The Continuing Voyage of Scottish Football – and the Wrath of Khan

Guest Post by Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan

Good Evening,

Last night, I found myself sitting at home when an e-mail arrived from the administrator of these pages suggesting that I write a guest article for all to consider. At that precise moment my television was full of the efforts of James T Kirk attempting to escape the Wrath of Khan, who blames old James T for all his ills and troubles including what he sees as his ridiculous and malicious banishment to a distant star in the middle of nowhere— amongst other things. He seeks vengeance, causes mayhem, and refuses to recognise the rule of law.

It may seem strange, but there is much to be learned from The Wrath of Khan. For example, in the midst of the action Admiral James T acknowledges that when he first faces what is at the time an unknown adversary, in most unusual and unknown circumstances, he ignores rules and regulation and as a result “gets caught with his pants down.”

That is the consequence of ignoring rules and regulation more often than not—even for the good guys.

This is also the movie where we are introduced to the Kobayashi Maru—the supposedly impossible test in which members of star fleet are asked to rescue a stricken ship and its crew without sacrificing themselves, their starship and all members of their crew. The test is meant to be impossible to solve as it cannot be achieved—unless you change the rules of the game!

Captain’s log: Star date 2012; This is the voyage of the Starship Scottish Fitba—and we’re lost!

How can it come to be, that as we approach September 2012 the world of Scottish Football is in such a state of flux and disarray with an unbelievable amount of uncertainty and doubt about fundamental matters and principles, after months when we have seen the spiralling demise of one of our country’s biggest football clubs and the threatened disintegration of the entire system of football administration in Scotland as a result?

Surely after all that has happened in these past months the administrators would have learned to not only play by the rules, but be seen to be playing by the rules, insisting on the rules, and reinforcing the principles and platforms that those rules are based on?

Rangers PLC has ceased to be a part of Scottish football and the failure to deal with that simple fact, even more than the demise of what was regarded as an institution, is baffling in the extreme. The simple fact of the matter is this: There are rules and laws —regulations if you like —which were pre written to deal with such an event. Apply the rules and everyone knows where they stand— ignore the rules and, as James T Kirk points out, you get caught with your pants down!

So far, the rules have been half implemented half ignored. Rangers were automatically deducted points for going into Administration and properly so. They were convicted, by a properly convened independent panel, of various rule breaches, and duly sentenced as a result—again properly so. Thereafter, the company was consigned to Liquidation because it could not pay its debts- with the result that it loses its SPL share and the right to participate in football altogether— and with the further result that it left a trail of unpaid debts to creditors, including football clubs, which ran to millions of pounds.

Further, let’s be clear, The SPL and the SFL only exist with the consent of the SFA. The SFA are the ultimate governing body in Scottish Football, with the two league associations merely management tools to achieve what is supposed to be the efficient management of the game in compliance with the pre agreed rules, procedures and principles that are meant to govern football and football administration. If you wish to play under this system, then you have to accept the very same rules procedures and principles, and there should be no contracting in or out of either membership, or the laws of the game.

Yet when Rangers went into Administration, and stared liquidation in the face, The Administrators, and subsequently everyone from Bill Miller through to Charles Green stated publicly that they, together with the SFA and all of Scottish Football, were facing the Kobayashi Maru whereby maintaining the rules and the principles of the game whilst at the same time saving Rangers FC could not be achieved!

The rules had to be ignored for the sake of expediency cried some press members. Whilst principles are all well and good, you can’t apply them if it means the death of Rangers—Rangers are too big — cried others. If you apply the principles and the rules you will kill Rangers—and yourselves—said some.

It would appear that when it came to Rangers and their wellbeing, some took the view that principles were not quite so important and that, no matter what, Rangers FC had to be saved—- and there it was—the impossible task— The Kobayashi Maru!

I wonder if those who spouted that argument looked at The SFA website in any detail? Because there it states specifically that the SFA wants its coaches to educate all its young players, trainee managers and future coaches to “ Honour the game-respect your opponent- play to the rules–value sportsmanship–redefine winning- not just focusing on match results and league positions- and to help produce positive, respectful, and confident people with useful life skills“. Presumably those life skills include playing by the rules, valuing integrity, behaving with honour and respecting the position of others and so on.

Yes—It is hard to believe—but all of those phrases are direct quotes from the Scottish Football Association webpages—they are the words of the SFA themselves. How could they be seen to abandon such principles—especially when they so publicly proclaim them?

What a choice then for the SFA—abandon your principles—or lose an institution—The Kobayashi Moru! You just can’t win!

Except, Green & Co—and I include sections of the media in that phrase—clean forgot who was sitting the Kobayashi Moru test. The SFA were never faced with the test—if anything it was their rules that posed the test for whoever wanted to try and save Rangers. In the end, nobody was willing to attempt that task under the existing rules. No one was prepared to come along and pay the debts and so save the club—and at that stage it was Rangers and Rangers alone who faced the Kobayashi Moru.

Green, by way of his Servco company, then sought admission into the footballing world at a time and under circumstances which the rules dictated must result in failure. He had no accounts, no history in the game, effectively no players and nothing that would suggest that he could meet the criteria of the pre agreed rules for entry into the SFA.

It was at this juncture that the footballing executives made the error of ignoring the rules and principles that govern our game—the ones that the SFA espouse on their own website. They tried to shoe in Green against all the rules, with the result that supporters, fans, and club chairman voted them down and left them with their pants firmly glued to their ankles in Kirk speak.

