Good Evening.
When considering any type of protracted negotiation or discussion that seems to be going on too long, there is a story that is always worth remembering– whether it is actually a true story or not as the case may be.
It is said, that heads of state all met at a congress in what is now modern Germany sometime after the Franco Prussian war of 1870-1871.The entire congress was being run almost singlehandedly by the then Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismark and he was keen to get all the necessary signatures on paper to seal some deal or other.
However, others at the congress were not too keen to sign up to certain elements of the proposed deal and so they hithered and dithered and in the eyes of Bismark they simply waisted time by concentrating on the minutiae- the little matters, with a view to ensuring their own interests were best served in these small areas– and did not focus on the big issue.
Having tried to talk these others round and educate them in his own beliefs and point of view on the bigger picture without any success, Bismark grew weary of the continuing delay and the posturing of his colleagues. All attempts at reason and diplomacy had failed in his eyes and so he decided to take a different tack.
Accordingly, it is said that whilst others were still inside debating endlessly on this matter or that, Bismark left the building and began simply shooting the windows in with the aid of a riffle which he just happened to have handy.
Those inside were naturally alarmed at this turn of events. They soon forgot about the minutiae under debate, they abandoned the previously expressed self interest and simply signed up so that they could get away from the mad chancellor and his house.
Job done so to speak.
Whilst I do not in anyway condone the behaviour of Otto von Bismark in this instance, and have no doubt that he was an autocrat, what I will say is that he believed that there was too much time being spent on the unimportant stuff and not enough time recognising what really needed doing– from his point of view of course.
Today– and it seems every day for months— we have endless debate about the future of Scottish Football. League reconstruction and the redistribution of footballing wealth has become a marathon– even before it has started.
Yet I believe that at the moment all parties concerned are not focusing on the radical reform that is fundamentally needed which is the creation of one, strong, properly structured and constituted body which is capable of the proper and ethical governance of Scottish Football and the business that surrounds football.
No matter what system you try, or distribution you agree, without proper sensible strong governance you are wasting your time.
Further, whatever body is set up, and whoever is chosen to be its CEO (or whatever the head honcho is going to be called), they must tackle the issue of corporate and fiscal compliance and the proper administration of any body corporate which actively takes part in Scottish Football– and that includes any such body or person who is involved in the running of a member club.
In addition, in so dealing with any corporate malfeasance or chicanery or whatever, the rules have to be applied with a rod of iron by an iron body.
As we can now clearly see, Football clubs and football in general is not, and never will be, immune from the effects of bad corporate governance and on occasion downright manipulation of facts, figures and contracts.
Whilst great play has been made of the fact that Gavin Masterton has handed over his shares in Dunfermline FC ( or its holding company ) the fact of the matter is that this in no way solves the problem faced by the football club. Whoever gains control of that club will still have to rent the ground from Mr Masterton’s company– and it is a rent that the club may just not be able to afford.
Ever!
It is only my opinion of course, but I am of the view that Mr Masterton has sealed a loan deal with his bankers which is of a type and duration which could not normally be achieved by other borrowers. The Loan has a lengthy period during which no repayments are necessary and interest can continue to accrue.
All very good you may say, but the level of debt concerned is not one that appears to be sustainable by Dunfermline FC and so whoever buys the club as a going concern ( if anyone buys it at all ) will have to pay an agreed rental to Gavin Masterton– and if the rental is not sufficient to repay Mr Masterton’s lenders, then I suspect that the end game here will be a search to find a buyer for the ground at some point over the next twenty years or so, with the hope that as part of the deal a space will be found somewhere for a new ground like New St Mirren park– the difference being that in that instance St Mirren were in charge of their future whereas Dunfermline are not.
The Governance of that club and the financial arrangements behind the club should have been looked at and examined by the SFA long before now– and the Dunfermline fans warned about the dangers of any such arrangements. Effectively those finance arrangements, should they continue, will probably mean that the club will have no option but to move from its established home!
All to suit one man!
Thankfully Dundee were spared a full takeover by Giovanni Di Stefano, however is it not a bit worrying that this man who has been jailed for over 14 years for various fraudulent acts, was allowed to roam around Scottish Football for a prolonged period?
Not so long ago Di Stefano did play a part at Dens, was in line to buy almost 30% of the shareholding, and was oft quoted in the papers and so on. The thing is that there were those who were prepared to give him a place at the Dundee table and in so doing invited him into Scottish Football.
Surely the SFA, had they been inclined to, could quite easily have pointed out that many of the claims of Mr Di Stefano were at least dubious if not completely incorrect? Yet nothing was being said at the time and silence prevailed.
Whilst not in the same calibre as Di Dtefano, Vladimir Romanov has now been at Hearts for a prolonged period. While I have no quibbles about the legality of Romanov’s takeover of Hearts, any money of a sizeable size which is transferred into Scotland from a foreign country will be subject to scrutiny by the Crown office to ensure that it is clean. Lithuania in particular is said to have a banking system which is governed loosely and sometimes does not meet the compliance standards expected in this country.
With his bank having gone bust, Romanov still retains the majority shareholding at Tynecastle, but there are questions still to be answered about what has happened at Hearts but life will be very different for the Edinburgh club going forward.
Again– could the SFA have done more to monitor the situation and could they have demanded clarity and detail from the Hearts owner as to his business dealings and the detailed arrangements with his bank?
At Ibrox, well things just go from the weird and inexplicable to downright astonishing– and all through a tremendous amount of smoke and mirrors.
It is clear that the SFA have no idea what to believe from Charles Green or for that matter Craig Whyte. On the face of it, there are clear links between Whyte and Green with the former paying over a six figure sum in return for absolutely nothing it would appear– with similar transactions going between Whyte’s colleague, Aiden Early, and Charles Green.
What is clear is that Green gave a clear undertaking to the SFA that he had nothing whatsoever to do with Whyte and would have nothing to do with Whyte going forward. Now, at the very least he is admitting that he met Whyte on several occasions, and whilst he may have made representations to Craig Whyte— these were all lies designed only to get Whyte to where Green wanted him.
This is hardly the act of someone who has been bona fides in his business dealings either with Whyte or with the SFA as the licensing body.
It is against this background that the Scottish Football Agencies need to wake up before they find the fans of the game ( at least those who want to stay interested in the game ) doing a Bismarck and panning in the windows of this whole house of cards.
