A Blog by James Forrest for TSFM
I am a socialist, and as a socialist I believe in the fundamental goodness of people. Some people find that hard to believe when they read the stuff I write.
I published my first novel recently, on politics and the corrupting nature of it, and it is a deeply cynical book, a book where no-one has clean hands come the end. What has surprised some of those who’ve read it is that I didn’t focus on the lies and smears of the right, but the hypocrisy and deceit of those who claim to be of the left.
Corruption, you see, doesn’t respect political boundaries or points of view. It’s like rainwater. It finds every crack, and gets in there.
My political beliefs revolve around two apparently paradoxical elements; the belief in the inherent decency of people and the need for a strong, and powerful, state. I believe the second underpins the first, and this brings me into conflict with a lot of people, some on the left and some on the right. Too many people see the state as inherently evil, as something that interferes too much in the lives of ordinary people. As something suffocating.
Yet the state exists to protect us. It exists to provide a safety net. It exists to regulate and to oversee. If the state is made up of bad people, if the gears of society are captured by those with malicious or selfish intent, the results are obvious; war, corruption, chaos.
The vast majority of our problems in the modern age can be neatly summed up in two lines from Yeats’ poem “The Second Coming”, which I used to open my novel. “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.”
We live in a time when those who are protecting their own interests have assumed such power that they’ve cowed the rest of us. They have become a law unto themselves. They have changed the nature of the game, because they have sapped our will to the extent some barely put up a fight anymore. The weak get weaker, and the strong use their strength to crush the rest even more. It is a vicious struggle, a downward spiral.
Society is held together not only by the endeavour and common interests of its citizens but by a collection of laws. We elect the people who make those laws. They do so in our name, and we can remove that right every four years. That is a powerful thing, and we do not appreciate it enough. The present corruption exists because we allow it to exist.
The people around me continue to puzzle over my uncommon interest in the affairs of a football club on the west of Glasgow. My own club plays in the east end. I tell those who ask that my primary interest in the goings-on at the club calling itself Rangers is no longer about football; how could it be, after all? With promotion this year they are still a full two divisions below us, emasculated, skint, weak and unstable. If we were fortunate enough to draw them in cup competition the match would be over, as a tie, by the halfway point … in the first half.
In footballing terms they are an utter irrelevance.
Rangers is more than a football club to me. They are a symbol. Their unfolding calamity is an on-going outrage. What is happening there, what is being allowed to happen, is an offense to decency. It is a stain on the face of our country.
In short, it is a scandal. It is a scandal without parallel in sport.
Yet it’s not just a sports story either. If it was, I might not be so focussed on it. What is happening at Rangers is a colossal failure of governance. It is a damning indictment against the very people who are supposed to oversee our game. It is a disgraceful abrogation of responsibility from those at the top, those who claim to be “running things.”
If this is not a failure of governance it is a result of corruption at the heart of our national sport. It says they are bought and paid for, and I will say no such thing here.
So let’s give them the benefit of the doubt. We’ll say instead that what they are is weak, indecisive, inept and disconnected from reality.
It reminds me of our political class, which has become insular and ignorant about what the public wants, and what it needs. It’s not a wonder parties like UKIP can achieve national vote shares of 25% at local elections. Nigel Farage strikes me as a dog-whistle politician, the kind who knows how to appeal to a select group of voters. He is little different to Charles Green, the man who beguiled Rangers fans into handing over large amounts of money, because he was “standing up for the club.” It is easy to do what he did, easy to do what Farage is doing.
Real leadership requires toughness. Say what you like about the Tories, but they have that in spades. Yeats was right about the worst being full of passionate intensity. Green was. Farage is. Cameron and Osborne personify it in their political outlook.
It is easy to be cowed by blunt force politics, and by “tough talking Yorkshire men” and venomous speeches about “strivers and skivers.” The politics of divide and conquer is the oldest form of politics there is, and it’s no surprise to see it practiced by some of the vested interests in the game here in Scotland. Yet, lest we forget … something significant happened last year. The maligned and the ignored, the weak and the voiceless found something they never realised they had. They discovered that, in a very real sense, the power was in their hands.
Last year, the fans rose up when the governing bodies and the media went all-out to save Rangers from the self-inflicted wounds caused by a decade of cheating, malpractice and ineptitude. I have no problem calling that what it was.
What happened at Rangers seemed incredible, but it was all too predictable, and some of us had been talking about it for years before it hit. The Association seemed caught in the headlights but it would amaze me if they really were as insular and ignorant as they appeared. They must have known how bad the outlook was for Rangers. They just chose to ignore it.
They were aided and abetted by a thoroughly disreputable media, a collection of cowards and compromisers, charlatans and frauds, masquerading as journalists, but who long ago laid aside any claim to be bold investigators and settled for commenting on events as they unfolded. More often than not, with their ill-informed opinions, sometimes due to weaknesses in intellect and others wilfully ignorant, they failed even in that.
Entire newspapers became PR machines for crooks and swindlers. They aided in the scam because they didn’t do their jobs, some because they were lazy, some because they were incompetent and others because they wanted a seat at the table and were willing to sacrifice whatever integrity they once had in exchange for one.
That all of this was embraced by the Rangers fans is amazing to me. They trusted when they should have been asking questions. They closed their eyes, covered their ears and sang their battle tunes at the top of their voices so they wouldn’t have to hear anything they didn’t like. As incredible as I found it then, and still find it now – and now, even more so, when they have already seen the results of it once – I find it pathetic too, and I do feel pity for some of them.
A lot of these people are genuine football fans, and nothing more. They have no interest in the phony narrow nationalism, or the over-blown religion, or the notion of supremacy which manifested itself in a ludicrous statement from McCoist when interviewed recently on Sky.
Some of the Rangers fans look at their team of duds, kids and journeymen, they look at a boardroom of cowards and crooks, they look at a failing manager in his first (and last) job in the game and at a dark future and are not in the least bit impressed by, or interested in, the chest-out arrogance espoused in those ridiculous words “we are the people.” They know full well that their present crisis was made by men like McCoist, and they understand that pretentious posturing is not an act born of strength, but a scrambling around in the gutter, and a symptom of weakness.
They understand their position, and they hate it. And because they care about Rangers, because they value the club, because they cherish those things that made it a great Scottish institution, they want that back. They understand that before the Union Jack waving, Sash singing, poppy wearing, Nazi saluting, Orange element became the public face of their support Rangers meant something else, and that, above all things, is what pains them the most.
People do not hate Rangers. When the country appeared to turn its back last year, they were turning the back on favouritism and the bending of rules. Yet it would be a lie to say that there is not an element of dislike in the gleeful mockery of many rival fans.
But they don’t hate Rangers either. They hate the version of it around which a certain section of the support continues to dance. They hate the version which hates, and so too do many, many, many Rangers supporters, and they definitely deserve better.
David Murray chose not to openly challenge that version. Indeed, he encouraged certain strands of it to flourish and grow, with his “Britishness Days” and his effort to turn the club into the “team that supports the troops.” Other clubs have done as much, if not more, for the British Army than the one that plays out of Ibrox. Other clubs have given more money. Other clubs have lent their support to those on the front lines. They just chose to do it with respect, and with class, and with dignity. They chose to do it in private, understanding that there eventually comes a tipping point between looking after the ends of the soldiers and using them to promote your own.
The army has not battened on to Rangers. Rangers has battened on to them, and although it is unclear when an altruistic motive became darker, what started out as a gesture of solidarity is now used to entrench division and promote a notion of superiority.
Craig Whyte took over from Murray and immediately understood the lure of the “dog whistle.” He knew too that the media would accept whatever he told them, without question, and as he spoke up for “Rangers traditions” he made sure the lunatic fringe was well onside. He met face to face with the hard-core extremists in the support first and made them his praetorian guard. They spoke up for him until the day the club entered administration.
