Good Afternoon.
Announcing outstanding financial successes for Rangers PLC the then Chairman of the club opened his Chairman’s report in the annual financial statements with the following words:
“Last summer I explained that the Club, after many years of significant investment in our playing squad
and more recently in our state of the art facility at Murray Park, had embarked on a three year business
plan to stabilise and improve the Club’s finances. The plan also recognised the need to react to the
challenging economic conditions facing football clubs around the world.
Following a trend over a number of years of increasing year on year losses, I am pleased to report that
in the first year of this plan we have made important progress by reversing this trend. Our trading loss
for last year of £11.2m reflects a £7.9m improvement versus the £19.1m loss for the previous year and
although it will take more time to completely reach our goals, this is a key milestone. We also intend to
make significant further progress by the end of the current financial year. This improvement is the
consequence of having a solid strategy and the commitment and energy to implement the changes it requires”
Later on in the same statement the chairman would add:
“Another key part of our plan is associated with the Rangers brand and our Retail Division goes from strength to strength. Our financial results this year have been significantly enhanced by an outstanding performance in merchandising Rangers products, in particular replica kit, which makes our Retail Division one of the most successful in Europe.”
In the same set of financial reports, the CEO would report:
“To further strengthen Rangers hospitality portfolio, a new dedicated sponsor’s lounge was unveiled this season. The Carling Lounge is a first for the Club and was developed in conjunction with our new sponsor, Carling. ”
and
“Our innovative events programme continues to grow and this year saw a record number of official events including the highly successful annual Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony, Player of the Year and 50 Championships Gala Dinner, all of which catered for up to 1000 guests.
At Rangers, we continually develop our portfolio of products and as a key area of income for the Club, we evaluate the market for new revenue opportunities on an ongoing basis in order to exceed our existing and potential customer expectations and needs.
Demand for season tickets reached an all time high last season with a record 42,508 season ticket holders in comparison with the previous season`s figure of 40,320. Over 36,000 of these season ticket holders renewed for this season – a record number.
For the new season, we are delighted to welcome brewing giant, Carling on board as our Official Club sponsor. Carling is one of the UK’s leading consumer brands with a proven track record in football sponsorship.
The Club also continues to work with a number of multinational blue chip brands such as National Car Rental, Sony Playstation 2, Bank of Scotland and Coca-Cola. This year, we will also experience the evolution of the Honda deal via Hyndland Honda and welcome the mobile communications giant T-Mobile to our ranks.”.
The year was 2003 and in the previous 24 months Rangers Football Club, owned and operated as a private fiefdom by Sir David Murray, had made operational losses of some £30 million.
Yes – 30 MILLION POUNDS.
Of course the chairman’s report for 2003 was written by John F Mclelland CBE and the CEO was one Martin Bain Esq.
As Mr Mclelland clearly stated, by 2003 the club already had a trend of increasing year on year losses covering a number of years and was losing annual sums which stretched into millions, if not tens of millions, of pounds.
However, the acquisition of Rangers Football Club was absolutely vital to David Murray’s personal business growth, and his complete control of the club as his own private business key was more important than any other business decision he had made before buying Rangers or since.
When he persuaded Gavin Masterton to finance 100% of the purchase price of the club, Murray had his finest business moment.
By getting control of Rangers, Murray was able to offer entertainment, hospitality, seeming privilege and bestow favour on others in a way that was hitherto undreamed of, and he bestowed that largesse on any number of “existing and potential clients” and contacts – be they the clients and contacts related to Rangers Football Club or the existing and potential clients of David Murray, his businesses, his banks, or anyone in any field that he chose to court for the purposes of potential business.
His business.
It wasn’t only journalists who benefited from the succulent lamb treatment.
Accountants,lawyers, surveyors, broadcasters, football officials, people in industry and construction, utilities, financiers and other areas of business were all invited inside the sacred House of Murray and given access to the great man of business “and owner of Rangers” while attending the “record number of official (hospitality) events”.
Twelve months on from when John McLelland made those statements in the 2003 accounts, David Murray was back in the chair at Ibrox and he presented the 2004 financials.
In the intervening 12 months Rangers had gained an additional £10 million from Champions League income and had received £8.6 million in transfer fees from the sale of Messrs Ferguson, Amoruso and McCann. Not only that, the Rangers board had managed to reduce the club’s wage bill by £5 million. Taking all three figures together comes to some £23.6 million in extra income or savings.
Yet, the accounts for 2004 showed that the club made an operational loss of almost £6 million and overall debt had risen by an additional £7 million to £97.4 million.
However, the 2004 accounts were also interesting for another reason.
Rangers PLC had introduced payments “to employees trusts” into their accounts for the first time in 2001 and in that year they had paid £1million into those trusts. Just three years later, the trust payments recorded in the accounts had risen to £7.3 million per annum — or to put it another way to 25% of the annual wage bill though no one in Scottish Football asked any questions about that!
By the following year, the chairman announced that the 2004 operational loss had in fact been £10.4million but that the good news was that the 2005 operational loss was only £7.8 million. However Rangers were able to post a profit before taxation if they included the money obtained from transfers (£8.4 million) and the inclusion of an extraordinary profit of £14,999,999 made on buying back the shares of a subsidiary company for £1 which they had previously sold for £15 million.
All of which added up to a whopping great profit of ……… £12.4 million!
I will leave you to do the maths on 2005.
Oh and of course these accounts included the detail that 3000 Rangers fans had joined David Murray in participating in the November ’94 share issue where the club managed to raise £51,430,995 in fresh capital most of which was provided by Mr Murray… sorry I mean MIH ….. sorry that should read Bank of Scotland …… or their shareholders……. or should that be the public purse?
The notable items in the 2006 accounts included the announcement of a ten year deal with JJB Sports to take over the merchandising operation of the club and increased revenue from an extended run in the Champion’s League. However, the profit before tax was declared at only£0.1 million in comparison to the £12.4 million of the year before but then again that £12.4 million had included player sales of £8.4 million and the £15 million sweety bonus from the repurchase of ones own former subsidiary shares for £1.
