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.
Bangordub
Your suggestion of a poll rekindles an idea I put forward a few days ago but which didn’t attract that much enthusiasm. However since things are a bit quiet just now and folks are in a reflective mood, perhaps I could propose it now, in a simplified form.
A counter to the Sports Journalist of the year award.
I’ll limit it to investigative journalists commenting on matters that interest TSFM readers.
I nominate the following :-
Mark Daly
Alex Thomson
Phil Mac Giolla Bhain
Paul McConville
This will be a ‘Thumbs Up’ poll (Thumbs down will be ignored).
In the best tradition of good sportsmanship, only one vote per blogger please.
There are no criteria, only your own personal preference.
I’ll post a comment for each candidate, quick fire one after the other.
I’ll tot them up in a few days and post a summary
Here goes.
Investigative journalist of the year.
Mark Daly
Investigative journalist of the year.
Alex Thomson
Investigative journalist of the year.
Phil Mac Giolla Bhain
selfassessor says:
Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 22:55
2 0 Rate This
What’s a Yorkie porkie?
A chocolate covered pork pie
Investigative journalist of the year.
Paul Mc Conville
Mullach,
I’m in agreement but it really needs a poll which TSFM can easily put onto the site as that will prevent multiple thumbs 😉
Go for it!
Investigative Journalist of the year:-
Jim Traynor – never found out anything, yet still doubled his money.
smartie1947
Jim Traynor – never found out anything, yet still doubled his money.
Oh! …..I think he found out plenty. He was just ‘persuaded’ not to share it with anyone (for a fee, of course).
Investigative non journalist of the year.
Lets hear it for the Man With the Hidden mic!
Craigy shurely
“The titles are mine, I bought them”
“The SPL stole our money”
“Apple iBrox”
And then we had the most cynical, manipulative one, thrown in to give investors (aka duped RFC supporters) a wee philanthropic sense of ‘do goodery’ ……. ” a cancer centre at Ibrox”.
I won’t miss the guy but you gotta admit, he could tell ’em!!
Kenny Duthie says:
Monday, April 29, 2013 at 11:00 An excellent piece by James Forrest which I have forwarded to the SFA,I await their response but I’m not expecting much
………………………………………………………
Not a peep yet,not even one of those automated e-mail thingies about not replying to this e-mail.
I’ll give them the benefit though,they maybe have a few e-mails to read from bampots!! Or do you think what we send goes straight to junk mail ?
Charles Green porkies – here is my favourite.
Radio5Live interview with Nicky Cambell in response to the suggestion that he only tells fans what they want to hear – apologies for paraphrasing:
I am a streight talking Yorkershire man – i tell it as it is, I don’t play to the galleries.
If my memory is correct the interview was given on the day when the IPO was opened to fans and small investors – he also gave a similar interview on Radio Scotland that morning.
Another Green truism:
“You are Sevco …”
Yorkie porkies
On the ECA gathering in the far east
The most satisfying this of all is your club getting the recognition from it’s peers ,no matter what the lawyers and authorities say and many of the top peepil at Europes top clubs have told me they want us at the meeting ,so much so that they will pay my flights and hotel expenses .
A Green truism
eh ,em
eh,em
Oh ,I ,eh em ,naw
eh ,em gie a minute .
Re sevco 2012 getting their licence revoked ,I wouldn’t waste any time thinking of this ,just work on the principle of , if it will cause sevco 2012 the slightest bit of inconvenience then ignore it ,I’m sure the SFA do .
I also agree with ekbhoy ,sevco 2012 will not lose a court case in Scotland .
CG? – `Said and Done` – a little `refresher` – various quotes 😉
October 2012
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/charles-green-denies-craig-whyte-1384324
Yorkie porkies
2 Friendlies against EPL Sides. 1 Red and 1 Blue…
We were kicked out of the SPL because of bigotry towards us….
Yorkie porkies….. to the gullible in the ST renewal queue
There’s an invisible line ,you can’t see it ,but when the queue reaches that line I will give Sally all the money he needs for the players he wants .
The Thoughts of Chairman Green:
“This could only ‘appen in the stupidity of Scotland.”
yorkie porkies
And the classic
The sevco fans are fed up with peepil not telling them the truth ,I can assure them that from me that’s one thing they will get ,the truth .
A wee question .
Have sevco 2012 appointed a stadium manager yet ?
