A recent autumn storm caused the destruction of the metal goal fame in our garden. The small goal with the weather-beaten net had fallen into disuse. But I liked it seeing it there on the grass. I suppose I half-expected, half-hoped, it would be used again. Once, it was a father and son thing and had been constructed carefully from a nice set of plans. At the time, it impressed both son and daughter no end. But that was then, this was now.
One of our trees, blown over by the recent high winds, caused the goal frame’s final demise. As I unscrewed the twisted metal I thought of the hours of innocent fun it had given us. It had been the scene of many goals and not a few great saves. My son, who is soon off to uni, smiled thoughtfully as I mentioned that this was the end of the ‘goalposts of childhood’. Perhaps he knew what I meant.
My own childhood goalposts had been ‘doon the back’. Drawn with chalk on the red brick of the ‘sausage wall’ at one end, and on part of the ‘wash hoose’ at the other. Many a league, Cup and international match was played out between those goals on the Dennistoun dirt. We once put on a parallel version of a historic England v Scotland match while the real match was being played at Wembley. Jim Mone sitting on one of the dykes had a transister radio to his ear. As we played our match he chalked up live score updates on the wall — our Twitter and FaceBook anno 1967. What a day.
We did use a pile of jackets up on the old Dennistoun cricket pitch, but only rarely. Mostly, we played on the red gravel surface at the Finlay Drive entrance. That pitch was fitted with real goalposts — like the ones they had at Hampden. Or so we imagined.
These sentimental memories of receding years accompanied my removal of the ruined metal goal frame. But, as you can imagine, it seemed an almost symbolic act. For fans of Scottish football the ‘goalposts’ that once defined the game of our football childhoods — have not only been moved, they’ve been been twisted and mis-shapen out of all recognition.
The past decades have seen a fundamental change in the way our game is run and governed, at home and abroad. Money is now king and sporting consideration is a luxury we sometimes have to put to one side — or at least, so we’re told.
At the risk of stating the obvious, sport, if it is to mean anything at all, has to be based on clearly defined rules and principles. These rules must be applied equally to all the participants, they are certainly not optional extras. However, to misquote and paraphrase George Orwell, ‘all teams are equal, but some teams are more equal than others’ — at least, when it comes to Scottish football.
The efforts by the SFA to re-interpret rules to fit the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the demise of Rangers FC in 2012 have left most of us scratching our heads. Much of the Scottish media has backed up the SFA’s efforts, something which has added to the general confusion and chaos. In fact, it’s become clear that the death of Rangers, as we knew them, has been such a traumatic event that it must be denied. The authorities and media seem to have been so besotted with one club that its loss is out of the question. And so, it’s been gifted a bizarre kind of immunity from liquidation and death that implies its on-going existence, long after it drew it’s final breath.
This situation has opened the door to a legion of businessmen on the make. They have been allowed to perpetuate the myth, with SFA blessing, that they ‘saved’ Rangers. And their unwavering message is, that they can only succeed if fans keep giving them their hard-earned cash. To those outside the blue bubble it looks like a huge con trick. If the only source of real money in football is the fans, then the Ibrox faithful have been royally fleeced.
How different it could have been if the former club had been allowed a dignified end. A year out of the game would probably have allowed fans to restart a newco of their own. They could have applied for entry into the professional leagues along with the other clubs waiting in line. Chances are they would have been given special dispensation, and walked straight into the bottom tier. Of course, they would have claimed to be the continuation of the spirit of the previous entity — but would anyone have argued against that? How different it could have been if the rules governing the game had been respected. The SFA may even have kept their dignity intact and the press not felt obliged to print half-truths, falsehoods and lies.
You’ve got to wonder why Dunfermline and Hearts fought so desperately to avoid liquidation. After all, the Scottish football authorities now seem intent on convincing us that liquidation has little or no effect on a football club. Even past sins, such as wrongly-registered players are as naught — if, at the time, they were thought to have been registered correctly. By this logic, we have to ask: if a ‘company’ running a ‘club’ bribes a referee, will retrospective action will be taken against the ‘club’. The players and the club, after all, will have done nothing wrong. And since the referee was not known to have been bribed, and not struck off, he was qualified to referee the match in question, at the time. Using the SFA thought process, the result would probably be allowed to stand. Personally, I’m not sure I follow SFA logic. They’ve ‘moved the goalposts’, and (you saw it coming) bent them into an unrecognisable shape.
Which brings me back to our garden. The old metal goal frame is waiting to be driven down to the local re-cycling centre. The twisted metal and worn-out net are useless. Ruined by forces beyond our control. There is no interest in a replacement at present. Perhaps, if we have grandchildren, they will show an interest in football. If they do, I’ll build a new set of goalposts. They’ll be straight and true, the way the goalposts of childhood should be. The way goalposts should always be.
Esteban says: (4)
January 4, 2014 at 1:05 pm
Ecobhoy
You are correct that Doncaster’s blog frames itself in the context of UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations, but he wrote it three weeks after Rangers went into administration having failed to pay taxes and other clubs. Incidentally, Cosgrove definitely thought Doncaster had only written this blog after LNS (the SPL entry carried no date).
http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/ceo-blog–financial-fair-play-2012-03-02/
=====================================================================
Is the Scotslawthoughts blog you refer to? http://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2012/07/27/neil-doncaster-speaks-out-on-financial-fair-play/ which states the comments first issued in March 2012 were re-treaded in late July 2012.
There seems to be plenty of media coverage at the time of the March 2012 financial fair play blog by Doncaster so there can be no doubting the statement was made then,
Esteban says: (6)
January 4, 2014 at 1:48 pm (Edit)
1 0 Rate This
Have you guys seen this?
http://i.imgur.com/1cjoo1e.jpg
————
These Easdale emails are painful to read. There may be traces of a form of word blindness in his responses.
If that one is genuine it adds some weight to the theory that the Easdales have been royally duped.
Esteban says: (6)
January 4, 2014 at 2:40 pm
Is he the “smart(er)” brother?
nickmcguinness says: (155)
January 4, 2014 at 2:36 pm
This message reveals Jack Irvine to be a despicable, arrogant creep who refused to apologise to John Greig and even ordered the Spivco board to stop asking him to do so:
http://m.imgur.com/71iwOS0
All of which strongly suggests that the @RangersInter (CharlotteFakes) tweets are indeed genuine.
