Podcast Episode 1

SFM PodcastOur First podcast features a general discussion involving our own Big Pink and Auldheid.
Since it is the first podcast there is no particular agenda save for a general chat about TSFM, the state of Scottish Football, and some few reminiscences. The chat covers a lot of ground, but establishes the ethos of the blog pretty well.

Topics discussed include FPP, Leadership, Interdependence, Scotland’s self-regard, Coaching and Nurturing of Talent, Redistribution of Income, Rangers, Forgiveness, domestic strife 🙂

The interview was conducted a couple of days before the latest round of Armageddon, when Big Pink and Auldheid felt safe and well 🙂

The link below is to the iTunes store page for our Podcasts.  If you go there, you can subscribe to the podcast (on your PC or iPhone) and new episodes will automatically be sent to you.

Since we have just been approved for a spot on iTunes, the iTunes search side of things may not work properly for a day or so.

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Tom Byrne

About Trisidium

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

1,849 thoughts on “Podcast Episode 1


  1. FIFA says:
    February 22, 2014 at 3:20 pm

    the biggest question that needs asked ,why only 1.5m as everyone knows they need a lot more than this
    ——————————————————————————————————-
    There was a strong suggestion from Phil that the monthly loss is £714k (average I guess).
    So looks like they’re “borrowing” enough to get them through the next couple of months and possibly an early sale of season tickets.
    Even if they begin to run out of cash before ST income kicks in what creditor would go down the winding up route as it would simply bring the house of cards crashing down, especially when you know there’s a fresh income stream (STs) just round the corner.
    The hard decisions are being put off until the ST money is in.


  2. the sage of g42 says:
    February 22, 2014 at 5:07 pm
    ‘…..this document gives a lengthy discussion..’
    ———–
    That was a very useful link, sage, thank you.


  3. Question re the Upper tier tribunal – as it’s open to the public this time, will the redacted names of those involved (club officials and EBT recipients) be formally identified, or remain as emulsion colours/parochial UK towns?


  4. parttimearab says:
    February 22, 2014 at 7:30 pm
    ‘… what creditor would go down the winding up route as it would simply bring the house of cards crashing down,.’
    ——–
    HMRC springs to mind, if they happened to be a creditor again.


  5. john clarke says:
    February 22, 2014 at 7:45 pm
    1 0 Rate This

    parttimearab says:
    February 22, 2014 at 7:30 pm
    ‘… what creditor would go down the winding up route as it would simply bring the house of cards crashing down,.’
    ——–
    HMRC springs to mind, if they happened to be a creditor again.
    ==================================================
    Maybe John, but they weren’t overly quick out of the blocks last time out as I recall….


  6. bailemeanach says:
    February 22, 2014 at 7:44 pm
    ‘..as it’s open to the public this time, will the redacted names of those involved (club officials and EBT recipients) be formally identified, or remain as emulsion colours/parochial UK towns?’
    ———-
    Judge Bisopp directed (0n 9thAugust 2013) that
    ” all further hearings in these appeals, whether before the upper tribunal or the First-tier tribunal shall be in public, and no decision shall be anonymised or redacted, save that the names of HMRC officers who gave evidence to the First-tier tribunal shall not be made public
    the names of those who gave evidence after being assured of anonymity shall not be made public
    the parties have permission to apply for variation of this part of this direction..’
    I don’t know who among those who gave evidence at the FTTT had been promised anonymity.
    We’ll soon find out, if their names crop up next week in the legal submissions.


  7. 61patrick says:
    FIFA
    why only 1.5m as everyone knows they need a lot more than this
    ——————-
    maybe the shares they get for it will push them up to 75% and allow them to pass resolution 10 that the spivs narrowly missed at the AGM.

    Then flood the place with extra shares and get the season ticket money in the swag bag .
    ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
    If I believed Wallace wasnt a Spiv
    And the Easdales had Rangeritis
    Then I would be tempted to agree with you
    However
    I reckon Wallace is a top quality Spiv
    And the Easdales are bottom fishers interested only in milking TRFC via service cos
    So all this guff about an Easdales loan is probably time wasting until Wallace gets a clear steer from the brethern in the SPFL on how many points will be deducted. This will set the Admin date
    I suspect that early doors in the Admin the pet Administrator will pose an open threat to the Gullible along the lines of
    “Pony up next years STs during the first few weeks of Admin otherwise its liquidation”


  8. parttimearab says:
    February 22, 2014 at 7:54 pm
    ‘…they weren’t overly quick out of the blocks last time out .’
    ————-
    Very true. But once buggered about repeatedly by the dead club, HMRC’s awareness of the new club’s name for dodginess and current problems might act as a spur to early intervention. 🙂


  9. I suspect that early doors in the Admin the pet Administrator will pose an open threat to the Gullible along the lines of
    “Pony up next years STs during the first few weeks of Admin otherwise its liquidation”

    the issue with that is the fans of the Govan club have put the concept of liquidation and all it entails as being something that doesnt affect football clubs (or their’s anyway)


  10. Auldheid says:
    February 22, 2014 at 5:15 pm
    14 0 Rate This

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

    Fantastic post Auldheid.

    There’s no doubt in my mind:
    – TV reduces match day attendances
    – unpredictable and changeable kick off times further impact attendances

    I’d also think the TV deals Scottish Football have managed to secure over the last 15 years have been far less generous than other similar sized leagues/audiences have gained.

