.
Well, at this juncture, Derek McInnes and team need only look at every other football club in the land ( bar Celtic ) and determine that come next May those others will be below them in the league. If Aberdeen maintain a strong league run keeping everyone behind them then there is the possibility of a huge revenue swing in favour of the Dons– such a swing that would put them in an even stronger position for the following year.
Further, Aberdeen are a European name. Perhaps a European name from yesteryear and not the recent past, but the pedigree is there and as such there will be those who remember the heady European Nights both home and away. Reviving those memories and that reputation– at least to an extent– is not beyond the club, and with no disrespect to Motherwell and St Johnstone both of whom are liable to lose key players or even a manager between seasons, Aberdeen may just be of a size to consolidate each year rather than scramble to maintain the momentum of one good season which comes along every now and then.
Financial management and football rewards can go hand in hand when combined properly, and of all the clubs in Scotland who can benefit from a level playing field in terms of proper football governance, Aberdeen FC are uniquely placed in my opinion.
That is not so say that The Arabs, or the Hibees or anyone else cannot benefit– on the contrary— but the Dons are the most obvious candidates in terms of potential structure to really motor forward and regain a by gone status.
Such a situation, and the recognition of that potential, should be borne in mind by all at Celtic Football Club, as last year they struggled for a period in the league while they concentrated on their European exploits. If Celtic want to go further and further in Europe ( and why shouldn’t they ) they will have to be wary of any club which is capable of reigniting its fortunes from a lowly position or a position of having to look back at glory and potential glory rather than looking forward.
Further, with the way things are being organised at Ibrox, there is absolutely no guarantee ( some would say likelihood ) that an eventual challenge to a perceived dominance by Celtic will come from that quarter, and life in the top flight for any returning Rangers could prove very difficult if the likes of Aberdeen get their act together and start to produce the type of home grown team of old.
For now, I sense a degree of optimism about the Dons– not just on the playing front either. They have a fan base, they have a business model and a good young manager, and any comparative business exercise must conclude that they have every chance of rising above most of their rivals in the league, in terms of revenue, in terms of brand development and business expansion.
If I were an Aberdeen fan I would like to think positive and be ambitious in this climate, whilst at the same time casting an eye back to the days when they were top of the tree.
As one Aberdeen supporting ( but now Edinburgh based ) friend put it to me:
” Ah, those were the days my friend, those were the days……………”
Posters here know the meaning of Pravda when it comes to the message from the official PR organ at Ibrox. Sadly it is as twisted and corrupt as the Soviet regime that completely controlled the false information fed to the Russian people for decades.
Only a flat-foot like Traynor who appears to have zilch undertstaning of the speed, reach and power of the internet could allow such a neanderthal utterance to see the light of day and yet they expect to make money from new media – aye right ❗
But what cheered me and the legal profession most was the statement: ‘RANGERS Football Club is aware of wildly inaccurate stories circulating on various websites and would like fans to know that these flights of fantasy will be monitored by our lawyers.’
They may well be ‘monitored’ for a hefty fee by the lawyers who will also be hoping they can talk the club into spending more millions in legal fees – which IMO will never be paid – to take the bampots and clatterers to court.
Traynor obviously doesn’t realise that there are many in the blogosphere who would welcome the opportunity to face RFC across an open court room – oh what fun to be had and secrets to extract. I believe Charlotte might even be able to help with some explosive material for the defence.
Sadly the legal entity which currently masquerades as Rangers will no longer exist by the time any case gets to court and Mr Traynor will be looking for a job at the SFA because I don’t even think the Beeb would have yesterday’s discredited hack back 😀
I also have to advise Rangers that any ‘wildly innacurate’ stories that are circulating are on Rangers sites because their posters and Rangers’ supporters are slowly wakening up to the truth that the truth is being fudged on the PR-driven official Rangers site. So Bears are forgetting the ‘boycott’ mentality they have been talked into and are looking further afield beyond a failed Daily Record journo – who appears to have no PR expertise – to discover the truth about what is happening in the Blue Room.
The link doesn’t seem to be working.
rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/4824-for-the-avoidance-of-doubt …
Sunincapricorn says:
August 17, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Well at least if there is no other challenge from the other teams in the SPFL over the next 4-5 years we will all at least live in the knowledge that teams are not spending money they simply do not have.
I think everyone on this site will applaud large crowds at any ground if it means the population getting out and watching our national sport.
As for the challenge to Celtic I’m continually brought back to the same point; should we promote a team artificially, outwith sporting merit while at the same time bankrolling them to the tune of £10M a season, so that they can mount a challenge?
That unfortunately seems to be the only answer that the games authorities and the media can come up with. They do not understand that we need to ‘grow our sport’ by more ways than simply paying lip service to the phrase.
The financial problems facing some of the clubs in the SPFL have come from chasing a failed business model that any child could work out was doomed to end badly.
These issues are not going to be solved in the next few years. It will be more like ten to fifteen years before some clubs can breath easy but that is the legacy we have.
Sunincapricorn says:
August 17, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Ecobhoy @ 6:15.
Lol. Back in the combat fatigues I see my man!
================================================
I never take them off but unlike some I have no need to wear camouflage ones.
OT but worth a post, I think!!
Arsene Weiner http://t.co/indLYyoqaO
Bayview Gold says:
August 17, 2013 at 8:12 pm
Some funny responses on twitter hashtag #ForTheAvoidanceOfDoubt
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ForTheAvoidanceOfDoubt&src=hash
With regard to BRTH’s original post – while good management of clubs is of course important, a much more competitive element could be achieved in Scottish football and the SPFL if some more redistribution of money was introduced.
Celtic are so far ahead financially (as were Rangers with and without their dubious accounting) that if anyone is serious about a more competitive league, this has to be on the table.
