A Guest Blog by Auldheid for TSFM
Honesty requires both transparency and accountability. In pursuit of honest, transparent and accountable governance of Scottish football, and only that objective, the following letter, with attachments, has been sent to SPFL lawyers, CEO and SPFL Board Members.
An honest game free from deception is what football supporters of all clubs want. It is the action the letter and attachments prompt that will tell us if there is any intention of providing it.
It is a response on behalf of readers here on TSFM, but the sentiment which underpins it is almost universally held amongst fans of all clubs. Importantly it is a response directly to all clubs, especially those with a SPFL Board member, that will make the clubs and the football authorities aware just how seriously supporters take the restoration of trust in an honest game, honestly governed.
The annexes to the letter contain information which may be published at a later date. We thought it appropriate to first await any response from any of the recipients.
Please also draw this to the attention of friends who are not internet using supporters and love their football and their club.
Auldheid
__________________________________________________________________
Harper MacLeod
The Ca’d’oro
45 Gordon Street
Glasgow
G1 3PE
19 Feb 2014
Copy sent to SPFL CEO and Board Members *
Dear Mr McKenzie
We the contributors to The Scottish Football Monitoring web site write to you in your capacity as the legal adviser employed by Harper MacLeod to assist the Scottish Premier League (now the Scottish Professional Football League) to gather evidence and investigate the matter of incorrect player registrations involving concealed side letters and employee benefit trusts as defined in the eventual Lord Nimmo Smith Commission.
We note from the then SPL announcement that set up an enquiry that the initial date range to be covered was from the inception of the SPL in July 1998, but that was changed to 23 November 2000 because, according to our understanding, that is the date of the first side letter supplied by Rangers Administrators Duff and Phelps. It is also our understanding that the SPL asked for all documentation relating to side letters as well as the letters themselves.
It is a matter of public record that Rangers Administrators failed to supply the SPL all relevant documentation. Indeed the seriousness of not complying with SPL requests was the subject of an admonition of Rangers/Duff and Phelps from Lord Nimmo Smith under Issue 4 of his Commission.
Quite how serious that failure to comply or concealment was in terms of misleading the Commission and so Lord Nimmo Smith can now be assessed from the information contained at Annexes 1 to 10 attached.
We think that as legal advisers to the SPL (now the SPFL) you have a responsibility to make them aware that their Commission was misled by the concealment of documents starting on 3 September 1999, and signed by current SFA President Campbell Ogilvie, whose silence on the ebt matters referred to in the attached annexes* is questionable at the very least.
This letter but not attachments is being posted on The Scottish Football Monitor web site as this is matter for all of Scottish football and support for the issue being pursued to establish the truth can be gauged by responses from supporters from all Scottish clubs once the letter has been published there.
A copy of this letter with Annexes has also been sent to the SPFL CEO and members of the SPFL Board.
Acknowledgement of receipt and reply can be sent by e mail to:
(Address supplied)
Yours in sport
On behalf of The Scottish Football Monitor contributors and readers. http://www.tsfm.org.uk/
Addressees copied in
Neil Doncaster CEO
The Scottish Professional Football League
Hampden Park
Glasgow G42 9DE
Eric Riley (Celtic),
The Celtic Football Club
Celtic Park
Glasgow G40 3RE
Stephen Thompson (Dundee United),
Tannadice Park,
Tannadice Street,
Dundee, DD3 7JW
Duncan Fraser (Aberdeen);
Aberdeen Football Club plc
Pittodrie Stadium
Pittodrie Street
Aberdeen AB24 5QH
Les Gray (Hamilton),
Hamilton Academical FC
New Douglas Park
Hamilton
ML3 0FT
Mike Mulraney (Alloa)
Alloa Athletic FC
Clackmannan Road
Recreation Park
Alloa FK10 1RY
Bill Darroch (Stenhousemuir).
Stenhousemuir F.C.
Ochilview Park
Gladstone Road
Stenhousemuir
Falkirk
FK5 4QL
Paulmac2 says:
March 2, 2014 at 10:18 am
I don’t see the Bundesliga asking to be fixed or more competitive with the lack of competition to Bayern Munich who are 20 points clear this season…and won by 25 points last season.
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There is one key thing to remember re constant moans from the media about lack of competition. If it was Rangers who were 21 points clear and heading for three in a row there would be no complaints whatsover, and history backs that up.
In a nutshell the problem is which team is currently miles clear, with the lack of competition stance nothing other than a smokescreen.
Anyone know when Ally will start the rangers phone in? Personally I am a little dissatisfied that I can only read what Ally has to say I demand to hear the facts straight from the mouth of the legend..
And another thing can Charlotte not leak that email Mr Green got from that big american football team.
As a Celtic fan, I’m utterly fed up reading about how difficult life is at the moment and especially how the business model of Scottish Football could be completely transformed with the parachuting of a team that plays out of Ibrox into the top league.
I’ve written previously that the “Moneyball” strategy that Celtic are employing is the only way for the club to survive and prosper in the medium term, save for a whole restructuring of European Football. And I’m even clearer that “Moneyball” should be the way for every club in Scotland to go; namely rearing young Scottish players, giving them an opportunity & develop them as players, and then sell them on.
Incumbent with this strategy, as espoused by the brilliant Billy Beane of the Oakland A’s is living within your means and by focusing totally on youth development, great scouting & local community engagement. It is a template, which potentially leads to sustained success without breaking the bank and constantly putting the club in financial danger, which previous business models of Scottish Football did.
However, it requires innovative and creative thinking. It also requires brilliant tactical leadership like Beane or Jean Michel Aulas at Lyon FC and Pinto Da Costa at Porto and above all else, it requires perseverance to go the distance with it. I encourage Celtic and the rest of the SPFL to continue down this road, because one only has to observe the emerging talent popping up at a number of clubs to know that the game is on a much more sustainable and secure footing than previously.
And if the team that plays out of Ibrox does the same, I would gladly welcome this as well. Because I know from speaking to family & friends who are season ticket holders at TRFC, they relish seeing a team full of young Scottish players as well.