So, whereas Murray pandered to them and Whyte used them to further his own ends, it was only a matter of time before someone suggested to Charles Green that he could use the same tactics to win over the support. He went even further and blatantly promoted and encouraged this mind-set, and stoked the hate and nonsense to frightening new heights. The same people who cheered Whyte to the rafters jumped on board the Big Blue Bus and the results are clear.
Through all of it, the ordinary Rangers fan has seen his club buffered against the rocks, battered, broken, smashed to smithereens and sunk. Now there’s a big hole in the side of the lifeboat, and they are terrified that further tragedies await.
They are right to be concerned. Much of the media is still not telling them what they need to know. The people in charge of their club – the owners who have lied, the former hack who covered up the truth about Whyte and now acts as a mouthpiece for Green, the “club legends” who are content to sup with the devil and take his greasy coin when they should be standing toe-to-toe with the fans – are trying to silence those members of the press who do have facts to present.
How many times now have media outlets been banned from Ibrox for daring to report the truth? The manager who demanded the names of a committee last year defends those inside the walls who are desperate to keep secret the things that are going on. He is either an unprincipled coward, or he is, himself, bought and paid for. The fans suffer for it.
The “inconvenient truth” is still being kept from them, and this denies them any chance to play an active role in their club. Indeed, it is all too possible that they’ve passed a point of no return, and that their club is heading for a new liquidation event and it can no longer be stopped.
In either case, their power has been eroded to the point at which they must feel they have nothing left to do but stand back and watch what happens next.
They are wrong. I am a socialist. I believe in the inherent good of people. I think the ordinary decent Rangers fans are the only people left who can save their club … and the means by which they will do it is as simple as it could be.
They must stand up for “big government.” They must embrace the need for a “strong state.” They must lobby the SFA, and they must trust the SFA and they must get the SFA to follow its own rules and thereby save them from any further harm.
There is a tendency amongst some Celtic fans to see our governing bodies as pro-Rangers. If it is true then those running our game are ruining Scottish football without benefiting the thing they love more. The incalculable harm that has been done to Rangers in the last 20 some months is a direct result of the subservient media and the willingness of the football authorities to be “deaf, dumb and blind.” Those who believe this has actually helped the Ibrox club have not been paying attention in class. It has irrevocably scarred them, and it may yet have played a hand in destroying them once and for all, as a force if not as a club entirely.
For years, the SFA sat and did nothing as a club in their association operated a sectarian signing policy. They did nothing whilst the fans sang sectarian songs. In their failure to act they strengthened those elements of the Rangers support, instead of isolating, alienating and eventually helping to eliminate those who saw that club as a totem pole of division and hate. Their failure over EBT’s, and their lack of scrutiny, led to one of the greatest scandals in the history of sport, and I say that with no equivocation at all. The testimony of their registrations officer in the Lord Nimmo Smith investigation was a disgrace and in years to come it will rank as one of the most disreputable and damaging moments in the association’s history.
The most egregious failures of all were the failures in the so-called “fit and proper person” tests, which allowed first Whyte and then Charles Green to assume controlling positions at Ibrox. They will pass the buck and say the responsibility lies with the club itself, in much the same way as they are content to let the club investigate itself at the present time, but any neutral who looks at this stance knows it is unprincipled and spineless. It’s like letting the defence set the terms at a trial. It is foxes investigating the chicken coop.
It is a blueprint for corruption, and a recipe for disaster.
It is now too late for the SFA to declare Green “unfit”, as it was too late when they finally slapped that title on Craig Whyte. He and his allies own Rangers, and they control its destiny. They can push the club to the wall if they choose, in the final extremity, if that gets them what they want. The time for changing that is past. The damage has already been done. The barbarians are not at the gates. They are inside the walls, and sacking the city.
The SFA will be forced to punish Rangers for the sins of the owners, for the second time in as many years, and whilst it is right that the club face up to that, all the better to send a message to other clubs and other owners, the SFA cannot be allowed to slither off the hook here as though this was none of their doing. Green will skip off into the sunset. Craig Whyte has yet to pay his fine. These people never cared about Scottish football and they don’t care now.
The SFA are supposed to. Our governing body is supposed to govern, for the good of the whole game, and not as a support system for a single club. What they have allowed to happen on their watch is absolutely shameful and if the people responsible were men at all, with any sense of accountability, they would resign en masse.
They can pretend ignorance, but only the truly ignorant would accept that. Craig Whyte was not inside Ibrox a week before RTC and other sites were dismantling his entire business history, with some of the people here doing the work the SFA would not. Whyte himself claims to have made the governing bodies aware of the scale of what was facing the club, and they did nothing at all. Heads should have rolled a year ago.
In October of last year, on this very site, I posted an article in which I wrote:
“Which isn’t to say the due diligence matter isn’t worrying, because, of course, it is. Again, no-one is going to convince me that the SFA has conducted proper due diligence on Charles Green and his backers. No-one will convince me they are satisfied that this club is in safe hands, and that the game in this country will not be rocked by a further implosion at Ibrox. They failed to properly investigate Craig Whyte, because of lax regulations requiring disclosure from the club itself, regulations which are just a joke, but they can be forgiven for that as the press was talking sheer nonsense about him having billions at his disposal, and a lot of people (but not everyone!) were either convinced or wanted to be convinced by him.
To have witnessed what Whyte did, to have witnessed the Duff & Phelps “process” of finding a buyer, and having Green essentially emerge from nowhere, with a hundred unanswered questions as to his background and financing, for the SFA to have given this guy the go ahead, only for it to blow up in their faces later, would annihilate the credibility of the governing body and necessitate resignations at every level. There would be no hiding place.”
There are times when it is fun to be right, but this is not one of them. It is dispiriting and disquieting to have been so on the nose. It scares the Hell out of me, as someone who loves football in this country, to have seen this matter clearly when the people running our game apparently either did not or chose to ignore very real, very obvious, concerns. The Internet Bampots had no special insight or access to information that was denied those at the SFA. We just weren’t prepared to ignore it and pretend that it wasn’t there. There was too much at stake.
I have become convinced that things will never change until the Rangers supporters join us in demanding the full and unabridged truth here. They need to come out from under the bed, and confront their fears. They need to be willing to take the consequences, so that their club can emerge clean from this, and start again, with all this behind them.
And it can all happen with one simple thing. The application of the rules.
The existence of laws comes down to a simple principle; they protect society from those elements within it who are interested only in their own selfish ends. We may cry out at those rules and regulations we see as “restrictive”, but the law was not made to restrict our freedoms but to protect them. Had the SFA years ago acted against Rangers sectarian signing policy, and the songs from the stands, the club would not have mutated to the point where there was no help on hand when they needed it the most. Let’s not kid ourselves about this; Whyte and Green were only able to grab control because the club itself has a dreadful image which put off respectable and responsible buyers. The SFA could have helped change that perception years ago and did nothing.
The SFA could have conducted its own investigation into who Craig Whyte was. They could have asked David Murray for full disclosure when he was running up £80 million of debt, a sum of money that is beyond belief for a single club in a small provincial backwater league. Had they had the guts to do that the club would never have spent itself into oblivion and forced the hand of Lloyds, which led indirectly to their ignominious end.
The SFA could have fully investigated Charles Green and the means by which he took control, instead of rushing through a license. His emergence at the last minute was transparently suspicious and designed to force them into a quick decision, but they did not have to bow to that pressure by making one, without being in possession of the facts, as it is now 100% clear they were not.
Had they asked for every document, had they insisted on legal affidavits and personal securities from investors (and this would have been perfectly legitimate and is common place in other licensing areas) none of this would have come to pass. After Craig Whyte they had a moral responsibility to the rest of the game to get this one right and their failure is without parallel in the history of Scottish football.
As the club hurtles towards a new abyss, names are cropping up which should send a shudder down the spines of every honest, genuine supporter of not only Rangers but every team in the land. The SFA claims that a strong Rangers is essential for the sake of Scottish football, but they have been extraordinarily lax in protecting that club, and therefore the game, from destructive elements. Craig Whyte and Charles Green had dubious personal histories, and the acquisition of the club itself was mired in controversy and scandal. Yet it was allowed.
