As we all know, this site emerged from the ashes of RTC. The wish of the original administrator of the site, one which I wholeheartedly share, was to keep together the wonderful community RTC had built, in terms of both personnel and spirit. There are still many individuals around who were also part of RTC, and regrettably many who are no longer with us. The RTC spirit however, that of a cross-party football site where issues can be discussed in a respectful and insightful manner remains. The “wisdom of the crowd” phenomenon is also with us to perhaps an even greater extent than before, and consequently SFM’s credentials as a formidable alternative to the print media have grown.
In recent times, many contributors have expressed frustration that we are pretty much a talking shop and little else; characterised as “a lot of gum bashing and no teeth”. I think that is fair comment up to a point, but then again our aim – up to now – has been to simply present an alternative view – a view that has increasingly become the fan view as opposed to the industry view (the industry being made up of club officials, players, and press).
In fact the way I see it personally, SFM has evolved to a point where it has become the watchdog (monitor if you will) of an industry which is subject to very little oversight. The Rangers situation will eventually be done with (no laughing at the back please), and like everything else will be consigned to history (albeit more than one). The same self-interest and lack of regard for sporting integrity though will still remain, and the need for oversight will remain also.
Having arrived at those conclusions, we have two alternatives; the first is to remain as we are (which is not a bad place to be), and the second is that SFM has to expand its role.
In recent weeks, the mods have met to discuss this, and we think that we ought to give the latter option a try. As to how we want to achieve that, and we have come up with a skeleton plan as follows;
1. We need to move into the area of gathering news content as well as commenting on what appears elsewhere;
2. We should act as a cross-club portal to get good fan site content from all clubs to a wider audience;
3. We need to highlight the positives in the game as well as the negatives;
4. We should become an actively campaigning body, aligning with fan groups to lobby for the changes we think important.
In order to achieve these objectives, more time will need to be spent on communication like podcasts, adding news content, expanding membership and building links with other fan groups. Time will also need to be spent setting up features, attending press conferences etc. Later in the year, one of the mods will have much more time on his hands to help achieve this.
Podcasts, premium content, labour, organisation and all of the above costs money, and ultimately a subscription based model backed by sponsorship seems to be our best way of achieving that. In order to give us a head start, we will in the next few months be putting together a business-plan and a pitch for Crowd Funding investment.
This is not to say that our existing model has been a failure. We have successfully managed to keep ourselves afloat through the ad-hoc generosity of people in our community, although the inability to keep the podcasts going has been a bit frustrating. Finding income streams which are more solid will allow us to respond to events more quickly (for example mounting an ad campaign to respond to some event or other, or buying new equipment), and hopefully achieve all of our objectives – and build a bigger audience base for our message.
Of course a move of this nature will require that, in the interests of transparency, anonymity of SFM will have to be set aside. That will not affect any of our contributors, and our practice of using (sometimes) imaginative names on the blog will remain. However, for crowd funding to be successful, we will require to have a board in place, and there is no hiding place from Companies House. The make up of the board is also crucial, and in addition to consideration of blog members for that role, we will be looking to have respected people from without.
I imagine there may be a consequent subtle effect on moderation policy to take into account.
The reason I have made this post is to keep the community up to speed with events. Although we have decided to move forward to see if we can get support for our business plan, that plan is by no means finished. As I said earlier, the “wisdom of crowds” has made our community unique and given it its credibility. There’s a lot more wisdom out there we hope to tap into before we go ahead with our initiative.
We already had someone in mind for chairman of the new board, but events have conspired tragically to rob us of that – and had the effect of postponing this announcement. However we would like to hear suggestions for suitable outside candidates for board and committee places.
We also want to hear from you if you have a suggestion to be added to our wish list of SFM function above – or even if you think it is a mistake to embark on this course.
This is a very big move for SFM, so we don’t want to rush into anything. We need to listen to what you folks have to say, because if the merging SFM is not considered a better SFM by our community there is very little point in looking to fund it.
mungoboy says:
Member: (101 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 10:16 am
I see that the Art World was shaken to its core twice yesterday.
Not only was Ms Runciman’s masterpiece roundly panned (I’m no Brian Sewell but I thought it a fine example of the Belfast Gable End School) but, in addition, a Picasso sold for a world record of $160m.
————————————————————
Could Picasso’s ‘blue period’ reveal his secret passion as a football fan? The evidence is building.
http://www.top-art-gallery.com/Pablo-Picasso/bear.html
melbournedee says:
Member: (37 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 6:55 am
The light at the end of the tunnel, that King provided, has dimmed to a flicker over the intervening weeks, and has now disappeared. There is still, however, that onrushing train!
It depends whether its a league or cup match and whether its televised given William Hill sponsor both Sky and BT’s coverage of Scottish Football.
I take it he can’t use the Simonsen defence of its allowed where I came from and despite being here two years and playing alongside the most publicised culprit of recent times I didn’t know it wasn’t here.
Auldheid says:
Blog Writer: (417 comments) May 12, 2015 at 8:38 pm
=============================================
No way was it a dig, every respect for the slowly slowly catchy monkey approach.
I live for the day when Darryl the Director has to pay the piper for palming off requests from decent Scottish fans who want the game cleaned up.
He’s only the gate guardian but a sleekit, devious, smarmy, condescending, smug wan.
Stopping Ogilvie from swanning off into the sunset should be priority 1
re my last point meant to say “could not”
neepheid says:
Member: (569 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 8:55 am
I, too, thought the way Jackson wrote about the ‘negative security’ was wrong, but, though, it was put in in an effort to stop Ashley getting his hands on it (or any other non-RRM) it might well backfire on those who sought it’s introduction! Assuming no one has the £5m in readies, it might well have been possible for the board to raise it using Ibrox as security. Ashley has, unsurprisingly, turned the tables on them by pointing out that they now, thanks to their acolytes (who were, no doubt, acting under 3bear or King instruction), can’t use it! They have to find someone within, 6/7 weeks?, prepared to give them a £5m unsecured loan. I suspect Ashley has a pretty good idea of their chances of achieving that, and is going to use the situation to ensure he makes even more money, however things pan out!
What odds are the new SPFL sponsors likely to be offering on Ashley’s men ending up back in charge at Ibrox, with even more of the merchandising ending up with SD?
I have once or twice bemoaned the limiting effect that the perceived ‘need’ for anonymity has on our capacity to push for change.