    Your suggestion that a return to 3pm kick offs with fans paying to view your own club on similar terms to attending is a fascinating one – I think it might just work.

    In fact I think it might work without even making the pay per view fee equal to the ticket price – even half the ticket price might do it I think.

    Would be fascinating to see the figures laid on for something like this.


  11. john clarke says: Judge Bisopp
    same judge in the Chris Moyles tax avoidance case.
    HMRC said anyone using a tax avoidance scheme is playing with fire we have a high success rate in defeating them


  12. Auldheid says:
    February 22, 2014 at 5:15 pm
    Now if ever there was a way for all clubs to secure their future it is to deliver to their supporters what modern day technology enables and that is to pay to watch your club as suits you, but to make the price the same regardless if you choose to attend in person or view on TV.
    ————————————————————————————————————
    An inevitable development I think Auldheid but one that will need careful management as IMO the main beneficiaries are likely to be larger clubs as the technology which allows this increasingly chips away at the collective deals which currently characterise TV and other media income.


  13. There is another problem that impacts the SPFL’s ability to secure a good TV Deal. Besides the relatively small size of the Scottish TV Market, a large portion of the Subscription TV market in Scotland already subscribe on the basis of the EPL.

    So SKY, BT etc don’t really need Scottish Football to capture that Scottish Market.

    This lowers the value we can get IMO.

    If Scottish subscribers insisted on good quality Scottish Football coverage, and SKY for example believed that EPL coverage wasn’t going to be enough to secure their share of Scottish viewers then they’d pay more for it – as things stand loads of TV Football fans in Scotland prefer watching the EPL than SPFL – and that’s another blow to our game.


  14. Corruption in Scottish Football – all teams given a fair chance……………and neutral referees………..

    Seems Hugh Dallas has trained them well – a referee from Ayrshire association wishing the referee at today’s Ibrox game well – and hoping he helps “us” to 3 points…….

    The tweet has since been deleted after but the original has been captured

    Dr. Mike McDermott ‏@MikejMcDermott · 48m
    There’s no corruption in Scottish football is there @StewartMRegan ?

    https://twitter.com/celticservant/status/437300431757508609/photo/1

    Scotty Bhoy ‏@Sco2hot · 47m
    For those that missed @ally_morrison Tweet since he locked his account.

    https://twitter.com/Sco2hot/status/437310250572869632/photo/1

    The referee is on the list of Ayrshire Refs…….and has other tweets of interest………..

    CelticResearch ‏@CelticResearch · 1h
    @celticservant @uppitytaig @ally_morrison Your pal features on the Ayrshire Refs Assoc. Roll of Honour.
    http://www.ayrshirerefs.co.uk/about-us-1/roll-of-honour/

    Clancyc06 ‏@clancyc06 · 50m
    @celticservant @Stephen62572390 @ally_morrison Fill yer boots:-)Only got 2 has I had to go out,Bampots Rule…!!!
    https://twitter.com/clancyc06/status/437310025225490434/photo/1


  15. Auldheid – great post and very good point made.

    For those who think the impact is minimal, please let me give you some background how a supporters club works.

    In my heyday in the 80’s, the hardest tickets to obtain were always Pittodrie – Tannadice was a distant second. Ibrox was relatively easy given the no of tickets we were allocated.

    In order to get the important Pittodrie tickets, our supporters club ran a book – for every game you attended you got a tick – for Aberdeen or Cup Final tickets, the ones with the most ticks got the tickets. If someone was equal it would go on prior years. Sometimes it would be figured out on no of games attended over last 2 seasons. We had around 15 who never missed a game – so anyone wanting a ticket for a big game had to attend the other games home and away. There was no live TV games other than cup finals and only highlights shown on Sat night and Sun afternoon.

    Nowadays you can watch whatever game you want in the pub – there is no benefit going to all these other games anymore. The TV deals are also killing off the supporters buses that used to be the way youngsters would all start going to games.

    In England TV has made their league what it is – warts and all. SPL and then SPFL will never attain the same fortunes – we should cut our cloth accordingly and see what alternatives there is to being filler for the TV companies on a Friday night or early Sunday morning.


  16. Exiled Celt says:
    February 22, 2014 at 8:28 pm
    ‘…..The referee is on the list of Ayrshire Refs…….and has other tweets of interest……’
    ——–
    The stupidity of some people is unfathomable,even if their malice is run-of-the-mill.
    I have sent this email to the Secretary of the Ayrshire Referees Association:

    “Dear Secretary
    You will wish to dissociate the Ayrshire Referees Association from the sentiments expressed in a Twitter message posted today to the referee in charge of the match at Ibrox by Alasdair Morrison, one of your members,to the effect that he should make sure Rangers win!

    You will, I’m sure, be appalled at the idea that any referee of whatever standing should feel free to ask a senior referee to favour a particular team in a game in which he officiates.

    I think the expectation must be that you will make a public statement, indicating that Morrison will be disciplined and removed from the referees’ list.

    Failure to do so will only make a bad situation worse.
    Yours sincerely,
    John Clarke

    ————–


  17. Exiled Celt says:
    February 22, 2014 at 8:28 pm

    How stupid can someone be, is it a recognition that they need a helping hand


  18. In relation to the Tweets above, I think there are many misguided people who don’t realise how open to public this all is – I assume they think its the same as a text message or email in that no one will ever know – but Hugh Dallas found out that even that medium is not as private as you think it is. Its stupidity and all of that – but very telling to be able to “listen” into the chatter…….you wonder what we could have learned from reading Bob Valentine’s or Andrew Waddell’s tweets…………it is an appalling state of affairs for sure!


