The outbreak of internecine warfare at RIFC is being acted out through a real pea-soup fog right now. The war is being fought on so many fronts that it is difficult to see just exactly how many armies are involved, and how the alliances are shaping up.
Craig Mather would appear to be in the Charles Green camp, but it is difficult to imagine that he would be happy to hear old blunderbuss-mouth peppering Ally McCoist with shot. McCoist’s in-character but inelegant riposte, whilst a valiant attempt at deflection and self-preservation, put his mentor and chairman, Walter Smith in a rather awkward position. It gives Mather a double headache as he tries to head off Clyde Blowers boss Jim McColl – and his blowhard ally Paul Murray – at the EGM-pass.
If Mather stands by Green, and Smith does the same for McCoist, then the two main officers of the company will be in opposite, and hostile, camps.
As I say, making sense of it is difficult, but one thing is as clear as an empty window frame: the acrimony, which has been in existence for months, is only now being aired in public because the season ticket drive is over. The one policy that the warring factions have been in agreement with is “Not in Front of the Children”.
Now that the fans have been compelled to buy season tickets in substantial numbers through a mixture of fear, loyalty and a never-ending stream of press spin telling them that “Rangers are on the cusp of greatness if only the supporters cough up”, it seems acceptable that the real war can begin – but what is the prize?
There can be little doubt that all of the factions are aware that a conservative business model is necessary if Rangers are to establish themselves in Scottish football – certainly a more conservative one than that followed by RFC (IL). I infer therefore that the war is not over a Murray vs McCann approach. My best guess is that the war is one of ideals – between one faction which aims to make as much money in the short term as possible, and another which, whilst not averse to a bit of nest-feathering, sees the health of the club and the notion of a continuity Rangers as paramount.
The trouble for Rangers fans is that it is the former faction which holds all the cards – all the shares in fact. I think that all fans of the game of football would hope that people with football at heart would win out here, irrespective of what their partisan loyalties dictate on a day to day basis.
The problem for either warring faction is that the loyalty of the Rangers fans is finite. The “long road (back)” to the top is one which might engage them for while. It is a great journey which is not without its rewards and adventure, but expectations will be massive if and when they get to the top league. When the acceleration of progress meets the buffers of premier championship aspiration, gate money will be in the front passenger seat. Managing unrealistic expectations is extremely difficult, and evidenced by the use of McCoist’s recruitment sledgehammer to crack the nut of the bottom two divisions.
But here are some questions to which I honestly do not know the answer;
- How does the Rangersness faction wrest control away from these spivs?
- How will the spivs attempt to ensure that the Rangersness faction fails in their objective?
- Can the people in the Rangersness camp REALLY be trusted to act in the best interests of the club even if it is at odds with their own? This, given the close association with the terminal decline of the club they all profess to love.
- Is there any realistic scenario which allows this club to prosper and challenge for honours within a ten to fifteen year period?
My belief is that the key to the new club being able to establish itself is managing the expectations of the fans. Despite the MSM willingness to cut and paste RFC and RIFC press releases unadulterated, the ability of that same MSM to impress a message of realism into Rangers fans is zero. Not in front of the children in fact.
Is it really a sociological bridge too far to expect Rangers fans to turn down the expectation-ometer? I don’t believe it is. In the eighties, if I recall correctly, a seriously underachieving Rangers team were not met with demands for big spending. There was pressure on them to get better managers who could pick better players, but no demands for Fort Knox to be breached. If Rangers fans really want a club called Rangers playing in blue at Ibrox, and competing fully in the game, they need to find leaders who can sell the long-termism of such an aspiration. Many will hope, including the spivs and the MSM, that no such leader emerges.
@Steerpike
Yawn … Zzzzzzzzz
Steerpike says:
August 4, 2013 at 5:56 pm
….and it is impossible to judge the value of Rangers new arrangements with Puma and Sports Direct, but we can assume it is not the amount stated in the interim accounts.
========================
Why?
Scottish football needs a strong Arbroath.
Folks. I have seldom seen so much fiction, constructed mistakenly or otherwise, on this site as I have regarding sponsorship deals.
We always like to give people the benefit of the doubt, but please do not feed our new troll any longer.
TSFM
hear hear.I painted a door today.I think it was Johnstone’s paint.I’m watching it dry. Starve the troll.
TSFM says:
August 4, 2013 at 6:13 pm
—————————————–
All good things come to those who wait….
Celtics record turnover is £75.24 million
Celtic will in all likeliehood exceed that when the 2013 results are published shortly. Rangers are an utter irrelevancy to Celtic.
