It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.
Albert Einstein
The recent flurries of activity regarding the mis-governance of the Scottish Football authorities gave us some hope that perhaps the dam was about to be breached. Sadly, this has not proved to be the case. The independent TOG report, which highlighted the deeply flawed nature of the LNS inquiry and drew attention to the anomalous activities of the SFA in awarding Rangers FC a European competition licence in 2011, moved the discussion beyond the shores of Scotland. Subsequently, a letter from UEFA to lawyers representing Celtic shareholders reportedly confirmed that the licence had been awarded in contravention of the rules and protocols of the competition.
The TOG report concluded that there was a prima facie case suggesting that LNS had been misled, or misinformed. It suggested that Nimmo Smith may have been misled by SFA President Campbell Ogilvie when he gave evidence about the EBTs in operation at Ibrox, and that the SFA were unable or unwilling to ensure fair play in the game in Scotland. With respect to sanctions, LNS concluded that all EBTs were lawful and open to other clubs. This was of course factually incorrect, since despite the suspicious and comical FUBAR of the last-minute change to the terms of reference designed to exclude DOS EBTs, LNS still had sight of them.
The facts are pretty damning for the authorities. Rules were dispensed with over the licence issue, during which there appeared to be a curious request (to Rangers!) by the Chief Executive of the SFA for ‘permission’ to explain the SFA decision. On the SPFL side, terms of reference mentioned above were altered at the onset of the LNS inquiry to allow LNS to exclude the DOS EBTs, a strong indication that LNS was not only misled, but that he was deliberately led to the conclusion that the authorities desired.
The facts are there. So too is a very strong suspicion that evidence was falsified, and that erroneous conclusions were arrived at. The SFA/SPFL/MSM response? Silence. The same people who hold up their hands in horror at the IOC’s decision not to impose a blanket ban on Russia for alleged state-sponsored doping COMPLETELY ignore the cover up by our own authorities in the matter of systematic cheating and financial doping on our own doorstep.
The SFA, SPFL, the clubs, and their little helpers in the press are happy to sit by and enable cheating. Why? Because they see it as in their own interests?
If so. it must be personal self interest. What began as an understandable fear that tens of thousands of paying customers would be lost to the game has evolved into a trousers-at-the-ankles, Rixian farce of a cover-up.
There has been not one sentence of coherent rebuttal received from any of the above constituencies. Neither the SFA, the SPFL, the media, nor the clubs have even attempted to give us any justification for what went on.
The SFA are so rudderless and devoid of purpose that the Chief Executive feels justified in telling a group of people that he wouldn’t be motivated to do anything in response to systematic cheating, and an unremarkable former journalist turned PR operative can exclaim in a perfect study of un-self awareness, “I AM THE SFA!!” – whilst the President of that body smiles in senile obeisance, or childlike ignorance.
Yet those who present facts and ask serious questions about their behaviour are portrayed as bampots? If you weren’t a witness to this stuff as it happens, you would scarcely believe it.
There has been not one sentence of coherent rebuttal received from any of the above constituencies. Neither the SFA, the SPFL, the media, nor the clubs have even attempted to give us any justification for what went on.
Celtic have been (somewhat unfairly on occasion) on the wrong end of criticism from those of us who see the honesty of the game as paramount. They are only one club in a host of clubs whose interests have been crapped on by the failure of governance in the game in Scotland – and yet have done nothing to demonstrate their distaste for the rulebreaking.
David Murray may well have started this, but he fled the scene and lost his influence at Hampden long before the finish. Consequently, the clubs have failed the fans – wilfully so.
The Celtic issue though is more complicated. Unfortunately for them, they have a larger, and commensurately more powerful support than most – and that power was exercised by a group of their own shareholders who sought their own path to truth and justice. The fact that those shareholders gathered compelling evidence of wrongdoing at the SFA, took the trouble to set up official communications with the club, and that they then passed on their concerns along with that compelling evidence – certainly compelling enough to UEFA it seems – speaks volumes for their determination.
Our clubs are just not as invested in sporting integrity as the rest of us
That put Celtic in an uncomfortable place, but the fact that not one word of substance has emanated from them in support of those shareholders – despite the words of encouragement they may or may not have issued privately to the guys who took up the cause on the club’s behalf – is a plain enough message that they like their fellow clubs are just not as invested in sporting integrity as the rest of us.
My wholehearted and comprehensive contempt though is not reserved just for Celtic, despite the moral deficiency which has seen them ignore the excellent efforts of their shareholders to compel them to do the right thing.
My contempt is applied equally and liberally among all the clubs, for they are most deserving of it. We needn’t feel betrayed by the lackeys who run the SFA and SPFL. They do the bidding of the clubs – and the clubs alone.
Nor should we see the media as chief villains. The same media routinely print untruths and misinformation on a daily basis to deliberately mislead us on far more important issues than football. Hardly a betrayal from them – just western democracy.
The clubs tell us that ‘we are all in this together’, but in reality their real attitude is ‘us and them’
Hampden Towers
©Reganco
But that is the game they are playing. Playing for time. Time that they hope will cloud the issue, to make it recede as a morning mist, and disappear completely in time for a free business lunch – business as usual.
Like Einstein says, being ready to spend a little more time on a problem pays dividends. Those with the wind of truth behind them don’t have to be particularly clever. They do have to be willing to spend as much time as necessary on the problem, and let the wind take them to where they need to be.
And they will get there, because those vested interests that deny the truth have (as we have shown) NOTHING to say. It is only a matter of time and patience – and staying on the problem.
It needn’t get nasty, it needn’t become abusive, it needn’t become complicated – but it might well get loud.
I’ve just tuned in to Radio 4, which is doing a programme about the 50th anniversary(tomorrow) of the 1966 World cup. And of course, what do I bloody well hear? The use of ‘Britain’ as meaning ‘England’ . God Almighty, they have no bloody idea of their own arrogance!
Not many things really get to me, but that English ‘imperialism’ which is exhibited by every stratum of ‘English’ society from the Royal family down to the Billingsgate fish porter and all ranks in between, to whom we are ‘Jocks’ or ‘Taffies’ or ‘Paddies’, or the ‘celtic fringe’ , really gets my goat.
They really seem to have no idea that we are not English, and that we have no desire to be English. Or that most of us would actually fail the almost ‘master race’ Norman Tebbit and the current ‘immigrant’ test because we don’t give a tuppenny toss about cricket or the feckin ‘ashes’ or morris dancing and warm bloody beer!
Getting back to the local scene, have a decko at this
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/sfa-reach-betting-integrity-agreement-with-william-hill-1-4189478
“These two memorandum of understandings will help safeguard the integrity of football in both England and Scotland, and we are firmly committed to working closely with both FA’s to ensure our beautiful game isn’t sullied.”
Peter McLaughlin, Security and Integrity Officer at the SFA said: “The Scottish FA is committed to keeping the national game clean in the face of the growing global challenges of match-fixing and other integrity related issues”
How utterly hollow those grand words sound! How Orwellian ‘newspeak’!
How false and hypocritical!
How dare they come out with that canting nonsense, when they themselves have so patently abandoned any notion of ‘integrity’.
You know, envy is a terrible thing!
There am I this morning in Court 7 at the High Court in Glasgow, with my wee notebook and pen, scribbling away like mad, and beside me was a sharp-suited chappie, laptop on his lap(where else!) effortlessly keyboarding away, word for word like the people you see in American court room dramas!