I warmly welcome the possibility that we might be legally constituted as a public, subscription –
membership, representative body,able to formally
and publicly represent our views on football
governance in the expectation that we will be
listened to and responded to by the Football
Authorities, the SMSM, and politicians/legislators
and other public agencies.
If we make sure that our Board members are all FPPs,
Damn this tablet! Canny dae the wee smiley things, and it cuts me off in mid-sentence.
I do not doubt for a second that our board members will be all the things that DK is not!
It would appear that the letter from MASH was drafted just a short week after the “amicable” meeting at Shirebrook with Paul Murray and John Gilligan. Its a bit naughty of the bastions of transparency withholding the details of this letter from shareholders for two weeks, considering it is a matter they will now be shortly asked to vote on.
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/amicable-discussions-and-plausible-deniability/
Famous song says:
Member: (39 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 12:10 pm
Pie has admirably beaten me to the punch here, but in addition to the CG takeover, there was apparently another one in March this year. All them shares changing hands, I obviously missed it, seeing only an EGM on the limited matter of change in directorships. This according to Chris McLaughlin of the BBC, who remembers only “insolvency” in 2012, maintaining his aversion to the dreaded L word.
===================================================================
Can I add to my earlier comments on changes to SFM (http://www.sfmonitor.org/sfm-the-next-steps/comment-page-1/#comment-54617) that SFM should publically correct factual errors and misrepresentation via social media to the extent of pedantry until journalists do not feel free to evade and avoid uncomfortable facts and repeat the same unchecked from others. In this case the salient facts to undermine McLaughlin’s sophistry could be fitted into a few tweets with links to more detailed factsheets e.g.
14 Feb 2012, Duff & Phelps appointed administrators for The Rangers Football Club plc
13 Jun 2012, Rangers Football Club plc Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) rejected and blocked by HMRC, majority creditor
14 Jun 2012, Sevco Scotland Ltd purchase some assets of The Rangers Football Club plc from administrator Duff & Phelps for £5.5mil
14 Jun 2012, Duff & Phelps rename Rangers Football Club plc to RFC 2012 plc
31 Jul 2012, Sevco Scotland Ltd renamed to Rangers Football Club Ltd
31 Oct 2012, BDO appointed liquidators for RFC 2012 plc (nee The Rangers Football Club plc)
16 Nov 2012, Rangers International Football Club plc formed as the holding company of Rangers Football Club Ltd (nee Sevco Scotland Ltd) in preparation for a Dec 2012 IPO on AIM.
Mr McLaughlin, are any of these facts incorrect? There was never any “takeover”.
I’m beginning to think of a Wikiepdia-like site with cross referenced information (facts, timelines and interpretation) with differnet layers of detail, from tweets to detailed analysis/narrative, to suit different readers. This could be gradually filled out to become the definitive resource on relevant issues. But obviously not open to corruption by dedicated vested interests as Wikipedia is.
AJ @12.36
Neepheid @ 8.55
No expert in the field (Campbellsmoney any comment?), but make sure you are talking about the same thing. There was a pledge made by whichever board it was to the fans that Ibrox would not be used as security. That does not dismiss the notion that there may be another commitment against Ibrox – the mysterious alleged negative pledge that if RFC* in whatever form ever defaulted on a set payment that Ibrox came under the spotlight. It was never proven or unproven (disproven?? 😳 )if such a thing existed, we just know, through the absence of retraction by Phil, that payments continue to be made and the board are aware of the consequences if they don’t and seem pretty determined not to do so.
The fact the board pledged not to use it as security to the fans does not alter that a similar pledge may have already have been granted before their time, thus the power to grant security had the fans allowed it would have been outwith the board’s control in any case.
Just to confirm I am willing to support any changes via a monthly subscription, provided there are no switcheroo shenanigans and The The Scottish Football Monitor is born.
Also just to clarify the above from MCFC, where a few The’s are misplacedand/or missing;
14 Feb 2012, Duff & Phelps appointed administrators for Rangers Football Club plc
13 Jun 2012, Rangers Football Club plc Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) rejected and blocked by HMRC, majority creditor
14 Jun 2012, Sevco Scotland Ltd purchase some assets of Rangers Football Club plc from administrator Duff & Phelps for £5.5mil
14 Jun 2012, Duff & Phelps rename Rangers Football Club plc to RFC 2012 plc
31 Jul 2012, Sevco Scotland Ltd renamed to The Rangers Football Club Ltd
31 Oct 2012, BDO appointed liquidators for RFC 2012 plc (nee Rangers Football Club plc)
16 Nov 2012, Rangers International Football Club plc formed as the holding company of The Rangers Football Club Ltd (nee Sevco Scotland Ltd) in preparation for a Dec 2012 IPO on AIM.
Mr McLaughlin, are any of these facts incorrect?
mcfc says:
Member: (1186 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 1:08 pm
I’m beginning to think of a Wikiepdia-like site with cross referenced information (facts, timelines and interpretation) with differnet layers of detail, from tweets to detailed analysis/narrative, to suit different readers. This could be gradually filled out to become the definitive resource on relevant issues. But obviously not open to corruption by dedicated vested interests as Wikipedia is.
=================================================================
I think this is a must. Even an abridged version somewhere on here.
It never ceases to amaze me how ignorant the follow follow brigade are
(as well as the irony – they are all sheep – and the hacks are ‘Lamb’ munchers :slamb: )
Anyway
… http://www.ibroxnoise.co.uk/2015/05/rangers-board-pay-up-or-shut-up.html?
…
“For whatever reason, thankfully, Ashley wants out of Rangers now…”
……….
what makes him think Ashley “wants out”
He’s only asking for his cash back.
If he gets paid, Sports Direct are still fleecing them at the tills.
If he doesn’t get his cash back (just now), he then takes ownership of the collateral (the buildings etc), that were put up to get the loan, and Sports Direct will continue to run the retail operation and fleece them at the tills.
If he sells his 9% shareholding, he still would own the buildings etc, and Sports Direct would still be running the retail operation and they would still be getting fleeced at the tills!
Are they really that ignorant after 3 years of the New Club ??
normanbatesmumfc says:
Member: (31 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 1:31 pm
Also just to clarify the above from MCFC, where a few The’s are misplacedand/or missing;
=================================================
thanks – proof reading has never been my thing 🙂
jimlarkin says:
Member: (271 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 1:34 pm
Are they really that ignorant after 3 years of the New Club ??