Celtic do not need Rangers for any aspect of our business and sporting targets.
Attempts by Rangers supporters to compare the 2 Clubs is laughable and nothing more than a pathetic charade aimed at gaining credibility by hanging onto the coat tails of a genuinely large and important club.
Queens Park used to be relevant as a potential Champion in the top tier of Scottish Football, so did Renton and East Fife .
There is a difference between being irrelevant and irreverant, however Rangers manage to be both, especially as being irreverant is defined as your actions belie your intentions .
redlichtie says:
August 4, 2013 at 6:08 pm
2 0 Rate This
… we could well see a proper manager installed at TRFC in time for the next game …
————
Did you notice Barry Ferguson suggesting, guess who, Barry Ferguson, as a potential future manager? From the tone of his piece (full of Rangersness) in the Sunday Blah he sounded interested in the job.
Steerpike seems to reeled few of you in,and it is a re[e]l bore now ,can we move on
We really do try hard to give people a space. Yesterday, we removed posts and placed a couple of people in moderation for their abuse of Steerpike.
Unfortunately Steerpike has sought to repay us by showing the same kind of disrespect towards this blog. He has introduced inaccuracies (which I will make the assumption are based on ignorance rather than a deliberate attempt to mislead) into the debate and when corrected, veers off on another direction.
Either he is insulting or intelligence deliberately, or he isn’t properly equipped to take part in the debate here. Either way, he is now in moderation. Please do not feed if any of his comments pass the mods. We have MORE than enough to discuss here given the events of the last week surrounding three Scottish football clubs. Please don’t waste time in circular debates about nothing at all.
helpmaboab says:
August 4, 2013 at 6:24 pm
I bought a Spear and Jackson’s spade and I’m just polishing it. Do you want details?
I noticed an earlier post suggesting those in charge at Ibrox should be looking to steady the ship at the moment and forgetting about comparisons to Celtic. The trouble is it appears no-one associated with Ibrox, from top to bottom and including the fans is willing to countenance any notion of the club not being superior to Celtic in every aspect. It will hold them back for a long time unless they find a bank willing to be as generous as B.O.S once were. I’d say the odds on that are akin to winning the lottery.
I supported Celtic through the tortuous last years of the old family dynasties, and the early years of the McCann regime, and it wasn’t easy. What made it worse though was the wrongly peddled notion that Rangers were simply a filthy rich club run by a business genius. At least with McCann though I could see a determination to succeed and balance sheets which showed the club was being managed properly, but because of Rangers access to the B.O.S money it cost Celtic on the park, of that there’s no doubt.
Rangers need a Fergus McCann type more than ever, but everyone in the club and support needs to get real in terms of their expectations. Will they?
Some questions for the coming week:
(1) What has happened to TGEF’s letter before claim. What Sevco owns Ibrox and Murray Park etc. Will the claim ever get to Court?
(2) What ever did happen to that winding up order? Is this still waiting in the sidelines? Has the claim went away?
(3) Will the media coverage of @charlottefakes materials extend. Interesting that Stewart Cosgrove on the Off the Ball Sunday Supplement mentioned the cost to Rangers to get rid of their manager and his coaching team – without reference to Charlotte who posted that information an hour or so before the broadcast.
We have a “paid for” poster/squirrel wasting our energy and intellect
Please stop feeding and please ask yourself why we are being blind sighted
It will be interesting how the market reacts on Monday ,Ally’s exit strategy is now entering stage right and Green has been brought in as the script writer and producer ,as per yesterday and his comments about Green this was Ally’s opening lines ,not his own words ,but as with most drama’s there are red herrings and we need to be aware of them ,Ally will come out of this with what he thinks is a saving of face ,unfortunately for him not everyone will be taken in and there will be a reaction of sorts ,he wont have his dog whistle any more ,some of the scenes as expected will have a culling [backroom staff] and Ally will not be in this scene due to a cunning distraction slotted in by the producer ,but his time on stage is near an end and stage left is looming ,3 exit plans have been rehearsed but will the producer use one of these or does he like a twist in the ending ,up till now Ally, the script is being adhered too ,but and its a very big but .has Charles got Hitchcock tendencies.
Be afraid ,be very afraid
Long Time Lurker says:
August 4, 2013 at 6:45 pm
Interesting that Stewart Cosgrove on the Off the Ball Sunday Supplement mentioned the cost to Rangers to get rid of their manager and his coaching team – without reference to Charlotte who posted that information an hour or so before the broadcast.
===================================
maybe he IS Charlotte!!!
