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……………”
Anti naemoni?
Christyboy says:
August 19, 2013 at 7:53 pm
Anti naemoni?
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Is he Finnish?
Babylon Beachboy says:
August 19, 2013 at 8:20 pm
0 0 Rate This
Christyboy says:
August 19, 2013 at 7:53 pm
Anti naemoni?
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Is he Finnish?
=============================
naw, he’s got years left to play!!!! hahahahhahaha
HibeeHibernian says:
August 19, 2013 at 3:40 pm
152 4 Rate This
Why has the Scottish Parliament Local Government Committee stayed silent while (for example) Hearts shaft Edinburgh council tax payers for £90,000?
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HibbeeHibernian
Good post but to be fair to Hearts surprisingly little is being said (in their hour of need) about how they are one of the biggest victims in this disgraceful, sordid affair, as clearly illustrated on your list of creditors of the former occupants of the big hoose.
Babylon Beachboy says:
August 19, 2013 at 8:20 pm
0 0 Rate This
Christyboy says:
August 19, 2013 at 7:53 pm
Anti naemoni?
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Is he Finnish?
———–
Antti Niemi.
This could be the Aff the Baw team of the week.
He might be CANADIAN, or even a YANKEE 😉
hi. just a though
in CF doc, re the general meeting: 2 group is representing x amount of shares, representing x% of the paid up capital of the company with voting rights.. does this imply that there are shares not paid up for? promisary notes?
ecobhoy says:
August 19, 2013 at 6:11 pm
Chase Nominees, mentioned in the list of Rangers shareholders in Charlotte’s latest tweet about the Requisition of General Meeting, also own the very same Go-Ahead Group:
Charlotte Fakeovers @CharlotteFakes 14m
RIFC – Requisition of General Meeting.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/161387119/RIFC-Requisition-of-General-Meeting …
Just passing on what’s out there. 😀
Rabo Karabekian says:
August 19, 2013 at 7:07 pm
On Black. I have no particular axe to grind with the man. he is as entitled as any of us to earn a living, and as far as I can see, he hasn’t broken any national laws.
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I have no axe to grind with Black either. However as a professional football player he is subject to certain rules imposed by footballing authorities as well as national laws.
I trust there is no need to spell-out in detail why football authorities have strict rules about players gambling on their sport but it is obvious that anyone actually taking part in a sport has not only an individual opportunity to influence results but may also have a network of playing friends and associates who can similarly be influenced.
There is also a very pertinent issue of the amount of inside knowledge that they would have as opposed to an ordinary punter.
I am making no suggestion wrt to Mr Black’s conduct and will await the outcome of the investigation and hearing. However I think the recent exploits of some of the Pakistani cricket team gives a clear pointer as to how even a small group of sportsmen can pervert the outcome of a match or exert undue influence on it with no regard to sporting ethics.
never ceases to amaze me that the governing body allow any kinda of sponsorship/partnership with either gambling or alcohol
Neither have a place in sport and the game should be distancing itself from it.
What are the odds on Black taking a Sandaza dribble off a short pier ?
These guys are getting themselves kicked out the club at a time when the club (not McCoist) would welcome them off the payroll. Black has painted himself into a corner with this.
Sorry, I’ll get my overalls…
Are the trolls on here that peddle the PR line for the spivs to be known as Succulent Lambpots?
ecobhoy says:
August 19, 2013 at 8:58 pm
===========================
I agree Black should be given the benefit of having his hearing first without everyone rushing to condemn him.
I was intrigued though that the SFA have chosen, before the hearing, to eliminate any possibility of match fixing. When a player is alleged to have bet on his own team not to win on three occasions, isn’t it better to wait until the hearing is over before making such statements? Or are they simply stating the obvious in that there is no tangible evidence to support any notion of match fixing?
I think the risk for Black is that Rangers fans won’t particularly take kindly to even the suggestion one of their own players could have done this, even before any impropriety is established.
Imagine if you were a shirt sponsor of a football club, one that hoped that one bad apple wouldn’t spoil the bunch, only to discover that there was a Black thorn in your side. 😯
toby says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:29 pm
I think the risk for Black is that Rangers fans won’t particularly take kindly to even the suggestion one of their own players could have done this, even before any impropriety is established.
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From what I’ve read in cyberspace they are more concerned with identifying who dropped Black in it. Paddy Power were the early favourites, but true to form Peter Lawwell has now moved ahead of the rest of the field.
“The former Inverness CT and Hearts man is accused of putting money on his team to not win matches between March 4, 2006 and July 28, 2013.”
http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/rangers/236632-rangers-ian-black-accused-of-betting-against-own-team-by-scottish-fa/
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Sun 28 Albion Rovers 4-0 W Ramsdens Cup R1
===================
For the Avoidance of Doubt:
– the TRFC website fails to mention the SFA charges, as at above time.
I thought Traynor was recently telling TRFC fans to ignore the MSM and Internet Bampots ?