Football Clubs, football fans, and indeed football itself needs protected from the financial and corporate shenanigans, and the governing body must be much more active and permanently vigilant in watching out for and if necessary anticipating the people and the transactions which have and will jeopardise clubs and the game in general going forward.
It is clearly no longer acceptable to rely on self regulation or mere declarations and undertakings from the clubs themselves. The Administrators must be much more active and employ far greater professional expertise in carrying out an almost constant analytical and reporting function in relation to club finance and corporate regulation.
All and any changes in funding, boardroom changes, investor changes and anything else major should be the subject of immediate and proper scrutiny by the SFA and there should be fair, immediate and stiff sanctions for non compliance, and any type of dilatory behaviour on the part of club officials who would seek to conceal the truth or who fail to properly disclose vital matters which should be out in the open.
Further, the funding detail– such as the never ending loan re Dunfermline should be a matter of public record in all its detail so that fans and investors can make information based value judgements when dealing with any club.
Such stiffer regulation should not develop into anything like a corporate witch hunt or any kind of draconian big brother syndrome, however the need for change given all of the current troubles is obvious to one and all.
Further, the attempted fudge surrounding Rangers league status last summer and the ongoing disquiet surrounding the position of Campbell Ogilvie does nothing to boost faith in and the reputation of Football Administration in Scotland.
Things are far from clear and there appears to be continual dithering and fudging. No one has any idea where the Nimmo Smith Report has gone nor what import it is to have— if any. Why is that?
Dithering and bumbling over detail is no longer an option. Strong clear governance is required to protect the game from being hijacked by those who have their own corporate and financial agendas.
Such people cannot be allowed to determine the way Scottish Football runs or to conduct themselves in a fashion that leaves football and everyone involved in limbo.
It is time for Scottish Football to find its own Iron Chancellor! There is a need for someone who will, if necessary, come along and shoot the lights out of any club or Company Director who wishes to play fast and loose with the game of football.
can anyone give me a reasonable explanation as to why the pieman needs ANY money to improve upon his already expensively assembled squad to go on and win the SFL div 2?
Shirley the “so called” SPL quality players he assembled to win SFL 3 shoukd canter the second division too?
am i missing something?…
apart from the fact that the pieman might not be a very good manager…
they won the SFL3 by a wide margin…
are they just reverting to type?
Shirley the time to strengthen is when they are playing against opposition who might challenge over the course of a season?
they must shirley fancy their chances of winning div 2 without spending given that they are skint?
madness, sheer madness
Anyone in the MSM going to ask T’Rangers what costs they are going to cut to stem the monthly losses.
IPO cash, if its there at all, wont last forever and it’ll soon be…hello Mr Administrator if costs are not brought under control. I believe the medical phrase is “bleeding out”.
£1m losses a month = 33 players on £7,500 per week.
Evidently, Ally wants to spend more money to win SFL2. So if you’re gonna print a TRFC signing story then you need to ask “Where’s the money coming from to sign a new player?”
Start with that one.
BBC SCOTLAND News.
So there you have it. Fitba’ fans can’t be trusted to have a drink at the game. Don’t know who they spoke to in Edinburgh but it sounded like rugby fans outside Murrayfield. Everyone against it.Even Archie McPherson thinks its time to join the 21st century.And Hey, a change will only come to about if the polis think its a good idea.And guess what,they don’t think it’s a good idea.
Any thoughts fellow bloggers?
HirsutePursuit says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 17:30
It is difficult to imagine how this particular new Rangers could start next season.
Of course, there will (probably!) be a new Rangers in the SFL next season.
==========================================
The bottom line is the SFA have clearly stated that ‘a’ Rangers must survive at any cost. Should they have to start yet again as a club for next season, it is fair to assume there would be several strong voices for them to start in League 2 at the very least.
upthehoops says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 17:59
http://notonewco13.wordpress.com/2013/04/26/sfa-want-us-to-go-away/
maybe these guys are having some effect?
myohmy1 says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 17:58
0 0 Rate This
BBC SCOTLAND News.
So there you have it. Fitba’ fans can’t be trusted to have a drink at the game. Don’t know who they spoke to in Edinburgh but it sounded like rugby fans outside Murrayfield. Everyone against it.Even Archie McPherson thinks its time to join the 21st century.And Hey, a change will only come to about if the polis think its a good idea.And guess what,they don’t think it’s a good idea.
Any thoughts fellow bloggers?
———–
It isn’t a good idea.
myohmy 1 says at 17.58:
Yes, I have. People can get p***** as newts in the hospitality suites – but the hoi polloi as usual are too dangerous to let loose with a bevy!
And, as regards the latest reconstruction ideas, there are 41 clubs (not 42!!!) eligible to vote.
Must this be repeated ad nauseum?
myohmy1 says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 17:58
0 0 Rate This
You can drink at opera, rugby, theatre, concert halls, but not at football……class hatred! Pure and simple!
breaking news…
nacho novo wants to play for the rangers next year…
go on ally!
did nacho have wan o’ they EBT things…
so he’ll be paying his “loan” back by paying his wages directly into the MIH account…
go on ally sign him…
show them who’s the boss!!!
I live in England but go to Dons matches mainly and the occasional game down south.
There is a different drinking mentality ive noticed.
I just cant see drinking in the grounds working in Scotland.
Just my honest opinion
Listening to the Ross County chairman speaking to Richard Gordon.
It looks like reconstuction is back on the agenda!
Danish
Why?
Undoubtedly the football authorities have subordinated a raft of rules, including natural justice, in order to maintain a Rangers but I think a certain amount of disentanglement may be appropriate to add a bit of potency to the debate.
If Hearts or Aberdeen were in the same position I would not think it unwise for the football authorities to act to support said club in its time of need. Although the partiality shown to Rangers/Sevco/Whatco has raised the ire of many football fans (quite rightly so), the basic idea that a club in trouble should be given a helping hand is not in itself unpalatable. We should try to get away from a psyche that professes ‘if we win, you lose’ and vice versa. Sport after all, as well as extolling the virtues of competeition also breeds an atmosphere of camaradere.
What contributors find unwholesome is that the loopholes found for Rangers have muddied the water concerning rules. You can have exceptional circumstances but the exceptional methods used to deal with such situations should have some logic. As a minimum such tactics must be available for deployment in the case of any other club that finds itself in such unfortunate circumstances. There should be some cogniscence of precedent being set.