“For The Avoidance Of Doubt
RANGERS Football Club is aware of wildly inaccurate stories circulating on various websites and would like fans to know that these flights of fantasy will be monitored by our lawyers.
In particular, they are examining a malicious piece which seems to suggest that the Club does not own its facilities.
We urge Rangers fans to treat these idiotic and lumbering articles with the contempt they deserve. Better still, ignore them completely.
But we must also stress we cannot waste time responding publicly to every blog or ridiculous claim against this Club. Also, there is a dangerous proliferation of anonymous obsessives on various social media sites and we will not give them any credence.
Nor can we react to every journalist and publication who appear to pursue an anti-Rangers agenda, publications such as the Daily Record which today boasts yet another headline which does not accurately reflect what manager Ally McCoist said in his press conference yesterday.
This paper’s intent is clear and we urge our fans to see it for what it is. If Rangers fans want the truth they will find it only on the Club’s official platforms.
Finally, Jack Irvine of Media House does not speak for this Club.”
http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/4824-for-the-avoidance-of-doubt
==============================================
Looking at this again it is clear that the Rangers site has been hacked by anonymous obsessives from various social media sites.
I mean, what other explanation can there be? It’s totally bonkers…..
“In particular, they are examining a malicious piece which seems to suggest that the Club does not own its facilities.” Their facilities i.e. toilets I assume they mean, are probably the only thing they will be able to afford shortly. Probably very handy as they go down the toilet.
Scottish football needs good PR practitioners.
Humble Pie says:
August 17, 2013 at 8:10 pm
The statement on ‘The Rangers’ ‘official platforms’ ends with the following quote: “Finally, Jack Irvine of Media House does not speak for this Club.”
How does that square with JI’s representation of board members the Easdale family?
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I suppose it will depend on how many shares the Easdales end up owning in Rangers. I’m actually beginning to warm to the idea that they might gain a controlling interest so I can see Traynor in his new role as the fat conductor err sorry the PR spokesman for McGills Buses ( Port Glasgow routes).
I am sure the Star Hotel Tims will provide him with a very warm welcome 🙄
Traynor states: ‘Also, there is a dangerous proliferation of anonymous obsessives on various social media sites and we will not give them any credence’.
Oh well I take it the Ibrox wifi plans have been cancelled – we know how to stop these anonymous obsessives proliferating.
Quite right Jim – Ibrox will show it can do what all these dangerous tinpot dictators throughout the world have failed to do – quash and destroy the bringers of truth on the social media sites by removing their internet access.
ecobhoy says:
August 17, 2013 at 9:34 pm
1 0 Rate This
so I can see Traynor in his new role as the fat conductor err sorry the PR spokesman for McGills Buses ( Port Glasgow routes).
In a kind of a Blakey role? (although he’s a bit on the heavy side to pull it off completely.
Sunincapricorn says:
August 17, 2013 at 3:07 pm
Always. Very funny.
When was Pittodrie last sold out?
paulsatim says:
August 17, 2013 at 9:43 pm
ecobhoy says:
August 17, 2013 at 9:34 pm
1 0 Rate This
so I can see Traynor in his new role as the fat conductor err sorry the PR spokesman for McGills Buses ( Port Glasgow routes).
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In a kind of a Blakey role? (although he’s a bit on the heavy side to pull it off completely.
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Being Jabba and obviously a sci-fi character would this be Blakey’s 7 you mean? 😉
Scottish football needs good facilities.
In particular, they are examining a malicious piece which seems to suggest that the Club does not own its facilities
Anyone got a link to this …. malicious piece !
😯
there is a dangerous proliferation of anonymous obsessives on various social media sites
😯
I’ve carried this over from the old thread – my apologies – but I was wondering where you’d all got to 😳
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ecobhoy says:
August 16, 2013 at 7:55 pm
pilgrim1888 says:
August 16, 2013 at 10:09 pm
Drew Peacock says:
August 16, 2013 at 10:20 pm
auchinstarry says:
August 16, 2013 at 10:34 pm
fergusslayedtheblues says:
August 16, 2013 at 10:37 pm
——————————————————-
The deal was put together by Peter Cummings. All you need to know, really.
http://www.ianfraser.org/sir-angus-jumps-the-bus/
I wonder why Grossart was on “the Iraq-Syrian border looking at Crusader castles”? 👿
Sunincapricorn says:
August 17, 2013 at 8:42 pm
“I make no apology for sticking my pen into the big over inflated balloon that BRTH released this morning.”
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I think BRTH’s blog needs to be taken in the context of the journey that has been travelled over the last year or so. Football authorities tried with all their might to engineer a favourable circumstance for a discredited Rangers Club/Company and warned of ‘Armageddon’ if this were not to be achieved.
Just the other week I listened to a preview of the Scottish football season on Radio 5 Live. Chick Young and Gordon Smith did pretty much their best impressions of undertakers when assessing prospects for the coming season. BRTH’s post might have been a bit positive but possibly that is part of the balance that needs to be struck to reflect the true situation of the game in this country. If I had to bet my house on which would last longer, SPFL or TRFCL there would be only one sensible place that my risk would reside. Yet the media are not reflecting this outlook.
In a sensible environment bampots would be railing against everything the authorities undertook. However in the current alternative reality it is in the blogoshpere that the positives are being accentuated whereas in the ‘real world’ car crashes are minor irrelevances and mole hills are major catastrophes.
The source of the McGills bus sale rumours exposed! 😆
http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/mcgills-bus
torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
August 17, 2013 at 9:10 pm
“The link doesn’t seem to be working.”
————————-
Perhaps Jim Traynor is having a panic attack about his panic attack. I would not wish anyone ill, it is only football (and corruption) after all, but with all due respect, he doesn’t look fighting fit. It must be difficult to sit back, relax and take a deep breath in the present circumstances. I recollect a contributor called ‘Lurchingfrompillartopost’ whose interjection at this point might provide an insight into Mr. Traynor’s current mindset.