===============================================================
It certainly suggests to me that the RIFC Board does what its told to do by JI – so who is Irvine actually working for. This is a shocker of an email in terms of the calibre of the people on that Board.
If a paid PR adviser made comments like that to me as a Board Member of the company paying him he wold have been physically slung-out on his ear.
Now obvious where the orchestrated attacks have come from re Dingwall – it all shows that the whole club is in meltdown.
But really important IMO is that the Bears were assured at the RIFC agm that JI had provided a written apology over the Greig slur. So who’s telling the porky pies? And will the fans react or just continue to take being lied to?
I do hope for the sake of Mr McColl that none of the RIFC Board of Directors have access to a vehicle crusher as the threat to ‘crush’ him seems quite brutal but I suppose that’s The Rangers Way and perhaps why they wear brown brogues so as not to show the bloodstains in their repeated bouts of boardroom cleansing which apparently leaves them up to their knees in the blood of Real Rangers Men 😡
Danish Pastry says: (1861)
January 4, 2014 at 2:50 pm
Esteban says: (6)
January 4, 2014 at 1:48 pm (Edit)
Have you guys seen this?
http://i.imgur.com/1cjoo1e.jpg
————
These Easdale emails are painful to read. There may be traces of a form of word blindness in his responses.
If that one is genuine it adds some weight to the theory that the Easdales have been royally duped.
======================================
Would someone please reassure me that is a fake because I am actually beginning to feel tectonic plates shift beneath my feet never mind a major slippage in my sanity. Surely this can’t be happening in Scottish Football ❓
Hello all,
Re superallycannyhackittraveltomontroses bleating about the away schedule. Was it not so long ago he was banging on about travelling to new grounds and making new friends on the way up? Trumpet, different tune anyone 🙂
Danish
For Mr Easdale of the Sandy to be sending emails and signing off as a Director of a bus company is very strange indeed ,I would have signed of with my position in the very company he is claiming to be ignored by,well if you hold a position as he claims that he should have been included in matters of board members involvement,I think he must have had his Blakey hat on that day.
Hello all,
Re super salary Cannae hack it travel to montroses, bleating about the away schedule. Was it not so long ago he was banging on about travelling to new grounds and making new friends on the way up? Trumpet, different tune anyone
HirsutePursuit says: (470)
January 4, 2014 at 2:31 pm
That LNS chose to operate an adversarial system (where the SPL is tasked to be the prosecutor) in substitution of making his/their own line of enquiry seems to me, at best, to be highly unusual. You take a different view. Perhaps we should just agree to disagree.
====================================================================
And yet when LNS makes it own line of enquiry to ascertain what the SPL case is you attack LNS and say this is LNS making the SPL prove its case which is simply not the case. You just don’t seem to get the very simple point that even under an Inquisitorial process if LNS or one of the other members had been appointed as the Inquisitor they would have asked the same questions of the SPL.
But you seem trapped in the belief that by seeking answers to questions this turns any process into an adversarial one. It may be you cannot, for whatever reason, accept that a major part of the inquisitorial process is asking questions of witnesses and parties just like in the adversarial system. That is not what defines the differences in the two processes or even the hybrid ones which contain elements of both legal systems.
Someone having access to historic material I could understand, there are various ways they could get it.
However if this latest material (from October 2013) is genuine then it surely would have to come from Rangers themselves. Either from an insider or someone with access to their computers. Assuming the sender or at least one of the recipients is using either Rangers’ own computers or has access to email accounts.
In a way if this stuff is genuine then how someone got it is as interesting as the content.
Personally I will very much reserve judgement on the authenticity. Though to be honest I would not find the content that surprising.
http://i.imgur.com/1cjoo1e.jpg
I see this was apparently sent to Craig Mather on 7/10/2013. No wonder he resigned from RIFC as CEO a week later 😆
Any of you’s surprised at the quality of the punkuashun n that?
Not sure if all the recent emails are genuine but if sent from a mobile device then Easdale may indeed have his default signature as being his position with the bus company.
Just saying like!
FIFA @ 3:19
The McGill’s address may be a consequence of sending the email from a phone.
It could be the default signature and he has never bothered changing it.
The use of a phone would also go some, but by no means all, of the way towards explaining the remarkably individualistic nature of the grammar and spelling.
My main doubt about its authenticity would be that I just don’t see the petted lip email as one of the argumentative techniques likely to be deployed by either of the Easdale brothers.
That said, and for what it’s worth, my hunch is that it is genuine and the fact we are seeing it now is a clear sign that the Easdales have served their purpose and are now dispensable.
EDIT: wot wottpi said!
Regarding the easdale e-mail
Was that similar to the smudger and john greig treatment, i.e, kept in the dark
(The difference being, the easdales actually have a major shareholding in the two clubs, although changed via equity swap, but going by the names, there are two new clubs)
[The Rangers Football Club LTD and Rangers International Football Club PLC]
http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1rvdg3c
All very interesting re Ally’s pay ‘negotiations’.
Funny on reading it I have actually changed my mind quite a bit on Mather and now have him down as sounding basically decent and more in the the ‘duped’ than ‘spiv’ camp. He certainly seems to be someone who gives his word and attempts to keep it.
If the time is accurate it would certainly suggest it was sent outside of normal office hours.
I had the same thought about the “signature” myself, it would make sense if it was automatically generated.
Tif Finn says: (1174)
January 4, 2014 at 3:34 pm
Someone having access to historic material I could understand, there are various ways they could get it.
However if this latest material (from October 2013) is genuine then it surely would have to come from Rangers themselves. Either from an insider or someone with access to their computers. Assuming the sender or at least one of the recipients is using either Rangers’ own computers or has access to email accounts. In a way if this stuff is genuine then how someone got it is as interesting as the content.
Personally I will very much reserve judgement on the authenticity. Though to be honest I would not find the content that surprising.
========================================
If it’s coming from Easdale’s phone and I think that looks likely then it looks as though it has to have come from the Ibrox end. It it a structured leak? Perhaps the intentiuon of the spivs or someone working on their behalf is to show the Easdales as idiots and if that’s the case then the skids are being greased under them as we read.
These ’emails’ look a bit dodgy to me, looks like they’ve been written using an old typewriter!
No email addresses on any of them either.
Also note the differences in grammar between Sandy Easdale’s correspondences on the 2nd and 7th of October.