A lot of chat is being consumed on the topic of the reprecussions of T’Gers falling back into administration/liquidation and not all of this is done with a view to schardenfraude. Perhaps to assist the footballing authorities a way ahead for Rangers, should they suffer a further insolvency event, could be mapped out by contributors using their knowledge of the rule book. What would a fair sanction be that would act as a deterent to club boards acting in a manner that jeopardises commercial efficacy.
This is already occuring in piecemeal fashion but it would interesting to see a model TSFM ruling covering such circumstances so that should such an eventuality transpire, a guage can be made of the reaction of the authorities.
Arabest@ 8.25
Got it in one.Rugby,opera,theatre,- by and large middle class pursuits. It really is quite insulting that the working class are still regarded as untrusted to behave themselves.Police perceptions are still base on 80s experiencs.
too many people getting too pissed?
What? Rugby folk don’t get pissed? Sorry but you have never been at Murrayfield pre/post match.
arabest1 says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 18:25
You can drink at opera, rugby, theatre, concert halls, but not at football……class hatred! Pure and simple!
_________________________________________________________________________
You can also drink at NHL hockey games, whilst sitting alongside fans of the opposing team. It’s sad that in 21st Century Scotland that this can’t even be contemplated due to the instant violence that would be perpetrated. What is wrong with people. Very sad.
Ask yourself, out of thousands of matches, how many incidents have occurred at Scottish football grounds due to drink in the last 20 years? There is nothing to stop people drinking now and they do….it is up to the stadium staff to ensure no drunks are allowed entry. Why can’t I and 95% of the football public not walk into my clubs stadium at 12.30 (assuming a 3pm ko) and have 2/3 beers, with some food and then watch a match? Someone explain to me why that would be so dangerous? There is also a financial element to this clubs are struggling to survive, this would yield much needed income.
football fans appear to be more of a problem when gathered in large numbers than rugby fans do…
i could be wrong, but i’d take a bit of convincing…
blindsummit63 says:
I take your point bs, but I could easily sit among opposition fans with a drink in me and there would be no problem. Why do we have such low expectations of our peers?
So let me get this straight….
A former employee, a whistleblower, goes on national radio and makes a number of allegations regarding a stock exchange listed Scottish company including stating that he had previously appraised a senior member of the company concerned AND a non-executive Director of his claims.
24 hours later we have no statement from said listed company or those allegedly briefed on these claims. No statement either from any of the relevant authorities.
Not even a statement saying the the listed company was consulting lawyers with regard to potentially taking action against the person making such ‘spurious’ claims.
Perhaps the listed company needs to acquire someone with PR skills….
abigboydiditandranaway
On what do you base this point of view? There have been lots of sporting occasions where alcohol was present with no adverse reactions.Are you saying there is something in the genes of football supporters which makes them more inclined to unsocial behaviour? Personally,I think there’s an element of snobbery at work here.
Sugar Daddy says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 17:57
Anyone in the MSM going to ask T’Rangers what costs they are going to cut to stem the monthly losses.
Evidently, Ally wants to spend more money to win SFL2. So if you’re gonna print a TRFC signing story then you need to ask “Where’s the money coming from to sign a new player?”
====================================================================
I always think the simpler questions are best – Who are you going to get rid of and how much is it going to cost to buy-out their contract?
Of course the game changer in the drinks at grounds debate will be the plastic cup.Remember the dreaded can of Tennents Lager either spilling down the terraces with unspecified contents or worse flying through the air.
Not funny if said can of lager hit you.Plastic cup ,not so bad I suppose.I can’t say I would be over the moon to receive a drooking of beer following a goal,but then I am 54,not 20.
Imyohmy1 says:
I heard Les Gray, a retired Police officer on the radio this morning, I have heard him many times, not surprisingly he is an authoritarian and his starting position is that football fans are scum and need to be controlled. He is wheeled out to defend the cack-handed sectarian legislation and appears to think the police should have unlimited powers to deal with this ‘menace’. He would kettle any crowd any time. No other cohort of the population are treated with such derision, over and over again.
abigboydiditandranaway says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 17:54
can anyone give me a reasonable explanation as to why the pieman needs ANY money to improve upon his already expensively assembled squad to go on and win the SFL div 2?
Shirley the “so called” SPL quality players he assembled to win SFL 3 shoukd canter the second division too?
am i missing something?…
apart from the fact that the pieman might not be a very good manager…
they won the SFL3 by a wide margin…
are they just reverting to type?
Shirley the time to strengthen is when they are playing against opposition who might challenge over the course of a season?
they must shirley fancy their chances of winning div 2 without spending given that they are skint?
madness, sheer madness
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It if it’s all going boobies up part way through the season in Div 2 they can always crowbar open the war chest and splash out and buy a few key players from their nearest rivals and then bench them. Old habits die hard.
arabest1 says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 19:22
90% of the crowds would behave themselves, the other 10% would make the experience miserable for everyone else. Remember the pic of the chap tearing down the mum with the kids banner? Add in topped on booze in the ground? Thank you , but no.
Sugar Daddy says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 17:57
Anyone in the MSM going to ask T’Rangers what costs they are going to cut to stem the monthly losses.
IPO cash, if its there at all, wont last forever and it’ll soon be…hello Mr Administrator if costs are not brought under control. I believe the medical phrase is “bleeding out”.
£1m losses a month = 33 players on £7,500 per week.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It’s almost like they want to deliberately accumulate losses to ensure the ship sinks. Why else have an overpaid top heavy Board, overpaid manager who could have been asked to take less, ridiculous wages to SPL mediocrities. I could go on.
People’s default position is : Oh look what happened in 1980 something .
Jesus,in the interim we’ve had the fall of the Berlin Wall,Nelson Mandela freed, Glasnost and Perestroika and still we fear alcohol at Scottish football grounds.LETS MOVE ON.
If you like a shandy, you may go to the game with a couple of units under your belt at present, many do I believe. It is an offence to serve a drunk more drink, what damage can be done over 90 mins to a bloke who usually has a refreshment anyway. That’s if your club has a kick-off time that allows you to have a stout on the way in the first place. £5-£8 for a roasting magners in a plastic tumbler, after a 10 minute wait, then another trip to the cludgie after that. Might as well have sat in the pub and saved awe they stairs. More chance of a referee causing a disturbance than a drink.
abigboydiditandranaway says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 17:54
=========================
As others smarter than me have said, it’s because of the need to keep everyone believing newco are still the big that oldco used to be. The illusion must be maintained therefore SPL players on high SPL wages. Sure they should be able to win comfortably with a team that cost the same as the QoS that won the 2nd div at a canter this year (though I suspect QoS had a decent manager). But how can you think you’re a super-big team when you’re putting out first-div standard players mixed with a few good youngsters?
