The Immortality Project

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The Immortality Project – or – Death and Denial – Guest Post by Humble Pie

Death has a tendency to put everything else into perspective.

My family recently suffered a bereavement. It wasn’t a sudden death but it was still far too quick and far too soon for any of us to get our heads around. As our loved one’s illness progressed, each of us, in our own way, began to prepare for the inevitable. In the end, whilst it was not unexpected, it was nevertheless very traumatic, for everyone concerned.

Grief is a strange and often debilitating set of emotions. Even now, a few months on, when the intense sadness and tears have given way (mostly) to disbelief, we still find it hard to fully comprehend what has happened. We might never completely ‘come to terms’ with that fact, however, we do accept that it DID happen, much as we all wish that it hadn’t.

Many of you will be familiar with the Kubler-Ross model of the five stages of grief; Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. Well, I am aware of having experienced each of these stages over the last year, as well as a couple of others which I wasn’t prepared for (a lot of personal reflection, a little guilt and a not insignificant amount of pain).

It seems to me that the Rangers supporters have been purposefully ensnared in an interminable cycle of the first two stages of KR; alternating between the denial of the death of Rangers and anger at what they feel has been done to their beloved club then back again to denial. This, as any first year psychology student will tell you, is a very unhealthy state of mind which, if not addressed, can quickly lead to physiological and behavioural problems.

At its lowest level, for example, people throughout the ages have continued to set places at the dinner table for their long-dead loved ones. They know in their hearts that the person has died but are comforted by the familiarity of doing the same things that they have always done. However, in extreme cases people have even kept and maintained the actual cadavers of the deceased, dressed them, talked to them and watched TV with them, in a state of absolute denial.

In archaeology, accepting and recognising the inevitability of death through conducting ceremonial burial services is considered to be one of the very first signs of a civilised people. You see, grief is a uniquely human and cathartic process i.e. it can produce ‘a feeling of being cleansed emotionally, spiritually, or psychologically as a result of an intense emotional experience’.

In short, grief is ultimately a good thing which leads you through a series of natural psychological steps towards acknowledgement of an unalterable situation, allowing you to take stock, re-evaluate and start to move on with your own life in a positive way.

That is what should have happened with the fans of the old Rangers.

Instead, this ‘never-ending cycle of the undead’ was positively encouraged by those many unscrupulous individuals who saw a way of making a fast buck from maintaining the ‘Then, Now and Forever’ illusion. Worse still, this resurrection fantasy is being facilitated by the very people whom we have entrusted to stop this kind of thing from happening in the first place. If only the SFA or the MSM had told them the truth, they might have had a chance to actually face up to the situation.

Unfortunately, these two bodies were so complicit in Rangers demise, so right up to their necks in the brown smelly stuff, that they were too afraid to face the inevitable anger which would have rightly come their way. So, they made up grim fairy tales to feed to the bereaved souls about non-existent ‘holding companies’, the ethereal ‘club’ which transcends death and by suggesting that it is ‘all a matter of opinion’.

Ernest Becker, in his 1973 Pulitzer Prize winning book ‘The Denial of Death’, posits that “human civilization is no more than an elaborate, symbolic defence mechanism against the knowledge of our own mortality”. This fear of death acts as an emotional and intellectual response to our basic survival instincts.

‘By embarking on what Becker refers to as an ‘immortality project’, in which a person creates or becomes part of something which they feel will last forever, the person feels they too have become part of something eternal; something that will never die, compared to their physical body that will die one day’. When this ‘immortality project’ is threatened it leads inevitably to fear, depression, loss of identity and sense of purpose.

In that case, the initial reaction of the fans to the imminent demise of Rangers was entirely predictable and understandable. “No way, this can’t happen to us, we are the people”. However, as soon as the full realisation of their club’s inexorable slide into liquidation began to sink in, came the expected anger. But towards whom should their righteous wrath be directed?

“Who did this to us, who are these people?” they cried. “Not I”, said Sir Murray of the Mint, “for I was duped”, “Nor I”, said President Ogilvie, “for it was never my role”. “Nor I”, said Mr Smith, “for I never knew nothing or nothing”. “Not us”, squealed the media monkeys in unison, “for that’s what we were told”, “Nor us”, said the SPL “it was nothing to do with us”.

“Who then?, we demand to know who these people are”, howled the horrified hordes. “T’was the Whyte knight”, they all concurred, “he alone caused this calamity”. “And the bampots”, sneered the slimy slug. “And the taxman”, puffed the pundits. “And the unseen hand of Mr Lawwell”, whispered the bilious bears from the safety of their den.

There were even those who tried to warn them, not least Hugh Adam, Phil Mac and RTC but they didn’t want to know. Even when their very own Messrs Green and Traynor spelt out, in no uncertain terms, that liquidation meant the death of their club, still they chose wilful ignorance. The MSM, with access to the same information, encouraged them to keep their heads firmly ensconced, ostrich stylee, on the banks of that ironically blue and white river in Egypt. Which just goes to show ‘you can lead a lamb to knowledge but you can’t make it think’

The point though is that the Rangers fans have heard the truth and once you have heard something you cannot unhear it. Even if you reject it, even if you deny it, it gnaws away at the back of your mind, infecting your subconscious.

Almost a year ago, I posted the following on TSFM. http://theinternetbampot.wordpress.com/2012/09/ in which I postulated that the SFA were too frightened to say anything which might imply that The Rangers were a new club.

Looking back at that post, I am amazed at how little the landscape has changed.

A year on and it has become apparent that the corporate cancer that destroyed Rangers has continued to metastasize in its new host. Charlotte’s revelations may have shown us that the rabbit hole goes much deeper than we first suspected. However, in my humble opinion, the information provided has only succeeded in ‘poisoning the well’ and deflecting attention from the main culprits in this disaster. Layer upon layer of complexity has been added to an already opaque story and the majority of her utterances appear designed to engage the more enquiring minds on this forum and consume their excess mental energy.

I know that some people are bored with this ‘debate’ but, to my mind, the single most important step for the redemption of Scottish football is the fan’s acceptance that The Rangers, who currently ply their trade in the SPFL First Division, are a new club. Once they have accepted that then everything else that they perceive has happened to them will begin to make sense. They will see that rather than everyone having a fly kick at them when they were down, most were actually trying to help them. It will also dawn on them that the very people who have been telling them that there is an anti-Rangers conspiracy against them are actually the same ones who are screwing them over.

Rangers were not relegated to div 3, The Rangers applied as a new club and were granted entry into the bottom tier of Scottish football. They are not banned from European competition, merely ineligible as a new club without the requisite financial ‘history’. Any reference to ‘rulings’ from ECA, ASA, the BBC Trust and any internal or so-called ‘independent’ enquiries are completely irrelevant, as none of these bodies are the final arbiter in this case. Scots Law is clear that there is no distinction between club and company after incorporation, when the company dies the club dies with it. That is not a matter of opinion, it is a matter of fact.

Sooner or later The Rangers fans are going to realise this fact and when they do, there will be hell to pay. Until they do, their new club can never become truly cleansed. Only then can they move on and only then can they join together with fans of other clubs to root out the real cancer at the heart of Scottish football.  That’s why the MSM and the SFA are still petrified to say anything. In the meantime the real creators of this disaster are sneakily positioning themselves further and further away from the scene of the crime.