Were they written by the same person?
McCoist will do and say anything which he thinks will keep him onside with the Bears. The man cannot be trusted. The hordes just don’t get it do they? His latest dog whistling act is just typical.A complete volte face from relishing ‘The Journey’ towards the Premier league to moans about fixtures and travelling. A sneaky, two faced little character. Always was,always will be.
I would imagine that the “typewriter” effect is a result of the e-mail being saved from an “html” format into a simplified “txt” file format.
You can also see this at the end of a sentence where there is a space inserted before the full stop by the translation between the two formats.
As for the signatures, I would expect that even if they are not being sent from a phone, they will be being sent from an MS Outlook account, which has the bus company signature pre-set as the default.
ecobhoy says: (2170)
January 4, 2014 at 3:47 pm
7 0 Rate This
http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1rvdg3c
All very interesting re Ally’s pay ‘negotiations’.
Funny on reading it I have actually changed my mind quite a bit on Mather and now have him down as sounding basically decent and more in the the ‘duped’ than ‘spiv’ camp. He certainly seems to be someone who gives his word and attempts to keep it.
————-
Perhaps the reason for his short tenure?
On the other hand, he did make his absurd ‘enemies of Rangers’ speech. And he did keep strange company. Then there’s his involvement as development of youth director or whatever they called it, which amounted to? From what I’ve read he’s not down on the deal.
Maybe he was a pretty decent bloke who was given the opportunity to double his money, and took it.
FIFA says: (477)
January 4, 2014 at 3:19 pm (Edit)
12 0 Rate This
Danish
For Mr Easdale of the Sandy to be sending emails and signing off as a Director of a bus company is very strange indeed ,I would have signed of with my position in the very company he is claiming to be ignored by,well if you hold a position as he claims that he should have been included in matters of board members involvement,I think he must have had his Blakey hat on that day.
————
It does almost defy belief, as does the tortured grammar. That might also be down to predictive writing, though, a function he hasn’t figured how to deactivate.
The default smartphone signature the guys are referring to also sounds plausible.
Perhaps Mr McCoist has heard grumblings on the marble staircase about the lack of home fixtures (and consequent low income) in the near future, and has misconstrued the reason his latest masters are unhappy?
Meanwhile, a novel description of the team playing out of Ibrox in today’s Scotsman McCoist piece by Stephen Halliday: “… the newly constituted club …”.
I think Mr Halliday may have come up with a phrase which is ambiguous enough to appease the average hard-of-thinking bear, whilst also meaning exactly what it says.
ecobhoy says: (2170)
January 4, 2014 at 3:39 pm
http://i.imgur.com/1cjoo1e.jpg
I see this was apparently sent to Craig Mather on 7/10/2013. No wonder he resigned from RIFC as CEO a week later 😆
====================
I would imagine Sandy’s old English teacher won’t be dining off his success at all those Greenock dinner parties anymore after that shocker.
You should all read this
http://kerrydalestreet.co.uk/single/?p=12699096&t=8837773
No, he’s the one that got caught
That’s really very good. (I would add to it that LNS did say ‘for the purposes of this commission’ I believe, which surely precludes the use of his opinons anywhere else)
Maybe the clouds are finally parting for me after two years!
Reading Charlotte’s emails form Irvine, I think I get it now. I could never get my head around who would buy the stadium in the as I see it, inevitable, sale and leaseback. I say inevitable as this would be the only way for the spivs to make enough money for the past two years to have been worthwhile. £5-8million profit for that period of time for these boys seems like a poor return on their investment. But if you stick on £20million for the stadium then as their soul-mate Arthur Daley would say, it’s a nice little earner.
But who would pay that sort of money? I got stuck thinking that the spivs would buy it themselves and pocket the rent for years to come while still owning the property. But would they lay out, or wipe their hands of the £20million required?
Then I read Jack’s email on Charlotte fakes, Charlotte fakeovers to give her her Sunday name, and it suddenly makes sense to me why a) Jack’s still there, and b) where the money comes from. Jack has been there throughout the David Murray years. Is it so ridiculous to think that he is still SDM’s mouthpiece? Is it too ridiculous to imagine that Ibrox Stadium will show up again as an asset in a Murray business? An Ibrox shorn of debt, charging not quite a peppercorn rent but a reduced rent of say £2m a year rather than 3 to make the fans think they are getting a great deal?
Maybe the fakeover is almost compete after all.
McCoist in the papers raging about a fixture backlog, excessive travel and too many away games in a row. (Bearing in mind he cancelled 2 games because of international. Clearly he doesn’t have the depth of squad for the third tier).
Release of emails which if true may it look like Easdale is a semi-literate, Mather was being undermined, Irvine is telling the board what to do and Ibrox is still leaking.
That’s a lot of distraction, I take it something big is going to happen. Drastic cost cutting perhaps.
Not The Huddle Malcontent says: (1090)
January 4, 2014 at 6:30 pm
Thanks for that NTHM.
I have taken the necessary action which was suggested.
With the questionable sale to Whyte, what looked like a contrived insolvency or at the least trading whilst insolvent, the subsequent liquidation and highly questionable sale of the assets to Green. Allied to the ongoing investigation by BDO and the plethora of information in the public domain re Green and Whyte working together for at least part of the time, does anyone really think that Sir David Murray is going to overtly be involved again.
When is the going concern loan due again ?
And who’s on hook for it ?
Wasn’t it reported that JI was working for SE/JE. ?
There maybe trouble ahead, doot da doot doot. 🙄
Are these some of the dots that Charotte needs to be joined? We have talked about this before but we have actual addresses now
http://www.scribd.com/doc/195231558/TRFCL-to-RIFC-Share-Exchange-Agreement
4 ATP Investments Limited The Beatrice Butterfield Building, Butterfield Square, PO Box 560, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies 7.78% 2,600,000 shares
6 Putney Holdings Limited The Beatrice Butterfield Building, Butterfield Square, PO Box 560, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies 2.09% 700,000 shares
Jack Irvine in Turks and Caicos
http://www.prweek.com/article/1138861/media-house-international-enlisted-fight-vat-turks-caicos-islands
Happy New Year all.
Been a few months since I was on here last but have continued to lurk and keep up.
One thing been on my mind recently.