“…If Rangers fans want the truth they will find it only on the Club’s official platforms…”
http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/4824-for-the-avoidance-of-doubt
His Lordship and others.
Selling Rangers by the Pound. 🙄
toby says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:29 pm
To be fair, I doubt if the fans of any team would be too happy if there was a suggestion that one of their players was betting on them to lose.
The Glen says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:41 pm
==========================
I agree…well sensible fans at least. As I said there are some who are more concerned about who reported Black than the fact he’s been called for a hearing.
TallBoy Poppy says:
August 19, 2013 at 8:55 pm
ecobhoy says:
August 19, 2013 at 6:11 pm
Chase Nominees, mentioned in the list of Rangers shareholders in Charlotte’s latest tweet about the Requisition of General Meeting, also own the very same Go-Ahead Group:
Charlotte Fakeovers @CharlotteFakes 14m
RIFC – Requisition of General Meeting.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/161387119/RIFC-Requisition-of-General-Meeting …
Just passing on what’s out there. 😀
==============================================
Yes I saw that on CF earlier. However I am always wary of constructing too elaborate a conspiracy theory without a scrap of solid evidence.
Looking at the circumstantial evidence we appear to have twitter reports that the Easdales are allegedly attempting to sell McGills which is their bus company. We today have a report on KDS that the Go-Ahead Group are the likely purchaser of McGills although I don’t know the source of that info.
Now you have advised that Chase Nominees own the Go-Ahead Group and of course we know that Chase Nominees – as a shareholder in RIFC Plc – have supported the McColl inspired bid to cleanse the Rangers Board and remove Green’s influence.
However the Easdales are publicly supporting the Green faction at Rangers and presumably should be opposed to the Chase Nominee’s position tomorrow. Does this mean that the Go-Ahead Group have some kind of ulterior motive to prevent the Easdales forming a successful alliance with Green at Rangers?
Or is it all a huge cover-up with the Easdales just playing Green along either to get his shares or to make him think he has a purchaser for them but in reality they will pull-out at the last moment and reveal they have been True Blue Knights all along?
Conspiracy theories are all very exciting because you can usually make the lack of actual facts provide enough leeway to dream-up any scenario. But they are not to be decried because sometimes the theorists do unearth nuggets of information.
And often, when the actual story finally emerges, it is more spectacular than even the wildest conspiracy theory had previously postulated.
So keep-up the good work TallBoy Poppy and I will continue to observe the riveting world of McGills and Bendy Buses from atop the lofty Eco Towers while working on my own theories and searching for facts to flesh them out a bit 💡
McCoist: “Who are these people who grassed up Black ? The fans have a right to know….”
Mibbees…
The Glen says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:41 pm
1 0 Rate This
toby says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:29 pm
To be fair, I doubt if the fans of any team would be too happy if there was a suggestion that one of their players was betting on them to lose
———–
Agreed, only that he’s currently pulling a jersey on for them and slapping the badge (& stars) with pride. I don’t suppose his team mates would be too impressed either.
Whullie says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:40 pm
His Lordship and others.
Selling Rangers by the Pound. 🙄
====================================
Whullie – a Gibson LP Custom as an avatar and quoting early Genesis lyrics….. can I be first to describe Ibrokes currently as a Land of Confusion with tomorrow’s Match of the Day likely to involve use of The Knife! 😎
Scottish football needs to Get ’em Out by Friday!
upthehoops says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:25 pm
ecobhoy says:
August 19, 2013 at 8:58 pm
===========================
I agree Black should be given the benefit of having his hearing first without everyone rushing to condemn him.
I was intrigued though that the SFA have chosen, before the hearing, to eliminate any possibility of match fixing. When a player is alleged to have bet on his own team not to win on three occasions, isn’t it better to wait until the hearing is over before making such statements? Or are they simply stating the obvious in that there is no tangible evidence to support any notion of match fixing?
======================================================
I wondered about that myself and the only thing I could think of was perhaps he hadn’t played in any of the 3 games involving his own team. That would leave the only possibility of match fixing being that he had subverted other players but there may be no tangible evidence of that.
However, I would hope that the SFA have learnt enough to know that if this very issue isn’t dealt with comprehensively then no one will believe any statement they make after the hearing and findings.
At least Sandaza walked away with a pay-off but Black, if found guilty, will be bagged without a penny so that will probably pay for at least two new players 😉
upthehoops says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:45 pm
The Glen says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:41 pm
==========================
I agree…well sensible fans at least. As I said there are some who are more concerned about who reported Black than the fact he’s been called for a hearing.
===============================================
Calling these guys headless chickens is an insult to headless chickens!
Scottish football needs a strong Arbroath.
Lord Wobbly says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:29 pm
12 0 Rate This
Imagine if you were a shirt sponsor of a football club, one that hoped that one bad apple wouldn’t spoil the bunch, only to discover that there was a Black thorn in your side.
=================================
Black Thorn – In – sider !!!!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
He must be a nutter…betting that rangers / Sevco get beat ( and he knows the referees )
Is he off his trolley ???