And , curiously, the Press folk were directed into the well of the court, where they had no glass partition in front of them, as we had . ( I must look into this notion that the ‘press’ should be given greater access to court proceedings than joe public. It’s absurd that press barons and their minions should be regarded as a special breed, as if they represented an honest and impartial, non-partisan element in the body politic!)
And there were at least 8 people in the public benches apart from eJ and me, who were taking notes.
There has never been that number of folk taking notes at any of the Tax Tribunal or Court thingymijigs that I’ve attended.
(And, I have to say,today I took a private moment or two to reflect that in 1984, my brother and I went into the building, beside the High Court, that used to be the mortuary, to identify the body of our dad, Guardsman, ‘S’ Company Scots Guards,grievously wounded on Monte Piccolo, after one week cheek by jowl with the enemy in the streets of Cassino.)
John ClarkJuly 29, 2016 at 23:57
Getting back to the local scene, have a decko at this
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/sfa-reach-betting-integrity-agreement-with-william-hill-1-4189478
“These two memorandum of understandings will help safeguard the integrity of football in both England and Scotland, and we are firmly committed to working closely with both FA’s to ensure our beautiful game isn’t sullied.”Peter McLaughlin, Security and Integrity Officer at the SFA said: “The Scottish FA is committed to keeping the national game clean in the face of the growing global challenges of match-fixing and other integrity related issues”
How utterly hollow those grand words sound! How Orwellian ‘newspeak’!How false and hypocritical! How dare they come out with that canting nonsense, when they themselves have so patently abandoned any notion of ‘integrity’.
_____________________________________
And what a wonderful thing that must be to have, John, that lack of self-awareness! To be able to show that level of hypocrisy, and not flinch, to be able to carry on regardless, despite the fact that everyone knows you are a hypocrite, must be a great aid in that climb to the top while sh@tting on those honest people below! Institutionalised lying, or as some might call it, ‘Thatcherism’!
There have always been cheats and liars who made it all the way to the top, but Thatcherism turned it into something ‘noble’! So noble, they gave out knighthoods for it…
I see there was some comment earlier in Jock Stein being recognised for an awards, such as a knighthood.
The files released by the National Archive under an FOI request are revealing as it the original demand that the files should not be released until 2031!
There’s a fair amount of reading but the Civil Service speak is quite revealing and very Sir Humphrey like.
Make of the files and the decision/thought process witching Governement at the time what you will.
http://www.nas.gov.uk/about/070629new.asp
Is it really that big a deal if an English person says “Britain” when technically it is England they are referring to? With all that’s going on in the world is that really what’s bothering you?
Also, as other posters have noted, I’m a wee bit perturbed at this now turning in to a politics forum. the TSFM twitter account seems to be regularly tweeting about politics and now we have a post about Norman Tebbit’s stance on immigration and citizenship!
What on earth has this got to do with the governance of Scottish football?
You seem to be doing that thing that a lot of people do and just blindly assuming that everyone in the room agrees with you. Well they dont!
If this is a forum to discuss football and politics then fine, have at it but can we have some clarification on that first of all.
Charlie
I hardly think that a few remarks like those JC made turns this into a politics forum. The SFM twitter account is not replicated on this blog either, so does not impact on discussion on these pages. There is very little political discussion in our normal discourse – but I don’t think making it a politics-free zone makes any sense either. Also from my perspective it is rather naive to think that our issue is apolitical.
The first part of you post is fair comment, but as for the rest of it, let the mods do their job. As ever, SFM relies on folk having trust in the moderation. There is a comment moderation thread for those who have issues with it. If you still have issues, please post there.
Darren Cooney of the DR not a happy chappie about the ‘half & half’ Celtic/ Barca. shirts being spotted around Dublin.
“WE’VE all seen those half-and-half scarves: a total and utter affront to football.
Well hold on to your hats because something far worse has just been unleashed on to the football world. Without resorting to hyperbole it’s evil. Truly evil.
Because ahead of Celtic v Barcelona in Dublin, fans have been spotted wearing half-and-half tops.
Yes, half Celtic, half Barcelona. And they look ridiculous and revolting.”
That’s not resorting to hyperbole?
You have to laugh.
Charlie_KellyJuly 30, 2016 at 12:25
Is it really that big a deal if an English person says “Britain” when technically it is England they are referring to? With all that’s going on in the world is that really what’s bothering you? Also, as other posters have noted, I’m a wee bit perturbed at this now turning in to a politics forum. the TSFM twitter account seems to be regularly tweeting about politics and now we have a post about Norman Tebbit’s stance on immigration and citizenship! What on earth has this got to do with the governance of Scottish football? You seem to be doing that thing that a lot of people do and just blindly assuming that everyone in the room agrees with you. Well they dont! If this is a forum to discuss football and politics then fine, have at it but can we have some clarification on that first of all.
________________________
I think you will be aware that there has been much made on SFM of the connection between ‘Rangers’ and the governors of our game, and that the Ibrox clubs have been aligned to a particular political mind-set for longer than any of us have been alive. There is also a rather confused part of that mind-set that sees a great many people of the ‘Rangers’ persuasion identifying with all things ‘English’ rather than their actual birthplace and Scottish ancestry. If we add in their affinity with a certain section of Northern Ireland, then politics plays a very large part in the Scottish football scene. If Scottish football was free of politics, it would be in a much happier, and healthier, place.
I live in England, and I can assure you, the inability of the majority of English people to differentiate between Great Britain and England is more than nauseating! It borders on ignorance! It is a big deal when you have to listen to them reel off the medals ‘England’ won during the Olympics (that was England’s Olympics in case you were unaware of that ‘fact’, despite the fact that it’s costs were met by the British people), and any discussion on Scottish football, or, dare I say, Independence, brings that ignorance very much to the fore!
jimboJuly 30, 2016 at 14:04
Darren Cooney of the DR not a happy chappie about the ‘half & half’ Celtic/ Barca. shirts being spotted around Dublin.
“WE’VE all seen those half-and-half scarves: a total and utter affront to football. Well hold on to your hats because something far worse has just been unleashed on to the football world. Without resorting to hyperbole it’s evil. Truly evil. Because ahead of Celtic v Barcelona in Dublin, fans have been spotted wearing half-and-half tops. Yes, half Celtic, half Barcelona. And they look ridiculous and revolting.”
That’s not resorting to hyperbole?
You have to laugh.
__________________________
Wouldn’t wear one myself, I’m much too sartorially elegant for that
. True, the colours do clash, more than a little, but it’s all good clean fun, but that Darren Cooney, hasn’t he made a big enough fool of himself before now? I do wonder, though, did he ever buy one of those orange taps? Now there really is something ridiculous and revolting, unless, of course, you believe the nonsense that they really were brought out to celebrate the, then, current ‘Dutch Connection’ as opposed to a much earlier one!
Of course, there’s no chance, none whatsoever at the moment, of anything similar appearing on the backs of his club’s supporters, not even a half and half with Brechin – to commemorate their first ever match, of course
To be fair I think it was tongue in cheek.
At least I certainly hope so!
ALLYJAMBOJULY 30, 2016 at 14:19 3 0 Rate This
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On Radio Clyde last night Hugh Keevins referred to Rangers game with Burnley today and said ‘Another opportunity for Rangers to show Celtic they mean business this season while Celtic play a meaningless friendly in Dublin’. As I write Burnley are winning 2-0 at half time. If this keeps up it might become meaningless mid game.