Can anyone concur if the 5-way agreement has any clause in it about sanctions should the new club (Sevco) suffer an Administration event within x years / months of the agreement? I seem to think I read this some time ago …. or maybe I’m just dreaming it as it’s far too obvious for the SFA, SPL, SFL to seek such an assurance that a condition of membership transfer would be to actually start playing by the (financial) rules again!
If the 5-way agreement does NOT have a clause to that effect then it is yet another illustration of how inept the blazers running the game in Scotland are!
As an aside, interesting to see the notorious LNS being discussed again. Still a festering sore for me. Although, I did start to “forgive” my club a little by attending the Ross County match on the 29th!
The Beatrice Butterfield Building is a busy place.
As well as being the base for ATP Investments Ltd and Putney Holdings it is also home to M&S Trust Company Limited who employ a certain Adrian G Corr.
Coincidentally, an Adrian G Corr is a director of Tricor Plc along with a Christopher Andrew Morgan. Mr Morgan is, as some may know, the sole owner of Asia Credit Corporation. Mr Morgan also sits on the board of Nova Resources Limited and did so when Charles Green was also a director.
It’s a small world in the land of the spivs.
Angus1983 says: (1311)
January 4, 2014 at 5:51 pm
‘….a novel description of the team playing out of Ibrox in today’s Scotsman McCoist piece by Stephen Halliday: “… the newly constituted club …”…
———–
About as near to ‘new club’ as he could possibly get past his sub-editor !
He will probably be spoken to, though, after the first phone call from a ‘Scotsman’- reading bear.
Fair dos to him for angling towards the actual truth.
It will, of course, just be a PO Box type address for company formation. Butterfield Square does not exactly look like a ‘business’ area. Looks like a small group of shops though Google only have black and white satellite pictures
Not The Huddle Malcontent says:
January 4, 2014 at 6:30 pm
——
That’s probably the best and most concise summary of the facts that I’ve read.
I would be interested to hear any responses from any of our Rangers fans who uphold the “Then Now Forever” mantra (emotional attachments to Holy Ghosts, etc, don’t count).
Am I not right in saying that Chris Morgan was the “agent” for Blue Pitch Holdings.
scottc
“The firm is also affiliated with M & S Trust Company Limited, a licensed trust company that provides the formation and management of Turks and Caicos Island companies, trusts and mutual funds.”
http://www.mslaw.tc/about-attorneys-law-turks-caicos
Could the poster who PMed me a few weeks back regarding the ASA paperwork, you have mail, thanks.
I’m sure I read an article recently about their employee, Adrian Corr, and some bother with the US authorities. I think it related to setting up the telephone systems on Haiti or something. I’ll need to dig around
I’ll retract that until i find the article
It was Eco
http://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2013/09/19/six-degrees-separating-a-deposed-haitian-president-and-a-rangers-director-by-ecojon/
http://haitiaction.net/News/HL/7_29_8/7_29_8.html
scottc, are you thinking of this post by ecojon?
http://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2013/09/19/six-degrees-separating-a-deposed-haitian-president-and-a-rangers-director-by-ecojon/#more-4169
Eco might be able to help you with the Adrian Corr / Haiti thing I suspect.
No1 Bob says: (80)
January 4, 2014 at 8:59 pm
Tif Finn says: (1179)
January 4, 2014 at 8:59 pm
Thanks guys. Yes, it was Eco, of course.
I’ve joined the list of those who have sent the excellent email posted on KDS, making it clear in it that, though I am not a Celtic supporter, I agree with everything written in it. Hopefully other, non Celtic supporters will forward it and make it clear they, too, are not just another of those Celtic minded ‘Rangers haters’, which, I am sure, is how those most likely to be contacted by the ASA for clarification would like to explain it away. To that end, while encouraging everyone to send a copy by email, I’d think it beneficial if a large percentage were sent by our posters and readers who support clubs from all over the country.
Allyjambo says: (748)
January 4, 2014 at 10:38 pm
1 0 Rate This
I’ve joined the list of those who have sent the excellent email posted on KDS, making it clear in it that, though I am not a Celtic supporter, I agree with everything written in it. Hopefully other, non Celtic supporters will forward it and make it clear they, too, are not just another of those Celtic minded ‘Rangers haters’, which, I am sure, is how those most likely to be contacted by the ASA for clarification would like to explain it away. To that end, while encouraging everyone to send a copy by email, I’d think it beneficial if a large percentage were sent by our posters and readers who support clubs from all over the country.
=========================
if only we could get the facepainter or some other business/debenture holder/shareholder who was stiffed by the old club to send in a complaint as well!
@Pmacgiollabhain Phil,have u time to link a copy/paste email complaint to ASA Chief Exec on grounds of inaccuracy http://kerrydalestreet.co.uk/single/?p=12699096&t=8837773 …
Good Luck, hope he does
Cluster One says: (5)
January 4, 2014 at 11:03 pm
I put it out on Twitter
killiemad says: (64)
January 4, 2014 at 6:54 pm
42 0 Rate This
Maybe the clouds are finally parting for me after two years!
Reading Charlotte’s emails from Irvine,
=======================================
Why did you go there to read them?
Anyone any info on the bus investigation?
Ditto the ‘John Greig’ inquiry,
Same WRT the Pinsett report.
Thanks to Phil for posting the link to the ASA complaint wouldn’t have seen it otherwise. All through this shambles I have felt a deep frustration at all the injustice, when it seems so clear cheating occurred on an industrial scale. Every day it seems more and more lies and falsities are printed to back the so called unbroken lineage of Rangers all the way back to Longshanks or something along those lines. Felt good to forward my complaint and vent a little steam at what has become a simple joke , oh how you have to laugh.
Allyjambo says: (748)
January 4, 2014 at 10:38 pm
25 0 Rate This
I’ve joined the list of those who have sent the excellent email posted on KDS, making it clear in it that, though I am not a Celtic supporter, I agree with everything written in it. Hopefully other, non Celtic supporters will forward it and make it clear they, too, are not just another of those Celtic minded ‘Rangers haters’, which, I am sure, is how those most likely to be contacted by the ASA for clarification would like to explain it away. To that end, while encouraging everyone to send a copy by email, I’d think it beneficial if a large percentage were sent by our posters and readers who support clubs from all over the country.
================
Well done Allyjambo, would be great to get as many non Celtic fans as possible to send in a reply.