Real Madrid and Barcelona would welcome TRFC into La Liga with open arms? In fact I got the impression that those Spaniards were almost aching for this to happen.
Any danger of a glossary of terms for the blog? I’ve lost track of all the abbreviations like BDO,AIM,IPO,CTD,GIRUY,(only kidding about that last one). I’m sure I’m not the only one with this problem.Am I?You sure? I’ll get ma coat.
ekbhoy says:
Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 23:19
14 0 Rate This
Things a bit slow …
just a quick question before retiring for the evening …. for how long have Rangers costs exceeded their income. and a supplementary question other than the Government which other organisation can match this improverished business performance?
_________________________________________________________
Pretty much ever since Minty got involved, so nearly 30 years.
Just look at this carry on in Spain with the blood doping. Why on earth would the judge order the samples to be destroyed ? Simple……it is in order to contain a scandal that could get completely out of hand if it were investigated properly. Imagine if some Spanish football internationals were involved – tarnishing the country’s World/Euro wins ?
The LNS decision went along these lines as well I’m sure. These whitewashes will have been concocted in high up places. Regarding the laughable “independent” investigation at Sevco, does anyone actually think they will spend money on an enquiry that could potentially destroy them ?
Right now I will make a prediction. Craig Whyte will be hung out to dry. Even if his legal case is solid, they will find a way to let the new club off. Whyte is already a proven liar. Better to bring down a single proven shyster than the latest incarnation of the “establishment” club
timtim says:
Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 22:39
bvgger -I forgot about the crossbar challenge
——
Still canvassing for entries:
http://www.therangerscrossbarchallenge.co.uk/
Strangely, nowhere on that site does it actually say what the prize is … short of “the chance to win £1m”. I thought such “competitions” had to have a list of actual prizes in the small print somewhere. Maybe not.
According to the below report in the Daily Record, 7 Sept 2012, the £1m will be on offer at Rangers final home game. So – this Saturday, then. Will be interesting to see whether it happens (legal ramifications if not?), and most humorous if someone manages to whack the ball off the bar if it does …
—
RANGERS are offering a £1MILLION prize for a new competition called the Crossbar Challenge.
Months after going into administration and dropping to the Third Division, they claimed to be the first club ever to put up a seven-figure sum for a piece of half-time entertainment.
A prize of £50,000 is on offer to any supporter who can hit the bar from the centre circle, starting when Rangers play Montrose on September 23.
And that rises to the big prize of £1million at the final home game against Berwick Rangers in May.
The club said: “A prize of this value has never been offered in this way in football before and it is another first for Rangers Football Club.”
Fans who want to try their luck have to answer a question on Rangers’ website or the club’s social media channels. All correct entries go into a draw to appear on the pitch and try the Crossbar Challenge.
—
Investigative Journalist of the year?
Hmmm! I am looking into it……..
Maybe Craigie and Charlie will turn up in disguise for the Crossbar Challenge. Anything for the chance of a few quid.
BRTH
Have you thought of auditioning for The Stand?
Eeramacaroonbar (@Eeramacaroonbar) says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 08:09
5 0 Rate This
Just look at this carry on in Spain with the blood doping. Why on earth would the judge order the samples to be destroyed ? Simple……it is in order to contain a scandal that could get completely out of hand if it were investigated properly. Imagine if some Spanish football internationals were involved – tarnishing the country’s World/Euro wins ?
The LNS decision went along these lines as well I’m sure. These whitewashes will have been concocted in high up places. Regarding the laughable “independent” investigation at Sevco, does anyone actually think they will spend money on an enquiry that could potentially destroy them ?
Right now I will make a prediction. Craig Whyte will be hung out to dry. Even if his legal case is solid, they will find a way to let the new club off. Whyte is already a proven liar. Better to bring down a single proven shyster than the latest incarnation of the “establishment” club
——–
Any former presidents/chairmen of Spanish clubs who may now be in elevated positions in the Spanish governing body may not be entirely happy to have events at their former clubs investigated. In fact, they may be in a position to stifle any investigations … for the good of Spanish sport, obviously.
“2013/02/05 1:57 pm
Real Sociedad hit back at doping allegations
Real Sociedad have published an official statement on their website to deny any involvement in doping practices last decade.
Former Real president Inaki Badiola claimed on Monday the Basque club bought banned substances during a six-year period between 2001 and 2007, prompting rumours that they were in business with notorious doping doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.