==============================================================
oh, yes they are !!!
If all they have read is MSM and bear sites it is quite reasonable. I’ve spent quite a lot of time in the US and the quality of world news there is so poor that I’ve learned to forgive even the most hill billy world view from ordinary, decent, intelligent, good hearted Americans. My wife was once asked by a colleague; “So is London in England, or is England in London”. 100% true!
Smugas says:
Member: (781 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 1:12 pm
Thanks for the clarification, Smugas, though it doesn’t change neepheid’s point that Jackson was using it as a dig at Ashley even though it wasn’t Ashley who created it, and my point was that this initiative, brought about by the demands of the supporters, actually makes it more difficult – should there be no existing encumbrance that you allude to, though I tend to think there is (in which case it would be impossible) – for the board to raise money using Ibrox as security, which I think is pretty ironic 😀
It is, of course, an excellent time for Dave King to step in and make his first contribution to TRFC’s coffers. In fact, it might be his last chance to make a telling contribution!
Why Here? Why Now?
Why have the RIFC board chosen now to feed Radar Jackson this story?
Why did Ashley choose 29th April to request his money back – if true ?
I’m inclinded to think Ashley does not act on annoyance and irritation. My interpretation is that folowing the meeting with Murray (P) and Gilligan, Ashley has judged King’s prolonged inaction to be an inability to act. As such he has decided to probe King’s posiiton at no personal risk to himself. The threat of administration is Ashley’s weapon of choice.
If KIng cannot or will not respond in his own defence, the SFA will have the closed season to re-interpret the dual ownership rules and get Bryson onto the points deduction conundrum.
Has Spiers just grown a pair but today in the Herald he quite clearly states that Rangers FC were Liquidated.. Is the Truth sinking in at last or are the Supporters being lined up for really Bad News but its not that Bad Lads as its only a NEW Club anyway ?
There’s still a wicked fairy on my shoulder that says it sets up Ashley as a pantomime villain and allows King to ride in on his white charger as the saviour of the thing that’s always been there with no interruption, bags of ‘istry and miraculously no debt either. The only thing that lends itself to this conspiratorial nonsense is a small but not insignificant point. Why is Ashley not wanting any interest on his loan?
((OK, and there’s also the even more insignificant minor teensy weensy issue – that its a loss making money pit and no king in his right mind would go anywhere near it in its current format – or league))
mcfc says May 13th, 2015 at 2.07 p.m
‘……oh, yes they are!!!’
—-‘—–
At the risk of being completely off topic,my personal knowledge of ‘Americans’ is limited to the few I played football against in Italy ( student piss-poor stuff) , the few ‘ Locarno ballroom ‘ Polaris
submariners that I occasionally had “words over a
burd ‘ with of an occasional Saturday night in the
middle 1960s, and, more recently, the very nice
family men and their families that we met when
visiting the States to see our son.
On that sample, I’d say you are absolutely right!
Some totally staggering percentage of ‘Americans” have never been outside their own State, let alone outside the States.
It is the very self-sufficiency of the USA that makes it as insular in mind as North Korea now, or as the old ‘Middle Kingdom’ notion that old China had of itself for a couple of millennia made China ,up till
the middle of the 19th century.
And you are absolutely right!
Smugas says:
Member: (782 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 2:44 pm
So much in the ‘Rangers Saga’ doesn’t make sense, that anything’s possible. One thing, though; I can’t imagine Ashley ever allowing himself to be duped, beaten or used as someone’s stalking horse – without exacting revenge. If he’s in on some clever plan, he’ll be intent on being the major benefactor, if he’s being used in someone else’s plan, he won’t like it, and would undoubtedly make a lot of trouble for those who would fool him. Like calling for EGMs to raise very awkward questions…oh, and to demand his money back at the most awkward of times, ie just before STs are due to go on sale at a time of great uncertainty on the football front! Could explain why King, himself, is nowhere to be seen, at the time he, and his money, are most needed!
I think it’s safe to say, that if this is allowed to drag on without King clearing the Ashley loan, regardless of the outcome, King will quietly slip away, as his credibility amongst the bears will be shot to pieces.
Somebody mentioned it earlier.
Handing over an interest-free loan is a guaranteed way a losing money. So what was Ashley’s reason for donating this money to the Newco. I doubt if Ashley made his money by throwing it away on interest free loans
Maybe he suspected the likelihood of the inability to pay it back was fairly high? leaving him the secured items
Allyjambo says 13th May 2015 at 3.13 p.m
‘..I can’t imagine Ashley ever allowing himself to be duped…’
——-
Come now, sir.
If a Knight of our realm may be duped, a mere peasant multi multi millionaire ( in honest money rather than through helpful little deals with banks at ,ultimately, tax-payers’expense) must be a stick-on for dupery!
Re: Ashley’s ‘demand’ for his cash back…
===============================================
[Assuming the DR report is true of course.]
As mentioned earlier, it doesn’t appear that Ashley has chosen to walk away.
He has asked for his cash back, which he is fully entitled to do at any time, IIRC.
My thinking is Ashley’s people know that King, [and/or Park & Gilligan], cannot access GBP5M in the suggested time frame – for whatever reasons.
Knowledge is power etc.
If this then leads to Ashley ‘apparently considering’ pulling the plug on TRFC, then the SFA and the bears will be begging him to save ‘the institution’. Ashley very slowly gives a ‘thumbs up’ instead, and everyone, [at Hampden & Ibrox], is happy again and keen to buy the TRFC merchandise.
If King cannot come up with the readies, then Keef will lie down at the altar of MASH and dutifully copy/paste any derogatory PR p!sh from Level 42 [ 😉 ] – and to chase away King for good.
And Mike will have won…again… 🙄
Could this really be the end game at Ibrox ?
AJ
In summary, it looks suspiciously to me that to ‘win’ King has to first liquidate, and by implication ‘relegate’ the very thing he has craved for years.
Yes he can win and keep the contracts in place but he knows he simply doesn’t have that quantum of resources available to him and that he can’t deliver his promised land on the relative shoe string that would remain.