The SFA, at the instigation of the member clubs from all leagues, then played the Kirk role in attempting to solve The Ibrox Kobayashi Moru by changing those rules with the agreement of the majority, so that Mr Green and his cohorts could gain membership, by effectively agreeing to allow Green’s Servco to obtain membership of the SFA on a conditional basis— with one of those conditions being that Mr Green’s company will pay ALL outstanding football debts—and make no mistake Captain Green accepted that he would play by those rules as otherwise he faced oblivion.

Here is what Green said as published on the SFA website following the signing of the 5 man agreement:

“The agreement signed today allows Rangers to be granted membership by the SFA and finally enables the Club to move forward.

“The Board, the Manager and senior executives have been working tirelessly over the last few weeks to secure the future of the Club and today is the start of that process.

“The Board has had to take some very difficult decisions to gain SFA membership, including accepting the delayed transfer ban and paying outstanding financial penalties. But we are now able to get back to playing football and plan for the new season, starting this Sunday with our match against Brechin.”

The website also reported that Servco had been granted conditional membership with one of the conditions being – “Sevco Scotland Ltd has agreed to settle all outstanding football debts to other members of the Scottish FA plus clubs under the jurisdiction of other Football Associations.”

You will note that nowhere does it state that the SFA or the SPL will pay any of the footballing debts out of any money supposedly due to the second place team in season 2011/2012 as Charles Green appears to claim – and besides it is obvious to everyone that Servco did not participate in the league during that season and so cannot be entitled to any such payment as they were not Registered with the league nor had membership of the SFA or SPL.

Rangers PLC were so registered, but if they were due any money that money would go to their Administrators. However, given that Rangers PLC were the Registered body and were convicted of offences which were described as only second to match fixing, then it follows that they should not be allowed to profit by so much as a penny in that season as a result of their rule breaking activity. Had they been expelled from the league they would have been entitled to nothing at all, and it should be remembered that it was the same Mr Green who took that situation to the Court of Session with the result that the court sent the case back to the panel with the clear instruction that such a penalty may well be appropriate and that in the circumstances the tribunal may have little alternative but to impose such a sanction.

Clearly, this is a scenario that Charles Green had to avoid. In this instance he ignored the footballing rules of not going to courts of law, and found himself with his pants down and facing the Wrath of The Court and the Kobayashi Moru whereby any technical success at the court was likely to result in certain extinction by way of expulsion from the league.

Now Captain Green seems intent on steering his starship into yet another dead end with fatal consequences. He claims that the Scottish Football debts are paid. If we ignore for the minute that he has never attempted to pay any footballing debts outwith Scotland – thus jeopradising his conditional acceptance into the SFA— his claim that it was agreed that these debts would be paid by the SPL or the SFA out of 2011/2012 prize money is derisory.

No fundamental principle of fair play, respect for opponents and attempt at honouring the game could allow for such a situation. Besides the SFA were quite clear in their statement and he has at no time demurred. From the date of the 5 man agreement onwards Captain Green undertook to pay all of the footballing debts— and if he doesn’t, then again he risks the withdrawal of his conditional membership. There is no other solution to the issue. Those are the rules he signed up to, and if you ignore the rules………….

However, this entire affair still has far to go. Where is the transparency and clarity championed by Henry Mcleish and oft promised by Stewart Regan and others? Why are the details of Green’s investors and his business plan, timescales for meeting obligations and everything else about his operation kept so secret? Given the history of those who have been in charge of Ibrox over the last twenty years, the complete failure of their administration and what is now known about their tenure there and in football generally,— and given Green’s latest public statements—, does it not occur to the SFA that the rest of Scottish football has a right to know the details of what they have been told and what Green has promised?

He has promised to clear the footballing debts and appears to be making little attempt to do that whilst his manager hails as triumphs the signing of what he sees as the best players from other teams at relatively huge expense—whilst the debts remain, and the obligations are unfulfilled.

Again that cannot be right and goes against all principles of respecting opponents and honouring the game. It is a circumstance that amounts to the antithesis of the principles espoused by the SFA and appears to be completely contrary to the mandate given to Regan and the powers that be by the clubs and fans of all divisions. Further, the current position gives the impression that Mr Green believes that he can run his company and participate in football as and how he wants, as and when he wants and under his terms and conditions.

This smacks of previous regimes that hovered around Ibrox for far too long with ultimately disastrous results particularly for Rangers fans, investors and creditors.

History cannot be allowed to repeat itself under these circumstances and the SFA must bring pressure on Green to pay the obligations that he undertook to meet within a publicly known timescale. Not only does he need to do that for the benefit of the clubs owed money—he needs to do it for the sake of the integrity of the whole of Scottish football, and he should not be allowed to build at team or field a team if he breaches the agreement. That should be the rule.

He should not be allowed to sacrifice publicly proclaimed and nationally accepted principles for the sake of his own financial expediency “for the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few—- or the one!”

Oh—and lest anyone think that it is mere trivia to link the current plight of Scottish Football with Star Trek and the Wrath of Khan, and that any such comparison is childish and of little consequence, that last quote was specifically relied upon, referred to and quoted in the Supreme Court of Texas in a decision issued on 22nd October 2010 in the case of Barbara Robinson, Individually and as Representative of the Estate of John Robinson, Deceased, Petitioner against Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc., Individually and as Successor to Mundet Cork Corporation, Respondent— thus bringing the undoubted logic and wisdom of Mr Spock well and truly into the Law of the United States of America!