The media are really pathetic.
Whilst we can only guess what the blazers are up to – or neglecting – at Hampden / in the bunker…
We have recently seen the SRU making good progress – securing BT sponsorship, poaching the SFA’s Director of Women’s Football – and now they appear to be producing results for the good of Scottish rugby.
=========================================
Extracted from The Hootsman yesterday;
“Scottish academies ready to start player production line
The hard work in laying the foundations has been done and the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy system is poised to push on and produce top quality players for the country, according to one of its regional chiefs.
It is a year since the SRU officially launched its new youth development programme…”
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/scottish-academies-ready-to-start-player-production-line-1-4188938
UPTHEHOOPSJULY 30, 2016 at 16:00 ALLYJAMBOJULY 30, 2016 at 14:19 3 0 Rate This======================
On Radio Clyde last night Hugh Keevins referred to Rangers game with Burnley today and said ‘Another opportunity for Rangers to show Celtic they mean business this season while Celtic play a meaningless friendly in Dublin’. As I write Burnley are winning 2-0 at half time. If this keeps up it might become meaningless mid game.
The media are really pathetic.
……………………………..
At least the commentator on TRFC TV lived up to expectations when he remarked in a slow deliberate tone at 3-0 down
“Joey Barton is stamping his class All over this game”
Charlie_KellyJuly 30, 2016 at 12:25
“…With all that’s going on in the world is that really what’s bothering you..”
__________
The distinction between ‘all that’s going on in the world’ and what is going on in Scottish Football is only one of degree.
The world’s politicians muck about with Truth, with enormously harmful effect on the world’s peoples.
English folk who conflate ‘Britain’ with ‘England’ are mucking about with Truth , but, mercifully, only causing some irritation .
The Scottish Football Authorities -aided by the SMSM- have mucked about and continue to muck about with the Truth about the death of RFC, and the fact that TRFC is NOT and cannot possibly be the same club that won the trophies and honours that were won by RFC.
And they mucked about big-time with the Truth about RFC’s social taxes indebtedness.
In that mucking about, they have devalued the idea of Sporting competition, of fairness in Sport, and of honest recognition of sporting endeavour and merit, by allowing a cuckoo club to usurp the rights of RFC.
These evils are not, I grant you, at the upper end of the scale of evil: but they are the outcome of a perversion of Truth
England=Britain is an annoyance.
The cheating by a Sports Authority is an absolutely unacceptable breach of trust and act of deceit.
It must be acknowledged and dealt with as such.
In my opinion.
I read an article in one of todays papers.
Norwich city striker kyle Lafferty has been charged with breaching strict betting rules.The FA misconduct rap claims the former rangers hitman bet on a match in February.Lafferty scored 38 goals during his four years at rangers before quitting for swiss side sion when the ibrox club went bust in 2012.
Two points here if i may.
You would believe that Lafferty must have kept one eye on ibrox and an ear and heard about the betting scandle that happened after he left.Who knows maybe he was one of the players on Ally’s list.
the other point. when the ibrox club went bust in 2012.
No dancing around that statement from a scottish journalist
Was working today and keeping an eye on scores via my phone. Saw the Celtic and TRFC* friendly scores as well as the various League cup ones. Came in and logged onto BBC’s football page expecting to see reports on both ‘big game friendlies’.
Interestingly, Celtic’s defeat is reported, but TRFC’s is not, either on their main page or their Scottish football page. I find this interesting because the BBC football page ALWAYS reports on TRFC’s games. Whether you think that’s because they’re desperate to make them seem big or just to show the ‘Two Cheeks’ (Copyright all Scottish media!) in equal measure is irrelevant.
I hope I’m not being too cynical or paranoid, but it is really strange for them not to report on TRFC*! Is a defeat from an EPL team really that bad that they would avoid reporting it? Is it because Celtic managed a draw against last season’s EPL winners while TRFC* were soundly beaten by last season’s Championship winners?
Sorry for wondering about their motives, but the constant fauning over anything coming out of Ibrox makes it really stand out when they don’t.
And before anyone points it out, I do realise that this could be seen as me complaining when they do report and also complaining when they don’t……but it’s just odd.
NAWLITEJULY 30, 2016 at 21:58
Was working today and keeping an eye on scores via my phone. Saw the Celtic and TRFC* friendly scores as well as the various League cup ones. Came in and logged onto BBC’s football page expecting to see reports on both ‘big game friendlies’.Interestingly, Celtic’s defeat is reported, but TRFC’s is not, either on their main page or their Scottish football page. I find this interesting because the BBC football page ALWAYS reports on TRFC’s games. Whether you think that’s because they’re desperate to make them seem big or just to show the ‘Two Cheeks’ (Copyright all Scottish media!) in equal measure is irrelevant.I hope I’m not being too cynical or paranoid, but it is really strange for them not to report on TRFC*! Is a defeat from an EPL team really that bad that they would avoid reporting it? Is it because Celtic managed a draw against last season’s EPL winners while TRFC* were soundly beaten by last season’s Championship winners?Sorry for wondering about their motives, but the constant fauning over anything coming out of Ibrox makes it really stand out when they don’t.And before anyone points it out, I do realise that this could be seen as me complaining when they do report and also complaining when they don’t……but it’s just odd.
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A good point, well made, Nawlite, and though it may be a small point, and indicative of what some come on here and criticise us for, I am mindfull of a wee Scots saying, one I’ve not heard for many a long year, and that is; ‘moany a mickle, mak’s a muckle’ (no doubt there’s variations in word and spelling
). In this case, all those annoying examples of overstating the positives while understating, or missing out, the negatives, add up. Add up to a mighty great muckle, a muckle that includes lies and deceit, all for the benefit of two clubs, one in it’s death throws, the other it’s infancy.
In the past, they would have been lost and forgotten, as they found their way into the bins smelling of fish and chips, but thanks to the internet, they are picked over and remembered, much to the chagrin of the schoolboy level hacks.
For 5 long years I have followed the trainwreck of the Rangers FC. Liquidation, no credit, massive debts, proof of malfeasance from the SFA and sleight of hand. I now realise that there will be a sustained media campaign to have us believe that nothing happened. There will be talk of returned, Old Firm, most successful team, etc. All lies of course. But they will prevail. Worse is to come, State aid, on a massive scale. Prepare to be outraged.
Prepare to be outraged you mean you haven’t been these last years.
Fisiani @ 03.42 31 July 2016
I was thinking the same thoughts as you – it is like we are living in an Orwellian world – did RFC really die & will be liquidated – did I dream that ? It seems in this current world the liquidation of RFC , the omnishambles of HBOS , RBS , BHS etc that nothing seems to matter , it was no one’s fault , sh*t happens , move on , no one is going to have to face the consequences of their actions – so SDM , Philip Green , Fred Goodwin , Hornby , Craigie (maybe), Charles Green etc all toddle into the sunset with their pockets full .
Thank God we get regular JC posts to slap us round the chops & remind us how we got here & why we cannot let Big Brother suffocate the life out of us .
NAWLITEJULY 30, 2016 at 21:58 40 1 Rate This
Was working today and keeping an eye on scores via my phone. Saw the Celtic and TRFC* friendly scores as well as the various League cup ones. Came in and logged onto BBC’s football page expecting to see reports on both ‘big game friendlies’.Interestingly, Celtic’s defeat is reported, but TRFC’s is not,
——————————
Did the same as you,but had a look at yahoo scottish football pages.Three reports on the celtic game and none on the ibrox game.