However, the Basques have now hit back and have insisted that they’re not involved in the Operacion Puerto trial around Fuentes.
‘No one from Real Sociedad has been called to appear as a witness in the Operacion Puerto trial, and the club was at no stage involved in proceedings,’ the statement read.
‘Real Sociedad show their total willingness to collaborate actively with the relative organisations with the aim of clearing up the facts which the information refers to and highlights the club’s zero tolerance of doping practices.’
Spanish Football League president Jose Luis Astiazaran, who was in charge of Sociedad between 2001 and 2005, already rejected Badiola’s claims on Monday evening.”
Q. Why hire Roy Martin QC, the top man in land & buildings law with eye watering fees?
A. Because you absolutely have to win but can’t see how.
jonnyod says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 07:10
Stadium Manager ! how can they appoint one, nobody knows who owns it 🙂
It’s a slow morning, and a few quiet moments to think.
For no obvious reason, the realisation came to me,
That in the past 14 months, the way I think of Scotland has changed hugely –
But not for the better.
I’m not saying Scotland has changed, nor that it hasn’t changed.
Yet, if tens of thousands of football fans have had their eyes opened about the true nature of the Establishment, then the country will have changed, and for the better.
Scotland’s true colours have been well and truly hoisted .
What value now in Independence ?
manandboy says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 08:48
Q. Why hire Roy Martin QC, the top man in land & buildings law with eye watering fees?
Cos if you hire the top guy and have him on your bench then he aint gonna be playing against you is he? Sheez, where have you been for the last 30 years? insertsmileyifonlyicould
Phil’s on Twitter early – maybe a day where something might actually happen??
—-
Sports law specialist just called me and said that the appointment of Roy Martin QC was “distinctly odd” for a complex corporate take over.
—
He was “baffled” (his words) as to why Pinset Masons would choose a specialist in planning matters not a corporate specialist.
neepheid says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 07:15
10 0 Rate This
Real Madrid and Barcelona would welcome TRFC into La Liga with open arms? In fact I got the impression that those Spaniards were almost aching for this to happen.
=================================================
the cops in Barcelona would “welcome” the visiting hordes.
Eeramacaroonbar (@Eeramacaroonbar) says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 08:09
I Agree wholeheartedly with your comments.
However, unless Sevco 5088 as an English company is chasing assets through courts in England, then things might just have taken on a different shade of brown.
Serious question (not trolling).
If Rangers let Alexander go at the end of the season does that leave them without a first choice goalie until Bell signs in September or is there a legal loophole they can exploit to get round the signing embargo.
smugas says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 09:28
12 0 Rate This
manandboy says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 08:48
Q. Why hire Roy Martin QC, the top man in land & buildings law with eye watering fees?
Cos if you hire the top guy and have him on your bench then he aint gonna be playing against you is he? Sheez, where have you been for the last 30 years? insertsmileyifonlyicould
____________________________________________________________________________
Up to ” . . .is he ? “, was just fine, thank you.
Share price 65.50 ,anybody know if this is important or just normal trading practice.
Periodic Auction Call Periodic Auction Call Session: Execution of orders/quotes will not be carried out.
Each valid new order/quote will be added to the order book. Orders and quotes may be cancelled or amended.
GTT orders which has an expiry time falls into this session will not be expired. Orders, with the time in force GFA and are already parked, will be injected into the order book. Periodic Auction Call session will be followed by a series of Market Order and Price Monitoring Extensions.
The behaviour of the Market Order and Price Monitoring Extensions is same as Periodic Auction Call session.
This investigation isn’t in to the connections between Whyte and Green, they have been established. The only debate is which conman hoodwinked the other. Both scenarios end badly for the new club in a legal sense. The appointment of Roy Martin QC is simply to have a well respected legal mind mull over and give credence to what this investigation is really all about…………finding a loophole, however tenuous to get the new club off.
Forres Dee (@ForresDee) says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 09:56
However, unless Sevco 5088 as an English company is chasing assets through courts in England, then things might just have taken on a different shade of brown.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Jurisdiction is an interesting point. If the ownership of Sevco5088 is in dispute, and clearly it is, since it is claimed by two AIM companies, then I think that’s a matter for the English courts, since it’s an English company.
If the actual ownership of the properties is in dispute, then I would think that Scots Law of property applies, and that’s for the Scottish courts.