Few would argue that Spock’s logic is not a sound legal principle!

It also seems to me that perhaps Spock had some solid business advice for those who choose to ignore the rules with a view to seeking short term gain or advantage—whether that be by way of trophies, money, position or what have you—but peril their entire existence by engaging in unlawful or illegal activity. It is advice which was ignored apparently by Sir David Murray and his board and by Craig Whyte and his entire cabal. We wait to see if Charles Green will have learned the lesson that they so clearly didn’t, or whether he believes in the potential rewards of the quick fix at any cost?

Live long…….. And prosper!

1,316 Comments so far

paulmacPosted on3:39 pm - Aug 23, 2012

The Iceman says:
August 23, 2012 at 15:03
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Which brings to mind the Watford player…Danny Shitu I believe…who almost let the cat out the bag a few years back…he held a discussion with Bain…and based on that discussion he was under the impression that he was signing for £20k per week…but when he arrived in Glasgow he was looking at an official contract that was half that amount…

Now this is only a guess on my part…but when he arrived in Glasgow…it was at that point it may have been divulged that his contract is for X…and the rest would come via an offshore account…but it will be paid in good faith and not by any offical document…

Suddenly the deal is off and Danny is shouting about a change in contarct amount from the verbal discussion amount?….mmmmmm

Coincidence?

View Comment

paulmacPosted on3:42 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Do people still think Celtic are correct to remain silent on this national disgrace?

AngusPosted on3:43 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Stirling Don says:
August 23, 2012 at 15:26

Angus 15.58 :

If I may as a fellow ovine follower add to your Fiorentina point ?

Tonight Mura of Slovenia …
——–

Well spotted! It seems that UEFA don’t pay too much attention to these things.

Mura is a better example than Fiorentina, in that they were evidently out of business for several months between old and new clubs – and UEFA still treats them as the same entity (and that in the face of the Slovenian FA’s decree).

StevieBCPosted on3:53 pm - Aug 23, 2012

smallteaser says:
August 23, 2012 at 15:35

Stirling Don says:
August 23, 2012 at 15:26
…
Mura 05 finished the 2010–11 Slovenian Second League on fourth place, behind Aluminij, IB Interblock, and Dravinja. However, all three clubs declined promotion to the Slovenian PrvaLiga due to financial reasons. As the next club on the table Mura 05 received and accepted an invitation to join the top division.[7]“
============================

That’s very interesting.

So if this ‘promotion’ was deemed acceptable to UEFA, then what is to stop Regan/Longmuir threatening all the SFL teams to step aside at the end of the season to allow Sevco ‘promotion’ from SFL3 to the SPL ?

Surprised that Green has not ‘demanded’ this yet from the authorities…

rapscallionPosted on3:56 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Smallteaser 15.35 :

Yes that is peculiar in all football let alone purely in Slovenia. Had the demise of Mura happened in a larger country with more than 3 leagues, then I doubt they would be hosting Lazio tonight.

My point mainly related to the difference between how an individual footballing authority considered it’s business & that of how UEFA consider it. There are probably more examples with different outcomes but there does not appear to be a common policy.

It would appear Mura are unprepared for the big league. Their strength appears to be in holding it up rather than performance on the pitch. 6 matches played has resulted in one point. Like the three clubs who declined promotion, perhaps Mura dont have resource to compete ?

Charlie BrownPosted on3:56 pm - Aug 23, 2012

paulmac says:
August 23, 2012 at 15:42
0 0 Rate This
Do people still think Celtic are correct to remain silent on this national disgrace?
================================================================

What’s more odd is John Bomber Brown’s silence – in complete contrast to his summer warnings and attempts to unify The Rangers fanbase against the Green/Sevco consortium.

Brown warned them against buying season tickets etc and starving them out financially, now 30K+ ST’s have been sold and full houses at Ibrox, yet what has changed?

coineanachantaighePosted on4:06 pm - Aug 23, 2012

In response to some of the more pessimistic posts on here recently. Yes, meet the new-co, same as the old-co … but not quite the same.

It has to work its way up the leagues (even if they let it skip a league) … its current finances are fine for div 3 and 2 but would find it harder for Div 1 and even harder for the SPL. Of course ST money will increase as they go up (provided their fans don’t get bored quickly) but I wonder how strong they can be after that even with a share issue.

The banking crisis fallout is likely to last for another 5 years atthe very least … who will give them a loan? They certainly nowhere near what they got from supplicant bankers in the past and certainly not without strong guarantees.

And there’s no way they can even think about dodging tax again. So with them likely to be chasing well behind Celtic (not a ‘tic fan by the way, this is just realistic) for a few years for a Championship place that kind of money is likely to be unavailable for a while.

Even if they can outspend other teams in the SPL, they won’t be (IMHO) be able to afford a team that will “roller-coast” over them as in the old days. They’ll have been out of the SPL for a while and the other teams have been there all the time (bar 1 or 2) and are used to the hard slog that it is for most teams.

Unless they find a really good manager I could see them struggle to get even the lesser European places – not saying they couldn’t just saying it will be harder than some folk think and if it is harder will the fans keep supporting to the necessary levels?

And this is without factoring in that the guys involved now will be more interested in getting money out of the club than producing a really strong New-Rangers. Yes, SPL would be good, if only for the TV money but beyond a club strong enough to be top of league challenger (but not by any means guaranteed to be in the top 2) I don’t think they’d be interested. Without the stuff they got away with in the past it would take too much investment and cut back profit.