I still feel a lot of injustice about the whole affair.
tomtom says: (529)
January 5, 2014 at 12:22 am
LOL 😛
Then along comes this to put Super Salary’s fixtures gripe into perspective, http://t.co/adfmSzo0gI
And my letter to ASA will be on its way tomorrow.
I get the impression that the ASA really do not want to get involved and make a proper judgement based on the facts. I also do not think they will be influenced by us internet bampots as they will kowtow to the establishment. However if it was a local MP/ MSP or even better BDO/ HMRC that made the complaint then there might be a bit more influence/ weight behind the complaint? Anyone got any thoughts or suggestions if this is possible?
( Ridiculous idea, I know but I am a dreamer)
No1 Bob is on the ball tonight.
The Spivs have been working overtime to cover their tracks.
However, we know that the shares accredited to Asia Credit Corporation (Chris Morgan) appear to have been paid for via a £600,000 bank transfer from Charles Green, under instruction from convicted bank fraudster Rafat Ali Rizvi’s email of May 9, 2012.
But who gave Charles Green that cash (at a time when he was in daily contact with Craig Whyte)?
It could be Whyte, Fraudster Rizvi. Fraudster Abela. Or someone with a more historic connection to the old clumpany that was liquidated.
My own belief is that it is the Spivs (check out The Wolf of Wall Street for some examples of their ilk) who have subverted the original Murray Masterplan and turned the planned Triumphant Return To Glory into a Hate-filled Procession Into The Abyss.
With the Spivs and MediaHouse making a fortune out of the demise of Clumpany No 1 and Clumpany No 2.
It is a disaster all of their own making. Hell mend them.
Within the commission’s remit the SPL had already provided a detailed list of issues for enquiry and determination. The commission had access to all the available documentary evidence. They had the power to call any witness and demand that Clubs provide any and all assistance.
It was, by my reading of the disciplinary rules, the commissions role to make such further enquiries as would have been necessary to bring everything together and make its determination. As the SPL information was already available to them, there should have been very little necessity to question their representative.
Of course there may be matters that would have required SPL clarification – perhaps to give proper context to a SPL rule or article that may appear unclear to the panel – but Rod MacKenzie’s role should have been no more than that.
My criticism of the “enquiry” is that there was no enquiry. LNS can (quite correctly) say that the commission came to the only conclusion it could on the evidence laid before them.
The point is, we were repeatedly told that the commission was completely independent and that the SPL did not seek to influence its outcome. How can that be true if the SPL (via Rod MacKenzie) had been handed the role of prosecutor? The SPL (via MacKenzie) got to choose what matters to prosecute fully and what should be conceded. They appear to have conceded a lot.
Had the commission been inquisitorial in nature, (as it should have been) the SPL would have had much less ability to directly influence the outcome. Why LNS opted to give that influence back to the SPL is a question only he can answer.
Since there have been a few long documents published today, here – for the sake of posterity – is the Craig Whyte and Sevco 5088 Letter Before Claim (anyone know how this legal case is going?):
SEVCO 5088 LIMITED
48 SKYLINES VILLAGE
LlMEHARBOUR
LONDON
UNITED KINGDOM
E149TS
Tel: 0844 544 8227
Fax: 020 8241 4494
ImranAhmad
c/o Rangers Football Club Limited
Charles Green
c/o Rangers Football Club Limited
Rangers Football Club Limited (formerly Sevco Scotland Ltd)
12th December 2012
Dear Sirs
Agreements in relation to RFC 2012 PIc, formerly The Rangers Football Club pIc (In
Administration)
Letter before Claim
This is a letter before claim by Sevco 5088 Ltd and Aidan Earley and Craig Whyte (“the
Principals”) against the above addressees, written with regard to the Practice Direction – PreAction
Conduct. Accordingly, we anticipate an acknowledgement of this letter from you
within 24 hours and a full response setting out how you propose to settle our claims within a
further 4 days thereafter.
We intend to issue court proceedings against the following Defendants:
• Imran Ahmad and Charles Green for breach of contract;
• Imran Ahmad and Charles Green for deception; and
• Rangers Football Club Limited (formerly Sevco Scotland Ltd) for unjust enrichment
and for a declaration that it holds property on trust for us.
We reserve our right to include further heads of damages
Facts:
1. In early 2012, Craig Whyte had planned to rescue The Rangers Football Club pic
(“RFC”) from administration/liquidation. However, he was afraid that his current bad
publicity would hinder his efforts, to the detriment of himself and RFC. It was,
therefore, necessary for the success of his plans that any action would be ‘ fronted ‘ by
others.
2. Accordingly, Aidan Earley approached Imran Ahmad to invite him to participate in the
takeover plan. Aidan Earley explained the value of the RFC assets and what, in his
view, was key to a successful outcome. The preferred course of action would have been
to establish a CV A, as this would be best for creditors and stakeholders and help get
fans onside. It would also retain the Club’s history intact and also enable the Club to
participate in Europe after only one year. If a CV A was not achieved, the plan was to
acquire RFC assets. As things turned out, a CV A was not achieved.
3. Imran Ahmad reported that his boss at Zeus Capital was negative about Craig Whyte.
This confirmed the view held by Aidan Earley, Craig Whyte and Imran Ahmad that the
transaction would have to be fronted by others if it were to achieve a successful
outcome.
4. On 26’h April 2012 Imran Ahmad telephoned Aidan Earley to say that he had “just the
right guys”, namely: Charles Green and Rafat Rizvi.
5. Imran Ahmad introduced Rafat Rizvi and Charles Green to Craig Whyte at a meeting in
The Grosvenor House Hotel on I” May 2012 during which Rafat Rizvi and Imran
Ahmad agreed to raise funds and Charles Green agreed to front the deal.
