On Grounds for Judicial Review

While the proposed Judicial Review of the LNS decision is to be welcomed it is a position that is fraught with legal difficulties such as the capacity to raise the proceedings, potential time bars and all sorts of other arguments.

It would be complete folly to base an argument here solely upon a judicial review of LNS as that would only leave one string to the bow.

Further, take the stated opinion or Mr Rod McKenzie that LNS only dealt with the issue of Player Registrations within the SPL/SPFL — and nothing else.

Any analysis of what is meant by that statement (and others made by Neil Doncaster) leads to the conclusion that there are other matters to be considered which were outwith the tight and narrow remit handed to LNS by the SPFL.

For me, the clearest consideration is this.

1. Craig Whyte has already been personally convicted by the SFA for deliberately failing to pay taxes as and when they fall due under article 5.1 of the SFA rules.

2. No such charge has ever been levied against RFC — just against their CEO.

3. Not only did RFC fail to pay taxes as and when they became due under Whyte’s watch, they deliberately failed to pay taxes for a 13 year period under the stewardship of Sir David Murray. They did this by deliberately entering into two unlawful tax aggressive tax avoidance schemes which even their advisers warned them could only be undertaken at considerable risk to the club as the schemes were never guaranteed to be successful.

4. Those schemes were entered into so that the club could buy players they would otherwise not have afforded.

5. In furtherance of those schemes, RFC chose to deliberately withhold the full details of their contractual arrangements with both players and managers from both the SFA and the SPL when submitting their applications to play under licence and in terms of the rules of both organisations.

6. In each of the years concerned, RFC had to apply for both domestic and European Licences to play football, and it is the granting of these licences which allows any football club to play in structured competition organised under the auspices of, or with the approval of, the SFA or UEFA.

7. Each and every licence application as submitted to the SFA in the knowledge that key financial and contractual information had been excluded in furtherance of tax avoidance purposes, and tax, which has since been declared to be legitimately due and payable from 1999 onwards, was unpaid and remains unpaid.

8. The above processes and procedures are no different, and indeed are considerably worse, breaches of article 5.1 under which Whyte was personally convicted and fined.

9. Further, as part of the HMRC investigations into the use of unlawful tax schemes, RFC deliberately lied to HMRC, SFA and SPL about the existence of side letters and other contractual documentation. This is particularly so in relation to the annual application for a playing licence.

On 20th May 2011, HMRC, in relation to one of the tax schemes, wrote to RFC and accused the club of “deliberate and fraudulent” behaviour in relation to the continued submission of false PAYE and NIC returns over a period of years.

10. It, therefore, follows that each and every application for a football licence made by RFC to the SFA from 2000 onwards (at least) was based on falsified financial, contractual and tax information and was designed to mislead the SFA with a view to persuading them to grant a licence on misrepresented grounds.

11. Not only is the above a breach of article 5.1 of the SFA handbook, but any licence obtained by misrepresentation has not been validly obtained as it has been obtained by way of false representation and deception.

12. It is a pre-requisite of entry into any league competition that the participating club holds a valid licence to play football.

13. In the event that a club did not or should not have held/hold a valid licence to play, that same club is not free to enter structured competition or register players to participate in such competition. It also follows that any declaration of a result of 0-3 in relation to any particular game as a result of a rule breach (such as fielding an ineligible player) is of no consequence because the club concerned was not eligible to participate at all.

14. The Court of Arbitration for Sport has already been invited by UEFA to hold that any application for a licence or any other compliance submission, which is devoid of all necessary financial and contractual information should be treated as null and void and as never having been received.

15. The same Court has also held that any title, championship, award, record, reward or other benefit which has been gained as a result of an improper or prohibited process should not be allowed to stand, the records of the award etc should be expunged and the sporting records corrected accordingly.

None of the above is dependent on a successful review of LNS but goes hand in hand with that process.

In the forthcoming review of Scottish Football recently announced by the SPFL, in conjunction with the SFA, all of the above should be under consideration.

LNS, under review, may determine that the players were in fact not eligible, but much more fundamental is the fact that there are clear facts and circumstances which should mean that the club itself was never eligible in terms of established legal jurisprudence.

As had been pointed out by Rod McKenzie, none of this has been considered by the SPFL as all matters concerning a licence are solely under the jurisdiction of the SFA.

Thus far, the SFA have taken no action against RFC or any of its officials as a result of the clubs involvement in, and cover up of, the Big Tax Case or the Wee Tax Case – both of which will be the subject of the forthcoming review demanded by Celtic and others.

541 thoughts on “On Grounds for Judicial Review


  1. Paddy,
    You obviously have not read or remember many of my previous posts.  I am against IRA songs being sung at football matches, against smoke bombs/flares.  Against political banners.  I was merely posting smileys for a close result, but 3 points nonetheless.  I love watching Celtic play football. No more no less.


  2. BTW, I would have no problem with the Green Brigade hoisting banners about corruption and cheating in the Scottish game, but you don’t see that very often.  They have got their priorities wrong.  Call out Regan & Doncaster, the club reps at Hampdump.


  3. At the risk of raising the ire of the Celtic-facing posters and readers who make up the vast majority on here, is anyone capable of interpreting Andrew Dallas’ bizarre decision not to award the Jags a stonewall penalty last night as anything other than “because they’re just a wee diddy team”?


  4. HIGHLANDER
    AUGUST 12, 2017 at 09:59
    ================================

    I thought this site wasn’t about discussing specific games or even worse specific decisions.

