Scottish Football Administration in the 21st Century

 

Imagine you are one of those people who have a nice big mahogany desk, with a gloss finish set in a big corner suite office which comes complete with a picture window, a break out area, a couch to lie down on in moments of stress, a quietly playing stereo sound system, fridge, plush carpet and loads of wee executive toy like things of your choosing.

Imagine, just for a moment, that outside your office you have the executive German car that is almost compulsory when you work in such an office. Added to that, you also have the benefit of a large six figure salary, a pension scheme, substantial holidays, a bonus scheme which nicely enhances your already excellent salary, fantastic perks and trips abroad as part of your job, and that you fill a position which leads to invitations to the most fantastic events, do’s, and sporting occasions imaginable.

Imagine the respect you must command from your peers, your family and friends.

Imagine the awe that you must be held in at dinner parties and social events when you are introduced to strangers for the first time– strangers who will have heard your name, and know of your position in society.

Imagine the personal and professional respect you must command from others in your field — or any other field for that matter — when you go to conferences and meetings in foreign cities and with foreign counterparts.

Imagine the envy that many others sometimes feel for someone who has succeeded in business and society to this extent.

Then imagine that the big office described above is at Hampden?

What a bummer!!

Now, I mention all of this because if you were one of the big cheeses at at Hampden, I wonder just what you do with yourself when the large rosewood door of your office closes behind you when you get in there each morning?

Maybe you make a coffee? Read the papers? Check the mail? Go to a meeting about the latest in 3G or is it 4G pitches being installed in a ground or two in the Shetlands?

However, no matter what you do and who you speak to THAT file is always there— always at the corner of your desk, neatly up there at the top left hand corner just beyond the desk top golf set and  above the Newton’s cradle with the balls that spell your name or whatever.

That file– the one that relates to the finances, compliance, directors details and ownership of Rangers Football Club.

At least that is what the top of the file says. Though to be fair it is a continuation file… continuing from the one that was opened two months ago and is fit to burst already with reports, memo’s and letters- which in turn was a continuation of the one before that and the one before that and the one before that and on and on.

Maybe that is not the correct name for the club?

Maybe that is something that can be clarified  at the next meeting with the Directors and CEO of the club— whoever they might be at that time?

No matter where you go in the room, you can see that file from every position. There is just no getting away from it.

Who owns The Rangers?

There are all sorts of reports, share prospectuses, memos, deeds, documents, contracts, letters, e-mails all asking the same thing. And there you are— none the wiser.

Please clarify this, please clarify that, are there any signed but  unrecorded documents, or contracts?

Are the Companies House records accurate? is the Land register accurate?

At the end of the day you just lie on the couch, place a cold cloth over your head and hope it will all go away.

Then the accounts come out. Oh the figures are shocking and they confirm that most of the people you negotiated with to get their team playing football somewhere after the collapse and liquidation of RFC PLC have exited stage left with huge severance cheques.

They now live in France, or Singapore or the Cayman Islands and you can bet they will never darken a door in Mount Florida on a wet February morning ever again.

But that is not the worst of it — the bleeding internet is full of leaks— documents, letters, e-mails, contracts, company forms and all sorts.

You wouldn’t mind if the documents leaked were ones that you had seen before, but in the main they are things that you have never seen and never had disclosed.Every day someone calls and asks ” Have you seen the latest?” and of course you haven’t so you stand there feeling like a complete chookie!!!

Every day you call the compliance and monitoring guys:

” Eh have you seen this? Have you been notified that he is a director?”
” No boss – never seen that? Never knew it existed?”
” So who owns the company if that is correct?”
” Eh Dunno boss — not sure of anything over there any more!”
“Ok have you checked the titles with the lawyers?”
” yes but the title as registered looks ok, but there is no guarantee that it hasn’t been sold to someone else and they have not registered their title for the moment!”
” Have you spoken to the lawyers? Have you asked for clarification?”
” yes Boss — the Lawyers don’t really answer our questions– well at least not fully!”
” What about these accounts – there are 57 pages there – what do they tell us?”
” Well they tell us that the figures are not good, boss, but not immediately critical.”
” Are they paying their taxes?”
” Appear to be boss– but we can’t be sure.can we? We were told they were paying their taxes before and … well you know the rest.”
” Ok, but Pinsent masons rule out the Whyte guy being involved?”
” Ah well not really – they don’t go into the company he says he owns – they sort of ignore that part!”
” But they carried out an independent investigation, surely?”
True boss, but the independent investigation was only into what the non independent guys wanted investigating Boss, and they appear to have finished their report without speaking to all the witnesses.”
 ” Ok but the accounts – what do the accounts say about Whyte being the real owner — I mean they are from Deloittes for God sake – they must make the position clear?”
” Well we have had a look at them boss and in that regard the accounts are King Kenny!”
” King Kenny?”
” Aye King Kenny Boss – with regard to Whyte’s claim they say ” maybes aye– maybes naw” and they leave it at that”
” Jesus, well have you written to the Directors?”
” Aye – half the letters have come back marked “Gone away”.Boss”
” Do you know who the shareholders are?”
” Naw Boss”
“Do they have a bank account and a bank reference ?”
” Naw Boss”
” Who’s coming to the next meeting from their side?”
” Dunno Boss”
” Is there anything you can tell me that lets me close this file and get it off my desk for good?”
” Naw boss”
” Well who did we grant membership to last year?”
” The first time or the second time Boss?”
” What do you mean – first time or second time?”
” We started out granting membership to one company and then changed it to another”
” Two companies – owned by the same people?”
” Dunno Boss– but they sounded the same.”
” And which one got a licence?”
” Dunno boss”
” What?”
 “Was the licence not granted by Mr Longmuir boss? And then ratified by us as a formality?”
” Why are you asking me, you are the compliance guys?”
” Aye but we were told it would all be ok by … well by someone ….. and by Mr Longmuir”
” When did he tell you that?”
 ” Told us one day at Ibrox Boss – I think it was at half time?”
” Half Time?”
” Aye – though it might have been full time boss …..  free bevvy and sandwiches so can’t quite remember”.
” Well who has the paperwork?”
” Lost boss”
” Lost?”
” Yes Boss – it was meant to come up from the SFL but never appeared. Turns out that the SFL was run as an unincorporated body and none of its records etc, are intact or have ever been audited …… Boss.  Mr Ballantyne might have them in his garage Boss! ……… Boss? ….. are you still there? Boss?”