54 (court summons) to 0 (worries in this regard).
“They always depend on a method what I call … stupid, silly. All I ask is check yourself. Do not in fact repeat their lies.”
“I can assure you that those villains will recognize, will discover in appropriate time in the future how stupid they are and how they are pretending things which have never taken place.”
“Also, there is a dangerous proliferation of anonymous obsessives on various social media sites and we will not give them any credence.”
“I have detailed information about the situation…which completely proves that what they allege are illusions … They lie every day.”
These are quotes from the former Iraqi Information Minister, Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf, aka Comical Ali.
Remind you of anybody?
TallBoy Poppy says:
August 17, 2013 at 10:02 pm
I’ve carried this over from the old thread – my apologies – but I was wondering where you’d all got to 😳
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ecobhoy says:
August 16, 2013 at 7:55 pm
pilgrim1888 says:
August 16, 2013 at 10:09 pm
Drew Peacock says:
August 16, 2013 at 10:20 pm
auchinstarry says:
August 16, 2013 at 10:34 pm
fergusslayedtheblues says:
August 16, 2013 at 10:37 pm
——————————————————-
The deal was put together by Peter Cummings. All you need to know, really.
http://www.ianfraser.org/sir-angus-jumps-the-bus/
I wonder why Grossart was on “the Iraq-Syrian border looking at Crusader castles”? 👿
=====================================================
The easy bit to answer is he was probably trying to earn a Crusader coin or two. However the hard bit is that your link has nothing to do with the question that is being asked which is: ‘What proof is there that the Easdales are trying to sell McGills?’
To be honest the statement on the official website is, in my humble opinion, badly written, unfocussed and somewhat threatening in tone.
It reads like it was written by an angry person lashing out at perceived enemies and there is a sense of wagon circling about it. (How many wheels on those wagons is another matter) 😎
newtz says:
August 17, 2013 at 9:56 pm
“there is a dangerous proliferation of anonymous obsessives on various social media sites
😯 ”
————————
You’ve got the look of self incrimination about you newtz.
loamfeet says:
August 17, 2013 at 10:30 pm
“They always depend on a method what I call … stupid, silly. All I ask is check yourself. Do not in fact repeat their lies. I can assure you that those villains will recognize, will discover in appropriate time in the future how stupid they are and how they are pretending things which have never taken place. Also, there is a dangerous proliferation of anonymous obsessives on various social media sites and we will not give them any credence.”
“I have detailed information about the situation…which completely proves that what they allege are illusions … They lie every day.”
These are quotes from the former Iraqi Information Minister, Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf, aka Comical Ali.
Remind you of anybody?
=======================================
It does actually . . . Blair and Bush talking about WMD as justification for war – I think Comical Ali was most certainly on the ball 😡
TallBoy Poppy says:
August 17, 2013 at 10:02 pm
Sam
“I wonder why Grossart was on “the Iraq-Syrian border looking at Crusader castles”?
———————————
Y’know, an old crusader fortress, in the right location of course, might be ideally suited to a bus garage conversion. These buses can be worth a lot of money and we need to protect our investments from, for instance, arson. I’m sure a glossy brochure could be knocked together that would have investors clambering over the sand dunes for a piece of the action.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch. Tallboy, that bus doesn’t run anymore. Try the next street up.
Oh the irony of the Herald match report of the Rangers/Stranraer game which states: ‘McCoist was thrilled to secure victory from their first away fixture in the league after struggling on the road in Scottish football’s basement division last term.’
Yea I suppose it is bargain basement money to pay the manager £700k and throw away £30+ million to win SFL3. They’ll save a fortune this season if they don’t survive to the end of it so that’s a blessing I suppose 😉
As far as I can tell, the only suggestion that TRFC don’t their own facilities came from Bomber Brown so I’m not sure what the Prehistoric hack/Crisis PR expert is ranting on about.
Castofthousands says:August 17, 2013 at 10:34 pm
😳
Ecobhoy @ 10:33pm
Eco, Its just another part of the giant jigsaw which is the Scottish “establishment”. Cummings was barred from the banking profession for “Very serious misconduct”. He was also fined £500,000. Masterton was his lieutenant, Murray a benefactor, whilst the Taxpayer and the public in general were the losers.
The Scottish Establishment is active in each and every major Profession in the country. Politics, Banking, Legal profession, Media,Transport etc. Underestimate them at your peril. Without trying to sound melodramatic, this really is, or could be a real problem for an Independent Scotland. Their greed is fundamentally insatiable. Sorry for OT, but a thorough investigation of their activities is long overdue.
ecobhoy says:
August 17, 2013 at 9:02 pm
But what cheered me and the legal profession most was the statement: ‘RANGERS Football Club is aware of wildly inaccurate stories circulating on various websites and would like fans to know that these flights of fantasy will be monitored by our lawyers.’
………………………………………
Indeed…..but which club is he refering to?…the liquidated club or SEVCO?
So if we make a flight of fancy comment about the liquidated club…will JT have to take legal redress…to maintain the illusion it’s the same club?
Cygnus X-1 says:
August 17, 2013 at 7:51 pm
‘…….. I was disappointed in their rather mealy mouthed response to what is a great story!! ‘
—–
Welcome to the blog, Cygnus X-1.
A propos your observation, let me quote from the review in today’s ‘Scotsman’ of the first English translation of a book written 56 years ago by Irish-Argentinian Rodolfo Walsh :
” Even if he hadn’t been killed the day after he wrote a famous open letter in which he excoriated Argentina’s military junta, Walsh would have made it into the [journalist’s] pantheon on the strength of this book alone……….This is the secret execution no other journalist wanted to write about…….Walsh.. knows that he has the story of a lifetime..”
Risking their lives for a story might be too much to expect of our churnalists.