    However as that obviously isn’t the case any more I will answer your question, no ire involved, I just don’t think it was a penalty. 


  5. I didn’t actually hear the old rebel song book being aired last night – I was listening on the radio – but by all accounts it was in full flow.

    Until there is significant damage done to the club in the form of points or severe financial penalties or ground closure, I honestly don’t think it will change. And this is not going to happen under the current system.

    Because this IS the preferred business model for those that run Scottish Football.

    When they tell us we need a strong Rangers, what they mean is they need a vicious sectarian backdrop to escalate the tension and selling power of the so-called old firm.

    This is the bright new future the SFA are trying to sell us. Might be familiar. Looks a hell of a lot like the dark past.

    I listened to the build up show on Radio Scotland last night. They were salivating over the Rangers Hibs game today, with the focus firmly on Neil Lennon returning to Ibrox and the reaction that would engender with the loyal hordes.

    Honestly you could hear them get breathless with excitement.

    About what?

    About the fact that a single Irish man is going to face a stadium of bigots howling to be up to their knees in his blood.

    If you are not disgusted then there is something wrong with you.

    Several years ago now, we predicted on this site that the return of a zombie Rangers club would be accompanied by a huge rise in the sectarian knuckledragging. We were right.

    So it is against this backdrop that I view the resurgence in rebel songs amongst our support. It never went away, but I think it is getting worse.

    We have been shown clearly that the bigots and those that would exploit it are still firmly in charge of the game in this country.

    Does this excuse it?

    Not at all. Our guys belting out the old war songs are being played for absolute fools.

    They are playing right into the hands of the guys that are trying to mug them. They are confirming the business model of selling Scottish Football on the back of a poisonous Old Firm built on anti-Irish bigotry.

    How does this affect everyone else, all the other teams?

    Know your place diddies.

    Your role is to play the permanently outraged. You are to complain about both cheeks etc etc.You can gloss over the rather important differences between political and sectrian singing if you like. That is also a traditional role in what has always been a three way conflict.

    But please also realise, you are also to remain diddies at all times and accept that your teams will never be able to compete with the Old Firm.

    You are to accept failure on the field in return for a sense of permanent moral superiority.

    This is the business model. This is why it is toxic for everyone.

    This is why we must clear out the SFA and start again.


  6. HOMUNCULUS
    AUGUST 12, 2017 at 11:11

    HIGHLANDER
    AUGUST 12, 2017 at 09:59

    ================================

    I thought this site wasn’t about discussing specific games or even worse specific decisions.

    Does that rule only apply when it’s not Celtic who are the aggrieved party, as I seem to recall vociferous arguments lasting for days when Leigh Griffiths’ goalbound header was blocked by the hand of Josh Meekings in a cup semi-final?

    We castigate Rangers for supposedly being the beneficiaries of an inordinately high number of questionable decisions, yet seem incapable of acknowledging that Celtic too get far more than their fair share of dodgy decisions in games against so-called lesser opposition, last night’s non-penalty award being a case in point.

    Weight of numbers shouldn’t come into a referees decision making, nor should it affect our ability to remain impartial on this site. 


  7. HighlanderAugust 12, 2017 at 09:59 
    At the risk of raising the ire of the Celtic-facing posters and readers who make up the vast majority on here, is anyone capable of interpreting Andrew Dallas’ bizarre decision not to award the Jags a stonewall penalty last night as anything other than “because they’re just a wee diddy team”?

    Highlander i thought it was astonewaller and i am a Celtic fan. i do not think it was because it was a wee diddy team which Thistle are not and Dallas is not doing favours. I saw the incident and first and last reaction, pen all day long, why it was not given watch again, the guy goes down like a big cissy and the Ref thinks he is been conned.
    Thats the problem now with football you see so much fake decisions players now go out of their way to convince the ref.Go back to the decision against Celtic v Ross county when the guy goes down no contact at all and pen given, replay shows ref conned decision still stands, now go forward and refs are not giving pens for acting, had the guy went down natrually he would have had the decision which IMO was a penalty i would have had no qualms about it. So do not go down the route wee diddy team etc we have a good league, but we have fraudsters and con men watch Lafferty at Hearts fecking ballet dancer.


  8. HIGHLANDER
    AUGUST 12, 2017 at 13:14
    ================================

    It’s not a matter for me to speak for other people, however it is my understanding the the people who run the blog don’t (or didn’t) want it to be about specific football matches or incidents. If that is now not the case fair enough. I am more than happy to discuss specific incidents if that is OK.

    Last nights “non-penalty award” was because it wasn’t a penalty. Clearly you disagree, fair enough. 

    “Weight of numbers shouldn’t come into a referees decision making, nor should it affect our ability to remain impartial on this site.”

    I agree.


  9. BIGBOAB1916AUGUST 12, 2017 at 13:26
    =======================

    A reporter on Sportsound raised the issue of last night’s penalty claim with Martin Canning before the Hamilton game, asking whether small clubs don’t get decisions late in games.  Canning quite rightly pointed out if that was the case why did Ross County get one late in the game last season against Celtic when the player wasn’t even touched.  Like you I believe the theatrics of the player last night went against him when the Ref had to make a decision. A grade 1 official of my acquaintance often says how much easier their job would be if players did not cheat, or exaggerate situations.  


  10. upthehoopsAugust 12, 2017 at 15:18
    ‘…..A grade 1 official of my acquaintance often says how much easier their job would be if players did not cheat, or exaggerate situations. ‘
    _________
    And of course, how much easier things would also be if the Football Authorities themselves did not cheat or countenance cheating.