Maybe all the reporters prefered a trip to Dublin
Is it really 4 years?
July 31 2012, Shareholders have voted in favour of Rangers owners Sevco Scotland Limited changing its name to The Rangers Football Club Limited.
I wonder what the shareholders that day that voted for the name change make of all the SMSM dancing round the name change as they were there and took part at first hand the vote to change the name.And i wonder if the shareholders ever talk about that day?
Is the blog broke?
jimboJuly 31, 2016 at 20:11
‘Is the blog broke?’
__________
No, if you can read this, jimbo. But it is so quiet that I have been going back over old RTC posts and comments, and feeling quite nostalgic when I see names like Henry Clarkson, Ciaran’s Dad, the Black Knight and such!
FisianiJuly 31, 2016 at 03:42 48 3 i Rate This
For 5 long years I have followed the trainwreck of the Rangers FC. Liquidation, no credit, massive debts, proof of malfeasance from the SFA and sleight of hand. I now realise that there will be a sustained media campaign to have us believe that nothing happened. There will be talk of returned, Old Firm, most successful team, etc. All lies of course. But they will prevail. Worse is to come, State aid, on a massive scale. Prepare to be outraged
==========================
I very much doubt keeping the myth going extends beyond the interests of the smsm to actually justify a drain on the tax payer, well not a legitimate drain anyway, although we are dealing with specialists in raiding the tax payer purse so you could never rule out an attempt.
In respect of the smsm I reckon they have been given a crash course on Tom Clancy’s book Debt of Honour.
In it the Japanese perform an economic attack on the USA to coincide with a military offensive. Japan engineers the collapse of the U.S. stock market by hiring a programmer who is a consultant for an exchange firm to insert a logic bomb into the system, which when triggered blocks the storage of all trade records made after noon on Friday.
Faced with the economic collapse and how to fix it, the President Jack Ryan remembers something his professional eye surgeon wife had said to him that morning about the importance of taking notes. She said “if you don’t write it down it never happened”.
Thus TRFC never lost to Burnley yesterday and by not reporting truthfully that Rangers were not only liquidated in 2012 but that they brought about their demise by behaviour that was cheating for almost decade on other clubs as well as the tax payer, they strive to create a perception of a reality which never happened.
In the Tom Clancy’s book the economic crisis is solved by finding the paper records of the market transactions prior to the logic bomb and rebuilding and reactivating the systems from that paper trail to reflect how matters stood before the collapse to enable the market to reopen at the last “real” reality point.
Well those paper trails still exist for events leading up to, including and after the liquidation of RFC and as long as they do the smsm can pretend all it likes that nothing happened, for what did happen, including attempts at mitigation/cover up, is written down and every time they are mentioned on blogs or elsewhere in social media, they cannot pretend that nothing seriously damaging to the underlying integrity of Scottish football never happened.
Absolutely brilliant analogy Auldheid!!
AuldheidJuly 31, 2016 at 20:50
And I think that is why posts like Nawlite’s yesterday are so important, they form a permanent record, not only of what is said or written, but also of what is not covered or is ignored.
Auldheid July 31, 2016 at 20:50
================
I agree with Jean that it’s a great analogy.
BTW – Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan series of novels are all great reads.
AuldheidJuly 31, 2016 at 20:50
‘.. “if you don’t write it down it never happened”.’
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I hope that blogs such as RTC and SFM have an independent existence that future historians will have access to, the way they have access to newspaper archives, traditional library resources and such like.
That is, I hope that the voices of those of us who have called out the Football Authorities for their cheating mentality, and the SMSM for their lickspittle refusal to print the truth about the ‘saga’,will be heard in the future, and that whenever the names RFC and TRFC are mentioned in the annals of Scottish sport, there will be a big black question mark over them;
and that when the obituaries of our football hacks come to be written, there will be a reference to their lack of journalistic objectivity and their propensity for compromising with the truth.
Articles written like this.
https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-0c0e-Rangers-ban-fans-they-just-praised#.V55y5rgrLIW
This breaks my heart when I read of previous football legends:
”
CELTIC legend Tommy Gemmell is recuperating in The Forth Valley Hospital in Larbert after a fall at his Dunblane home at the weekend.
The Lisbon Lion, 72, will undergo a scan on his hip this morning to determine if he needs an operation.
His wife Mary said last night: “Tommy got a scare after a simple accident at home.
“He lost his footing when he was getting out of a chair and, unfortunately, toppled against a coffee table.
“We’ll have to wait and see how serious it is, but we know he is in the best hands.”
Corrupt officialJuly 31, 2016 at 23:04
“I write to inform you that with immediate effect you are banned from attending all football matches involving Rangers FC, home and away, for an indefinite period.’
____________
I’m not terribly well up on whatever agreements the SPFL clubs have between themselves in relation to acting as enforcers of each other’s bans!
I can see that a ban might be relatively easy to enforce when it refers to home games. But how would a ‘banned’ person be prevented from attending his club’s away games, on the authority merely of the club, rather than, say, a Court order?
Is there such a sophisticated mechanism in place that the banned fan of one club cannot purchase a ticket for a game at another club’s ground?
Not that I’m defending justly banned hooligans!
But the spurious arrogation to themselves by any football club of powers which no one may have given them is something we have to watch.
JOHN CLARKJULY 31, 2016 at 23:47
“I’m not terribly well up on whatever agreements the SPFL clubs have between themselves in relation to acting as enforcers of each other’s bans!I can see that a ban might be relatively easy to enforce when it refers to home games. But how would a ‘banned’ person be prevented from attending his club’s away games,”
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The club’s “away” tickets are normally sold by the club themselves John, and it will be their responsibility to prevent them falling into the wrong hands. The away club merely hands over the allocation for the allocated section with no control over sales.
I suppose a reasonably determined effort would always see a banned fan gain entry by-passing the controls, as it must be a difficult one to police. Pretty much anybody can buy a ticket and give it to a pal.
CORRUPT OFFICIALJULY 31, 2016 at 23:04
Articles written like this.
https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-0c0e-Rangers-ban-fans-they-just-praised#.V55y5rgrLIW
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A really good article, well written. A perfect example, in fact, of how good journalism is so much more professional when no attempt is made to hide truths from the reader. No new phrases to describe past events (eg boiler room subsidiary), no blatant lies (eg survived liquidation), just true factual journalism that highlights a strange u-turn in attitude, a u-turn barely mentioned in any other ‘news’ outlet, of an ‘institution’ who’s every PR led word is published religiously ad nauseam. In this example, those PR led words were spread over every publication of the SMSM to highlight the ‘innocence’ of ‘Rangers’ pitch invaders with so called ‘journalists’ embelishing the issue with their own (alledgedly) inventions. Those pitch invaders were the true defenders of ‘Rangers’, men to be admired, but now, somehow, they have become criminals (potentially) and persona non grata at Ibrox.
Regardless that TRFC have, for once, done the right thing, they have volunteered no explanation for the u-turn, and none is being sought by the SMSM. So very similar to the moment liquidation no longer meant the end, no one has dared to give, nor to seek, an explanation as to how some major shift can possibly come about!