  19. Exiled Celt says:
    February 22, 2014 at 9:09 pm
    ‘….read todays article by Sir Turnbull of Hutton….the more I hear from him, the more I like him!’
    —————
    And me too. That’s a smashing wee piece from a man of real integrity and common sense. Who was an experienced high-level and highly praised business executive in a tough, no nonsense industry.
    Can we stage a palace coup, oust CO and install a man who restores honours to the honour of Knighthood?


  20. Night Terror says:
    February 22, 2014 at 7:17 pm

    “In the simplest sense, the question for Celtic is – Is it better to get a bigger slice of a small pie or a smaller slice of a big pie?”
    ———————————
    I think the concept is fine but requires that the umbilical to the past be severed. The diddy clubs had the chance to storm the bastille after season 2011/12 and change the voting structure whilst momentum was with them. Did they not wish to bite the hand that feeds them? Campbell Ogilvie’s re-election was similarly an indication that no future could be envisaged that didn’t resemble the past. The level of creativity required to fashion a new outlook just doesn’t exist. No-one picks up the ball and runs with it since they would be heading off into no-man’s land.
    =================
    Exiled Celt says:
    February 22, 2014 at 8:49 pm

    “Nowadays you can watch whatever game you want in the pub”
    ———————————
    There’s the rub. We are now existing in a cyberworld. You need never cross the threshold of your abode. You can consume the whole world from the comfort of your living room or domestic office.

    I was never much of an attender at football games. I play five a sides so have a love for the mechanics but there were elements of the spectating game that I found uncouth when I was young. Nowadays things have swung the other way. Football grounds like Celtic Park have become almost sanitised of atmosphere at times. I did attend a Thistle game a few years back that had a redolence of camaraderie but the fans were more interested in baiting each other, however jocularly, than watching the game. I can understand that the tribal thing is a great part of the spectacle but I’m a bit nerdy and prefer to observe what is happening on the pitch.

    I think it will take time to re-balance income. Certainly a league that had genuine jeopardy about its outcome should prove more entertaining. However big business doesn’t work that way. It will manipulate circumstances to provide some measure of predictability. How you balance the jeopardy against the finance is the fulcrum of the task. Perhaps the humbling of Rangers will tutor Celtic in the need to step off their pedestal and occupy a level more equitable with their domestic rivals. That brings its own problems however when it comes to European competition. Maybe we need to take some of the medicine we have prescribed for Rangers and look to build a new future based of affordability and domestic talent. How you sell that is a mighty task.


  21. john clarke says:
    February 22, 2014 at 9:07 pm
    ———————————————-

    Sent mine off too JC.


  22. Exiled Celt says:
    February 22, 2014 at 9:09 pm

    For those wanting a read of how Scottish football COULD be led…………read todays article by Sir Turnbull of Hutton….the more I hear from him, the more I like him!

    http://www.raithrovers.net/13191/dont-panic.htm

    ————————————————————————–
    From the article:

    “This is Raith Rovers. We are Raith Rovers. This is the joy and delight (should this be ‘the agony and the ecstasty’ in here?) – in equal measures – of supporting our team. We will have bad days. Bad decisions – only with the benefit of hindsight – will be made. We will experience the highs and lows as generations of Rovers fans have done over the years. It is our place in the grand scheme of things. We know that this week’s villain will be next week’s hero – and vice versa!”

    Reminds me of November 1985:

    Beat Stenhousemuir 9-2 one week.
    Lost to Meadowbank 6-0 next week.

    That’s how we roll in Kirkcaldy.


  23. Exiled Celt says:
    February 22, 2014 at 9:09 pm
    16 0 Rate This

    For those wanting a read of how Scottish football COULD be led…………read todays article by Sir Turnbull of Hutton….the more I hear from him, the more I like him!

    http://www.raithrovers.net/13191/dont-panic.htm
    ===================================
    A real breath of fresh air from someone who represents all that is good about Scottish football.

    Compare and contrast with Irvine’s sly and cynical output on behalf of his spiv paymasters, or even more to the point, the vile, dangerous and repulsive emanations from the increasingly sinister McCoist. And please let’s not even mention El Presidente, the “Dear Leader” of Scottish football, since just the thought of him gives me the dry boak.


  24. Exiled Celt says:
    February 22, 2014 at 8:28 pm
    Corruption in Scottish Football – all teams given a fair chance……………and neutral referees………..
    —————————————————–
    The Bears don’t seem to be overly pleased with Greg’s refereeing performance despite his colleague’s pleas, seems they think he denied them 2 stonewall penalties then to rub salt in the wounds, gave the opposition a penalty at Ibrox.

    How dare he indeed……. 😉


  25. Has this been covered before? – looks like £1.5m loans are not the only source of income under consideration down Govan way…
    http://www.footballtradedirectory.com/news/2014/february/rangers.html?

    “Sportsmail understands the chief executive is considering raising more cash via a membership scheme which would see supporters paying in return for privileges and a say in how the club is run.

    The question will be part of the ‘Ready to Listen’ survey as directors desperately attempt to persuade worried supporters to renew their season tickets.”


  26. neepheid says:
    February 22, 2014 at 10:29 pm

    24

    0

    Rate This

    Exiled Celt says:
    February 22, 2014 at 9:09 pm
    16 0 Rate This

    _________________________________

    Scottish football needs a strong Raith Rovers.