But to use specious ‘legal’ grounds as an excuse for not ‘getting tore into’ a really good football/business/ corruption/ and generally multi-faceted story of huge economic, political and social interest is a pathetic renunciation of any kind of journalistic integrity.
They are beneath contempt.
For as others have pointed out repeatedly, no journalist need refer to CF’s material directly, or base his story on the ‘leaked’ material.
Plenty of hard questions are there to be asked, and insistently asked, of all the dodgy types associated with the omnishambles.
We on this blog know them all off by heart.
Asking these might, conceivably, present the risk, say, of being done over with a wheel-brace in a garage, or run off the Erskine bridge by a bus from Paisley.
More prosaically, the only likely risk is that of being seen not to be a ‘team player’ for the peepuls team.
@auchinstarry
You may or may not know that Peter Cummings was once on the long list for Peter Lawwell’s job.
This is a piece I did about a year ago on HBOS. nothing much has changed, except that Crosby has offered up his knighthood and a third of his half million pension.
———————————
Slightly off-topic, but I offer the following as an example of how elites close ranks in times of crisis.
Peter Cummings, notorious HBOS banker, has just been fined £500k and banned from the financial services industry for life by the FSA. Whoopee, will say almost all on here, the bankster b*stard has got what was coming for him.
But there is more to it than that.
Cummings has protested that he has been unfairly singled out and that the FSA has ignored the role of top management in the banks downfall. He is correct.
Before going on, I declare an interest. My path crossed with Peter’s in the late 90s. My employer at the time and the bank were involved in some business together. I got to know him in a number of meetings and over a couple of dinners. I refer to him by his first name because that is what I called him at the time. I have not spoken to him since and have no axe to grind for him.
Although obviously very ambitious, he seemed a down to earth bloke and very grounded. From talking to others, his back story was of humble beginnings starting as a message boy in a branch in Glasgow and working his way up the organisation. Although it should not matter but does in Scotland, his family background is from the other side of the religious tracks from the establishment.
Who are the other dramatis personae in the HBOS saga?
Well there is Sir Peter Burt (private Scottish schools and St Andrews), CEO from 96 – 01 and Governor during 01 – 03).
Then there is Sir James Crosby (private Yorkshire schools and Oxford), CEO from 01 – 06 before handing over to the gormless but ambitious Andy Hornby (maybe the Craigie boy useful idiot character in this story) who was left holding the baby when things imploded in 08.
James Crosby was of course also a non-exec of the FSA from 04 – 07 and deputy chairman of that organisation from 07 – 09. Deputy chair of the organisation charged by Labour with overseeing proper conduct of banking in the UK.
Last but not least there is Lord Stevenson (private Scottish schools and Cambridge) who was the chairman of the Bank throughout the whole period from 99 until it went tits up in 08.
None of Sir Peter, Sir James or Lord S have been censured or sanctioned in any way by the FSA or any other regulatory agency for their role in one of the greatest financial debacles in history.
Not to forget Paul Moore (Ampleforth College), head of regulatory risk in the bank 02 – 04. He went to James Crosby in 2004 with concerns about excessive risk-taking in the bank in its drive for growth. Getting a palm-off, he then went to the FSA to repeat his concerns. James Crosby fired him. In 2009, Moore gave testimony to the Treasury Select Committee relating his tale and Crosby was forced to resign from the FSA.
It is not easy to feel sorry for someone who has retired in his early fifties with an income of £350k pa, but I do have sympathy that Cummings feels he has been set up as the fall guy and has been royally shafted by the powers that be.
By all accounts, he sits brooding in his relatively modest house in Dumbarton, an outcast. The others, of course, carry on with their non-exec directorships and their charitable foundations.
Auchinstarry says:
August 17, 2013 at 11.45 pm
Deep State ? 👿
SouthernExile says:
August 18, 2013 at 12:28 am
‘..You may or may not know that Peter Cummings was once on the long list for Peter Lawwell’s job.’
—–
Thank you for that very interesting post.
There will be many a Celtic supporter and shareholder who will be muttering words of relief and thanks that the said Cummings did not make it to the short leet!
Not because he was in any way different from his peers and seniors.
But simply because ( as would appear) he was weak enough to take huge , speculative risks when he must have known that there was no sound basis, allowing himself to be swept along in the financial madness.
He might have been another SDM, God save the mark! Reckless to an almost ( not yet finally decided) criminal fault.
And he seems not even to have had the sense to cover his back, in the way that CW appears to have done, where the stakes were, relatively speaking, very modest ( a mere few million).
I have no doubt that he is/was no more guilty than any of the others.
I also have no doubt that he was not ‘one of the others’ who cliquishly threw him to the wolves as not being one of them .
But I equally have no doubt that each of the others would, were it necessary for his own survival, and like a starving rat, devour his fellows.
It may be that bankers and money men will always, like the poor, be with us.
Doesn’t make them good people.
Am I right or am I wonga?
Quiet day today ?
I listened to “Spiersy’s” little head to head with Mr Cosgrove tonight. “Handbags” would probably describe it !
Stuart, I think you know more than you let on ? I Listened to Off The Ball today. I got the feeing you’re itching to say something, but can’t !
On another piece, did anyone listen to Tom English on Radio 5’s 606 phone in tonight. He tried to have a ding dong with Robbie Savage. It was well publicised beforehand that Tom was going to be calling the program (as He and Savage had a wee Twitter war of words last night). I just wish he hadn’t ! It was embarrassing listening to it.
Tom English – “Savaged” on 606 by Mr Savage, then humiliated and cut off because “We have to get more calls in before the end, but thanks for your call anyway, Tom”.
Welcome Tom to life outside “BBC Scotland” ! Not so cosy, eh ?
It actually reminded me of an old Radio Scotland Football Phone In called “Your Call” with a certain Mr Traynor. Caller’s were often cut off on the whim of The Presenter and his side kicks. Oh, that reminds me, wasn’t one Mr T’s sidekicks on Your Call called Mr T. English ?