Mind you if they survive and are forced to do this, then look out for MSM stories about how run of the mill players became superstars after some super-Ally coaching.
Most people go to the pub before the game anyway, I don’t see that having alcohol inside the stadium would increase the levels to where fans would be out of control. The ones that act like tools already do that, most fans know how to control themselves and would continue to do so.
myohmy1 says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 18:47
Arabest@ 8.25
Got it in one.Rugby,opera,theatre,- by and large middle class pursuits. It really is quite insulting that the working class are still regarded as untrusted to behave themselves.Police perceptions are still base on 80s experiencs.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Agreed. The more the establishment mistrust the working class is a good thing and can only mean we are getting stronger. However, there is no sign of that and they’re still trying to deny us the privileges they enjoy at sporting events.
As for the police – they don’t have a lot of respect for football fans and it works both ways. They are public servants and need to focus a bit more on serving the public.
1. mullach says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 18:47
Undoubtedly the football authorities have subordinated a raft of rules, including natural justice, in order to maintain a Rangers but I think a certain amount of disentanglement may be appropriate to add a bit of potency to the debate.
If Hearts or Aberdeen were in the same position I would not think it unwise for the football authorities to act to support said club in its time of need. Although the partiality shown to Rangers/Sevco/Whatco has raised the ire of many football fans (quite rightly so), the basic idea that a club in trouble should be given a helping hand is not in itself unpalatable. We should try to get away from a psyche that professes ‘if we win, you lose’ and vice versa. Sport after all, as well as extolling the virtues of competeition also breeds an atmosphere of camaradere.
———————-
Let’s take DAFC for example, I feel for them and I hope things work out and we find a way to keep them going. I have already contributed to Hearts for that exact reason. But if the creditors of the club called in the debts 100% and this caused them to fold, I would fully expect SFA/SFL to follow the rules and at the same time assist to try and get a new club up and running for the supporters to follow.
My problem with Rangers is that this was not a consequence of a credit crunch, this was a strategy followed over many years to gain a sporting advantage over other teams and when it eventually failed, it became a calculated act designed to stiff creditors and ultimately create another sporting advantage by leaving the same club with a great bank balance.
I would have had sympathy for Rangers if they folded and started again, again meaning, a different club with a new history in the making. If the SFA, SPL, SFL, Rangers, the media and fans accept they are a new club with one title already in the bag, I might even hope for them to work their way into the top league as soon as possible.
If that doesn’t happen, I will never look at them (all of them) as anything other than cheats, how can we have any sympathy for and ultimately support cheats?
How many times have you see a report of a serious criminal who pleads not guilty but is ultimately found guilty but still refuses to tell the authorities where the body was hidden or why he committed that sort of crime. Do you ever have support for them? Then why would any reasonable person ask fans of all other clubs to support Rangers to the top or to survive when they refuse to accept any wrong doing?
For Camaraderie? C’mon, for 20 years Rangers lorded over Celtic, won many trophies with money they didn’t have then when that ran out, then decided to evade/avoid tax, when that avenue closed they then just failed to pay tax taken from player salaries… and when that got discovered… well.. They stiffed anyone within striking distance and started lording again with the WATP stuff (best this… world record that… only club with money etc…)
Rather than help Rangers, I would prefer to find a solution that helps Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, Hearts etc… to compete with Celtic as I miss the challenge, I do not miss the WATP.
bogsdollox says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 19:35
Sugar Daddy says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 17:57
Anyone in the MSM going to ask T’Rangers what costs they are going to cut to stem the monthly losses.
IPO cash, if its there at all, wont last forever and it’ll soon be…hello Mr Administrator if costs are not brought under control. I believe the medical phrase is “bleeding out”.
£1m losses a month = 33 players on £7,500 per week.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It’s almost like they want to deliberately accumulate losses to ensure the ship sinks. Why else have an overpaid top heavy Board, overpaid manager who could have been asked to take less, ridiculous wages to SPL mediocrities. I could go on.
…………………………….
I think regardless of what has taken place…it would not surprise me if they still have the Davie Murray ego madness syndrome of trying to compete with Celtic as a big club….the alternative truth is…they are not…and they are prepared to continue running a suicidal debt to keep the allusion going…
madbhoy24941 says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 19:50
Most people go to the pub before the game anyway, I don’t see that having alcohol inside the stadium would increase the levels to where fans would be out of control.
………………………..
Added to that they would need to extend half time by about 20 minutes to allow for increased p*ss fest in the stadium bogs!
sorry…illusion…what am I like..
arabest1 says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 18:57
Why can’t I and 95% of the football public not walk into my clubs stadium at 12.30 (assuming a 3pm ko) and have 2/3 beers, with some food and then watch a match?
——————————————————————————-
Don’t clubs already do this to some extent – admittedly with limited numbers but in a social/bar area. Perhaps you mean get a drink and then go to a seat or stand in the ground? I think more leeway for clubs to offer bar facilities just before and just after a game might be a good idea – although this can as I say happen I think the cops can be heavy handed about how this works in practice. Drinking during the game and at half time I think has too many problems – except for clubs that are big enough to afford the large staff to allow this to work efficiently.
Comparison with the “bad old days” isn’t valid, in my opinion. The problems of the past were caused by huge amounts of drink being brought into the grounds, because no drink was sold inside. The ban on bringing drink in should be maintained, but I don’t think selling beer inside the grounds would cause any trouble. Even the most determined will be lucky to get a couple of pints in during the course of a game, assuming they actually intend watching the game. And I’m sure the prices will be eye-watering enough to discourage any bar proppers. No spirits, buckie or lanny, though!
paulmac2 says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 19:54
bogsdollox says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 19:35
Sugar Daddy says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 17:57
Anyone in the MSM going to ask T’Rangers what costs they are going to cut to stem the monthly losses.
IPO cash, if its there at all, wont last forever and it’ll soon be…hello Mr Administrator if costs are not brought under control. I believe the medical phrase is “bleeding out”.