Neither Green nor Whyte were known to have operated outside the law, yet neither was worthy of trust or stood up to scrutiny. Neither man should ever have been granted the status as fit and proper persons to assume a role in our national sport, and if it is true of them what can we say about the three men who are, presently, being touted as the Great White Hopes for a bright, new Rangers future; Dave King and the Easdale brothers?
King recently cut a deal with the South African government over an on-going dispute over taxes. In other words, he pled guilty and accepted the central plank of their argument; that for years he was engaged in wilfully with-holding vast revenues from their Treasury. The media does not like to put it like that, and the SFA seems willing to ignore it utterly, and this would be scandalous enough. But it does not stop there. HRMC rules – as well as the SFA’s own governance documents – actually bar him from serving on the board of the new club.
Last but not least, aside from being an admitted tax cheat, King is also awaiting trial in South Africa, having been indicted for corruption, forgery and fraud – 300 charges in total. Yet as recently as last week, we were told that the Association was willing to look at him and consider representations from his lawyers. This is almost beyond belief.
If Dave King’s position is untenable, and he is yet to be convicted of a crime, what can we say about the position of the Easdale’s? One of the two brothers, Sandy, has already served jail time. He is a convicted criminal, a fraudster nonetheless, who’s “victim” was the same Treasury who are appealing one case involving the old club and liquidated it entirely over another. This is precisely the kind of “businessman” the fit and proper person test was supposed to weed out, and if the SFA holds its nose here the reek will stink out the halls at Hampden for decades. If King or the Easdale’s are judged fit and proper, then who exactly is the test for? What exactly do you have to do to fail it? How do we explain the existence of laws, when these are not applied?
Pascal says “Law without force is impotent.” The SFA’s weakness has allowed one version of Rangers to destroy itself, and has allowed an existential risk to another. If the next power at Rangers resides in South Africa or Greenock I can say with some certainty that the Association is engaged in an even more dangerous roll of the dice, because the surfacing of fresh scandal will be an ever present risk, and will be of the sort no-one will survive.
The damage to Scottish football will take years to heal. The Scottish game has been through enough trauma. It does not need more. It barely survived the last calamity to hit Rangers. The rest of us should not be forced to pay the price of the next one.
The greater damage will be done to Rangers itself. If the Green crisis ends in another collapse – as it well might; another administration event is a certainty, and another liquidation is a much more likely prospect than it was before 14 February 2012 – the club will once again have to start from the bottom, and this time the reputational damage will be impossible to repair. The club faces internal strife, sporting sanctions, and criminal investigations. The last takeover might be declared a fraud. the Whyte takeover will almost certainly be. The share issue might be invalid, as well as criminal, and the people involved may well end up in jail. Lawsuits could follow from investors, there could be as yet unknown consequences from the Upper Tier Tax Tribunal (thank you Brogan Rogan for pointing out what those might be) and a host of other issues.
Rangers fans must be the loudest voices here. How do you want the world to view your club in years to come? Do you want one to be proud of, or one forever associated with the shame and disgrace of these days gone by? The one which bailed out on its tax obligations. The one with supporters who disgrace your very name. The one which allowed Whyte and Green to take you to the cleaners and send you to the wall. The one which handed over control to one convicted criminal and another awaiting trial. Do you want to be reborn clean, or mired in the muck?
David Murray destroyed your financial stability. He made it so no bank would issue you a line of credit and no investor of note wanted to buy. Craig Whyte liquidated you. Charles Green has cast the future of the Newco into doubt and acted in a manner which has annihilated your credibility with the financial markets for decades to come.
Between these three men, they have taken everything from you, and the press and the people who run the game here, as well as some of your own blindly ignorant fans, have allowed them to do all this and more. Now they conspire to hand the keys to Ibrox to other men of questionable character, who will wreck further havoc on the reputation of the club.
The Scottish Football Association has damaged the game it was supposed to protect, but above all else their greatest failure of governance was a failure to protect one of its biggest clubs from its own excesses and those of its owners.
Rangers fans, the SFA have betrayed your trust, more than the trust of any other club. What you must insist on now is full disclosure and transparency from the powers that be in Hampden. The SFA has to end the charade of allowing your club to handle this in-house. They must hand everything over to an outside agency – whether a legal one, or a footballing body like UEFA – and they must demand co-operation and answers, and threaten to withhold the license if they don’t get them.
You must not be afraid of that. You must embrace it. The men with their hands on the gears at Ibrox are motivated by money, and nothing more. If the license is withdrawn their “investments” are worthless. They cannot risk that.
You must demand that the rules on fit and proper persons are applied, and where necessary even made stronger, to prevent your club falling into unclean hands. You must demand that they protect your reputation from further damage, by getting this all out there and acting accordingly, even if that means your club does not play football for at least a year.
You must be willing to suck it all up, knowing that what will emerge is a Rangers which has been cleansed and moves forward with honour, and dignity, led by custodians who treasure it rather than those who know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
The Rangers Standard has recently emerged as a genuine voice for those in your support who are sick and tired of what Rangers has become, and want it restored to something that is worthy of the love and respect in which you hold it. On that website, there are discussions about the kind of club you seek to be and about whether the institution of Rangers is about more than just football.
If that’s how you feel about it then you know it is about more than how many titles the club can claim, about more than just results on the park, about more than just the game. Rangers, like Celtic, is an idea. It has to be something you are proud of.
I am a socialist, but one with a fevered imagination and a tendency to write very dark things. This piece won’t have been good reading for some of you (perhaps all of you haha!) but I think there’s more hope in here than in other things I’ve written.
In spite of everything that’s come to pass, I still believe. I believe in Scottish football. I believe in our system of football governance, even if those who are working in it are failing on some level.
In society, as much as we strain against them, laws exist for our protection. To fail to enforce them is to leave us at the mercy of those elements who would do us harm. The rules of football ensure the protection of all clubs, not just a few.
The failure to enforce the rules has never had graver consequences than here in Scotland. The irony is that bending and breaking them has hurt the one club those violations were designed to help. It cannot be allowed to happen again.
The rules must be applied without fear or favour.
The best must find their conviction, and their passionate intensity once more.
James is a co-editor of the On Fields of Green Blog http://www.onfieldsofgreen.com/
Auldheid (@Auldheid) says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 00:17
Andrew Woods says:
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 23:30
monsieurbunny says:
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 23:16
===============
I think where he was going with it was that had Whytey produced audited accounts prior to admin/liquido then they would have been allowed to participate in Europe even from the 4th tier as they are still the same club.
Mental I know but that was his thought process.
+++++++++++++++++++
They would have to have paid both the wee tax bill and the £14M tax /NI purloined as well of course.
==============
Suppose they didn’t owe the £14m tax,NI and the wee tax bill and had submitted audited accounts but they still got liquidated. Would they have been able to still play in Europe as runners up in the SPL ? If they’re still the same club why not ?
@mullach –
I think the difference may be that twitter is now a very ‘establishment’ business with full First Amendment protection,
Scribd, not so much… they seem to be having a lot of DMCA problems, I doubt they could back down from legal threats and the large costs involved
slimshady61 says:
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 23:34
See my post to
monsieurbunny says:
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 23:16
Its the 3 year membership of national association criteria they fail to meet not 3 years of accounts..
But you are correct that they were ineligible for 2012/13 for not producing accounts and not paying tax, but became ineligible for 2012/13, 2013/14. and 2014/15 when they were liquidated and fell foul of Article 12 in October.
Perhaps I have misjudged the SFA by saying the did not clarify, it all depends when the msm asked them I suppose but when was last time the SFA mentioned article 12?
I have faith in your two truths but UEFA should be aware that the SFA have acted against the integrity principles in the 5 way agreement that UEFA are trying to govern by and correct the SFA for selfish reasons.