I am sure the majority of us would happily accept a new Rangers, cleansed of its financial, emotional and supremacist baggage. A club that all decent Rangers fans could support without feeling any guilt about Rangers downfall or that they were being taken for mugs. The prospect of a new dawn in Scottish football, where sporting integrity took primacy and clubs lived within their means was very real. However, as usual the SFA couldn’t miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

The truth is that Scottish football is in the state it is in, not because Rangers died but because those with the power and mandate to effect the prognosis sat back and did nothing. I am sure that they believe that ‘time heals all wounds’ and that the longer this injustice is allowed to stand the more likely it will be accepted by the man in the street. No doubt the authorities feel it is in the national interest to ‘let sleeping dogs lie’. However I cannot accept this. I believe that it is vital that we are able to face up to reality so we can move on for the benefit of all football supporters.

Scottish football is at a crossroads right now, I think we all feel it. Rampant corruption has become so mainstream that many of our fellow supporters have began to accept this as the norm. However, it just doesn’t sit right with me and I suspect that many regular contributors and readers of this blog feel likewise.

We have quite lost our way and we live in a society which spends vast amounts of money paying people like Jack Irvine to ensure that we stay lost. The mainstream media treat us like little imbeciles and demand that we conform to their assumed ‘professional superiority’. The PR machine plays up to our stereotypes and feeds our fantasies while the poorest people pay to swallow their poisonous propaganda and relentless trivia.

So what can we do ? Clearly, battering out a few blog posts and strongly worded letters to the various authorities involved has been rewarded by the square root of FA.

How can we make this an opportunity for growth rather than contributing to the destruction of Scottish football ? It is not good enough to tear down a system unless we have a better system to replace it. However, I believe that it is not the system itself which is broken. It is that those charged with administering the system are hopelessly corrupted, hugely conflicted and unable to apply their rules without fear or favour.

By their incapacity and inaction (wilful or otherwise) the SFA have facilitated a motley crew of various spivs, chancers and con-artists to glean the last few meagre pickings from the bones of the emaciated loyal supporters of this new club purporting to be the once mighty Rangers. They have permitted these ne’er-do-wells to collectively appropriate many tens of millions of pounds from the Rangers fans, the creditors and the public purse. They have already allowed this corporate malignancy to spread to a new host, ‘The Rangers’, and the absence of ‘moral hazard’ makes it more likely that the disease will continue to spread.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “‘Nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

Someone else once said, “The wages of sin are death, but by the time taxes are taken out, it’s just sort of a tired feeling.”

I sense that we are all beginning to get tired of this. It is time to stand together, all football fans, face the facts and direct our anger against the officers of the SFA who have allowed this sham to develop into a catastrophe.

I have no doubt that my humble opinions expressed here will raise the ire of many deluded souls. However, I am comfortable in the knowledge that the only people who get mad at you for speaking the truth are those that are living a lie.

RIP Big Man.

 

3,959 thoughts on “The Immortality Project”


  1. Extract from TRFC statement issued on Friday, [from the TRFC website].
    ======================================================
    As a wee reminder, the statement ends thus;

    “…Rangers’ lawyers have been instructed to write to the BBC Trust highlighting this latest breach of BBC guidelines and BBC Radio Scotland’s apparent unwillingness to observe the Trust’s ruling. They will also seek confirmation of what steps will be taken by the BBC, particularly in relation to the BBC Scotland’s journalists, to ensure these breaches stop. ”
    ============================================
    So if BBC ‘supports’ Jim Spence, then it would appear we have an impasse, [assuming TRFC do indeed follow up with the BBC.]

    Over to the SFA ?


  2. I’ve just made the mistake of looking at @chrisgraham76’s timeline on Twitter.

    Oozing self-righteous indignation. The new club proposition is simply ‘a lie’ – Traynor apologised for his assertion apparently and has never repeated it.

    It’s a sad fact of life in 21st Century Scotland that no one is prepared to call them out and declare them a new club.

    Not so much WATP, more We Are The Mob, and everyone appears terrified of the Govan Mob.


  3. I’m conscious that some of my posts have been bordering on paranoid rantings recently, so I am going to sign off tonight on a positive note by saying it was heartwarming to see Anya’s goal and the delight on his face. Great to see the young lad from Castlemilk becoming a new hero for the tartan army.


  4. Question, are the BBC still banned from Ibrox?

    I think they are, showing a complete lack of irony once again from the Mob, complaining about an organisation they’ve unilaterally barred.


  5. Glad to see my thoughts of being cautious were in some way warranted.

    I for one do not expect the BBC to get things right, nor do I expect them to act very quickly. It is the type of large organisation that needs time to think about things before acting.
    The apology refered to by many is consistent with the corporation’s response when someone swears on live pre watershed TV. ” We apologise for any offense caused, not out intention etc etc”.
    IMHO it was not a knee jerk reaction but more a ‘holding’ response.
    Clearly the situation has developed as the abusive tweets and other materials have flooded in Jim Spence’s direction.
    Common sense seems to have prevailed and by all accounts JS is getting the support of the BBC against the screaming hoardes.

    What surprises me is that some people seem to forget that it was the BBC who ran with the Mark Daly documentaries. While we can all bang on about Billy ‘EBT Dodds’ and Chick ‘my 1st team is St Mirren honest’ Young the corporation is one area of the MSM that has at least given a platform to the likes of JS, Cosgrove and Daly. Why should they stop now?

    I for one wouldn’t be so quick to jump down their throats and end up being accused of being the other cheek of the same arse.
    I would however support a campaign to stop BBC reporters and other staff from being intimidated by a mob mentality and secondly ask that, as others have stated above, they seek a clear and definitive statement from the SFA and.or UEFA with regard to the status of T’Rangers so as to avoid any future problems when reporters are refering to said football team’s history and its corporate/boardroom/financial troubles.


  6. Can anyone on this forum inform me when:

    1. The SFA stated Rangers are the same club
    2. UEFA stated Rangers are the same club

    I regularly read and hear both those organisations quoted as having confirmed Rangers are the same club, yet no confirmation of this can ever be found.


  7. I think the tribute act’s lawyers should spend even more of the company’s money on futile complaints to the BBC. The quicker they piss away whatever little reserves they have the better.


  8. thirdmanrunning says:
    September 10, 2013 at 10:17 pm
    0 0 Rate This

    Question, are the BBC still banned from Ibrox?

    I think they are, showing a complete lack of irony once again from the Mob, complaining about an organisation they’ve unilaterally barred.

    ===========================================================

    more to the point….the BBC put a LOT of money into the Scottish game which filters down to the clubs. They promote the game and in turn make it a little easier for clubs to attract investment through various means.

    the BBC have legally binding contracts with the SFA/SPFL and for one club to ban the BBC and therefore breach that legal agreement is unacceptable and I would expect the BBC (and any other media outlet) to challenge this.

    Simply enough, if the BBC are banned by any club they should simply withhold a proportion of monies they pay for access and coverage – let the SFA/SPFL decide how they divide up the reduced sum, or let the SFA/SPFL pursue the banning club for the shortfall

    The BBC should then IGNORE that club – don’t report it’s results, team line ups, stats, no interviews, no cameras, a complete black out of that club. Lets see how long it takes sponsors to start complaining that their advertising banners aren’t being seen on TV.

    time to fight fire with fire.