BTW I totally expect a lot of the above to be shot down but hope it provokes some useful discussion.

smallteaserPosted on4:08 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Stirling Don says:
August 23, 2012 at 15:56
0 0 i
Rate This
Smallteaser 15.35 :

Yes that is peculiar in all football let alone purely in Slovenia. Had the demise of Mura happened in a larger country with more than 3 leagues, then I doubt they would be hosting Lazio tonight.
=========================================================================
Could you imagine if Kilmarnock & Dunfermline stepped aside to allow Rangers an entry to the SPL, it may be common place abroad it would kill football in this country.

rapscallionPosted on4:15 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Angus 15.43 :

I have just mentioned to Smallteaser there does not appear to be a common policy. I think that is all we can conclude from the combined info.

Mura on a good day can cram 3700 supporters into their stadium & have done little since birth 7 years ago. The old club ran for 80 years from 1924 & was considered a big fish. Their best period coming in the early 90’s after Slovenia broke from Yugoslavia. Today the new club carries the support & colours of the old club but not it’s history.

Whether Mura old or new have influence on a par with Fiorentina or Rangers is a moot point. They certainly couldn’t compete with success or wealth of either. Ergo I don’t think we will ever refer to Mura on a par with those fallen giants.

coineanachantaighePosted on4:16 pm - Aug 23, 2012

paulmac says:
August 23, 2012 at 15:42
Do people still think Celtic are correct to remain silent on this national disgrace?
———————————————————————————–
Not just Celtic surely – lots of clubs (though Celic being by far the biggest would I suppose have more clout).

scottyjimboPosted on4:19 pm - Aug 23, 2012

paulmac says:
August 23, 2012 at 15:28

.”when the court was deciding whethere to appoint the HMRC admin team or CW’s choice and it looked like it might go to HMRC…it’s the first time I’ve seen genuine panic on his (CW) face”…

That sentence is the most critical in this farce. If MBB hadn’t got his way there, then everything since would have been totally different. It would have been a normal administration/liquidation where creditors came first and not this shameful charade.
Everything points to Green/Octopus having some kind of arrangement with MBB prior to this date, the question being how far prior.
I believe the MBB involvement was to put distance between the old club and the new club “burying” some undesirable discrepancies in the old company in the process. Is it possible the involvement of Mr. Grier was to set up the Ticketus deal with MBB thus allowing the charade, but with secure fall back positions in the event of administration/CVA, or finally, liquidation. But they needed the corpse.
The critical moment was the selection of auditors. Without these auditors, Green/Ticketus were not “guaranteed” to inherit the corpse at a reasonable price, and without the corpse everything was gone. I am reluctant to suggest conspiracy, but it was very, very, very convenient that Duff & Duffer were appointed, and have since run the “most unusual” administration without any form of intervention by any of the statutory bodies.

Palacio67Posted on4:20 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Really good discussions the last two days, would love to hear from some of the big hitters who graced the RTC blog.
Off topic I wish Hearts all the best tonight against Liverpool, would love them to get a result to show people that Scottish football is’nt as bad as the doom and gloomers say ( Well on the football field at least ).
Best of luck to Motherwell also.

rapscallionPosted on4:45 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Smallteaser 16.08 :

Yes I could & I agree with your conclusion.

The money required to fund a Rangers behemoth is such that dropping a few million into a smaller clubs account wouldn’t concern them. It would give the smaller club breathing space & Rangers would reap much greater reward from earlier access to major booty.

Dunfermline don’t need to do it & I doubt their Chairman would give the matter oxygen. Of the current 12 clubs in the SPL, 8 started the season debt free. Of the remaining 4, Celtic are best placed to absorb, Hearts are in debt to their owners bank & Aberdeen are in debt to their housing empire owner, who has clout with his banks. This leaves Kilmarnock who are vulnerable.

I’m not suggesting for a moment that Kilmarnock would even consider this course of action but if any club did, the paying fan would immediately depart from what they perceived to be a rigged league…. & in my opinion, they would be correct to do so.

However the cat can be swung many ways & as other contributors have added, when it comes to reorganisation, we can expect empty gesture & loaded promise. Must be full time, must have stadium of certain capacity etc. If that were to happen, it would be most unfortunate if Ibrox failed it’s safety certificate through years of poor maintainance & being riddled with Asbestos….

Carl31Posted on4:46 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Has anyone read this in the Grauniad?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2012/aug/21/reading-zingarevich-offshore-tax-havens

WOTTPIPosted on4:52 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Charlie Brown says:
August 23, 2012 at 14:35

The simple choice for the Sevconians is to have a club or not.
Given their erses were nearly oot the windae then who can blame the majority of them for accepting / not questoning a deal that allows them to keep playing football at Ibrox (@HMRC) even if some of the cash goes to others.

What fan wouldn’t take the devil’s shilling if they said they could get CL league stage football year after year as long as someone in the background got a cut, or in some EPL teams case don’t ask too many questions about where the money is coming from and what happens if the heid bummer pulls out.

The majority of fans are fans and at the end of the day tend to turn a blind eye to many things if thier team is having a wee bit of success. Thats how Rangers and indeed other clubs have all come a cropper in the past.

Sensible fans (which could be argued is an oxymoron) need to monitor the situation and speak up as required because it does matter in the ways you have outlined.