Andrew Woods says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 00:31
The SFA would have had a better chance of making a well founded case for an exception from Article 12 under those condition but Derry who had paid some creditors I believe were unsuccessful when they tried to get entry before the 3 years since their liquidation were up.
iceman63 says:
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 22:44
Amen to all of that.
Auldheid says,
Just wondered if the SFA position in using the 3 years accounts fib is to give TRFC time to actually comply with the licencing requiirements.
If as suspected they have not actually met these for the past few seasons, and given the lack of a physio, possible unsafe ground, definite corporate / financial instability & uncertainty, etc, and a spivic unwillingness to produce audited accounts, it might take TRFC these three years to meet the licencing requirements!
Do UEFA audit / check if clubs in their competitions have a national licence? Even if not, its possible that its the SFA who arent keen for TRFC to be in a UEFA competition whilst not meeting the licence requirements (which if found out would be a mighty embarrassment). It may be that the SFA would have to formally comfirm a club has a licence, and even The Scunner Campbell would think this is a fib too far.
The implicit SFA guarantee re: TRFC financial stability.
=============================================
Assuming that TRFC survive until next season – and the SFA does not revoke their membership…
If I was a TRFC fan who regarded the SFA as an incompetent, corrupt organisation I may decide to renew my season ticket – but to hedge my bets I would send the SFA – by registered post – a letter stating that I was accepting that the SFA had vetted TRFC in a professional manner and allowed the club to participate in season 2013/14. I would also state that if for any reason TRFC had an insolvency event during next season and my season book was no longer useable – I would take the SFA to the small claims court for compensation for their alleged negligence in granting TRFC membership.
I would also share this letter with TRFC websites.
Assuming this is ‘doable’ would the SFA then be obliged to take legal advice about this potential financial risk – and by default apply their own rules re: TRFC membership in a strictly objective manner?
Few things struck me yesterday – couple of MSM items first:
(1) In the headline for the new SPL rules
http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/rangers/228066-rangers-signings-cant-play-as-trialists-if-league-reconstruction-approved/
The emphasis is on how TRFC are going to be so hard done by in not able to bypass the embargo that they agreed to last summer as part of getting their SFA membership. As if this was another punishment/kicking being done. However that part that really struck me was the last part that was said as an aside
“With Scottish Premier League teams having already unanimously backed the proposal, a successful ballot will lead to the implementation of the SPFL rulebook in time for the 2013/14 season.
The new SPFL rules have no restriction on the number of players aged over 21 in squads. Current SFL regulations forbid more than 22 being registered by a club at any given time.”
So we have all been puzzled why Ally has continued to sign overage players – however would it not appear this is of more help to him than not playing his players on trial – given that the players union have also informed their members not to play as trialists?
So the bad news is really no news – and the good news was not highlighted?
Or is it because someone has been notified already not to worry about the SFL no of over age players – and we don’t want to draw attention to this (hey trialists=squirrel) and moreover what else has been promised?
(2) Neil Lennon was in Dublin to have a press conference related to the announcement for the upcoming game versus Liverpool – he was asked by the Irish press various questions related to his position, players coming in, players going out – until the DR reporter asked him for his view on TRFC signing Jon Daly……….
Now why would the only SMSM representative there be the only one to ask a questions about something other than Neil and his plans for his own job/club/players?
The more I read these morons attempting to play us like a fiddle, the more angry I become at the sheer corruption within our “wee country” by the establishment/media to ensure a tax fiddling, debt loving, rule bending, non registrating, non inclusive, brogue wearing, snobbish, spiv ridden company can still ply its trade with a straight face while protruding the middle finger at us all……..while waiting for us to say sorry….expecting us to doff our cap and let them do it all again……….
Just wow! When is that nuclear even going to happen?
Chris Musson at The Sun writing that WS has 48 hours to sack MM. Blue Pitch Holdings (who are?) apparently want the busmen in pronto. Is this something to do with selling shares and getting off at the next stop? Why are the busmen (TicketsRus?) so eager to get on board? Sounds like a Mystery Tour, if anyone remembers those – you didn’t know where you were going until you got there. Perhaps for Blue Pitch it’s a case of, you wait all day for a busman, then two come along at once 🙂
I’ll get my double-decker.
http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/4955542/Walter-Smith-has-48-hours-to-axe-Murray-from-Rangers-board.html
DP – from the article you mentioned
Mark Dingwall, of the Rangers Supporters Trust, said: “It would be unhelpful during a pivotal time when people are renewing season tickets.” The club declined to comment.
And that there is the problem with this whole trawler load of stinking fish……
Instead of pleading with everyone not to buy season tickets until this is sorted (few days) or advocating a position for people to either buy or boycott or spreading the word to not buy and only pay at the gate etc once the smoke is cleared, the head of the RST says “it is unhelpful”.
So Chris Graham is busy sitting idly by “waiting for things to pan out” and the other supporters leader is saying all this back stabbing is “unhelpful”…..
And meantime, folks are pouring money into the coffers, while the spivs are busy counting it and putting it in the suitcases – aka Casino (Robert De Niro etc) for the bosses in Kansas.
Is this a world record for duping the duped who were duped by the dupers?
Exiled Celt (@The_Exiled_Celt) says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 06:33
1 0 Rate This
Is this a world record for duping the duped who were duped by the dupers?
———–
Can’t be far off Exiled. Still don’t get why Malcom Murray is such a thorn in the flesh. The three main characters of Ahmed, Green, and Stockbridge have done their bit to oust him. Even if he does enjoy a bevvy, it hardly marks him out as unique among Scotsmen. I’d be much more bothered by players’ drinking habits than those of the seemingly benign Mr Murray. Whatever it is, he’s cramping their style. You’d think there was (ahem) a timetable, to get the busmen in and Murray out. There’s a pun in here about people not having the bus fare for the next stage of ‘The Journey’, but I don’t want to get a punitive punting by the mods for excessive punning 🙂
Can anyone post a link to the SFA’s disrepute charge following Mather’s threats, or even to the MSM’s follow up of the story asking him for clarification after the Evening News portrayal of him as a white collar swivel-eyed would-be bully boy?
I still haven’t seen to BBC news report about being kicked out of Ibrox. But maybe if you leave something for long enough, it’s just no longer news.
Charlotte Fakeovers @CharlotteFakes 36m
EBT Data:
Name: Walter Smith
Sub Trust: 4
Amount: £80,000.00
Repayment due: 24 September 2012
Charlotte Fakeovers @CharlotteFakes 37m
EBT Data:
Name:Graeme Souness
Sub Trust: 2
Amount: £30,000.00
Repayment due: 17 July 2011
Charlotte Fakeovers @CharlotteFakes 11m
Graeme Souness declaration of trust: 17/07/2001
Walter Smith declaration of trust: 06/09/2002
Interesting whether they have repaid, they can presumably afford to
TW (@tartanwulver) says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 07:30
1 0 Rate This
Interesting whether they have repaid, they can presumably afford to …
———
Someone on the twitter discussion mentioned (or guessed at) a 10-year period before repayment due. If so, then they have been repaid, surely? #dignity #integrity
Interesting question why Smith never made this list….
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-18148818
In respect of Rangers in Europe, by the time they get there 6 or 7 years , playing agricultural football ; it will be hilarious watching that lot up against any half decent opposition. They will not be pushing to get into Europe, they will not want their backside skelped. Similar thought processes to the hot and cold balls for ever cup draw for the next 6 or 7 years to avoid the likes of Celtic, Arabs and Sheep.
I would like to see a good Sheep side dismantle that shower in a cup game next year at Ibrox , could happen if they sneak through to a semi final and cold ball technique has limited value.
Sheep?????
ekbhoy says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 08:10
3 1 Rate This
I would like to see a good Sheep side dismantle that shower in a cup game next year at Ibrox …
———–
I can see the Press and Journal headline:
‘Shepherd Plays with Crook’
🙂
Speaking of which:
Wylde to Aberdeen?