  9. selfassessor it was a good night for Scotland tonight, no need to take a pop at Lee Wallace, who was a part of the team we were all delighted to see win, just because of who he plays for. Give the guy a break.


  10. My contribution to auntie dearest at

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complain-online

    ——————————————————————————————

    Dear Auntie,

    I have been following with interest, the BBC’s reaction to the comments made by Jim Spence last week on SportSound regarding the use of terminology with regard to the Rangers NewCo/OldCo debate.

    I find the the BBC’s lack of support for it’s own journalist to be a callous supplication to the biased pressure received from a group seeking to subvert the principles of free speech that form the bedrock of modern journalism.

    That the BBC went so far as to apologise for Mr Spences statements, which he clearly stated were not necessarily his own opinions, in an attempt to mollify a certain partisan viewership, show’s a huge moral weakness within the BBC.

    I would like to the BBC come out in strong support of it’s journalist, with a public statement to that effect. Anything less could only be construed as a form of censorship to appease a disgruntled group who are determinedly trying to suppress free speech in the media.

    Yours,
    etc


  11. timtim@9:44
    Spot on. As was said.When push comes to shove….Scratch the surface and plumb the depths.Football is no different.
    I’ll get ma book o’ cliches


  13. Not The Huddle Malcontent says:
    September 10, 2013 at 10:28 pm

    Very good points. The Mob decide to ban the Beeb, so why does the Beeb continue to give them air time.

    They have the perfect opportunity to apologise to its audience about a lack of coverage by simply explaining they’ve been barred, despite the Rangers being contractually obligated to give them access.


  14. fairshout @9:48
    You couldnae track down Regan wi’ the Hubble Telescope!


  15. Not The Huddle Malcontent says:

    September 10, 2013 at 10:28 pm

    Hear what you say regarding fighting fire with fire but IMHO that just means we all burn together.

    Surely all we want is the BBC and other strands of the MSM to report the issues relating to the game truthfully and comprehinsively without fear or favour.
    If that ends in a more open and honest debate, then bring it on.

    At the end of the day the marketing directors of Puma and Blackthorn will soon get fed up with the negative vibes eminating from Ibrox and tell them to get their act together or the deal is off.

    Mike Ashley has already taken that step by allowing Sports Direct News to publish some none to flattering articles about the Spivs and it is celar the much heralded stadium naming venture is very much on hold.

    T’Rangers and their fans can either join in and try and play a part in taking the game in this country forward into the 21st century or they can stew in their own juices. So far the game is doing fine without them playing any significant role over the last year or so.


  16. wottpi says:
    September 10, 2013 at 10:22 pm

    I would however support a campaign to stop BBC reporters and other staff from being intimidated by a mob mentality and secondly ask that, as others have stated above, they seek a clear and definitive statement from the SFA and.or UEFA with regard to the status of T’Rangers so as to avoid any future problems when reporters are refering to said football team’s history and its corporate/boardroom/financial troubles.
    ==============================================================
    I think the problem is that it now doesn’t matter what the SFA or anyone else says – minds are made up in both camps because the nettle wasn’t grasped right at the start when it should have been by the SFA.

    And we would be wrong to turn what’s happening here into an deid/alive club argument which is what the bigots want to achieve to wear down the BBC. This is a freedom of speech and expression issue in which the BBC have to protect their employees and back their judgement to the hilt as long as all guidelines are met.

    Otherwise we might as well just have computer-generated ‘voices’ reading a pre-prepared script with no human input. The mob have it in for Beeb Scotland for a number of reasons and high up on the list is the piece done by Chris. Par for the course as they think he helped destroy their club and not the succession of enemies within as was the case.

    Some of the WATP Brigade just can’t accept the truth as it dents their Supremacy. The right to win every game is another curious manifestation of the cocoon in which they exist where contrary opinions can’t be expressed and if they are the threats are seldom far behind.


  17. thirdmanrunning says:
    September 10, 2013 at 10:15 pm

    I’ve just made the mistake of looking at @chrisgraham76′s timeline on Twitter.
    _______________________________________________________________

    I’ve also just had a look and Chris seems to be adamant that Jim Spence called Ranger’s supporters ‘Nazis’

    (Jim tweeted the Martin Niemöller verse “First they came….”)

    This verse has been referenced in popular culture for decades now,
    no rational individual would come to the conclusion that Jim was making accusations of fascism


  18. Jim Traynor “apologised” for reporting the fact that Rangers (the club) had died and a new club had been created because the people then paying his exorbitant wages told him to.

    There was no epiphanic moment where he realised that the previous club had actually been owned by a non existent “holding company” which was the entity being liquidated. That was just a myth that a clever PR man had created and a group of people desperate to believe their club still existed bought into. They were clutching at straws at the time. They would have believed any nonsense which meant Rangers were not being liquidated.

    Jim Traynor actually reported the truth when it happened. Then the people who owned the new club realised that they had to employ him to retract that. They could never keep the fans onside with a new club, they had to create a myth, and it had to be the opposite of what Traynor had published in the paper most of them read. In a stunning coincidence they employed Walter Smith as well, who had also said the same thing “Good luck with the new club”.

    So the options are clear. If someone tells the truth then bully / intimidate them … or employ them and get them to retract what they previously said.


  19. RyanGosling says:
    September 10, 2013 at 10:29 pm

    selfassessor it was a good night for Scotland tonight, no need to take a pop at Lee Wallace, who was a part of the team we were all delighted to see win, just because of who he plays for. Give the guy a break.
    =======================================================================
    And we’ll need to get rid of Anya as well as he’s a Rangers supporter 😆

    I don’t care what team anyone plays for when they pull on a Scotland shirt – if the manager thinks they are up for it and good enough then that’s it. And if they make a mess of it then the manager carries a lot of the can and the player as well but his club who have released him to play for his country has to be applauded and that’s the same for every club that supports the national team.

    Let’s leave the snide comments to those trying to create division in Scotland and just bask in the pleasure of a great night for Scottish Football and for Scotland. It’s been a while since I saw a Scotland team so together and trying as hard as they did and playing some good football and there wasn’t a single player hiding on a sh*tty pitch in physically demanding temperatures.

    And a big cheer to the Scots who supported their team by travelling to Macedonia – they truly are Bravehearts ❗


  20. Tif Finn says:
    September 10, 2013 at 11:04 pm

    Jim Traynor “apologised” for reporting the fact that Rangers (the club) had died and a new club had been created because the people then paying his exorbitant wages told him to.
    =================================================================
    I noticed on the Darkside a poster claiming that JT only changed his mind after seeking legal advice on the issue. I have never seen that line before and it may well be bollocks but could be part of rewriting the history.


  21. ecobhoy 11:05pm – one of your thumbs up is from me.


  22. Barcabhoy says: September 10, 2013 at 3:56 pm
    ——————————————————————-

    Remember Rafat Rizvi

    Rizvi is so famous he even has his own page on Interpol

    http://www.interpol.int/Wanted-Persons/(wanted_id)/2009-17465

    Now Remember Orlit . The guys who issued a winding up order, and who were paid by Charles Green. The payment not subject to any written contract.
    As an aside how much of the Aim flotation has been spent with business’ who held no written contract with Rangers
    Anyway as disclosed previously and as written about by Paul McConville on his excellent blog, Orlit had as a director one Chan Fook Meng, who was also Chairman of Nova Enterprises prior to Charles Green
    The link below connects Mr Chan to Rizvi

    http://offshoreleaks.icij.org/nodes/172905

    As a further aside , if the excellent contributors on here aren’t aware of the offshore leaks site, then i imagine its fill your boots time

    What we also know is Brian Stockbridge had a previous business connection with Mr Chan , who is the protector of Mr Rizvi’s trust in the Cook Islands.