  11. JOHN CLARKAUGUST 12, 2017 at 15:27  And of course, how much easier things would also be if the Football Authorities themselves did not cheat or countenance cheating.

    Indeed John!


  12. Interestingly the BBC have asked us all to judge that decision on their website. The arguements will run ad infinitum but on the basis of what they’ve shown it appears to me at least that Craig Gordon connects with his centre halfs left leg causing him to stumble into the forward who then goes over. The referee obviously doesn’t have that view or the luxury of time to make the call. One thing though, that decision has overshadowed what was a very dull game.


  13. Sorry for starting this-I was just letting off steam . And I don’t think it was a penalty . Would have been if Storey touched the ball,imo .


  14. Just a little rant or letting off steam. Tried to place a bet with a well known bookmaker who sponsor the SPFL.
    Their rangers v hibs football coupon never had the score i wanted to put on 3-2 to hibs in the hibs section of their coupon but they did have if the other way round(maybe they never thought it could happen) so i had to write it on a betting slip.
    Ha ha to them.Don’t know the odds but i will collect tomorrow and have a small glass as i expect the odds to be rather good. note to said bookmakers this is not the rangers of old,so i will gladly collect on my better odds that you are giving every other team not to get a result against the ibrox club until you wake up and smell the roses


  15. Cluster OneAugust 12, 2017 at 21:09
    ‘…(maybe they never thought it could happen).’
    _________
    Maybe Ladbroke’s will  go to the Court of Session to argue that it wasn’t ‘Rangers’ that lost, but another team called TRFC Ltd.19


  16. I will collect tomorrow before any Court of Session opens on monday12
    thats what they get for allowing gambling on a Sunday you can also collect on a sunday


  17. Well the guy showed no fear, nor his side, and called it for what it is, an ordinary team with a dead teams stuff bought at a a boot sale


  18. Cluster OneAugust 12, 2017 at 21:55
    ‘…I will collect tomorrow ..’
    ___________
    I wish you may find that you have done rather well!
    ( The way the money was going, I think the odds against Hibs winning 3-2 would be in the region of 20/1)
    But what do I know, whose only betting experience is never to have drawn the winner of the grand national in the office sweepstake in those far off days when I worked!


  19. I’m very worried about ‘The Clumpany’ he hasn’t posted since 28 July.  Hope he is OK. 1717


  20. CLUSTER ONEAUGUST 12, 2017 at 21:09  
    Just a little rant or letting off steam. Tried to place a bet with a well known bookmaker who sponsor the SPFL.

    =====================

    I had a tenner on Hibs to win at 7-2 – £45 returned. I didn’t believe the press Rangers were getting having watched their 90 minutes against Motherwell last week.  The media seem desperate for Rangers to overtake Celtic. In that case why are they not desperate for Aberdeen, Hearts or Hibs to do the same?


  21. jimbo
    August 13, 2017 at 00:42
    I’m very worried about ‘The Clumpany’ he hasn’t posted since 28 July. Hope he is OK.
    ————————————————————————————– 

    Noticed that, however he seems to be active on twitter ?
     
    Fr. Paul Stone‏ @FrPaulStone 1h1 hour ago
    More
    Fr. Paul Stone Retweeted The Clumpany
    Fr Dougal Maguire – “That would be an ecumenical matter”. Pedro Caixinha – “We are the people”. Safe phrases for when you’re caught cold.https://t.co/t3Au10XhtA
    Fr. Paul Stone added,
    /TheClumpany/status/896679137531883520

    The Clumpany @TheClumpany
    Replying to @FrPaulStone
    It really is a very very very special moment…
    2 replies . 2 retweets 12 likes


  22. TBB on13TH AUGUST 2017 10:57 AM    on CQN.
    Given this took four years to figure out, the 2000 words it took to write it up isn’t so long:      
              https://someoldhat.wordpress.com/2017/08/10/uberrima-fides-the-utmost-good-faith/  

    ======%==    
    Auldheid
    A most informative read which gives an idea why no charge of dishonesty (failing to act with the upmost good faith) has never been made.    
    How could anyone or any club who had acted so for ten years or more be allowed SFA or SFL membership?    
    How could the transfer of the SFA Membership of such a dishonest club be allowed under SFA discretion?  
      How all of that happened to allow what appears to be an uncontrite entity entry into Scottish football should be something a JR would look at.
        Were serious aspects overlooked by the SFA and SPL when setting up both the SFA Judicial Panel that only looked at behaviour from 6th May 2011 and the LNS Commission who never looked at the dishonesty aspect of DOS and BTC ebts because they were not asked to?  
      Would stripping titles be an aknowledgement such dishonesty took place hence reluctance?    
    It’s not as if the Phoenix club can be expelled now is it?    
    Time fix our game  now by stopping to pretend that anything but excessive  dishonesty took place and apply relevant sporting sanctions.


  23. As a result of the upmost good faith article by TBB there is an explanation as to why Art 5.1 f was not part of Judicial Panel charges v Rangers from 1999. 
    That particular clause only appeared in SPL rules at that time.
    However Art 5.1 (a) was in SFA Articles requiring clubs to act with integrity in sporting manner and  recognise fair play.
    So when SFA passed the LNS ball to the SPL why did they not insist on Art 5.1 (a)being part of the ToRs and why did the SPL, whose lawyer authored the SPL rules that include the upmost good faith, not include a charge under the SPL equivalent in the LNS ToRs? 
    Funny how the folk who knew the rules inside out managed to swerve the most obvious ones.