 

The man in the corner suite leaves the phone dangling, goes to his fridge for a cold drink and switches on the executive plasma hanging on the wall by way of the remote control on his desk.

The screen beams into life and an advert for the brand of soft drink that he is holding fills the wall. The very same brand of soft drink that has just been announced as the official soft drink to partner Scottish Football.

The executive, looks at his drinks can, looks at the file on the corner of the desk, looks at the abandoned phone and finally looks at the screen just as the speakers spell out clearly ………….. the benefits of coming from a long line of Fannies.

This is Scottish Football Administration in the 21st Century.

2,130 thoughts on “Scottish Football Administration in the 21st Century


  1. CL wasn’t even a glimmer in the eye When they implemented the Stadia rule
    It was put there to preserve all the top flights piece of the pie 😈
    Before anyone starts this discution is not OT it is very much at the heart of the matter 🙁
    If It wasn’t for all the protection of the SPL club’s and the money generated by the top division . None of the propaganda we have to put up with day in day out would be necessary 🙁
    Why would TRFC need to kick and scream about being relagated ( although it never actually happened) shout about haters and bigots not allowing the transfer of SPL membership etc etc 🙁
    Because they know that is were the money is and that they Could never be able to survive in the lower leauges without it
    No they wouldn’t bother they May lose fans but who would why would they care ? No bebt great properties and development prospects 😉
    But as it stands they can just milk things for all there worth


  2. Relegation for administration, what’s the phone-in number? There is a matter needing cleared up there, surely that is what happened to ra peeps.

    A ruling like that will result in the whole league above the the rangers being put in administration at some point, just kidding. But I’ll bet it doesn’t happen to thems, that rule is earmarked for something altogether different, a wee safety net in SPL2 probably, once they’ve had admin2.


  3. Danish Pastry says:
    October 9, 2013 at 2:07 pm
    If the Walter Smith economic doctrine is followed (“You can’t just sit on the board and say, ‘We can’t afford that.’”) there is the distinct possibility that Ibrox could see admin every other year. Not an undesirable outcome if you are a lower-league fan. Indeed, this yo-yo existence between the 3rd and 4th tier would benefit all the other lower-league clubs immensely.
    *******************
    DP, I haven’t TDd you, but lower league fans don’t exactly rub their hands at the prospect of an Ibrox team in their leagues: they support such teams to, in part, escape the extremes which that Walter’s old team brings.

    And as far as benefiting the sides at that level, two things:

    a) Promotion prospects have been diminished since they were allowed easy access to the league system, not to mention the one slim hope of triumph in a national cup (Challenge Cup);

    b) Most teams do not benefit hugely from a visit of the Ibrox side. Unless they have a large stadium to utilise, of course.


  4. 46 years on this planet I have either seen or been physically at every Ayr United game that has been on TV.*

    That isn’t an extensive list, we were the first live Scottish game on the square dished BSB I recall (Celtic at Parkhead), we were live on Tv when I believe 10 of the 11 opponents in the 2002 league cup final were on EBT’s, we regularly get televised when drawn against our county neighbours, but generally these TV dates are few and far between

    *My ever present viewing/physically at record ended this weekend, I was washing my hair.

    I didn’t want to watch for a number of reasons, sky would be condescending or patronising to the home team, the songs could possibly be unsavoury but be largely ignored by the broadcaster, as it wasn’t on ESPN, but mostly, given all that has gone on it just didn’t seem right, sadly.


  5. Danish Pastry says:
    October 9, 2013 at 2:07 pm

    If the Walter Smith economic doctrine is followed (“You can’t just sit on the board and say, ‘We can’t afford that.’”)…
    =========
    [For the economics nerds out there].

    We have had, to name but a couple;
    Freakonomics
    Reaganomics

    …and now we can add
    ‘Walteromics’

    An economic policy which defies the very basis of economic theory, and all known graphs…

    The bears have unlimited wants and desires for success, but the club has limited resources – but this does not constrain spending.

    Any ‘freeloaders’ can quote the above for nothing. 🙂


  6. borussiabeefburg on October 9, 2013 at 2:59 pm
    2 0 Rate This
    ———

    Cheers ‘beefburg, point taken, though my post wasn’t entirely serious. Still, I would like to think that some financial benefit is being felt by the other clubs.


  7. More spending, although it may have been charitable donations for the most part:

    WORK is well underway on the installation of a new artificial pitch at Murray Park similar to some of those Rangers have been playing league games on both this season and last.

    The original astroturf which was laid when the Auchenhowie facility opened in 2001 has been lifted over the last fortnight.

    And today the first sections of its replacement are being put in place, with the project expected to be finished before the end of the month.

    Gers received funding from the Scottish Football Partnership and they are supporting the costs along with Rangers Lotto and the club itself.

    Having the new park will allow the first team to prepare on it ahead of competitive fixtures as more and more synthetic surfaces replace grass equivalents at grounds around the country.

    Academy Operations Manager Craig Mulholland believes the pitch will be of great benefit, particularly to the club’s youth, ladies and girls sides.

    He said: “Our artificial pitch gets used almost every day of the year and after being there for 12 years, it wasn’t in the best condition any more.

    “As part of our SFA audit, we are required to meet FIFA’s two-star standard for a synthetic pitch and our old one might not have done that.

    “The surface had become quite compact and the harder a pitch is, the more likely it is players will get injuries.

    “Having a new one reduces the chances of that happening and also gives the first team the opportunity to prepare on a pitch akin to the ones they might be playing on if they wish.

    “People talk about 3G and 4G pitches but there’s no such thing. The spec is determined by the length of the grass, the amount of infill and other similar factors.

    “We’re getting a state-of-the-art pitch which will be at top end of the FIFA two-star ratings and we’re delighted with that.”


  8. Smugas says:
    October 9, 2013 at 2:12 pm

    I’m in broad agreement with your post too Smugas.