Maybe this jurisdiction point is one of the reasons they have called on a QC who practices in both Scotland and England? This is going to get very very expensive very very quickly. The last thing a company running out of cash needs right now.
And I still don’t see how season tickets can be offered for sale until the question of who owns Ibrox (or maybe who owns the company that owns Ibrox) is resolved. In which case it’s game over, because this could be in the courts for years, and without the season ticket money, TRFC can’t pay the wages much after August.
Plus there’s no point paying the wages if Whyte gets a court order which padlocks Ibrox until further notice. Now who could possibly think that darling Craigie boy would do a nasty thing like that? This will only get messier unless somebody has the cash to pay Whyte off soon.
tomtomaswell says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 09:59
1 0 Rate This
Serious question (not trolling).
If Rangers let Alexander go at the end of the season does that leave them without a first choice goalie until Bell signs in September or is there a legal loophole they can exploit to get round the signing embargo.
==========================
Sevco have a number of keepers on their books…..one of them is a young Irish lad….he could well be the 1st player from the Republic to play for the senior team
So, they have keepers. There is no need to break more rules to keep them happy (of course, that doesn’t mean they WON’T break more rules to keep them happy, just that there is no need)
Tic 6709 says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 10:06
2 0 Rate This
Share price 65.50 ,anybody know if this is important or just normal trading practice.
=========================
wishful thinking Tic – 56.5p is more like it…..going down faster than their bank balance!
manandboy says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 08:48
20 0 Rate This
Q. Why hire Roy Martin QC, the top man in land & buildings law with eye watering fees?
A. Because you absolutely have to win but can’t see how.
———————————-
no doubt the legal profession will find the most efficient way of paying for the QC’s services
– by way of apportioning the costs to “oldco” ?!
Re T Rangers Keepers
Remember that McCoist’s master plan is (was?) to sign Bell, keep Alexander on the books as so that can let 23 tear old Scott Gallagher go out on loan to gain experience!!
manandboy says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 09:24
14 2 i
What value now in Independence ?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
What value in unionism if this is the kind of thing that goes on under it? See it cuts both ways. Whether you believe in staying part of the UK or independence, the people who get and aspire to power have (in the main) the same kinds of faults. What matters is what can we do about it under whatever government we have?
Phil MacGiollaBhain @Pmacgiollabhain 13m
Most troubling aspect of this for Mr Sports lawyer is the stance of the SFA. “They are waiting for Rangers to tell them what to do to them!”
NTHM, Cheers, I got the first two numbers in reverse order,dumb.
My question still stands.
manandboy says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 09:24
M&B, you are not the first poster to consider what complexion recent sporting events might place on a very interesting political situiation.
Certainly an independent Scotland that was tinctured by the antics wintnessed with respect to Sevco would send a shudder through many democratic citizens. If justice cannot be separated from favouratism then it bodes ill for a ‘wee diddy’ country like Scotland.
To counter this, we have seen an upsurge in free speech via the blogosphere. This has acted as something of a brake to the worst excesses of vested interest but the vehicle is far from under control. An independent Scotland would need an active political participation by its citizens, in the early years at least, to ensure that undemocratic elements to not come to dominate it.
I have never been particularly nationalistic and in a lot of ways am comforted by the British umbrella that shades us to some extent from the small mindedness that can take hold in a small country. However I am willing to consider change and will listen to both sides of the argument.
In decades to come the movement by football fans to recapture their sport from the authorities may be seen as more significant than it appears currently.
It may have been a bit of PR but I recall Nelson Mandela (or one of his chums) saying that they got a copy of the FIFA rule book to guide them in their prison football tournament when on Robben Island. He further elaborated that they used the structures and princioples contained in this rule book as a template when drafting a new South African constitution.
wottpi says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 10:53
0 0 Rate This
Re T Rangers Keepers
Remember that McCoist’s master plan is (was?) to sign Bell, keep Alexander on the books as so that can let 23 tear old Scott Gallagher go out on loan to gain experience!!
————————————————-
it was a mental suggestion then, and it is a mental suggestion now……..but will anyone pull up media darlin’ sally for it?
Re Rangers new shiny transfer targets – Goalies not just Bell, Gilks, Samson. And many more.
Fanciful tosh. Bet Bells scrambling to reverse any paperwork hes signed right now.