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/3265635
Its not whether they have been repaid or not,its why was Walter Smith receiving payments
at a time he was not an employee
He left Rfc* in 1998 and didnt return til 2007
payment of 80k was made in 2002
why ?
did he need to take Campbell Ogilvie out on a date ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Smith
So Walter got his EBT right after he left Everton having been fired on March 13 2002 and getting his EBT on 6th Sept 2002
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeme_Souness
Graeme got his EBT on 17th July 2001 while manager of Blackburn…….(14 March 2000 to 6 September 2004)
Exiled Celt (@The_Exiled_Celt) says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 09:03
Graeme got his EBT on 17th July 2001 while manager of Blackburn…….(14 March 2000 to 6 September 2004)
From wiki:
Former boss Graeme Souness brought Tugay to Ewood Park from Scottish side Rangers F.C. in the summer of 2001 for a £1.3m fee.
All coincidence I’m sure.
Wonder how many more coincidences are gonna turn up?.
iceman63 says:
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 22:44
Superb post Iceman, perfectly sums up how I feel at this moment….I await an intrepid journalist to tell this story without fear or favour, but I rather suspect it will be a generation from now, to protect the guilty, in a classic case of establishment whitewashery…..it would be crass to compare this grubby affair to other high profile instances, suffice to say the main players will be out of reach by the time this story is told, they always are. But there is no shortage of punters in Scottish football who will remind Sevco relentlessly of who and what they are……and what they are not!
Michael Ball moved from Everton to Rangers for around £8 million in the Summer of 2001 while Smith was in charge.
Tugay Kerimoglu signed from Rangers to Blackburn for £1.3 million in the Summer of 2001 while Souness was in charge.
What gets me is why Aberdeen, Hibs, Dundee United etc do not take this time to regroup and make themselves a force in Scottish football. Surely if they cheating lot from the South-side have plans to come back and conquer Scotland then the above teams with a head start should be able to do it. Puzzles me!
From WSC, what will football fans put up with. Slightly OT I know but …
http://thesunshineroom.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/bullshit-rodeo.jpg
carlislecelt says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 09:37
—————————————-
Don’t know about the others but Dundee United seem to be taking the first steps. They are fo course the steps backwards before going forwards. They are cutting their expences: signing MacNamara to replace Houston (who was basically demanding more money for the team) – a guy who they believe can work with a smaller budget, developing their youth players and bringing in bargains who can still hack it in the SPL.
Whether or not this makes them ‘successful’ short term is moot since they are unlikely to get relegated. They cut back the wage bill, sell on a few players and cut back their debt. Long term this will make them stronger, especially if they continue to develop good young players. Once the debt is really down they can gradually strengthen again – but in a more sensible way.
All the teams you mentioned have to do that. Of course you have to have the ability to manke good management appointments as well. I think that’s been a problem for Aberdeen in particular for a while.
Intresting exchange between BartinMain and @STVGrant on Twitter regarding the newco’s status.
BartinMain posted a BBC report about Derry City’s dissapointment in not being eligible for the Europa League because they didn’t have three years accounts and therefore were a new club.
I sense the irony won’t be lost if the precedent used to rubbish newco’s same club claim came from the Province of Ulster.
As for Chris Graham he should be keeping a low profile following his alleged faux pas about people with disabilities.
He was called out by a poster on RM for apparently laughing at disadvantaged people on the CRO podcast, dignity eh!
“What gets me is why Aberdeen, Hibs, Dundee United etc do not take this time to regroup and make themselves a force in Scottish football.”
I love to know how you suggest they do this? There are some reasonably competent businessmen at the helms of these clubs and outside of the massive spending Celtic the league is ridiculously competitive. Aberdeen have been spending a lot on Youth but the EPL, Championship and League 1 teams are all able to attract it away.
The wage budgets from 2nd to 12th in the SPL are actually quite close. Im not sure what you mean by a “force” as the difference in cash between the team that finished 2nd and the team that finished 1st means there can only be 1 force in Scottish football.
Money wins leagues. The bigger the financial advantage the more likely the team is to win the league. The Cups have an element of chance hence the various winners but I think it 10 years time Scottish football will still only have a single force. ‘Rangers’ will be closer to the rest than to Celtic.
Captain Haddock
The fib is’nt 3 years accounts the fib, in the sense of not clarifying the reason for a three year exclusion is a) its not unaudited accounts that produce a 3 year exile and b) its got nothing to do with accounts and all to do with length of membership of national association.
However the consequences of that exclusion would give The Rangers time to get their licensing house in order to enable the SFA to put them forward to UEFA for UEFA to give a UEFA licence for UEFA competition if The Rangers qualify in 2016.
Your question has raised an interesting licensing angle if reconstruction goes ahead.
At present only SPL clubs are licensed to UEFA standards. SFL clubs follow a slightly less demanding national club licensing process.
I wonder if the UEFA standard will be applied to SPL2 clubs in the new regime and national below that level or will it only be SPL clubs who have to meet the higher standard.
I would prefer it covered SPL2 as well with perhaps time to comply as it was the absence of stricter standards and failure to police those that did exist that enable the current situation to happen
monsieurbunny says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 09:51
I think most clubs have been attempting to cut costs since the Setanta collapse in 2009, hot on the heals of the banking collapse of 2008, they have had little choice…..unless you stiff yer creditors, don’t bother with taxes and go down ‘the insolvency route’, some clubs cannot bear the thought of not competing at the top of the SPL……………..look how that turned out. 😉
Forest Hills
You were doing fine until the last bit.
I would turn CarlisleCelts question on its head. What makes him think that Celtic will continue to spend in the way they have to win a one team league. Before you give me the balance of trade arguement (Wanyamma, Hooper if they go), are you telling me that’s the quality of player that will continue to be brought in? Can’t see it myself.
Only one team will beat Celtic to the league and that is Celtic itself. Unless the Milnes, Thompsons, Fullars etc fancy chucking £5-10m to collect some very expensive tin.
Not that I wouldn’t like them to, mind!
Q. Why were the 5 cases with known side letters not taken into account by the tribunal ?
Tbh I didn’t expect anything less from this process, obvious collusion between SFA & SPL in regards of evidence led by both parties allowing NS to reach the desired outcome & keep his integrity (lol) intact. Bollox to common sense, logic & fair play.
I lost my love of pro football a long time ago, fans are a used as a cash cow by owners who treat them like a necessary inconvenience on all other matters, but I do love a conspiracy which keeps me interested.
Charlotte Fakeovers @CharlotteFakes 4h
EBT Data: Name: Walter Smith
Sub Trust: 4
Amount: £80,000.00
Repayment due: 24 September 2012
————
I wonder if there is some significance in the repayment date. It was generally felt that these ‘loans’ would never be repayed. However I seem to recollect HMRC accepting that these were indeed loans with an interpretation being placed by some that this might be a tactic. Might HMRC be able to invoke non-repayment to illustrate that these loans were in fact remuneration. I know the UTTT can only review evidence already presented at the FTTT but if the FTTT accepted that these were loans but come the UTTT review that evidence is undermined, might that change the landscape somewhat.
arabest1 says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 10:14
================================
My impression – and I suppose that’s all it is – is that immediately after that collapsed TV deal, many clubs did cut back and we had a brief spell when a lot of Scottish youngsters got a chance. It’s seemed to me that while things never went back to the ridiculous over spending of the past, we’ve seen an influx of higher-paid players in recent years. Some clubs have serious debt for the size of their fan-base (i.e. the money they can bring in). We all know about Hearts and Dunfermline but Kilmarnock for instance have serious debt.