Barcabhoy on August 4, 2013 at 6:31 pm
as a potential Champion in the top tier of Scottish Football, so did Renton and East Fife .
=================
With all due respect BB, East Fife are still relevant to some of us out here 😆
Interesting tweet from @white_italy:
“On the stock exchange board someone is saying Charles Green will earn £365,000 a year as consultant.
THREE HUNDRED & SIXTY FIVE GRAND
5:21pm – 4 Aug 13”
Anyone heard more on this?
http://forum.rangersmedia.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=256445
BM writes;
I can also reveal that Kieran Prior along with Malcolm Murray held a conference call with Charles Green last week from broker Daniel Stewart’s office. They offered Green 35p per share for all of his shares and Charles replied that he would not sell the shares to KP for £50 per share because he was involved with Malcolm Murray.
==================================================
I don’t want that Prior guy getting any more shares. Something about him does not ring true for me.- wonder why he thinks that!
He has felt like a plant from the beginnig IMO. – (UFH)?
Jean,
Is it a no.3?( Ripping Yarns circa 1977)
TSFM 6.41
Aw. Just when I was going to ask why he twice ignored my references to a business case based largely on published information.
The one that predicts a £1m + shortfall at season end if they have £12m as the start point or £6m + shortfall if their start point is the £7m rumoured.
I thought it funny he never disdained it.
Danish
Cheap at double the price if it is part of his remitt to streamline the club ,it was in his return statement somewhere and it will be a job and finish ,Charles has just taken delivery of a new ticket machine,unfortunately it only gives out one way tickets and he has called it the gangplank machine ,queue ,queue up up get your one way tickets here now guys :
Bayview Gold says:
August 4, 2013 at 6:58 pm
Barcabhoy on August 4, 2013 at 6:31 pm
as a potential Champion in the top tier of Scottish Football, so did Renton and East Fife .
=================
With all due respect BB, East Fife are still relevant to some of us out here 😆
=================
Scottish football needs a strong East Fife…. 🙂
https://mobile.twitter.com/History_Pics/status/363960853806084096/photo/1 East Fifers – this appeared on twitter today
helpmaboab says:
August 4, 2013 at 7:13 pm
It sure is boab! Remember his maw and da started talking French so that they didn’t have to converse with him (their son)? Hilarious! I was gonna do that yesterday 😉
Araminta Moonbeam QC says:
August 4, 2013
Small Twitter rumbling of McCoist sacking.
————————————————————-
Unlikely in the extreme. They do not have £1.2M to pay him off, he would have to be suspended for gross misconduct and then fired. Tweedledum and Tweedlee would also have to be got rid of = >£2M.
Neither ‘Rangers’ so far as I am aware has ever fired a manager in their respective histories…they’ve all just been elevated to some higher plane – surely they wouldn’t dare risk the loss of dignity?
Rangers are dead, remember this and everything else makes sense. The reincarnation won’t last long and after that the fans won’t trust anyone, not even Chick “we need Rangersness” Young.
‘Rangers’ may be lucky to finish this season and I doubt we will see them anywhere next season. At present, even if they survived in a financial sense, it now seems unlikely that they will survive in a football sense and earn promotion from League 1.
Rangers are dead – they died in 2012 and nothing can change that fact, nothing.
54 (reasons not to sack McCoist, none of them football-related)
Jean
Off topic but sooooperb
don’t know why i’m even going to type this….but…
there were smoke bombs thrown onto forfar pitch yesterday by sevconians. Will they be on a charge come monday morning?
No, thought not.
1 set of rules for sevco, 1 for everyone else.
Sorry guys ,might have missed this ,but who gave Charles the gig.
Not The Huddle Malcontent says:
August 4, 2013 at 7:52 pm
1 0 Rate This
don’t know why i’m even going to type this….but…
there were smoke bombs thrown onto forfar pitch yesterday by sevconians. Will they be on a charge come monday morning?
No, thought not.
1 set of rules for sevco, 1 for everyone else.
================================================
Brenda get your clock started!!!! Oh, and welcome back.
slimshady61 says:
August 4, 2013 at 7:26 pm
3 0 Rate This
———-
Not sure about that, not that it matters too much, but I think Scot Symon was actually sacked Slim. I believe I was in attendance at Symon’s last match in charge. I was very young but asked my brother (who took me tae the fitba) why they were booing the man with the white hair. I asked a lot of questions, still do. Le Guen too, wasn’t he sacked by mutual consent ? 😀
Redlichtie 😀
Andrew graham – great pic happier times for the Fife
FIFA good point who employed CG, Mather must have, he is the CEO so executive decisions lie with him, but is Mather CEO of which company?