Sorry Tom, You were an embarrassment tonight !
Instead of engaging with idiots like Savage in why sulky footballers are trying to engineer moves away from their clubs, why not atone yourself by writing something about the true factual story that is happening right this very minute at Ibrox ?
You have the facts, you have the evidence. You also have the questions !. More importantly, you also have the platform to publicise !
Same goes for any “Lurking” journalist out there. There are pleny of questions you can ask. Why are none of you willing to take up the challenge ?
I had to laugh at Sportsound’s “Open all Mike’s” today. Every time they went to Chick Young, how many times did he emphasise that todays 3000 odd crowd had cleared Stranraer’s debt ? I’ve got to the stage now (as a St Mirren Supporter BTW) that every time I hear Chic speak about how Scottish Lower League Football is dependant on “Rangers” money, I just want to puke ! The guy is an absolute embarrassment. St Mirren supporter “My A$%e”.
Cygnus X-1 says:
August 17, 2013 at 7:51 pm
6 2 Rate This
Good Evening,
First time poster.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Five Stars of the Govan dross
In mourning for their sister’s loss
In a final shot at glory
Nevermore to grace the night…
😀 (with apologies to Neil Peart)
Btw, are you related to By-tor?
ecobhoy says:
August 17, 2013 at 10:33 pm
The easy bit to answer is he was probably trying to earn a Crusader coin or two. However the hard bit is that your link has nothing to do with the question that is being asked which is: ‘What proof is there that the Easdales are trying to sell McGills?’
—————————————-
And I already provided you with the answer to that question at 5:10 pm on August 16, 2013, which was: “Like everyone else I have yet to see anything to firm up the story about the Easdales selling their bus company….”
Several posters, including me, then went on to provide the information they did have: the report of Whyte’s purchase of two bus companies, the fact that the Easdales were customers of Murray-owned Dennis, the fact that they use Levy & McCrae as their brief and the fact that they have employed Irvine as their spokesman. You might not have an interest in all of that, but others will and all of it was topical and reasonably relevant to the subject-matter.
I’m sorry if my reply sounds a bit tetchy, but if you are going to ask questions, don’t be at all surprised if folk try their best to provide the information that might help to answer them – even if it wasn’t the answer you wanted. I copied you in as a courtesy – sometimes in short supply in Ecobhoy Towers. Did you even bother to read my reply?
ecobhoy says:
August 17, 2013 at 10:33 pm
Castofthousands says:
August 17, 2013 at 10:43 pm
I’m not entirely sure what you mean, CoT, but I’m inclined to believe Grossart’s trip to the Crusader Castles had more to do with one of his more esoteric ‘interests’. I was leading the witness, if you like. PM me to put me right if you want – I’d appreciate it.
Sam says:
August 17, 2013 at 4:28 pm
Thanks for that, Sam – I hadn’t noticed it at the time of my repost.
auchinstarry says:
August 17, 2013 at 11:45 pm
SouthernExile says:
August 18, 2013 at 12:28 am
Very interesting posts. Unfortunately, I had a post naming the known members of Edinburgh’s New Club in Princess Street removed, (and this one too now, no doubt – at least I’ve left the names out this time!) but from where I’m sitting that’s where it’s all cosily carved up, with the Spec being the Legal Wing to make sure it all goes through with a nod and a wink. Murray was always just a cut-out for the real money-men like Grossart.
Castofthousands says:
August 17, 2013 at 8:11 pm
Cosgrove however seems to deal with the situation much better than say last year. He doesn’t get flustered at the put downs. Its as if he knows more than he is saying out loud!
———————————
Yesterday on off the ball Stewart said something along the lines of:
When its all laid out end to end some people may change their minds about how the feel towards Rangers men who said that they only had the best interests of the club.
I got the strong sense from his comment that (a) he knows more or less the full story and (b) that story is going to break at some stage.
I had to laugh at Sportsound’s “Open all Mike’s” today. Every time they went to Chick Young, how many times did he emphasise that todays 3000 odd crowd had cleared Stranraer’s debt.
————————————-
I’m sure I read recently that Stranraer’s debt had been cleared, long before the circus showed up. But if Chick said it, it must be true. Only in Scotland could that guy have that job for so long. A stuttering, clueless buffoon.
It’s hard to credit that Sunincapricorn could have got so much wrong so quickly. Aberdeen’s attendance yesterday was their best for many seasons. In the last three seasons that I checked, no attendance versus either Celtic or Rangers came close. No Rangers crowd exceeded 15,500. The capacity of Pittodrie is 22,199 not 16,000. The crowd at Falkirk was 3,058. Not even the biggest crowd in the division, that was at Dundee. The Hibs game attracted 9,171. Paisley saw 4,625. Other than that, he’s doing quite well!
I have been lurking since early RTC days but have rarely commented. Like many I no longer buy a newspaper but get my information mostly from here. A huge thank you to all.
My reason for commenting today is that having read all the posts it seems that no one has mentioned that the cost cutting at Ibrox has actually started. It started on friday when over 30 of them had an overnight stay in TURNBERRY HOTEL.
fergussingstheblues says:
August 18, 2013 at 3:24 am
11 0 Rate This
Quiet day today ?
I listened to “Spiersy’s” little head to head with Mr Cosgrove tonight. “Handbags” would probably describe it !
——————-
Great round-up Fergus. The caller, Steven, that Spiers gave the zip up to, is a regular on SSB. I wonder if he is a wind up or comedian doing a Peter Cook (he was a spoof phone-in character, Sven the Norwegian fisherman from Swiss Cottage). Steven’s line on SSB is, ‘shut doon Scottish fitba’, ‘gie up noo’. His high-pitched tones are so doom-laden that he has the hosts laughing. First time I’ve heard him on the BBC, maybe he got promoted for this season 🙂
The best Spiers I’ve heard was Lewis MacLeod’s impression of him.