Jumping to 2008 Rangers saw a record year in terms of turnover which had risen to £64.5 million which enabled the company to record a profit on ordinary activities before taxation of £6.57 million although it should be pointed out that wages and bonuses were up at 77% of turnover and that a big factor in the Rangers income stream was corporate hospitality and the top line of income was shown as “gate receipts and hospitality”.
However, 2009 saw a calamitous set of figures. Whilst Alastair Johnston tried to put a brave chairman’s face on it, the year saw an operating loss of £17.325 million which was softened only by player disposals leading to a loss before taxation of a mere £14.085 million.
Fortunately Sir David did not have to report these figures as he chose to stand down as chairman in August and so Johnston stepped in and announced that he was deeply honoured to do so.
In 2010, the income stream jumped from £39.7 million to over £56 million with the result that the club showed a profit before taxation of £4.209 million.
However, by that time the corporate hospitality ticket that was Rangers Football Club was done for as a result of matters that had nothing to do with events on the football field in the main.
First, the emergence of the Fergus McCann run Celtic had brought a real business and sporting challenge. This was something that Murray had not previously faced in the football business.
Second,the Bank of Scotland had gone bust and Lloyds could not and would not allow Murray to continually borrow vast sums of money on the basis of revalued assets and outrageous hospitality.
Third, the UEFA fair play rules came into being and demanded that clubs at least act on a semblance of proper corporate governance and fiscal propriety.
Lastly,Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs tightened up the law on the use of EBT’s which meant that Rangers could no longer afford to buy in the players that brought almost guaranteed success against domestic opposition.
On average, since 2002 Rangers PLC had lost between £7 million – £8 million per year – or roughly £650,000 per month if you like – yet for the better part of a decade David Murray had been able to persuade the Bank of Scotland that this was a business that was worthy of ever greater financial support or that he himself and his MIH business was of such value that the Banks should support him in supporting the Ibrox club whilst operating in this fashion.
Of course, had Murray’s Rangers paid tax on all player remunerations then the losses would have been far larger.
Meanwhile, all the other clubs in Scottish football who banked with the Bank of Scotland faced funding cuts and demands for repayment with the bank publicly proclaiming that it was overexposed to the football market in Scotland.
But no one asked any questions about why the bank should act one way with Murray’s club but another way with all others. No one in football, no one in the media and no one from the world of business.
Looking back,it is hard to imagine a business which has been run on such a consistent loss making basis being allowed to continue by either its owners or by its bankers. However, a successful and funded Rangers was so important to the Murray group that David Murray was clearly willing to lose millions year after year to keep the Gala dinners and corporate hospitality going.
Rangers were Murray’s big PR vehicle and the club was essentially used by him to open the doors which would allow him to make more money elsewhere on a personal basis and if it meant Rangers cutting every corner and accumulating massive losses, unsustainable losses, then so be it.
Today, the new regime at Ibrox run the current business in a way which clocks up the same colossal annual losses whilst the club competes outwith Scotland’s top division. Each day we hear that the wage bill is unsustainable, that the playing staff are overpaid, that the stadium needs massive investment and that the fans are opposed to the stadium itself being mortgaged and the club being in hawk to lenders.
Yet, in the Murray era the Stadium was revalued time and time again and its revaluation was used as the justification for ever greater borrowing on the Rangers accounts. The playing staff were massively overpaid and financially assisted by the EBT’s and most years the Chairman’s annual statement announced huge losses despite regular claims of record season ticket sales, record hospitality income, European income, shirt sponsorship and the outsourcing of all merchandising to JJB sports instead of Sports Direct.
The comparison between the old business and the current one is clear for all to see.
It should be noted, that since the days of Murray, no major banking institution has agreed to provide the Ibrox business with any banking facilities. Not under Whyte, not under Green, not under anyone.
Yet few ask why that should be.
The destruction of the old Rangers business led those in charge of Scottish football to announce that Armageddon was on the horizon if it had not actually arrived, yet today virtually all Scottish clubs are in a better financial and business state than back in the bad old days of the Bank of Scotland financed SPL. Some have succumbed to insolvency, and others have simply cut their cloth, changed their structure, sought, and in some cases attracted, new owners and moved on in terms of business.
In general, Scottish Football has cleaned house at club level.
Now, David Murray has “cleaned house” in that MIH has bitten the dust and walked down insolvency road.
What is interesting is that the Murray brand still has that capacity to get out a good PR message when it needs to. Despite the MIH pension fund being short of money for some inexplicable reason, last week it was announced that the family controlled Murray Estates had approached those in charge of MIH and had agreed to buy some key MIH assets for something in the region of £13.9 million.
The assets concerned are land banks which at some point will be zoned for planning and which will undoubtedly bring the Murray family considerable profit in the future, with some of those assets already looking as if they will produce a return sooner rather than later.
However, what is not commented upon in the mainstream press is the fact that Murray Estates had the ability to pay £13.9 Million for anything at all and that having that amount of money to spend the Murray camp has chosen not to buy any football club down Govan way.
Perhaps, it has been realised that a football club which loses millions of pounds each year is not such a shrewd investment and that the Murray family money would be better spent elsewhere?
Perhaps, it has been realised that the culture of wining, dining, partying and entertaining to the most lavish and extravagant extent will not result in the banks opening their vaults any more?
Perhaps, it has been realised that the Rangers brand has been so badly damaged over the years that it is no longer the key to the golden door in terms of business, finance and banking and that running a football club in 2015 involves a discipline and a set of skills that David Murray and his team do not have experience of?
What is clear, is that the Murray years at Ibrox were not good for the average Rangers fan in the long term and that when you have a football club – any football club – being run for the private benefit of one rich individual, or group of individuals, then the feelings and passions of the ordinary fan will as often as not be forgotten when that individual or his group choose to move on once they have decided that they no longer wish to play with their toy football club.
David Murray did not make money directly out of Rangers Football Club. He used it as a key to open other doors for him and to get him a seat at other tables and into a different type of “club” altogether. He did not run the club in a day to day fashion that was designed to bring stability and prolonged financial, or playing, success to the club. its investors and its fans. He did not preside over Ibrox during a period of sustained financial gain.
Mike Ashley will not subsidise 2015 version of Rangers to anything like the same extent that the Bank of Scotland did in the 90’s and naughties.