Doonhamer says:
March 2, 2014 at 12:41 pm
I don’t agree with the statement that Celtic paid over the odds and above the independent valuation – others had made similar comments earlier.
The “independent” valuation is not particularly relevant – it just means that the firm doing the valuation, were external to the NHS/Scottish Govt – it is a valuation which will advise and guide the NHS, it is not binding on anyone else, it doesn’t set the value in stone Celtic would/should have obtained their own (still independent) valuation The valuation states (page 5) that it is an OPINION of value
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I see your points and this was a bit of a slugfest in negotiation terms it would appear.
However I think you should consider the three distinct areas of ground that formed the Celtic Lennoxtown ‘parcel’ of 48 acres.
Tree belt and boundary areas consisted of 16 acres; the primary area 17 acres; and secondary area 15 acres.
I am convinced Celtic overpaid for the site because:
The tree belt has a TPO on it and although trees can inhibit agricultural use Celtic accepted a higher than agricultural land figure for the 16 acres as it did for the secondary area which consisted of rough grazing on a steep slope.
Celtic accepted that the Primary area should be priced at higher than agricultural land value but it should be remembered that in order to use this area that 60,000 cubic metres of fill was required which is costly, there was a lack of services and and the planning consent was restrictive.
I should poiint out that Celtic did take independent valuation advice from 2 separate firms of general practice surveyors and Hg Consulting.
[] your statement: ‘The “independent” valuation is not particularly relevant – it just means that the firm doing the valuation, were external to the NHS/Scottish Govt’.
Surely the whole point of an ‘independent valuation’ is to prevent the kind of nonsense State Aid claim we have had in this case by ensuring that no internal hidden ‘sweetheart deal’ has been concluded. Quite simply the core transparency of the transaction is based on the fact that the valuation is ‘independent’ of the NHS and Scottish Government whose own internal surveying departments also check the ‘external’ valuation to see it is in line with what is realisable.
[] your comment that a ‘valuation’ is only an ‘opinion’. That is all a valuation can ever be although in a case involving the disposal of a public asset it should be a valuation arrived at by a highly experienced professional and I am quite happy with the bona fides of the ‘independent’ surveyor acting for the NHS/Scottish Government Ministers despite the fact that I happen to be of the opinion that it was too high. But as I am not a valuation surveyor then I am happy to acknowledge that my ‘opinion’ could well be wrong.
You say that the valuation isn’t binding on anyone [] and, in fact, Celtic paid above the independent figure.
There are many other things that could be added but I have no wish to try the patience of the blog further as I think I have made the point I wished to which is to actually defend the importance of an ‘independent’ valuation even though I think it was too high.
Resin_lab_dog says:
March 2, 2014 at 12:27 pm
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/game-on-2/#more-4429
– Wallace offers a dose of reality – living within their means, and building back up organically. Austere, but sustainable
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I don’t think that anyone actually has a clue what’s on offer from Wallace until we reach the end of the 120 days.
We’ve had a few non-specific platitudes but nothing conctrete except the 15% wage cut which was rejected and which doesn’t look like cost-cutting to me.
This whole Celtic land issue has, from the outset, been a malicious effort to blacken Celtic’s name while deflecting attention away from the real issues at Ibrox. Quite simply, if in twenty years time Celtic were to sell the land at a tidy profit, where’s the problem? They have bought the land, obviously spent a lot of money developing it for their purposes, and if in years ahead they decide to sell it to a developer, good luck to them. It might be a different scenario if they bought the land, to use as a training facility, but just left it undeveloped until selling it for a large profit a few years later. I’d suggest it doesn’t become an issue until a sale is made, and only then if any profit is in the ‘Bankers’ Bonus’ category!
I do so hope the petitioners to the EC had to put up some kind of deposit which is not returned when their claims are kicked out!
Thanks Eco, wot I said but with quotes n’stuff n’that. There seems to be a theme emerging of nasty greedy money people bad, true blue kings of the realm good.
I can almost understand this, with my well worn cynical hat on I can absolutely understand it, but it requires a complete mental block re the original debenture scam plus the IPO fan element scam (which I don’t think for second they ‘ll cast a second glance to by the way) and I also note Phil doesn’t offer any thoughts on IF TRFC would be punted from within a CVA and IF they will take a stadium and training ground with them.
Westthorn Land Deal
I have previously provided publicly verifiable information which squashed Bear Land ‘Expert’ claims that there were no coal workings, coal shafts, or a colliery within the Westthorn Estate which could impact on the portion subsequently purchased by Celtic.
The ‘experts’ trumpeted success after receiving a report from the Coal Authority stating there was no mine shafts within 20 metres of Celtic’s ground. However that was short-lived when I pointed out that the ‘Expert’ hadn’t included the full extent of Celtic’s ground in their search request. Funnily enough this little ‘slip’ meant that two mine shafts which showed on my Coal Authority report didn’t appear on the ‘fiddled’ one submitted by the ‘Experts’.
As I have continuously pointed out, in any case, the position of a mine shaft means little in terms of subsidence risk compared to the honeycomb of underground workings which riddled the Westthorn Estate including under the land owned by Celtic.
And now a Bear, sickened by the lies being peddled, has passed on some important info that I didn’t know existed. I had always thought that Westthorn Colliery always only had one shaft operating at a time and when the coal that could be reached from it was exhausted the shaft would be closed and a new one opened.
Turns out I had totally underestimated the scale of mining operations which took place on the Westthorn estate as the Glasgow Herald dated 4 February 1882 carries a public notice advertising the sale of the FOUR Westthorn Collieries on the 150 acre estate.
It states there were:
The reports adds that Westthorn’s annual coal output was 40,000 carts per annum which was expected to last for many years. Another nugget of info was that 60 colliers’ houses were included in the sale meaning the 4 pits employed at least 60 miners. As I say, a much bigger operation than I had ever anticipated.
And the salmon fishing rights on the Clyde were also included 😀
Allyjambo says:
March 2, 2014 at 2:00 pm
I do so hope the petitioners to the EC had to put up some kind of deposit which is not returned when their claims are kicked out!