    Respect to Turnbull. Next time Caley play Raith at the Tulloch I shall applaud their fans and their chairman.


  27. parttimearab says:
    February 22, 2014 at 11:15 pm

    0

    0

    Rate This

    Has this been covered before? – looks like £1.5m loans are not the only source of income under consideration down Govan way…
    http://www.footballtradedirectory.com/news/2014/february/rangers.html?

    “Sportsmail understands the chief executive is considering raising more cash via a membership scheme which would see supporters paying in return for privileges and a say in how the club is run.

    The question will be part of the ‘Ready to Listen’ survey as directors desperately attempt to persuade worried supporters to renew their season tickets.”

    _________________________________________________

    Its like one of those awful part work mail order collection sets they advertise in the daily mail:

    “Teaching bears to milk themselves” is the definitive history and future of Ibrox football, by G.Wallace…
    Collect Part one of this collection, completely free :slamb: in all dodgy SMSM rags. To guarantee your very own collectors edition of this exclusive 199 piecework limited edition artwork (Only 500 million available) to keep and cherish forever, write your bank details on the back of an RIFC share certifcate and send to Edmiston drive along with your firstborn, a countersigned copy of your soul, and one testicle. Don’t forget to include a stamp.
    Or alternatively, call ‘Super Ally’ on our premium rate phone line and have your credit card details handy (calls charged at £714,000 per calendar month)


  28. Can anyone confirm that the company that runs The Rangers has actually banked 1,500,000 pounds from someone?
    Given that The Rangers are losing 1,500,000 pounds every two months does that mean that the money again runs out 22/4/14.
    Why would anyone simply give away 1,500,000 pounds?
    They will apparently get shares in the company? When ? Whose shares? Spiv shares?
    Does the bail out money go to the club or to the company or to the spivs? The spivs.
    What does the club receive . Nowt!
    Will the player and staff wages be paid on Thursday?
    With what funds?
    You cannot use the same money to pay wages and buy shares.
    I still pick administration this month.


  29. Have heard a few sevconians blaming the football authorities for the current mess they’re in.so unsurprisingly in sevconian eyes the blame game continues but as we all know if those in power had stated please go away take stock and come back in 12 months with a creditable business plan and your house in order what the backlash would have been.so up next we have another fall of ibrokes and the eventual welcoming of the Convicted shameless liar..scottish football eh.


  30. briggsbhoy says:
    February 22, 2014 at 9:07 pm
    ‘…How stupid can someone be, is it a recognition that they need a helping hand.’
    ————
    I think Morrison’s tweet expresses exactly the mindset of the SDMs of the football world and the 5-way agreement men: that a particular club has to be favoured as a matter of course, as a matter of right, as being the natural order of things. Even at the expense of all idea of fair play ( how hollow are cheating victories!) and social responsibility for debt and taxes etc etc.
    And we will find that the MSM will dismiss Morrison’s tweet as a light-hearted humourous quip between friends, nothing to be concerned about………much rather use their newsprint to downplay the record-breaking achievement of a goalkeeper…..


  31. youcantbuyhistory says:
    February 23, 2014 at 1:40 am
    ‘…Have heard a few sevconians blaming the football authorities for the current mess they’re in.’
    ———————
    IF the SFA officials,working to the instructions and under the supervision of the Board, had done their job, or(perhaps) had NOT been persuaded not to do their job by the world’s greatest administrator, the misdeeds of SDM would have come to light early doors [ was it BFDJ that I first heard using that peculiar phrase?] and the whole sorry tax debt saga would have been nipped in the bud.
    So, in a beautiful Greek- tragedy inevitability, the football authorities certainly contributed to the death of RFC by their very attempts to help it!
    Some of those Sevconians can get it right, even if from different assumptions. 🙂


  32. Just catching up on the tweets from the Ayrshire Referee to yesterday’s Ibrox Referee. Given that the SFA are so quick to pounce on players who ‘offend’ via tweets then can they really ignore this? Oh how stupid of me, of course they can, and they almost certainly will! If they do speak about it ‘banter’ will no doubt be the keyword.

    Just don’t dare put out a tweet calling Ally a f*cking p*ick!


  33. To be honest, I personally think the Ayrshire association guy’s tweet is a nothing story. I’m fairly sure it was not meant as a direct attempt to influence a ref ( and a clearly didn’t work. An away side getting a penalty at Ibrox?!?), and was actually a joke between mates.

    However…….. I would question the guy’s judgement as to how such a tweet would be perceived. I have no problem with refs being football fans as well. How could you be interested in football in this country and not be a fan of one of the sides in the league? That’s ok as long as they are doing a professional job of it. But in an era when every single aspect of a ref’s performance comes under minute scrutiny and reasons have to be found for every decision, in terms of that tweet, I’d be more worried about whether the guy has a brain, rather than whether he’s inherently biased.


  34. I went to see the Albion Rovers – Stenny cup tie a couple of weeks ago, and made the point on here that it must be damaging the careers of players at Ibrox to be playing this standard of team every week.

    No offence to any Stenny fans on here, but your team that day was one of the worst I’ve ever seen, and I watch Clyde! For that team to then go and score 3 times at Ibrox, nevermind get a draw, makes me wonder what the hell is going on with McCoists training and tactics, but more than that, it makes me wonder what’s happened to the players. If the figures bandied about are to be believed, then McCulloch takes home more in a month than the entire Stenny squad would in a season – these players should be capable of winning games without a manager. It may have enriched the players financially, but I’d ask how much it has diminished them in football terms.