Flares
Is it not the case that the Specsavers officials put this in their match report and Mr Loony will take this up .or a member of the public complains,I know but you have got to ask
Thanks for that TSFM
However on the topic of kits, the link I gave for the Diadora announcement did have one thing of interest (potentially)
Quote The sportswear firm will have their crest on the front of the Ibrox club’s shirts from the start of next season. But Gers, whose association with current kit suppliers Nike ends in the summer, will break from tradition and manufacture the strips themselves. Mirror Sport understands they will be made in Morroco for them by British-based firm Dewhurst.
Endquote
Any of our heavy hitters who seem to connect all the dots easily (Newtz/HP/Auldheid/Eco/COT etc) know anything about Dewhurst and its connections to SDM or any past or present or potential spiv lurking out there? Sure SDM with his financial prowess would not give such a contract to anyone lightly……….
Just a hunch………..
Bayview Gold says:
August 4, 2013 at 8:02 pm
———-
Redlichtie 😀
Andrew graham – great pic happier times for the Fife
===========================
Yes, amazing turn out. But there was a time when folk would go to a game if their own team wasn’t playing/was playing away and couldn’t make it. Just to see a game of football because the football was all that mattered. Or perhaps all of Fife was empty that day. 😀
Exiled Celt says:
August 4, 2013 at 8:16 pm
…………………………….
I believe the clothes manufacturer is called Dewhirst not Dewhurst..
Charlotte Fakeovers @CharlotteFakes 1m
Typical RFC Training Schedules 2011 1. http://www.scribd.com/doc/158069466/Training-Schedule-29-August-2011 … 2. http://www.scribd.com/doc/158069459/Training-Schedule-5th-September-2011 … 3. http://www.scribd.com/doc/158069464/Training-Schedule-12-September-2011 …
Davie White, John Greig, Jock Wallace (second spell) and PLG were all sacked I think.
torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
August 4, 2013 at 8:27 pm
Those may be valuable historical documents one day – some of the last official training schedules of RFC(Deid). (BTW those schedules led to them being pumped out of Europe, did they not?) 😉
torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
August 4, 2013 at 8:27 pm
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No, no, no.
They “mutually consented” to leave. [(C) Derek Johnstone.]
apologies to our East Fife contributors . 😉
I was attempting to point out that the clubs mentioned are No Longer in the frame to win the Premiership.
I wish East Fife all the best in trying to win their own league, although i might be slightly wary of the pronouncements of their new owner, who seems to be from the Charles Green school of “talking the talk”
torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
August 4, 2013 at 8:27 pm
I see Mar Hall were stiffed out of circa £5500 according to creditors report. Cant see anything for Dunkeld House or Hilton group
If you were to write a wee note to the main man at Ibrox, lets say the decision and policy maker, shuv it in an envelope, put a stamp on it and pop it in the mail box who in actual fact would you address it to ? Has anybody got a clue, could the head of communications even clarify that ?
Barcabhoy, no apologies needed 😀 as for the new owner of east Fife, I and others are wary of false dawns but are willing to give him a chance, seems to have delivered so far but we’ll see
Who said the following
“I think the thing about Charles Green that is refreshing…he’s like a modern-day Fergus McCann. He has said from day one ‘I’m here to make money’ so he’s not trying to delude the fans into thinking he’s a Rangers fan. He is there to make money which is absolutely fine. He has been clear, he has been honest. ”
and also said this
“I think the circumstances in which Charles Green bought the club were, as I said before, a little bit clouded in the sense that he came in at the last minute. When you think about the middle of June and John Brown standing on the steps of Ibrox with x-thousand guys calling for Charles Green’s head, as it were, and Walter and Jim McColl and Douglas Park trying to buy him out at the same time, to go from that position to where we are now is actually quite a remarkable job. ”
not got it yet ?
well, when asked if he would return to the board , this is what he said.
“You obviously never say never but I don’t think so. I think in any walk of life going back to something is never quite the same as it was the first time. You see that even with the players the second time around. It wouldn’t be the same now so I think the answer is probably no.”
The answer is probably obvious now, however it raises the question of how you can possibly trust a word that comes out of the mouth of anyone who is on the board , or wants on the board, at Rangers.
The individual responsible for the quotes above is Paul Murray. Good for the Rangers supporters to know they can trust the word of the next potential saviour
With regards to the shirt merchandising in the early 2000’s.
RFC signed their deal with JJB which as usual was met with huge shouts of hurrah from the media.