This time, of course, even the bears are mystefied by the u-turn and want to know why it has been made. Who knows, the hacks might take it up on behalf of those they most relate to, but if they do ask the question, then publish the answer – with a modicum of journalistic skill, it will not be because they are truth seekers, but because it has been decided that their revenue is best served by such a course of action.
Edit to my above post:
The u-turn is, of course, the major story here, with the banning of (potentially) criminal supporters no more than the natural course of action that would be expected of any other club, and form no more than a footnote to the reporting of the court proceedings.
It’s pretty quiet on the blog right now but in no time at all we’ll be back into the season proper and with that we’ll be back to reading and listening to the ‘experts’ pontificating on all things fitba’. We’ll have Keevins telling us how Aberdeen,Hearts,Inverness,and in particular Celtic will struggle to match the wonderful team and the masterful manager from Ibrox. The newspapers will be overflowing with praise for Barton,Waghorn,and Wallace.The churnalists will be going full tilt telling us all how much we missed Rangers* and what a boost it will be to the Scottish game. All complete b****ks of course. Personally,I thought the game was doing very well thanks very much and the thought of the hate fest returning makes me sick. The media however,will try its utmost to convince us all that all is well with the game and will revert to type. The suits at Hampden meanwhile, think the’ve dodged a bullet so it’s up to us to keep the spotlight firmly focussed on them and any other dodgy dealings they get up to.
So, fellow SFMrs keep the dosh rolling in and look forward to the musings of Clark,the two Jambos,Auldheid,Cluster One,Jean Brodie and all the other contributors to the best fitba’ blog on the market
Ally Jambo
With no proof to back me up my suspicion is that behind the U Turn on banning pitch invaders there was a carrot and a stick.
The carrot was offering the guy Robertson who defended the “defenders” of the invaders a place on the SFA Professional Game Board (after SPFL refused to give him a seat at their table and why did Peter Lawwell step down from SFA post btw)
The stick came from the threat from the SG to withdraw their funding at SFA AGM if football did not start to gets its supporter house in order. A wee hint that penalties from this, showing the SG that SFA were listening, would be applied to TRFC with even the same rigor as it would be to others, might have focused minds.
The problem with the governance of our game is writ large here. The poachers are the gamekeepers and sometimes they forget whether they are poaching or gamekeeping and with no Lord of the Manor to provide independent oversight, the game is (un)fair game.
Got an email this morning from an SFM-er who had written to Sky News challenging their “Rangers back at the top after relegation” news story earlier today.
Not wishing to regurgitate all the old OCNC arguments but it did strike me that, as far as I am aware, not one club (with the exception of Cowdenbeath who came out in favour of New Club) has adjudicated and proclaimed on the status of TRFC.
We often get ourselves (understandably) hot and bothered when the MSM challenge our ability to think as higher mammals, but …
Serious question: which clubs – if any – has agreed and proclaimed with the OC proposition?
Hi All,
I am a very infrequent poster to the blog, but read it everyday. It appears to me that “The Establishment” have very much closed ranks, in all things Sevco. I do not believe that any trial will bring Mr. Whyte to justice. The strings are all being pulled in the background to ensure that the dirt will never be spilled in public. The trial will collapse! The accused all walk free, and reputations will be saved.
I recall way back in the distant past when Mr Salmond representing the SNP made his one and only comment in interview, ” We will do all in our power to ensure, Rangers will continue.” I have not heard anyone from the Scottish Government make any comments on this matter since. Maybe I missed them, but they have guarded the old club, and ensured in it’s continuation. This blog constantly produces the facts and figures but the audience is diminishing, as people in general do not know the facts, or do not care anymore?
It is like a glass ceiling, but we just need one little stone to hit the target, and all will come tumbling down, I hope we can all keep going and some kind of Justice can brought to bear on the SFA, and there officials!
Keep going,
Jimmy Bee Jay
AULDHEIDAUGUST 1, 2016 at 11:27
Ally JamboWith no proof to back me up my suspicion is that behind the U Turn on banning pitch invaders there was a carrot and a stick.
The carrot was offering the guy Robertson who defended the “defenders” of the invaders a place on the SFA Professional Game Board (after SPFL refused to give him a seat at their table and why did Peter Lawwell step down from SFA post btw)The stick came from the threat from the SG to withdraw their funding at SFA AGM if football did not start to gets its supporter house in order. A wee hint that penalties from this, showing the SG that SFA were listening, would be applied to TRFC with even the same rigor as it would be to others, might have focused minds.The problem with the governance of our game is writ large here. The poachers are the gamekeepers and sometimes they forget whether they are poaching or gamekeeping and with no Lord of the Manor to provide independent oversight, the game is (un)fair game.
____________
Auldheid,
I have never doubted for a moment that expediency more than a desire to do the right thing has driven this u-turn, and I’d be prepared to accept it as reasonable if only the SMSM would do their job properly and demand an explanation from the board, and in particular, from Stuart Robertson. If no explanation was forthcoming, then I’d expect the media to speculate over just why it has come about, and, at the same time, be hyper-critical of the ludicrous post debacle statements.
In fact, it is extremely bad form that the club has not volunteered an explanation along with an apology for giving succour to wrongdoers.
It is no speculation to say, as this u-turn shows, that even TRFC have accepted that their nonsensical claims were wrong, very wrong, and, therefore, out of order. They have accepted that, far from being defenders of players under assault, their onfield supporters were just a bunch of thugs, hellbent on mischief and mayhem. Disreputable doesn’t begin to describe the statements that allowed, for a time, those thugs to feel good about what they’d done and to be lauded in their pubs and clubs and, heaven forbid, by some members of the media.
Again, a club from Govan will escape meaningful censure for injudicious and rabble rousing words from it’s board members!
JIMMYBEEJAY
AUGUST 1, 2016 at 12:48
This blog constantly produces the facts and figures but the audience is diminishing, as people in general do not know the facts, or do not care anymore?
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Somebody at UEFA seems to care
2015 – 2016 UEFA Club Coefficient Table
Celtic 54
Dundee Utd 220
Hearts 222
TRFC 269
……………………………
2015 – 2016 UEFA Country Coefficient Table
Scotland 269
JimmyBeeJay
Good points well made – although the old Salmond stuff is as misleading now as it was when it first arose.
And I am not sure that the audience is diminishing. I think fans of all clubs are genuinely excited by their prospects for success next season;
Rangers, whatever we think of them, have added some box-office to the league in the shape of Barton & Kranjcar, Celtic and Hibs have both punched above their weight with manager acquisition, Aberdeen and Hearts are both looking to use last year’s successes as a springboard to greater achievements. Season tickets sales at Tynecastle, Easter Road, Pitoddrie and Celtic Park are at record levels. And so on and so forth.
The battle-weary audience is doing what we would like it to be doing in a perfect world – thinking about football. However people aren’t daft. The problems of malgovernance and corruption haven’t gone away, and when the SFA/SPFL Harold Lloyd movie gets under way, when more fecklessness and malpractice hove into view, the audience will begin to address it.
And hove into view it most definitely will. The failure of the MSM and the clubs to address the cheating and subsequent cover-ups are one thing. The failure to reset the system to ensure there could be no continuation of corrupt practices will ensure the opposite – and we WILL see more corruption as the corrupted are emboldened by that failure.
It’s a bit like burglary I suppose. Burglars who don’t get caught are rarely possessed of enough intellect to stop whilst they evade justice. They keep going until they get caught.