    Did the directors of the big two fiendishly stitch up the rest? We will never know, but as you suggest this was voted through at some stage, possibly in the muddy waters of reconstruction. My memory of the 90’s was an untouchable Rangers and an incredibly unlucky Celtic……..by the latter years of the decade both clubs and their fans had an expectation to sail though a season undefeated, unless it was defeat by the other, thus giving ‘Old Firm’ games a place of monumental importance, a place it did not occupy in previous decades. The importance of these games grew and grew into the 21st century and Scottish football became a circus, with pundits drooling over the ‘special’ atmosphere, and OF cup finals and title deciders became the crucial ingredient of any season…..roared on by the press and hanging on SDM’s every word, the entire enterprise was geared to such sentiments. IMO the absolute nadir of Scottish football was when Celtic and Rangers clobbered Killie and Pars for bragging rights and Champions league cash….. who else really wanted to watch that? Two teams 40 points away from the rest? I heard Chic Young pining for those days at the weekend, when for Chic, everything made sense…for everyone else it was mince! This notion of ‘competition’ spouted by the press pack at the moment is for me, a red herring for fans of all the rest, indeed a fighting chance of 2nd is way better than a dismal 3rd 40 points off the top two.


  9. Scotland is in a uniquely bad position because of the money in the game. Money is flowing down from the top in England almost as quickly as players wages are rising. In Scotland there is very little money to flow anywhere and it’s all been dammed so it doesn’t flow out of Glasgow, which is why clubs like Aberdeen and Dundee Utd who had solid European players 25-30 years ago are now losing players to League 1 and league 2 sides.
    Scottish teams therefore get the smelly end of a one sided relationship. One year a player is playing in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA cup in Scotland, then he’s offered a wage hike to go to Southend. Southend get a decent player with European experience who doesn’t have to learn the language or adapt to a new culture.
    Celtic and Rangers used European football and OF games to fight this decline, but the days of a Chris Sutton or a Gazza are gone, even if someone with David Murray’s largesse returns.
    Ironically Independence outside the EU could affect this as the foreign players rule would take effect. It would stop the flow of good Scottish players to England and mean Scottish clubs couldn’t populate their teams with English journeymen. We’d have to blood youngsters again alongside the decent talent that wasn’t constantly leaving for England.


  10. It’s a racing certainty that when the ghouls at Castle Greyskull put the begging bowl out for more dosh promising milk and honey,the peepil will behave like Pavlov’s dogs and rush lemming like to give them the money.They really can’t help it.It’s the old ‘conditioned reflex syndrome’

    Is that too many cliches? A cliche tae me is like a red rag tae a bull.Know whit a mean ‘n’at know?( Copyright B Ferguson.)


  11. Tearsofjoy: Ah right, I now surmise you were talking exclusively about the successes in the 60s> When you mentioned finalists in Euro successes it could have been the O’Neill/Seville era.

    What did Celtic do with “all the money” – how much was it do you think? After all even with the 2-leg fixtures Celtic would have only had 4 games at Celtic Park and of course had to endure expenses (famously taking their own chef abroad with them). How much was European Cup prize money back then? I don’t think it was a lot but I can’t seem to find hard numbers…

    So what you were asking was specifically what did Celtic do with their European “windfall” (4 games & prize money) from 67 (and a semi from 68?) over the next 20+ years?

    Clearly Celtic were mismanaged under the White-Kelly regime, with that financial mismangement affecting the team on the park, leading to ongoing losses. When it looked like going critical (to the glee of the hearse ordering tabloid press at the time) the fans then took control of the situation, forming Celts for Change, arranging bhoycotts which of course further damaged finances, leading to the subsequent involvement of McCann and his purchase of the shares and the launching of the IPO. No creditor lost money, the shareholders were compensated and the club’s history continued unbroken. The IPO, firm financial management, new stadium and a fan support second to none then gave Celtic the bedrock to become the team they should have been in the wilderness years

    Was that what you wanted to know? 🙂


  12. EBT karma for Mr Baxendale-W in court as he tries to reclaim some of his initial investment from a hunny bunny:

    He argued that it was “fanciful” to think that he would make a gift of a flat worth £300,000 to Miss Eustace, and that the Range Rover was merely “loaned” to her and therefore she acquired no legal or beneficial ownership.

    So, the idea of huge, non-repayable loans is fanciful. Interesting, in view of THAT tax case appeal!

    PS Exiled Celt retweeted a link to the article: http://scottishlegal.com/index.asp?cat=NEWS&Type=People%20and%20Places&newsID=56536#56536


  13. Does anyone on here seriously think sevco would be relegated if they had another administration.I will do the jokes .Every rule in the book has been broken to get them where they are now .This is a complete non starter


  14. sickofitall says:
    October 9, 2013 at 5:24 pm
    8 0 Rate This

    Does anyone on here seriously think sevco would be relegated if they had another administration.I will do the jokes .Every rule in the book has been broken to get them where they are now .This is a complete non starter
    ++++++++++++++++
    President Ogilvie has been handed another two years in office just to make sure that such things can’t happen. There is more chance of hell freezing over than the team from Ibrox being relegated by the authorities- and I don’t really care what the rules say. I have been taught over the last 18 months that rules are just for mugs. Who you know is all that matters in bonny Scotland. What a crock.


  15. The football authorities have relentlessly proven themselves as a complete sham of authority. Simply by the insertion of the word ‘not’ in the sentence …’any club in administration will (insert here in event it’s TRFC) be relegated’, that could be slipped in if required, all would be well. They care not a flying fig how they are perceived so long as the readies appear in their account each month or that there would glorious golden handshake of a send off. A damning indictment of Scottish football and Scotland that it’s allowed to persist unabated.
    Sorry, rant over.


  16. On holiday at moment and happened to see back page of dr. Even abroad sevco still entertain. Watty saying more pain ahead. In Watty we trust, in fact for once he may be right. Still he played his part in their downfall and he above all in govan is idolised to this day. In stupidity we trust.