It was another great coo by the entrepreneurial genus that was SDM. Celtic I believe were offered the same deal but rejected it. As usual this too was decried in the MSM. Chick Young, if I remember rightly, was very vocal in this regard stating that RFC were going to the next level. RFC were given £18M up front and I think it was £2M a year for 15 years.
The fact that the club required an £18M cash injection seemed to be lost on our journalistic community.
It was also reported that even in the year RFC reached the UEFA Cup final they received no bonus because all bonus clauses were linked to the Champions League. Another masterstroke pulled there.
Within a few months of this deal Celtic announced a £5M a year five year deal with Nike with bonuses.
As with most things the yearly amount for the next five years would be at least the same and the same for the next five years. Over that timespan Celtic would be over £20M better off.
Oh and as for JJB going out of business. One of the reasons this happened was because D&P went to court to argue that the merchandising contract could not transfer to ‘The Rangers’ because they were a completely separate entity from the previous club. This meant that JJB were denied the income already guaranteed in the contract. It is no surprise that roughly a week after losing this court case, which incidentally confirmed ‘The Rangers’ as a new club JJB themselves went into administration. I believe this is what is commonly referred to as a ‘knock on effect’.
It’s been clear to me from the first time he posted that Steerpike is someone with a long history of media training and either works for a Sevco PR machine or the company itself.
His use of grammar and English are indicative of that – many of statements seem to have been well prepared in advance and I suspect he has a long list of others ready to file on here to “stir it up”.
There is no place on a forum like this for someone who is in my opinion an official mouthpiece for a Scottish football club. He has plenty of MSM friends desperate to print his words, let him go to them and keep him off here please TSFM. Moderation is too good for him, a sine die ban would be better unless he is prepared to reveal who he is to you or one of the mods.
This blog will be a much better place without him
54 (bum Steers) to 0
Johnny_Scotland @Johnny_Scotland 41s
Okay…Just one Dr Who joke then…
#TARDIS
Tims
Acknowledge
Rangers
Died
In
Shame
Reference the internal fighting in the boardroom of the new Govan club. After Ally’s rant condemning Charlie what stance will the cardigan take as he simply cannot stare down at his shinny brogues and hope it goes away. Not only is the shareholders fractured but so are the fans. Do they stick by football legend Ally (the worst manager a club from Govan has ever had) or follow Mr Green who might be working for Mr White? They are the divided people right now if their forums are anything to go by. IMO Charlie has the upper hand as money talks.
The silence of both the PR guru JT and the cardigan is deafening. We will never be able to work out all the aspects and the shenanigans surrounding this club or the mindset of the devious people involved (and I include all associated with the club past and present). But some of our bloggers will IMO be close to the truth in their analysis on certain aspects of this circus (Charlie’s word not mine). .
The problem Govan has is they cannot and will not accept that the newco is not in the same league at their old team. They spend as we know like oldco (but maybe not for long, Charlie says) and the WATP attitude is like a noose around their neck. They think it is their divine right to be simply the best.
I do not know right at this moment in time what would be the best outcome concerning this club that would be to the good and benefit of Scottish football. As we all know the club and its fans will never apologise for any wrong doing for the simple fact the SMSM and SFA have not had the courage to deal with them properly from the outset which makes them somehow feel they have been victimised (hard to write that bit without laughing) but that is how they feel. No apology, all we get is civil unrest threat issue , who are these people, revenge, we will not forget, we are treated different, we are Rangers history and all, we will boycott etc…(lets not forget even Charlie was threatened)…….
So what is the best solution/answer to this club and its future that the rest of Scottish Football fans will accept? I know we may not have a say (but we did last summer) and it is out of our hands but can we see a way ahead for the good and benefit of Scottish Football.
Looking forward to a quiet week ahead.
i see just as the Mods have confined one Troll to the naughty step, another one appears from their long period of silence.
Paulsatim @ 7:56pm
Thank you 😀 clock is a tickin with reference to the sevco smoke bombs 30 hrs 😉 feels soooooooo good to be back 🙂
Grant Russell @STVGrant 1h
@cartujakds @mikefstv @JackIrvine Mike replied about this on Friday. They have a safety certificate.
Expand Reply Retweet Favorite More
Stevie F @bhoyflynn77 43m
@STVGrant @cartujakds @mikefstv @JackIrvine when does it expire/get reviewed?or is it like their SFA membership awarded once and untouchable
Expand
Grant Russell @STVGrant 41m
@bhoyflynn77 @cartujakds @mikefstv @JackIrvine It was renewed in the off season.