  24. I’ll be interested to see if the compliance officer decides to take action against Neil Lennon for gesturing towards the Rangers fans yesterday. I think we all know why he would want to do it, but equally so I’m sure he knew that he was being deliberately provocative. If the SFA is consistent, then he should be sanctioned.  Pat Fenlon was given a 4 game ban (2 suspended) for gesturing towards the Hearts fans at the 2012 cup final.

    I also note that Club 1872 has also issued their expected statement applauding Rangers fans for their “restraint”.


  25. JOHN CLARKAUGUST 12, 2017 at 23:11
    I wish you may find that you have done rather well!
    —————-
    Double Carpet, and the glass is now half full19


  26. I love football.  But I also love  music
    Listening to some wonderful stuff on R. Shortbread..


  27. EASYJAMBOAUGUST 13, 2017 at 17:47  
    I’ll be interested to see if the compliance officer decides to take action against Neil Lennon for gesturing towards the Rangers fans yesterday. I think we all know why he would want to do it, but equally so I’m sure he knew that he was being deliberately provocative. If the SFA is consistent, then he should be sanctioned.  Pat Fenlon was given a 4 game ban (2 suspended) for gesturing towards the Hearts fans at the 2012 cup final.
    I also note that Club 1872 has also issued their expected statement applauding Rangers fans for their “restraint”.

    =======================

    I imagine bombs and bullets in the post, being kicked unconscious in the street, and years of racist and sectarian abuse directed towards him might just lie behind his actions. The SFA may well sanction Lennon, but Rangers fans have a damned cheek to complain. 


  28. UPTHEHOOPSAUGUST 13, 2017 at 19:10 EASYJAMBOAUGUST 13, 2017 at 17:47  

    Of course both of you are correct. Lennon has had to put up with a lot but that doesn’t excuse him from being punished if the rules are to be applied in a consistent manner.
    Not seen all the action on the TV but listening to the radio yesterday it appears there were a number of sendings off resulting for physical retaliation to rough or professional fouls. The refs seemed to have applied the rules consistently re Jack and Goncalves being shown the red card. Tit for tat retribution is apparently not acceptable.

    This type of consistency is what we have all been calling out for so we all know where we stand.

    I note Club 1872 have made a statement and so they too will no doubt be willing to support the call for  consistency with regards to other offences they note within our game.

    However, given they are so far up their own arses, the shit in their eyes doesn’t always give them a clear view of the bigger picture.


  29. Cluster OneAugust 13, 2017 at 17:59
    ‘….Double Carpet,..’
    ______
    Ha ha, C1, I had to look that up!
    Delighted for you. 04


  30. WOTTPIAUGUST 13, 2017 at 19:23  
    Of course both of you are correct. Lennon has had to put up with a lot but that doesn’t excuse him from being punished if the rules are to be applied in a consistent manner.

    ———————————————

    I’m sure the Compliance Officer will be on the case – it’s Neil Lennon after all. As for rules being applied in a consistent manner though, where do you begin with that. In Lennon’s case the SFA already have previous for trying to give him a six match ban when their rules did not allow for it. Celtic had to employ the late Paul McBride QC to point that out to them. Lennon was also done by the SFA for swearing. How many other managers does that happen to? 

    Lennon is on record as saying he feels he does not get a fair deal in Scotland. Personally I feel he has a point. 


  31. WOTTPIAUGUST 13, 2017 at 19:23       15 Votes 
    UPTHEHOOPSAUGUST 13, 2017 at 19:10 EASYJAMBOAUGUST 13, 2017 at 17:47  
    Of course both of you are correct. Lennon has had to put up with a lot but that doesn’t excuse him from being punished if the rules are to be applied in a consistent manner.
    ———————-
    I hope the rules on fan Behavior at ibrox have been applied. Remember when celtic played them the fans sectarian singing, fan on the pitch and objects thrown. the punishment they got for that would see the ibrox fans behave themselves and we would not see that happening again this season.
    Ah feck one home game in and they do it again.
    Remind me again what punishment did the SFA/spfl give the ibrox club after the fans Behavior at the celtic game? 
    The inaction by the SFA/SPFL is there for all to see


  32. JOHN CLARKAUGUST 13, 2017 at 19:33       2 Votes 
    Cluster OneAugust 13, 2017 at 17:59‘….Double Carpet,..’______Ha ha, C1, I had to look that up!Delighted for you.
    ————
    We all learn something new everyday at SFM04


  33. If only they would urged the police and football authorities to investigate the conduct of their own fans. Now that would be a statement. If indeed Club 1872 speak on behalf of the club? Being 2nd biggest shareholders and all that.


  34. I love this site.  I learn so much.  But I also love football chat.  I feel out of sorts at times on here, I try to hold back.  So I go on to JA 606 a lot.  A mixed bunch.  Some very funny posters, some excellent ones too.  Tonight ‘Smid’ ( a bear) gives review of The Rangers game – it was class.  Uncle Tom Cobley does the same for Celtic reviews.  They are worth waiting for.  Dundee Utd, fan Ivan is well worth a listen and the Aberdeen fan Gillhous too.

    Too many to mention on here, you know who you are.


  35. This posted on RM about club 1872 statement on Neil Lennon one of the less inflammatory comments, I will refrain from comment. 