  17. If Sevco go into admin before the end of the season ,I think they get deducted a third of the previous seasons points total .
    I think that would be 28 pts ,could this be the reason Sally postponed the Dumfermline fixture and are the SPFL looking to put a rule in place to make sure Sevco don’t Admin their way to the top .


  18. fergusslayedtheblues says:
    October 9, 2013 at 6:20 pm

    If Sevco go into admin before the end of the season ,I think they get deducted a third of the previous seasons points total .
    I think that would be 28 pts ,could this be the reason Sally postponed the Dumfermline fixture and are the SPFL looking to put a rule in place to make sure Sevco don’t Admin their way to the top.

    I think that was an SPL rule Fergus. I believe the SPFL rule is 15 points.

    Insolvency
    E1 Subject to Rule E5, where a Club suffers or is subject to an Insolvency Event that Club shall be deducted 15 points in the League.

    http://spfl.co.uk/docs/067_324__therulesofthespfl_1375800603.pdf


  19. Apropos Dunfermline FC:

    @PAULiBARNES: .@STVNews understands takeover of club by Pars Utd in serious doubt following attempted inderdict by Gavin Masterton. Could mean liquidation


  20. BBC sportsound, more mince.
    Walter Smith left the chairmanship because his job was done.
    Yorkie told him,if you and Sally don’t back me there will be no Sevco by next Tuesday.


  21. Re-the ‘where did all the money go’ debates.

    I think everyone should generally accept the riches on offer for European runs in the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s, relatively speaking, was nothing like that available from the early to mid 90’s onwards. As Celtic fan’s we used to regularly make jokes about the old board when Desmond Whyte was in charge, but the old Celtic Board were never afraid to set transfer records, and three spring to mind in Davie Provan, Frank McGarvey and Mo Johnston ( 😡 ). Indeed, the transfer of Johnston from Watford for £450K was a massive outlay for a Scottish club at that time. As for Aberdeen and Dundee Utd, apart from ground development, they both managed to hold onto some very good players who could easily have gone to England and played – that would not have come cheaply.

    So let’s get some sanity to the table on this one. The real downward spiral began when a Scottish owned bank allowed Rangers to spend way beyond their means. Anything that happened before that is pretty much irrelevant to the debate.


  22. An entertaining 48mins on BBC Sportsound there. First half was a n Alastair Johnston interview and the second half was a Tom English vs Chick Young argument about the culpability or otherwise of Jack Irvine, Sir David Murray and Walter Smith. I don’t need to tell you who was defending their reputations. Tom English, on the other hand, was not holding back in blaming them. Great stuff and well worth catching on one of those podcast things.


  23. Just stopped myself throwing a half brick through my radio at that stuttering buffoon Chic Young. How that man ever gained a diploma in Journalism I don’t know. He is unable to finish a sentence, the goes off at a tangent on some other drivel. His defence of SDM and WS in the ongoing debacle is mindboggling for a “supposed” St. Mirren man. If anyone can put up a podcast of tonight’s Sportsound, it’s worth a listen to hear him and also Alistair Johnston.


  24. Lord Wobbly says:
    October 9, 2013 at 6:55 pm
    =========================
    Only heard 1st part and thought A. Johnstone got an easy ride. He portrayed the Rangers Board he was part of as latter day saints, and his promotion of Dave King was shameful. Kenny McIntyre should have given him a much harder time.


  25. ekt1m says:
    October 9, 2013 at 7:02 pm
    ‘..Just stopped myself throwing a half brick through my radio at that stuttering buffoon Chic Young…’
    —-
    I texted twice to the prog
    a) to ask whether Kenny mac’ had provided a list of carefully prepared questions to johnstone
    and
    b to ask whether we had to listen to that inarticulate buffoon, Young.
    It’s one thing for us on a blog to get things wrong, or exaggerate, or , God save the mark, propagandise. We do it in our own time.
    Those guys are getting appearance money and/or wages from us!
    And some of us already believe that the Sportsound boys are working towards an agenda which has more to do with aiding and abetting a particular club than with taking an objective view and asking meaningful , unscripted questions.


  26. scottc
    Thanks for the info ,cant even blame a wee dram or two ,just poor understanding of the rules 😳


  27. I heard Robbie Savage on the radio the other day, and just about drove off the road as I heard him make a couple of good points, one after the other. I thought he was beyond saving, so who knows? Given enough time, even Chick Young might do the same.

    Mind you, given enough a Chick Youngs, enough time, and enough typewriters, there’s as much chance of them coming up with the entire works of Shakespeare, I am given to understand.


  28. Ah old AJ ,wondered when he would surface again .
    Makes me think back to his “surrender no ” comment ,thought it was strange at the time and said he will re appear when Hector has been duped 🙄 🙄


  29. So just to clarify. Walter Smith wants to back Dave King who was on the board when the EBT scheme was launched and who sat and watched an impossible business model unfold. Remember even with the EBT’s RFC were still losing cash quicker than a man with a hole in his pocket.
    He also says it is the responsibility of the board to find the cash for the manager to spend and if they don’t get it then the manager should be able to spend it anyway!
    Perhaps someone should have asked him where the money will come from when HBOS will no longer act as the ‘Bank of Rangers’. He truly is a ‘football man’ as some now involved in our national sport have a tenuous grip on reality. Keep spending until the leccy man shows up and turns off the lights.

    It always amazes me how quickly the RFC/’The Rangers’ fans hop from one billionaire/Blue knight to the next. They walk up the road with them. They gladly swallow grandiose lines of nonsense.
    When found out they quickly hop to the next ‘King’, Dave or otherwise, without a backward glance.

    When will reality set in?
    In this day and age you cannot spend more than you have particularly when you have no credit line and toxic brand. Most people now believe that another Admin is just around the corner so why would Dave King pump money into this venture when he can try to get the assets like Chas Green did. He probably also knows what the final plan is though and knows that he would be about to be fleeced yet again.

    I believe that RIFC have been loaning the money back to the club with Ibrox, Murray Park (still not renamed), and the Albion car park as security. A month before the cash runs out an announcement will be made that the properties are secured against the money loaned to it and that there is no more. The properties will be valued at £60M as per their accounts and the club will be valued at £3M. There is no way that anyone will pay £63M. So the properties will be retained by RIFC and the money losing club sold for £1 with a lease back agreement.