  35. john clarke says:
    February 22, 2014 at 2:06 am
    35 0 Rate This
    Lord Wobbly says:
    February 22, 2014 at 1:56 am
    ‘..what time is kick off?..’
    ——–
    Good my lord, I believe 9.30 am is the appointed hour of what your Lordship, in beautiful parody of the peasant class , describes as ‘the kick off’, kicks off.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Alas it appears that one’s really rather elegant facial appendage must continue to risk disfigurement from prolonged contact with a stone utilised solely for grinding.

    But I look forward to your excellent reportage.

    By the bye, twas a cracking reply.


  36. Fisiani says:
    February 23, 2014 at 1:16 am
    15 1 Rate This

    Can anyone confirm that the company that runs The Rangers has actually banked 1,500,000 pounds from someone?
    Given that The Rangers are losing 1,500,000 pounds every two months does that mean that the money again runs out 22/4/14.
    Why would anyone simply give away 1,500,000 pounds?
    They will apparently get shares in the company? When ? Whose shares? Spiv shares?
    Does the bail out money go to the club or to the company or to the spivs? The spivs.
    What does the club receive . Nowt!
    ===================================
    The idea is that an existing shareholder loans them £1.5m now, presumably to keep the lights on. That loan has to be repaid at some future date, but instead of repaying in cash, the company repays the loan in brand new shares. So in effect the company has simply sold more shares. Those shares are currently unissued , so the money does go to the company, not to any existing shareholder.

    So far as we know, the deal hasn’t been finalised yet. I expect an announcement some time next week, since the need for cash is clearly desperate.


  37. The twit that tweeted asking for a helping hand obvisouly has no faith in Ally and his army in beating Stenny ,the tweet is also a slur on Ally ,how many times this season has the twit tweeted asking for help ,we should be told,copyright Mr A McCoist acknowledged .


  38. I wonder if the much talked of tweet actually backfired, with an official, intent on doing his job in the correct ‘traditional’ manner (for games played at Ibrox), decided that, for his own sake, it would be best to dispense with tradition. Perhaps proof that not all referees are unaware of the true power of the internet.


  39. I was wondering if the £1.5m loan – effectively a rights issue but structured to avoid the disapplication issue voted down at the AGM – was secured against any assets?

    Ibrokes/MP? Future ST money a la Ticketus?

    Would be unfortunate if an insolvency event arose in the next month or so….

    Would such a charge stand up in that event?

    Scottish Football needs more Turnbull Huttons.


  40. Re Herald

    Quite a (apparently) well informed debate going on in the comments section there too, thankfully not being distracted at the moment by the jelly numpties. Good points on both sides


  41. Shooperb says:
    February 23, 2014 at 9:06 am

    To be honest, I personally think the Ayrshire association guy’s tweet is a nothing story. I’m fairly sure it was not meant as a direct attempt to influence a ref ( and a clearly didn’t work. An away side getting a penalty at Ibrox?!?), and was actually a joke between mates.

    I would not be so sure about that…if you see previous tweets from Ally Morrison, such as:

    Support the team, not the regime… #SpivsOut #Ibrox #Rangers #WATP


  42. auchinstarry
    Pretty well summed up but I think the 2 Ally’s (1 a 3rd rate I mean tier manager and 1 a ‘ref’) might be your TD’s 😉 I wonder what news pay day will bring ❓


  43. Smugas says:
    February 23, 2014 at 11:25 am
    ‘….Quite a (apparently) well informed debate going on in the comments section .’
    —————
    I’ve just finished reading the comments up to there just now. I think you were quite wise to use the word “apparently” as a qualifying adverb.
    The comments are reasonably civil and well expressed, but they cannot, in my view, be said to reflect a real understanding of the seriousness of the financial situation on the part of the blindly optimistic pro- Wallace-plan supporters.
    They seem to think like children , that somehow all WILL be well simply because someone says so. And there seem to be some strange notions about the state of indebtedness (and to whom the debt is owed!) of the TRFC.


  44. Back on the Richard Wilson puff piece in the Herald, and why is it that the succulents keep trotting out lines like this?
    “Dave King, the former Rangers director, also wants to invest in the club, as part of a fresh share issue.”
    Is it just a heart-warming reminder to the bears that ‘saving’ is always just around the corner (although I’m sure King has only offered to help raise the money to buy the shares, and not, as Wilson suggests, put up the money himself), but, really, it could/should be seen as a reminder to them all that the crowd still in charge don’t have the wherewithal to do the ‘saving’.


  45. john clarke says:
    February 23, 2014 at 2:09 am

    “IF the SFA officials,working to the instructions and under the supervision of the Board, had done their job…and the whole sorry tax debt saga would have been nipped in the bud.”
    ———————————
    A few years back I was working for a company where the business appeared to function from one moment to the next. I had come from more regulated industry and persuaded colleagues to implement more structured approaches. For some reason things started to run smoother and profits increased dramatically on the contracts concerned. I was a bit bemused that I didn’t receive any credit for the increase in performance.

    On another contract the head foreman advised that he had saved a bit of money by scamming the client on materials. I didn’t think this was a good long term approach but I think the people running the company liked this sort of thing since they could see directly where the increased income had arisen from. It was as if a well crafted scam was given greater credence than diligence and commercial efficacy. I think there is something in the human instinct that delights in putting one over on some trusting soul.