    The guy deepened the sectarian divide in this country with his immature behaviour, the c*nt had bullets and a bomb posted to him and still causes trouble, he should be getting warned by the polis let alone the SFA
    The country was better without him but he’s determined to cause trouble 


  36. jimboAugust 14, 2017 at 02:34
    ‘….I love this site. I learn so much. But I also love football chat. I feel out of sorts at times on here, I try to hold back.  ‘
    _____________
    We all feel out of sorts, Jimbo, that our football governance should have let a cheating SDM get away with his cheating, and presently keeps propagating the Big Lie that that cheating club did not die the death of liquidation.
    The cheats would like nothing more than for this blog (and others like it) to shut up and move on , and become merely a yah-boo football site.
    For as long as TRFC Ltd are treated as ,and ‘honoured’ as, the old RFC(now in Liquidation ), Scottish Football is living a lie. and who the hell can be bothered helping it to live that lie?
    That has to be in the forefront of our minds at all times, until the lie is disavowed and honesty and true sporting integrity is restored to our game.


  37. Pat ByrneAugust 14, 2017 at 10:50
    ‘…Cracks showing in level 5?…’
    __________________
    “but in this game respect has to be earned.” -so says perhaps the most unrespected sports journalist who  worshipped unquestioningly at the feet of CW, and accepted every bit of guff that came from the Scottish Football Authorities , and from  Charles Green, the Administrators, LNS, and subsequent Ibrox boards to date.
    The one and only Radar.!
    ( No, correction, the first Radar was in MASH so oor Keef has to be identified by his “off the radar wealth” unresearched and unfounded assertion about Cw’s finances)


  38. PAT BYRNEAUGUST 14, 2017 at 09:19

    “The country was better without him but he’s determined to cause trouble ”
                  
                        Typical. So where do they want him to go? Back home ? He gets the same shite in his own part of the country as well so what’s the guy to do ? Threatened at home, threatened in Scotland. If only he just “behaved” himself……..


  39. Re: the compliance officer and Sevco vs Hibs on Saturday.

    Be very interesting to see the report from this match.

    Certainly seems like Neil Lennon reacted to something from the crowd.

    Could it be that, like every other time he has had to go to that venue to fulfill contractual commitments as either a player or manager of a football team, he has been subjected to sectarian and racial abuse by a vocal majority of the home support directed directly at him?

    I see the argument for possible sanctions against him following the letter of the law of the sport.

    However…

    What sanctions would be in force against the perpetrators of the prior hate crime?

    What steps will Rangers, the SPFL, or the SFA take to tackle those that carried out this criminal act?

    Is there CCTV available? Home crowd, names on season tickets etc?

    What steps did or will Police Scotland take to tackle this hate crime?

    If Neil Lennon is the subject of disciplinary action of any sort he should raise a complaint with his employer about the disgraceful working conditions he had to endure on Saturday. He should demand to know what action they took to make it a safe place of work and what steps they will take to do so in future. And Hibs should raise the matter, on his behalf, with the SPFL, the SFA and Police Scotland.

    See? It is easy to make these kinds of arguments in a case like this.

    What is truly disturbing, is how one-sided the discussion is in our newspapers and on the TV coverage.

    The press / TV and the people running our sport got what they wanted on Saturday – a nice bit of ‘controversy’ based upon one Irish man standing up to a crowd of 40,000 plus howling sectarian abuse at him.

    This is the business model in action. This is the great future secured by keeping Sevco within the league structure.

    Want to get rid of this sickness in our game? Clear out the SFA, stop buying the papers and demand better from our national broadcaster.


  40. Latest effort from Keef;

    “Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un would fit right into the mad world of Scottish football – Keith Jackson…”

    And likewise,
    Keef and the SMSM would fit right into the mad world of North Korean state-controlled media.

    Happy to copy / paste whatever their masters tell them to, under their own name.

    [But Keef would have stiffer competition in North Korea for winning the ‘bestest’ sports journalist of the year.]

    222222


  41. ZILCHAUGUST 14, 2017 at 14:13

    If he was reacting to abuse and thrown objects from the people in the seats behind the dugouts, maybe it would be better if that area was closed for any game he was involved in . Or maybe the whole scenario could be avoided if the stewards and Police Scotland did their jobs  . I include our stewarding and policing at Firhill in this as there was no attempt to deal with the people with pyros on Friday night .


  42. I’ll recount the story again that I recall hearing from (I think it was Dundee Utd fans) who saw a pre-season friendly against Leicester. The visiting flame haried midfielder was putting in both tough and niggly tackles, he was in the refs face from the off mumping and moaning and it didn’t take long for the home fans to mark the man as someone they didn’t like too much. At that point they did not know his name, his religion or where he came from. He was just a ginger nyaff making life difficult for the home side. It was of course Neil Lennon.

    As a player he was one of those you may like to have on your side but disliked for being in the opposition.

    Most folk have these issues be it a footballer, a TV presenter a band/musician or an actor.

    Whoever it is gives us the boke and it can sometimes be for the most illogical reasons.

    However very few of us wish any harm to those we may dislike, especially when the chances of coming across them in real life is possibly few and far between.

    When football teams are littered with ‘characters’ that bring out the worst in opposition fans, and managers who moan at the drop of a hat (soor poose Jim Jeffries comes immediately to mind) one has to wonder why Neil Lennon has been subjected to such an extreme reaction that has resulted in assaults and horrible threats.

    It is of course all down to what has been described as Scotland’s shame and indeed our football’s shame.

    Our authorities had a golden chance in 2012 to deal with the  arrogant, bigoted,  supremacist attitude of entitlement that has long wafted through the corridors of Ibrox.

    I have no doubt that there are many good people who attend Ibrox who would like nothing better than to divorce themselves from this nonsense and just go along and watch their team play football.