    I hope the story today is true about clubs being relegated for going into Administration as I have believed for sometime now that ‘The Rangers’ have planned to admin their way back to the top league.
    There is no way any club in administration should be promoted. It adds insult to injury for the creditors that they will receive pence in the pound when the club/company gains promotion cash and access to higher income while ditching debt.


  30. torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
    October 9, 2013 at 9:47 am

    Celtic did indeed build a shiny new stand.They also,in the space of 6 years re-covered the Jungle and covered the Rangers end.
    ——————————————————–
    If I may go off at a tangent, it struck me as weird to read part of Celtic Park described as the Rangers end rather than, say, the away end.
    Do Celtic fans generally call it that?
    Did Rangers fans do likewise when they existed?
    Genuinely curious.


  31. Kicker Conspiracy says:
    October 9, 2013 at 7:51 pm
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Even weirder that Hampden has Rangers & Celtic ends.


  32. TheLunaticFringe says:
    October 9, 2013 at 8:21 am
    36 0 Rate This

    @andygraham.66
    If the possibility of “a Scottish incomer” joining the EPL ever came to a vote, I think we’d have much more of a problem with teams outside of the Premiership than the likes of Norwich or Liverpool – particularly those teams in the Championship (Bolton, Blackburn, Wigan, QPR?) who’ve invested millions only to yo-yo up & down over the years without establishing a firm foothold in the EPL and would be absolutely livid to see “an intruder” jump in over their heads. Also, unless I’m mistaken, such a sea change in “membership” would require the support of every club in all 4 divisions., so – I’m afraid I just don’t see it happening – EVER.
    ………………………….

    I’ve covered this subject many times…

    The only way it can happen is if all home associations are dissolved and a UK FA is formed…

    Any other suggestion of cross association movement has litigation embededin it!


  33. Kicker Conspiracy says:
    October 9, 2013 at 7:51 pm
    …………

    As a Celtic fan I’ve always called it the away end…


  34. justshatered says:
    October 9, 2013 at 7:46 pm

    Keep spending until the leccy man shows up and turns off the lights.

    That would not be a problem though, justshattered. Think of the number of ‘directors’ who voluntarily paid the leccy bill last year


  35. justshatered says:
    October 9, 2013 at 7:46 pm
    ‘….so why would Dave King pump money into this venture when he can try to get the assets like Chas Green did…..’
    ———
    Absolutely right, that the court-described glib liar is interested only in recouping as much of the SARS tax settlement that he can.

    He will try to steal a march on the other chancers, and end up in pole position.
    He’s not stupid enough to ‘invest’ in the club for the sake of the club ( ha! the very idea) but will spend such pennies as will further his longer term game.

    Mather and Stockbridge might not have taken a long enough spoon with them to South Africa.

    The new club is going into administration, and somehow, the ‘glib liar’ ( I quote) will probably win out.


  36. justshatered says:
    October 9, 2013 at 7:46 pm

    There is no way any club in administration should be promoted. It adds insult to injury for the creditors that they will receive pence in the pound when the club/company gains promotion cash and access to higher income while ditching debt.
    ===============
    Agreed, But anyone who is currently supplying those at Ibrox on anything other than a “cash in advance” basis shouldn’t be in business at all, in my opinion. There has been mention on twitter of the dreaded “trading while insolvent” for the first time today. The RIFC directors really need to tread carefully at this stage. If I was them, I would simply pull the plug on TRFC right now, before anyone risks picking up a criminal record. I don’t think any of the current board have any emotional investment, it’s just about money, so why delay? This corpse has just about been picked clean, so time to move on to the next one. British business at its finest, eh?


  37. KC
    I had grown up knowing it as and calling it the ragers end ,my old da used to meet all my uncles and cousins at the floodlight pylon in there when he took me and my big brother to CP


  38. Danish Pastry says:
    October 9, 2013 at 3:42 pm

    In line with good practice in sports psychology, when the new artificial pitch at Murray Park is relaid will some Bears be invited along to chuck a few flairs onto it so as to replicate the singed patches seen at the clubs outings on plastic last season (allegedly)?


  39. I thought Waltzer walked away form his Sevco post but after reading his latest piece ,he may have actually been shown the door if that was the business logic he brought to the table .
    I would love to have sat in on his interview for the post . 😯 😯 :slamb: 😯 🙄


  40. upthehoops
    Not if you apply the Sevco equation
    If on the other hand you apply the “any of the other 41 clubs” equation it will never make sense .


  41. wottpi says:
    October 9, 2013 at 8:07 pm
    2 0 Rate This
    ———–

    If I were a club chairmen whose pitch had been singed I would send the bill c/o Sevco Towers, pronto.


  42. Heard a caller on SSB tonight ask if Sevco will be suing Settanta for their share of the £600,000
    DJ blustered ,there was no point as Settanta had no money as they went bust .
    Guidi then tells poor DJ ,no they paid all the other clubs what they were due .
    Poor Derek 😳 😳 😯 🙄
    Does anyone know if Sevco and their fans are organising a march to demand their clubs share .
    Brenda ,time too look out another clock


  43. neepheid says:
    October 9, 2013 at 8:03 pm

    Neepheid after all that has gone on in this tawdry spectacle I think we are all now aware of the cloak of Teflon that covers RFC/’The Rangers’.
    Anyone connected with this ‘institution’ is unconvictable (I know not really a word).
    Think about all that has gone on in this affair.
    Tax issues, side letters, EBT’s, dubious take over practices, dubious Administration, another dubious take over, possible misleading information on the IPO prospectus, conflict over who owns the assets.
    Any charges levelled yet………………………………… nope didn’t think so.

    If Dave King does get his hands on the keys he will know he has won a watch. He will instantaneously become respectable and a pillar of the business community all with a pair of shinny brogues!!!!