I was a regular 606 listener, though have tired somewhat of the vulgar, money-driven EPL. Player loyalty now exclusively to their wallets. Sad really. Oops, sound like Steven there! Savage only works alongside a profesional presenter. I am amazed he ‘gets the gig’, but such is the power of celebrity. Haven’t heard TE’s call, so thanks for the heads up. I had a feeling Tom’s rolled up Scotsman would be no match for Savage’s Gucci manbag. My next podcast though, over breakfast, since no one is up in Scandinavia.
On Chick Young, yesterday on Sportsound he opined, and this is a direct quote
“Question marks will be asked of the manager”
Long Time Lurker says:
August 18, 2013 at 6:47 am
========================
I have to say if Cosgrove does know the full story I hope he is actively fighting to get it fully into the public domain. If he isn’t then is he as complicit as said Rangers men? He seems like a principled man, he clearly has no truck with either side of the Glasgow divide, and he is an influential media figure, not just in the BBC.
It is high time the media woke up to the fact that taxpayers have been well and truly stuffed. The reason the club from Ibrox exists in its current form is because taxpayers have been well and truly stuffed. Instead of fondly dreaming of the day they ‘get back (sic) to the very top’ it’s time they laid out the truth to those of us who picked up the tab. What are the chances of that? With a glance out my back window there is as much chance of a turquoise elephant flying past.
James Doleman says:
August 18, 2013 at 8:24 am
On Chick Young, yesterday on Sportsound he opined, and this is a direct quote
“Question marks will be asked of the manager”
=========================================
?.
James Doleman says:
August 18, 2013 at 8:24 am
6 0 Rate This
On Chick Young, yesterday on Sportsound he opined, and this is a direct quote
“Question marks will be asked of the manager”
————-
Good one. Last year he had a stoater live on air, quoted on OtB, along the lines of ‘they treat the pitch like a baby, they smooth it, then they run a lawnmower over it’!
Forget Colemanballs, or Mediaballs, welcome to Chickonuts 🙂
Cost cutting has started at The Rangers
Would be interesting to know the deal that was cut to use the lodges at Turnberry,good idea ,dormitory style living.eating and sleeping together,now where have I heard something similar in the past,only an hours drive to the ground on the super bus,cheaper than a hotel in Stranrear ,you cannot get any cheaper than nothing,c’monn someone spill the beans ,who set up the stay,we should be told ,in fact we demand to know,Charlotte please tell.
Castofthousands says:
August 17, 2013 at 10:03 pm
Football authorities tried with all their might to engineer a favourable circumstance for a discredited Rangers Club/Company and warned of ‘Armageddon’ if this were not to be achieved.
======================================
That is simply not true.
Rangers are being liquidated, the club went into administration, failed to achieve a CVA and is dead.
The Scottish football authorities tried to bully and blackmail all of the existing member clubs to get a totally new club into the top division.
They failed.
This is not a malicious story or rumour, it is a factual account of what happened.
Sunincapricorn says:August 17, 2013 5.59
Overhyped euphoria generally reflects a biased or self serving point of view.
————
Like the winning of the third division after spending tens of millions.
Do you get a star on jersey for that ?
I was surprised by Michael Stuart on the BBC TV results programme around 5pm yesterday. While talking about Hearts and the FoH situation he stated, and I’m paraphrasing here, that the last thing Hearts needed was for a bunch of “chancers” getting control of the club like happened at The Rangers because you can never get rid if them.. It was refreshing to hear his opinion being aired, but I can’t remember his exact words so I’m off to iPlayer to listen again.
Been lurking since the start of RTC and have enjoyed every post. Thanks to all who contributed to the blog over the years. The truth tends to surface in the end.
bobferris says:
August 18, 2013 at 7:41 am
And since we’re tearing sunincapricorn a new one anyway, Its worth mentioning in this context that I’ve lost count of how many AFC supporting friends had stopped going to one side’s visits to pittodrie, or if they did the one two or even three sons that normally accompanied were told they were staying at home. Doesn’t really help his theory much does it?
(To be clear, on the subject of numpties attending matches it absolutely takes two to tango, but that’s not really the point is it)
Having now returned from holiday (JC – put Augusta Raurica on your destinations list!), I am pleased to learn that the Ibrox club have become even more entertaining than they were a month ago.
JT’s latest siege mentality statement is hilarious – head-shakingly amateur in concept and execution. The Mr Green situation beggars belief, and the spending of all the share cash is amazing.
Honestly, all this free entertainment is almost worth coming home for. 🙂
SouthernExile says:
August 18, 2013 at 12:28 am
Thank you Southern for solving something that has puzzled me for ages, and that is; who does this chap remind me of? 😯 It was Peter Burt, and it came to me when you mentioned him in your very informed post. Though I worked in BoS for many years I never met him, but he always gave me the impression of someone who would sook up to the minister but never help someone in need. He seemed to be the kind of man who had his lips xxxx to Sir Bruce Pattullo’s xxxx, but learned nothing from (the man I would consider to be) the last real banker ever to head a bank in Britain. It came as no real surprise that the men who came to the fore after Sir Bruce’s shock retirement were so heavily involved with David Murray and the pushing of so many millions in his direction.
This talk of these men at HBOS may seem off topic to some, but I have come to realise, sadly, that the demise of Rangers is very much linked to the collapse of the oldest high street bank in the world, and caused by men fuelled by their own greed and unjustified self belief. The similarity becomes more stark when the poor governance of the SFA is compared to that of the FSA.
Hi folks,
I never did get to follow RTC. It finished just at the time I discovered these blogs but I have followed Paul McConville and via a mention on that site, TSFM since the day it started.