Can I get odds on Ian Black receiving the same punishment as the Acrington Stanley director? No harm to him, but betting against your team is a dangerous practice, close to match fixing and we know how serious a charge that is, ahem.
Jim Bett and Mixu Pantylining, Davie D odds, and quite a few have had an odd coupon 😀
redlichtie says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:57 pm
3 0 Rate This
Whullie says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:40 pm
His Lordship and others.
Selling Rangers by the Pound.
====================================
Whullie – a Gibson LP Custom as an avatar and quoting early
Genesis lyrics….. can I be first to describe Ibrokes currently as a
Land of Confusion with tomorrow’s Match of the Day likely to
involve use of The Knife!
Scottish football needs to Get ‘em Out by Friday!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ibrox. The colony of slipper(y)men.
SMSM. Carpet crawlers.
Wonder how this info about Blacks betting history fell into the SFA’s hands
Be interesting to see how far the SFA investigation goes.
For example, can the SFA put pressure on William Hills (a commercial partner) and the clubs who have deals with other bookies to pass on all information on registered players who have bet on football matches.
ecobhoy says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:59 pm
However, I would hope that the SFA have learnt enough to know that if this very issue isn’t dealt with comprehensively then no one will believe any statement they make after the hearing and findings.
=====================================================
If they find against Black it does not reflect poorly on TRIFC in terms of any perceived sporting advantage therefore this might be a far more straightforward case than others we’ve seen. As many have already pointed out, getting rid of Black may even suit TRIFC down to the ground.
abigguydiditandranawaymister says:
August 19, 2013 at 5:32 pm
mmm!…
wonder if he ever had a bet on himself to get booked?
he’d be a billionaire by now!
———————————–
Billionaire? With off the park wealth? 😀
For the avoidance of doubt – still no word of this latest scandal on the Pravda website. Even the Bears sites are awash with comment!
Scottish football needs a vibrant social media scene.
NTHM @10:23pm
STV reported that the Bookmaker in question was in fact Ladbrokes. There is an expectation he will be severely dealt with. Dinnae haud yer breath.
I heard on the grapevine Black is claiming he was held at gunpoint by a Colombian drug cartel, and forced to put a “Monkey” on Annan at 14/1………………….Scottish Football needs an Air Conditioned Bookmakers.
Presumably someone was putting the bets on for Mr Black, he is hardly going to do it himself unless he is seriously hard of thinking.
Though why someone would be stupid enough to bet on games his own team was playing in, and worse betting that his own team would lose. I mean come on, that is just mental.
Ladbrokes (or whoever) would’ve obviously wanted to assist the SFA much earlier, but (presumably) the previous 140 odd bets (over 7 years) went down.
ecobhoy says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:46 pm
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I’m looking for the facts too, echobhoy, and have provide what I’ve found to this board – usually without comment or spin – for others to make up their own minds, or use the information to firm up – or dismiss the story. Even the red herrings and misinformation have to be scrutinised and eliminated from our enquiries.
The information I find and pass on may or may not turn out to be correct, but is always provided in good faith and allows others better positioned than me to make judgements based on all available material
Nicked from CM
http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/3599/cjv3.jpg
Maybe we could post up the answers?
Tif Finn says:
August 19, 2013 at 10:35 pm
1 0 i
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Presumably someone was putting the bets on for Mr Black, he is hardly going to do it himself unless he is seriously hard of thinking.
Though why someone would be stupid enough to bet on games his own team was playing in, and worse betting that his own team would lose. I mean come on, that is just mental.
===================================
The anonymity of internet betting perhaps
HibeeHibernian says:
August 19, 2013 at 3:43 pm
I’m sure I would have made the same point back on RTC or the early days of this TSFM.
Is it not obscene that with so many creditors the SFA felt it justified to issue a licence to a club/company and allow them to claim to be the same club which is being liquidated on the agreement that they (the new owners of assets) pay all football debts. What the SFA is basically saying (with their secret 5 way agreement) is that they don’t give a stuff about all other creditors other than the ones they have direct dealings or contact with and may give them grief. The fact that you claim to be the same club is a bit of a slap in the face to those who are owed money but don’t worry about that. Pay the Football debts and keep them and UEFA off our backs and we’re sorted guys.
Is someone at these companies that do betting on line now checking who their customers are especially if they are winning ! They don’t like losing
Not all you read in the paper is black or white, sometimes it is green and brown.
For the avoidance of doubt,
Regarding the bampots, the press and eh, the rest of the civilised world, not to mention the truth,
King Canute did indeed succeed I believe.
No doubt about it.
:slamb:
Lord Wobbly
The Rotters Club? Very appropriate no?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rotters'_Club_(album)
The response of the majority of posters on RM to the latest fiasco is as depressing as it is predictable. Some feel that Iran Black is being unfairly singled out by the SFA as’….he can’t be the only one!’. Others think that this is just another facet of the ‘anti-rangers cabal’. Then there are those who are cancelling their bookies’ accounts in retaliation for the ‘grass in’ of IB.