    Is it too much to speculate that Rafat Rizvi is the real controller at Ibrox ? Doing so through a serious of place men and managed on his behalf by legal intermediaries
    Thats a thought . Rangers controlled in some measure by an International criminal featured of Interpols most wanted list.

    Surely not !
    —————

    From audio released by charlotte

    At one point, Ahmad brags: “At the moment, what I’ve taken so far is actually £5.5million from Rafat now.”
    Whyte asks: “Is that £5.5million?”
    Ahmad continues: “It’s not all from him. Five from Rafat and his mates. I think what Rafat’s done is taken £500,000 of cheap shares himself and he’s loaded his mates with £4.5million worth of expensive shares – because you know there were two classes (of shares)?”

    —————————————————————————

    Re-Post from July (marginally refreshed)

    Rafat Ali Rizvi.

    It was clear from the emails Charlotte released, and supporting audio that details of any involvement or investment of this particular individual was to be kept out of the public domain, and in the words of Imran Ahmad to the effect of …. would be worse than finding out that Craig Whyte was still involved …..
    Well what could be worse ?

    It had not escaped the notice of the bampot community that Rafat Ali Rizvi was actually convicted (in his absence …. abscondment), of serious bank fraud in Indonesia. Further, he had been placed on Interpol’s Red List of Wanted Criminals.

    Now the early research on Rizvi was kicked off on RTC, but it was not until @ecobhoy pulled all of the information together and posted on Paul McConvilles Blog that the issue gathered further momentum.

    http://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2012/07/21/exclusive-amazing-rangers-link-to-interpol-fugitive-posted-by-ecojon/

    It was a response to this post from @Johnboy (July 21, 2012 at 11:41 am) on Paul’s blog that further suggested a connection to Chris Morgan.

    What we were left with last July then was a loose connection of hearsay and past interconnections with various degrees of separation between Charles Green, Chris Morgan and (possibly) Rafat Ali Rizvi ….. that Chris Morgan was announced as an investor to the tune of £400k, and that there was one particular significant shareholder that Charles Green was or appeared to be protecting. Blue Pitch Holding …. No more than that.

    The trail went cold until February this year when between them Alex Thompson and Phil MacGiollaBhain released reports of the possibility of a winding up petition from a Far Eastern Company called Orlit Enterprises.

    For whatever reason, it stirred Charles Green into quite an agitated state and Rangers immediately responded with an official response. It was clear at the time that the explanation given did not seem to sit right, and further it highlighted an interesting individual called Chan Fook Meng. Now the interesting point about Mr Meng is that as well as being a director of Orlit, is that he is also the Chairman of Nova Resources Limited, and of course the chairman of Nova Resources Limited until May 2012 was Charles Green, at which time he resigned to take up his Rangers interest!.

    Now at the same time, it had not gone unnoticed that the Advisors for Nova Resources and indeed other companies with associations between this group of individuals were Allenby Capital, and in particular the association of Brian Stockbridge and also Imran Ahmed.

    Nova Resources was previously known as Tembusu Investments, but changed its name after its then Chairman and Chief Executive Rafat Rizvi was convicted of corruption and money laundering charges in Indonesia involving a total of £367million.

    When Rizvi resigned, his place was taken by Ms Zhang Yun, whose CV indicates that one of her positions was as Director of Orlit Enterprise (Singapore) Pte Ltd. Ms Zhang Yun is the wife of Rafat Ali Rizvi.
    The decision to allow Mrs Rizvi to take her convicted man’s place as boss of Tembusu was approved by the firm’s nominated advisers Allenby Capital.

    http://www.investegate.co.uk/article.aspx?id=20100122101109W2129

    Allenby’s representative at Tembusu is Brian Stockbridge.

    Before leaving the intriguing Mr Meng, let us look at another interesting link that may be relevant.
    Mr Chan Fook Meng is listed as having an interest in Tricor PLC who were represented and advised by Allenby Capital, and in particular by Brian Stockbridge.

    Back in May 2012, when Mr Green emerged publicly, there were rumours that the acquisition of the football club would be by a combination of Tricor, Mr Green, Mr Chan and Nazim Khan.

    Mr Khan, as well as being one of the consortium, it was alleged, is also a director of Tricor.
    Pershing Nominees are reported to have a stake in ‘consortium’ member Chan Fook Meng’s Tricor, but also Ordinary Shares in Willow International Limited pursuant to conversion of Convertible Loan Notes issued by the Company to Craig Whytes Liberty Capital Limited.

    Remember Willow International were issued 5m (free) shares in Sevco 5088

    208,500,000 New Ordinary Shares to Willow International Limited (“Willow”) (held by Pershing Nominees Limited)`at a price of 0.05 pence per share pursuant to conversion of £104,250 of the New Convertible Loan Notes* (“NCLNs”) issued by the Company to Liberty Capital Limited, which subsequently transferred £104,250 of loan principal to Willow, a company domiciled in the Seychelles (“Conversion Issue”).

    Charlotte kindly presented us with the placing letters and copies of the Share Placing documents to confirm Mr Greens early submission … I bet he was not expecting that !

    Share Allotment
    It was noted that the aforementioned shares were to be paid as follows:
    a) Support + assistance, in relation to The Rangers Football Club PIc takeover.
    b) Opportunity to acquire The Rangers Football Club PIc by CVA or asset purchase.
    c) Votes in favour ofCVA of The Rangers Football Club Pic.
    d) Votes in favour of name change of The Rangers Football Club Pic.
    e) Debenture waiver in the event of CVA

    The Trail Warms Up

    In May this year @CharlotteFakes released an audio of Imran Ahmed, Brian Stockbridge and surprisingly …. Craig Whyte discussing openly the involvement of Rafat Ali Rizvi as being one the consortium of investors in the Newco Rangers !.

    This revelation was off the Richter Scale in not only presenting suggesting a link to Rizvi ….. but that Craig Whyte was also in on the deal. Up until this point, we believed that the Rizvi connection was a separate strand to the Craig Whyte involvement and not inextricably linked (Shock and Awe).

    @CharlotteFakes also released two damning emails showing that between them Imran Ahmed, Chris Morgan and Craig Whyte were colluding to cover up the (alleged) investment of one of Interpol’s most wanted criminals in the Newco Rangers.

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/152632997/Morgan (Removed)
    http://www.scribd.com/doc/152637504/Morgan-Rizvi (Removed)

    As the debate and speculation hotted up, @CharlotteFakes decided to provide us with an email release that finally showed categorically that funds appeared to be transferred (or authorised to do so) between Rizvi and Chris Morgan though Asia Credit Corporation and a Swiss bank account.

    http://i.imgur.com/1Ls2NsJ.jpg (Removed)

    We then started to enter a completely new phase of this intriguing story, the battle for Blue Room Control.
    We have all watched with incredulity at the Rangers Board room battle to remove Malcolm Murray, and listened with intrigue to Imran Ahmed stitch up and suggestion that he walks quietly at the end of the season. We also heard Murray request that he talk to Cenkos, and Imran could have no objection to this (how could he on tape ?). Of course, better to keep Murray on side rather than a loose canon outside of the Board Room. When Murray was finally outed as chairman, Jack Irvine was utilised to ensure that Murray was ‘capped’.