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No deposit – but hey it’s only taxpayers’ money and we know their history on that.
And, of course, there are all the inane FoI requests which have been made to numerous councils and public bodies. And they will prove nothing IMO except that Celtic are innocent 😆
OT ALERT – but not Westthorn related 🙄
Lord Wobbly
Sent you a few emails regarding your login stuff. I asked for delivery receipts when it became apparent that you were not receiving them. I have had no receipts, so there may be something preventing us getting through to you.
Please email us directly at TSFM@tsfm.net
This may avoid our mails ending up in your spam folder or not delivered.
I know that Murray Group are picking up the RFC(Il) tab for their UTTT expenses. But is it possible that they are still involved behind the scenes with more immediate finance matters at RIFC?[ Which of the Directors at RIFC is nominally carrying the Finance brief?]
I ask because I understand that earlier in the week, the MG FD was quite dismayed that something that had been expected to be completed that day and which required his signature had not been completed, and he was required to be elsewhere ( and presumably not available to sign anything) next day.
It’s unlikely that it was connected with preparations for announcement to ‘creditors’ of insolvency and proposals for coming out of insolvency (MG no doubt has a whole lot of other, ‘normal’ business going on).
But Phil mentioning ‘… the preparatory work needs to be completed by this evening.’ makes me wonder!
From the blissfully, irony-free Billy ‘EBT’ Dodds
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“… I know they (the fans) are being asked to put their money in a (trust) fund, for release at an appropriate time, but if the current board don’t give an inch, and the fans refuse to hand over the cash, what then?…”
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/opinion/unfair-to-ask-rangers-fans-to-cut-off-the-lifeblood-of-club.23570552
===============
Why not ask the fans for a ‘side letter’ Billy?! 🙄
Paulmac2 says:
March 2, 2014 at 1:50 am
———————————–
Now there’s a thought Paulmac….what about if, as part of their lovebomb/dambuster initiative, the UK government decided that the only way to keep the UK united would be to offer a place in the EPL to Celtic and win the undying love of most Celtic, and a good proportion of other Scottish clubs’ fans?
Getting that constituency onside could swing the vote decisively in the No camp’s favour.
All the English clubs being leapfrogged would be offered some sort of financial compensation, since the value of keeping Scotland in the union cannot be measured in mere financial terms, FIFA & UEFA would like it because it would give them some leverage to reduce the UK council members from 4 to 1 etc.
The Better Together campaign has been pretty unsubtle so far – “you’re too wee, too short of cash, too reliant on that pesky oil”, “vote yes and lose your jobs” and so on, so why not just go the whole hog with naked bribery and say “Vote No” and we will parachute Celtic into the EPL, whilst at the same time bringing a real level playing field to the rest of Scottish football”?
And Wee Eck would get a sore nose from football fans for his monstrous OBAFATC Act…….
Hmm…..horns of a dilemma time
john clarke says:
March 2, 2014 at 12:29 pm
This article at bbc gives a much wider context to what PL meant yesterday. Basically wee countries are suffering from the distribution of wealth in football in Europe, What is happening in Scotland is but a reflection or symptom of that same poor circulation disease.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26406994
I have suggested some redistribution of CL money to Scottish clubs but that should come from UEFA as it is their competition and not be up to clubs in domestic leagues to fight for crumbs from a very rich table.
The “big” clubs in the “big” leagues, ( big being defined as the amount of money they owe and the wages they pay over and above what they earn, that is reflected in what they owe), are killing the game as they suck the life blood from it. Vampires.
It may take another few years before UEFA’s testicles drop but even the “big” clubs will reach their debt limit. Man Utd seem to be at that point and are suffering from a club on their doorstep who can afford to owe more than Man Utd can. Arsenal have the model right and I hope they do win the title and UEFA exclude Man City, Chelsea and whoever comes 4th, on FFP break even grounds.
That will send out the correct message.
I have PM’d you on the point which caused you to write to Celtic i.e not tackling the SFA.
http://www.sundaypost.com/news-views/scotland/ex-rangers-director-king-could-kill-tv-deal-1.248023. Armageddon has arrived
From the SP article above
So now even Ally feels comfortable taking about the semi (if they get there) being a home tie!!!! What a shower of idiots we have as the game’s administrators!
Testing the ‘test’ test
ecobhoy says:
March 2, 2014 at 1:46 pm
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Resin_lab_dog says:
March 2, 2014 at 12:27 pm
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/game-on-2/#more-4429
– Wallace offers a dose of reality – living within their means, and building back up organically. Austere, but sustainable
========================================
I don’t think that anyone actually has a clue what’s on offer from Wallace until we reach the end of the 120 days.
We’ve had a few non-specific platitudes but nothing conctrete except the 15% wage cut which was rejected and which doesn’t look like cost-cutting to me.
____________________________________________________
To be fair, the same ‘platitudes’ charged can be levelled at King.
Promise of glory days if the bears give him all their money…
Cuts is not the way forward…
No suggestion of how it will be paid for…
King sounds alot like Charles Green did once upon a time, in point of fact.
From Twitter-
alex thomson @alextomo 1m
Rangers to go into Administration on Wednesday? At least one senior Glasgow accountant is saying so tonight.
Alex Tomo just tweeted – Rangers administration likely Wednesday.
alex thomson @alextomo 5m
Rangers to go into Administration on Wednesday? At least one senior Glasgow accountant is saying so tonight.
Long Time Lurker says:
March 2, 2014 at 6:18 pm
—————————————–
All of which explains the timing of King’s statements.
He was making a pre-emptive strike to stop the pre-pack being a controlled administration. He wants to make a play for the, let’s say, heart and soul of Rangers, without the spivs having a clean run at it.
Appalling mess will result, Ally will be an early casualty now that the league is won, and when the costs have been suitably cut and the leaner, fitter RFC emerges, the spivs will simply say to the gullible bears “back us in the season ticket renewal or the club gets it” or words to that effect.