John Clark says:
Member: (844 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 3:32 pm
And such a fine fellow, to boot 🙄
Though I wasn’t meaning Ashley couldn’t be duped, just that he wouldn’t allow it to happen, without taking measures to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Of course, Ashley may well have bitten off more than he can chew with Dave King. The way he (King) forced the South African Tax people to negotiate a deal that suited him…
I know it’s a cliche, but I’m a long time lurker. Read the posts on a near daily basis since the days of RTC. However having read the new article I registered for the first time today in order to show support for the Mods. plans and as someone mentioned it might help the more members the site has registered. So hello to you all and thanks for many interesting hours of being informed in the past few years. 😀
John Clark says:
Member: (844 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 2:55 pm
mcfc says May 13th, 2015 at 2.07 p.m
‘……oh, yes they are!!!’
—-‘—–
At the risk of being completely off topic,my personal knowledge of ‘Americans’ is limited to the few I played football against…
==================================================
Totally OT.
I feel I should make a comment as I am surrounded by the Yanks ! 🙄
In the past I was scathing about the lack of global awareness amongst the average American, and that something like only 25% had passports.
Many years ago whilst working in the Middle East I was talking to a female US soldier who was doing her time in the army which would result in the army paying her college fees thereafter. She was from Alaska, and in all seriousness asked me where Scotland was – and “do they have cars in Scotland”. I was speechless of course.
However, in saying that, having been here for a few years I do now appreciate how little time off the average American gets for holidays. IIRC, there is no statutory minimum holidays for workers here, [is it 24 days minimum in the UK ?].
So folks might be lucky to get a paid week a year, with increments of a day or so over time.
As the US is so big, why waste half your time just travelling to Europe for example when you can explore all sorts of landscapes/climates/cities etc in the vast USA ?
And the MSM here is ‘generally’ poor and the outside world does not really exist on TV news programmes – unless there is a major story/disaster. And Fox ‘News’ has the highest viewing figures… :slamb:
John Clark says:
Some totally staggering percentage of ‘Americans” have never been outside their own State, let alone outside the States.
___________________________________________________________________________________
John, I’ve met many, many Scots and Canadians that have never been outside their own country either. Does that make them ignorant too? And do you mean alll 330 million Americans? Or would you sub-divide them into categories, some less ignorant than others based on location, politics, race or gender? Just curious.
I see a few posters over on RM are seeing the MA repayment request as a good thing! They suggests that the reason the new board didn’t pay it off on assuming the throne is that they believe/know the agreement is illegally drawn (thanks to MA’s placemen on the old board at the time). They see the extent of the security provided as evidence of this illegality, rather than evidence of TRFC*’s desperation at the time.
They think that MA is now trying to force quick repayment of the loan because he, too , is aware it is illegal so wants it repaid before anyone in authority has time to investigate properly.
One poster suggesting the police were at Ibrox yesterday and arrests may follow. He implies that is to do with this loan, but won’t say much. They’re really trying to force all the elements to make a compelling storyline – PM’s meeting at SDHQ; Keef’s ‘police raid’ on SDHQ;MA’s EGM request – that leads to the loan being illegal.
Tbf, others are pointing out the more likely reasons, as well as pointing out that the timings don’t fit; that the given reasons for the raid (Green and Whyte) don’t fit etc.
I make no comment on the willingness to be gullible. Even those who believe it’s aimed at forcing King and T3B’s hand are just hoping they have the money to repay and they seem to be seeing it as the end of the new board if they don’t.
I have no idea what’s going on with the latest developments on Sevco Street and I’m hoping some minds greater than mine can shed some light on it all.
On the one hand, we have a billionaire bullying a group of millionaires. Pay up or shut up seems to be the mantra, yet we’re “only” talking about a sum of £5m. Not £50m, not even £15m but FIVE million. For a consortium that promised £50m between them to “normalise” the company which owns the company which owns and operates the club, it’s not that much to finally be able to dilute the Arch Enemy’s power significantly.
My immediate reaction to the news was that KingCo would be happy to get the family jewels back. I even went as far, for a second at least, to wonder whether King had played a blinder and deliberately appeared weak to induce a bluff from Ashley. Every good poker player knows the value of inducing bluffs from your opponent. Not only do you extract maximum value, you allow your opponent to think he’s making the first move whilst simultaneously underplaying your true strength. An immediate call of an induced bluff is one the best feelings in poker, and it’s plausible that King was playing such a strategy which would allow him to satisfy The People that he is indeed their saviour. The One who regained everything they hold dear from the Devil himself, the one who brought everything they need to be a “club” back into RIFC’s possession. All that for a mere £5m? That’d definitely sell the season tickets they need to keep them going until mid-way through next season.
BUT…
That only really works if there’s no Onerous Contracts. And, well, we all know that’s not the case. And we reckon that King needs to rid “Rangers” of these onerous contracts in order for it to become self financing. From what we’ve read previously, these contracts are “admin-proof” so only a NewNewco could restore the brand to its ‘rightful’ place.
So not paying the £5m might make sense too as that way Ashley takes the blame for forcing an insolvency event. He’s taken the blame for everything else, from King’s failure to secure a NOMAD to the hanging of a painting at the top of the Marble Staircase, so blaming him for another insolvency event would be swallowed hook, link, sinker and copy of Angling Times by The People.
BUT…
That’d mean MASH has everything King needs to start another clumpany. And would King really risk starting over in the bottom tier (or would the clubs accept NewNewCo if there’s no external debtors?). Would MASH kill the cash cow purely on points of principle?
I’ve gotta say no to these musings, which means I must believe they’ll eventually need to work together. But that hardly seems any more plausible than any other scenario…
Long story short, I’ve not idea what’s going on down Ibrox way but, if nothing else, I suppose it’ll keep us amused through the close season!
Blindsummit63 says:
Member: (10 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 4:31 pm
======================================================
“Ignorant” is much too harsh a word for how I was describing the American world view. A lack of worldliness – through lack of passive exposure and active curiosity would be more accurate. As Wittgenstein said “I do not know what I do not know”. It’s more about social norms and what informed, educated people are expected to be conversant with – not about individual openness and intelligence. I should also say I know Americans who are very informed, worldly, intrepid eg travelling the Trans-Siberian Railway long before anyone dreamt the Iron Curtain would come down.
But when the facts are there and you choose to ignore them or build some elaborate facade to distort their meaning because you don’t like them – then that is ignorant.