However, Ashley, like Murray, will use his control of the Rangers brand to open doors for him elsewhere in the sports retail market, and he will use the Rangers contract with Sports Direct to make a handsome profit. He will also control all the advertising revenue just as he does at Newcastle. In short, Mr Ashley is only interested in The Rangers with a view to using it as a stepping stone to achieve other things elsewhere.
However, don’t take my word for any of this, take the opinion of someone who knows.
Mr Dave King is quoted today as saying the following about the current board of Directors who are in charge of the current Ibrox holding company.
“History will judge this board as one of the worst the club has ever had. There is not one individual who puts the club above personal interest.”
That is an interesting observation from a man who became a non executive director of the old Rangers holding company in 2000 and who had a front row pew for every set of accounts and all the financial statements referred to above.
Whether or not Mr King is a glib and shameless liar is a matter of South African judicial opinion. Whether or not he can spot someone who puts their own self interest ahead of the interests of Rangers Football Club and the supporters of the club is a matter that should be discussed over some fine wine, some succulent lamb and whatever postprandial entertainment you care to imagine.
I wonder if he has ever read the accounts of Rangers PLC and compared them to the corresponding accounts of MIH for the same period?
“We hope to have sight of the match delegate report from Friday night’s Raith Rovers v Rangers SPFL Championship match within the next 24 to 48 hours,”
Whits he doing…. Walkin tae Hampden….?
Going by Doncaster’s logic,If it’s the case that if clubs do everything in their power to stop a certain thing happening, then there should be no fines for flares at the grounds. Or for firing a lighter, or a pie, at someone taking a corner. Are we saying that we cannot take action on these things if a club can say they they have done everything possible? Doncaster, you are the Weakest Link………Goodbye!!!
Christyboy says: February 24, 2015 at 1:30 pm
“We hope to have sight of the match delegate report from Friday night’s Raith Rovers v Rangers SPFL Championship match within the next 24 to 48 hours,”
=========================
The match delegate’s report will already be on its third draft, with suggested rewording from the SPFL Board to include references to a “minority” or “isolated incidents” and the removal of any racist undertones. 🙁
Jambocol1874 says
February 24 2015. @ 1,18 pm
Thanks for your reply.
I knew Rivers had threatened to sell direct to Rangers Fans, but did not know if they carried out the threat. I’m also unsure of the set up in the championship, vis a vis the gate money. Is it split between both teams ?
The Premier division, I know the home team keeps the proceeds, so the away team could be considered a selling agent for the home side.
Cash at the turnstiles is a crowd control problem indeed , and may have a knock on effect for the proposals by some clubs to revert to standing areas.
Doncaster – what does he actually do? Apart from spout absolute drivel. Was he hired as some sort of PR man or what were his qualifications for this role? PR he def doesn’t do.
Just looking at the last expulsion of drivel from the great man:
But he expressed his frustration at the “distasteful, shameful and selfish actions of a mindless minority”.
Please Neil, tell us what number of Scottish football fans equals a minority that is sufficient to cause enough distaste for you to act? 100? 1000? 20,000?
In a statement on Tuesday, Doncaster said he hoped to “have sight of” match delegate Tom Purdie’s report “within the next 24-48 hours”.
Where has it been?? Why does it take so long to draw up and file a report? Jeese, if it took me this long in my job I wouldn’t be in it any longer. That aside, if he hasn’t seen the report his only possible statement shurely should have been – we await the delegates report, until then I cannot comment.
He added: “It remains the SPFL’s position that if it can be established that clubs have done everything required in overall management of the event pre-match, during the game and post-match, then they have no case to answer.
Another pointless comment. What exactly is the qualification “everything possible”? Is that simply whispering “please don’t sing naughty songs”? Is it handing out pamphlets to all or taking out a newspaper advert maybe? I haven’t been aware of TRFC doing anything, nothing public that I am aware of? Surely “everything possible” would include things such as tannoy announcements, senior management on the tannoy pleading, players perhaps going over to the crowd and asking them to stop, players leaving the field of play. Or how’s about this for a novel idea – starting with an apology from TRFC, and them then stating that they are appalled and they are trying to find the culprits so that they can be banned for ever and ever and ever from every TRFC game?
No? Nothing like that forthcoming? Just boardroom blandishments then, that constitutes everything for Mr Doncaster.. ah, ok..
But he also said “the vast majority of decent fans” would “share a strong degree of anger and despair that the good name of Scottish football is once again being dragged through the mud by the distasteful, shameful and selfish actions of a mindless minority who seem hell bent on indulging in outdated and offensive behaviour”.
God yes! I agree with Doncaster! Amazing. Only Mr Doncaster we don’t have any powers other than refusing to pay entry to games. If only there was someone who did have power to stand up for all those “decent football fans” eh? Oh there is? It’s you Mr Doncaster – well isn’t that handy! DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT THEN YOU COMPLETE WASTE OF SPACE!
Doncaster said the league body would work with the clubs and police “to do everything within our powers to act against those involved in such unacceptable conduct and behaviour”.
Go on then! DO it, don’t just make bland noises, bl**dy do it!
But he warned that he would need “the supporters to play their part to help stamp out such behaviour.”
Haha – we are trying, we are complaining to those in charge for a start. Not just you Mr Doncaster, but to club chairmen etc. Do we get any feedback – do we hell. We just get ignored. But you apparently want us to wade in to tackles these neds? You really want that, fights kicking off all over the place? Isn’t that what stadia security allied to Police and members of each and every club are supposed to be doing? Fans can’t do it alone – they can go so far, and often do, but they need the back up from those who have actual power to remove these idiots. In my experience speaking up like that is more likely to result in being told to “sit down, shut up and stop trying to cause trouble”.
Doncaster – I used to sit in Doncaster station on many a Sunday night, waiting for a connecting train home. God it was a cold, souless and depressing place to be. Little did I know years after that particular part of my life that Doncaster would come back and cause me so much despair once again. To think I used to get fed up listening to that old drunk guy singing “ten green bottles” almost every Sunday night, over and over and over and….
edit: just noticed he doesn’t actually say “everything possible” he says everything “required”. The use of the word required just sums up just how pathetically weak the SPFL and SFA really are. Utterly useless. Utterly spineless.
easyJambo, 😉
oddjob says:
February 24, 2015 at 12:46 pm
Today Mr Doncaster refers once more to a `mindless minority`, an old chestnut if ever there was one. Ok the crowd at Starks park was smaller than that at Hampden , so the numbers of people chanting would be less, but perhaps the proportion would be similar.