Fans held to ransom by unscrupulous owner – it’s the Rangers’ way.
slimshady61 says:
March 2, 2014 at 6:25 pm
Who is likely to win? Spivs of King?
My money is on the Spivs – they appear to be always three moves ahead. What can King do – he has no skin in the game – no shares.
Given the announcement of @alextomo – will the market move to suspend shares tomorrow?
Could King be part of the overall plan, either knowingly or unknowingly?
Wallace and co are on record on several occasions recently stating quite categorically that administration will not occur despite the clear signs to everyone of the financial dire straits.
Along comes King with his call for what amounts to a fans boycott in all but name. Well, that’s the 120 day review out of the window isn’t it? “Yes, we said no administration but that’s before you fans started refusing to buy season tickets. We have no choice in the matter now but to call in the administrator.”
I just can’t see what else King brings to the party. He has no credibility, is not providing any cash and, it would seem, may not even be allowed to be a director. Is he CW mark 2 – a convenient fall guy to pin the blame on?
Who had Weds 5th March in the Admin sweep?
In ten years’ time, when the recent 30 year history of Scottish football is written, what will it say?
Will the truth be written regarding the way our sport has been twisted out of shape by greedy, merciless, unprincipled individuals or will it be revisionism gone mad?
I will briefly put forward my history of the sport I have had a passionate affair with all of my life. It has given rise to feelings of huge pride in my club, and nations, achievements from the World Cup qualification in 1973 for the tournament the following year. Despair when my club failed to fulfil their potential or when Scotland spectacularly failed in various competitions and yet there was euphoria on victories unexpected.
In the early eighties we had 3 teams fighting for the Championship. Matches between Celtic, Aberdeen, and Dundee United were fiercely contested and sell outs. Anyone of the three could, and did, win the league.
Aberdeen was a team feared across the continent. They won the Cup Winners Cup and the Super Cup and epitomised the saying that football is eleven men against eleven. They began as an unfashionable team who went on to greatness.
Dundee United dismantled many European greats. Barcelona was defeated in the Nou Camp. Borussia Moenchengladbach was humiliated at Tannadice only a few years after reaching two European finals themselves. Dundee United also reached a European final only to fall at the last and, if we are to believe recent reports, cheated out of a European Cup final in Rome.
This was a time of real competition. Not a fantasy made up one. Rangers were on the periphery by their own design through a signing policy about which more is written elsewhere. Mismanagement also did not help their situation.
This was the era before Lawrence Marlborough arrived at Ibrox and catapulted our sport into the stratosphere. We were told that a ‘giant had been unleashed’. This coincided with the culmination of the ‘English’ disease, as hooliganism at that time was called, which resulted in the banning of English teams from all European competition. Money was no object and thus the cream of the top English league, with the lure of European competition, was brought to Scotland. Then Lawrence Marlborough sold the club to David Murray and the rest is history……………………….. but what history? Should it be a history of domination and triumph or the darkest period for our sport?
David Murray in the early days was always saying that RFC’s financial plans never included a European run and I actually believe this to be the case in the early days but sometime in the early nineties this policy was thrown out the window. By this time Celtic, who had attempted to compete financially but also spectacularly mismanaged, were taken to the brink of collapse but saved by an expat.
When people now speak fondly of Fergus McCann and of Dave King being ‘The Rangers’ Fergus they do this man a huge disservice. McCann was a business man with a plan. He saw the potential to make money in the burgeoning interest in football and yet he had to build a stadium, yes a stadium, while competing with the largesse across the city and a hostile press. Who will ever forget the Daily Record front page basically saying Fergus was worse than Saddam Hussein!
But this history is not solely about the Glasgow two. Aberdeen’s Alex Fergusson had moved on and, after taking the huge spending RFC to a final game decider which they lost, they diminished and for a long time became also rans. Jim McLean’s Dundee United were also a poorer team as their squad aged or were sold off.
No this was the beginning of money controlling football and things would never be the same. Money was thrown at average players to come to the SPL. The financial arms race of the big two seemed to have no end and, when Celtic triumphed to deny RFC ten in a row, things took a decidedly darker turn. It had been accepted that any realistic chance of RFC winning the European Cup had gone because of the way money was distributed so the only thing left was total domination in Scotland.
In the early 2000’s Celtic blinked and pulled back in the financial arms race and decided to run the business within its means.
As more foreign imports arrived the national team suffered. By the time the next World Cup comes round it will be TWO DECADES since we qualified. My God where did the time go!
The rest has been debated here, and on the RTC website, and as they say is history.
Fans believe they have been deprived of watching a real competition as rules have been bent and ignored by the people charged with governing our sport. Deep mistrust now exists between clubs and their fans and between clubs themselves.
The UTTT, or the next level of appeal, will most likely decide how the last fifteen years will be recorded and that is probably the biggest indictment; the fact that football administrators did not have the spine to address the most serious of issues. If they had even remotely done their jobs these issues would have been glaring. Wreckage of maladministration lies in every corridor in Hampden and still failures and gaps in rules are not addressed. No the biggest indictment was that football in this country could not bring itself to deal with the ‘establishment’ club and bring it to order but left it to outside legal procedures. That is not how sport should be run. That is why these people take the big salary.
Personally that is what I will remember most from this period of sporting history; that football bottled it and passed the buck either because they were corrupt or scared. Either way they stand accused of failure. They actually failed to protect RFC. They failed to protect the other clubs. But most of all they failed all of us; the paying public, the games life blood.
justshatered says:
March 2, 2014 at 6:57 pm
Excellent stuff.
It looks like the Genie that is the Annexes to The H&M letter got out the bottle on the Huddleboard according to this on CQN.
———————–
From The Huddleboard.
The link is to the annexes which were sent along with the letter to Harper&MacLeod,SPFL Board members and Doncaster.
See The Scottish Football Monitor site for the letter. http://www.tsfm.net/scottish-football-an-honest-game-honestly-governed/#comments
This is dynamite and I would encourage everyone who has an interest in this subject to contact the folks shown above to express your views and to “pass this on” through other social media like twitter,facebook etc.