  44. fergusslayedtheblues @ 8.21pm

    Clocks at the ready, give me the final list and I’ll start them up 😛

    SSB was really quite funny tonight, the ‘pundits’ spent the night answering ‘don’t know ‘???? To most questions, Or defending ally or wattie ……… Their lack of desire to put the record straight ( even answering the sevco fans who are looking for clarity on the mess ) is unbelievable BFDJ is absolutely pathetic and really ought to chuck it 😉


  45. Paulmac2
    fergusslayedtheblues

    Cheers for the replies.
    Wonder if the Burntisland Shippy end will catch on at Stark’s Park?
    I can only try.


  46. Kicker Conspiracy says:
    October 9, 2013 at 7:51 pm
    ——————————————————–
    I was taken,I’m told to my 1st game when I was 2-1/2 years old.Reason was my mum was in hospital as my wee sister was due and my dad,rather than sit in the house took me to the game.He did,though,pay to go to the stand so he could sit me on his knee.
    That was me off on my Celtic fix.
    I can only assume that due to the Glasgow Celtic/Rangers thing the east terracing was always called the Rangers end.IIRC this was not official.For ticket games it was always advertised as the East Terracing.
    Drew Peacock also posted,correctly,that although Hampden terraces were officially the East/West terracing,everyone knew them as the Celtic or Rangers end.
    Most fans still do.


  47. torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
    October 9, 2013 at 9:27 pm

    Kicker Conspiracy says:
    October 9, 2013 at 7:51 pm
    ——————————————————–

    Drew Peacock also posted,correctly,that although Hampden terraces were officially the East/West terracing,everyone knew them as the Celtic or Rangers end.
    Most fans still do.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Yesss – knew that i’d eventually get something right if I kept on posting. I sensed that one day I would get lucky. Right result. :mrgreen:


  48. torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
    October 9, 2013 at 9:27 pm

    I can only assume that due to the Glasgow Celtic/Rangers thing the east terracing was always called the Rangers end.IIRC this was not official.For ticket games it was always advertised as the East Terracing.
    Drew Peacock also posted,correctly,that although Hampden terraces were officially the East/West terracing,everyone knew them as the Celtic or Rangers end.
    ——-
    Yes, it’s been that way as long as I can remember (over 50 years).
    Of course, the ‘Rangers’ end at Hampden was covered long before the ‘Celtic’ end.
    Tens of thousands of drookit fans will testify to that. 🙂


  49. All the talk of Jack by AJ earlier made me remember what we are all missing this week (so far); no CF, no trolls. Why not? Jeez the talk is almost turning to football.


  50. Drew Peacock says:
    October 9, 2013 at 9:32 pm

    1

    0

    Rate This

    torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
    October 9, 2013 at 9:27 pm

    Kicker Conspiracy says:
    October 9, 2013 at 7:51 pm
    ——————————————————–

    Drew Peacock also posted,correctly,that although Hampden terraces were officially the East/West terracing,everyone knew them as the Celtic or Rangers end.
    Most fans still do.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Yesss – knew that i’d eventually get something right if I kept on posting. I sensed that one day I would get lucky. Right result. :mrgreen:
    ======================================
    Drew,
    I’d take a bet right now that most Celtic/Rangers fans could not tell you what their traditional end is/was.They have never paid any attention to whether it’s the East/West end.To them it has always been the Celtic or Rangers end.That’s for Hampden.Celtic Park or Ibrox.
    If you asked everyone who has a ST for the Copeland Rd Stand at Ibrox where their ticket is for I’d bet you 4 out of 5 will say “The Rangers End”,not the Copeland Road Stand.


  51. torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
    I can only assume that due to the Glasgow Celtic/Rangers thing the east terracing was always called the Rangers end
    ————————
    The east terracing was the Celtic end..twice the height it is now
    The reason why it was left uncovered and exposed to the elements for decades whilst the Rangers support in the west terrace had a roof over them was always a subject of heated debate when I was growing up. Usually anyone suggesting it was a deliberate act by the SFA to benefit Rangers was accused of paranoia.


  52. theoldshed says:
    October 9, 2013 at 9:48 pm
    1 0 Rate This

    torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
    I can only assume that due to the Glasgow Celtic/Rangers thing the east terracing was always called the Rangers end
    ————————
    The east terracing was the Celtic end..twice the height it is now
    The reason why it was left uncovered and exposed to the elements for decades whilst the Rangers support in the west terrace had a roof over them was always a subject of heated debate when I was growing up. Usually anyone suggesting it was a deliberate act by the SFA to benefit Rangers was accused of paranoia.

    “””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””

    Every time I attended Hamden, I often wondered why the ‘other’ teams fans, always got the end that had cover !?


  53. Squiggle says:
    October 9, 2013 at 9:44 pm

    All the talk of Jack by AJ earlier made me remember what we are all missing this week (so far); no CF, no trolls. Why not? Jeez the talk is almost turning to football.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    I too have noticed that the blog was reaching a dangerous equilibrium and non Rangers focus. We even talked about the unfair distribution of finances in the game. One poster even identified a new, as yet, unsolved mystery – i.e. what deal was done so that the chance to remove the 11-1 voting system wasn’t taken?


  54. BigGav says:
    October 9, 2013 at 9:40 pm

    torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
    October 9, 2013 at 9:27 pm

    I can only assume that due to the Glasgow Celtic/Rangers thing the east terracing was always called the Rangers end.IIRC this was not official.For ticket games it was always advertised as the East Terracing.
    Drew Peacock also posted,correctly,that although Hampden terraces were officially the East/West terracing,everyone knew them as the Celtic or Rangers end.
    ——-
    Yes, it’s been that way as long as I can remember (over 50 years).
    Of course, the ‘Rangers’ end at Hampden was covered long before the ‘Celtic’ end.
    Tens of thousands of drookit fans will testify to that. 🙂
    ==============================
    WRT Hampden.Years ago I Was given a book as a present,which I lent to someone and never saw again,
    The stats in this book,which I think was the official 100 years history of the SFA were staggering.
    Hampden Park holds every crowd attendance Record in Europe and with changes to Stadia,will almost certainly never be beaten.
    The stadium was calculated to be able to hold 181,000 spectators,although never did.
    I was at the Celtic Leeds Utd game.I bet unofficially that fig may have been broken.
    The biggest European crowd
    The biggest crowd for an international
    The biggest crowd for a domestic cup final etc,
    They’re all held by Hampden.
    The “Celtic End was surveyed to hold an incredible 61,000 fans with the “Rangers” end holding 49,000.
    If you were standing at the back of the Celtic end the goal at the Rangers end was over 400 yards away.Nearly 1/4 mile!
    Some of the stats were staggering.
    The answer asked why the Celtic End wasn’t covered was always that due to the extra bit at the top,it would cost too much due to the the technical difficulties faced.