———————————————————————————————-
I was there and although the singing wasn’t unanimous there was a significant proportion of the The Rangers FC fanbase stood at the back of the stand belting out their tunes. I would estimate it to be roughly a quarter of their fans. The crowd was announced at 4602 btw
——————————————————————————————–
oddjob says:
February 24, 2015 at 12:46 pm
TRFC know to whom they sold tickets for the Raith match, they could take similar action.
———————————————————————————————
Perhaps they don’t as Raith sold tickets themselves for the game because they were worried that they wouldn’t get paid for them later. The club also sold tickets on the night from the office in the main stand. Also, on my way to the game there were a good many The Rangers FC fans trying to sell tickets outside. These obviously came from a bus allocation for fans who subsequently didn’t turn up.
jambocol1874 re: Raith Rovers selling tickets directly to TRFC fans. When I have bought a ticket for the away support end at Kilmarnock and Mothwerwell etc I have completed a form with my name and address on it. I presume Raith Rovers would adopt a similar procedure of recording the purchaser and seat location. Wouldn’t it then be a simple task to pass on this paperwork to the police and/or offending supporters’ club?
Dear Mr Doncaster
If you condone and facilitate repeated law breaking by 100s or 1000s at events the SPFL regulate, are you personally in breach of the law ?
yours
mcfc
Theoldcourse says
February 24 2015 @ 12,46 pm
Thanks for your response, re the numbers. I have also posted above in response to jambocol 1874 about the tickets.
Dear Mr Doncaster
Can you please explain the specific steps TRFC took to prevent sectarian and racist singing that completely satisfy SPFL rules ?
yours
mcfc
The longest journey starts with a single arrest! I thought that things had changed for the better but this recrudescence of bile aimed at my family and myself is depressing. We contribute to Society in substantial ways in voluntary and other work in ways which those who treat me in ways which they will never even understand will never do. Darwin relied on the belief in the superiority of the Scotsman over the Irishman as one of his arguments in the Descent of Man (bowdlerising even more extreme views) and perhaps that is why they believe what they do. I would guess not.
I see Mr Doncaster is once again getting it in the neck for doing his job.
i.e. being the mouthpiece for all his member clubs.
The man (while in my view not up to the job he has) is not the problem.
If as the Bears argue a football club is more than a company and it about all about the supporters, the spirit, the traditions etc then all these men and women sitting in the boardrooms of our clubs are allowing this to happen and are allowing Doncaster to make such public pronouncements.
They are allowing it to happen in our name.
Once again a campaign is required from the fans of other clubs to make their chairmen and women aware that they will not stand for it.
Why is there no reference to racist chants in the Match Delegate`s Report?
Simple really
Racist chanting breaks UK law and is outwith the control of the goats
But
Sectarian chanting only breaks Scottish Law which is under the control of the goats
as the authorities here will not do anything about the rampant racism and sectarianism, can any of the MSM? (we know you read this site)
Is anyone able to contact FIFA?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22728162
GoosyGoosy says:
February 24, 2015 at 2:45 pm
………………But Famine Song IS Racist
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8109359.stm
Dear Mr Doncaster
Can you share the advice given to you by Police Scotland when you asked for their assistenance in preventing repeated mass law breaking ?
yours
mcfc
wottpi says:
February 24, 2015 at 2:44 pm
I see Mr Doncaster is once again getting it in the neck for doing his job.
No, he isn’t doing his job. His job isn’t just to be a mouth peace for the clubs. His job also includes ensuring that all SPFL rules and regulations are adhered to and that any abuse of these regulations is suitably punished.
Even if we assume (and, given the lack of any contrary evidence, I certainly agree with you that this is almost certainly the case) that the clubs are applying pressure on Mr Doncaster to toe the party line on certain issues, he has no excuse for the absolute nonsense that he repeatedly comes away with.
Besides, if he is being forced to make these statements a man that had any self worth, surely would resign rather than being the figure of ridicule, distrust and disgust that he has become.
wottpi says:
February 24, 2015 at 2:44 pm
I see Mr Doncaster is once again getting it in the neck for doing his job.
i.e. being the mouthpiece for all his member clubs.
====================
Sadly true.
The SFA and SPFL are, in reality, simply members’ clubs. If your local golf or tennis or bowling club is unwelcoming to women, gays, or ethnic minorities, or allows them to be openly abused by the members on club premises, do you blame the club secretary, some poor old stick elected by the members and trying to carry out their wishes, or do you blame the members?
Our football clubs (all of them) are entirely to blame. Poor old Doncaster is their creature, they appointed him, and they pay him well for what he does- which is carry out the wishes of the member clubs- to the letter.
TRFC / RIFC talk a great game against sectarianism, but no specifics of steps taken or results acheived. Sir Humphrey would be proud.
http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/rangers/311552-scottish-football-urged-to-apply-stricter-sanctions-for-fan-misbehaviour/
Dear Mr Doncaster
While you wait for the written description of the match official, will you and your team be reviewing all video evidence available.
yours
mcfc
Dear Mr Doncaster
Did you know that police forces in England & Wales have a database of 18,000,000 “mugshots” for automatic face recognition. It shouldn;’t be difficult for Police Scotland to manage 18,000 TRFC season ticket holders.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31105678
yours
mcfc
mcfc says:
February 24, 2015 at 3:12 pm
TRFC / RIFC talk a great game against sectarianism, but no specifics of steps taken or results acheived. Sir Humphrey would be proud.
—————————–
If the pressure on the footballing authorities continues, they may eventually be obliged to act. I foresee a pilot study being set up into the possibility of convening a working party to look into whether a consultative group should be set up to advise the football authorities about such prickly issues. Hopefully, stringent and far-reaching measures will be adopted as a result, which can then be put forward to the clubs as a set of ‘good practice’ suggestions and recommendations. The implementation of such guidelines can then be left up to each individual club, to interpret how best they might meet the proposals and subsequently to monitor their own success. In the fullness of time, of course.