If IB lost his bets would it raise suspicion?
In relation to the shareholder shenanigans, it looks like CG’s gang will win the day. If they do I predict that:
When the new board (PM & FB) take office they’ll discover all sorts of problems with the accounts
The board will make it clear to Ally that he can only sign two or at most, three of the trialists.
Ally will find his position untenable and will waddle away (suitably compensated)
JT will be signing on
Media House will be welcomed back to the fold
TRIFC will have no choice, because of previous regimes’ neglect of the stadium, and will enter into a sale/lease agreement with two former bus company owners
Edminston House will be acquired by SD as a superstore
CG and his chinas (including Ally) will sell their 1p shares in December (or possibly earlier, with the nomad’s agreement) to two former bus company owners at a handsome profit
A second IPO will be announced for Feb/Mar 2014
Administration/liquidation will hit in Nov/Dec 2014
Two former bus company owners walk away with bulging pockets, leave a crumbling pile and lots of govanites thoughts turn to Ikea on Saturday afternoons.
The SFA will have UEFA looking over their shoulder at the Black story.
Oh, wait a minute…
Chick reports at half time for Sportsound that 4 smoke bombs have been thrown on to the park at Stranraer and the ref. has spoken to the managers. The Official Observer is, “the guy that used to be the Match Commander at Ibrox”.
Oh…
tomtom says:
August 19, 2013 at 10:53 pm
Fair point.
Though the allegations do seem to go back over 7 years. Was interweb gambling ubiquitous back in the day.
It also means that as a 21 year old , and a professional football player, Mr Black was betting on football matches. And continued to do it throughout his career.
Again, mental.
Rabo Karabekian says:
August 19, 2013 at 11:09 pm
0 0 Rate This
Lord Wobbly
The Rotters Club? Very appropriate no?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rotters'_Club_(album)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Indeed. But who is the Matching Mole who’s leaking all these tit-bits?
upthehoops says:
August 19, 2013 at 10:23 pm
‘…As many have already pointed out, getting rid of Black may even suit TRIFC down to the ground.’
——
I am no friend or admirer of the accused man whose name is ( technically 😀 ‘Absence-of-colour’ ).
But I am concerned ( not being a lawyer is perhaps a problem for me) that the Compliance officer can lay charges against a player without having to say who the player’s accusers are.
I doubt whether the long-posted-missing Lunny personally knew that the accused had placed bets against the entity he plays for.
Clearly, he must have been provided with information of a kind which could have come only from
a) a club-mate or other friend
or
b) a bookie with computer-produced records detailing each bet made by any gambler
I think we can discount (a) on the grounds that mere clyping by a mate would probably not provide ‘evidence’ enough to lay charges.
So the bookie is the likely informant.
But given the period of time over which the alleged offences were committed , what has suddenly happened to make the bookie take action?
Is the informant acting with righteous indignation in reporting a suspicion of irregularity?
Or is he being paid to secure a sacking that will reduce the wages bill of an entity that is heading for bankruptcy?
Will the disciplinary tribunal ask why the informant delayed so long in reporting their suspicions?
Could this be yet another wicked measure agreed among people who have already been seen to play fast and loose with ‘rules’ and truth , to try to help a desperately ailing new club?
Who has been talking to whom?
And who are the next cabs in the rank?
TallBoy Poppy says:
August 19, 2013 at 10:50 pm
ecobhoy says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:46 pm
—————————————
I’m looking for the facts too, echobhoy, and have provide what i’ve found to this board – usually without comment or spin – for others to make up their own minds, or use the information to firm up – or dismiss the story. Even the herrings and mis-information have to be scrutinised and eliminated from our enquiries.
The information I find and pass on is always provided in good faith.
==============================================================
No one is suggesting that you don’t provide information in good faith – I was certainly interested in initial reports that Easdales were supposedly selling McGills because that might affect the Easdale’s position wrt Rangers. However I have been unable to discover any firm basis for that information. It may be true or it may be wishful thinking or some hybrid chameleon squirrel.
I do comment on pieces of information as part of testing its strength as long as I believe my comment is based on sound evidence. An example of that is the latest posts about the Go Ahead Group being possible purchasers of McGills. Go Ahead are a very successful bus and rail group which has done well during the current recession and are obviously expanding their business which appears to be heavily concentrated in London and surrounding area.
Their interim management statement in April 2013 states wrt to the Bus Division: ‘Go-Ahead is one of the UK’s largest bus operators. With a fleet of around 4,600 buses, we carry nearly two million passengers every day. Our operations are focused on high density commuter markets. We have a strong presence in
London, with around 24 per cent market share, where we provide regulated services for TfL. We operate deregulated services in Oxford, East Anglia, the South East, Southern and North East England.’
Looking at that I’m not sure that the McGill Operation fits naturally into their geographic positioning nor their ‘high density commuter markets’ focus. However I know next to zilch about bus company economics so perhaps they have decided to dip their toe into Scotland. As I have already stated that, in a sense, is of no consequence to my reasoning except in how it might affect the Easdale involvement in Rangers.