6. It was agreed by all parties that:
I. The Principals would have a majority shareholding in Sevco 5088 Ltd;
II. Charles Green would front Sevco 5088 Ltd in the CV A or purchase of RFC
assets;
Ill. Imran Ahmad, Rafat Rizvi and Charles Green, (for proving funds, raising money
for and fronting the deal) and Aidan Earley (for introducing the deal) would each
receive an equal share of a fee consisting of £250,000 plus 10% of the enlarged
share capital;
IV. The maj ority of funds would be raised by investment and ticket sales and that
those raising funds would receive industry standard commission of between 3%
and 5% of the funds raised;
v. the pre new money valuation for the venture would be £10m. That is, the
opportunity (including voting for the CV A and being willing to sell 85% to Sevco
5088 Ltd or, alternatively, facilitating the purchase of RFC assets) to acquire a
debt free RFC was valued at £lOm. Bearing in mind the valuations achieved in
the past and the extensive property assets (c£ 100m) in the last published
accounts, this seemed good value for investors. This is evidenced by the allotment
of £10m of new shares in Sevco 5088 Ltd and signed by Charles Green, the lSI
draft of the presentation showing a pre new valuation of £I Om and texts from
Imran Ahmad confirming that the deal would be structured on a pre new money
valuation of £ 10m;
vi. The Principals would, on behalf of Sevco 5088 Ltd, deliver their RFC votes in
favour of a CV A and to change the name of RFC to enable Sevco 5088 Ltd to be
renamed Rangers Football Club Limited;
Vll. The Principals percentage ownership of Sevco 5088 Ltd would be determined by
the amount of new money raised at the pre new money valuation of £IOm. For
example, if £1 Om of equity new money was raised the Principals would have 50%
ofSevco 5088 Ltd but if only £Im of equity was raised then the Principals would
have 10/11 before the commission (10% of the enlarged share capital) payable to
Imran Ahmad, Charles Green, Rafat Rizvi and Aidan Earley. The Principals did
have people willing to put in debt finance and, had that been the chosen course,
the Principals would have had 100% before the 10% commission;
Vlll. The Principals would loan £200,000 to Sevco 5088 Ltd which would be used as a
deposit payable to Duff &Phelps (D&P) for the purchase ofRFC’s assets;
IX. Charles Green would, where possible, endeavour to restore Craig Whyte’s
reputation.
7. In order to progress the agreement, the Principals had:
(a) Arranged for Liberty Capital Markets Limited to pay £25,000 into Charles
Green’s personal account to enable him to pay the legal fees of Sevco 5088 Ltd as
otherwise Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) (who Aidan Earley had recommended
be used and who made the initial approach to FFW) would not work on the legal
paperwork for the Sevco 5088 Ltd deal with D&P. Without Aidan Earley
arranging this payment (as told to him by Charles Green) Charles Green’s cheque
to FFW would have bounced, which would be disastrous. With the payment
having been made successfully FFW were then prepared to work on the
documents full time to get the deal done – and to extend credit in respect of any
further professional time until after the deal completed and Sevco 5088 Ltd could
then payout of funds raised.
(b) Introduced Charles Green to Paul Clark of D&P at the Hakkasan Restaurant in
London (Grier, also of D&P, later admitted in a recorded conversation that he
knew that Craig Whyte was behind the deal);
(c) Agreed to vote the RFC shares in favour of the deal and for Sevco 5088 Ltd to
change its name to Rangers Football Club Limited
(d) Turned down alternative offers
(e) Introduced Jim Park as a consultant in order to introduce Mike Ashley, owner of
Newcastle United, as both a key investor and developer of the RFC retail arm.
Without the Principals’ involvement it would have been impossible for Sevco 5088 Ltd
or the Defendants to get anywhere with an RFC CV A or the purchase of the assets of
RFC. Other parties had tried and failed to table a viable offer without this support.
The Transaction
8. In the week following 1st May 2012 Rafat Rizvi and Imran Ahmad proved funds on
behalf of Sevco 5088 Ltd to the Administrators in order to give the
Administrators confidence that Sevco 5088 Ltd was able to complete the
transaction.
9. On the 12th May 2012 Sevco 5088 Ltd entered into an exclusive, non assignable
agreement to acquire the Business and Assets of RFC from the Administrators for
£5.5m in the event that a CVA ofRFC was not possible
10. Between 12’h May and the posting of the CVA document Sevco 5088 Ltd paid £5.5m
to the administrators from money raised from investors (including the Principals)
to purchase the assets of RFC
11. On the 13 th May 2012 the media was informed by the Administrators and Charles
Green that Sevco 5088 Ltd had the exclusive right to acquire the assets of RFC
12. The above agreement was varied as follows:
(a) The £200k deposit that Sevco 5088 Ltd paid to Duff and Phelps was, due to
logistical difficulties caused by D&P insisting upon earlier payment than agreed
by the parties, paid by lmran Ahmad for an agreed rate of interest (£50k).
£l37.5k of the £200k was repaid by Craig Whyte, at Imran Ahmad’s instruction,
into lmran Ahmad’s Mother’s account within 48 working hours.
Evidence
13. We are in possession of irrefutable evidence of the above, including:
1. Charles Green’s signed allotment in respect of the £IOm share allocation and the
appointment of the Principals as Directors of Sevco 5088 Ltd;
II. The statutory records of Sevco 5088 Ltd signed by Charles Green and confirming
the Principals’ ownership
III. Audio recordings of Charles Green confirming that he was fronting the deal for
the Principals
IV. Audio recording of the meetings, including that on 31 st May 2012 attended by
Imran Ahmad and Brian Stockbridge, during which Craig Whyte interviewed
Brian Stockbridge as a potential Financial Director. During the course of this
meeting Imran Ahmad stated to Craig Whyte, “You should regard us as your reps
[on the board]. Charles can’t do anything.” Imran Ahmad also confirmed the
involvement of Rafat Rizvi with his team;
V. We have the SF A correspondence provided to Craig Whyte at a meeting with
Imran Ahmad on 27th June 2012, when the Mike Ashley deal was discussed and
how Craig Whyte’s involvement would be hidden from the SF A and SPL;
VI. Craig Whyte is in possession of a text from Imran Ahmad dated 12th May 2012
providing the bank account details of Imran Ahmad’s mother, Almas Shah;
VII. Craig Whyte is in possession of a text from Imran Ahmad dated 12th May 2012
confirming the £ 1 Om pre new money valuation;
VIII. Craig Whyte is in possession of a text from Imran Ahmad dated 16th May 2012
confirming receipt of the £137.5K.
IX. The CVA document relating to RFC 2012 Pic and a copy of the Exclusivity
Agreement entered into between the Administrators and Sevco 5088 Ltd
The CV A document states “Follovdng the extensive marketing of the Company and the
extensive sale process, an offer was made by Sevco 5088 Limited (Sevco) to make a loan on
certain terms (explained below) in conjunction mth the purchase by Sevco ofthe Group Shares.