£1m losses a month = 33 players on £7,500 per week.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It’s almost like they want to deliberately accumulate losses to ensure the ship sinks. Why else have an overpaid top heavy Board, overpaid manager who could have been asked to take less, ridiculous wages to SPL mediocrities. I could go on.
…………………………….
I think regardless of what has taken place…it would not surprise me if they still have the Davie Murray ego madness syndrome of trying to compete with Celtic as a big club….the alternative truth is…they are not…and they are prepared to continue running a suicidal debt to keep the allusion going…
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I can see that – I suppose they are trying to retain the trappings of a big club for status reasons, hence the cost base.
However, as SD and myself are saying it isn’t sustainable from the current income and the FD doesn’t seem concerned (the administrators even less so) other than to make cuts to the club that annoy Ally and his allies (for now).
madbhoy24941 says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 19:52
1. mullach says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 18:47
Undoubtedly the football authorities have subordinated a raft of rules, including natural justice, in order to maintain a Rangers but I think a certain amount of disentanglement may be appropriate to add a bit of potency to the debate.
If Hearts or Aberdeen were in the same position I would not think it unwise for the football authorities to act to support said club in its time of need. Although the partiality shown to Rangers/Sevco/Whatco has raised the ire of many football fans (quite rightly so), the basic idea that a club in trouble should be given a helping hand is not in itself unpalatable. We should try to get away from a psyche that professes ‘if we win, you lose’ and vice versa. Sport after all, as well as extolling the virtues of competeition also breeds an atmosphere of camaradere.
———————-
Let’s take DAFC for example, I feel for them and I hope things work out and we find a way to keep them going. I have already contributed to Hearts for that exact reason. But if the creditors of the club called in the debts 100% and this caused them to fold, I would fully expect SFA/SFL to follow the rules and at the same time assist to try and get a new club up and running for the supporters to follow.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I wouldn’t. The precedent has been set. All rules should be bent to let DAFC continue and I would apply this to HMFC and others who get into trouble financially. Of course the precedent cannot apply to clubs where there has been criminality.
I note that there is another Legends match (for charity – it says so on the RIFC website? down Ibrox way on Monday 6 May vs Man Utd.
Was the last Legends match vs AC Milan not referred to OSCR because the money raised which was supposedly due to go to charity *ahem* didn’t? Was anyone aware of the outcome of that investigation? Or has that been shelved because the legal entity in question is now deceased (or effectively so) in the eyes of the law?
Would OSCR not be more than a little interested to prevent a repeat performance, with assurances to prevent such an eventuality happening again?
Or is that a scurrilous and unscrupulous suggestion?
Just asking, and sorry if this has been raised before. I’m trying to keep up, honestly.
re drinking at the games .
I would think that clubs would be looking at perhaps sports bars within the stadium set up which could possibly be run on a membership basis ,rather than selling drink during the match .
Many fans spend plenty in the bars surrounding stadiums pre match and I would guess it’s this revenue that the clubs will be targeting .
IMO the ban came into force in the 1980s and stadia ,supporters and match day set up has changed dramatically since then and it would be amiss if the clubs did not pursue this extra revenue .
If it is run on a membership basis and any member steps out of line they could be dealt with before the next home match .
Kilmarnock have a conference centre close to the home end at Rugby park ,I attended once many moons ago and home and away fans sat in comfortable surroundings enjoying a pint or two with no trouble at all .I am sure many clubs could set such a system up within their grounds aimed at thier own support without a problem
myohmy1 says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 18:37
2 0 Rate This
Danish
Why?
———
Even to the casual observer it’s obvious that a certain percentage of football fans wallow in their anger with refs, outrage at chairmen, venom towards fans of other teams, pet non-football ideologies, and general paranoia. Fuel that with alcohol and then see what happens. In the current tense climate, where there is more animosity than usual among fans, it would be even more daft to introduce bevvies at matches.
At the local team I watch I noticed some beer-drinking local blokes getting more and more vocal and animated towardst the opposing team and match officials last week. You can buy beer (or whatever) in the cafeteria of these wee non-league clubs. By the end of the match the little group was beyond rational discussion, and noisier and nore loud-mouthed than the other 100 or so fans. Luckily oor wee team won and there weren’t many away fans. But multiply that lot by thousands and add the current animosities rife in the Scottish game and oh what fun it would be, not.
Are SPL teams so skint that they need to make an extra profit on booze? They’ll attract certain types of fans no doubt, but they’ll drive others away. Allowing fans to get bevvied up at matches isn’t going to solve any of the fundamental problems facing Scottish football. A bigger top league, play-offs, and proper promotion and relegation are the things that fans want. Oh aye, and a game run according to rules that apply to all clubs 😉
on a more sobering note
with the cost of a bovril at the ground just now ,could anyone afford to even get over the drink drive limit at if they sold beer at the game .
you would probably have to have wonga on speed dial to afford a round
Jonnyod
Absolutely the answer.
michaeljamesroy:
Update on the charity affair
http://alzipratu.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/rangers-charity-foundation/
It would seem OSCR aren’t in any rush.
Regarding drinking at football matches I have had the pleasure at Croke Park in Dublin and at the National Stadium in Cardiff – both being very different experiences. In Croke Park it is available on the concourses at the back of both the Hogan & Cusack Stands but is not allowed into the seating areas – in other words drink up before you take your seat. as there are normally two games this works well and you can have a few pints in peace annoying no one. In Cardiff you are allowed bring your drink to your seat and, frankly, its a pain in the butt! You are up and down like a whores nicks letting guys get to their seats through out the game!! If it comes in follow the GAAs method. Of course having an ultra modern stadium helps.
As many have pointed out, people are free to drink now, and the clubs/police/authorities have no control over it….once again, where is the predicted chaos? I have been to Celtic Park as a guest several times and each time had a couple of pints before, during and after, no problems whatever……why is this not available to all who want it? Are we going to bow to right wing moral indignation, that the masses cannot be trusted? (not you Danish 😉 )
The law on drinking in football stadia is an absolute disgrace.
If I harm nobody I should be allowed to get as drunk as I like wherever I like.
If a football team or it’s holding company or it’s holding company’s holding company wish to ban booze – then fine, it’s their home (if they hold the deeds of course). I can chose not to go there.
Just because others can’t behave why should I be inconvenienced?
If others break the law, punish them not me.