Hope this works.
Here is the link to the annexes which were sent along with the letter.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6uWzxhblAt9d242ZnNZTEpSYzg/edit?usp=sharing
When I opened it some of the documents were a bit blurry.Don’t know if that can be fixed.
In any event,the evidence contained is the most damning indictment imaginable against the people who govern football in Scotland.
I will be writing to Harper & Macleod and Doncaster to put my support behind getting this whole sorry saga dealt with properly.
The material in the link can be a bit of a slog to get through but worth it imo.
What is absolutely clear is that Campbell Ogilvie is way beyond being “heavily conflicted”.He is completely toxic and has to go. His position is untenable.
If the documents are genuine (and I have yet to hear of anyone who says they are not) then it is clear that even the QC representing them on the “Wee Tax Case” says it was tax evasion and they should pay up. They still haven’t!! Somehow Ogilvie,who was actively involved in setting up the scheme for De Boer and Flo,neglected to mention this at the Nimmo Smith Inquiry!!!!!
Can I ask,plead,beg everyone who has an interest in this to get on to H&M and to Doncaster and spread the word on this via twitter etc (especially to fans of other clubs….it’s not only Celtic who are being let down here) and publicise this scandal and get it so widely known about and talked about that the msm will have no option but to cover this.
A wee addition/ amendment to the Ogilvie bit above.
Ogilvie set up the first ebt in the scheme that DeBoer and Flo benefitted from in the following season.
There is no direct link from Ogilvie to the later registrations but the point is he must have known during his time at Rangers of switch from one (ebt type) to another, being there from the start of the ebt POLICY and he never made that clear, only ever referring to his own ebt and those LNS was looking at, the fraudulent/ negligent nature of the two early ebts as mentioned in HMRC’s letter, not being provided to H&M.
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The SFA refuse to accept the evidence because of its provenance but not its veracity.
That the smsm (links were provide to up and coming journos) chooses likewise to ignore, does not alter that H&M were misled and thus LNS himself.
The SPFL must be made aware of this. Now the info is there, make up your own minds and if you agree not all was disclosed, put pressure on the SPFL/H&M to acknowledge you as an individual and football supporter and say what their stance is.
They have not so far acknowledged TSFM as requested.
Alternatively write to your club and ask them if they are aware the LNS Commission was misdirected, even if intent cannot be proved, the fact is it was and ask your club to establish what the SPFL’s stance is now in light of what was not provided to those commissioning.
Auldheid says:
March 2, 2014 at 7:23 pm
=======================
Quite why the media don’t want to run with this is beyond me, it really is. Are they seriously of the view that anything, anything at all can be ignored if it compromises the club from Ibrox, and people associated with it?
Resin_lab_dog says:
March 2, 2014 at 5:42 pm
To be fair, the same ‘platitudes’ charged can be levelled at King.
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I totally agree with what you say – I certainly don’t regard King as the saviour of Rangers. My problem with Wallace is that I don’t think he’s his own man.
I’m happy to accept that Wallace isn’t a spiv but his destiny IMO is now controlled by them. And the problem with that is nobody knows what the spiv plan is for Rangers and no one can be sure just how much that plan meshes with Laxeys objectives or not.
Coupled with the vicious fan infighting the whole thing is a giant clusterf*ck and I struggle to see how Rangers can emerge from it.
The best solution for the fans IMO is to move out of Ibrox and ground share for a bit. Rangers will always have a support but the hardest step is cutting that umbilical cord with their spiritual home.
But I don’t know if there is the will and expertise within the support to basically start on the first rung whatever/wherever that might be.
In any case it’s the Bears who have to make the decision as to whether they keep pumping their money into Rangers or not – especially if they have no safeguards. I have always said I sympathis with what is happening because of what almost happened at Celtic and the feeling of utter powerlessness that just overwhelms most fans in that kind of situation.
Today’s increased social media and internet reach does make it a real possibility that fans can actually become a force with a real voice but that needs unity and that appears to be totally absent.
I don’t think King is out to fleece fans and I believe he truly loves his club but he seems not so much out of his depth but out of his time nad he has no solutions as far as I can see that will even get Rangers through next season never mind save it. I don’t think he will put much of his own money in and the fams can’t/won’t raise enough with a new share flotation to cover more than a few months operating costs.
So I have no solutions and I can’t see anyone else with one that looks as though it might work either.
Auldheid
Provenance was “given” in Neweys court.
In my and James presence, agreed by both benches AND agreed by CW. What are they on?
As I said Ill be on to Lianne asap.
s
BTW TFM cant get PMs keeps asking for log in (even tho I am). Do I need to change yet again?
justshatered says:
March 2, 2014 at 6:57 pm
=======================
An excellent summary of events. Looking back to the late 70’s / early 80’s in particular they were, on reflection, halcyon days. Of course, Celtic had their ancient rivalry with Rangers, but the real cut throat on field contest was with Aberdeen and Dundee Utd, in particular with Aberdeen. Games at Celtic Park v Aberdeen in those days drew crowds of well over 50K, when 25K was considered decent. Not to discount Dundee Utd though, as Tannadice was a helluva difficult away venue to visit. Rangers meanwhile lived within their means, and even lost out to Aberdeen in the race to sign Jim Bett when he returned to Scotland. In terms of the league though, they were not really at the races.
Really interesting podcast on Beyond the Waves with Paul Larkin.
He apparently has evidence that Minty has been behind Craig Whyte every step of the way.Our hero was even present while Murray was on his honeymoon in Monaco a few months before buying deidco for a £1.
He also has proof that Regan has been covering for RC Ogilvie,who indeed was the man behind all those Ebts.
Loads more revelations coming out.
justshatered says:
March 2, 2014 at 6:57 pm
‘…In ten years’ time, when the recent 30 year history of Scottish football is written,.’
———-
Very good, justshatered.
@Andythemod9: Rangers reject rumours they will enter administration on Wednesday. A spokesman said: “There is absolutely no truth in these claims which…
@Andythemod9: appear to come from agenda-driven bloggers who are out to damage the club. “There is no chance of administration while there is no…
@Andythemod9: board meeting tomorrow. This is all completely false.”