I was surprised to learn from your post that Chase Nominees own the Go-Ahead Group and would be grateful if you could point me in the direction of the source for that as it might be something worth looking at further.
Most nominee companies are usually set-up to ‘hide’ the identity of its clients so whether or not they own the Go Ahead Group as suggested might be immaterial as they may not be the client that instructed Chase Nominees to back the McColl initiative tomorrow. And as I mentioned earlier if they were acting on behalf of their ‘owners’ (Go Ahead Group) that would appear to be contrary to the Easdales’ interests which could well create problems in any sale of McGills to Go Ahead.
Of course if they are acting for someone else then there quite possibly would be no problem or conflict of interest with the Easdales either in selling McGills or gaining some measure of ‘control’ at Ibrox.
These are the type of questions that get thrown-up and sometimes I find it more productive to try and actually prove the earlier steps in any theory rather than to continually add possible links which may have no actual importance or bearing on the actual problem under investigation and which can end-up diverting enormous energy and time into dead-ends although sometimes a lot can be learnt from that as well.
Is it just me, or does the Ian Black story breaking today appear too convenient to be an accident?
Board meeting pitting manager against Green et al and suddenly it’s implied one of his key signings has been throwing matches.
I don’t know what the gang are paying Media House but it’s not nearly enough
upthehoops says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:45 pm
8 0 Rate This
The Glen says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:41 pm
==========================
I agree…well sensible fans at least. As I said there are some who are more concerned about who reported Black than the fact he’s been called for a hearing.
……………………………………
To be fair I believe all bookmakers are obliged to report to the football authorities anything that could be considered suspicious….either in the amount gambled on a single event that is unusual or who is making the bet…and if you think about that…it seems common sense that this should be so…
In this case if a player is gambling on a game that involves his team then it is entirely correct this is brought to the attention of the relevant authorities as it suggests that match fixing could be taking place…
There has been a number of high profile cases in England…including a top flight referee who ran his own internet bookmaking Company…he was suspended until he was investigated…
john clarke says:
August 19, 2013 at 11:32 pm
. . . So the bookie is the likely informant. But given the period of time over which the alleged offences were committed , what has suddenly happened to make the bookie take action? Is the informant acting with righteous indignation in reporting a suspicion of irregularity?
Or is he being paid to secure a sacking that will reduce the wages bill of an entity that is heading for bankruptcy? Will the disciplinary tribunal ask why the informant delayed so long in reporting their suspicions?
Could this be yet another wicked measure agreed among people who have already been seen to play fast and loose with ‘rules’ and truth , to try to help a desperately ailing new club? Who has been talking to whom? And who are the next cabs in the rank?
================================================================
Perhaps we just have to wait to see what is revealed by the SFA investigation, hearing and decision.
We have to be careful of not ending-up in a McCoist ‘We demand names’ bullying rant. The informant may well be a genuine whistle-blower and if that were the case then they IMO deserve to retain their anonymity for a variety of sound reasons.
This information may have come from a police investigation or from a number of other sources. It might not have even come from the bookie directly but perhaps a disgruntled employee deciding to put the mix-in as much for their employer as anyone else.
Who knows at this stage who has blown the whistle or for what reason but I think it is a BIG step to suggest that someone in any betting organisation might have been bribed to do the dirty just to reduce the Ibrox wage bill and I doubt that no matter the over-inflated wages paid to Black that his possible departure will plug the titanic-sized gash in the dwindling cash reserves of HMS Dignity.
ecobhoy says:
August 19, 2013 at 11:57 pm
‘… I think it is a BIG step to suggest that someone in any betting organisation might have been bribed to do the dirty just to reduce the Ibrox wage bill and I doubt that no matter the over-inflated wages paid to Black that his possible departure will plug the titanic-sized gash in the dwindling cash reserves of HMS Dignity.’
—–
I think you are probably right in saying that getting shot of one player’s salary costs is not going to solve many problems.
But we have the wonderful strawberry-fiddle Tesco’s ‘every little helps’ in mind. ( And what a scam that was! £42m in sales against a £300k fine! Makes CG and CW &Co look like amateurs)
And I do admire your faith in the integrity of what used to be, quaintly, called ‘Turf Accountants’ ! 🙂
You are right, of course, to rein me in from too excessive a mistrust of anything and everything that relates to this whole saga.
Genuine trust is at a premium because we have been fed so much lying propaganda and Jackson-like revisionism.
It seems that almost anything is believable of the major protagonists.
I’ll try to remain objective. 😐
briggsbhoy says:
August 19, 2013 at 10:53 pm
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HibeeHibernian says:
August 19, 2013 at 3:43 pm
I’m sure I would have made the same point back on RTC or the early days of this TSFM.