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/396099/EXCLUSIVE-Rangers-set-to-give-goalkeeper-Neil-Alexander-final-chance?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-scotland+%28Daily+Express+%3A%3A+Scotland+Feed%29
ianagain says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 11:08
Re Rangers new shiny transfer targets – Goalies not just Bell, Gilks, Samson. And many more.
Fanciful tosh. Bet Bells scrambling to reverse any paperwork hes signed right now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That is certainly the talk on RM.
However, as far as I can see, even if he has signed some paperwork, it is PRE-contract and so, by definition is not a contract. If he chooses not to sign the eventual contract, he should have that right. Same with the guy at Ross County who is wanting to back out of a move to St Johnstone, although RM seem to think he may have been approached subsequently by the Ibrox team and that is the real reason for his change of heart.
neepheid says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 10:24
And I still don’t see how season tickets can be offered for sale until the question of who owns Ibrox (or maybe who owns the company that owns Ibrox) is resolved. In which case it’s game over, because this could be in the courts for years, and without the season ticket money, TRFC can’t pay the wages much after August.
==========================================
That’s because you are a law abiding citizen, when it comes to those running this ‘club’ we have seen that they believe themselves to be above such things as ‘rules’ and ‘laws’.
If they need the cash, and they will, then expect the season tickets to be on sale the moment the whistle has blown for the end of the league.
Hateley spouting some mince on the back pages. My soul is being crushed by a man who would struggle to pour water out of a welly with instructions on the heel, in a rag who turn night into day.
Nurse…..
http://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/rangers-board-in-no-win-situation-with-the-greenwhyte-investigation/
is EVERY lawyer/law firm in Scotland a TOP law firm?
with every investigation/court case/hearing/threatened action – every legal rep named is either THE top lawyer or his firm is.
given sevco have received no punishment, i’m starting to think Scotlands TOP lawyers are all feckin duds!
manandboy says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 09:24
It’s a slow morning, and a few quiet moments to think.
For no obvious reason, the realisation came to me,
That in the past 14 months, the way I think of Scotland has changed hugely –
But not for the better.
I’m not saying Scotland has changed, nor that it hasn’t changed.
Yet, if tens of thousands of football fans have had their eyes opened about the true nature of the Establishment, then the country will have changed, and for the better.
Scotland’s true colours have been well and truly hoisted .
What value now in Independence ?
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Hi M&B
I think you are dead right to be thinking about this soap opera in terms of what it tells us about the society we inhabit and share with each other. As others have already said, there may be many ways to interpret the situation, and I can only provide my 2p for all that is worth.
For me the question is complicated by the fact that the pantomime can be seen in a purely Scottish context as a failure of the Scottish Establishment to ensure justice is applied equally across the board (dare I say without fear or favour?). In which case one would reasonably view the prospect of an independent Scottish Establishment, equipped with new powers and fewer counter balances, with ever increasing trepidation.
The flaw in this analysis, for me, is that I don’t believe this reveals the true context of the situation. The so-called Scottish Establishment is, to my mind at least, merely an appendage to the overarching British Establishment. A straight forward example: the majority of our Scottish political parties support continuation of the Union. When we discuss TRFC as the Establishment Club, I believe we are referring to it as a British Establishment club, much more so than any idea of a Scottish Establishment. Certainly the folks waving flags at Ibrox seem to think that way in fairly large numbers…
The fiasco in Scottish football could be, and probably will be, spun as a further example of the way in which a newly independent Scotland would be an utter shambles by those who oppose Independence (for whatever reason). I find it a little ironic that this will come from those promoting a British Establishment that has allowed (encouraged?) this situation to occur, has effectively financed it, footed the bill through HMRC and then used it for propaganda against the concept of independence. You can probably see he direction my opinion is heading now 🙂
If this is the shambles we get while we are operating under the supposedly benign influence of a British Establishment that prides itself on an alleged sense of ‘British Fair Play’ (no laughing at the back!!). Well, I reckon I would prefer to take my chances going it on our own. At least then we would have no-one else to blame!
Wiser men than me have said you should keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. I reckon it applies to politics at least as much as any other sphere of life. No I don’t trust politicians. Nobody in their right mind would. Is it better to have them based in Edinburgh or London? Closer the better for me. Easier to hold them to account and to make sure they are representing the democratic voice of the nation and less the vested interests of businesses and others whose interests are not democratic expressions of society.