The credibility of the game demands no less Mr Doncaster!
Instead of getting into bed with the Qatar why are we not adopting the UEFA gold standard when it comes to trying to sort out problems on the terracing.
Just a wee reminder what the FA said re strict liability when they adopted it.
…….The new rules would make clubs responsible for fans’ misconduct even if they had taken steps to prevent it.
A source in the FA confirmed that a club could face sanctions even if incidents were “the result of circumstances over which it had no control”.
http://www.farenet.org/news/english-fa-introduces-new-rule-act-fans-discriminatory-conduct/
http://www.kickitout.org/news/football-clubs-to-be-punished-for-abusive-fans/#.VOybqvmsV3U
jambocol1874 says:
February 24, 2015 at 3:04 pm
MCFC 1.15pm
Correct.
Make the 21 point checklist public and
******************
Laugh at it , pour scorn on it, tear it to pieces for its sheer worthlessness ?
Doncaster’s strong words about taking action are nothing but hypocracy from the clubs. Doncaster can’t take any MEANINGFUL action because the clubs don’t want him to and have made sure he has no powers to do so.
1) Doncaster is a lawyer ?
And he is quoted as saying;
“It remains the SPFL’s position that if it can be established that clubs have done everything required in overall management of the event pre-match, during the game and post-match then they have no case to answer…”
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-could-no-case-answer-5219867
Should he not have declined to make any comment whatsoever – pending the outcome of the investigation ?
Could his comments be construed as placing undue pressure on those tasked with the investigation, and thus undermining the whole process ?
I would give very, very short odds that TRFC will be cleared.
2) As mentioned above, I doubt very much that Doncaster is mouthing off unilaterally. He is the voice of the clubs, and IMO is acting in a manner which is acceptable to all the clubs.
Indeed, did he not get a recent pay rise and/or bonus ?
3) The SFA & Qatar ?!
What is the strategic fit there ? 😕
Dreadful decision on many levels by the incompetents at the SFA.
“disRespected and disTrusted to Lead”
Is Stan Collymore the most unexpected campaigner for non-corrupt, non-sectarian Scottish football. Respect!
Stan CollymoreVerified account @StanCollymore
I believe Scottish football admin/football journalism is fundamentally corrupt. And will be prove thus in time. Scots, keep outing them.
Once again to be fair even the worlds’ greatest administrator appears to have been in favour of stict liability.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22853305
The issue seems to be that little has been done by the SFA and now the SPFL since 2013.
As for transparency then why not publish what clubs voted against the proposals.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jim-mccoll-backs-dave-king-5221740
Daily Record Latest Billionaire Alert! Incoming!
This time it’s Jim McColl, who could solve all the problems at Ibrox out of the small change in his back pocket (if he really is a billionaire). But he prefers to be a cheerleader for Goldilocks & Co. You can all pull your own quotes from this latest load of Daily Record guff, but I just ask myself this- if Celtic desperately needed £10m, and I had a personal fortune of over £1000m, would I entrust the future of my beloved Celtic to the likes of Dave King (timmy version, of course), and do some hand wringing from the sidelines, or would I stick the money in myself and actually control events personally? Answers on a postcard, please—
This pantomime is truly getting beyond parody.
neepheid says:
February 24, 2015 at 4:02 pm
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jim-mccoll-backs-dave-king-5221740
Daily Record Latest Billionaire Alert! Incoming!…
=====================================================
Oh no.
This will be translated as: as soon as King wins the EGM and is crowned as Director by the SFA, both King and McColl will personally lavish huge funds on Ibrox – to become the European powerhouse the club really should be… 🙄
The SMSM churnalists must be ecstatic: loads of boll*x PR releases coming their way now to copy/paste…
Apologies to all! It seems I made the fatal error of believing something taught at an early age without question. It wasn’t until I read my post that I thought perhaps I should’ve checked 1st… (maybe I’ve missed my calling & should be joining the SMSM!)
Anyway, I’m unable to contact my primary school teacher to seek clarification due to circumstance but did a bit of digging anyway, which in my job isn’t the easiest thing to do hence the delay! Mindful of BACPACE off I went…
First stop wiki ( 😉 eco!) whereby I began to doubt everything I’d ever been taught by such an enthusiastic teacher 🙁 an alternative to the wiki can be found here:
http://www.aforceforgood.org.uk/precious/anthem1
The ohffi-shal royal website ( 😉 woodstein)
After as much searching as time would allow I’ve made an assumption that my dear old teacher had this chap in mind : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Oswald_%28composer%29
So once more I apologise to all involved and have come to a conclusion, two in fact;
i) Don’t believe everything told to you by those in authority ( :irony: ) as they may be mistaken, although not deliberately trying to mislead ( :irony: :irony: :irony: )
ii) There’s a very good reason I don’t post very often! 😳
Back to the bench for me!
Once again the CEO in charge of the body which runs our game proves to be out of touch.
Not so long ago a man was banned from playing because he may, “On the balance of Probability” have said something racist, which if he did is not to be condoned. But nobody heard it.
How can that be reconciled with openly sectarian and racist chants, which have been heard,and heard “Beyond all reasonable doubt”, by many thousands of listeners.
There is no room for equivocation it was done, it was heard and irrespective of whether or not it is in the match supervisors report, it should be dealt with.
Not to do so is not only cowardly it is immoral and those who run the game should hang their heads in shame if they turn a blind eye to this.
This type of singing has been heard, without exception, in every televised match involving the team from Govan. It must stop now.
As for BT they have behaved in a shameful manner towards Stan Collymore.
The racist chants which are abhorrent and must be dealt with by the SFA/SPFL.
Given that Doncaster and Reagan are employees of our club chairmen it is up to the fans to put pressure on the boards of each club to get this done.