Expand
Mike Farrell @mikefstv 31m
@STVGrant @bhoyflynn77 @cartujakds @JackIrvine Yes, Glasgow City Council confirmed on Fri that the certificate was renewed last month.
Expand
Charlotte Fakeovers @CharlotteFakes 25m
@mikefstv @STVGrant @bhoyflynn77 @cartujakds @JackIrvine However GCC are now in possession of new information. Update tomorrow. #SafetyFirst
Expand
Charlie Greencraig @BartinMain 1m
@CharlotteFakes @mikefstv @STVGrant @bhoyflynn77 @cartujakds @JackIrvine Oh dear. #STVFail
NT, he’s back 😮
Did anyone else know that Steerpike was female ?
Have I missed something ?
paulsatim says:
August 4, 2013 at 9:23 pm
I take it from that GCC are possibly re-considering the position. That could be catastrophic for the club with the new season just starting. If the safety certificate was removed for example they would have to find someplace else suitable t play “home” games and come up with a rent to pay that ground’s owners.
Night Terror says:
August 4, 2013 at 9:14 pm
—————————————
One does not need to be a linguistic expert to notice that from the tone and content, contributions from Steerpike were no spontaneous remarks in the context of what was being discussed in the blog.
Ignoring any subsequent “conversations” with other bloggers that developed which clearly are spontaneous, his initial contributions each time are standalone, carefully prepared/rehearsed and designed with one aim in mind – to provoke. They do not offer an opinion, they simply seek to stir it up. It’s Ally McCoist-like except we all know it can’t be him because the English is way too polished.
In that way Steerpike’s contributions are no different from the kind of contribution Media House gave to the 2011 Cup Final Sportscene, or the RFC contribution to certain individuals who then go and write “independent” football articles in the MSM.
They are not the musings of a dilettante supporter but rather calculated statements with one end in mind. Scottish football is poisonous enough thank you.
Steerpike says:
August 4, 2013 at 9:28 pm
Welcome back.
I may not agree with what you say and I will continue to debate.
To banish and not debate leads to a further polarization of thought and ideology. It creates a vacuum which leads to distrust and uncertainty.
While we all love our sport it has become clear to all that something is clearly wrong in Scottish Football.
No part of this shambles should be off limits but we should be able to debate in a civilised manner. That is what makes this blog great and different from fans forums who seem very insular at times.
Having thought about it, the timing of Ally McCoist’s attack on the main shareholder (who probably still has the same investors behind him) was either calculated really badly or really well.
An EGM has been called for. This may lead to a boardroom re-shuffle, with Green overtly in control again. (I doubt he ever lost it as the CEO and the Financial Director are his people). Could the manager survive in those circumstances. Or would he have to be gotten rid of.
Does he in fact want out of it without actually walking away. Is this his way out, making himself unemployable by the club.
Night Terror says:
August 4, 2013 at 9:41 pm
Were you ever the compere on The Good Old Days 😀 We are talking TV programme here not Ibrox pre CW
@slim
You may be right about Steerpike’s provenance. I’m not sure either way.
Given that she is an essentially lone voice on here and open to receiving vigorous and multiple arguments in response, or indeed being ignored, I don’t really see what the problem is, even if it is Jack Irvine Himself.
Is it so much to expect that opinions reasonably expressed are encouraged rather than blocked when they are in the minority or on a topic few care to get excited about?
Night Terror says:
August 4, 2013 at 9:55 pm
… even if it is Jack Irvine Himself.
==========================
Flippin’ heck I didn’t realise that Mr Irvine deserved “Himself”.
” The problem Govan has is they cannot and will not accept that the newco is not in the same league at their old team. They spend as we know like oldco (but maybe not for long, Charlie says) and the WATP attitude is like a noose around their neck. They think it is their divine right to be simply the best. ”
———————————————————————————————————————————————
I believe reducing the players wage bill by 75% is indicative of a club facing the commercial realities of low tier football but I accept there is some way to go.
Divine rights, WATP and Simply the Best really don’t come into the minds of realistic Rangers fans, I leave the schoolboy chanting to those in need of nurture.
briggsbhoy says:
August 4, 2013 at 9:54 pm
You’ve lost me, but the answer is no unless I’m very much confused.
Anyway, I’ve had my predictable free-speech say yet again, and will now retreat to my viewing gantry. No, not under a bridge.
Steerpike says:
August 4, 2013 at 9:59
I believe reducing the players wage bill by 75% is indicative of a club facing the commercial realities of low tier football but I accept there is some way to go.
====================================
Rangers didn’t do that though. The players walking away did that.