    However the statement on behalf of a major shareholding group in the company that owns the club and also has the plc company secretary on its board, shows that the attitudes to the ‘Lennon problem’ and the total lack of self awareness with regard to, what any normal person sees as, their far more major problem is embedded within the higher echelons of the organisation. 

    Until someone in authority has the guts to stand up an tell it how it is this situation will go on and on and unfortunately people like Neil Lennon will be at the sharp end.

    The likes of Regan and Doncaster said there would be Armageddon if Rangers of old didn’t continue.

    Personally I believe it is already Armageddon when a football manager in this country, who has already been attacked twice, continues to receive death threats and other vile abuse that goes beyond the realms of normal football banter.

    If the current level of success and dominance continues we will no doubt see another manager being subjected to similar treatment this season.

    What exactly will it take for those in power to see sense when, as so well put by Zilch above, a man cannot go to his place of work without fear of attack.

    There is one big bad and suppurating apple in the Scottish game and it needs to be dealt with, not only for the actions of the old club but the way in which the new club is apparently going.

    Also, as has been said plenty times before the decent Rangers fans need to step up and talk back control from the idiots and crooks they have allowed to gain power within their beloved club.

    There is loyalty but there is also blind stupidity.

    I can’t believe there are 50,000 such hateful people heading to Govan every second Saturday.

    If there are,  then heaven help us.


  43. While I am on I noted that the guy Willie Vass, who does take excellent photos of all things T’Rangers, had an image of both Johnson and King in the directors box at the weekend. We must have missed the ‘jetting in’ headlines.

    That got me thinking we seem to hear a lot from Phil Mac about intercontinental conference  and Skype sessions (or not as is allegedly often the case)  but from what I can recall, very little is divulged when the big players are actually in town. 

    Just wondering why that should be the case? Maybe I’m wrong in my impression?

    Maybe if Phi is tuning in he could enlighten us, without of course endangering his sources.


  44. Pat ByrneAugust 14, 2017 at 10:50  
    Cracks showing in level 5? can anyone enlighten us on the press walk out at ibrox k jackson refers to.http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/donald-trump-kim-jong-un-10982768
    _____________________

    Cracks showing? Or is it just the case that Jackson and his mates are a bit miffed that TRFC have turned the cameras on them? That nonsense would have merited an article all of it’s own, with a headline to match, but, instead, it’s merely a passing reference in an piece criticising all of Scottish football, while showing Jackson has a better grasp of North Korean/American sabre rattling than he has of the football cheating that’s been going on on his own doorstep – though I suspect he’s been busy with copying and pasting rather than researching two of the worlds maddest people!

    A deflection article, no more, is my assessment of it, taking the eye from what’s happening at Ibrox and it’s surrounding bit players, while throwing in a wee dig at TRFC to make himself look like an award winning journalist! Oh, he is, you say!!!


  45. ZilchAugust 14, 2017 at 14:13

    If Neil Lennon is the subject of disciplinary action of any sort he should raise a complaint with his employer about the disgraceful working conditions he had to endure on Saturday. He should demand to know what action they took to make it a safe place of work and what steps they will take to do so in future. And Hibs should raise the matter, on his behalf, with the SPFL, the SFA and Police Scotland. 
    _________________

    Or what if, regardless of any disciplinary action, he told his employers he would be off if they do not take action to ensure he is not subject to this kind of disgraceful working conditions again, anywhere? I include my own club’s ground in that ‘anywhere’.

    Obviously I am not blaming Hibs, (other than for their own part in the collective silence over Scottish football’s bigotry) and they don’t deserve to face his resignation, but they surely have a duty as an employer to protect their employees from such abuse, and would be doing Scottish football, and society in general, a huge favour if they made a stand on his behalf.

    Love him or loathe him (for the man he is, not his religion), he’s put up with far too much already (death threats, what the hell?) not to deserve some form of protection from further abuse of the kind he received on Saturday.

    In a strange way, though, any disciplinary action against him might lead to such an embarrassment for the game that even Regan and co can’t ignore!


  46. JC
    “For as long as TRFC Ltd are treated as ,and ‘honoured’ as, the old RFC(now in Liquidation ), Scottish Football is living a lie. and who the hell can be bothered helping it to live that lie? That has to be in the forefront of our minds at all times, until the lie is disavowed and honesty and true sporting integrity is restored to our game.”

    On a daily basis JC reminds us of the truth. 


  47. JIMBOAUGUST 14, 2017 at 02:34       13 Votes 
    I love this site.  I learn so much.  But I also love football chat.  I feel out of sorts at times on here, I try to hold back. 
    —————–
    You have the best of both worlds.
    I feel out of sorts at times on here, I try to hold back. 
    I think the mods let you away with bits and pieces, but i do enjoy your posts. I believe each poster has their own quality and one of your’s is getting in a little bit of football chat under the radar.
    Oh! darn jimbo i have let the mods on to you03
    never feel out of sorts,i and i hope others enjoy your posts.