4.19 Consequently, on 12 May 2012, the Joint Administrators agreed and signed an offer letter
mth Sevco (the Offer Letter) and granted Sevco exclusivity to complete a takeover of the
Company or a purchase of the Company’s business and assets by 30 July 2012. Sevco made a
payment of £200,000 to the Company for such exclusiÄ~ty.
4.23 In the event that either this CV A is not approved, or the other Conditions of the loan are not
satisfied or waived by 23 July 2012, Sevco is contractually obliged to purchase the
business and assets of the Company for £5,500,000 by 30 July 2012. All further terms
of that sale have been agreed in advance and are confidential.”
X. On the 27th June 2012 a spokesman for Rangers told STV: “For the avoidance of
doubt, Sevco 5088 Limited bought the assets of the Rangers Football Club and
then transferred them to Sevco Scotland Limited so that all the assets would be
in the Scottish registered company that is Rangers Fe.”
We attach hereto a non exhaustive informal list of relevant documents, in addition to those
mentioned above, in the possession of the Principals.
Breach
14. In breach of the agreement the Principals:
(a) were not repaid the loans provided to Sevco 5088 Ltd but, rather, Imran Ahmad
and Charles Green have purported to unlawfully novate these sums to Sevco
Scotland Ltd (now Rangers Football Club Ltd) and to then arrange for Sevco
Scotland Ltd to pay these amounts to them personally;
(b) the RFC assets were, without authority, purportedly switched from Sevco 5088
Ltd to Sevco Scotland Ltd in order to avoid the agreement;
(c) Charles Green did not try to redeem Craig Whyte’s reputation.
(d) Charles Green and Imran Ahmad used the RFC votes held in escrow by Imran
Ahmad to change the name of Sevco Scotland Limited to Rangers Football Club
Ltd rather than to change the name of Sevco 5088 Ltd to Rangers Football Club
Ltd.
15. We believe that the transfer of RFC’s assets from Sevco 5088 Ltd to Sevco Scotland
Ltd and the actions leading up to such constitutes an actionable deceit.
Loss
16. As a result of the above mentioned breach andlor deceit the following loss and damage
has been suffered, including:
(a) A loss to Aidan Earley of:
1. a share of the £250,000 and 10% of the enlarged shareholdings;
11. the £25,000 paid to Charles Green on behalf of Sevco 5088 Ltd for FFW
fees.
(b) A loss to Craig Whyte of:
1. an opportl1nity to redeem his reputation by achieving l! turn-around success
at the club;
11. his loan to Sevco 5088 Ltd.
(c) A loss to the Principals of an opportunity to:
1. take part in the management of the new RFC;
11. benefit as majority shareholders of an entity with huge and unencumbered
asset value;
111. benefit from the floatation of the new RFC as majority shareholders.
17. The financial loss, particularly in relation to (c) ii. and iii. The loss of opportunity for
Craig Whyte to redeem his reputation is almost immeasurable, financially and from a
personal point of view.
18. In order to avoid action you must:
(a) return all the assets switched to Rangers Football Club Ltd back to us
(b) pay liquidated damages of£162,500 pursuant to 16 (a) (ii) and 16 (b) (ii) above
(c) Agree to pay reasonable damages in respect of the other matters listed above, such
figure to be determined.
We are in possession of the Prospectus relating to the admission of Rangers International
Football Club Pic to AIM describing the intention of that company to raise money from
investors to buy and finance Rangers Football Club Ltd which claims to own assets which are
in fact the property of Sevco 5088 Ltd. We are very concerned therefore that you intend to
raise investment on assets that you do not own and therefore perpetrate a fraud on both
ourselves and potential investors. Please confirm therefore, by return, that you have
forwarded a copy of this Letter before Action to Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP and Cenkos
Securities Pic.
If we do not receive satisfactory acknowledgement and response, as required in the opening
paragraph of this letter, we shall issue court proceedings without further recourse to you.
Yours sincerely
Sevco 5088 Ltd
TRFC will soon require a new Sporting Advantage
==========================================
“…Rangers could face the likes of Hearts and Dundee next season in the Championship and, although they will be expected to breeze to another title, McCoist said: “You better believe it will be more difficult. The majority will be full-time teams…”
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl-lower-divisions/mccoist-winning-mentality-needed-at-rangers-1-3256204
=========================
This is the first time – as far as I am aware – that McCoist has expressly implied in the MSM that his team has had a sporting advantage in the league last season and this season: TRFC full-timers v. part-timers [& probably with full-time jobs].
Is the dog-whistler getting his excuses in early for next season ?
Next season against full-timers, how is TRFC going to maintain an edge ?
Perhaps a statistically significant number of opposition players sent off, or penalties awarded to TRFC – will aid the club in its journey to the top league ?
Or will the authorities allow sporting merit to determine that a Govan team must languish in the Championship for several seasons ?
Perhaps a ‘journalist’ could ask Doncaster – on record – to clarify his position:
“Bearing in mind recent media opinions that Scottish football apparently ‘needs a Rangers’ in the top league, what would the SPFL do if TRFC cannot gain promotion into the SPL on sporting merit ?”
This has surely been posted, but for others, like myself, who may have missed it while landing in 2014:
Person of the Year 2013: Charlotte Fakeovers
http://twohundredpercent.net/?p=25177
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stenhousemuir-striker-john-gemmell-launches-2990178?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Loved the last line in this – “If Ally is there tomorrow I have no problems making my point, what’s he going to do – eat me?”
Probably
StevieBC says: (967)
January 5, 2014 at 4:12 am
TRFC will soon require a new Sporting Advantage
==========================================
“…Rangers could face the likes of Hearts and Dundee next season in the Championship and, although they will be expected to breeze to another title, McCoist said: “You better believe it will be more difficult. The majority will be full-time teams…”……………………
Or will the authorities allow sporting merit to determine that a Govan team must languish in the Championship for several seasons ?
Perhaps a ‘journalist’ could ask Doncaster – on record – to clarify his position:
“Bearing in mind recent media opinions that Scottish football apparently ‘needs a Rangers’ in the top league, what would the SPFL do if TRFC cannot gain promotion into the SPL on sporting merit ?”
=====================================================
In answer to StevieBC’s point I wonder what odds Ian Black would give on another League reconstruction if PretendyGers were getting no higher than 3rd or 4th?