Dear Mr Doncaster
Do you see yourself as a progressive leader guiding your member clubs to a better future, or are you simply an apologist for your memeber clubs’ unwillingness to confront the sectarian and racist element that is holding back Scottish football.
yours
mcfc
Dear Mr Docaster
Do you understand that “strict liability” is not a distant, dreamy aspiration for a future decade, it is an absolute minimum to enact your fine words on sectarianism and racism in order to produce a TV offering that is acceptable outside Scotland.
yours
mcfc
More Self Harming on the Way
Do you believe that Dave King is the right man to lead a new regime at Ibrox?
Yes: 82.2%
No: 17.5%
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jim-mccoll-backs-dave-king-5221740
Slightly OT, but today it was reported that the renowned lawyer Joe Beltrami has passed away.
The Scotsman article reported that he set up on his own as he couldn’t get a trainee position in Glasgow
http://www.scotsman.com/news/scotland/top-stories/joe-beltrami-famed-criminal-lawyer-dies-aged-83-1-3699861
Looks like the Sandy Easdale voting block is about to break up or sell up.
https://www.therst.co.uk/news/rst-purchase-450k-shares-from-beaufort-nominees/
Hoopy 7 says:
February 24, 2015 at 5:04 pm
In the Tonev case someone claims they did hear the racist remark. Shay Logan!!
Doncaster is fully in touch with the people who employ him and to be fair that is all he needs to be until the fans put pressure on the clubs to do something about it.
No one is denying the chants occurred, just that the current rules do not allow the footballing authorities to do anything about it, if it is found both Raith and T’Rangers took all the necessary steps.
Why the Police didn’t step in is another question.
At times I am ashamed to be a member of such a tawdry and sordid little nation where some of our citizens including club owners appear to be unwilling to move into the 21st century.
Dear Mr Doncaster
You do understand that employers now research candidates online, Do you think your potential employers will be impressed by your leadership on recent issues? Google “neil doncaster” to see your CV.
yours
mcfc
As if the shame of seeing/hearing TRFC fans chanting racist, sectarian abuse in their droves for all to witness (a small minority of almost their ENTIRE away support), the SPFL heaps further shame on all of us by effectively permitting their continued disgraceful behavior.
THIS is the real Armageddon of Scottish football. If severe action is not taken against the club/company/entity these ‘fans’ belong to, then that’s it for me and many more with Scottish football I’m afraid.
No trust, no integrity, no ethics, no morals and no inclination to raise a finger against the blight of our game.
Game over man, game over!
Is there a TSFMer in the Leeds area who could transcribe this edition of Pointless?
Neil Doncaster
Chief Executive
Scottish Professional Football League
‘Crisis Management in Football’
Event date: Mar 18 2015 17:30 to 20:00
Leeds University Business School, Lecture Theatre G.02
http://business.leeds.ac.uk/news-events/item/articles/2015/March/ft-masterclass-lecture-with-neil-doncaster-scottish-professional-football-league/
Surely the SFa rush to become best pals with Quatar FA and all their dosh sloshing about is to tell them all about the worship awaiting them if they would only send someone over to take control of the famous club with 500m fans worldwide.
As Stark park the away fans chanted “we sing what we want” and they did because they can. History tells us this club’s culture which I am sad to say IMO is part of Scotland’s fabric. If not why has it not been addressed.
Well BT Sport might want to fire people for telling the truth
But TSFM certainly don`t
How about asking Stan to contribute a piece of his choice on Scottish football?
Over to you TSFM
Dear Mr Doncaster
If you want to earn like the EPL, you have to act like the EPL. For an example of where you are going wrong Google: chelsea racism
yours
mcfc
Auldheid says:
February 24, 2015 at 12:26 pm
———————————–
Thanks for the update Auldheid. Seems the SFA will have some sort of wriggle room, as I can’t see them admitting any wrongdoing no matter what.
No punishment because the club have “done all they can” to prevent the sectarianism.
Yes Neil…
Would this – by any chance – be measured using the same yardstick by which you determined that you yourself have ‘done all you can’ to attract a league sponsor, Mr Doncaster!?
Just askin’… !?
Mind no one trips up over where you have set the bar on standards, there Neil.
Just watched Reporting Scotland. Question…Why is the topic of sectarian singing from Sevco supporters reported in the ‘sport’ section as opposed to the main body of the news headlines? Another example of the BBC’s attempts to minimise the issue.
Paddy Turner says:
February 24, 2015 at 11:37 am
Morning;
Any background on the King of Castlemilk as to where he earned his wealth……I read that he worked with Weirs of Cathcart.
Also read (don’t ask me where) that he was a CA…..makes you wonder what his training was that he was posted to SA.
Paddy T
=================================================================
Paddy T….like you I read that he did indeed work at Weirs of Cathcart.
However, I would love to know where you read that he was a CA…he is certainly not registered as a member of ICAS since I have just spent some time checking online…however the most prominent South African accountancy qualification also carries the designatory “CA” letters…but I have no way of checking their membership records online.
PS…shudder the thought of yet another CA involved in this financial omnishambles… 😯 😯 😯 😯 😯
Deary me,I think there is a real and present danger about to hit Govan,after reading the Glasgow evening times tonight and the growing support of Kings proposals,can anyone advise what these are,in full,the lamb seems to be on the slow cooker for the feast that will be forth coming ,then Phil pops up and cuts the supply off to the cooker,very interesting piece Phil,looks to me if the cooker was left on the lid would have blown off anyway,if what you are saying is only part of the
future the end result for the contenders is ,dare I say it,Armageddon for the msm,the Bears will not take kindly to anyone left employed in this industry in Scotland
jambocol1874 says:
February 24, 2015 at 6:26 pm
From Michael grant’s piece yesterday only 5% (1 maybe 2 out of 42) of the clubs voted for Uefa style punishments and clubs to be responsible for fan behaviour.
Now I’m sure 1 random punter at say East Fife makes a racist comment will not lead to an instant ground closure, you have to wonder what has been said behind closed doors towards notably the smaller clubs.
==================================
I suspect that the smaller clubs will have taken the view that strict liability will put them at risk of fines and may feel they’d be putting themselves at risk over a solution to other clubs problems ❓
I say “suspect” and “may feel” as we have no idea who voted which way let alone why….can’t help but wonder how the voting would go if voting details were public and clubs had to justify their position…
Neepheid
Wasn’t there a Weirs connection with Jim McColl in the past?