To me this situation is one that has been created by self-serving men whose professed allegiance is to a British Establishment. Creation of an independent Scottish Establishment would not stop this type of behaviour, but it might make it a bit harder to hide it in future.
The ‘goalie’ Goram is the latest peepil person to bump his gums about not judging superdooperally 🙂 we have to wait till he has spent his ‘war chest’ in the summer and has his team of hand-picked players??? The sad thing is that clydewide sport is giving him air-time to spout this guff, deflect and deny ………. who owns the team that play at the stadium with the asbestos problem and the leaky loos?? 😉
Bringing in a QC
We are dealing with Spivs, Spivs and only Spivs .
So its Spiv priorities that are driving everything
Their most important priority is to maximise ST sales to fund their escape . Its all short termism
The so called Green and Whyte investigation is therefore most important to Spivs from the ST standpoint Once that money is in they will most likely siphon it out and apply for liquidation stiffing any TRFC Creditors on the books.(indeed a key date may be when HMRC are due to be paid)
So the priority is to boost ST sales by claiming the report clears Green of colluding with Whyte
Bringing in a QC at this late stage when the Masons ought to have finished their investigation suggests two possibilities
1 The Masons have already reported and RIFC have salami sliced one innocous section on which a “QC`s opinion” is being sought
The idea being to bury the rest of the Masons report and trumpet the view of a QC on a salami slice of the drama where Green can be proven whiter than whyte
Without actually saying so their comments on the QCs opinion would be carefully couched to let the gullible think that the QC has conducted his own investigation when he has only done what he was asked to do
If so there will never be any report issued by the Masons. Indeed RIFC may only have given a verbal update of their findings
All the public would get is a summary of what the QC concludes.This will leave many unanswered questions and let Whyte continue to claim he was duped by Green
2.There is one other possibility
The AIM authorities may have insisted that an eminent QC acceptable to them be appointed to take over the investigation from the Masons. If RIFC disagreed thenAIM would initiate an investigation by the Financial Services Authority(FSA) Shares would be suspended
This would mean that the report of the QC`s investigation would never be released. and there would be no news for months Eventually a brief RNS would be released to the City which had been jointly agreed between RIFC and AIM
.With this scenario the Spiv tactics are simply to delay any news until all the ST money is in.
The worse of all worlds would be another major taped revelation by Whyte which further demosntrated that he was set up by Green and Khan such a revelation could not be defended adequately by RIFC They could only point to the eminent QC and say he will look into it
We shall see
Gregory Ioannidis @LawTop20 9m
BT Vision will be showing Scottish Premier League football on Fridays and during the evening.
Private Eye has just popped through my letter box. ‘In The City’ has very worthwhile comprehensive and comprehensible summary of what is happening in Govan. The style of writing will look familiar, I suspect, to many ‘long time bloggers’. I had not fully understood just how wide this web of financial chicanery stretches. If, as it appears, pension funds are being drained then one can only hope that, as PE suggests, an investigation by the City Regulators is not far away.
Goosy, how about option 3? The CYA option, where CYA = cover your a**e. I think this, as it usually is, could be the most likely option.
The allegations being investigated are serious and directors of public limited companies have gone to jail for less. A defence of “we sought specialist advice as soon as we became aware of the allegations and their seriousness” would certainly be helpful to the remaining board members and officers of the company.
Anybody fancy a punt on Skybet?.
Next Permanent Rangers Manager
Next Permanent Manager Any manager in charge for 10 competitive games will be deemed permanent and settled as a winner. Others on request.
Billy Reid 11/4 Brian Laudrup 7/2 Stuart McCall 5/1 Billy Davies 8/1
Terry Butcher 11/1 Neil Warnock 14/1 Alex McLeish 18/1 Walter Smith 20/1
Brian McDermott 25/1 Nigel Spackman 25/1 Kenny McDowall 33/1 Frank de Boer 50/1
Barry Ferguson 50/1 Paolo Di Canio 50/1 Jim Jefferies 50/1 Mark Hughes 50/1
Jim Duffy 50/1 Derek McInnes 50/1 Steven Pressley 50/1 Steve Lomas 50/1
Stuart Pearce 50/1 Owen Coyle 50/1 Nigel Adkins 50/1 Alex Ferguson 66/1
Roy Keane 66/1 Jose Mourinho 66/1 Steve Kean 66/1 Neil Lennon 66/1
goosygoosy says: Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 13:05
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You are correct in what you say, but I think there is far too much weight and expectation being placed on the outcome of the “independent examination” by those outwith Ibrox.