Is it not obscene that with so many creditors the SFA felt it justified to issue a licence to a club/company and allow them to claim to be the same club which is being liquidated on the agreement that they (the new owners of assets) pay all football debts. What the SFA is basically saying (with their secret 5 way agreement) is that they don’t give a stuff about all other creditors other than the ones they have direct dealings or contact with and may give them grief. The fact that you claim to be the same club is a bit of a slap in the face to those who are owed money but don’t worry about that. Pay the Football debts and keep them and UEFA off our backs and we’re sorted guys.
————————————————
It is worse than that. The SFA played a major part in helping Rangers evade the £2.8m DOS tax bill that was never in dispute after settlement agreed in March 2011, became overdue during the UEFA licensing period and whose payment should have been made a condition of granting the licence that gave Rangers a bite at UEFA money.
They got Al Capone on tax evasion and questions need to be raised at a political level by taxpayers to make the SFA accountable.
The policy on ensuring social taxes were paid was enhanced in UEFA FFP 2010 to prevent the very thing Rangers did to evade payment. The SFA ignored the standards and principles in UEFA FFP that they signed up to. They have since undermined the purpose of player registration by making it a risk worth taking and totally ignored the intent of Article 12 re clubs changing their legal structure to avoid debt.
Sooner or later the consequences of the SFA’s bizarre behaviour will dawn where it matters, possibly more quickly as what they were trying to save by ignoring the rules, is proving itself as valueless as it always was.
Auldheid says:
August 20, 2013 at 12:19 am
‘…..Sooner or later the consequences of the SFA’s bizarre behaviour will dawn where it matters, ‘
—-
The truly baffling thing, to my mind at least, is the paralysis of the general run of SFA members.
Each of them has some kind of a stake in Scottish Football.
All of them know that they have been practiced upon by at least some members of the SFA Board.
They have had the truth kept from them, and they know that they were bounced into situations which they may very well not have welcomed.
But still they seem unable to see the dangers that lie ahead if they supinely accept the two-fingers attitude of the Board to UEFA’s attempts to keep our game honest and clean and out of the hands of eastern european drug barons and western european taxi-burners and barras-boy conmen.
Scottish Football is not so important to UEFA as to be free to flout with impunity the main thrust and drive of UEFA policy
The SFA membership must waken up , individually and collectively, to the fact that their present Board has allowed their ship to drift dangerously close to being regarded as a dis-masted hulk likely to cause danger to the fleet and requiring to be sunk for the good of all.
Bookmakers have long had a legal responsibility to report suspicious betting activity to both the Gambling Commission and the relevant sport’s governing body.
Suspicious activity can be defined as to:
“relate to a breach of a rule applied by that sport governing body”
http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/gambling_sectors/betting/operating_licence_holders_-_wh/information_that_must_be_provi/reporting_suspicious_bets_to_s.aspx
This is not to say that a bet (or bets) must be thought to be fraudulent. If by simply placing the bet(s) the sport’s regulations are considered to have been breached, the bet is automatically “suspicious”.
The SFA Rules say:
“No club, official, Team Official or other member of Team Staff, player, match official or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA shall bet in any way on a football match (except authorised and registered football pools).”
http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=2566&newsCategoryID=1&newsID=12361
A bookmaker who knowingly accepts football bets from a professional footballer would be in danger of losing its licence. And unlike a certain new football club, bookmakers require a licence to operate in Scotland.
Auldheid says:
August 16, 2013 at 5:05 pm
++++++++++++++++++++++
I thought that suggestion worth checking out with someone I know in the TV Rights trade and someone in the business side of the game.
The former said
Interesting read.
Some rights-holders have even been known to buy themselves airtime in order to get some exposure for their events. I’m not sure the SPFL could give the rights away this season though as I understand an agency, Sportfive owns the international TV rights to the SPFL, or at least it had a deal with the SPL that doesn’t expire until the end of 2013-14 season. I think the league would have to buy those rights back from Sportfive to be able to then give them away. I suspect the league doesn’t really have the cash to do that though!
Another agency, MP & Silva takes over the rights from 2014-15 and I expect they will secure TV coverage for the league in the markets the blogger mentions, as they are in partnership with the broadcaster, beIN Sport.
The latter contact agreed with above but passed your post links on to the TV guys.
Ya never kinow 🙂
+++++++
———–
Just picked this up reading back through the old thread. Thanks Auldheid for doing that – good to hear the experts think its not a crazy idea!
One thing I find interesting though, and I therefore suspect the experts were way ahead of me on this, is that MP&Silva are picking up the SPFL international rights as of next year. It’s interesting as they are the same agency which now has the EPL Asian rights.
My thought process on this is that they have jumped in to ensure no other network can market a product that may provide competition… Effectively then, the SPL will never (well, the next 3 years at least) be aired in South East Asia as it will always be competing for air time and viewers against the EPL. Such a shame that our leaders couldn’t figure that out…
Looks like i’ll have to make do with the Dutch league this season (although judging from the Ajax game I watched on Sunday it’ll be a lot more exciting than the EPL ever is…!)
davythelotion says: August 19, 2013 at 11:20 pm
“…Two former bus company owners walk awaywithbulging pockets,leave a crumbling pile and lots of govanites thoughts turn to Ikea on Saturday afternoons.”