  55. “One poster even identified a new, as yet, unsolved mystery – i.e. what deal was done so that the chance to remove the 11-1 voting system wasn’t taken?”
    Apologies if that was OT, I thought it was the “scottish football monitor”. Ken fit I mean?


  56. theoldshed says:
    October 9, 2013 at 9:48 pm

    torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
    I can only assume that due to the Glasgow Celtic/Rangers thing the east terracing was always called the Rangers end
    ————————
    The east terracing was the Celtic end..twice the height it is now
    The reason why it was left uncovered and exposed to the elements for decades whilst the Rangers support in the west terrace had a roof over them was always a subject of heated debate when I was growing up. Usually anyone suggesting it was a deliberate act by the SFA to benefit Rangers was accused of paranoia.
    ________________________________________________________________________

    At the time it was built Queens Park would have been the owners of Hampden.

    In a photograph involving Hampden (from the Football Champions Annual 1967/68) I was looking at today it says on Page 1 “Simpson punches clear from Hurst”

    From this photograph and Annual I note three things:

    1. There were more Celtic players in the team than Rangers and only three non home based players.

    2. The old Stand and terracing opposite the Main Stand (can’t recall what it was called) is ram jam packed and enormous. Attendance; Exactly 134,000.

    3. Some 7 year old IMBECILE has scrawled on the Stand Roof and the white band across the front of the Stand in blue biro: “Scotland 20,000 England 1”. Of course the correct result was 1-0 to England.


  57. ernie says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:07 pm
    1 0 Rate This

    “One poster even identified a new, as yet, unsolved mystery – i.e. what deal was done so that the chance to remove the 11-1 voting system wasn’t taken?”
    Apologies if that was OT, I thought it was the “scottish football monitor”. Ken fit I mean?
    +++++++++++++
    It was entirely on topic. I seem to remember a discussion on that very point either here or on RTC about a year ago, maybe longer. My (very unreliable) memory tells me that Aberdeen were the club who joined with Celtic to block the move to a more equitable voting system. Which is kind of why I didn’t reply to your post. Anyway, I’ll look it up and let you know if I find anything more definite than an old man’s memory. Apologies in advance if I’ve got it wrong.

    Edit- didn’t take long, here’s a link-

    http://sport.stv.tv/blog/196856-why-aberdeen-joined-celtic-in-delaying-change-to-the-spl-voting-structure/


  58. ernie says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:07 pm

    “One poster even identified a new, as yet, unsolved mystery – i.e. what deal was done so that the chance to remove the 11-1 voting system wasn’t taken?”
    Apologies if that was OT, I thought it was the “scottish football monitor”. Ken fit I mean?
    ———————————————————
    Don’t see why this would be Off Topic.
    IIRC there was quite a bit of discussion on this,with most posters agreeing that the position had changed with the demise of Rangers and if the clubs wanted,they could vote to change the arrangements.
    I don’t know what deal,if any was done but it appeared Aberdeen and Celtic voted for the Status Quo.


  59. torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:07 pm

    Apart from the way they have mismanaged our sport in the last two years the biggest indictment of the SFA is the redevelopment of Hampden.
    All of the records you quoted regarding attendances show how many people watched our sport but when it came to redeveloping our national stadium we plumped for one with a capacity of 50,000. Astoundingly we now have a stadium with ONE THIRD of its capacity in its heyday and yet it covers exactly the same footprint!
    Even if it had been built with ten or fifteen thousand more seats then they would have been filled when Spain, Italy, and France came over the last few years and that money could have went to reducing their debt. But no the vast majority of the money was spent on the main stand where the great and the good sit.
    Because they are in debt it means that they have to arrange friendlies against much better opposition to try and fill the stadium when they get the chance. However that is a double edged sword as unfortunately these results also contribute to our co-efficient and we generally lose these matches which in turn then effects our clubs chances in their European ambitions.

    At least the ‘Celtic End’ now has concrete steps but you are as far away from the action now as you were standing on the terracing 40 years ago. It is quite simply the most soulless stadium I think I’ve ever been in. It always seems difficult to retain any atmosphere in it.


  60. A genuine cross topic question. I was once told by a very Celtic minded Celtic fan that some of the money for the roof over the Rangers end at Hampden came from Celtic after they won the big cup in Lisbon. Anyone ever heard similar tales?


  61. I must say it’s always annoyed me that Celtic/Rangers are automatically given ‘their’ end when playing at Hampden.

    Although it’s been that long since we’ve been to a final that’s it’s the least of my worries 😳


  62. justshatered says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:32 pm
    ================================
    Hampden is an utter embarrassment compared to other national stadiums now. I feel it sums up the SFA perfectly – outdated, self serving, & completely unfit for purpose. I simply refuse to attend it now – the last I was there was in 2007, but that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I will never be back unless dramatic improvements are made.


  63. justshatered says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:32 pm

    when it came to redeveloping our national stadium we plumped for one with a capacity of 50,000. Astoundingly we now have a stadium with ONE THIRD of its capacity in its heyday and yet it covers exactly the same footprint!
    ————————————————–
    I’ve often thought that it must be the only ground in the world that is both too big (seats still miles away from the pitch) AND too small (not enough seats).
    That’s some achievement.


  64. Squiggle says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:33 pm
    0 0 Rate This

    A genuine cross topic question. I was once told by a very Celtic minded Celtic fan that some of the money for the roof over the Rangers end at Hampden came from Celtic after they won the big cup in Lisbon. Anyone ever heard similar tales?
    ++++++++++++
    Not true, I think. As I remember it, the Rangers end was already covered when I attended the 1964/65 cup final.