From a sports reporter from the press association
Great to see us getting on top of this quickly
ecobhoy says:
March 2, 2014 at 7:46 pm
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Resin_lab_dog says:
March 2, 2014 at 5:42 pm
_________________________
Think we are having what HR types call a ‘violent’ agreement.
We don’t know what GW can or will deliver.
What is apparent is that the first time that TRFC even seemed to start waking up with the hangover that all the spiv largesse (on both themselves and the ‘club’ via signing off an McCoist’s crazy budget and insane signings/ wages) was sure to bring, and to even look like putting its house in order was around the time that he took over.
Whether this was him genuinely trying to handbrake turn a supertanker that was headed full steam for the rocks, or whether it is just a feint to try and look like he is trying to turn things round for other reasons is not clear. And whether he stands any hope in hell of succeeding is also unclear.
What is clear is that this supertanker has been headed in the wrong direction for some time. It is taking on water. And Dave King is now down below inciting mutiny and cutting holes in the side of it because – and gawd alone knows why – he wants Wallace overboard so he can take over at the helm himslef.
The whole situation is crazy beyond belief,
Rangers fans demand answers over Charles Green’s involvement at Ibrox bit.ly/1mXhure
Resin_lab_dog says:
March 2, 2014 at 8:07 pm
We don’t know what GW can or will deliver.
What is apparent is that the first time that TRFC even seemed to start waking up with the hangover that all the spiv largesse (on both themselves and the ‘club’ via signing off an McCoist’s crazy budget and insane signings/ wages) was sure to bring, and to even look like putting its house in order was around the time that he took over.
Whether this was him genuinely trying to handbrake turn a supertanker that was headed full steam for the rocks, or whether it is just a feint to try and look like he is trying to turn things round for other reasons is not clear.
================
Any appraisal of Wallace really has to begin and end with his 120 day review. That timescale tells me that he is either totally out of his depth, or he is deliberately kicking the can down the road to give time for someone else’s agenda to be played out. I’m with the latter theory, because although he might not be George Soros, he surely cannot really be so stupid as to need 120 days to “look under the bonnet” and conclude that there is a serious fuel leak. I’ve said it before- this is not Barclays Bank or British Aerospace. We are talking about a very simple company with around £20m turnover. So what’s the 120 days all about? It looks like part of a scam to me.
So they are not even going to make it to Wednesday????
This from RR
Baby bear unhappy – No I have no idea who the Union of Fans is (He likely made it up tonight)
=============================================================================
02 Mar 2014 19:07:57
UNION OF FANS STATEMENT
We welcome the fact that Dave King has committed to travelling to the UK to advance the setup of the required legal structures for a Season Ticket Trust and a fund to purchase an equity stake in the club. We very much look forward to meeting him in the near future to push things forward.
We also note that, like us, he shares a fear that Charles Green and the people he represents are still de facto in control of our club.
At their meeting of 30th January with CEO Graham Wallace, the RST requested an updated copy of the register of shareholders in RIFC PLC, which is a legal entitlement of all shareholders. The club considered this request and asked for further information, which has now been provided. We are aware of similar requests by individual shareholders which have yet to be fulfilled.
We are aware of concerns by shareholders that there has been a perceived delay in complying with requests for a copy of the members register, and that these concerns have lead to suspicions.
We would urge the club to comply with these requests as a matter of urgency, and act on their promises of transparency and engagement with supporters.
We also note that Graham Wallace recently attempted to justify the £1. 5M loan from Laxey and Sandy Easdale, by indicating that it was part of a business plan he “inherited”. Just who did he inherit the business plan he is implementing from? Charles Green? Brian Stockbridge? Imran Ahmad? Also, why is he still implementing a business plan which is so clearly flawed? Particularly when it is clear that alternative routes are and have been available.
We would like this board to explain just what has happened to the 5 million shares Charles Green awarded himself at 1 penny each and which constituted a 7. 68% stake in Rangers. We are aware that some of those shares are now in the hands of Laxey. It was also widely publicised that Green had proxied his shares to the Easdales and struck an agreement to sell those shares to the Easdales in December 2013. But no record of such a share trade exists. Also the Easdales do not appear to have increased their notifiable interest in the company according to the most up-to-date information available. It is entirely unclear who now holds the balance of Mr Green’s shares and if indeed they have even moved out of his control.
Dave King is quite correct to express his fear that Charles Green and those he represents are possibly still controlling Rangers. Just as we, as supporters and shareholders, are right to exercise our legal right to view the up-to-date shareholders register. Once again, we simply ask this board to answer the perfectly reasonable questions they are being asked and to not just speak about transparency but actually provide it.
Baybear
sickofitall says:
March 2, 2014 at 7:57 pm
Would you be referring to this dinner invitation?
David Fraser 06/06/2011
To me –
Craig.
Hope all going well and to plan. As discussed l am staying at La Reserve Beaulieu near Monaco next Friday and Saturday with Kae and either night would suit if you wished to join us for Dinner, Feel free to phone if I can be of assistance.
David
Craig Whyte 07/06/2011 ,
to David –
Hi David,
Congratulations to you and Kae on your marriage. I hope you’re enjoying your honeymoon. As ever I won’t know until the last minute if I’m going to be in Monaco or not. Are you going to be there on the Fri 10th or Fri 17th? Obviously would be great to get together if l’m there.
Best
Craig
——————————-
I do miss Charlotte.
No1 Bob says:
March 2, 2014 at 8:42 pm
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sickofitall says:
March 2, 2014 at 7:57 pm
Would you be referring to this dinner invitation?
David Fraser 06/06/2011
========================================
Me too Bob. However I thinks Craigie’s had his dough and no longer needs “her”
Someone above asked if king was involved in the spivery either knowingly or not. At the start of last week imran ahmeds court case had the potential to put the final nail in the coffin anf tip trfc into an insolvency. Is it just coincidence that when this avenue was closed that dave king re appeared telling the bears not to hand over ST money an act that would take the club into admin.
alex thomson @alextomo 5m
Why is Jack Irvine contacting journos quite unsolicited tonight to deny possible imminent Admin to people who hadn’t asked about it?