The people at our football clubs and in the bureaucracies of the SFA and the SPFL are really no different. Their noses will be in the trough until it drowns them.
Auldheid
July 31, 2016 at 20:50
“Well those paper trails still exist “
Google HTtrack Auldheid, they certainly do exist.
In an imaginary parallel football blog elsewhere:
(Bold in quote is mine)
Punter 1: Did yous see that post by Allyjambo about balanced media reporting.
Punter 2: naw, what did it say?
Punter 1: Said we wuz bigots!
For anyone interested here are the stats surrounding home/away cup draws the past four seasons.
BIG PINK
AUGUST 1, 2016 at 13:19
It’s a bit like burglary I suppose. Burglars who don’t get caught are rarely possessed of enough intellect to stop whilst they evade justice. They keep going until they get caught.
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If we class large scale tax evasion as a form of burglary, Rangers were caught but for some reason allowed to go unhindered for five months before HMRC finally decided (or was it plucked up the courage?) to act. They only acted when Rangers themselves went public on their financial issues. Compare that to the speed of the Winding up Orders placed on Hearts during Romanov’s final months in charge. Why was one never issued to Rangers as soon as they defaulted on tax and refused to pay? Seriously, why not? We also know now the football authorities knew about the tax evasion but did nothing.
Scotland just doesn’t seem able to properly deal with wrongdoing from Rangers. They pretty much have a free run to do as they please. At one time that even included a virtually unlimited overdraft from a Scottish owned bank who had previously tried to put Celtic out of business.
Phil Mac post July 28th 2016
Crouching Puma, hidden invoice
Read
Ten Euro Tam
July 29,2016 at 1:22 pm
1,355 words, but a good read.
UPTHEHOOPSAUGUST 1, 2016 at 18:59
Regression to mean.
Longer data set required, other factors such as comparable length of cup runs needed etc etc.
goosygoosyAugust 1, 2016 at 13:04 19 0 i Rate This
JIMMYBEEJAY AUGUST 1, 2016 at 12:48 This blog constantly produces the facts and figures but the audience is diminishing, as people in general do not know the facts, or do not care anymore? ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Somebody at UEFA seems to care 2015 – 2016 UEFA Club Coefficient Table Celtic 54 Dundee Utd 220 Hearts 222 TRFC 269……………………………2015 – 2016 UEFA Country Coefficient Table Scotland 269
=====================
That suggests TRFC have had the country co efficient added to zero which is in line with how UEFA Club Licensing Head honcho views TRFC. Do you have a link?
upthehoopsAugust 1, 2016 at 20:23 23 2 i Rate This
BIG PINK AUGUST 1, 2016 at 13:19
It’s a bit like burglary I suppose. Burglars who don’t get caught are rarely possessed of enough intellect to stop whilst they evade justice. They keep going until they get caught. ============================
If we class large scale tax evasion as a form of burglary, Rangers were caught but for some reason allowed to go unhindered for five months before HMRC finally decided (or was it plucked up the courage?) to act. They only acted when Rangers themselves went public on their financial issues. Compare that to the speed of the Winding up Orders placed on Hearts during Romanov’s final months in charge. Why was one never issued to Rangers as soon as they defaulted on tax and refused to pay? Seriously, why not? We also know now the football authorities knew about the tax evasion but did nothing.
Scotland just doesn’t seem able to properly deal with wrongdoing from Rangers. They pretty much have a free run to do as they please. At one time that even included a virtually unlimited overdraft from a Scottish owned bank who had previously tried to put Celtic out of business.
=======================
The laxity began long before the PAYE and VAT non payment occurred.
On 21st March 2011 to be exact, after discussions between an employee of RFC and HMRC to delay collection of the £2.8M wee tax liability until after the Takeover by Craig Whyte in May 2011.
Naught stuff under SDM’s ownership which helped the SFA justification for the granting of the UEFA licence at 31st March. However of even greater help was the auditor’s report by Grant Thornton, the auditor firm the Daily Mail business editor criticised for their part in the Philip Green sale of BHS. The covering statement in the half yearly accounts by the RFC Chairman sealed the justification deal but was the combined efforts of both a true representation of the liability position?
During the post Takeover negotiations HMRC were as interested in RFC getting a result in CL qualifying as RFC, well it would pay the bill so you cannot blame them I suppose, but even HMRC ran out of patience in late July 2011 when it became clear they had let matters drift past the point of explanation when a skint RFC purchased Lee Wallace with taxpayers money..
Its the kind of thing you would expect to happen in Greece, but didn’t.
That paper trail hasn’t gone away.
AULDHEID
AUGUST 1, 2016 at 22:38
goosygoosyAugust 1, 2016 at 13:04 19 0 i Rate This JIMMYBEEJAY AUGUST 1, 2016 at 12:48 This blog constantly produces the facts and figures but the audience is diminishing, as people in general do not know the facts, or do not care anymore? ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Somebody at UEFA seems to care 2015 – 2016 UEFA Club Coefficient Table Celtic 54 Dundee Utd 220 Hearts 222 TRFC 269……………………………2015 – 2016 UEFA Country Coefficient Table Scotland 269 ===================== That suggests TRFC have had the country co efficient added to zero which is in line with how UEFA Club Licensing Head honcho views TRFC. Do you have a link?
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Hi Aulheid
Go to
http://www.uefa.com
Search(Club Name + FC + club coefficient) e.g. “Rangers FC club coefficient”
Then
Click on club logo
This shows
Club coefficient in top RHS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Likewise
Search(Country Name + country coefficient) e.g “ Scotland country coefficient”
then
Click on country logo
Country coefficient is in top RHS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
n.b.
There is no league table of Scottish club coefficients only a UEFA wide club league table
Hence
A Scottish club league table of club coefficients would have to be extracted from the UEFA wide league table following the process highlighted above or by copying and pasting the UEFA club table into excel or MS word and deleting all non Scottish clubs
AULDHEIDAUGUST 1, 2016 at 23:04
The laxity began long before the PAYE and VAT non payment occurred.On 21st March 2011 to be exact, after discussions between an employee of RFC and HMRC to delay collection of the £2.8M wee tax liability until after the Takeover by Craig Whyte in May 2011.Naught stuff under SDM’s ownership which helped the SFA justification for the granting of the UEFA licence at 31st March. However of even greater help was the auditor’s report by Grant Thornton, the auditor firm the Daily Mail business editor criticised for their part in the Philip Green sale of BHS. The covering statement in the half yearly accounts by the RFC Chairman sealed the justification deal but was the combined efforts of both a true representation of the liability position? During the post Takeover negotiations HMRC were as interested in RFC getting a result in CL qualifying as RFC, well it would pay the bill so you cannot blame them I suppose, but even HMRC ran out of patience in late July 2011 when it became clear they had let matters drift past the point of explanation when a skint RFC purchased Lee Wallace with taxpayers money..Its the kind of thing you would expect to happen in Greece, but didn’t.That paper trail hasn’t gone away.