And don’t get me started on minimum pricing for alcohol and the fact I can’t buy beer in my local shop after 10pm.
As a libertarian I could go on and on about why the deuce do companies need a licence to sell booze? but I won’t.
Was Minty drunk when he decided to cheat for more than a decade?
Was TGEF drunk when he decided to buy the big hoose forra pound?
Was Green drunk when he called Imran a P word?
Probably
Danish Pastry says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 20:30
———
Even to the casual observer it’s obvious that a certain percentage of football fans wallow in their anger with refs, outrage at chairmen, venom towards fans of other teams, pet non-football ideologies, and general paranoia. Fuel that with alcohol and then see what happens. In the current tense climate, where there is more animosity than usual among fans, it would be even more daft to introduce bevvies at matches.
At the local team I watch I noticed some beer-drinking local blokes getting more and more vocal and animated towardst the opposing team and match officials last week. You can buy beer (or whatever) in the cafeteria of these wee non-league clubs. By the end of the match the little group was beyond rational discussion, and noisier and nore loud-mouthed than the other 100 or so fans. Luckily oor wee team won and there weren’t many away fans. But multiply that lot by thousands and add the current animosities rife in the Scottish game and oh what fun it would be, not.
Are SPL teams so skint that they need to make an extra profit on booze? They’ll attract certain types of fans no doubt, but they’ll drive others away. Allowing fans to get bevvied up at matches isn’t going to solve any of the fundamental problems facing Scottish football. A bigger top league, play-offs, and proper promotion and relegation are the things that fans want. Oh aye, and a game run according to rules that apply to all clubs
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The world is a terrible place. It seems even in civilised Denmark.
However, lets take it on trust and treat even alcohol consuming football fans as human people and see how it goes.
If it ends in disgrace then that is the end of the experiment.
Do the clubs need the money? Yes, but it’s more than that surely it is bringing the fans into the centre of their Saturday cultural experience of the club (where more stuff can be sold to them).
Them pubs on London Road that only open infrequently – who owns them?
myohmy1 says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 19:39
People’s default position is : Oh look what happened in 1980 something .
Jesus, in the interim we’ve had the fall of the Berlin Wall, Nelson Mandela freed, Glasnost and Perestroika and still we fear alcohol at Scottish football grounds. LETS MOVE ON.
_
Interesting this – anyone remember Hampden in the middle 60`s / 70`s – The Hampden `wall` and all that. The drink of choice wasn`t tins of beer to bring in – it was whiskey – you preferred the beer in the pub. Sanitation was shall we say primitive – and very crowded but there were plenty there of that generation who could hold their drink – I don`t remember any trouble. Lot of people were happily quietly `imbibing` in the fresh air watching a colourful spectacle after a hard five and a half day week that finished Saturdays Noon. [Why games always were at 3pm] This was their only break – The Sabbath followed – no pubs – shops – cinema even – nothing much. After 5 and half days – some with overtime – there wasn`t the energy for trouble.
It did change in the 80`s – Politics / jobs and there was hooliganism – followed by caging, accidents and an overreaction by authorities inside of grounds – and yes there was trouble in Scotland but nothing like all over England. But in Scotland the amount of beer brought in in 6 packs had pretty noticeably increased – you couldn’t buy inside in a controlled area – and that was a problem.
They used to make a lot of noise about the `Old Firm` then – but plenty of the 50`s / 60`s / 70`s generations still there and there was occasional flare up between youngster’s – but it was nothing to Millwall, Chelsea, QPR and West Ham mixtures in West London – or ManU / Lvpool. Still does flare there but not inside the ground so much as a lot can`t afford the tickets – but if you can afford it – funnily enough there`s £4-6 plastic bottle of beer still available at those grounds.
I think myohmy1 point is valid. It’s always helpful to refresh regulations every decade or so. Times do change. If Clubs banned fans from bringing the stuff in – and provided decent facilities well stewarded back if house [think CFC has something for certain seats?] – The football may get back to all round entertainment.
As long as any extra cash wasn’t funnelled into players wages – employ more staff on better wages – or ground investment and such – I`d go along with it for a trial experiment.
But still hesitant, as there are morons in all clubs, certain games perhaps a no-no
But worth trying
michaeljamesroy says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 20:16
I note that there is another Legends match (for charity – it says so on the RIFC website? down Ibrox way on Monday 6 May vs Man Utd.
——————————————————-
Hasn’t every one of Rangers’ matches this season involved a ‘legend’ club?
Legend (noun): A traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but unauthenticated.
I was at the Camp Nou for the Celtic v Barca game sitting among the home fans, and the beer vendors did a brisk trade with no problems, in fact, I think they were rather glad to see us 🙂
bogsdollox says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 21:00
1 0 Rate This
The world is a terrible place. It seems even in civilised Denmark.
——–
Haha, quite. At Superliga matches you can buy light beer in plastic ‘glasses’. One of those and a sausage with bread (it’s what’s on offer here, nae pies) will set you back a small fortune, so there’s no doubt money to be made from refreshments, but this light, low-alcohol beer is all you’ll get at the proper stadiums. Although Danes are big beer drinkers there’s not social unrest about only bring offered light beer in plastic cups rather than a proper Tuborg or Carlsberg. It’s a compromise that appears to work. There’s surely a marketing opportunity for a Bellhaven Apocalypse or a Tenents Armageddon light beer as alternative football bevy 😀
Forres Dee (@ForresDee) says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 17:52
2 0 Rate This
HP,
All you have mentioned really does depend on those involved doing the right thing, not something those in the ‘Big Hoose’ are renowned for doing!
I, however, await to be amazed.
==========================================
Depending on what the “independent” investigation uncovers, the board could be faced with:
–A) Notifying the SFA & the police that they have evidence of fraud on the part of CG/IA – because they transferred the assets to Sevco Scotland without CW’s authority; or,
–B) Notifying the SFA that Craig Whyte was involved with Charles Green in the purchase of the former Rangers FC’s assets;
Whether Mr Green shafted Mr Whyte is (for the SFA) somewhat besides the point. That said, the Deloitte/P&M report will be of great interest to the police and in one way or another will, I’m sure be used as evidence in a court of law.
At this stage the board can still claim to be ignorant of what Mr Green has done. That excuse may not last much longer.
The RIFC board may not want to do the right thing; but I’d be amazed if they do not, at the very least, ‘fess up to the crucial involvement of Mr Whyte in setting up their newly purchased club.