I have had many comments from Americans about how good my English is it being aSecond language in Scotland and all. Do you have television there? Yes we invented it. We could not live anywhere without our guns to shoot intruders is a common thing.
The follow follow blogerati parallel universe is in full flow today.
They have all the signs of being no more than a cargo cult, There will be no second coming of the King for them however and I think that as was said in Macbeth about one of the murders if it were to be done it would be better to be done quickly for the good of society and sport. It is time for ‘The New Pioneers FC’ to be formed and to work its way to where it can reach -there are precedents South of the border still on their genuine journeys.
There is something liberating to being a supporter of a wee club . The highs are remembered in ways which the lows are not expectations are not massaged to ludicrous levels. There is an honesty there which is clean and refreshing.
Anent full flow pish is a word which should not be bowdlerised it is good Scots onomatpaeia.
OT, but the chat around America reminded me of a time when I was asked why there were no trees in Scotland!
Apparently every photo and film she’d seen were of the lochs and moors etc so she deduced that was because we have no trees.
Seriously.
I dont feel i contribute enough to this portal by way of posting to feel my opinion should be heeded in any decision making process regarding moving the site forward. I do however thoroughly enjoy reading the thoughts of others on here which cut through the nonsense and pr guff spouted daily by the press enabling you to form opinions based on facts not fiction. If it moves to a fee paying site I would still be interested in being a part of it. More power to you and the contributors who hold those supposedly in charge of our national game to account and shine a bright light into the dark corners they would rather remained so.
Good Evening
I see a miracle has occurred! The SPFL has a sponsor lined up! And apparently “The two-year deal, believed to be worth a little over £4m, includes rights across all four leagues and 42 club”. However, I was particularly taken by Mr Doncaster’s upbeat rhetoric in the announcement. Have we ever seen the like before?! If you can bear the agony, I have jotted down a few thoughts about it here…
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2015/05/13/all-aboard-the-sponsor-ship/
Enjoy the rest of the evening.
Just watched a short TV interview of King, courtesy of PMGB, where he says he doesn’t have the money to turn the club around, but is willing to go 50/50 with other investors. He then says it will require north of £20m to turn the club around. This would suggest that King, at that point, was prepared to invest £10m + a bit. Could King’s problem now be that he can’t find the ‘other investors’ with north of £10m to invest to enable him to provide the other £10m+?
We’ve discussed how Ashley does his homework, and knows just how much his rivals, in all his deals, can afford. I’d suspect that a man like Ashley will be able to find out, pretty accurately, just how King, and the 3bears, are getting on with raising the required pennies.
Putting aside the anger that Phil is saying Ashley now feels, could it be that, realising that his rivals have now hit a wall, he has decided he’d better act before the current lot have the chance to make an even bigger mess?
It would appear that Ashley hasn’t yet called in his loan (though he may have and this is just a belt and braces move) and he is trying to get the club/company to repay him through their own volition, with the added benefit of embarrassing those who have angered him. Should his call for an EGM fail, he might well use that as a trigger to call in the loan, having given the club/company a fair opportunity to clear their debt in a less embarrassing way.
I think it is safe to say that one of three things is going to happen within the next few months, or maybe just weeks.
a) King might provide the money – to keep TRFC going, at least.
b) Ashley might regain control and keep TRFC on a life-support machine.
c) RIFC/TRFC go into administration, and the 3bears get stiffed, losing their £3m in unsecured loans, Ashley gets control of all the assets, bar Ibrox, and all the onerous contracts are disclosed (to lay claim to them on a CVA). If no one can come up with sufficient money (King?) to make a successful CVA offer, then it’s liquidation!
Other than someone else out there with money to burn taking King’s place in a) above, I can’t see a fourth possible outcome.
Neil Doncaster going to be ‘live’ in the BBC sport sound studio on 810mw after the news at 6.30pm :slamb: ?
TRFC have given ‘new meaning’ to loads of conventional wisdom e.g… employees will now take Alistairing Leave of employment positions but this latest ‘new meaning’ of describing a meeting as amicable…. when the net result is if you see Kay off and -£5m really does take the marshmallow……
…Kenny MacIntyre asks – why can’t Rangers* just pay the money
and move on !!!!!???? :slamb: :slamb: :slamb: :slamb: :slamb: :slamb:
Evening all.
Just catching up and seen the new blog.I hope fans of other clubs engage with us as the more voices,the better.A big thanks to all the mods,administrators of the site.Without their efforts we wouldn’t be here today.In my own small way,I’ll contribute what I can and together we can hopefully move forward in a positive manner.
WRT the latest reports from Ibrox,I think we now know the reason for the comparitive silence over the past couple of weeks.
Since 29th April the board will have been trying to raise Ashleys money,I think without success.Todays revelations are geared to set Ashley up as the bad guy if the board fail.there’s still no sign of the promised millions from South Africa and I don’t think that many,if any well-off RRM have the stomach for the fight with Ashley.They read the blogs,this one for sure,they hear the rumours wrt the cost of Ibrox repairs,they know the team needs rebuilt.And this is just for starters.They’re all waiting for someone else to be the hero.Court cases aplenty,including possible criminal charges for some are just over the horizon.Battle fatigue has set in.
King was the last throw of the dice.If he doesn’t come across with the readies then it’s Ashley or nothing.
My money’s on Ashley,the local difficulty with the SFA not withstanding.
jimlarkin says:
Member: (273 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 6:36 pm
…Kenny MacIntyre asks – why can’t Rangers* just pay the money
and move on !!!!!???? :slamb: :slamb: :slamb: :slamb: :slamb: :slamb:
—————————
Because even if they had the cash,they’ll still:
Owe RIFC circa £20m
Need £25m to repair Ibrox(quote Mark Guidi CSS)
Owe the 3 Bears £3m?
Still be in hock to Ashley wrt Rangers Retail
Need to rebuild an entire team
Still be burning around £1m or so a month
Polis,etc.
But being a journalist,Kenny McIntyre wouldn’t know this.
jimlarkin says:
…Kenny MacIntyre asks – why can’t Rangers* just pay the money
and move on !!!!!????
least he never said – not pay it at all and move on.
tykebhoy says:
Member: (166 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 12:18 pm
==============================
Well he’s always been a bit lawless so they’ll probably throw the book (sic) at him.
@ModgePKR says:
May 13, 2015 at 5:26 pm
OT, but the chat around America reminded me of a time when I was asked why there were no trees in Scotland!