I thought someone posted there was a minimum period of time before they could even consider another reconstruction.
ratethisthenyabampots says: (104)
January 5, 2014 at 9:49 am
Probably the most honest critique, and certainly the most accurate, of Salary in the MSM since he became the manager at Ibrox. Sadly for TRFC and their fans, while Super Sal might be all smiles and shake Gemmell’s hand before the match, he won’t have the gumption to realise how true the claims were and he’ll continue to be totally clueless.
There was meant to be a three year moratorium on further reconstruction but that was, I believe, predicated on them getting the 12-12 splitting into 8-8-8. Since they did not get that, I’m not sure any moratorium exists. Besides, they did not really reconstruct, did they? They joined two leagues together and added playoffs to the top tier, so I would not put anything past them.
Tif Finn says: (1180)
January 5, 2014 at 10:14 am
I thought someone posted there was a minimum period of time before they could even consider another reconstruction.
====================================================
Aye but…..Armageddon, National Emergency, Celtic fans missing the big game ;-), Old Firm, competition……or to paraphrase, Weearrapeepul
Would you trust Doncaster and Regan?
In other news, I was happy to see Sone.Aluko extend his.contract at EPL side Hull (city?). You may remember he had to get money from.his family to help him buy out his Dons’ contract when OldGers bid for him, but exercised his rights not to transfer to NewGers when the club that held his contract went into liquidation. What a rollercoaster career he’s had!
He’s certainly doing better than.some of the.more heralded (no pun intended) ex-gers down south…
ratethisthenyabampots says: (104)
January 5, 2014 at 9:49 am
10 0 Rate This
Loved the last line in this – “If Ally is there tomorrow I have no problems making my point, what’s he going to do – eat me?”
Probably
——–
How fitting that a player in the same division and an Ibrox ST holder calls out McCoist for the whinging dog whistler he is. It’s like the old school bully who gets his comeuppance in assembly when a kid who has just had enough pulls the bullies trousers down, leaving him a laughing stock.
Emperors new clothes I’m afraid, McCoist…but could you put something on – yer geein me the boke
PhilMacGiollaBhain
Thanks for the update 😉
Danish Pastry says: (1864)
January 5, 2014 at 9:15 am
This has surely been posted, but for others, like myself, who may have missed it while landing in 2014:
Person of the Year 2013: Charlotte Fakeovers
http://twohundredpercent.net/?p=25177
____________________________________________________________
Yes it has been DP. If I might make some observations on that. The inference the writer has drawn is not quite correct and I apologise to the writer if I appear pedantic;
For clarity;
Certainly we were counselling caution on CtH, and questioned the provenance of the claimed source, but she never posted any material to TSFM, just links to it. The source or veracity of the material was never the problem. However CtH’s original claim (made to us privately), that she had access to ONE particular (specified) source of information, appeared to us to be false. It then became a question of trust and we were wary of the blog being discredited by disinformation passed on by someone with an unspecified but vested interest. I think that subsequent ‘revelations’, clearly from diverse sources, tend to support that original scepticism.
Nor were CtH’s privileges removed as a consequence of that scepticism; CtH was placed in moderation because of abuse of other posters who had the temerity to question her, and tirades at mods who removed those abusive posts. Consequently she removed herself from the blog.
It is true that we copped a lot of flack on that from areas outside of the blog, but the flow of information to TSFM never at any time changed.
Many posters here – and to RTC before it – have earned the right to our trust. Barcabhoy, Goosy, Corsica, CorsicaCharity, AllyJambo and many others have long histories which give us confidence that we can rely on the information they pass along. CtH was a brand new poster who appeared from nowhere with information she claimed was of earth-shattering proportions. The earth it appears, remains intact, and in our view now as then, CtH was highly entertaining, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Perhaps the biggest squirrel of all.
Again for the avoidance of doubt, we are absolutely convinced that CtH’s claimed source was bogus, but never at any time attempted to cut off her access to the blog.
Ross County’s chairman on BBC website blethering about how he thinks the current league setup is about right.
Fair enough – but I believe he should visit a decent optician next time, going by the wonky specs he has on in his photie there.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25611576
John Clarke:8.20pm Jan 4
Bears read The Scotsman?!!!!!!!!
I have just posted the following on Jambos Kickback in an attempt to raise a bit of awareness among Hearts supporters:
—————————————————————————
As others have pointed out the most important thing for Hearts right now is to come out of administration, and this isn’t a foregone conclusion. Failure to do so means liquidation, which in terms of the law means death of the club. This is why the media’s continued insistence that Sevco/Rangers is the same Rangers as were liquidated on 2012 (with honours and history intact) is absolute rubbish. If anyone is interested in what really goes on behind the scenes to perpetuate the myth that Sevco/Rangers is still the same Rangers see the blog tsfm.org.uk. Yes, a fair proportion of the people who post on that are Celtic supporters, but it has Hearts supporters who post on it as well as the likes of Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, and even Arbroath.
Assuming HMFC does come out of administration (and I have been going to games since 1973 and contribute to Foundation of Hearts so want that as much as anyone) the Rangers/Sevco squad that they face may well be stripped back as it is becoming clear that they are going to have to make massive cut-backs in player/staffing costs unless they get a donation of tens of millions from a “sugar daddy” their support so craves (Dave King being the name mentioned most by the pro Rangers Scottish media). A number of the well informed posters on tsfm.org.uk estimate that Sevco/Rangers are currently losing around £1million a month so cut-backs are needed quickly to avoid another insolvency event. So in answer to the question, if HMFC come out of administration and their support rallies (e.g. 12000 or more season tickets are sold) they will probably be able to buy 4 or 5 more experienced players to complement the existing crop of youngsters (who are currently in the first team but who will have gained a lot more experience and physical strength by next season) so they should be able to realistically challenge for first place, possibly with a more experienced manager in charge with Gary Locke as his right had man.
Another point worth mentioning is that some people in the media are about to try to push for further league reconstruction next year to expand the top division and invite Sevco/Rangers into it. This is because it is becoming clear that Sevco/Rangers may not be able to survive another year in the lower leagues without becoming insolvent. I suspect that if this is seriously put forward as a proposition by the football authorities Hearts may also be invited to join the new expanded league. It remains to be seen whether the other clubs in the Premier and championship would vote for this as their supporters will almost certainly force them not to.