    When the results of this scamming emerge in due course in the subsidence of the structures we built, the company will be hoping they are absolved of any guarantees. I think this is a microcosm of how many businesses have been run over the last couple of decades; they have not attempted to protect their futures by being diligent and prudent in the present. I strongly suspect that financial transactions occur between individuals that maintain this culture. If you think you can get away with it then why not give it a try? Forget the future, it will look after itself. Won’t it?


  46. Mr Malcolm Murray said, in December, that the Ibrox business would require a £10m injection simply to stay afloat over the next 18 months.

    http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/rangers-need-10m-to-stay-afloat-malcolm-murray-1-3242193

    They’ll be needing folk to give them £1.5m every 2 or 3 months at this rate … good job they’ll be back to their rightful place in the group stages of the Champions League in a couple of years, eh? That way they might stand a chance of paying some of that cash back and clinging on to existence.


  47. I think we have the toughest of the draws between home nations out the pot this morning for the Euros. In some respects it may be better for us when you have to be up to the task as each game is tough.
    Strachan v O’Neill 🙂


  48. Euro 2016

    Group D: Germany, Gibraltar, Georgia, SCOTLAND, Poland, REP IRELAND


  49. Shooperb says:
    February 23, 2014 at 9:06 am
    ================================
    I can see the angle you’re coming from re-the Referee tweets. There is no evidence he has acted out of bias when officiating, and there is no evidence he has been able to influence others. However, I do believe a Referee who is willing to put WATP after his tweets is completely unsuitable. Can he seriously be trusted if that is how he is prepared to act on a public forum?


  50. john clarke says:

    February 23, 2014 at 12:05 pm

    Reflecting my thoughts exactly when I read the comments and they should be worrying more, from a TRFC point of view, that seemingly intelligent bears can be so relaxed about such a serious situation. They still seem unable to grasp that, while the £1.5m loan (should it materialise) might be repaid by shares, the loan itself will be to RIFC, who will then lend a similar amount it to TRFC. So, regardless of how it works for RIFC, TRFC will still owe the money, and repayment for that will have to be made in cash! I am not of the opinion that RIFC will sell TRFC for a pound, regardless of any sale and lease-back of Ibrox etc, I suspect that, over and above any rent, RIFC will want every penny owed to them repaid by whoever takes over the club. And that debt is growing.


  51. Congratulations to Fraser Forster on breaking Bobby Clark’s long standing shut out record.

    It has been mused that this achievement is diminished by a current lack of competitiveness in the top league. There have however been other periods of dominance in Scotland (did two teams not win nine tiles in a row during the intervening period?) and the record was not achieved during these events. So Forster’s achievement is not without merit even though it may be difficult to make direct comparisons with Clark.

    If I could be so bold to draw a contemporary comparison, is there not another team in Scotland, apart from Celtic, who are currently enjoying significant dominance in the league they occupy? I am of course referring to the team in blue who play out of Ibrox. I understand they enjoy income streams (no laughing at the back) that exceed many times those of their competitor teams. If such shut out records are easily achievable by teams with very large financial advantages, would there not currently be another defensive line up vying for this honour?

    No further questions m’ Lud.


  52. Will Ian Black follow his heart and back Scotland in their Euro draw, or his head and back Gibraltar?


  53. Don’t be too quick to judge. The debt comment is obvious but if you treat “rangers” as the combined club/company/company as the bloo contributors do ie. you are prepared to genuinely write off 38m on winning two part time divisions some of the contributions on the future are interesting. Wrong in my personal opinion, but interesting none the less. The kind of opinions we could do with on here in fact, again in my opinion. Should add I haven’t been in the herald for 90 mins or so.


  54. Castofthousands says:
    February 23, 2014 at 12:28 pm
    ===========================
    I’m sure you’re aware that Clark’s record is for consecutive games rather than consecutive games excluding the cup.
    Back on topic. Your post on companies preferring spivery over diligence etc. It’s worse than that. All companies and their directors fail or succeed on very short term measures, usually financial. It’s not just annual figures either, many listed companies go to great lengths to “make the numbers for the quarter”. Football companies are different, that’s why many survive for a century or more. The percentage of other listed companies that achieve this is insignificant. The interdependence of sporting league based companies and the associated sporting integrity requires a different management strategy and style. Unfortunately we’ve all been sucked into accepting the “Wall Street, greed is good” model as being the only show in town.
    Visionary leadership is required. (Turnbull Hutton anyone?)


  55. I am going to let everyone into a secret….every referee supports a team…as shocking as that might be..it’s true…

    Officials are warned about social media and the dangers of indulging in such things and are told to stay clear of it…

    Referees are just like you and I….they are ordinary people that like a laugh and a drink….by and large most are honest and down to earth…there are and always have been some who for whatever reason fall outside this…they are the ones who need rooted out…

    I have over many years had a number of friends who were involved in refereeing in England at the top level…I still meet some on social occasions and a few I still meet as personal friends…

    One of my best friends…who is an Arsenal fan…was 4th official at one of their games…when they scored…inside he was screaming yes…but professionally he made sure everything was conducted fairly and above board…can I be certain of this…no…but knowing him for over 20 years…I believe him when he says he was…because his career depended on it..

    I think there is a danger that we can over react to referees who make off the cuff comments and indulge in social media in this way…the fact he has commented in such a way I would see as just light banter…

    We need to be careful how we approach this.