The problem is that fear of relegation and a huge drop in income has meant that little has been done to address this and clubs have stood still with perhaps debt not getting worse but only reducing at all by a small amount. I think this is what’s driving SPL clubs to be willing to have a wider distribution of SPL income – to provide a softer landing if one of their clubs do go down. (More income possible from a better TV deal of course but with the present mob in charge of negotiations also unlikely ATM)
This doesn’t address the actual debt problem which can only be solved by more income – unlikely unless you get a cup semi or final – or cutting back more (or both). It looks to me like DU have decided they will cut their debt even at the risk of not being involved in a chase for Europe/ a Cup. Of course they obviously hope their new manager can build a less expensive team while keeping them competitive but they must be accepting the risk in the hope of longer term gain.
carlislecelt says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 09:37
What gets me is why Aberdeen, Hibs, Dundee United etc do not take this time to regroup and make themselves a force in Scottish football. Surely if they cheating lot from the South-side have plans to come back and conquer Scotland then the above teams with a head start should be able to do it. Puzzles me!
——————————————————-
Those teams are still paying down the debt they accrued during the EBT/BoS funding years, I don’t think the fact that the top of the league contained:
-Two teams who weren’t in the SPL at the time. (One being heavily subsidised though)
-One team that used to be a yo-yo club, but were well looked after by a frugal chairman.
-One team that went into admin early but stayed up.
Should be over looked, it might be co-incidence but I don’t think so
All have better finances than the other big teams, but it will all balance out given 6/7 years and unless they are bank rolled by a lottery winner, I expect Rangers to return to the level they had in the early eighties
Danish Pastry says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 07:01
Still don’t get why Malcolm Murray is such a thorn in the flesh.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Danish
I suspect the deal was that Smith would accept the role of Chairman and not resign on condition that Murray retained his seat on the Board
However Walter is dealing with Spivs and is way out of his comfort zone
So we can deduce
1 The Spivs are solely focussed on getting in the ST money
2 Their aim is to milk as much ST money out of TRFC as fast as it comes in
3 Everything leaked to the media by the Spivs is deliberately designed to boost ST sales
So
What appears to be a negative ST story is more likely to be Stage1 of a positive “boost Walter`s business image” story that will run for as long as the ST campaign
If so
Watch out for more nonsense along the lines of
“Smith backs friend and lifelong Bear Malcolm Murray”
“If Malcolm goes I go”
“Strong man Walter forces postponement of EGM”
“Blue Pitch beg Walter for Peace Summit “
And similar drivel
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Nope
They are all Spivs
People with no moral compass
Only interested in money
Know the law and how to abuse it legally
Repeat past behaviour that worked
It’s the genuine Bears who will pay in the end
Some breaking info:
Wednesday 05 June, 2013
Rangers Int F.C. PLC
Share Transfer Agreement
RNS Number : 3537G
Rangers Int. Football Club PLC
05 June 2013
Rangers International Football Club plc
(“Rangers”, the “Company” or “Club”)
Share Transfer Agreement
The Company announces that under an agreement entered into by Charles Green, the former CEO of the Company, with Laxey Partners Ltd (“Laxey”) on 19 October 2012, Mr Green has agreed to transfer 714,285 shares owned by him to Laxey, once free to effect a transfer. Under the terms of the lock-in agreement entered into by Mr Green with the Company on 7 December 2012, Mr Green is prevented from transferring shares before 7 December 2013, without the consent of Cenkos Securities plc other than in limited circumstances such as to connected persons, a family trust or in the event of a takeover of the Company.
Further to the announcement on 19 April 2013, Mr Green left the Company on 31 May 2013.
For further information please contact:
Rangers International Football Club plc
Craig Mather, CEO
Brian Stockbridge, FD
Tel: 0141 580 8647
Cenkos Securities plc
Tel: 020 7397 8900
Stephen Keys, Adrian Hargrave, Max Hartley (Corporate Finance)
Russell Kerr (Corporate Broking)
Newgate Threadneedle
Tel: 020 7148 6143
Graham Herring / John Coles / Roddy Watt / Fiona Conroy
Mullach,
Sorry, i’m conspiratorially done in. What you write about EBT secured loans not being repaid (and their impact on the UTT) would also apply to EBT secured loans that have been repaid, say by an individual now involved with the phoenix club, a senior board member perhaps?
Obviously if Walter did things right we can just be left to assume that everyone else did likewise?
Clearly a long involved process has been entered into to keep the Cardigan of the Realm out of the limelight going right back to Mark Daly’s broadcast. Why release the info now?
I will say though, thanks Charlotte, for confirming what we all suspected.
Laxey Partners
Welcome
Laxey Partners Ltd (LPL) is a globally active value investor.
Investment philosophy
LPL conducts investments in companies which it feels are undervalued. Having researched these companies in great detail, LPL encourages and supports these companies to fulfill their potential and hence enhance shareholder value. LPL has a strong track record in this respect and its associates have substantial international expertise in focusing on the delivery of shareholder value.
LPL operates as a “hedge fund”. Its investment universe can broadly be split into three areas of which the first two are core:
•European value investments in quoted operating companies
•Global discount arbitrage strategies
•General global special and arbitrage situations
Regulation
Laxey Partners Ltd (LPL) is a regulated investment manager with registered address at Derby House, 64 Athol Street, Isle of Man IM1 1JD. LPL is a private limited company incorporated in the Isle of Man with registration number 093741C and is licensed by the Isle of Man Financial Supervision Commission. The Isle of Man is an internally self-governing dependant territory of the British Crown. It is not part of the United Kingdom but the United Kingdom is responsible for its international relations.
Laxey Partners (UK) Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of LPL with registered address at Princes House, 38 Jermyn Street, London, SW1Y 6DN, United Kingdom. Laxey Partners (UK) Limited is a private limited company incorporated in England with registration number 04030014 and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with Firm Reference Number 196936.
To view Laxey UK on the Financial Services Register click here
To view Laxey UK’s Stewardship Code Policy click here
Investment Vehicles
LPL manages various investment vehicles (typically limited companies or partnerships) of which the majority are private with the exception of:
Terra Catalyst Fund (TerraCF)
TerraCF is also a closed-end fund that is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. The objective of TerraCF is to provide shareholders with an absolute return through capital appreciation and the payment of an annual dividend via investment in listed property funds and companies in Europe.
DouglasBay Capital
DouglasBay Capital plc (formerly LIT plc) is a holding company for investments in quoted and unquoted small to medium sized businesses.
torrejohnbhoy(@johnbhoy1958) says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 11:34
So Charlie had an exit planned before the floatation. Wee rascal.
Is the contract for CG to sell to Laxey in the prospectus anywhere? If not, they’re a bit tardy with this announcement are they not?
Thanks tj
A `Hedge Fund` vehicle revealed after all this time – such a time gap seems rum, and why now?
bogsdollox says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 11:56
Hardly an escape plan, its a tiny proportion of his total share holding.
scapaflow14 says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 12:02
I’m assuming this Laxey lot are not the Easdales. Isn’t there another “complicated” contract between them and CG in existence?
Wonder when that one was signed?
Two quotes to remind our club chairmen that they can no longer be passive in the slow train crash that is Scottish Football.
Henry Ford’s “If you always do what you always did you’ll always get what you always got”, and the late John Stein’s “Without the fans there is nothing”.
They all sum up the place where Scottish Football is right now. and only our chairmen can fix it.
Things need to change.
Do you know if your club Chairman is doing anything about Scottish Football.
As a stakeholder you have the right to know- ask the question.
My Chairman is doing nothing because he says it will make no difference.
My money is staying in my pocket.
Lots of people doing the same would make a difference
“takeover of the company” . Those 1p shares don’t sound too ” tied in ” , so if the Easdales buy enough shares is that a takeover? or is another switcheroo required to pay Charlie off early.
bogsdollox says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 12:10
Or if it will be executed. The Two Rons make very useful bogey men
attaboyjon says:
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 23:28
valentinesclown says:
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 22:57
I cannot see what it will take to stop this rot.
After 60 odd years, I don’t buy a newspaper, don’t contribute to Sky, ESPN and no longer attend professional football games. Money talks louder than anything!