That, on it’s own, should be enough for termination of their club’s SFA membership.
HP – The key word in your post is ‘SHOULD’, I suspect unfortunately it won’t.
I remember last Oct when on TalkSport Green ridiculed Whytes claim for £1m a year and seats on the board, and at the time along with Green we all laughed it off …,
I thought it was curious that in a recent interview that he repeated the claim. Was something troubling Green … ? why mention this again …. maybe it should not be laughed off … !
Could it be that actually it was related to the Liberty Capital charge over the fixed assets (floating charge) ?
Typical charge of between 2% and 3% over assets valued between £40m to £50m puts a charge of £1m in the ballpark region …. a few proxy seats for good measure ….
Or maybe Green actually duped Whyte even more than has been alleged …. !
Just a thought like ….
An occasional dip into RM the bears den can be rewarded – some of the posters have a great humour in spite of the clubs travails.
Tonights posts on “Ahmed Going” and “McCoist Saying John Brown might have had a point” http://www.telegraph…s-at-heart.html
are pretty funny! (as well as a quite mature grammatical use of a past conditional in the title).
Last night they were on about the number of ghuests following; tonight the jhournalists at the Dhaily Rhecord, and the possibility of a dhimmy wind up. I’m surprised they didn’t see through Ahmad’s name a long time ago.
From my ghuest visits, can I now consider myself a Rhangers fan 🙂 ?
rhedetin
I dont like drink and I dont like drunks ,If you want to get pished go to a pub and let me watch the fitba in peace .
bet this post is popular 😉
madbhoy24941 says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 19:52
“…For Camaraderie? C’mon, for 20 years Rangers lorded over Celtic, won many trophies with money they didn’t have then when that ran out, then decided to evade/avoid tax, when that avenue closed they then just failed to pay tax taken from player salaries… and when that got discovered… well.. They stiffed anyone within striking distance and started lording again with the WATP stuff (best this… world record that… only club with money etc…)…”
———————-
I appreciate the response madbhoy and your ire is plain to see and not unjustified.
———————-
bogsdollox says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 20:11
“…I wouldn’t. The precedent has been set. All rules should be bent to let DAFC continue and I would apply this to HMFC and others who get into trouble financially. Of course the precedent cannot apply to clubs where there has been criminality.”
——————–
You appear to arrive at a different conclusion bogsdollox. You wish that the precedents set be available for replication in future circumstances. madbhoy would rather that these decisions were revisited and amended. However you both concur that illegal activities should attract a special level of punishment.
——————-
HirsutePursuit says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 21:38
“…The RIFC board may not want to do the right thing; but I’d be amazed if they do not, at the very least, ‘fess up to the crucial involvement of Mr Whyte in setting up their newly purchased club.
That, on it’s own, should be enough for termination of their club’s SFA membership.”
_____________
HP, if the termination of Rangers SFA membership did occur (for the reasons you state), what would be the sequence of events? Would it be :-
1. Independent investigation reports wrongdoing before the end of 2012/13 season.
2. SFA meet to consider their position (likely during the close season given previous performance).
3. Rules contravention confirmed during close season.
4. Removal of club licence retrospectively for 2012/13.
5. Striking off of Rangers results and new 3rd division winners announced.
6. Altered promotion from the 3rd to 2nd division as a result.
7. Rangers reapply to enter 3rd division for season 2013/14.
?
…re drinking at fitba.
Surely the issue of crowd integration should be tackled first. The animosity still visible between fans in the fitba(soccer) world is the root cause of the alcohol related bans (and segregation). As long as this animosity remains, the authorities are well within their rights to curtail any activity which may fuel this animosity. The reason that we’re allowed to have a beer at the rugby and most other sports is that this animosity is non existent.
So tackle the cultural animosity. Then reintegrate the fans. Then you can think about reintroducing the pints.
The fans of most other large stadia sports where alcohol is freely available (in the UK at least) have demonstrated time and again that they can be trusted to behave in a socially responsible way, even when minced, while attending sporting functions. Only five years ago, a couple of hundred soccer fans tore up the city center of manchester, demonstrating once again that fitba fans are worthy of that attention.
Take Darts. I doubt you could find a more working class sport in the world. They have no difficulty with fan violence? and those biys get minced. Absolutely minced. Even the players were minced up until the arrival of the professional darts era.
I just don’t get this drinking at the game thing. I’m in Englandshire and sometimes take my lads to Goodison. Most fans partake in a drink prior to the game, in the local pubs. These are very basic pubs in a run down area. They only continue to trade on the back of match days. But they are traditional meeting places for fans who sit together.
At half time you can queue up for maybe 10 mins just to get a pint of Chang in a plastic glass, You then have to quoff it post haste in the concourse area, right by the toilets, before going back to your seat for 2nd half. I never bother. I can happily go 2 hours without a pint of beer. I do it in the cinema often enough too. There’s no enjoyment to a half time pint in a football ground.
At full time everyone heads off home or to their pub of choice. I really can’t see how it woould generate any meaningful income to a football club.
I think the general consensus of opinion is that the costs are too high for ‘The Rangers’ to survive particularly as they are going to be paying as much in lawyers bills as they will in player wages. With their ‘independent commission’, defending themselves against Sandaza’s unfair dismissal, the on-going chasing of the players who refused to TUPE over and not forgetting the outstanding claim from the far east as well as the bills for the SPL commission. I think there is also a guy named Craig Whyte who has a legal case pending as well.
As in any good comedy timing is everything so the great hope will be for a collection of season book money quickly followed by a collapse and a formation of ‘The The Rangers’. Hasty meetings will be called to vote the club either into Division Two or back to Division Three. The problems however will be different from last year as the assets will be under dispute so how can another new club be granted membership with even less hope of survival as the previous two. I don’t think even the SFA will be able to move that quickly. Remember they had months to prepare the previous scam.
So the other scenario is the nightmare for all concerned. The club limp on until the turn of this year that is if they come through all of the current investigations undamaged and then call in Duff and Phelps mark two. The next administration I assume would be very short affair as there will be nothing to sell due to the on-going legal challenge as to who owns the assets. Sure the club might be sold but it will have no ground or training facilities but worse than that it will have gone bust part way through a season which means all bets are off even for the SFA. Surely even the most deranged mind in Hampden would not grant membership to the third incarnation of a club who has gone bust twice in three years and that has no ground to play in or training facilities.