  48. ZILCHAUGUST 14, 2017 at 14:13       41 Votes 
    Re: the compliance officer and Sevco vs Hibs on Saturday.
    Be very interesting to see the report from this match.
    ——————
    The club 1872 statement that Police Scotland categorised this match as high risk.There was not many visible police presence (if you look at the pictures) when the rangers fans ran onto the pitch. After the last “high risk” game at ibrox when a fan ran onto the pitch the sectarian singing and objects thrown it will be interesting what the compliance officer has to say as anything he may have said after the last “high risk” game at ibrox has not been listened to or any action taken to address the situation


  49. Lots of balance on Sportsound with HoM supporters giving unbiased views on the melee at Ibrox .  Jeez .


  50. Neil Doncaster to meet Celtic fans tonight over EBT years
    is everyone at  this meeting and i’m talking to myself18


  51. Cluster OneAugust 14, 2017 at 20:59  
    Neil Doncaster to meet Celtic fans tonight over EBT yearsis everyone at  this meeting and i’m talking to myself, myself, myself…self…self…elf…


  52. Some sense at last from TRFC fans . Ban Neil Lennon from Ibrox and both sides of the problem are solved – he doesn’t wind them up and they don’t abuse him (can’t find the tongue in cheek emoticon).


  53. CLUSTER ONEAUGUST 14, 2017 at 19:03       9 Votes 
    ZILCHAUGUST 14, 2017 at 14:13       41 Votes Re: the compliance officer and Sevco vs Hibs on Saturday.Be very interesting to see the report from this match.
    —————–
    From James Forrest.
    The SFA DISCIPLINARY BODY, WHICH IS PREPARING THE RACK FOR nEIL LENNON AS I WRITE THIS, HAS NOT UTTERED ONE WORD ABOUT THE EVENTS OF THAT DAY. NO CASE WAS OPENED.
    SEVCO WAS NEVER ASKED TO ACCOUNT FOR IT.
    first darn i was on cap lock.second no wonder their fans feel it is ok 


  54. ZILCH AUGUST 14, 2017 at 14:13
     
    “Want to get rid of this sickness in our game? Clear out the SFA, stop buying the papers and demand better from our national broadcaster.”
    Captured in a nutshell. Outstanding!


  55. Sorry guys I may not have expressed what I was trying portray, by pointing out what I perceived as being a cracking in the foundations of the press we are all subjected to. kj and Chris jack are the least of my worries, my gripe is with the “more intelligent” operators in their mists that stubbornly refuse to ask the obvious. Messrs English, Spiers and the so called broadsheet reporters are failing in a way that I really believe they will go to their last resting place wishing they had the balls to say in print what was needed to be said, what a chance they are missing, or is it they are so frightened of the loss of the blue pound they are willing to turn a blind eye? There are really simple questions to ask the SFA the SPFL,King, Murray, Ogilvie, ahh feck it I will be here all night but I think you get my drift.
    The point is, there are so many wrongs in the game up here, at what point does it become unsustainable to keep it going? Sadly we have supporters who can be led with the right sound bite, I will not belittle their love of their club for that, what I will belittle is blatant abuse by the msm in manipulating the the facts and not being held to account for their actions.

    I gave up my 4 season tickets  in 2013, I miss the game deeply but I can not bring myself to ignore all I have learned through sites like this and until there is a dramatic change that in my case will be the status quo.


  56. I found myself having a read at the SFA’s Group Strategic Report for the year ended 31/12/16.

    Under the heading ” Principal risks and uncertainties” my eye fell on the second paragraph:

       “The company seeks to mitigate challenges to its regulatory processes through the recruitment and training of independent Judicial Panel membersand through close liaison with the World and European football governing bodies”

    It is in this paragraph that we see the fundamental inabiity and/or unwillingness of the SFA to take a cold hard look at itself.

    We have been shouting for years now that it is not the ‘recruitment and training of judicial panel members ‘that has been the source and cause of ‘challenges’ to ‘regulatory processes’ but the belief that the regulatory processes have been interfered with by the board itself, in respect of the RES 12 issue and in relation to the LNS commission.

    The best recruits to the Judicial Panel , even given the best ‘training’ in the world cannot deliver true justice if, as is frequently suggested has happened,  the ‘prosecutor ‘ rigs the case before it goes to ‘trial’.

    It is the perception that that is what the SFA Board ( and, in its own way, the SPFL Board) have been guilty of that poses the principle threat and challenge to future operations of Scottish Football.

    We have seen that the basis on which LNS arrived at his decision on ‘sporting advantage’ is utterly unsound.
    That decision must of necessity be revisited, and the (fresh) evidence that SDM had previously used a remuneration scheme which had already been declared to be in breach of tax law the Disounted Option scheme and which was not presented to LNS must now be adduced as further reason to do so.

    It was not the Judicial Panel’s membership or lack of training that was involved ,but suspected jiggery-pokery.

    And in the Res 12 case, it was not a ‘Judicial panel’ which misled the Club Competition Licensing folk in UEFA about the true state of social tax indebtedness of SDM’s RFC. No, the suspicion is that there may have been jiggery-pokery at SFA board level.

    The fact that the SFA’s ‘strategic report’ (  signed only  on 20/04/17!) should ‘seek to mitigate challenges’ ,by pretending that the challenges are merely to do with deficiencies in recruitment and training , does  absolutley nothing to convince me that there is any hope for a ‘governance’ body that chooses not to identify the huge problem of lack of trust in the integrity and honesty of their governance, and get to grips with the absolute need to get that problem resolved, in truth.


  57. Sometimes, very rarely, actually, I have a certain sympathy for Scottish journalists.
    I think their main fault is in trying to keep hold of their job in a small theatre of action.
    None of them are free to write whatever they want. They are controlled by editors and owners.
    In Scotland, that is about two or three entities.
    Anyone scribe who submits a critical piece on the glaring issues in the game, would first of all find his article spiked….closely followed by his P45 on his desk.