  56. neepheid says:

    February 23, 2014 at 9:43 am

    18

    1

    Rate This

    Quantcast

    Fisiani says:
    February 23, 2014 at 1:16 am

    The idea is that an existing shareholder loans them £1.5m now, presumably to keep the lights on. That loan has to be repaid at some future date, but instead of repaying in cash, the company repays the loan in brand new shares. So in effect the company has simply sold more shares. Those shares are currently unissued , so the money does go to the company, not to any existing shareholder.
    ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
    Why didnt the RST buy 200.000 “Brand new” shares last week rather that buy them from the market as this would have given some much needed working capital to their club?


  57. I think people are over estimating how long the £1.5M will last.

    ‘The Rangers’ are currently losing just over £700K a month but that is not what they are paying out.
    They may already be paying out over £500K a month but losing a further £700K on top of that.


  58. Smugas says:
    February 23, 2014 at 11:25 am
    6 1 Rate This

    Re Herald

    Quite a (apparently) well informed debate going on in the comments section there too, thankfully not being distracted at the moment by the jelly numpties. Good points on both sides …
    ———–

    I usually avoid comments sections as there’s so much point scoring and animosity. That said, I thought it was a mostly reasonable debate too. But it is almost surreal to read that fans will not only buy increased STs but also contribute a monthly money ‘gift’. The directors of RIFC must be licking their lips.

    I simply don’t understand the willingness to feed the regime with no thought or suggestion about going it alone. If it’s all going to be cut back to a bare minimum on a coaching and player level they could all get into the lifeboats and leave the SS Sevco drifting.

    I do believe a genuine effort by fans to create a self-sustaining club, living within its means, would meet a certain amount of sympathy.


  59. Paulmac2 says:
    February 23, 2014 at 1:03 pm
    ===========================
    Can’t agree with everything you say, though I’m happy to accept the majority of Referees will do their best to officiate as fairly as possible. In the case of the ‘tweeter’ though, I will argue that any Referee using ‘WATP’ on social media is completely unsuitable for the role. In terms of whether it’s ‘banter’ why did recent cases of players being hauled up for twitter comments not get that particular benefit of the doubt? The SFA should publicly censure him the way they do with players and managers, but if they don’t as far as I’m concerned silence will be consent.


  60. justshatered says:
    February 23, 2014 at 1:47 pm
    3 0 Rate This

    I think people are over estimating how long the £1.5M will last.

    ‘The Rangers’ are currently losing just over £700K a month but that is not what they are paying out.
    They may already be paying out over £500K a month but losing a further £700K on top of that.
    ========================
    Costs were running at around £2.4M per month in the year to 30/6/2013. There may have been some cuts, but costs must still be over £2m per month. Some income is coming in, no doubt, but even so, that £1.5m cannot cover more than one month’s net costs. They are in a truly desperate state. In my opinion.


  61. spanishcelt says:
    February 23, 2014 at 1:37 pm
    %%%%
    Why didnt the RST buy 200.000 “Brand new” shares last week rather that buy them from the market as this would have given some much needed working capital to their club?
    %%%%%%%
    Because this wouldn’t have met the strategic needs of Laxey or the easdales. The club has had it’s resources run down, it now requires money to pay for day to day costs. Asset rich, cash poor. It’s how pawnshops & wonga etc make their money, buying assets at rock bottom prices from people who are desperate.
    The RST and the rest of the supporter base will be invited to participate in ‘membership’ schemes, money in, no shares ,no access to info, no influence.


  62. justshatered on February 23, 2014 at 1:47 pm
    3 0 Rate This

    I think people are over estimating how long the £1.5M will last.

    ‘The Rangers’ are currently losing just over £700K a month but that is not what they are paying out.
    They may already be paying out over £500K a month but losing a further £700K on top of that.
    ———————-
    Last accounts put costs at £33m.Even if they’ve cut costs by 10% they’re still spending around £2.5m per month.


  63. Danish Pastry says:
    February 23, 2014 at 1:52 pm

    “I usually avoid comments sections as there’s so much point scoring and animosity. That said, I thought it was a mostly reasonable debate too.”
    ————————————
    Congratulations TSFM in opening up a debate that the SMSM were unwilling or incapable of igniting.

    You might look in at these comments from the outside and feel that the agenda is a bit skewed but like a cup game between a big team and a wee team, it is all to play for. This is in stark contrast to the PR and media driven discourse that existed previously and which does not appear to have served the ordinary citizen well. These towers of authority seem to be toppling before our very eyes and may be followed by others in the fullness of time (even if their occupants are incapable of recognising the inevitable).

    The dam has well and truly burst. Ranges fans are now in a much better position to make a judgement about how they should support their club as time progresses. We might offer insight and a proliferation of barbed comments but the upshot is that people are looking at the evidence themselves and entering into open debate without fear of cyber intimidation. This is surely a positive outcome however it was arrived at. Exactly how Rangers fans wrestle control of their club, from characters who may only be in it for what they can gain, is a matter for them to decide. I’d like to think that TSFM has facilitated this reawakening as well as providing entertainment for readers and contributors.

    It has been difficult to maintain any semblance of impartiality given that the blog’s raison d’etre arose from the kernel of ‘Rangers Tax Case’. It may be that the lack of partiality actually led to a more energetic exposure of the covert machinations. The Lord moves in mysterious ways.

    I’d have to give a bit of credit to Charlotte also, whoever he may be. Having a window onto the tortured application of PR agendas helped convince me that I couldn’t believe what I read in the SMSM except as an indicator that the opposite was likely to be true.