Charles Green CEO at the time, tried to force them to transfer over to the new club. Had he managed to do it then they would have been entitled to the same terms and conditions as they had (like McCoist et al). Charles Green wanted the wage bill to be the same as before.
You really need to try not re-writing history.
” One does not need to be a linguistic expert to notice that from the tone and content, contributions from Steerpike were no spontaneous remarks in the context of what was being discussed in the blog. ”
Good Evening slim,
I think my little NIKE faux pas clearly demonstrates I am not infallible, and my spin on things is as spontaneous as anyone elses, I am not ignorant of the affairs of Rangers just not an expert.
Night Terror says:
August 4, 2013 at 9:55 pm
Is it so much to expect that opinions reasonably expressed are encouraged rather than blocked when they are in the minority or on a topic few care to get excited about?
—————————————
My understanding is that he is not blocked. I agree with you, this is not the best way. The best way is to do what I did after a lie became clear, ignore and don’t read any further posts or responses to those posts.
The problem is this, if you tell a blatant lie but you do it in a polite and respectful manner, is that still acceptable?
Not in my world, never has been and I hope my circumstances never change to the extent that it does.
To the mods, I won’t do this again, however as a one off can I remind chaps that Sportscene is back tonight. Just in case anyone forgets with the new season just started.
======================================
SPORT: Sportscene
Time: 22:25 to 23:10 (45 minutes long)
Jonathan Sutherland introduces highlights of the weekend’s matches in the new Scottish Professional Football League, with comment on and analysis of the week’s main talking points. The studio guests are Michael Stewart and Steven Thompson.
===================================
Carry on
” Charles Green CEO at the time, tried to force them to transfer over to the new club. Had he managed to do it then they would have been entitled to the same terms and conditions as they had (like McCoist et al). Charles Green wanted the wage bill to be the same as before.”
…….or Charles Green wanted them on his asset books to sell and make money, he also did not anticipate expulsion from the SPL, history is never just a case of black and white, I do not believe CG’s business plan involved a 20 million wage bill in the 4th tier of Scottish football and no Europe for 3 years, and I have 20 million reasons to believe this.
Perceiving the intent behind any action is a matter of pure speculation, we both speculate differently.
briggsbhoy says:
August 4, 2013 at 9:54 pm
Were you ever the compere on The Good Old Days
—————————————————————
Ah, the incomperable Leonard Sachs – “And now ladies and gentlemen, for your delectation …”
FIFA says:
August 4, 2013 at 7:53 pm
,but who gave Charles the gig.
_____________
no one has been able to answer that either on here FF or RM
surely old watty must have had some say in it as the chairman
andy says:
August 4, 2013 at 10:27 pm
=================================
I think to describe Mr Smith’s position as titular would not be unfair.
I wouldn’t imagine he has much say in the actual running of the club. He is there as a sop to the support. The one man in the World they can trust absolutely is Chairman of the club.
upthehoops says:
August 4, 2013 at 6:45 pm
‘..need a Fergus McCann type more than ever, but everyone in the club and support needs to get real in terms of their expectations. Will they?’
——
Short answer, No.
Why?
Two reasons:
Firstly, there is not a shred of integrity covering the naked ars.s of any and all of the sharks competing for easy personal pickings from the ruin that a once (overly)-proud Football club became, and which the SFA handed, courtesy of a very conflicted administration midwife, to the bastard child of another entity.
No decent businessman of integrity would sully his hands and besmirch his good name by touching that entity as a serious proposition.
Secondly, the evidence is there for all to see that the hubris and arrogance of the Support’s mindset, moulded and shaped by a century and more of incessant indoctrination ( and, latterly, by very questionable ‘success’) has left them psychologically incapable of distinguishing between charlatan and genuine ‘saviour’, if any such were magically to appear.
The supporters of other football clubs , including Celtic, have hopes and expectations.
They do not now, and never ever have had, the chutzpah to believe that their hopes and expectations MUST, by some immutable law of nature ( or the handiness of revolving doors) , be realised as a matter of right.
The reminder ( in earlier posts today, which I was glad to be reminded of) of Adam’s shocking treatment when he tried , by going public, to sound alarm bells all those years ago,and the unbelievably gullible and cant-accepting attitude of the majority of contributors to the personal wealth of the SDMs , CWs,Greens etc etc, tell the world that there is actually no hope of a Fergus McCann type saviour appearing, or of such a saviour being seriously listened to.
Because he would have to burst big bubbles and tell big, hard Truths.