Whilst we have clowns in charge of our game, we should forget about introducing alcohol. Once they leave, we can rebuild our football into a product that people want to invest in and sponsor.
A No to sectarianism rule would be followed up by points deductions and closed doors leading to relegation.
What was the point in the police learning the words of the songs if no action was ever going to be taken ?
MaBaw says:
February 24, 2015 at 7:23 pm
“What was the point in the police learning the words of the songs if no action was ever going to be taken” ?
So they could sing along?
King did work for Weirs before being transferred over to SA,where he quickly became involved in a new venture in buying up stricken companies ala Whyte,small world but big business,I don’t know what the SA term for spiv is but I am sure it means the same,also Jim MaColl also was employed by Weirs before heading up an employee buy out and subsequently selling on to the American market pocketing wealth of the radar,this really is a small world.
Tom English wrote an article which included the info that DK was a CA in October 2009.
This site won’t let me post a link for some reason, but it’s easily google-able.
BTW, what degree did he get at Glasgow? Accountancy or something else?
causaludendi says:
February 24, 2015 at 5:04 pm
Apologies to all! It seems I made the fatal error of believing something taught at an early age without question. It wasn’t until I read my post that I thought perhaps I should’ve checked 1st…
———
No one cares who wrote GStQ. That all became unnecessarily convoluted. 😮
Isn’t the blog wonderfully uncluttered today? A pleasure reading input from so many diverse posters.
helpmaboab says:
February 24, 2015 at 7:19 pm
Essex
CA = Complete A**e
=================================================================================
Thank you.
MaBaw says:
February 24, 2015 at 7:23 pm
Whilst we have clowns in charge of our game, we should forget about introducing alcohol. Once they leave, we can rebuild our football into a product that people want to invest in and sponsor…
====================================
It is a hobby horse of mine re: sponsors.
If Scottish football is to always aspire ‘to do the right thing’, then there should be ethical decision making wrt attracting appropriate sponsors.
IMO, and especially to set a good example to the youngsters, sponsorship from fast food chains or confectioners is not a good fit with a healthy sport. Neither is sponsorship from betting or brewers.
Agreed, you can’t always guarantee that a sponsor will always be ethical itself, [e.g. sponsorship from high street banks 😯 ], but the authorities should at least try.
The SPFL does at least have the ‘Petrofac Training Cup’ sponsored by an oil services company.
The SFA does have e.g. adidas, Tesco, specsavers etc.
It might be more difficult to achieve, but would the authorities simply accept any sponsor if they offered enough cash ? E.g. from Wonga, The Sun, Buckfast, etc. 😈
Looks like the SPFL have decided that the best way to stave off Armageddon is to dig up the corpse of the Texaco cup….
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31611760
RIP I say.
helpmaboab says:
February 24, 2015 at 7:23 pm
Neepheid
Wasn’t there a Weirs connection with Jim McColl in the past?
======================
Yes, this is from his Wiki entry-
Doncaster’s latest statement has got me thinking.
When the RFC tumbled into Administration I soon formed the opinion that Doncaster and Regan had been hand picked to perform certain duties in their posts. That they were outsiders was perfect for those within the Hampden bunker. They could be shown graphs, crowd statistics, videos of big European nights and championship days; who would doubt that the incumbents of Ibrox would not be required in the top tier of Scottish football?
The fact that this success was funded by the tax payer, through an insolvent bank, is neither here nor there. Now if the two ‘outsiders’ had been shown videos of the early eighties, where there were huge gaps in the stadium and a distinct lack of success, would they have formed a different view?
In my opinion from day one Doncaster and Regan have be spun a tale and the sporting ethos, as well as integrity, has been wantonly disregarded.
That was all well and good in the beginning however these two guys have had plenty of time to bring themselves up to speed but no they have become as greedy as two aging politicians. They have been rewarded for their previous actions with two plum roles in the new setup. They know what the score is now. They are in too deep. I think even they know that anyone with a shred of decency looking at this spectacle would have a long list of questions to ask them.
They may have arrived as convenient patsy’s but they became part of the problem a long time ago.
essexbeancounter says:
February 24, 2015 at 7:45 pm
Jings, I thought I was occasionally a bit rough with the accountants
StevieBC says:
February 24, 2015 at 7:54 pm
Stevie, Hampden is an ethical free zone, as the partnership with Quatar demonstrates. Until that changes, which will require the removal of all the current board members, nowt is going to change. If fans do want change, then they are going to have to start repeatedly kicking their own clubs in the financial balls, until the club boards get the message, and they in turn transfer the pain to the men in Hampden Grey.
SPFL / SFA have missed a trick , they could have had the clubs put a message (an ad, if you will )on the shirts, along the lines of if you wish to sponsor this league or cup competition call this number, bit of a joke I know but then again so are the aforementioned organisations
A quick look on Rangersmedia re the Songs debate . The consensus of opinion appears to be that The Billy Boys is “officially” back ! Who can argue with that ?
So just to summarise , anyone waiting for Rangers to be charged with Sectarian anything will have a very very long wait.
Raith Rovers ground under protection , zilch repercussion on Rangers , let’s be frank all the other clubs will never vote for sectarian sanctions due to the copious amount of ‘even -ing up’ needed and for Celtic to vote for it , the directors may as we’ll just quadruple the budget for legal fees due to peculiar twist on sectarian songs in this part of the world, the club would be in permanent legal disputes.
I find it best to laugh at the mix of ‘well heeled 90 bigots’ and ‘uneducated morons’ which spout the garbage , a gentle snigger at every point dropped ; works for me, I am in the nothing will ever be done camp.
On the Qatar special relationship, its with great regret, that in the light of James’ piece from Jan 15th,
http://www.onfieldsofgreen.com/friends-in-low-places/
I have to award the credit for this “triumph” to Mr Lawwell.
There is clearly something wrong with the moral compass at Celtic Park. This old firm is no stranger to the Clyde and might be able to help
http://www.kelvinhughes.com/marine/world-service/compass-adjustment
EKBhoy says:
February 24, 2015 at 10:09 pm
I find it best to laugh at the mix of ‘well heeled 90 bigots’ and ‘uneducated morons’ which spout the garbage , a gentle snigger at every point dropped ; works for me, I am in the nothing will ever be done camp.