Apparently every photo and film she’d seen were of the lochs and moors etc so she deduced that was because we have no trees.
—————————————————————
I was in New York once, and an American woman said the same thing to me. I had no idea until I read this post what she (thought she) was talking about!
Seriously.
TheClumpany says:
Member: (14 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 5:58 pm
Another enjoyable. thought provoking and entertaining read, Clumps.
I wonder, though, what has changed in the past year! Ladbrokes have been around football for a while, they know the Scottish game – they make a good bit of their profit from people betting on it. Anything they will get from sponsoring the game over the next two seasons would have been there for them last year too.
The excuse of ‘no Rangers in the top tier’ isn’t necessarily going to change, this or even next time round, in fact they are again showing signs of imploding!
Nearly 12 months ago the Championship promised to be an exciting 3-way battle between 3 of the biggest clubs in Scotland, and was soon to be touted as the best contest in the country, if not the world (but only if TRFC won it).
Yes, Celtic were favourites to win the Premiership, as they had been the season before; but they will be favourites again next season, whether TRFC are in it or not. Hearts and Hibs might make the Premiership a little more attractive to the sponsors, but not that much, and there’s so many negatives around TRFC, and the possible matches with Celtic, that the small possibility of TRFC in the top tier hardly makes such a great difference.
And yet, here we are, with only the slight prospect of a more attractive product to sell, with £2m per season more than we had last season!
Surely a company like Ladbrokes would have paid half that for just one season, or even £5m for three! And remember, those negotiating on behalf of the league now had to get round the problem of trying to sell a product that has failed to get a sponsor for two years, and has been dumbing itself down in the meantime!
From zero to £2m when the only certain change is Hearts in the Premiership in place of St Mirren. Sadly I can’t claim that that makes very much difference to the sellability of Scottish football!
So what am I missing?
Could it be that the men who have proved to be so useless in the main task of their positions have suddenly become geniuses? Maybe! They did get advice from Barry Hearn, after all 🙄
Or is there something that they have been able to guarantee, that sponsors apparently want or demand, that has made up that £2m difference?
Remember, too, that, according to those who know, there have been a fair number of companies in the same ball-park as Ladbrokes, fighting it out. So it’s not just one company that has been convinced that the product has increased in value by an infinite amount!
There really can be only two possible causes for this phenomenon. Either the SPFL sales team didn’t try hard enough, or at all, last year, or TRFC are not that big an attraction to sponsors after all! I think a lot of people at Hampden would prefer to think it’s the former!
They may act like balloons, full of hot air, but maybe people in influential positions are beginning to realise that TRFC are more of a ball-and-chain to the rest of the league, than the provider of the lift-off that Scottish football needs.
jimlarkin says:
Member: (273 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 6:27 pm
Neil Doncaster going to be ‘live’ in the BBC sport sound studio on 810mw after the news at 6.30pm :slamb: ?
===================================================
Transcript of earlier STV interview with ND, and I have to say what looks like a rather unconvincing performance wrt fixture changes/sporting integrity.
http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/hibernian/1320345-neil-doncaster-on-rangers-play-off-pricing-and-last-day-fixtures/?
Neil Doncaster on Sportsound was as unconvincing as a very unconvincing thing on almost every subject he was questioned on. A master of deflection, he left me even more unconvinced of his suitability for the job than I was before the programme began.
Just another wee thought to add to TRFC’s troubles, and perhaps something that has sparked Ashley into looking for his money back.
Newcastle United in are real danger of being relegated. I may be wrong, but doesn’t the lower leagues in England have a similar rule as the SPFL banning dual ownership, even between countries?
If I am correct, I’d expect the FA to take a stronger stance on this than the SFA/SPFL as Newcastle aren’t exactly England’s answer to TRFC (or Rangers), and Mike Ashley isn’t exactly popular with, well anybody!
Whether he’d prefer to own TRFC (ha) or Newcastle, doesn’t make much difference, he can walk away from TRFC whenever he wants, or needs, to. he just has to demand his loan back and sell, or give away, his shares. It could take years for him to sell Newcastle.
If Ashley does have to go, that only leaves King and the 3bears…
Allyjambo says:
Member: (890 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 8:03 pm
Just another wee thought to add to TRFC’s troubles, and perhaps something that has sparked Ashley into looking for his money back.
Newcastle United in are real danger of being relegated. I may be wrong, but doesn’t the lower leagues in England have a similar rule as the SPFL banning dual ownership, even between countries?
If I am correct, I’d expect the FA to take a stronger stance on this than the SFA/SPFL
=================================
Correct re the rule AJ, wrong body though, it’s the EFL not the EFA.
Danish Pastry says:
Blog Writer: (1151 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 7:44 pm
Neil Doncaster on Sportsound was as unconvincing as a very unconvincing thing on almost every subject he was questioned on. A master of deflection, he left me even more unconvinced of his suitability for the job than I was before the programme began.
=======================================
Most puzzling was his assertion that there was never any chance of the two games involving Rangers and Hibs going ahead at different times. That was not the case at the time IIRC. Tom English gave him a commendably hard time from a sporting integrity angle but I’m not so sure what angle Richard Wilson was coming from. If you are reading this Richard why not just say which clubs you think have too much influence on the SPFL and which clubs you would like to have more influence. We can all pretty much guess, but I would just like to say one thing. A club you no doubt think has too much influence was the only club not to get a single post split Saturday fixture, let alone one at 3PM. Go figure!
‘Ultimately’ that was a load of bollocks from Neil Doncaster, and a lot of ‘ultimatelys’! Has he been taking ‘how to sound sincere’ lessons from a gardening friend who ‘absolutely’ uses the same word over and over again in an attempt to sound passionate in his response?
A couple of examples where Raman Bhardwaj asks pretty good questions about the way TRFC (Rangers) conducted themselves over ticket pricing, with more than a hint that they had overstepped the mark in their ‘bullishness’, ‘tone’ and ‘language used’. Does Doncaster think that we are all too stupid to notice he hasn’t even attempted to answer the questions, and why does he start his reply with the word ‘ultimately’? It is completely out of context as ‘ultimately’ would suggest a list of some sort has preceded it’s use, such as: ‘Neil Doncaster said this, he said that, he said quite a lot, but ultimately, he said nothing!’