I was never a follower of the MSM :slamb: but I would have been if the standard of journalism was as high as the standard of the comments on here. I think you all deserve a hearty pat on the back. I have learned more on here about the machinations of running a football league and about Scottish society in general that I ever would have reading the red-tops or even the broadsheets.
I have two questions for you. Whatever happened to GooseyGoosey? Is he posting here under a different name? He had the most uncanny ability to see a manoeuvre by one of the assorted cast of characters in this unfolding drama that is RFC/TRFC/RIFC and explain how a spiv can gain a benefit from this.
My other question is, had the winding-up order from Orlit gone away or is it lurking in the background somewhere?
Five Stars of the Govan dross
In mourning for their sister’s loss
In a final shot at glory
Nevermore to grace the night…
(with apologies to Neil Peart)
Btw, are you related to By-tor?
LOL, nice one
No, not related to By-Tor except in musical solidarity 😎
So after any Board Meeting Tuesday – who issues the Press Statements?
Can’t involve jack – because all doubt avoided you see
May not involve [the other one – yuk!] if some of the spivs are turfed – taking him with em
Think this will end up as a `dignified` silence 😉
I Just had to post this dialog from Paul McConville’s site. There are none so blind as those who will not see.
======================================
eastside
August 16, 2013 at 1:37 pm
The conspiracy theories? What like the one about RFC RIP going into Admin? Or the one about RFC RIP being liquidated? Or the one about Craig Whyte being a skint con man? Or the one about Chuckles telling the Sevconians what they want to hear so he could rob them blind? Or the one about Murray using Tax scams and non affordable bank loans to pay unaffordable players? Or the one about. dirty tricks and smear campaigns stemming from Ibrox and their PR men? Or the one about the SMSM being in league with RFC RIP and Traynor and co sending articles to Ibrox for
======================================
Steerpike
August 16, 2013 at 2:15 pm
eastside,
I dismantled the original theorist quite recently, Phil predicted the BTC would ruin Rangers, it did not, it was a fair enough guess but he guessed wrong.
Liquidation or not was a coin toss not a conspiracy theory.
No one had any evidence CW was a skint con man until after the sale details emerged, no conspiracy theory, only reporting the facts.
Screaming foul about CG was based on another myth, his so called links to CW after the CVA failed, if you fire enough bullets one will eventually hit, doesn’t make you Nostradamus or a marksmen..
The SMSM stuff is laughable, the media bends over backwards to placate its readers, both Celtic and Rangers fans read papers, as for the SFA guff, give me peace, I am sick to the teeth of both sets of fans screaming bias.
HMRC lost the BTC, and Rangers were affording to pay their bank loan prior to CW arriving, try and keep up with events.
Question that has been bothering me,if someone can help,although as we know a liquidation can take a few years,how do we imagine the smms are going to report this when it finaly happens,Chick=Ally ,oops sorry he wont be there at that moment in history,come to that we dont know where Chick will be either,Hugh Keevins = nope he wont be about also,JT= I always said they no longer existed ,from his new lofty position with some obscure comic printer,no seriously will we see banner headlines in the DR with a broken crest and a hearse ,RFC Finaly Dead,thought not
Allyjambo says:August 18, 2013 at 9:58 am
This talk of these men at HBOS may seem off topic to some, but I have come to realise, sadly, that the demise of Rangers is very much linked to the collapse of the oldest high street bank in the world, and caused by men fuelled by their own greed and unjustified self belief. The similarity becomes more stark when the poor governance of the SFA is compared to that of the FSA.
———————————————————————————————-
Well said, many on this site (and elsewhere) have provided key information and useful support information to help build up the picture …….. What is needed at some point is someone to pull the relevant information together into one ‘Super Post’ with supporting links (eg to Ian Fraser articles) so that the full story is laid bare ….. it is an incredible story !
OT ….. I notice lately a lot of first time posters coming on to the site and introducing themselves ….. that’s refreshing ….. the site must be doing something right ……
Well done TSFM
All you cynics lighten up, staying at Turnberry was not only an act of professionalism, it was an act of supreme selflessness, done to show respect to Stranraer. Stranraer deserved nothing less.
“He [McCoist] added: “We stayed in the lodges at Turnberry. It’s not exactly the same as the hotel but it’s a fantastic place and the lads enjoyed staying there.
“It was actually cheaper than a hotel in Stranraer.
“We still continue to attempt to do the right things in the club and
by staying overnight at certain venues, we feel it treats the opposition with the respect they deserve.
“We did it in the SPL and I feel if we can do it there’s no reason why we shouldn’t because it shows a level of professionalism.””
PS Um, er …
FIFA says:
August 18, 2013 at 10:37 am
Question that has been bothering me,if someone can help,although as we know a liquidation can take a few years,how do we imagine the smms are going to report this when it finaly happens
========================================
They won’t, it will be a non story. Liquidation and winding up was an inevitability from the day the CVA was rejected. The club died that day and everyone, including Charles Green Walter Smith and Jim Traynor accepted that. They even said it in print.
What will be much more interesting will be how they report the BDO findings.
Seriously, the assets being sold off and the club being wound up is now pretty much meaningless. What happens next is predetermined with regard the club. It’s assets have been sold off, it will be wound up, that is all. What happens to the people who were in charge, who made the decisions, who defrauded the country out of tens millions of pounds is the only real story left.
Will they be held accountable, will they be charged with criminal offences, will they have assets seized to make good the debts. Murray, Whyte, Green, Duff and Phelps and the key players there have an awful lot to answer for. The question is will they be called to account and will that be reported.
Danish Pastry says:August 18, 2013 at 10:45 am
All you cynics lighten up, staying at Turnberry was not only an act of professionalism, it was an act of supreme selflessness, done to show respect to Stranraer. Stranraer deserved nothing less.“
He [McCoist] added: “We stayed in the lodges at Turnberry. It’s not exactly the same as the hotel but it’s a fantastic place and the lads enjoyed staying there.“It was actually cheaper than a hotel in Stranraer.”