==================================
I am not holding my breath either, that could well be a fatal strategy. Laws are passed, laws are broken, no consequences follow. That is absolutely destructive of public life in this country. All respect for the rule of law is destroyed, the police become a laughing stock, and parliament makes itself a laughing stock.
It would be much, much better if parliaments did not pass laws that they are either unwilling or unable to enforce. Now we have a section of society who have had it confirmed absolutely that they are entirely above the law, as if their sense of supremacy wasn’t bloated enough already.
No statement from the Board at Ibrox, Doncaster wringing his hands before washing them, the police doing nothing, the broadcaster sacking someone who has the temerity to mention that there is a problem, politicians all afraid to speak, and the wonderful Scottish press pretending that it’s not just an Ibrox problem, one’s as bad as the other, all their usual pash—-.
The Ibrox fans are certainly correct. They can sing the Billy Boys or whatever else they fancy until their lungs burst. They now have absolute licence to do whatever they like in this sad little corner of Europe. Just get them back to the top as soon as possible, let them disgrace their country around Europe once again, and all will be right with the world. That is Scotland today. Shameful doesn’t even begin to describe it, but I am ashamed, deeply, deeply ashamed, to have my country dragged through the dirt like this. An utter disgrace.
I do hope that some of Celtic’s more reactionary fans don’t take this abrogation of responsibility by the SFA as a green light, no pun intended, to blow the dust off our own proscribed songbook…
jockybhoy, the authorities would just love to hear celtic resort to the old song book, theres glory and much money to be made on the back of hate and of course the biggest game on the planet,[yawn]. , it would also take the heat off of the sevcovians and the SEVCO FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION,you could almost hear the sigh of relief if such a thing happened coming from the sfa bunkers.
it seems we are at the stage where you could sing the most outrageous like in favour of lee rigbys killers, or in support of boko haram,or how about gary glitter.how sad is that. it wont change a damn thing. only the fans can make the changes,unfortunately most fans need to be backed right into a corner before they react.where do we go from here?. a breakaway league anyone?.how do you go about shepherding the fans into such a corner,i think we are going to need a bigger collie dog.
jockybhoy says:
February 24, 2015 at 10:44 pm
I do hope that some of Celtic’s more reactionary fans don’t take this abrogation of responsibility by the SFA as a green light, no pun intended, to blow the dust off our own proscribed songbook…
*****************************
Every chance that this is exactly what will happen!
I was at the LCSF recently and had decided not to share the experience on here. It was, without a doubt, my worst day ever at a match. Even though my team won!
Up until the last minute I hadn’t decided whether or not to go but, off I went. From the start it was a trip back in time. Herded like cattle. No-go areas around town.
Instead of anticipation it was a sense of almost dread that was the prevailing feeling.
Into Hampden and from that 1st minute until I left on the hour mark, non stop bile. I also knew that nothing would be done about it!
Over the years I reckon I have attended around 30-40 such matches but never again. This was the worst ever.
I have also heard the sentiment recently that TBB is back … ‘offishully’ ….. and as long as this attitude is allowed to persist it will be belted out with impunity. And this will, in my opinion, encourage a retaliatory repertoire to be aired. There is only one place this is headed and I for one will not be around when the wheel fa’s aff the barra.
I am now at a juncture where I am considering my active participation in Scottish Football. And you know what? It’s looking like an easy decision to make. I may be back, who knows.
As an aside, at the LCF a couple of years ago when TBB was roared out, again with impunity, I met Jim Murphy, Labour’s new top man. Jim, if you are looking in, you know something has to be done. Give Stan Collymore a bell, see if you can work something out.
So the question I have is…
As a civilian…who do I take to court?
BT Sport for presenting a programme that was both racist and sectarian and will continue to do so on a regular basis.
The SFA for failing to prevent or stop a weekly racist and sectarian songfest at a sporting football event I have paid to attend? The SFA who are responsible for all senior football and what takes place inside the registered grounds of those clubs the governing body is responsible for?
TRFC for failling to prevent its own supporters from subjecting me to a constant stream of racist and sectarian songs and comments to an event I paid for without any pre-warning I may be exposed to such behaviour?
UEFA for allowing one of its member associations to ignore and allow regular racist and sectarian behaviour to take place during one of its own sanctioned competitions.
If none of the above…then Scotland really has become 1930’s Alabama…
For those who refuse to take action against racism are by their actions condoning racism and must therefore be considered a supporter of racism!
By now it should becoming apparent to all and sundry that nothing will change unless football fans act.
– En masse – just don’t turn up – it’ll take two/three weekends to get a result, and with the spare time write to your MSPs demanding action.
It’s time for us to stop being victims and to start exercising some control. And please, none of this “It’ll hurt the club I love.” pash – what are they doing to resolve this? Nothing, sweet FA (SFA) – and that says it all.
Disgruntled or what 👿
Don’t know if mentioned previously, but below is the introduction to the “Fans’ Charter”, as produced by the SFA. A waste of time then Darryl ?
“VISION FOR SCOTTISH FOOTBALL
Attending a football match should be a safe and enjoyable experience which is open to everyone in the community to attend.
This vision will be achieved by supporters, clubs and authorities working in partnership…”
http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_football.cfm?page=3441
If the club cannot be punished then it stands to reason the SFA has the responsibility to prevent the identified group from attending similar events…either by playing behind closed doors or witholding away tickets…
Within 2 games it will stop…that is how easy it is…unless of course you support racism.
essexb, whatever about Tom English, the RangersMedia still has a lengthy quote from a piece in the Evening Times headed ‘Who is Dave King’. the link to the Times just says the resource is no longer available.
The piece on RM ontains the following :
“…..his struggles in early life provided him with the sense of values (his old man was a polis!) and sacrifice that enabled him to graduate from Glasgow University to the institute of Chartered Accountants.”
Not quite sure what that actually means. Does one graduate to the Institute from Uni,or graduate from the Institute? Or is it the case that King dropped out of Uni, and then later dropped out of studying accountancy,without graduating as a qualified CA?
In other words, is the writer deliberatdly fudging in order to deceive people into believing that King is a qjualified accountant?