    Grande chapeaux TSFM.


  64. Danish, whilst I agree with you on the merits of true fan ownership it’s going to take a suitably damaging humiliating experience, like admin 2, to kick it off because of the level of in Wallace I trust delusion that exists at present. Whether it is then achievable or, like last time, already a done deal, and whether or not even if the opportunity arises with a large neon sign with unmissable opportunity writ large above it, a suitably competent leader can garner sufficient trust and resource is still questionable.


  65. Paulmac2 says:
    February 23, 2014 at 1:03 pm
    ‘….We need to be careful how we approach this.’
    —————
    We do.
    We need to be careful to do everything we can to ensure that our game is structured, administered, and refereed as fairly and transparently as possible.
    What may pass for idle banter or good-natured joshing among or between fans has absolutely no place in the public utterances of key people in positions of perhaps the greatest practical power- the people who make decisions on the field of play .
    We all know that referees are human, and fallible, and were/are products of their early football environment in terms of attachment to particular teams.
    We know ,therefore, that there can be ‘honest mistakes’.
    But there are really serious questions to be asked when one referee can so openly display his partisanship in tweeting to a fellow-referee,also a fan of his club, immediately before that fellow-referee officiates in a match involving that club.
    There have been too many instances when officials on the SFA board or on the referees list have let the blood rush to their heads in a bout of partisanship.
    Morrison should be dismissed for utter stupidity and for not possessing any balance of mind strong enough to keep his private affiliations clear of his official position.


  66. Re Graham Wallace. Once again yesterday on radio shows pundits to a man lined up to praise him. ‘A man of substance’ was how Graham Spiers described him. How much do they really know about him though, or is it just the standard seal of approval given to Rangers men. It should not be forgotten that even Craig Whyte and Charles Green were initially given the seal of approval.

    Would it not be better to dig a little beneath the surface with Wallace as to why he left Man City. Did he walk? Was he pushed? If he is so good why is the Sevco position the best he can get?


  67. upthehoops says:
    February 23, 2014 at 2:03 pm
    ……………………………………………….
    I would say that particular official has nailed himself to far greater public scrutiny in his officiating of matches…not just those involving the club he supports but that of any rivals they may have in any competative competition.

    I have to be honest and say I was not aware of the WATP signature to the tweet…..that does raise the question of his suitability to officiate certain games..

    But I still maintain…that there needs to be a careful approach to this…there is the danger that the hightened attention thrown at individuals may place them in the firing line from those whose brains are in a box under the stairs… the person in question has done nothing wrong as far as I am aware…other than sign a tweet with WATP…


  68. john clarke says:
    February 23, 2014 at 2:47 pm
    …………………………………

    I understand where you are coming from JC….however I could point to certain officials who openly admitted to the club they supported in discussions…example Bobby Tait….was up front and honest whenever he spoke to people…he supported Rangers (IL)…yet the SFA appointed him to a crucial game at Ibrox that Tommy Burns Killie won 1-0…a game that eventually killed the Ibrox clubs title challenge.

    In the mid 90’s I was at a friendly game in England as a guest…after the game…the Scottish officials were in the hospitality suite after…and the son of the head of referees in England at the time commented how he would love to attend a Celtic – Rangers game….one of the Scottish officials offered him tickets at Ibrox…whilst one of the others offered him tickets for Celtic Park..both offered the tickets based on their family supporting each club…both officials were in my opinion 2 of the most senior refs at the time in Scotland…

    The one offering tickets for Celtic Park surprised me….but then what did it actually mean?….

    I guess that is Scotland…no matter who you may support or how impartial you are…there will always be those who will question it….who can forget Walter using an officials name after a game to suggest he may not be impartial….

    I just think we have to be careful John…


  69. Smugas says:
    February 23, 2014 at 2:40 pm
    3 1 Rate This

    Danish, whilst I agree with you on the merits of true fan ownership it’s going to take a suitably damaging humiliating experience, like admin 2, to kick it off because of the level of in Wallace I trust delusion that exists at present …
    ———

    You’re probably right. This is a critical time though. There seems to be a large number of fans who (if online exchanges are anything to go by) are still undecided regarding season tickets for 2014-15. The Sons of Struth chaps seem to be a small but serious threat to the PR campaign to milk the fans of more cash. A few interesting exchanges on their twitter timeline:

    @SonsofStruth

    They posted a link to the full interview yesterday (I’d only seen an edited version):

    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NvrwgrDmLfA


  70. Sevco5088 application for striking off?
    any news on that from 18 Feb?


  71. ernie says:
    February 23, 2014 at 12:50 pm

    Castofthousands says:
    February 23, 2014 at 12:28 pm
    ===========================
    I’m sure you’re aware that Clark’s record is for consecutive games rather than consecutive games excluding the cup.
    ——

    Indeed – it does smack somewhat of a Glasgow media invention. If the guy, his club and the fans want to claim a record, fair enough. Celtic have undeniably done well in the League.

    Fact is, though, Clark kept the ball out of the net for longer. 🙂


  72. On the 4th March 2013 RIFC published their interim results to 31st December 2012. I assume (gullible or what) that this year the same will happen. Therefore we only have to wait a week to see what the current cash burn rate is and how long £1.5m will last. Unless something happens next week to prevent this. Mr Wallace’s options for his master plan should be fairly obvious once we see these results (imho).

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