    Shortly afterwards Charles Green was forced to resign with Imran following in short succession.
    We have seen chris Mather installed initially as temporary and the then full CEO and Malcolm Murray step down as Chairman to be replaced by Walter Smith. Walter, himself stepped down and it was left to Alister Johnston to tell us of Walter’s disbelief at the incredulous dealings that had been going on in the Blue room. Jack Irvine again was utilised to ensure that no further damaging revelations would be coming from that direction.

    But the Blue room politic has been severely altered and we can see evidence for urgent realignment ahead of the September AGM. Initially the strong suggestion was that Chris Morgan will be voted onto the board alongside James Easdale. We have subsequently seen Mr Easdale appointed, but not Mr Morgan.
    We entered at that time a very interesting phase, because it appears that Rangers were unsuccessful in getting approval for the appointment of Mr Morgan.

    Could it be that following recent spotlight on Chris Morgan’s activities and associations that Cenkos could not issue the appropriate clean bill of health document required for directors of AIM companies.
    On Sunday 7th July Phil MacGiollaBhain wrote an interesting article on his website:

    http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/sevco-and-cenkos/#more-3770

    The first point to make is that Phil was ahead of the game and very correct …. Rangers were about to announce a change of Nomad and Broker. But interestingly it was not to Daniel Stewart as suggested, but rather to another equally lessor known Nomad Strand Hanson.

    Phil MacGiollaBhain followed up with this post on TSFM following the announcement that infact Strand Hanson were to be appointed.

    Phil MacGiollaBhain (@Pmacgiollabhain) says: (July 9, 2013 at 1:23 pm)
    There is a major story in why the NOMAD Daniel Stewart (signed up on Friday) was replaced at the 11th hour.
    Did they walk or did someone at RIFC find something in their business past that was toxic?

    So what happened in the time between having Daniel Stewart signed up on Friday and the announcement of Strand Hanson on Tuesday. Well, I suggest we look no further than on this site.

    On the Sunday I posted the following …

    newtz says: July 7, 2013 at 9:41 pm
    Daniel Stewart appointed as NOMAD & Broker to Nova Resources Plc
    11 January 2012
    Nova Resources Plc (NOVA.L) announces the appointment of Daniel Stewart and Company plc as the Company’s NOMAD and broker

    For further clarification
    http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail/?display=news&code=cotn:NOVA.L&action=article&articleid=8583918

    That Daniel Stewart are so closely linked with Nova Resources, to Orlit, to Rafat Ali Rizvi is too blatant, too dangerous …. too toxic !

    That even the suggestion of a connection was being openly discussed on a monitored blog site and on Twitter must have been enough for one of the parties to get cold feet …

    When Phil first suggested that Daniel Stewart were to appointed It initially raised a completely different query, and that was …. Why ?. Why choose a low profile Advisor and broker. Could it be that they might be more amenable to pressure … a more compliant Nomad ?. It was interesting that another poster asked the same question a day later. It was even more interesting that in today’s DR that Kevin Prior should make a similar observation …

    Prior said: “My reaction to the latest boardroom announcements are twofold – dismay and horror.
    “Rangers have changed their broker of choice from Cenkos, an established and respected firm, to one which I have never heard of.
    “Unassuming fans might think it a non-event but the presence of Cenkos would have assured investors both present and future.
    “This is the brokerage that brought Rangers to market last year and provides us with a heritage and access to capital markets.

    The battle for the Blue Room since then has seriously hotted up since back in July. ……… the very future of the Newco Rangers is at stake …

    Will the ‘Rolex Gang’ win the day with the inevitable conclusion of stripping the club to the bone and leaving it to flounder …
    Or
    Will there be a ‘New King’ at the realm if they get a chance to …. look under the bonnet and expose the ‘Rolex Gang’ ….


  23. Re JT’s legal advice

    “…Hi, Is that the Traynor family legal brief? I’m currently paid 170k to regurgitate favourable stories about RFC 90% of the time. Some guy called Green just phoned me and offered 200k to regurgitate favourable stories about RFC 100% of the time. Do you think its a good deal?…”

    Is that the kind of thing you meant?


  24. Tif Finn says:
    September 10, 2013 at 11:04 pm

    “they employed Walter Smith as well, who had also said the same thing “Good luck with the new club”.

    funny enough Smith has never retracted his original statement.
    he does not get attacked for it
    as for Traynor taking legal advice, does anyone know the name of Sevco’s lawyer ?


  25. I haven’t seen anyone post the Scotzine dismantling of Loofa Graham so apologies if they have.

    I particularly loved the para: ‘So the self-confessed Rangers spokesperson is trying to claim that Spence isn’t cut out for a position at the BBC? This coming from a man who flouts his club’s own boycott of the broadcaster for thirty pieces of silver – allegedly and on top of his own paranoid and hostile rhetoric towards the same BBC journalists who he has shared a studio with on many an occasion.’

    http://www.scotzine.com/2013/09/rangers-fans-doth-protest-much/


  26. JLeeHooker says:
    September 10, 2013 at 3:53 pm
    3 0 Rate This

    Another place to go if you wish to register your dissatisfaction:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complain-online

    —————————————————————————————————-

    worth repeating JLH! Perhaps a sticky at the latest post TSFM?


  27. Still catching up on all the comments today but have a few suggestions ..

    – For those who haven’t yet made a complaint in some form but felt strongly about the lack of support for Jim Spence and general lack of spine when standing up to the bullying campaign from Sevconians: I’d suggest you still register a complaint if you feel at all inclined to do so – there is no need to let more recent suggestions Jim will be supported to stop you. The point of complaining is still the same – BBC MUST report the truth without fear and stop pandering to the lies being forced on us all.

    – Next time Chris Graham is anywhere near any sort of BBC studio we must all complain about this idiot being given air space – he has been given enough chances and but it seems he never quite manages to display the qualities of a decent human being. He should not be given any invitation onto any radio or TV show IMO.

    Perhaps the BBC and indeed other broadcasters will be stiffened in their resolve if when they get complaints from bullies they also get an overwhelming influx of comment from those of us who won’t lie down to this. We have to keep trying.


  28. thirdmanrunning says:
    September 10, 2013 at 10:38 pm
    4 0 Rate This

    Not The Huddle Malcontent says:
    September 10, 2013 at 10:28 pm
    ———————————————–
    Great points. Starve them of all oxygen. Mind you it shouldn’t make any difference as they’re already a DEID CLUB.
    😉


  29. It is really shameful what Jim Spence has had to go through and without initially the support of his employer. What is even more shameful is that Mr Reagan, Mr Ogilvie and Mr Doncaster have not come out and killed the argument dead. They need to make a statement now and make it quite clear that this nonsense about Rangers being the same club with all the history is just nonsense. Forthwith all reference to previous titles and tops with 5 stars is just total bollocks, they may be Rangers in spirit but in reality the club called Rangers 1872 or was it 1873 died, “FINIS”


  30. Stuart Regan. Where would we be without him?
    He was one of the conspirators I had in mind as I read the following at the weekend.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23986212

    “If you’re like me, you won’t want to change. Even if things aren’t wonderful, but are familiar, I would rather stay with what I know. Why meddle with something for which there is a Latin, and therefore authoritative, term: the status quo. I studied dead languages at school – no chance of sudden changes in grammar or vocabulary there. So I’m aware status quo has roots in the longer phrase “in statu quo res erant ante bellum” – the state in which things were before the war. I feel the implication is that without the status quo there will be chaos. There will be war.”