Dave King is quite correct to express his fear that Charles Green and those he represents are possibly still controlling Rangers. Just as we, as supporters and shareholders, are right to exercise our legal right to view the up-to-date shareholders register.
============================================================================
Ian, my last few posts on “the other site” banged on about just how totally inadequate the system of public corporate governance and related information in our country is.
Companies House, through no fault of the public servants it employs, simply cannot serve the needs of todays digital age requirements. Companies House information tends to be either woefully inadequate in content or so far out of date as to render any decision making process totally inadequate!
Finally, this could easily be resolved by our elected politicians having the “cojones” to ensure that Companies House is adequately funded…but I shall not hold my breath!
PS…strange that an apparently knowledgeable “bear” asks such a relevant question re Mr Green and his controlling activities…!…why did it take so long…this site was a wealth of information at the time of the IPO.
PPS…who does actually control the RIFC/TRFC companies and related shareholdings…or shall I go for an “offshore” dip…?
Auldheid says: March 2, 2014 at 7:23 pm
————————————
I retained a copy of the DOS documents and correspondence with HMRC when they were first published online. I’ve uploaded them to Scribd and they appear to be much more readable.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/210130622/2011-03-23-Rangers-DOS-Docs
The two Campbell Ogilvie documents (letter and Board minutes are available from Imgur.
http://i.imgur.com/q88NFQq.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ytPbuSp.jpg
Sorry but chopped of the credit to “Ianagain”…new site…duh!
alex thomson @alextomo 4m
And will Rangers further deny Nash and Wallace have settled on one of them as potential Administrator?
alex thomson @alextomo 9m
Will Rangers deny that Nash and Wallace have met 2 potential Administrators in the past 48 hours? #c4news
Alex Tomo has been doing some great work since Rangers started to brief media that the admin story was a pile of poo.
My money is on Alex being correct with this one.
Ice-cream, jelly, sports socks, inflatable sheep – take your pick. All bets on admin now appear to be off.
Long Time Lurker says:
March 2, 2014 at 6:18 pm
17 2 Rate This
Alex Tomo just tweeted – Rangers administration likely Wednesday.
alex thomson @alextomo 5m
Rangers to go into Administration on Wednesday? At least one senior Glasgow accountant is saying so tonight.
——————————————-
That’ll ensure Mr McCoist will be discussing football matters only , at least until Wednesday . 🙄
easyJambo says:
March 2, 2014 at 9:09 pm
Thanks for that EJ.
Alex Twittering tonight- 2 Questions:
Will Rangers deny that Nash and Wallace have met 2 potential Administrators in the past 48 hours? #c4news
alex thomson @alextomo 23m
And will Rangers further deny Nash and Wallace have settled on one of them as potential Administrator?
If Sevco finally hit the buffers on Wednesday , how long would it be to a player/management cull ? Before the next round of the cup ? Before the Ramsdens cup final ? Admin could wreck their glorious treble ! 😉
So my timing was out . Administration Wednesday not Monday. I was thinking that they would announce it after the board meeting today to confirm it.
Well oh well, it’s come to this.
A new club is propelled into the league system without proper care and attention from our football authorities, wasting the two lower leagues (while making new friends along the way) by spending to out-gun opposition sides, and preventing proper and fair competition.
Topping each of the lowest leagues, while bailing out of the financial obligations that others observe.
It seems to me that they had a business plan, roughly copying another club which hit oblivion in Summer 2012.
But all the excrement is hitting the rotating vanes at the same time……..
To Auldheid’s letter: I wondered about the annexes not being freely shown along with the letter, which is a wonderful dispatch. Am I correct in understanding that the ownership of the annexes and how they have come to be in the public domain, has led to this restriction? This notwithstanding the fact that they are in easy reach of us all.
Things are hotting up
Anyone else looking forward to reading the papers tomorrow? (Without actually buying them)
Bangordub says:
March 2, 2014 at 10:05 pm
Anyone else looking forward to reading the papers tomorrow? (Without actually buying them)
Not really it will be the usual mince, but if you must here’s the easiest way to get you Pretendygers news/lies/propaganda/Jacks view.
http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Football/Scottish+League+One/Rangers
As much as I have regard and respect for Alex Thomson, I don’t see how he can expect Wallace to confirm that he has met with potential administrators. If it is true that he did, then “potential” as long as it falls short of “actual” makes it a non-story.
Wallace may be covering his bases, and given the fickle nature of fan and investor confidence he’d be a fool to have that news on a banner headline in tomorrow’s Record. Denial of the story is not a character defect if you are in Wallace’s position.
The real character defect here is the apparent lack of SFA involvement on this “potentiality”.
Whatever happens this week folks (and my guy is still saying no admin, although I no longer completely share that view), do not post anything which smacks of excessive Schadenfreude, triumphalism or unnecessary pleasure derived from the misfortune of others.
Remember who and what we are.
this may not be the right time,but i found this today after a conversation i had, and forgot about,the conversation was about how work was stopped at the velodrome site when the machine putting pillars in to the ground fell down a hole,Tried to find it on the web but came up with this instead.
http://www.edie.net/news/3/Asbestos-halts-play-for-Games-development/16073/
A word of praise for Tam Cowan from Hearts fans.
Tam was a guest speaker today at a rally of the Federation of Hearts supporters clubs. He donated his £800 fee to the Foundation of Hearts. That’s the second time he has made such a gesture.
Top bloke.
TSFM says:
March 2, 2014 at 10:15 pm
” …The real character defect here is the apparent lack of SFA involvement on this “potentiality”..”
————
They will be wrestling with the problem of whether they NOW decide that it’s the same club suffering a second insolvency event, or a new club that is suffering its first.