‘Q: Some people were taken aback by Rangers’ bullishness when they released this statement and said it was “fundamentally wrong” for supporters to be charged for play-off matches. What did you make of the tone of that statement and what they said in that statement?
ND: Ultimately, the board and myself don’t set the rules. The rules of the competition are set up by the member clubs themselves. Those rules were set back in 2013, were agreed to by all member clubs at that time, they were reaffirmed in the last month when member clubs discussed the rules around play-offs.
So those are the rules that the clubs themselves have set. Ultimately, it is open to individual member clubs to come forward with suggestions about different rules, rules that they may deem to be more appropriate.
If the clubs themselves agree then those are the new rules going forward. The role of the board is to monitor and ensure as best it can that the rules set by member clubs are abided by.’
‘Q: Were you taken aback by the language used by Rangers in that statement?
ND: These are passionate areas. I understand that these are issues that people will have different views on. But ultimately, the board’s view can only be ‘what are rules and are clubs living within the rules?’
If the rules are changed at the behest of the clubs then the new rules are what the board will monitor going forward.’
The question, ‘were you taken aback…’ should be answered with ‘yes I was’, or ‘no I wasn’t’ followed with an explanation supporting his answer, not a rehash of an answer to a completely different question.
Sadly, though Bardwaj tried to ask some good questions, that need asking, he made no attempt to force Doncaster to answer them, nor to point out he hadn’t answered them!
On the american side thread running here i believe that only approx 46% of Americans possess a valid passport. I also heard that America only goes to war so its soldiers learn geography
parttimearab says:
Member: (319 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 8:27 pm
Correct re the rule AJ, wrong body though, it’s the EFL not the EFA.
___________________
Poor Newcastle, that mix up would be enough to save them from relegation if they were in the Scottish league…and called Newcastle Rangers 😉
Thanks for putting me right on that 🙂
high beeswax says:
Member: (7 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 6:27 pm
TRFC have given ‘new meaning’ to loads of conventional wisdom e.g… employees will now take Alistairing Leave of employment positions but this latest ‘new meaning’ of describing a meeting as amicable…. when the net result is if you see Kay off and -£5m really does take the marshmallow……
__________________________________________________
To be fair, it WAS fairly amicable, at least by the standards of historical TRFC dealings, where undertones of threat and intimidation – sometime physical – have seldom seemed too far away.
Ask Jim Spence should you want further eleboration on this topic.
As far as we can tell, no one demanded to know where anyone else lived, for instance, and no reception staff were actually assaulted.
So yeah… amicable definitely covers it – by the Ibrox yardstick, at any rate.
Aberdeen FC are the only club in WORLD FOOTBALL with a 100% record versus Real Madrid AND Forfar Athletic.
“Spiers on Sport: Ladbrokes arrive to spare Scottish football’s Teflon Man”
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/opinion/spiers-on-sport-ladbrokes-arrive-to-spare-scottish-football-s-teflon-man.1431523319
=====================================================
I don’t know why Spiers calls Doncaster ‘Teflon Man’ – as though nothing sticks to him.
‘Rhinoceros Hide Man’ might be more accurate: totally impervious to customers’ feedback and expectations.
The Bampots all know what Doncaster has done – and not done – in the past 3 years.
Unacceptably slow when securing a sponsor is well done his list of failings at the SPL / SPFL…
parttimearab says:
Member: (319 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 8:27 pm
Allyjambo says:
Member: (890 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 8:03 pm
Just another wee thought to add to TRFC’s troubles, and perhaps something that has sparked Ashley into looking for his money back.
Newcastle United in are real danger of being relegated. I may be wrong, but doesn’t the lower leagues in England have a similar rule as the SPFL banning dual ownership, even between countries?
If I am correct, I’d expect the FA to take a stronger stance on this than the SFA/SPFL
=================================
Correct re the rule AJ, wrong body though, it’s the EFL not the EFA.
======================================================
http://www.football-league.co.uk/global/section9.aspx
Section 9.
Clause 85.3.1(g)
Is Mike Ashley preparing an exit strategy from RIFC in case the Mags do go down in England?
That would also tie in with his concerns about lack of liquidity in the share market as he would divest himself of the MASH holding in RIFC PLC shares.
That would provide MA with a perfectly valid reason for pursuing his current course of action.
Would the SD commercial contracts fall foul of those regulations though?
Regarding the nest steps, all 4 aims are valuable. I tend to agree with those who advocate small, steady steps. Suggestions above for a database, perhaps in the form of a timeline of events, properly referenced would be a start. This site is, I suspect, a point of reference for fans interested in football governance in Scotland.Many readers will have missed the early days of the events discussed on here and for those of us who have been avid readers since RTC days, a phenomenal memory is now required to recall the details of even the most important events.
The theme of such an archive would, of course, be the governance of Scottish football as a whole, and would centre on the events involving the SFA and SP(F)L. Much would concern “Rangers” past and present, but equally much would involve other clubs, which is important.
This would be an onerous task, but perhaps some on here already have archives that could be contributed. A quick reference point for blurring memory would probably be most useful for regular as well as newer readers.
Perhaps also, but separately, a form of editorial page permanently asking the questions that the media will not ask would be of benefit to visitors from other sites wondering what we are all about.
Links to other fan sites would make it easier for readers on here to see what other fans are saying and may stimulate some traffic. Contact with other fans’ groups will be essential in bringing about any change and the lack of this to date has probably been one factor in allowing the governing bodies to stonewall. If we hope fans from other sites will come here, we should also be informing ourselves about what they are thinking.
The strength of this site is in informing, questioning and providing referenced analysis and reflection. Perhaps one of the next small steps could be providing easily accessed reference material for all, a summary of important questions and easy access to other like minded people or simply the curious.
Lastly I suggest a quiz/competition feature with questions along the lines of:
“When asked why Spartans were thrown out of the Lowland League Cup for listing an improperly registered substitute, what did Sandy Bryson say?”
macfurgly says:
Member: (34 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 10:13 pm
…
Lastly I suggest a quiz/competition feature with questions along the lines of:
“When asked why Spartans were thrown out of the Lowland League Cup for fielding an improperly registered substitute, what did Sandy Bryson say?”
====================================================================
Oh, me, me, me ! I know this one !
Did Bryson say ;
“‘Cos we don’t make exceptions for diddy teams, only for the mighty Glasgow Rangers !”