    “…taking risks, not only swimming with sharks, but with sharks we’ve never met”

    This wee bit might have been said by the likes of Chris Graham.
    “So I battle inevitable changes, avoid hopeful changes and when I’m not therefore engaged in pointless combat, I’m pretending change doesn’t exist, which is even more pointless and can make me cruel.”


  32. The BBC is doomed as a Bear has worked out how to bring Aunty to her knees 😥

    He reckons the way to do it is to bombard them with FOI requests which will paralyse the whole of the Corporation. I kid you not I am not at the wind-up. This is his explanation of his rationale and the FOI request he has made. I wonder if the Beeb have started infiltrating the Darkside 😉
    ——————————————————————————————————————–
    According to the government website, you have the right to ask any government organisation for all the recorded information they have on any subject.

    For the BBC, this is clearly an awful lot. So how about spamming them with requests, all saying that really they are just a protest. The BBC has to answer them anyway.

    You can ask anything E.g what was the 435th word used on the 40th newsnight program broadcast in 1997? how many times did John Craven blink on Newsround? etc……………………………….

    I’d like to make some freedom of information requests please:
    1) How many minutes did John Craven spend on screen during his newsround career?
    2) What was the 40th word used in the 67th episode of newsnight from 2004?
    3) How many seperate complaints have ever been made about the BBC treatment of Rangers?
    4) How many teapots are in the new building in manchester?

    —————————–
    I’m not that bothered about the teapots but more trying to figure out just how many crackpots are now supporting Rangers.


  33. Agreed that we need to make our feelings and facts known more often to the MSM and the BBC in particular. Thanks to those posting the link to bbc online complaints. I filled one in too.
    Good luck to JIm Spence in case he faces more direct threats, which IMHO is what might happen next. I think we are at or close to a tipping point here where the media and authorities are concerned, just hope it tips the right way.


  34. Anybody else on here able to count to 5?

    Question – who were the participants in the 5 Way Agreement

    Answer – SFA, SPL, SFL, RFC-IA and TRFC

    Note – Wavetower or any other holding companies not invited!

    So why if its the same club is it not the 4 Way Agreement? Instead we have 5 parties – all distinct – all being represented – all different interests – with one motive – to make the 2 parties appear as one.

    IMO – all the messages of the club that died that came from Green, Smith, Gough, Traynor, Naimsith, Hately and a host of others came before the 5 Way Agreement. ND was the only one proclaiming a club could shed debt in this way. Methinks he and SR offered them this as consolation for not keeping their promise of keeping them in the SPL.


  35. I agree with absolutely everything that has been said in support of Jim Spence including the good wishes of the blog for his future well being.

    It has occurred to me however, given the innocuous nature of Jim’s words and the wholly disproportionate reaction to them by a section of the fans of the club which used to be RFC before it died, that the whole thing might just have been a deflection exercise managed by Mr Irvine through the agency of his despicable acolyte Mr Graham.

    To what end ?

    Well, the Board of Sevco is in serious trouble over the EGM fiasco, and Jack’s job is to do what the Board tell him which might go something like ‘get the spotlight off us ! ‘.

    However, I do think, if this is the case, that it may very well have backfired.

    One thing is for sure. At this time, I suspect that Jack is very, very, busy on Sevco’s behalf.


  37. Just jumping off topic, but following on from Hibs announcing their profit, Saints revealed their accounts yesterday too. Surprised the MSM havent been jumping all over the ‘Armageddon’ that is another small loss (thats 3 years running now).

    http://saintinasia.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/st-johnstone-fc-annual-accounts-2013-analysis/

    However, positives were:
    Increased revenue despite no cup runs and kids getting in for free,
    A stadium revaluation of 3.1m not used in the accounts as the directors didn’t feel it appropriate. (a shame D.Murray didn’t have the same feelings about Ibrox…),
    50k from lomas and reported 40k for Brittain not included.

    Negatives:
    Increased cost base due to playing budget (a few too many players on the books last season) and the cost of flying to turkey and back.


  38. yawn, on the old cllub new cllub etc, from the SFA articles, 2011 edition as it wasn’t updated until after the RFC fiasco, I could be wrong on that so any timeline gurus can correct me on that.

    7. Certificate of Membership
    Full members and associate members shall be entitled to a certificate of membership in such form
    and terms as the Board may determine.

    I would like to see the certificate that Mather & co have? 💡


  39. more ponderings on the SFA docs : article 10.8
    In the event of a Change of Control of any club, the board of directors or the board
    of management or committee (as the case may be) of such club immediately prior to
    the Change of Control shall prepare and deliver to the Scottish FA (in such form as
    the Scottish FA shall prescribe from time to time) at the time of or prior to the Change
    of Control a certificate signed by an authorised signatory of the outgoing board of
    directors or the board of management or committee (as the case may be) of such
    club confirming that they have conducted an investigation into the provenance of the
    person(s) who is/are prepared to take Control of the club, having regard to the factors
    listed in Article 10.2, together with such other factors as they (acting reasonably) think
    fit. In the event that the Board is not satisfied that any such person(s) is or are fit and
    proper to hold a position within Association Football and determines that the outgoing
    board of directors or the board of management or committee (as the case may be) of
    the relevant club which prepared the certificate referred to in this Article 10.8 did not
    act with due care and attention in doing so, the club shall be deemed to be in breach of
    these Articles and the Judicial Panel will have jurisdiction to deal with any such breach
    and to impose sanctions in relation to it as prescribed within the Judicial Panel Protocol

    now under the SFA rules – a change of control would not necessarily need a transfer of membership, as with McCann or recently the pars, hearts etc in essence the old owners of the membership give a written declaration of their agreement to the change of control and the fit and proper due diligence, I am assuming Murray gave this re Whyte. This was the route that would have happened with a CVA and presumably needed Whyte’s agreement. Failing a change of control of the existing entity or a takeover or reconstruction (as with Celtic Ltd to Celtic PLC) then a transfer of membership would have been required. also note the word “club” sprinkled liberally in the above clause.