======================
O/T
You’ve gone too far there dtl : show some mercy!
Nobody – not even Sevconites – deserves a Saturday afternoon in Ikea!
To cut a long, boring story short I was in the process of taking Ikea Brooklyn to court here in Manhattan – with the support of the local equivalent of Trading Standards – for deceptive advertising.
But the sneeky b*stards recompensed me at the last moment – and without informing me (but I checked my account just before lodging court papers).
I also vowed to the wife that I would never step inside such a negative, life-sapping store like Ikea ever again.
Ikea punishment must only be the last resort… 🙄
ecobhoy says:
August 19, 2013 at 11:35 pm
——————————————————————————-
The information on Chase Nominees was sourced (by me) from Duedil.
https://www.duedil.com/company/02100855/the-go-ahead-group-plc/people
You might have to register or logon to get the full bhuna.
The group structure graph might also be worth a look – perhaps wee Craigie’s Worthington stake in his two, as yet un-named, bus companies is lurking somewhere in that spaghetti.
You might also be surprised to hear it’s not me giving you the thumbs down (not recently anyway) 😆
Not that anybody should care about a few bad reviews.
Oh dear. Another problem for Scotland’s youngest club.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/sfa-rangers-player-black-bet-against-his-own-teams.21916975
Not The Huddle Malcontent says:
August 19, 2013 at 9:05 pm
51 1 Rate This
never ceases to amaze me that the governing body allow any kinda of sponsorship/partnership with either gambling or alcohol
Neither have a place in sport and the game should be distancing itself from it.
—————
Well said NTHM.
Echoing others, Why mention match fixing at all? Sounds like a denial of an allegation. Which makes you wonder if the there’s another story about betting patterns on games. Nah, that’s too Machiavellian, surely.
Noticed a caller to SSB last night suggesting a new ‘witch hunt’. So I suspect there will be a lot of moody blues today, and Black may well be turning a whiter shade of pale when he reads the headlines.
TallBoy Poppy says:
August 20, 2013 at 5:04 am
ecobhoy says:
August 19, 2013 at 11:35 pm
——————————————————————————-
The information on Chase Nominees was sourced (by me) from Duedil.
https://www.duedil.com/company/02100855/the-go-ahead-group-plc/people
You might have to register or logon to get the full bhuna.
The group structure graph might also be worth a look – perhaps wee Craigie’s Worthington stake in his two, as yet un-named, bus companies is lurking somewhere in that spaghetti.
You might also be surprised to hear it’s not me giving you the thumbs down (not recently anyway) 😆
Not that anybody should care about a few bad reviews.
——————————————————————————————————–
Thanks for that info. I actually am registered on Duedil but the site was down last night for maintenance when I tried to access it and that’s why I asked you if you had the source of the info. I was curious as to the fact that a nominee company owned the company.
As to TDs I’m afraid that you have misjudged me if you think I give a thought to anyone who anonymously posts their disapproval of anything I say. I certainly listen to posters whom I have respect for if they argue a counter position and, on occasion, will change or modify my own after examining and understanding their arguments.
I tend not to repeat information posted by others, especially if it seems important, unless I have checked it out hence why I attempt to run-down any original sources as in the rumoured sale of McGills. The sale might or might not be important vis a vis the Rangers saga but certainly worthy of scrutiny.
Of course that is always the problem when on the outside without access to the ‘masterplan’ as it is often difficult to ascertain the importance or otherwise of what can often appear disparate and unconnected pieces of info or actual events.
However choices have also got to be made as to what you spend time investigating when you have limited resources, especially of time, and at the moment I still see the Easdales and their buses as very much bit players albeit interesting ones. Now that they are coupled with Media House they have become more interesting as pieces on the chessboard however they are not a Grandmaster although their moves are likely to be in concert with his longer term strategy of capturing the enemy Queen and putting her consort in check IMO.
A club who are held to have acted in a manner where only match fixing would have been a more serious breach of the rules. A player whose actions include betting against his own team, but we are told, fall short of match fixing.
Perhaps when others connected to that club tell us that they are not a liar / crook / gangster, what they mean is that they also just fall short of those definitions?
The whole Media House part of the story is very interesting, as they seem to be openly courting publicity for themselves, rather than ensuring they are just in the background of the story. Looks to me like they are taking a big gamble, presumably in the hope that when the dust settles at Ibrox (in the hope that the dust is not following its demolition), they will have aligned themselves with the winning side and can retreat back into the shadows. Meantime, PR (should the Daily Record, Sun, etc be known these days as a ‘newspaPR’?) puff pieces like yesterday’s on the Easdales look even more laughably transparent than the usual fare they trot out. I wonder how long a PR company can afford to spend exposed to the daylight before suffering long term damage?