Did I win a prize ? 😉
I wonder when Mike Ashley – the “aggressive” seeker of his loan repayment – will first be described by Radar and co as a “Requisitioner” with regards to his request for loan repayment and a general meeting?
Suspect from the SMSM it will be a long time before he is so described.
StevieBC says:
Member: (656 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 10:22 pm
————
Sorry, no coconut.
Your answer:
a) is easily understood.
b) may well be truthful.
With regards to Trisidiums point No. 1 “We need to move into the area of gathering news content…” I think at the UTT John Clarke, Easy Jambo and Jean7Brodie ( If I remember correctly) did a splendid job in reporting on the details of that case. The coverage by the SMSM was almost non existent. We have the talent on this site already and I suspect many more in the wings.
4424me says:
Member: (34 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 8:50 pm
On the american side thread running here i believe that only approx 46% of Americans possess a valid passport. I also heard that America only goes to war so its soldiers learn geography
=============================================================================
That’s an Ambrose Bierce witticism from over a hundred years ago.
Some things never change.
Sorry Auldheid et. al., never intended to miss any other great contributors, was just thinking about one reporting issue of a current event at the time.
The Cat NR1 says:
Member: (397 comments)
May 13, 2015 at 10:12 pm
…Would the SD commercial contracts fall foul of those regulations though?
___________________________
I very much doubt it as it could be held to be a normal arrangement between two separate businesses, with the only possible conflict arising if Ashley tries to shift a player from Newcastle to Ibrox in an SD van full of TRFC kit!
The fact that Ashley has been able to screw TRFC is TRFC’s own fault. Besides, regardless of how the SFA/SPFL might view it, they’d get themselves into one unholy legal mess if they tried to stop SD benefitting from a contract legally entered into.
Anyway, goodnight all, it’s been an eventful day after a few weeks of nothing but football and referees to cover…yawn zzzzz
Heard today that King has been FPP’d, and that the announcement is imminent. Not surprised of course. A source told us several months ago that “King being passed as fit and proper was a red line issue for Celtic and other clubs”. How we laughed at the time 🙂
I await the line of SPL chairmen queueing up at the BBC and elsewhere to distance themselves from the latest ritual slaughter of another page in the SFA handbook.
In relative terms, having Dave King as chairman of Rangers is not on the same level as a ten year orgy of rule breaking to gain sporting advantage, so I am fairly relaxed about it. But there is a fundamental dishonesty here which affects us all – and a huge breach of trust which affects mainly fans of TRFC.
I am no lover of Mike Ashley, and I have been dismayed at his custodianship of Newcastle United long before his involvement in the world record longest ever running pantomime; but you don’t have to be a business genius to work out that Ashley, for all his detachment is a far more formidable and resourceful individual than half a dozen Dave Kings.
Had there really been a Rangers love-in at Hampden, King would have been given his marching orders a long while back, giving the SFA a window to engage their brains, and come up with a plausible climb-down on dual ownership. My feeling is that in the long term, the Rangers fans would have thanked them for that. Conversely, they may not ultimately be thanked for delivering King in a very shiny and blemish-free package.
The smoothing of King’s path to the top of the marble staircase, for anyone who has actually conducted an analysis of the situation, is perhaps the most counter-intuitive play yet in this saga.
Of course I may be jumping the gun. Our source may be having us on, but it describes the outcome we have always thought most likley.
Things have gotten dafter and dafter over the last few years, but we haven’t hit rock-bottom deepest-daft just yet. Oh no we haven’t.
If there is such a thing as Karma…
As mentioned above, if King is declared F&P by the SFA – this would be no surprise to the Bampots.
But if King decides that the numbers just don’t stack up – he could retreat/ jet back to South Africa.
And the Ibrox club could be buggered longterm.
Mid-table in the Championship is their level.
Or, eventually liquidation.
Either way, the malignant club in Scottish football is buggered.
But they deserve it, and more prudent, sensible clubs deserve to benefit.
Trisidium says:
Moderator: (191 comments)
May 14, 2015 at 2:29 am
Heard today that King has been FPP’d, and that the announcement is imminent.
=====================================
Well that for me would be the least surprising news of the decade so far. In my opinion that was always going to be the unwritten case the very minute King popped back onto the scene. It’s only three years since Regan and Ogilvie tried to force through a motion to get the new Rangers into the top league, and failing that the league below. Only a tsunami of fan protests stopped that happening, as other club directors feared the backlash. It is unlikely King being declared F & P will cause any sort of backlash. It’s simply what most other fans expect, because it’s what Rangers and their fans want. That doesn’t mean it would be right, but if the SFA had ever wanted to do the right thing there would be no club called Rangers plying its trade in the senior leagues. Just ask anyone who supports Gretna for confirmation of that. Instead we have a club called Rangers who boast they hold all the records of a club that a court consigned to history some time ago. If the SFA are willing to encourage that level of wrongdoing, topping it off by allowing a convicted tax evader to run it all will hardly be a shock.
Morning all. Ascension day ‘bank’ holiday here. Also Cup Final day (sensible 4pm kick off). Went past Parken (now Telia Parken) yesterday and the national stadium and surrounding streets tastefully decorated for the event. Anyhoo, enough of that puff pastry…
Saw a wee reference from @Scotzine last night about the Arveladze transfer many moons ago. It was for 4 x times the amount made public, apparently. Was oldco spending even more on wages & transfers than has been known about until now?
💡
No idea why you’ve liquidated on twitter @Clumps but your newco blogging is prolific. This, from the ‘Spoof’ blog, made me laugh:
Thought this might be of interest I know Wings over Scotland is political but it’s a poll regards the BBC the sport survey was interesting ,by the way whit happened to the go direct to comments button : ). http://wingsoverscotland.com/falling-out-with-auntie/
I have to say, I am most intrigued by this. Why on earth would the old Rangers claim that the transfer fee for Arveladze was a quarter of the actual fee paid?
What possible motivation could there be for this? I suspect there must be some underhand reason for this. Will our intrepid MSM investigate why this was? Will they …
:slamb: :slamb: :slamb:
Rangers’ immediate future is uncertain. It can be defined on Sunday, if they lose to QoS, but if not then Saturday 23 May and if not then, Sunday 31 May. Any of those dates could define whether Rangers are playing in tier one or tier two next season. After that, things will get clearer in terms of money – or insufficient money.