  65. neepheid says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:24 pm
    ernie says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:07 pm
    1 0 Rate This

    “One poster even identified a new, as yet, unsolved mystery – i.e. what deal was done so that the chance to remove the 11-1 voting system wasn’t taken?”
    Apologies if that was OT, I thought it was the “scottish football monitor”. Ken fit I mean?
    +++++++++++++
    It was entirely on topic. I seem to remember a discussion on that very point either here or on RTC about a year ago, maybe longer. My (very unreliable) memory tells me that Aberdeen were the club who joined with Celtic to block the move to a more equitable voting system. Which is kind of why I didn’t reply to your post. Anyway, I’ll look it up and let you know if I find anything more definite than an old man’s memory. Apologies in advance if I’ve got it wrong.

    Edit- didn’t take long, here’s a link-

    http://sport.stv.tv/blog/196856-why-aberdeen-joined-celtic-in-delaying-change-to-the-spl-voting-structure/
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    So Aberdeen voted out of selfishness. If you ever met Milne you’d understand that. Why did Celtic vote against it?

    Small point – but you are attributing posts to the wrong people


  66. Theoldshed 9:48
    Not only was the rangers end covered it was also all seated before celtic end was covered. If any team got to the final with celtic the opposing team were allocated the rangers end. I love paranoid thoughts they made me the fan that I am.


  67. torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:07 pm
    “If you were standing at the back of the Celtic end the goal at the Rangers end was over 400 yards away.Nearly 1/4 mile!
    Some of the stats were staggering.”

    Staggering. And inaccurate if you ask me.

    Have a look at the old photos of Hampden here;
    https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hampden+park+aerial+photographs&rlz=1C1RNPN_enGB396GB397&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=4NFVUtyOD4af0QWKhIHACg&ved=0CC0QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=677&dpr=1

    and tell me how you could be 400yds away from the goal at the west terracing when you are at the back of the east terracing?


  68. justshatered says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:32 pm

    torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:07 pm

    Apart from the way they have mismanaged our sport in the last two years the biggest indictment of the SFA is the redevelopment of Hampden.

    All of the records you quoted regarding attendances show how many people watched our sport but when it came to redeveloping our national stadium we plumped for one with a capacity of 50,000. Astoundingly we now have a stadium with ONE THIRD of its capacity in its heyday and yet it covers exactly the same footprint!
    Even if it had been built with ten or fifteen thousand more seats then they would have been filled when Spain, Italy, and France came over the last few years and that money could have went to reducing their debt. But no the vast majority of the money was spent on the main stand where the great and the good sit.
    Because they are in debt it means that they have to arrange friendlies against much better opposition to try and fill the stadium when they get the chance. However that is a double edged sword as unfortunately these results also contribute to our co-efficient and we generally lose these matches which in turn then effects our clubs chances in their European ambitions.

    At least the ‘Celtic End’ now has concrete steps but you are as far away from the action now as you were standing on the terracing 40 years ago. It is quite simply the most soulless stadium I think I’ve ever been in. It always seems difficult to retain any atmosphere in it.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    The National Stadium is indeed a disgrace and unfit for purpose (as UEFA can confirm).

    As I recall didn’t QPFC pass over ownership/development rights to the SFA and then it all went Boobies North as the financing fell apart and it was scaled down to 52,000. There were accountants/lawyers/etc (youse all know the type) who never got paid for their work but to this day hold Debentures for a big chunk of the Main Stand seats ( youse know the ones – the part of the project that was actually finished properly).

    So again – well done SFA for giving us a crap stadium – who was in charge in them days?


  69. Bill1903 says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:36 pm

    I must say it’s always annoyed me that Celtic/Rangers are automatically given ‘their’ end when playing at Hampden.

    Although it’s been that long since we’ve been to a final that’s it’s the least of my worries 😳
    _____________________________________________________________________________

    The Rangers end was no doubt noiser given the roof but let me tell you from experiences at Scotchland games and the M’Well v Runners Up Utd 1991 Cup Final it got really dusty when your team scored because the roof kept the cinders/ash dry and with every body going mental the dust was annoying.

    That said I’ve been at the Celtic End getting wet when Celtic were given the Rangers End.


  70. neepheid on October 9, 2013 at 10:53 pm

    Thanks for clarifying.
    Queens Park do still own all of Hampden and Lesser Hampden. The SFA ‘manage’ it for the good of the game and pay rent to QP. Dysfunctional on so many levels.


  71. Drew Peacock says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:56 pm

    So Aberdeen voted out of selfishness. If you ever met Milne you’d understand that. Why did Celtic vote against it?

    Small point – but you are attributing posts to the wrong people
    ++++++++++++++
    I assume Celtic voted on exactly the same basis as Aberdeen- Selfish self interest.

    As regards misattributing posts, sorry, I don’t get it. I copied and pasted Ernie’s post intact including his name and time of posting? Torrejohnboy did the same a minute or two later.


  72. Squiggle says:
    October 9, 2013 at 11:24 pm
    neepheid on October 9, 2013 at 10:53 pm

    Thanks for clarifying.
    Queens Park do still own all of Hampden and Lesser Hampden. The SFA ‘manage’ it for the good of the game and pay rent to QP. Dysfunctional on so many levels.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    They may still own the land and certain rights to use the two Hampdens but the Stadium screw up was down to the SFA.

    Does anyone know the details of this deal?


  73. neepheid says:
    October 9, 2013 at 11:30 pm
    Drew Peacock says:
    October 9, 2013 at 10:56 pm

    So Aberdeen voted out of selfishness. If you ever met Milne you’d understand that. Why did Celtic vote against it?

    Small point – but you are attributing posts to the wrong people
    ++++++++++++++
    I assume Celtic voted on exactly the same basis as Aberdeen- Selfish self interest.

    As regards misattributing posts, sorry, I don’t get it. I copied and pasted Ernie’s post intact including his name and time of posting? Torrejohnboy did the same a minute or two later.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Ernie raised the point earlier today. What you Quoted was Ernie using my question as though it was his post and not mine.

    Don’t worry – I trust you as a poster of integrity on here – no harm meant.

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