However my fear is that, without focus, those voices could once again be lost in the wilderness.

FIFAPosted on4:55 pm - Aug 23, 2012

It could be the case with Marvin Andrews that he had a tax agreement in place with a religous sect where part of his wages is deducted at gross ,lots of people do this and this would not be good for the EBT system to deal with .

Carl31Posted on5:19 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Thinking for just a few moments, with a business head on, generaliaing about the share flotation.
If Green got the assets for 5.5m – so thats roughly the whole shebang’s initial worth due to the inherent risky position its in…
And due to a few issues resolution such as getting it up and running, getting some kind of merchandising deal on the go, and things settling down re the squad…
… its now worth, say, £10m.
…then a share flotation looking to sell about half would be like asking the ‘market’ to buy £5m worth of the current entity.

This might be attractive to some, if they think it could be worth a fair bit more (say £20m) at some point in the next year/two/three?
Its a risky investment, but somebody – a few risk takers – might look to double their money over that kind of timescale.
It depends how the market sees it.
There would be some element of backing from the fan base, given that about £5m is akin to asking 20,000 fans to buy a £250 season ticket each – so not beyond the realms of possibility.

IMHO, I wouldn’t go near it since I think there are actors in the background in this saga that are looking to take the money and run at the soonest opportunity.
However, I can see that, as time plods on, more football played and events develop, the case to be made for The Rangers seeing out this season becomes more viable.

I can also see that this in turn increases the chances of those who might be sufficiently unaware of, or wilfully blind to, the background actors deciding to part with their hard earned.

Fan ClubPosted on5:19 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Re the “nuclear story” – if I remember correctly the author stated that once the true story emerged it would make the “Rangers” brand so toxic nobody would want to buy the “club”. Now, 1) the “club” / assets / whatever you want to call it, have been bought and 2) it’s hard to see how any further tax wrong-doings could make the brand (more) toxic.

Either, tax wrong-doings isn’t the “nuclear event” or there is no “nuclear story”. I for one don’t know and have no grounds for arguing either way.

On a different note, there is a great deal of speculation that Ticketus are pulling the strings behind the Green consortium. Now, I’ve always said ticketus’s involvement was suspect and I still think getting to the bottom of who funded Ticketus’s season ticket deal will shed the entire 18 months in a completely different light. But what I do find hard with the conspiracy theories is why the Rangers deal in particular would see Ticketus change from a season ticket investor / source of short term working capital to some probable shady dealings into taking a football club into liquidation to emerge as the (secret) owner at the end of the process. Just seems like a very sudden strategic shift to take.

jonnyPosted on5:35 pm - Aug 23, 2012

I see Regan has set the ball rolling on his latest venture to aid the newest club in Scottish football .My worry is that he does not seem to have grasped how close he came to destroying Scottish football for thousands of FOOTBALL fans .
IMO the corruption of our game will never be forgotten by many fans and if he persists with his stupid agenda he will drive many thousands of fans from our game and it will take more than a bigotry card to get them back .
While the powers that be are counting their £s they seem to forget that it is a SPORT,for football to be successful in Scotland we need the fans to believe that it’s a game 11 v 11 and anything can happen on the day .
While he is busy setting up reconstruction ,what if 2012 fc don’t make the play offs ,what will he do then .What if 2012 fc need to win their last 2 games to get promoted ,what will he do then ,can you see where this is going .Where does Regan draw the line in fast tracking 2012 fc to the SPL (maybe some journo should just ask him outright ).
Mr Regan underestimate the power of the real (principled) football fans at your peril

campsiejoePosted on5:41 pm - Aug 23, 2012

A diatribe in two parts
A lot of it is going over old ground, but I’m trying to tie everything together, so if it bores any of you, I apologise
There is also some speculation involved !

Part One

It would appear that the pieces of the jigsaw are falling into place with the developments of the last few days
There has been a plan in place since well before 14th February, to bring us to where we are now
I thought it strange, that in the DoubleDs first press conference on the evening of the 14th, they were fairly sure that there would be a CVA by the end of March, that Liquidation wasn’t likely and in fact the business was in trouble at the time of the takeover by the MBB

As we have since learned via Mark Daly’s 2nd programme, the Double Ds had been in place well before this and had been briefed by the MBB on what his requirements were

We also learned in Daly’s first programme, from Alistair Johnston, that there had been a motion before the board, that was defeated by one vote, to put RFC into administration
I can’t remember the time frame for this, but in my opinion it lends credence to the story that the MBB was handpicked for the job

Having gotten their feet under the desk, I believe it was at this point the Stooges Inc appeared on the scene
They soon learned that Liquidation was the likely outcome, and as they could not countenance the loss of RFC(IA) during the season, with all of the knock on effects that would bring, started to hatch a scheme with the Double Ds, and I’m sure with Green involved also
The plan involved the Double Ds keeping RFC(IA) afloat until the end of the season, and in exchange whatever replaced RFC(IA) would be granted entry straight into the top flight, with minimal sanctions

That could explain why there were no redundancies, just voluntary wage cuts, and why Donkey embarked on his charm offensive with bizarre statements and schemes about a hypothetical (at that time) liquidation situation
Unfortunately Donkey’s scheme fell apart when the clubs said they would decide what happened in event of Liquidation, not the SPL board

In parallel, the Double Ds carried on with what was rapidly becoming a joke of an Administration, pulling bidders out of the hat, and then binning them a few days letter, whilst at the same time running up a £4 million loss keeping the corpse alive

During all of this, I am convinced that the SFA/SPL/SFL were in discussions with the Double Ds and Green on all of the various scenarios, and that is why when the time eventually came, they were prepared for the SFL 1 alternative complete with threats and lies

In the midst of all of this we had RFC(IA) going to court to overturn a transfer embargo, which resulted in the Judge telling the panel to impose an authorised sanction Interesting to note, that to date that panel has not reconvened

Meanwhile back on track, the CVA that had supposedly been nodded through by HMRC, was in actual fact rejected by HMRC

StarofdavidPosted on5:46 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Will this ever be forgotten. I for one sincere hope not.