———-
I think Guidi slightly misquoted Ally, Danish.
Ally said “It was actually cheaper than building a hotel with a hoverpitch in Stranraer.”
They actually saved tons of cash.
Those Brechin City bastards! They showed Stranraer absolutely no respect by leaving Brechin by coach at 8am. Stranraer manager Stevie Aitken probably had a very easy team talk that day, “Aye, we’ll show them, no even the decency to stay overnight in a two grand a room hotel with spacious lounge and private sitting area. Don’t they know they could have had complimentary mineral water! Total disrespect, get tore intae them boys”.
Re the Turnberry stopover a cynical mind could think that the owners actually want them to go bust. ❗
The lodges at Turnberry
http://www.turnberryresort.co.uk/rooms/lodges
The Lodges at Turnberry consist of eight bedroom apartments a short chip from the matchless Ailsa and Kintyre courses. Perfect for exclusive use by families, groups of golfers or for business meetings and corporate entertaining.
Eight bedrooms
Full Scottish Breakfast included
32 inch LCD flat screen TV
Spacious lounge with private sitting area
Large dining table
Fireplace
Tea and coffee making facilities
Spacious working desk
Complimentary mineral water
Complimentary internet
Complimentary newspaper
Signature Concierge Services
=======================================
If the rest of the third tier teams in Scottish senior football are making use of facilities like this I don’t see why Rangers should do any differently. Yes they are a brand new club with only one season behind them but they really need to behave like the more established team, whilst not spending large sums of money needlessly.
Maybe if they invested in a decent team coach they could have driven down on the day and back home after the match, but these things cost hundreds of thousands of pounds. I mean that would be madness, for that sort of money you could pay the managers salary for the best part of six months. Or every other manager in the division’s salary for the season.
Interesting tweet:
Scottish FA @ScottishFA 2m
#ClubTogether Stig Inge Bjornebye: it’s a social responsibility to run a football club, it requires an open mind & willingness to cooperate
=====================
It is also a social responsibility to run a football association in a fair and transparent manner without fear or favour!
toby says:
August 18, 2013 at 11:03 am
6 0 Rate This
… I think Guidi slightly misquoted Ally, Danish.
————-
On a more serious note toby, considering the publication being quoted, it is a distinct possibilty 😯
Traynor?
As true now as then.
http://celticparanoia.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/james-traynor-more-hot-air-and.html
but at least we know for sure it was all three with perhaps now having more reasons to think lack of balance was the major factor..
Tif Finn
Seriously, the assets being sold off and the club being wound up is now pretty much meaningless
There have been many comments on this site regarding creditors of Rangers being shafted. I doubt the assets being sold off is meaningless to them.
Charlotte F appears to have blown the dust off the Traynor file and is tweeting again.
JLeeHooker says:
August 18, 2013 at 10:18 am
I see that other myth rearing its head there. The one about paying off the bank loan. Had the debt not risen from £6m in 2006 to £31m by 2009 to “buy” the players in 2007/08 that won titles that brought in CL money that enabled the debt to be brought down to 3 times the 2006 figure as opposed to five times that, then there would have been no liquidation. Just a club operating sustainably (the clue in liquidation is that they were doing anything but)
Its like a 10 stone man deliberately going 20 stone overweight then dieting in order to win dieter of the month on Weightwatchers and saying how thrillled he is..
The Debt position as reported in Annual Accounts by both Celtic and Rangers can be seen here along with EBT contributions.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aq2m3ggkEX2RdFU4bkRFWGRNV3ZMM0ZsTl9FUEc2UUE&usp=drive_web#gid=0
The impact of pumping up debt can be seen in terms of titles won afterwards. The difference is that from 2004 Celtic embarked on a sustainable business model to the anger of many supporters and reduced their debt whilst Rangers eventually dumped theirs.
Note also that producing a healthier balance sheet in 2005 after a share issue did not stop eventual liquidation because sooner or later a club has to live within its means. A lesson about the need for behaviour change for today….
Re-the Sevco staying at Turnberry story. I know of a factual story where people wealthier than any Scottish Football club booked some facilities in the hotel for a few days to entertain some friends. Turnberry asked for advance payment of tens of thousands. One can only assume they would have demanded payment up front from such an impoverished football club with no credit facility and a bad address.
A bit of a discrepancy on BRTH’s post by the way 😳 .
He says the population of Aberdeenshire is around 40k when in fact it’s bigger than the city at over 240k!
Total population of the city and shire was 468k (last years figures)
It makes our crowds look even more feeble however there are a lot of ‘newcomers’ and perish the thought,glory hunters amongst them 😐
A lot of my friends just can’t be bothered these days sadly
A concern for me from CF’s latest:
“Neil Doncaster has requested a meeting with Imran Ahmad on 6th November (2012) to discuss a commercial idea they (presumably the SPL) have for Rangers (presumably the zombie tribute act).”
Now, why would the SPL CEO be contacting an SFL club to discuss ‘a commercial idea’?
Did Doncaster also contact the other 29 SFL clubs to ‘request’ a discussion of this nature. The answer to this one I know: he didn’t.
It’s those at the top of the game, at the SFA and (now SPFL) we need to concentrate upon. I’m sure through the course of time those at Ibrox will take care of themselves.
Auldheid says:
August 18, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Indeed, that’s the point, unless the club and the fans fundamentally change their views and expectations then they will continue to make the same mistakes.
They continue to spend money they are not earning in order to buy success. It is not a sustainable business model.
Just now they are in the third tier of Scottish football, with no prospect of European income and no players of any particular value to sell. They also have no identified line of credit to rely on. The behaviour of the owners and management is therefore totally baffling. Unless they really do believe they can pull off another share issue and mug the mugs again. Or sell some other assets to bring in cash of course.
However those are finite sources of income, at some point the culture has to change.