============================================================
attaboy…well said
i’m in the same boat.
stopped my sky, stopped using the bookmakers as both of these avenues prop up the corruption in the game.
and because celtic seem to be in on the corruption by not taking a stance, celtic are complicit, so i will not renew my season book at cp and i will not be buying anymore celtic merchandise.
that is the only way to get the message through to mr lawell etc…
monsieurbunny,
I can only really discuss Utd, they have been cutting debt, and loses steadily since setanta went under. At one point our debt was approaching 8 million, but is now circa 3 million, but we did lose 100k last season….fortunately we have the best youth set up in Scotland at the moment and should continue to cut debt as operate with small but serviceable losses for the next while. Rumours of our death have been greatly exaggerated, ……….for years………. jim traynor announced last autumn that we would be in administration by october without the blue pound, in the terrible Armageddon of 2012, we don’t do admin, we pay our way. 😉
KK @krys1888 30m
@AngelaHaggerty I like that symmetry. Their first ever season has been bookended by hedges. pic.twitter.com/VVn8gPJShN
scapaflow14 says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 12:02
1 0 i
Rate This
bogsdollox says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 11:56
Hardly an escape plan, its a tiny proportion of his total share holding.
===============================================================
Scapa, It would contribute towards a good night out though. Speculation because there is no detail and the shares aren’t sold, but if it’s 1p shares and sold at today’s price of 56p this would represent a £400,000 return on an investment of £7,140 and there’s a chance that Green didn’t even pay that himself. A fan buying £7,140 worth of shares would have lost around £1400.
blu says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 12:42
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Even more if he agreed to sell at the floatation price.
jimlarkin says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 12:22
………………………………………
Ditto…and I would go as far as to say to Mr. Lawell and all other club chairman…if you want them involved in Scottish football so much that you are prepared to ignore and conspire to allow their threats..corruption…dishonesty…and previous behaviour before they had to reform as a new club of…..non payment of tax and stiffing various people and organisations to the tune of £30 odd million with a hint of shame….then good luck….but not with my money.
I have followed the club all my life…and if they allow this current dishonesty from the SFA and others to continue unchallenged in any meaningful way…then its not the club I thought it was…
smugas says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 11:46
“Sorry, i’m conspiratorially done in”.
———–
Sorry if I’m contributing to the fatigue smugas. There are so many variables that it is easy to arrive at any number of speculative conclusions. It is a symptom of my ‘post sporadic text disorder’.
I was working on the basis that Charlotte knows what she is doing and is therefore dropping subtle hints which to the charlatans involved might not be so subtle. I’ll try and tone it down a bit.
There was a train of logic (somewhere) in my post. I think the philosophy is ‘throw enough mud at the wall and see what sticks’.
scapaflow14 says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 12:02
bogsdollox says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 11:56
Hardly an escape plan, its a tiny proportion of his total share holding.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From the prospectus Charlie has 5,000,020 shares therefore the 714,285 represents 14%.
At the current price of around 56p a share that is £400,000 for shares he paid hee haw for.
Maybe not a full escape plan but certainly looks at least like moving the stove to see if the ground underneath it is fit for tunneling.
Remember he was showing the Easdales around Ibrox and there is mention of loose deals to get his shares. Don’t be surprised if more deals like this become public.
Naw – Charlie boy had this all planned from day one and like all conmen all he needed to do was tell the marks what they wanted to hear.
bogsdollox says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 12:47
2 0 i
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blu says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 12:42
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Even more if he agreed to sell at the floatation price.
=======================================================
It was a simple illustration bogsdollox. My guess is that nobody will buy Charles’ shares for anything like the flotation price or even 56p each.
On the subject of Smith and Souness not being at Rangers when the EBT’s were paid it reminds me (and I’m not suggesting this is what is involved here for a moment) but one former Premiership Manager would ask the Agent allegedly when dealing with a transfer of a player “if there was a cup of tea in for me?”.
Is this meals on wheels 🙂
blu says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 12:42
Got there before me – My post was stuck in ‘login hell’ 🙂
RE Lord Dignity d’brown brogues and the tax scam. Am I correct in thinking that this is the first time anyone has ‘openly’ pointed the finger at Mr Myth and said he got a specific amount, however piffling, 80k……barely a night out with Campbell! My memory says the tacit assumption was that he was under the blacked out names, but being protected by an injunction of sorts?
Charlotte you saucy wee minx. 😉
Livingston have called on Raith Rovers to act “honourably” after Calum Elliot agreed to join both clubs.
The former Hearts striker agreed to join Livingston on a one-year deal for the 2013/14 season on April 29.
The West Lothian side claim Elliot has signed both documents required to join them, putting pen to paper on his registration form and contract.
Raith Rovers however announced on Tuesday they had reached an agreement with the 26-year-old on a similar deal.
STV understands Elliot has not informed Livingston of his reasons for signing with Raith Rovers.
“Raith Rovers have assured us they acted in good faith,” Livingston chief executive Ged Nixon told STV. “They checked with the Scottish FA and SFL to see if he was registered to any club, which of course he isn’t.
“They have said they are going to speak to Calum. We expect them to act honourably and take what we’ve said, which is that we have a contract with the player in good faith.
“What is undeniable is that the player signed a bona fide contract here to play with us for one year.”
As it stands, Elliot is officially registered to neither club. The registration window for the Scottish Football League does not open until a minute past midnight on Monday, June 10.
Unless an agreement can be struck between Livingston and Raith, both clubs would be entitled to try and register the player with the football authorities.
The SFL and Raith Rovers were both unavailable for comment when contacted by STV on Wednesday.
jimlarkin says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 12:22
21 4 Rate This
attaboyjon says:
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 23:28
valentinesclown says:
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 22:57
I cannot see what it will take to stop this rot.
After 60 odd years, I don’t buy a newspaper, don’t contribute to Sky, ESPN and no longer attend professional football games. Money talks louder than anything!
============================================================
attaboy…well said
i’m in the same boat.
stopped my sky, stopped using the bookmakers as both of these avenues prop up the corruption in the game.
and because celtic seem to be in on the corruption by not taking a stance, celtic are complicit, so i will not renew my season book at cp and i will not be buying anymore celtic merchandise.
that is the only way to get the message through to mr lawell etc
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I have boycotted all games at Hamden as the SFA are IMO complicit in this shambles. I have also cancelled SKY/ESPN. I have renewed my season book for next season as at this moment I cannot hand on heart say that my club are complicit in this commercial saving of Sevco. I am of the opinion if my club or any other club challenged this shambles all fans would have some faith but until that occurs we will always have our doubts.
If the UTT appeal goes in favour of HMRC and EBT’s used by Rangers are declared illegal then a sporting advantage WAS achieved illegally and this would have to be challenged (SFA ruled out on this one) but surely all clubs would have a voice. Silence is not an option.
SPOT THE PORKIE
05 June 2013
Rangers International Football Club plc
(“Rangers”, the “Company” or “Club”)
Share Transfer Agreement
The Company announces that under an agreement entered into by Charles Green, the former CEO of the Company, with Laxey Partners Ltd (“Laxey”) on 19 October 2012, Mr Green has agreed to transfer 714,285 shares owned by him to Laxey, once free to effect a transfer.
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Charles Green Quarry Bar Q&A
17 January 2013 Written by Douglas Dickie
Interestingly, he claimed he had no intention of taking any money out of Rangers. Instead, he would leave Rangers with shares for his kids and grandkids. When he was confirmed as the new CEO, he told the investors to find out how much Martin Bain had been paid for the same role and to half it (‘the lowest I’ve ever worked for,’ apparently).
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She’s still at it:
@CharlotteFakes
My list of confirmed EBT subscribers, directly linked to RFC 2012, appears to number 83 in total.
2:32pm – 5 Jun 13
Is 83 the usual number?
ddmc999 says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 10:30
Q. Why were the 5 cases with known side letters not taken into account by the tribunal ?
=====================================================================
I don’t know what 5 cases you refer to but it would be interesting to have the names so I can cross-check and see if they are listed in the LNS Decision – I am sure they will be but worth a check.