As they climb the leagues propped up by thousands of willing dupes (fool me thrice eh?) desperate to believe in an unbroken timeline even though every piece of logic and evidence point to the contrary, it is IMPERATIVE that fans of all clubs up and down the country, big and small, give them SHEER HELL at every turn.

Ridicule them into the ground with songs banter banners postings protest indeed by all means possible and for YEARS to come. This must not be allowed to go unnoticed unchallenged and unpunished.

sarantsevillePosted on5:56 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Charlie Brown says:

August 23, 2012 at 15:56

Brown warned them against buying season tickets etc and starving them out financially, now 30K+ ST’s have been sold and full houses at Ibrox, yet what has changed?
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I agree… im getting fed up asking if anyone can shed any light on this.
We had the media giving pages and airtime to Bomber, even Wee Bazza was putting up some dosh… the Goalie backed him…im sure Sandra Jardine was also trumpeting his cause.
No media response to Bombers complete failure to carry out his promises..no mention of Charlies backers..yet the SEVCONIANS continue to buy the tickets and the pies for this “fackin club”.(quote from J Brown)
I asked yet another true blue these questions today… response …no answer, no clue but yet this pesron has still rolled up and purchased a season book (against Der Bombers wishes).
Are all these people mad? I make one last appeal on this .. can someone, anyone please provide the reason for Bomber shutting his mouth? Hopefully not just because he has sobered up. ….And did he give the pensioner his £120 back??
Where’s Bomber ??? Any sightings please reply here?? Any MSM who still have his number, give him a call.. even if its just to ask him if hes ok..

tic6709Posted on5:57 pm - Aug 23, 2012

I never thought it would come to this,ever, I still cant believe i’m going to say it,well here goes,
good luck Hearts,and Motherwell too. No,dont feel any better,but it had to be done.

AuldheidPosted on5:58 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Fan Club says:

August 23, 2012 at 17:19

Ticketus bankrolled CW because in return they get a bite at each bum on each seat at Ibrox for a period of time. (Not a pretty picture at any stadium).

They can get the money back either from CW who gave it to Lloyds who were owed it and unless CW has wealth off the radar they are on to plums with their bums relying on him

they make sure that Ibrox continues as a football stadium where bums will continue to be placed on seats.

They move that investment into a long term payback portfolio but with the natural guarantee because, as we have just seen, football is invulnerable to the laws that apply to normal business, they will eventually get their money back.

Not only that but the business which they choose to support will at least double its income in two years, maybe three with avenues to even more and the choice is get nowt now and forever or get paid back over a longer term at a higher rate. Thus the reasons for Ticketus owning the seats at Ibrox, if not Ibrox itself are pretty clear. Also clear is why they would not want to risk it turning into ASDA and to do that they had to be involved in the administration.

Remember when we all wondered where CW got the money to pay Lloyds and speculated it might have been borrowed and how the idea of it coming from Rangers fans via Ticketus was thought unlikley? Looking back it now seems obvious, I think looking back Ticketus still getting their share will become as obvious.

To make it all make sense look at it over a five to ten year investment period. Whats not to to like? A club with a huge unthinking support backed by an unthinking national association and unthinking member clubs with poor to average credit facilties that advanced sales can help with..

Implement tight wage control and its candy from a baby.

Rangers supporters might moan about the standard of player/play compared to what they were used to but the alternative of unaffordable glory spend will look much less attractive now and normaility will be restored with revised expectations.

HaywirePosted on6:02 pm - Aug 23, 2012

smallteaser says:
August 23, 2012 at 14:29
—-
Haywire says:
August 23, 2012 at 14:06
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My tongue was inserted in my cheek when posting.
—-

AuldheidPosted on6:09 pm - Aug 23, 2012

sarantseville says:

August 23, 2012 at 17:56

I believe it was Lyndon Bains Johnstone who said of J Edgar Hoover “Better having him inside the tent pissing out than outside the tent pissin in.”

I reckon Mr Brown and his cohorts got an invite from inside the tent where they were appraised of what is really going on. asked if they had an alternative plan and were told to forever hold their peace or (hold their piece.)

What is really going on is what would be nice for the general Rangers support to know.

TallBoy PoppyPosted on6:16 pm - Aug 23, 2012

campsiejoe says:
August 23, 2012 at 17:41

Late 2009 on the arrival of Donald Muir. It was at the same time the bank withdrew their overdraft.
At this point Rangers were technically insolvent and the process should have started then. There are quotes from AJ on this if you need to find the exact timeline.