I would guess that Pinsent Masons have been briefed at the outset to examine the documentation available and produce a report that offers a plausible explanation for the position held by Green and Ahmad, i.e. Whyte was cut loose before the transfer of the assets to Sevco Scotland.
It doesn’t matter if there is an argument that, even on the balance of probabilities, Whyte was excluded illegally. The examination has no legal standing and is internal to RIFC, therefore no action will be taken against the club by the SFA if they are satisfied that Whyte was not part of the eventual asset purchase.
The SFA will stay well clear of any legal argument that follows between Whyte and Green and will view it as a business issue over which it has no jurisdiction.
I’m just not convinced that the sale of Rangers season tickets will be prevented this year.
The only way this can happen I reckon is through AIM suspending share trading in RIFC Plc though either a collapse of the share price; a collapse of the company Board; or a killer revelation. I rule-out any move by the SFA which would stop ST sales btw.
I don’t think the Rangers enquiry will provide a killer revelation but will fudge the issues and declare that Rangers as a company have done nothing wrong and will strenuously defend any future legal action, over asset ownership, raised by a third-party. This would be years away if it ever came to pass and I suspect by then Rangers will no longer be of any interest to the spivs in any case.
I see the shares continuing to fall but it’s not in the spivs’ interest at this stage for a collapse and until the original consortium people and institutional investors decide, or are able to. to ‘dump’ their shares I don’t think the trading volumes by other shareholders are sufficient to cause a collapse. When I say ‘dump’ I don’t necessarily mean at a low price but to a buyer wanting them possibly to ‘own’ or control the club.
We know a Rangers NED will leave shortly citing pressing business interests and if Murray and Smith also go that might precipitate a crisis but they can be replaced by others who will be acceptable to AIM IMO.
That takes us to the agm and the ‘bluster’ that Green might return at that stage with his share proxies – it’s possible but I would think highly unlikely as Green has walked away with a nice wedge as has Ahmad. His circus act also provided the required major deflection as to who actually owns Rangers and we still don’t know who that is.
The only killer revelation I think is a faint possibility of BDO reversing the D&P sale to the consortium but I don’t see that happening and the best would be them looking for say £5-£10 million payment from Rangers for gratuitous alienation. Of course if any criminal activity was involved in the transfer of the assets then a much higher return could theoretically be achieved especially were a major international company put in the frame.
For me the main interest in the Rangers enquiry findings will be what it has to say and how it says it with regard to Green and Ahmad. If they walk with a clean bill of health then that indicates what faction is in control at Ibrox. But if fingers are pointed at them that may well encourage BDO.
If the enquiry finds any suspicion about the original dealings between Green and D&P then in a criminal legal sense how would any consequent responsibility for that devolve on RIFC Plc? I really don’t see that as a foregone conclusion.
So really we are back to whether Rangers can actually get through next season financially and I won’t argue with those who have prepared what figures they can to show this is unlikely as I on a very rough guess don’t give them beyond January 2014.
To go beyond that needs a new ‘owner’ and a capital injection but then we are back to the age-old problem with a football business that if fans aren’t provided with on-field results they stop being paying customers. Rangers are faced with a difficult equation of how many STs it will lose if it imposes swingeing cuts and how long it can last if it doesn’t even with stadium sell-outs.
smugas says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 09:28
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manandboy says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 08:48
Q. Why hire Roy Martin QC, the top man in land & buildings law with eye watering fees?
Cos if you hire the top guy and have him on your bench then he aint gonna be playing against you is he? Sheez, where have you been for the last 30 years? insertsmileyifonlyicould. 🙂 🙂 🙂
ecobhoy says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 13:29
Rangers are faced with a difficult equation of how many STs it will lose if it imposes swingeing cuts and how long it can last if it doesn’t even with stadium sell-outs.
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There will be absolutely no discussion (in public at least) of cuts until next season’s ST money is in. After that the financial axe will be swung.
tomtomaswell says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 13:43
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ecobhoy says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 13:29
Rangers are faced with a difficult equation of how many STs it will lose if it imposes swingeing cuts and how long it can last if it doesn’t even with stadium sell-outs.