Rather, they are listening , unlike the children of Hamelin , to the pipes of not one but many piedpipers, and, like those children, are about to be led into extinction.
Here’s a couple of more articles concerning last week on the blog:
Media affairs
—————-
Rangers PR representatives, Media House, continued to make an impact on the blog headlines:
First, I fear we have to be very cautious because so far all we have seen is a document via Charlotte the Harlot which shows that MH stated that they “briefed” someone at the BBC.
The fact remains that if Celtic have been founded say by a Breton, or a Welshman, and from time to time the fans sang a Breton or Welsh song in his honour, it would not be an issue.
Immediately led onto a brief discussion concerning the Celtic songbook: Then:
I would consider Pat Nevin to be one of the few Scottish football media pundits who views are not drip fed to them by vested interests or “PR” companies.
In the back channels I knew that rob was instructed to say what he said.
The national broadcaster, operating under royal charter and funded from the public purse. Partly from licence fees. In short, we pay for it.
Another opinion would be:
…any of you who would be so foolish as to write honest opinions would be out on the streets looking for another job.
I doubt that Roy Greenslade’s intervention will change anything,
Equally despondent:
I can’t find too much objectionable in CtH’s latest leak than point 6 of Irvine’s email; Clearly he wants to photographs of members of HMRC published in a downmarket tabloid. In the pond that is the west of Scotland, such an action if carried through would equate to an action likely to cause a breach of the peace.
An interesting cross-fertilisation of PR and business provoked:
Considering the media were partially blamed for not asking the hard questions prior to the collapse of RFC it seems strange they are asking none now.
Something doesn’t add up here and unfortunately for newco I think it is the bottom line in the profit and loss ledger.
Just as cynically:
I’ve often wondered about the claims that the MSM print negative or disruptive stories about opponents of Rangers, or TRFC, in the run up to matches, and whether or not it has the desired effect. Well, there’s the proof, straight from the horses mouth.
On a jollier note to end:
It looks as if a bag of squirrels have been let loose
Political events
——————
Earlier precedents were brought to recollection when scrutinising the new SPFL rules regime:
I think the SFL decision re [Rangers] admission was always via a vote of members
So I’m thinking “So you no longer trust the clubs to reach the desired result and fear them reaching the just result.
This concerned the SPFL board: I sense mitigation in the air:
Call me an old cynic, but I’ll believe it when I see it. Transitional year, other priorities, reconstruction, changing landscape, take your pick from a list of excuses as long as your arm,
Derry City do indeed appear twice in the coefficient list. Rangers will too if they ever qualify for a European mention.
Seemed pretty clear but just to be sure:
2 Derry City’s
In effect UEFA are saying liquidation after administration is an indicator of sporting advantage gained and it would be against sporting integrity to allow any club to benefit from co efficient points gained as a result of operating outwith UEFA financial fair play principles.
Never needing an invitation to underscore a point:
By 30th June the key date for an item becoming an overdue payable it had definitely crystalised, was definitely over due and did not meet the criteria for designating it as not an overdue payable.
This concerning Rangers UEFA licence 2011: As someone commented however, this has more twists and turns than a twisty turny thing. Witness:
The new SPFL web site have got Rangers founded 1872 instead of 2012, yet have Airdrieonians founded 2002?
Strangely:
I thought Clydebank were older than that!
All this before a hypothetical The Rangers application to get into Europe early:
ANNEX IV: Extraordinary application of the club licensing system
Other News:
Spier’s article on Ogilvie was a searing piece of investigative journalism. Well done Graham.
Firstly Spiers in the Herald on CO …honestly if I had not read it myself on the Herald website I would have sworn that was a spoof article
except it was £150,000, not £95,000.
Referred to the equivalent taxed income that Mr. Ogilvie’s EBT owed equivalence: Just in case you forgot:
This suggests that not only did SFA not apply the UEFA rules properly but they also aided Rangers in depriving HMRC and UK taxpayer of £2.8m that most certainly was due.
Reading CF’s latest info on the RFC training schedules from 2011 and am genuinely shocked at the lack of actual training hours involved. No wonder Scottish football is in such a mess if this is replicated across the country.
Maybe our professional players should be more accurately described as the part timers.
Someone please reassure me that other clubs do things differently, or will I get an argument that two and a half hours a day of training is all thats possible for professional footballers to avoid overdoing it?
Tif Finn says:
August 4, 2013 at 9:40 pm
If you check the Newcastle FC site, they dont have wednesday’s game in their fixture list, and that was at beginning of last week!!
Could be time for history to repeat itself! http://tinyurl.com/prk2ppc