Instead, we got this charade.

nowoldandgrumpyPosted on6:16 pm - Aug 23, 2012

I am glad Regan told one of the best read newspapers in Scotland, The Daily Mail to let us know the next step in this giant con. Transparency my buttocks

IMO Sevco have been informed that they will be in the SPL 2 at the very worst next season. Do we really think that Sevco supporters bought ST’s in their numbers because of the signings Sevco have made, almost certainly not. They would have bought them in any event so long as Green and Ally played the punished enough card. These players have been signed to ensure that they win Div3 as that would enable them to be placed in SPL2.

Why else would Goian go on loan for a year, because Ally wants him back for SPL2 and they cannot afford to keep paying him his current salary.

Black has stated that Ally told him he will be back in the top flight in a year, I am sure he did not mean that he could be sold to a SPL club. No he knows the con.

It would not surprise me in the least that this was part of the 2 weeks of negotiations with the SFA, where it is clear that it was not the SFA setting the conditions, it was Green telling the SFA what conditions they wanted in order for them to join.

In July Doncaster said this about a 16 team league:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18865842

Neil Doncaster remains wary of 16-team SPL

Chief executive Neil Doncaster insists Scottish Premier League clubs remain committed to reconstruction.
However, he repeated doubts over the commercial viability of a 16-team top flight.
“There is no question that with a 16-team league there are real issues,” Doncaster told BBC Scotland.
“It’s only 15 home fixtures rather than the 19 at present. And with once home, once away there are questions over the broadcasting value.”
The prospect of an expanded SPL emerged in a package of reforms put to Scottish Football League clubs just two days before their vote on Rangers.
Streamlined governance, a fairer distribution of revenue and play-offs for access to the SPL were also proposed in a bid to sweeten a deal that would see the new Ibrox club granted entry to Division One.
Continue reading the main story
“
”
Neil Doncaster
But SFL clubs chose to admit Rangers to Division Three.
“It’s absolutely still on the table,” replied Doncaster when asked about the future of league reconstruction negotiations.
“Our clubs are keen to stress that they remain committed to looking at the art of the possible and making the game as strong as it can be.
“When we talked last week about league expansion we were not specific about the size of the league.
“Let’s take a breath, deal with the short term issues facing us and then we can sit down with the other governing bodies and look at what we should be doing for the longer term.”
====

So what if anything has changed, Oh yes Sevco being refused entry to Div1, so now a likely 16 team league is acceptable.

campsiejoePosted on6:17 pm - Aug 23, 2012

The Diatribe

Part Two

The desired outcome – Liquidation – had been achieved, and all that remained now was to allow the vultures to pick the carcass clean

Bubbling away in the background was the FTT and the dual contract investigation
Stooges Inc could do nothing about the FTT, but they controlled the DC investigation
The aim was to delay this as long as possible to allow whatever followed RFC(IA) to gain a foothold in Scottish football, and this in my opinion is what they did

In the meantime, the SFL clubs scuppered the carefully laid plans of the authorities, by voting Sevco into Division 3
The problem now was membership of the SFA, but as with everything in this fiasco, this was not a problem when rules could be bent, dispensed with and broken at will

Stooges Inc were keen to give the impression that there were some very serious negotiations going on
I doubt this was the case, and prior to that infamous Friday night statement, pretty well all of the terms and conditions had been agreed, including Sevco’s future

Sevco have been promised league reconstruction to facilitate their return to the top flight within 2 seasons
Statements from their Chairman and some of their staff cannot you lead to any other conclusion

The transfer embargo is cosmetic, designed to show apparent toughness, whilst at the same time allowing Sevco to win the 3rd Division, and complete the first half of the revamped league next season, before recruiting to launch their final assault on promotion to the SPL or whatever it is by then

This has been a massive stitch up, with one aim only:-
To make sure that Sevco will be RFC, with absolutely no difference between the two entities, and that includes the infamous history
The only part of the history that will be ignored and never mentioned will be £135 million of debt left behind

We all know what the agenda is, and another round of the fight is about to begin, and we need to be ready

jonnyPosted on6:24 pm - Aug 23, 2012

sarantseville says:
August 23, 2012 at 17:56
May I take a stab at Bombers silence .
What if there was a scam in place
What if Bomber was not in the loop
What if the scammers feared Bomber exposing the scam
What if the scammers put Bomber in the picture .
Just my opinion .
Auldheid
I am with you on this

nowoldandgrumpyPosted on6:32 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Let us see if the SPL and Doncaster continue with their stance as in Jan 2011, when they informed us that only two leagues of 10 was financially viable.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/9336457.stm

SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster also spoke of the economic argument against a 16 or 18-team top division, saying it would “involve the decimation of finances in Scottish football”.
“The cake gets much smaller and is cut into more slices,” he explained.
“There would be fewer games and there is no doubt, from a TV point of view, there would be less money coming into the game.”

And SPL chairman Ralph Topping said clubs believe that a 16 or 18-team league is not financially viable.
A working party has proposed two divisions of 10 and a vote is expected at the next gathering on 17 January. “If you look at Scottish football, a 16-team league wouldn’t work economically and it would have a knock-on effect in terms of the quality of players you can attract.

Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne said that no alternative to a 10-team top flight had been put forward at the meeting.
“Each of the options has been fully evaluated and the one that delivers way above any of the others is a 10-team league,” he said
“And I’m fairly confident that’s where we will end up.
“I don’t think there is any other option. It delivers on a financial front, it delivers on a football front.”
“We know there is a big selling job to be done with the media and the fans,” added Milne.
“But, if we don’t bring money in, where is Scottish football going? We have no money to invest in youth, we can’t afford to bring in highly paid players.”

campsiejoePosted on6:35 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Insomniac @ 18:16

Thanks
I’ll have a dig around for the timing etc, but it was one of those “whit” moments

BlindsummitPosted on6:46 pm - Aug 23, 2012

I think campsiejoe and others have pretty much nailed it in their recent postings. This has all been a massive stitch up.