    As in the game in general, the supporter, reader, customer, is the one with the ultimate power.
    Another wee thought.
    In the absence of any vocal demand from the other 40 clubs, for a proper J R,
    Would Celtic have a case to present to ? for relocation?
    As thing stands, Scottish football is not a fair or safe place for the club to conduct it’s business.
    All that would be unnecessary if the combined authorities in Scotland acted in a manner that would cleanse the game from all it’s evils.


  58. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40926767

    Neil Lennon: Scottish managers union chief Alex Smith has sympathy for Hibs boss.

    “I was never involved in situations where I was getting shouted at by bigots of either side,” said former Aberdeen and St Mirren manager Smith, chairman of the League Managers Association.
    “It was always about football matters. It was never about that history that keeps dragging our game down and the quicker we get rid of it the better.”
    “We thought we were getting rid of it and, all of a sudden, it pops up again and it’s an absolute nightmare to be honest.”

    Alex Smith gets it.

    We were getting rid of it, albeit slowly.

    And then Rangers died and the zombie resurrection was built on reviving Scotland’s Shame.

    What price a team in blue playing out of Ibrox?

    As others have said – look at the stewarding failure on Saturday – fans on the pitch.

    Look at the missiles thrown inside and outside the ground.

    How long before we are looking at serious injury or fatality at the stadium?

    Ibrox is not a safe place to ply your trade if your team wears green and white.

    Failure to act on the current circumstances will have serious repercussions.

    Rangers and their fans need to be dragged out of the 17th century and forced to behave in a socially responsible manner that allows them to take part in our sport without endangering others.

    The SFA and SPFL must act on these incidents and statements or we will have casualties.

    Rangers and Club 1872, led by Rangers’ company secretary, are clearly bringing the game into disrepute.

    Failure to act will only embolden them and will sadly confirm the view that the game in Scotland is still run by bigots and cowards.


  59. ThomTheThimAugust 15, 2017 at 11:57 
    Sometimes, very rarely, actually, I have a certain sympathy for Scottish journalists. I think their main fault is in trying to keep hold of their job in a small theatre of action. None of them are free to write whatever they want. They are controlled by editors and owners. In Scotland, that is about two or three entities. Anyone scribe who submits a critical piece on the glaring issues in the game, would first of all find his article spiked….closely followed by his P45 on his desk.
    As in the game in general, the supporter, reader, customer, is the one with the ultimate power. Another wee thought. In the absence of any vocal demand from the other 40 clubs, for a proper J R, Would Celtic have a case to present to ? for relocation? As thing stands, Scottish football is not a fair or safe place for the club to conduct it’s business. All that would be unnecessary if the combined authorities in Scotland acted in a manner that would cleanse the game from all it’s evils.

    TTT, I’m as interested as anyone in seeing rules applied fairly but as a fan of a club that couldn’t even dream of having won more than double digit trophies, never mind over 100 as your club has, I wonder at that question of yours, “Would Celtic have a case to present to ? for relocation?”.
    Which authority would your club present its case to and what would the case for relocation be? Just to clarify, has Celtic applied to the courts for a Judicial Review of anything?

    SFM an online community whose members are drawn from fans of all Scottish Football clubs. Its overriding goal is to see sporting integrity restored to paramountcy in Scottish Football.

    For me sporting integrity would include having a competitive league rather than a century-old duopoly, now monopoly. I get the sense that for a lot of Celtic (and Rangers) fans having diddy cannon fodder is something you have to put up with because you can’t play each other every week. I also get the sense that if your clubs had been able to relocate they would have done so years ago.


  60. ZILCHAUGUST 15, 2017 at 13:41

    Sorry for the Bromance but another excellent post.

    From the piece given to the BBC, Alex Smith is clearly a wise man.

    Personally I am hoping that Club 18-30 can’t resist a further rant at statement o’clock to drive another nail into their coffin.


  61. Just a general observation.

    It’s a bit concerning that so early in the season there is so much anger, misdirection, and all round negative publicity in the top league.

    And perhaps even more concerning: it was between TRFC and a newly promoted club.

    It’s going to be a long season, and I’m sure there will be plenty more controversy along the way.

    And mibbees the breaking point could be a reaction from a non-Glasgow club?

    We have seen a certain club getting away with dodgy singing, missile throwing, fans on pitch etc. with the authorities looking the other way.

    At some point – you would think? – if another club is charged with a similar offence, then that club could actually state very publicly;

    “No, enough! We are not accepting the SFA charge, when another club has repeatedly avoided similar charges.  The SFA no longer has the moral authority to impose charges on a senior club.”

    …could even be a so-called ‘diddy team’ which brings the whole charade down ?

    Strangers things have happened, and all that ?   09


  62. Were Club 1872 involved in any way with the complaint to Police Scotland, rather than just the rather ill-judged statement?

    The direct link to TRFFC/RIFC surely brings their actions into an area of the football club’s influence and responsibility, and if they were involved in what must surely be seen as a malicious act against a member club manager, then the SFA/SPFL should be taking action against TRFC – for Club 1872 are a major shareholder in RIFC, in the same way Romanov was in Hearts’ holding company when they amended the rules to penalise Hearts for what he had said. Of course, he only used words (that we now know were rather accurate) and didn’t name names, unlike the verbal assault on Lennon and, if they were involved, the even worse act of making a formal complaint to Police Scotland.

    TRFC/RIFC tend to use supporters organisations to deliver the PR they want out there, but dare not publish themselves. It’s time the SFA/SPFL did something to stop that, for they are emboldening and encouraging these very volatile supporters into some rash acts, to say the least.

Comments are closed.