Btw, very upbeat interview with Ian Murray of Hearts yesterday. On the face of it, a hugely sensible plan they’ve put in place. Credit to fans and the local businesses who’ve got behind their club. It was a real good news story that was lost as the betting story broke.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywzwDFXxW8M&sns=em
Keith Jackson’s throwaway remark
“the Record knows that, in order for Scottish football to be returned to a fit state, Rangers will first have to be fixed”
proves that this blog remains essential to the future success of Scottish football
Keep up the good work everyone
john clarke says:
August 20, 2013 at 12:18 am
========================================
John – Heaven forbid that I would try to rein you in and in any case I know that to be impossible such is your enthusiasm and drive 😉
But be assured when you say – I hope with tongue firmly in cheek: ‘I do admire your faith in the integrity of what used to be, quaintly, called ‘Turf Accountants’. My grandad used to be a bookie’s runner back in the day so I know a little about the lower levels but I have also had professional experience of the more ‘modern’ tactics of the trade which has no morality or integrity.
I just feel there could be dozens of sources for the Black info leaking out and I have serious doubts that a bookies would do it because it would damage their business. Without a shred of evidence I would plump for the source being motivated by jealousy or personal aggro or perhaps genuine moral outrage.
It could be an employee of a bookies sickened at seeing a player placing bets against a team which they supported and which employed the person placing the bet.
All they needed to know was about one bet – from any time in the betting history – and if the person involved had kept the same account then whoever the matter was reported to would just need to hit the bookie with a warrant for previous betting history and you get the lot.
Obviously I reckon the police must be or have been involved at some stage because I don’t see a bookie handing over the info without a court order of some description. It may well be that the police decided no criminal activity had taken place. But how would that info then be given to the SFA?
I find it hard to believe there is some process in place whereby the SFA can request bookies to provide betting details for registered players. But delving into conspiracy theory perhaps this is all a ploy to prove to Fifa that the registration of Scottish Players can, in fact, be terminated after it has been granted in certain heinous circumstances – henceforth to be known as the ‘Amended Bryson Rule’ 😆
The Scotsman is reporting today that Rangers have launched their own investigation into the Black allegations. I guess that will save the SFA the bother of having one. ‘Just make sure you copy us into us to the report!’
So what is going on here then? ❗
upthehoops says:
August 20, 2013 at 7:15 am
The Scotsman is reporting today that Rangers have launched their own investigation into the Black allegations. I guess that will save the SFA the bother of having one. ‘Just make sure you copy us into us to the report!’
===================================================
Saw that – I would have thought that the sensible thing to have done from a PR and club point of view would have been a simple statement saying that they would offer any assistance required of them by the SFA and that they would await the findings of the SFA Enquiry and take the appropriate action required at that stage.
They could also throw in the sop that all employees covered by the SFA rules on the issue had been reminded of the absolute necessity to strictly adhere to those rules.
How are Rangers going to investigate? They have no power to ask for evidence from the bookie. They presumably don’t know the source and the issue involves at least two other teams whose info Rangers has no access to.
Och I’m havering that’s what they did with the P&M investigation – silly me 😀
😳 Wow, was I late with my last post or what??? 😳
I kind of agree with where John Clarke is coming from about Ian Black not being a random event caused by the wonderful SFA disciplinary machine’s success in finding and punishing naughty boys.
Surely this saga has demonstrated that Squirrel Season opens every time something is going down.
And plenty real stuff is going down and the media have all been successfully blind-sighted again.
So I’d concur that Tufty Black is simply roadkill.
It will be interesting to discover who decreed him expendable?
Whenever there’s a scandal at Ibrox, it’s a tradition to get out the Loving Cup and start throwing the names of likely suspects into it, for later broadcast to “the People”, in order that ‘we might know their names and justice be done’
Accordingly, “Poker Pete Lawwell, ‘the bookie the players trust’, is pleased to open the following book on “who blackened Black”
1/666 Charles Green
1/7 Himself
Evens Patrick Joseph Power
2/1 William Francis Aloysius Hill
3/1 Seamus Ignatius Ladbroke
100/30 Sean Anthony Scotbet
7/2 Tommy “The Scrote” Tote
9/1 Keith “Purveyor of Truth” Jackson
10/1 Imran ‘IAM Rangers’ Ahmed
66/1 Jim FTAOD Traynor
100/1 Brian “The iPhone” Stockbridge
1690/1 Jumpin Jack Irvine
Place your bets and watch them run
54/1
Danish Pastry says:
August 20, 2013 at 7:06 am
Btw, very upbeat interview with Ian Murray of Hearts yesterday. On the face of it, a hugely sensible plan they’ve put in place. Credit to fans and the local businesses who’ve got behind their club. It was a real good news story that was lost as the betting story broke.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywzwDFXxW8M&sns=em
=======================================================
Caught the interview on telly last night and was impressed. It will be a long and difficult road and I wish the Hearts support well on what will hopefully be a journey to be remembered and become a treasured part of their club history rather than an invasion and destruction of fellow clubs by putting them to the sword as part of a crazy ‘rightful place’ mantra.