But the LNS Commission actually had sight of 50 unredacted side letters as evidence after a helluva tussle with Biggart Baillie which makes interesting reading in the LNS Decision from [92 – 101]. In a nutshell the lawyers had initially only supplied redacted side letters but were forced into issuing unredacted ones.
Neither Smith nor Souness appear in the lists of Specified Players with EBTs which are published in the LNS Decision. Because LNS was looking into issues involving registered SPL players and Souness and Smith didn’t come into that category so would be outwith the LNS remit.
arabest1
Looks like Motherwell have made a loss of around 100k this year too, although they do point out that if we had managed another round in Scottish Cup that would have covered it. However we dont have any bank debt (or a rich benefactor any more).
http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2013/06/05/update-from-the-board-june-2013/
Danish Pastry says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 14:08
She’s still at it:
@CharlotteFakes
My list of confirmed EBT subscribers, directly linked to RFC 2012, appears to number 83 in total.
2:32pm – 5 Jun 13
Is 83 the usual number?
=====================================================
The LNS Decision has 6 separate lists of Players all of which from memory are based on different time periods. The problem is that LNS is only listing SPL registered players as I mentioned above and as the lists cover different time periods the same player can turn-up on different lists and I have never got down to eliminating the duplication effect to get a net number of EBTs.
Sometimes I’ve got to eat and sleep and do the odd bit of paid work – just as well I’ve got a sympathetic Boss. He’s a rugby man btw with not a shred of interest in football but he is very much into rules being observed in spirit as well as the letter 🙂
ecobhoy says: Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 14:31
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210. Finally, Mr Thornhill noted five cases where peculiarly trust payments were made in respect of guaranteed bonuses. These relate to Messrs Selby, Inverness, Doncaster, Barrow, and Furness, as confirmed by his instructing solicitor’s letter of 29 September 2011. The Appellants concede that in these cases there is a sufficient nexus with a contractual right to create a tax liability
Likelihood that Mr Inverness was Nacho Novo and Mr Selby was Daniel Prso
easyJambo says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 14:41
======================================================
Nacho Novo appears on Lists 2b and 3b and Dado Prso appears on List 2a
I have the names for the aliases but on another computer which I can’t access at the moment but if anyone else can assist that would be great.
Danish Pastry says:
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 14:08
She’s still at it:
@CharlotteFakes
My list of confirmed EBT subscribers, directly linked to RFC 2012, appears to number 83 in total.
2:32pm – 5 Jun 13
Is 83 the usual number?
===========================
The BBC listed 72 at the time of the Mark Daly programme.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-18148818
EBT Employed Position EBT Amount Side Letter
Alan Hutton 2002 -? 94 Appearances £364,000 No
Alex McLeish 2001-06. £1.7m Yes
Alex Rae 2004-06 34 Appearances £569,000 Yes
Andre Kanchelskis 1998 -2002 £145,000 No
Andrew Dickson 2003.-present £33,000 No
Arthur Numan 1998 118 appearances. £510,000 Yes
Barry Ferguson 1996-2003 and 2005-2009. £2.5m Yes
Bert Konterman 2000. 79 appearances £300,000 No
Bert Van Lingen 1998 to 2002. £65,000 No
Billy Dodds 4 years £190,000 No
Bob Malcolm 1997-2006 88 appearances. £125,000 No
Campbell Ogilvie 1978 -2005 £95,000 No
Carlos Cuellar 2007-2008 £448,255 Yes
Chris Burke 2002-2009 96 appearances £55,000 No
Christian Nerlinger 2001-2004 ` £1.8m Yes
Claudio Caniggia 2001. 50 appearances £1m No
Craig Moore 1994-1998/1999-2005. £1.1m Yes
Dado Prso 2004-2007 108 appearances . £1.9m Yes
Dan Eggen 2003 £68,000 Yes
Sir David Murray 1988-2011 £6.3m No
Dick Advocaat 1998-2002. £1.5m No
Douglas Odam 1988-2003 £119,000 No
Egil Ostenstad 2003. 11 appearances £370,000 Yes
Fernando Ricksen 2000-2006 182 appearances. £684,225 Yes
Federico Nieto 2005 3 appearances £24,500 No
Gavin Rae 2004-2007. £376,000 Yes
George Adams 2003-2005. Now at Ross County. £30,000 No
Graeme Souness 1986-1991 £30,000 No
Gregory Vignal 2004-2005 43 appearances £173,000 Yes
Ian McGuinness club doctor £25,400 Yes
Ian Murray 2006- 2007 43 appearances. £95,000 No
Jan Wouters 2006-2007 coach £285,000 Yes
Jean-Alain Boumsong 2004 18 appearances £630,000 Yes
Jerome Bonnissel 2003 3 appearances £48,000 Yes
Jesper Christiansen 2000-2004. 3 appearances £320,000 No
Joel Le Hir 2006-2007 physio £28,275 Yes
John Greig 1961-2011 £40,000 No
John McClelland 2000-2011 £225,000 No
Julien Rodriguez 2005-2007 34 appearances. £638,000 Yes
Kevin Muscat 2002-2003 22 appearances. £1m Yes
Kris Boyd 2006-2010 £215,000 Yes
Libor Sionko 2006-2007 18 appearances. £178,000 Yes
Lorenzo Amoruso 1997-2003 £639,000 Yes
Martin Bain 2005-2011 Chief executive £249,000 No
Marvin Andrews 2004- 43 appearances £316,025 Yes
Maurice Ross 2000-2005 78 apearances £120,000 No
Michael Ball 2001-2005 55 appearances. £1.4m Yes
Michael Mols 1999-2004 £260,000 Yes
Mikel Arteta 2002- 50 appearances £674,603 Yes
Nacho Novo 2004-2010 178 appearances £1.2m Yes
Neil McCann 1998- 100+ appearances. £500,000 Yes
Nuno Capucho 2003- 22 appearances £970,000 No
Olivier Bernard 2005- 9 appearances £224,000 Yes
Paolo Vanoli 2003 28 appearances £592,000 Yes
Paul Le Guen 2006-2007 Manager £201,250 Yes
Pedro Mendes 2008-2010 39 appearances £1m Yes
Peter Lovenkrands 2000- 129 appearances £902,000 Yes
Robert Reilly Commercial Director £105,000 No
Ronald De Boer 2000-2004 £1.2m Yes
Ronald Waterreus 2004- 49 appearances £510,000 Yes
Sasa Papac 2006-2012 161 appearances £319,000 Yes
Sotirios Kyrgiakos 2005-2006. 54 appearances £532,200 Yes
Stefan Klos 1999-2007 200+ appearances £2m Yes
Stephane Wiertelak 2006-2007 fitness/physio/coach £28,275 Yes
Steven Davis 140+ appearances £600,000 Yes
Steven Smith £7,500 No
Steven Thompson 2003-2006 £485,000 Yes
Tero Penttila 1999-2002 £140,000 No
Thomas Buffel 2005-2008 £1.2m Yes
Tore Andre Flo 2000-2002 £1.3m No
Yves Colleau 2006-2007 assistant to Paul Le Guen £106,200 Yes
Zurab Khizanishvili 2003-2005. £405,000 Yes
72 by my reckoning (Mark Daly’s Figures)
Formatting problem.
From left to right: Name – Dates Employed – Job Title/Appearances – EBT Amount – Side Letter?
goosygoosy says: Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 14:06
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My question is why the information was released now?
I note that the text of the statement says:
“Under the terms of the lock-in agreement entered into by Mr Green with the Company on 7 December 2012, Mr Green is prevented from transferring shares before 7 December 2013, without the consent of Cenkos Securities plc other than in limited circumstances such as to connected persons, a family trust or in the event of a takeover of the Company.”
Could it be that Cenkos have okayed the sale now that CG is no longer employed by the company and that they believe that “orderly trading” will be maintained?