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There will be absolutely no discussion (in public at least) of cuts until next season’s ST money is in. After that the financial axe will be swung.
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how exactly?
they are going to sell players? who is buying average SFL2 players on SPL wages? OK, maybe release them – are they paying up their contracts? they’d be as well keeping them.
Sure, they might not bring anyone else in – despite already having Bell on a pre-contract. But can they be confident of anyone leaving?
so, what other cuts is there? outsource tickets/catering/stewarding – lay off the staff? Close a stand? Close Murray park? you can see how upset the team would get if you stopped their papers – so, what if you stopped staying overnight in hotels before games a few miles away?
Simply enough – I don’t think it is possible for them to make cuts. (or at elast, big enough cuts to make any meaningful difference) but i am happy to hear your thoughts.
They need to make cuts of about £1M a month. Where is it coming from
ecobhoy says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 13:29
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I’m just not convinced that the sale of Rangers season tickets will be prevented this year.
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My view on this has nothing to do with the share price. I don’t see that as relevant. I base my view on cash flow, and the legality of selling season tickets when any conceivable cash flow forecast shows the money running out before the season ends. The directors will have figures showing when the money will run out on various scenarios of price of tickets and numbers sold. If those figures show that the company will be insolvent on any scenario before the end of the season, then surely the directors can only sell season tickets if they either a) have a sugar daddy waiting in the wings with a big bag of cash, or b) have a credible plan to cut costs to match income. It cannot be legal to sell a product which you know in advance you simply can’t deliver.
manandboy says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 09:24
‘…Yet, if tens of thousands of football fans have had their eyes opened about the true nature of the Establishment, then the country will have changed, and for the better…’
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Leaving aside, as probably strictly off topic, ‘political’ business as such, I think your observation is very sound.
The failure of a small-to-medium sized business is not unusual.
What is unusual, if not unprecedented, is that the failure of Rangers FC occasioned the most desperate attempts by ‘authoritative’ people
in law
in commerce
in government
in the press
and in Football
to dissimulate,lie, cheat, and (quite possibly) steal ( think of the FTTT judgment and how that, if not overturned, will cheat the taxpayer), in an attempt to protect , defend and save the failed club at any and all costs to integrity, sporting or otherwise.
While there is, perhaps, insufficient evidence to prove that there was specific co-ordination between these various bodies, it is abundantly clear that they were all motivated by a shared atavistic tribalism, under which notions of truth, justice, fairness and decency were discarded wholesale in favour of, basically, a parcel of rogues sharing the same tribal affiliation.
Those thousands of us who have followed the sordid saga have had so many jaw-dropping revelations of how the various official bodies behaved that we have developed a healthy scepticism and a far more insistent and persistent determination that we be told the truth.
We have, in a matter close to our own sporting and recreational emotions and interests, had our eyes well and truly opened to what ‘our leaders’ can get up to.
if we keep those eyes open in matters of real ‘political’ importance, we can be of great influence in helping to cleanse the body politic, and that will help bring about a cultural change for the better.
“Q. Why hire Roy Martin QC, the top man in land & buildings law with eye watering fees?
Cos if you hire the top guy and have him on your bench then he aint gonna be playing against you is he?”
Does Kyle Lafferty have one of those wigs ?
zerotolerance1903 says:
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 13:19
Goosy, how about option 3? The CYA option, where CYA = cover your a**e. I think this, as it usually is, could be the most likely option.
The allegations being investigated are serious and directors of public limited companies have gone to jail for less. A defence of “we sought specialist advice as soon as we became aware of the allegations and their seriousness” would certainly be helpful to the remaining board members and officers of the company.
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zerotolerance1903
City wise I don`t think CYA ever crosses the mind of these guys. Even arch Spiv Whyte only taped key .events .in order to challenge any double cross.Reputations matter nothing to these Spivs
The only non Spivs are Murray and Cardigan
Cardigan will do what Murray tells him
Murrays usefulness was almost spent after the IPO was completed. He must be a real nusiance to the Spivs with his focus on keeping TRFC in business
He can still threaten to resign during the ST book sale and perhaps be a rallying point for an ST boycott. Murray will care about his City reputation However he is between a rock and a hard place dealing with this bunch of chancers.I cant see this mess continuing much beyond the next tranche of cash as its most unlikely they will survive into Summer 2014
It all points to short termism driving everything