Still you never know.
justshatered, it’s possible, but a combination of fans, us bampots, (same thing I know) and men like Sir Turnbull of Hutton should help prevent it
justshatered says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 23:12
Personally, the saddest part of this whole thing, was the realisation, that one should never underestimate the propensity for stupidity in otherwise savvy chaps, when they get around the board tables at Hampden.
There is no level of no-wittery that is beyond them, I’m afraid
According to Grandmaster Schmuck of FF
“Imran Ahmed has left the building”
rantinrobin says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 19:15
Not funny if said can of lager hit you.Plastic cup ,not so bad I suppose.
I can’t say I would be over the moon to receive a drooking of beer following a goal.
======================================================================
If alcohol was to be made available at football grounds, I think it will be confined to the concourse.
You will not be allowed to carry it back to your seat.
I had a wee brainstorm about how Sevco could survive, or at least be reanimated again. This is what I reckon needs to happen:
1. CW needs to be exposed as a complete fantasist who has absolutely no claim on any assets belonging to the former RFC.
2. The RIFC board need to come up with some kind of document proving the first point dated before the flotation.
3. While they’re at it they can come up with definitive proof that Sevco 5088 was either owned by Sevco Scotland, or that ALL the assets at least passed through 5088 directly from D&P.
4. Either some crazy sugar daddy needs to rock up, or costs need to be not so much cut as decimated in the next week or so.
5. Walter and Ally need to be given the spanish archer in a way that doesn’t cost any money, otherwise cutting costs is impossible.
I reckon maybe one of those things might have a probability of more than one in a hundred and all of them need to happen for the club to have any chance, so admin it is.
Not sure how an admin will work because they’re only running out of cash at the moment and (apparently) not running up huge debts yet (if you don’t count Singapore). If administration occurs without significant new debt, could there be a situation where Whyte, as the guy with the charge on the stadium gets to dictate terms and he’ll only let them exit admin if they agree?
That is of course if someone feasible is around to buy the thing.
If they liquidate, we might have a few new Rangers clubs and Whyte is again the kingmaker with the keys to castle Ibrox.
If Sevco do go into administration. How will the legal dispute with Whyte affect their chances of exiting?
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/sfl-division-three/mccoist-says-rangers-take-over-talk-is-nonsense-1-2911932
Excluding thousands of decent Bears who bought shares thinking they were helping to save their club,
RIFC are owned by Spiv Investors who are represented on the board by Spiv Directors
As sure as night follows day
Spiv behavior will decide how this saga continues and finally ends
And it`s not a scenario that`s impossible to predict
Spiv characteristics are well known
Like
….. Spivs repeat behaviour that worked for them in the past. A key behaviour is using other peoples money
—-They have no qualms about decisions that devastate ordinary people
—-They have no moral compass whatsoever. They have no values that reflect decency. They care nothing for their own reputation, the respect of their family, the human and, emotional impact of their decisions etc.etc.
—–They are only interested in making money and will do what it takes to make as much as they can
—–When Spivs work on a scam with other Spivs, trust is assumed to be nonexistent on both sides. Without embarrassment they agree to use perfectly legal means to cover the risk of a double cross. For this reason
It’s probably difficult and quite risky for one Spiv to attempt to defraud another Spiv
—-Spivs try hard to stay within the law
Very occasionally Spivs break the law
But when they do it is deliberate. They have calculated the risk of getting away with it and taken legal advice on the escape options
,,,,,,,,,,
So
In the full knowledge that the key players in this saga are Spivs
We can safely conclude the following
1Few if any Spivs used their own money to invest in RIFC. They most likely used money from some other scam that needed a temporary home and could be withdrawn easily
Most likely the majority of IPO receipts was not in the form of cash that could be put in a Bank.It was probably someone else’s money temporarily under their control that they pledged to RIFC. It might even have been committed without the owner’s knowledge…………. especially if it was done on the basis of a promise to pay for shares at some future date.
2 If and when things go pear shaped for RIFC, the Spiv investors will most likely have a parachute clause that enables them to get out of paying for shares.
3.The Spivs will exit when they reckon they have got as much money as possible. The exit date depends on how the governing bodies handle reconstruction. If TRFC can be shoehorned into SP2 or even SP1 in 2013-2014, the survival of TRFC is more certain. If this was swiftly followed by a successful ST sale then some real money will be available to keep TRFC in business
However
As soon as ST money is safely banked, the Spivs optimise their profit by liquidating RIFC withdrawing the money as a shareholder dividend. What happens to the club called TRFC will be of no interest whatsoever
Not keen on booze at a football match. The last OF games were 3pm at the latest and preferably lunchtime kick-offs so that there would be less drink involved. Seems to me that having almost two hours without drinking before any last minute controversy causes trouble that spills out onto the streets probably helps.
I doubt it would help to make football stadia more family friendly either. Even without the violence, boozed up fans aren’t a great example for kids. I’m not saying everyone is like that, but enough are.
mullach says:
Friday, April 26, 2013 at 22:17
3 0 Rate This
==========================
This is now a runaway train. Impossible to predict how the final blow will be dealt.
However, I do think that it is highly probable that the Sevco Scotland’s version of Rangers will not exist (or at least will not be operating) by the end of the summer. Depending on what the “independent” report actually says (and simply to protect their shareholder’s interest from non-recoverable trading losses) the board of RIFC could even be forced to seek an immediate MVL.
Not that it really matters; but I don’t foresee their results being amended – perhaps a 10 points penalty could be applied. Perhaps.
A lengthy dispute over assets (including trademarks) would likely prevent the next new club from operating out of Ibrox next season. Bizarrely, this dispute could be between at least four competing parties – including two liquidators of the different football clubs that formerly operated as Rangers FC.
My best bet would be that there will be a new club called “Glasgow Blues FC” (or something similar) playing in SFL3 and ground sharing with Partick Thistle or Queens Park next season.
That new new club – like the old new club – may be given membership of the SFL & SFA; but will not be around at the time of year when Club Licences are handed out.
Will one of the Succulent Lamb brigade ever ask AMcC if he thinks £750k p/a is a justifiable salary for a SFL manager?
Come on Ally, instead of asking the fans to dig deep(again) to pay over inflated wages such as your own, why don’t you show us this love for the club that you keep banging on about and offer to take a realistic wage that reflects both yours and TRFC standing.