I can only marvel at the brilliance of the Sevco/Rangers plan and how it is working almost completely as they envisaged with only one setback, that being not allowed entry to the SPL. That is because of the only thing not in the control of the forces of evil and darkness, which was the fans of the other clubs.

Everything else in this long game has gone exactly to plan.

I for one don’t believe anything in this process has been accidental or just “happened”. The mission is, and always has been, how do we ensure “rangers” drop $140 million in debt but continue on as if nothing else was different? While ensuring distance from the wrongdoing of those directly responsible.

David Murray kicked off this process, and Craig Whyte was his chosen front man and fall guy. Just as Charles Green is now the front man. Ticketus have been involved for a long time too.

The SFA have always been on board. Campbell Ogilvie being put in place was a critical part of the plan as it ensured SFA compliance, particularly if Stewart Regan decided to go rouge and not play. And for all those claims that CO has excused himself from all “rangers” related business, what poppycock! For one thing SR reports to CO and his annual review and benefits are directly in CO’s hands. Like any organization, the SFA takes it’s direction from the top and CO IS the top!

The SPL, with the amateur and easily led ND has been a breeze for “rangers” to manipluate. They even seem to have the other club chairmen in their thrall.

They have their placemen in the SFL too, which turned out to be handy in the end.

D&P are utterly the creatures of “rangers” and CW & before him SDM.

The media, with a few honorable exceptions, have totally been in their pocket, so much so that in my opinion it goes way beyond succulent lamb. I wonder where some of the missing EBT money went?

Political influence has seen delay on several fronts to things which would have killed the sevco plan. Where is this mythical FTT ruling? Why the delay in Lord Hodge’s ruling on D&P’s conflict of interest.

The biggest scam in Scottish and perhaps British sport is now being openly rubbed in to our faces and they are getting away with it.

Scottish footbal is dead, and Scottish civil society is not far behind it. I could weep, but I am beyond weeping now, it’s too late.

smallteaserPosted on6:53 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Haywire says:
August 23, 2012 at 18:02

Fairy Nuff, Smallteaser. You certainly teased me there! From my post you may have deduced that I am still significantly teased off with Mr. Johnston’s “fair” approach. He didn’t take the Killie fans to the fair; he took them to the cleaners! In future, please do appropriate smiley to indicate when you are in tongue in cheek mode! My keyboard will not survive another diatribe from me.
===========================================================
Apologies Haywire, I never have done Smiley things, each to their own sense of humour etc.
If I had been fishing for a Killie fan, you certainly put your view across.
I, on the other hand, am not a Killie fan so therefore it would not have been fair for me to criticise M Johnstone.
The gist of the post was that the removal of Old Firm reps would lead to a fairer SFA, I doubt it.
You end up with a gang of X against Celtic and any decisions would be seen as that by the fan.
I am glad you represented the views of Killie fans so well, keep it up, and good luck with the buyout.

nowoldandgrumpyPosted on6:57 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Is it not funny how the current SKY deal ends this season and the new deal starts for season 2013-14. Just by sheer coincidence, a proposal for SPL2 with Sevco included, just happens to be scheduled for 2013-14.

Now if I was a suspicious person, I would think that this was more than coincidental.

BlindsummitPosted on7:00 pm - Aug 23, 2012

nowoldandgrumpy says:

August 23, 2012 at 18:57

You would be right to be suspicious nowoldandgrumpy. There is no such thing as coincidence, not in business. This is all part of the plan.

coineanachantaighePosted on7:19 pm - Aug 23, 2012

MacLeish coming out with usual sheeoit on ITV 4. *Rangers suffered a sanction (not new co starts at bottom) SPL will struggle without them, maybe Rangers back sooner han 3 years .. maybe.

No challenge from reporter or anyone else, so lots of non-Scottish viewers swallow lies. At least it was brief.

*his word

willmacufreePosted on7:31 pm - Aug 23, 2012

paulmac says:
August 23, 2012 at 15:42
“Do people still think Celtic are correct to remain silent on this national disgrace?”
__________________________________________________________________

Paulmac,

I really don’t know what utterance from Celtic F.C. could do any good. I’m not a lawyer but, from White to Green and all shades in between, I don’t believe anybody has done anything criminal.

They are sailing close to the wind maybe, in their brass necked bare faced exploitation of inadequate company law with SFA/SPL connivance.

I keep saying the whole saga has all the hallmarks of master builders’ influence. What do you think Celtic should say?

nowoldandgrumpyPosted on7:34 pm - Aug 23, 2012

miki67 says:
August 23, 2012 at 19:21
0 0 Rate This
Corruption seems to be the base-line for everthing in the world right now. Sad.
—————–

Corruption is the norm. Honesty is unique.

TSFMPosted on7:38 pm - Aug 23, 2012

New post up – a reblog concerning new reconstruction proposals.

TSFMPosted on7:40 pm - Aug 23, 2012

Might be a good idea to repost some of the recent comments on the new blog?

The Continuing Voyage of Scottish Football – and the Wrath of Khan