    see article 6 :
    6. Application and Fees
    6.1 Clubs or associations undertaking to promote Association Football according to
    the Laws of the Game and these Articles and other rules of the Scottish FA may be
    admitted as registered members, associate members or full members, subject to the
    provisions of Articles 6.2 to 6.7 (both inclusive).
    6.2 A club or association shall be admitted as a registered member automatically by reason
    of its being admitted as a member of an Affiliated Association or an Affiliated National
    Association, or in the case of a club through membership of or participation in an
    association, league or other combination of clubs formed in terms of Article 18 and
    in the case of an association by being formed in terms of Article 18, provided it is not
    already an associate or full member. A registered member shall not be a member of
    more than one Affiliated Association or more than one Affiliated National Association.
    A registered member may apply at any time to become an associate member.
    6.3 A club or association desiring to qualify for full membership of the Scottish FA must
    first be admitted as an associate member. A club cannot be admitted as an associate
    member unless it meets, and commits to continuous compliance with, the Membership
    Criteria and amendments thereto as shall be promulgated by the Board from time to
    time in connection with the membership of the Scottish FA.
    6.4 Applicants for associate membership shall use such printed forms as shall from time
    to time be prescribed by the Board. All applications for associate membership shall
    be considered and decided by the Board and the Board’s decision on the matter shall
    be final. Applications for associate membership shall be lodged with the Secretary
    and must be accompanied by a copy of the applicant’s constitution or rules and any
    other information concerning the applicant which the Board may require, together
    with a remittance for the amount of the entrance fee. The entrance fee for associate
    membership shall be £1,000.
    6.5 A club or association accepted as an associate member shall thereafter receive from
    the Secretary a copy of the Memorandum and these Articles, and such other rules
    and regulations of the Scottish FA as the Board may from time to time direct. These
    publications, in particular the Memorandum and these Articles, shall be placed in a
    convenient place so that any official, Team Official or player of such associate member,
    on application, may have access thereto.
    6.6 An associate member which has been an associate member for 5 complete successive
    years may apply at the expiry of that period to become a full member. All applications
    for full membership shall be considered and decided by the Board and the Board’s
    decision on the matter shall be final.
    72
    ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
    73
    ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
    6.7 The constitutions of all Affiliated Associations, Affiliated National Associations and
    associations, leagues or other combinations of clubs formed in terms of Article 18
    shall include a provision to the effect that membership of such body confers registered
    membership of the Scottish FA.

    Note it specifically refers to clubs holding the membership ( excepting associations which we are not discussing) so if clubs hold the membership then a transfer of membership would be a transfer from one club to another club not between companies, a change of companies would come under the change of control provision. So in the RFC case which club – let’s say club A was the transferror and which club – let’s say club B was the transferree, it surely can’t be the same club?

    Further going back to the whole offer to D&P – a CVA route was being priced at £8.5M whereas the Liquidation route and asset purchase was priced at £5.5M – what precisely was the £3M extra for? if everything could carry on as before why was Green giving up an extra £3M? a not insignificant amount an increase of more than 50%

    I need a lie down in a dark room to understand all this,

    Scottish Football needs a Dark Room! 🙂


  40. ecobhoy says:
    September 10, 2013 at 11:05 pm
    22 4 Rate This

    RyanGosling says:
    September 10, 2013 at 10:29 pm
    —————————————————-
    OK, Mia Culpa. The Lee Wallace comment was going a bit too far. 😥

    However, my serious point which was lost through my attempt humour was about the Media House advert at the side of the pitch. Is it normal to see them or any other comms company to advertise like this? What would Jack’s purpose for this be?


  41. PS strictly speaking – RFC the club has not died, it still exists in the capable hands of BDO, it has just ceased membership of the SFA and doesn’t have many good players signed to it, although you could argue that last point doesn’t add any differentiation with the other incarnation, it may linger around in its suspended animation for some time yet, look how long Airdrieonians took to be formally liquidated. so Jim Spence may not have been strictly correct either, but I’m not going to look out my pitchfork yet.

    Scottish Football Doesn’t need TWO rangers (with apologies to our friend from the land of Smokies)


  42. Jim Spence.What can you say about an alleged development which leaves you feeling angry,bewildered and downright disappointed. I could understand it if he had brought the corporation into disrepute by off-duty behaviour but to be reprimanded,unsupported because of a phrase on air about the ‘old club.club that died ‘ I mean ,come on.
    I would be hoping that his colleagues take a very supportive stance on this issue. Who will stand up and support him?

    This development beggars belief . Jim Spence is a breath of fresh air,he is affable, objective, thoughtful and most of all he ,like Stuart Cosgrove,is not part of the West of Scotland clique that we have grown weary of.

    Frankly the BBC Sports team,in my view,lacks class.

    If this story is true and Jim Spence leaves the building, what are we left with?

    A group of commentators with,in my opinion, no real bite or sophistication and………………Chick Young


  43. Just had a look at the comments section in the Herald under the piece Graham Spiers did on Monday. There are the usual screams about the BBC being blatantly anti-Rangers. One contributor challenging that view listed every pundit who works / did work for them and their ‘main’ club association. It really does blow any accusation of anti-Rangers out the window. Here is the list – I have added a few others that were missed.

    Murdo MacLeod (Celtic); Richard Gordon (Aberdeen), Peter Houston (?), Willie Miller (Aberdeen). Derek Ferguson (Rangers), Billy Dodds (Rangers), Jim Spence (Dundee Utd), Gordon Smith (Rangers) Jim Traynor (Rangers), John Robertson (Hearts), Chic Young (St Mirren 😆 ), Craig Paterson (Rangers), Sandy Clark (Rangers), Graham Spiers (Rangers), Stuart Cosgrove (St Johnstone), Tam Cowan (Motherwell), Archie McPherson (Rangers), David Begg (Rangers), Paul Mitchell (Hearts), Liam McLeod (?), Dougie Donnelly (Rangers)

    So I think the above list certainly dispels any notion Rangers don’t get a fair crack of the whip on BBC Scotland). It also appears to dispel any notion the same people have that Celtic are over represented. I was fortunate enough to be in the position once to ask a senior BBC man why pundits were not more evenly spread. His answer was there is no need because they are all fair and honest! Make of that what you will, but it is undeniable that over the years the club which has been overwhelmingly represented on BBC Scotland is Rangers. Despite the BBC man claiming otherwise, are we to seriously believe this has not at times resulted in over positive coverage?


  44. Tbf to Chris Graham (hold on TD presses, it’s tongue in cheek), when the options for a Govan interview for the visual media are:

    Chris Graham
    Leggoland
    McMurdo jnr
    Grandmaster Mark

    Who would you pick?


  45. I recall that JT claimed that he was ‘sat down’ with some very knowledgeable lawyers and business sorts and the resurrection was explained to him very slowly, apparently it also involved crayons, putty, sticky back plastic and a pair of Val’s old knickers.
    JT was poorly served by those dimwit corporate suits who work for the Record! Imagine not realising that ‘liquidation’ doesn’t mean the end of a company! It just means the end of you owing anyone any money and everyone forgetting all about your creditors and moving on!


  46. The Herald:
    ——
    BBC backs embattled pundit in Rangers comments furore
    Senior reporter
    Wednesday 11 September 2013

    BBC Scotland has thrown its support behind embattled sports pundit Jim Spence, the National Union of Journalists has claimed.

    Mr Spence has faced calls to be axed and is thought to have received abuse via social media sites over comments about Rangers.

    It follows rumours he had made moves to quit the BBC. Mr Spence, a host of the popular Sportsound show, was said to have applied for voluntary redundancy.

    The broadcaster is cutting staff numbers in a process it is billing as ‘Delivering Quality First’, which will see up to 120 jobs going by 2016/2017.

    It is understood Mr Spence met with senior BBC management yesterday and was given support.

    In a discussion over the appointment of four additional non-executive directors Mr Spence said on Sportsound: “John McClelland who was the chairman of the old club, some people will tell you the club, well, the club that died, possibly coming back in terms of the new chairman.”

    BBC Scotland denied Mr Spence had claimed Rangers had ‘died’ but apologised to “those who were offended by this”. A BBC Scotland spokesman said the broadcaster could not comment on individual staff members.