I hope they don’t ask me for my opinion! 😀
Cluster One
Alarming when one considers that the “past uses” of that land included a sixty year-old residential development 🙂
The site just across Springfield Road (between Riverside School and Millerfield Road) was also potentially contaminated. It was the site a chemical works (Whites?) which was only partially demolished in the early 90s and the centre of a bloody great and unusually raging fire in 1994.
Campbell says same.
Ally not keen on the 25 though.
ok says Campbell – lets call it same but different. 15 it is then.
Admin this week or no admin this week?
@Alextomo has in my opinion raised the bar insofar that it sounds credible, and more likely than not that Rangers have been working to find an administrator.
He also nailed his colours to the mast by using the tag #C4news to one of his tweets on the topic. That’s quite a statement to make.
The fact that he has reported that Rangers are actively seeking an administrator in my view is a game changer. If administration was not going to be this week, why now delay that event.
It will be interesting to see (a) if any statements are made to the stock exchange tomorrow morning and (b) will Imran Ahmad go back to Court tomorrow to try and secure monies to support his claim?
TSFM says: Cluster One
Alarming when one considers that the “past uses” of that land included a sixty year-old residential development
I GREW UP THERE, NO WONDER I FEEL ILL 😥
upthehoops says:
Quite why the media don’t want to run with this is beyond me, it really is.
Are they seriously of the view that anything, anything at all can be ignored if it compromises the club from Ibrox, and people associated with it?
_____________________
I’m afraid they are…
TSFM says:
March 2, 2014 at 10:21 pm
Spoilsport!
It occurs to me that talk of administration may suit Wallace.
A stick to wave at players and other staff when discussing cuts?
A handy negotiating ploy when trying to re-negiotiate service contracts?
A means of concentrating minds amongst shareholders?
TSFM says:
March 2, 2014 at 10:35 pm
Cluster One
Alarming when one considers that the “past uses” of that land included a sixty year-old residential development 🙂
The site just across Springfield Road (between Riverside School and Millerfield Road) was also potentially contaminated. It was the site a chemical works (Whites?) which was only partially demolished in the early 90s and the centre of a bloody great and unusually raging fire in 1994.
==========================================================================
Had been bored by this until the mention of Whites. I used to drive for Glaxo In Castlemilk and was sent occasionally there to pick up Sulphuric and I think Hydrochloric acids in big bottles with straw round about them. The place was as you would say “bogging” and drove the product back very gingerly to base in Drakemyre drive.
Would it – nevertheless- be acceptable and appropriate to point out that none of either Spartans, Huntly or Brora Rangers are showing any signs of insolvency or potential inability to complete their fixture lists for the 2013/14 season?
I would suggest that this is compelling evidence that those who govern the game are simply not fit for purpose.
If they had the inclination or competence to conduct a FAP test on themselves they would be forced to find themselves seriously wanting.
The only question that remains now is the debate as to whether it was incompetence, corruption or both that led them to preside over such a monumental c*ck up.
Their actions (or lack of) in the coming weeks should do much to answer this.
TSFM,
thanks for the login help.
Cluster One says:
March 2, 2014 at 10:48 pm
‘…I GREW UP THERE, NO WONDER I FEEL ILL :cry:’
———
I’ve just dragged myself away from watching Julia Roberts as Erin Brokovich. See a lawyer! 😀
Administration means that contracts can be torn up and players unable to sign with another club till August will have to take whatever wages they can get. Administration comes at a cost of points. Irrelevant given the huge lead as to how many points lost depending on OCNC status. Can a club in administration be promoted if it survives till August? Is loss of points the only penalty? Admin was caused by paying too much for success.
I have to say that I do not believe that Rangers will die on Wednesday. The company may well go into administration but that is all, just admistration. Hearts are in Administration. They still exist.
I still see a team in blue calling themselves some version of ‘Rangers’ playing at Ibrox next season. That club will have the highest income in the Championship and also the highest costs. If the costs can be slashed then there is no need to go under. 30,000 people paying 300 quid for a season ticket is 9 million pounds, add in sponsorship and merchandise and income is about 12 million pounds. Only one other team in Scotland earns more.Pay the manager not 700,000 pounds but 70,000 and pay players Championship wages and a business can survive. Sure top quality players will want more than Championship wages so they will move on. The income stream of the new club will still be the second highest in Scotland. It could even reach the Premiership in August 2015.
The key is selling 9 million pounds worth of potential season tickets. Who will get that money? That is the big question. Will it keep going into the bottomless pockets of the spivs or will a Phoenix club arise which may have to rent the stadium from the spivs? Will there be a sort of revolution and perhaps a FO payment to the spivs from a consortium of non -crooks? Either way whoever manages to sell 30,000 season tickets will hold the power.
Fisiani says:
March 2, 2014 at 11:37 pm
and players unable to sign with another club till August will have to take whatever wages they can get…
________________________________________
Players whose contracts are torn up in admin are free agents and can sign for any club as free agents outwith the transfer window.
In an admin situation, TRFC might even apply for special permission to sell players for a fee outwith the window to raise funds to see them to the end of the season, prompting a fire sale… although this oculd be tricky since if payroll is not met, PFA would probably move to have contracts voided allowing them to walk as free agents.
The power of the admin for GW will be that most of the players there are overpaid and couldn’t hope to get anything like their current contracts elsewhere.
In reality, the players will be free to leave, but many will probably be offered massively reduced terms to stay on at TRFC – i.e. the actual market rate for them. A few may be hoovered up elsewhere. But the rest will likely fall foul to the ‘bait and switch’ ruse that brought them to Ibrox on enhanced terms, only to have these torn away subsequently.
And the real deadwood will be left stranded, with neither club nor wages.
Actually no Fis although I see where you’re coming from.
Control of season ticket funds will hold a level of power. Control of the facilities will hold a level of power. Control of being able to exit admin prior to the start of next season will also hold sway. Unlike last time this may actually be three different groups none of whom trust the other. Prisoners dilemma me thinks.
My money is still on a fans supported king buyout but I get the feeling people who have sunk 20m to get them to this stage may be a bit miffed at that suggestion! Are they peepul that matter though?