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As I said Scotland has a particular difficulty in doing the right thing regarding wrongdoing from Ibrox. HMRC appear not to have applied the same rigour (at least initially) as they would have with others. Some Holyrood and Westminster politicians basically offered a blessing for the tax evasion, and many media figures raged that others had the audacity to be angry about it. Let’s not forget the SFA and then SPL also failed to condemn it. It’s almost like thanking someone for burgling your house.
upthehoopsAugust 1, 2016 at 20:23
‘.. HMRC appear not to have applied the same rigour (at least initially) as they would have with others. ‘
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I cannot at the moment find the quote I was looking for, which shows that at least one HMRC official was more concerned with being ‘conciliatory’ and ‘supportive’ of the deceitful tax-dodgers by signalling that after Liquidation ‘Rangers’ could continue to play football at Ibrox. He clearly was focussed on ‘saving’ “Rangers”. ( Has anyone got the quote handy?) As a former Civil Servant myself, I would have had him disciplined if not sacked for that outrageous and irrelevant observation.
And as for the incredibly poor presentation of HMRC case at the First Tier Tax Tribunal…….it was nearly as bad as ..
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/competitions/premiership/return-of-old-firm-derby-massive-for-scottish-football-1-4191239
“We’ve had an increase in attendances over the last year looking forward to the return of the Old Firm”
Inexplicably, these words came out of the mouth of Neil Doncaster, Chief Executive of the SPFL. What an utter buffoon this man is! He seriously expects us to believe that an overall upturn in Scottish football attendance figures in the past year is attributable to a future fixture between Celtic and FC Zombie of Govan? My gob has never been so smacked. What a moron!
Just donated outwith my usual subscription.
KEEP UP the good work that this site does.
The truth will out and then we will see if who holds the ships wheel when the rats have left the sinking ship.
Keep the Faith
JOHN CLARKAUGUST 2, 2016 at 08:44
JC, not sure if you are referring to the HMRC official statement re the rejection of the CVA.
HIGHLANDERAUGUST 2, 2016 at 09:20
As was highlighted by someone in the comments to the Scotsman article the dominance of the ‘Old Firm’ since the SPL was introduced in 1998 has seen a continuing downturn in other Scottish clubs ability to perform in Europe and the national side’s lack of success in qualifying for Euro and World Championships.
In terms of Scotland’s standing as a football nation Doncaster’s organisation (assisted by the self serving clubs and the useless SFA) has been a pure and utter failure.
The fact that a big issue is being made of the return of the ‘Old Firm’ just highlights the lack of ideas and vision from our game’s administrators.
HIGHLANDERAUGUST 2, 2016 at 09:20
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/competitions/premiership/return-of-old-firm-derby-massive-for-scottish-football-1-4191239
“We’ve had an increase in attendances over the last year looking forward to the return of the Old Firm”…
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1) Continuing proof that the SMSM is irrelevant.
Beat me to it Highlander. Yes, I too was shocked at this particularly offensive output from The Scotsman.
Tellingly, nobody wanted to add their name as author to this article either !
The usual misinformation was there: Old Firm, return – and a novel way to avoid mentioning liquidation as this fixture was simply subjected to a “four year hiatus”.
Pathetic from the SMSM.
2) Continuing proof that Doncaster is incompetent, [and in his own words].
“So I think there will be a lot of people tuning in around the world, not just the UK. We’ve got over 100 countries now taking the rights to our games all around the world looking forward to the season ahead.”
[Yet he could only negotiate for relative buttons for the TV rights.]
“…You’ve also got the likes of Aberdeen and Hearts, who have run Celtic close in recent seasons…”
[A blatantly dismissive – and disparaging – comment about ‘the other teams’.]
“It’s really for any club that wants to take a game overseas to come to us with that application,” he said. “We haven’t yet had that application but we do think it is important we do have an open mind to anything that is innovative, anything that promotes the game around the world.”
[Eh?! SPFL innovation sits with the clubs ? What is Doncaster for then ?]
Is Doncaster even aware of how offensive his comments are to Scottish football fans ?
Unbelievable from the SPFL CEO.
Doncaster`s remarks were also outrageously insulting to the good people of St Johnstone, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Ross County and Hibernian, who all “made history” in the last four years. History which was achieved by sheer honest effort and endeavour.
Good luck to these clubs in the new season. I hope they make him eat his words.
wottpiAugust 2, 2016 at 09:40
‘….if you are referring to the HMRC official statement re the rejection of the CVA.’
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That’s the one, wottpi, thank you.
It perhaps doesn’t say quite what I read in to it, but nevertheless I think it was a completely irrelevant observation for HMRC to make, and suggested to me that whoever made it had not given any thought to the ‘phoenix’ rules: which HMRC have, of course, singularly avoided any attempt to invoke.
The business of the Revenue is to get the tax in, not to sweet talk recalcitrant tax dodgers, and I am ready to believe that ‘Oor Eck’ -who won’t tell us what his intervention consisted of- was more interested in saving ‘Rangers’ than in the in-gathering of taxes due, as was that other politician, whose constituency does not include Govan and environs, Murdo Fraser (or is it Fraser Murdo?)
JOHN CLARKAUGUST 2, 2016 at 12:39
I think HMRC were pretty clear in their intentions.
They want tax money due to them (or as much as they can recover), if possible they want to bring people to book. However they do not necessarily want to see businesses and people’s jobs go to the wall.
If we take the current plight of BHS and things like the Steelworks people have a degree of sympathy with the employees and would most likely want to see the business being secured in one form or another and jobs maintained, if at all possible.
Rangers should be no different but of course the football aspects of cheating, what the club stands for etc come into play. Some of those issues need to be resolved by the Football Authorities and as we know they failed miserably to put down a marker on this one.
That being said at times, such as with Woolworths, enough is enough and you have to call it a day.
The problem with T’Rangers is that the assets of the business were sold to a sharp operator in the form of Green and is now in the hands of a convicted tax dodger who, along with another, was on the board of the failed company.
HMRC and the Government(s) appear to have little influence on ensuring that if a business is ‘saved’ it is not ravaged by those who have bought the scraps or end up in the control of those who may have been involved with the original collapse.
Nor do they seem adequately appear able to protect employees, customers and potential creditors from history repeating itself.
To me it seems like a ‘Phoenix company’ should have far more scrutiny than the basics required by Companies House.
ODDJOBAUGUST 2, 2016 at 11:23
Doncaster`s remarks were also outrageously insulting to the good people of St Johnstone, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Ross County and Hibernian, who all “made history” in the last four years. History which was achieved by sheer honest effort and endeavour.Good luck to these clubs in the new season. I hope they make him eat his words.
————————————————————————————————-
Absolutely. And not to forget Motherwell who were runners up 2 seasons in a row. Good luck to all the properly run clubs (except when they play us)!
wottpiAugust 2, 2016 at 13:29
‘..HMRC and the Government(s) appear to have little influence on ensuring that if a business is ‘saved’ it is not ravaged by those who have bought the scraps or end up in the control of those who may have been involved with the original collapse.’
_________
Yes, I suppose we could discuss the reluctance of our Parliamentarians to get to grips with their ‘own kind’: it’s one body of people who really know how to look after their own interests even more than the Footballing authorities and the SMSM!
I am indebted to Cassandra’s Cat, over on JJ’s site, for reminding me, and us all, that we are not alone in our poorer than poor opinion of Neil Doncaster and his ability to fulfil his role as CEO of the SPFL. No less an authority in making professional sport work than Barry Hearne, was more publicly scathing of Doncaster than I have ever known anyone to be who wasn’t classed as an enemy of the subject of his ire.
Doncaster didn’t even have the ability to try to defend himself (though that might indicate he does hold some self awareness). Not only an incompetent, but a coward to boot!
Imagine if you relied on this man’s words as proof of your continued existence! A man who can’t even defend himself from the most condemning of criticism is no authority on, well, anything of consequence!
And now, he would have us believe, that the increased crowds we have witnessed at most leading clubs since RFC died, are as a result of the anticipated arrival of it’s replacement in the top tier, and not, as we all thought, as a celebration of the return to cheat-free football that we’ve enjoyed over the past 4 years! Let’s face it, it is only the supporters of TRFC who actually miss Rangers, though there may be some officials, at other clubs, those who keep their eyes on their profit and loss accounts, who may be glad to see a new club arrive with a large support, but that doesn’t mean they’ve missed ‘Rangers’ and all they bring to Scottish football.
I just don’t get it in Scotland. Everyone and their dog know what happened in Scottish Football since the SDM days. Most clubs were hurt in one way or another, especially mine. But they remain silent!. It is them I blame even more than Regan & Doncaster. They could have said enough is enough. Sacked those scoundrels. But they didn’t, WHY?
Is the so called ‘Old Firm’ so important to Scottish Football? Really?
I would happily never watch such a spectacle. And I will not watch it in September. I will catch up with Dads Army.
What is ‘The Establishment?’ in Scotland? The masonic lodge? Surely not. An out of date old boys club. Loyalists/ Royalists? People wanting an Knighthood ? Anti SNP?
I don’t have a clue but something very sneeky is going on.
And this is not anti-Celtic but Pro Ibrox theory.
WOTTPI AUGUST 2, 2016 at 13:29
JOHN CLARKAUGUST 2, 2016 at 12:39
More info:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18426943
WOTTPIAUGUST 2, 2016 at 13:29
I think HMRC were pretty clear in their intentions.
They want tax money due to them (or as much as they can recover), if possible they want to bring people to book. However they do not necessarily want to see businesses and people’s jobs go to the wall.
=============================
They were quick enough to issue more than one Winding Up Order to your club WOTTPI, during the last months of Romanov. Clearly they could not have cared had it gone to the wall, as that is what a WUO does, isn’t it. The fact is there was never one issued to Rangers, and they also sat back watching Rangers give huge wage rises to players without paying the tax due on those wages. Many Politicians were absolutely okay with that, as were many prominent media figures. Something is completely rotten within the Scottish establishment when we are somehow supposed to ignore one football club acting in a manner no other organisation would be allowed to. How do we know it would not happen again?
upthehoopsAugust 2, 2016 at 18:44
Something is completely rotten within the Scottish establishment when we are somehow supposed to ignore one football club acting in a manner no other organisation would be allowed to. How do we know it would not happen again?
=============
It will happen again. The writing is on the wall.
Apologies if the link below has already been discussed on here, or indeed if I copied the link from SFM. The article by Ewing Grahame appeared in The Telegraph in July 2012 and there are several references to Charles Green’s entity being a new club. The article also dispels the “we’ve been punished enough” narrative by explaining the important distinction between consequences and sanctions. I’d love to know what it was that made every journalist in the land perform spectactular 180 degree u-turns in subsequent reporting, because there were no relevant changes to insolvency law or football regulations in the intervening period. Instead, a set of inept, financially-driven, football authorities met with such paragons of virtue as Charles Green and Duff & Phelps to agree to treat the new club as if it was the old, dead club, subject to less than onerous conditions, such as the new club paying the old clubs football-related debts. The PR and propaganda exercise that followed, and indeed continues to this day, would make Joseph Goebbels squirm with embarrassment.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/9418724/Rangers-in-crisis-Sevco-have-until-Friday-to-gain-SFA-membership-and-play-football-next-season.html
CrownStBhoyAugust 2, 2016 at 17:42
‘..WOTTPI AUGUST 2, 2016 at 13:29 JOHN CLARKAUGUST 2, 2016 at 12:39 More info: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18426943‘
__________
Thank you, CrownStBhoy.
I particularly like
” What happens to the club’s history?
The Rangers Football Club PLC is a public limited company registered in Scotland (company number: SC004276) and was incorporated on 27 May, 1899. When the current company is officially liquidated, all of its corporate business history will come to an end.
When this happened to Airdrieonians in 2002, all of the trophies, titles and records associated with the club were discontinued and a new club, Airdrie United FC, took over. Airdrieonians’ official history ended in 2002, then Airdrie United’s took over…'”
Oh, the happy truth as expressed by a then fearless Martin Conaghan on 12th June 2012!
Has he recanted since, or been forced to toe the BBC party line to keep his job?
I would have to ask the question: if instant access to the fourth division, a transfer of titles to your permanent incubator
and a blind eye being turned to a questionable financing strategy on the way back up whilst you maintain your wage bill at pre crash levels (relative to 40 of the 41 other competitors) are the only consequences of 11 years of selective rule adherence whilst creditors can go whistle then why the hell wouldn’t it happen again?
In fact its almost at the laughable stage that should celtic dare to get near 10 in a row that such a strategy will almost be positively expected of them!
Oh, and Neil, the above post is not serious – please do not think that that is an MBA-worthy marketing pitch for the tv guys. Its not.
Congratulations to Irish Champions Dundalk in progressing to the CL play off round which guarantees a place in the Europa League group stage
Assuming Dundalk take over the seed position of the club they knocked out i.e. BATE Bor and Celtic get through against FC Astana they could meet in the play off round
UPTHEHOOPSAUGUST 2, 2016 at 18:44
Appreciate where you are coming from but it a bit of an apples and pears type situation.
Rangers seemed to have been paying their declared PAYE,NI VAT etc to Hector during the SDM, years.
The tax owed via the DOS and EBT were obviously in dispute but as we know the sheriff officers paid a visit to get the cash on the earlier scheme. Arrestment Orders were issued for that.
By the time Whyte stopped paying the other taxes the writing was on the wall anyway.
My guess is that a different set of circumstances resulted in a different approach.
Hearts under Vlad simply didn’t pay the obvious taxes that were due and that resulted in a winding up order.
I have no idea what may have gone on behind the scenes before a series of winding up orders were issued. It is highly unlikely the first one was issued out of the blue. Therefore Whyte was probably given the same chances as Vlad but other events caught up with him.
Given HMRC’s penchant for issuing winding up orders to all manner of sporting enterprises I have no doubt one would have headed down Govan Way at some point if things had continued.
The reality is that while the winding up order is intended to liquidate the company, if the bills can be paid then it is dropped. If things continue to go wrong but their is something worth saving then the company will most likely try to go into administration and resolve matters through a CVA.
On that score HMRC going after Rangers and Hearts had the same outcome – i.e Administration and an attempt at securing CVA.
Hearts somehow managed it. Rangers didn’t. They are deid.
HIGHLANDERAUGUST 2, 2016 at 20:55
You appear to forget that most run of the mill working reporters- lets not call them journalists – will tell you black is white one week and change the next if it keeps them in a job and the papers getting flogged and the TV programmes getting watched.
That’s why the TV is filled with pap being presented by the likes of a high paid face like Fiona Bruce and real journos such a John Pilger and the late Paul Foot earn a living by scraping around writing books, writing the odd column here and there,getting the odd documentary filmed etc etc.
The BBC manage to wheel out the likes of Mark Daly and John Sweeney every now an again but nowhere near as often as they should.
There are only a few folk like Paul Mason, who stand up and say I’ve had enough.
Most folk are just playing the game, as required, for an easy and relatively well paid life.