    But Paul Holleran, NUJ organiser for Scotland, said: “The BBC has offered its total support to Jim. We don’t condone the threats and disgusting emails and texts that he had received and find it totally unacceptable that a journalist has been treated this way.”

    Mr Spence tweeted: “Thank you for your overwhelming support, a huge thank you to the NUJ and to many in the media and blog and zine movement.”

    l Rangers could announce an extraordinary general meeting by Friday, with the board yet to reach agreement with a group of shareholders seeking change.

    The investors want former Ibrox director Paul Murray, Sandy Easdale – brother of current non-executive director James – and accountancy expert Frank Blin appointed as directors. The group have also proposed the return of ex-chairman John McClelland to the board.
    ——


  47. Archie McPherson (Rangers)?

    Not true. Archie is scrupulously dedicated to NOT betraying any kind of team loyalty – even to those who are close to him. As a matter of fact – but not to be inferred as an indication of Archie’s allegiances – his two sons and his grandsons are all ST-carrying Hibs fans, even although they reside in the west.

    Not having a pop echobhoy, and I understand and agree with your general point, but that point falls over if there are inaccuracies in your rationale.


  48. Complaint to BBC submitted, under heading, ‘Fear of the mob’.

    ‘In the past few days a BBC broadcaster, Jim Spence, has been the subject of vile rhetoric from a section of The Rangers FC support. He is not the first to be subjected to threats and intimidation from supporters of this football club, and some people, perceived as enemies of The Rangers, before and since the insolvency event, have seen physical evidence of just how real the threat is. The BBC, in line with other members of the mainstream media in Scotland, have published much of what could be described as ‘rabble rousing’ by people inside the Ibrox club, without much criticism of their words, nor of the lack of effort from the Scottish football authorities to curb, or punish, the perpetrators. This most recent verbal assault was prompted by your employee uttering a few words which most educated observers would consider to be true, although he did not claim to believe them true himself, merely that others do. On receipt of some 400 complaints BBC Scotland issued an apology, though, admittedly, only in the event that they caused offence. They did not, and have not, issued any statement in support of their employee, a man most football followers in Scotland recognise as one of a very few knowledgeable and unbiased journalists in the Scottish media. Mr Spence has clearly been upset by this lack of support but has borne himself with a stoicism the BBC would do well to replicate and issue a statement, damning of those who would see his right to free speech removed.’


  49. Allyjambo,well said.well said.No doubt Jim has NUJ backing but in my view the initial BBC response was totally spineless.


  50. selfassessor says:

    September 11, 2013 at 5:58 am

    Doesn’t make sense to me, but then I don’t need a PR company. It could just be PR for a company that does, itself, need some good PR after some damning revelations on the internet 😆


  51. Allyjambo @ 9:05 am
    A Thumbs-up is a wholly inadequate response to your post.
    The best summation of the whole affair I have read.
    Green with envy. (Other colours are available!)


  52. rantinrobin says:

    September 11, 2013 at 9:17 am

    Thank you, rantin. There appears to be ‘less spine’ in the whole of the Scottish media, and in Scottish football, than in a nest of snakes. All three being of a similar nature.

    Maybe I’ve been unfair on snakes there, as they tend to strike back whenever threatened, though some, I believe, tend to curl up and hope the danger goes away – just like the Scottish MSM and football authorities.


  53. Good Morning,

    This is off topic (sort of ) I know and it is a shameless plug but can I encourage as many as possible to have a wee watch of the Silent Odyssey documentary that was shown on STV last night– featuring the incredible journey of Deaf Maths teacher Gerry Hughes who set off on a ten month journey to sail solo around the world.

    Gerry’s story is an incredible one, detailing how he could neither read nor write, was profoundly deaf and couldn’t speak, yet how he overcame those handicaps to become a respected and well loved teacher.

    However, from an early age he could understand maps and charts even though he did not know the name of his street!

    When he saw Francis Chichester circumnavigate the world he determined that one day he would do the same, rounding the 5 great Capes.

    The documentary covers his preparations, his separation from family and the troubles he endured in achieving this goal– and it is very emotional, and heart warming.

    The fact that he is deaf means that he cannot hear the wind or sea and so it is his other senses and instincts that kick in. In times of trouble he cannot radio for help like other sailors, and if his equipment goes than he is absolutely on his own.

    It is a great story.

    I will confess to an interest as I work for the company who produced the documentary- 5 Minute Network — and I know the actors who provide the voices etc.

    To watch this program come together has been both an education and a privilege, as the guys have tracked every inch of Gerry’s Journey from Glasgow, and helped in getting emergency supplies to him after the boat capsized in the Southern Atlantic.

    The program can be seen on STV player – here is the link- http://player.stv.tv/programmes/incredible-stories/2013-09-10-2100/

    and if you enjoy it please pass it on to others.

    I love stories about people doing their own thing and reaching their own goals and this ranks among the best because it is a lifetime ambition and I believe Gerry is now the only deaf seaman to have managed all 5 capes singlehandedly.

    Cheers

    BRTH


  54. But Paul Holleran, NUJ organiser for Scotland, said: “The BBC has offered its total support to Jim. We don’t condone the threats and disgusting emails and texts that he had received and find it totally unacceptable that a journalist has been treated this way.”

    We don’t condone? Surely this is another peely wally declaration of support. With friends like these……..


  55. First of all I have believed from day one of HMRC booting out the CVA that any notions of Sevco being the same company as RFC are totally wrong. The thought of the holding company being separate from “The Club” was just spin from people such as Paul Clark and Neil Doncaster.

    Please bear with me on this.

    I was asked to look into the situation at Coventry City by a Sevconian yesterday. He sent me the attached article from The Mail on line. (2nd August) The 2nd link is to The Coventry Telegraph of 31st May.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2383316/Coventry-City-liquidation.html
    http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/football-league-confirms-golden-share-4034313

    When I read the article I must admit that I saw startling similarities between the CC situation and Sevco’s. Now I know very little about CC’s situation but I’m 100% certain that unlike RFC(IL) they didn’t have a FTTT or Dual Contracts investigation in front of them.

    I must admit that the thought of there being something in this separate entities thing kept my mind racing half the night particularly as I could remember in the back of my mind a blog that Paul McConville put out in February this year. One that I didn’t find at the time very palatable (To say the least) It’s a long one covering many areas of the new club/same club argument.

    http://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/as-we-await-the-nimmo-smith-decision-my-reasons-for-saying-rangers-fc-is-not-a-new-club/

    Paul seems to agree with the notion that both club and holding company are different entities and that the club can’t die if the holding company still hasn’t been liquidated. So it appears that when Sevco purchased the assets they purchased the club also.

    At that point for Sevco to get into the SPL they needed the agreement of the other clubs. As we know they didn’t get it and they became Associate Members of the SFL.

    You will remember that they then needed a SFA license to play.

    Paul, at the beginning of his blog, appears a bit puzzled as to why CG at the time was claiming that he had a new club while the spin was coming from everywhere else that it was the same club. Apparently Green could go down the same club route and prove to the SFA through financials that they were bona fide. Or he could pay £1000 for a new club license. (Albeit with conditions – 5 way agreement)

    The new club/company had absolutely no debt liability from RFC(IL) apart from football debt. UEFA and SFA would insist that all football debt was agreed to be settled prior to issuing a license. Green obviously agreed to this.

    I still believe that Sevco are a new club because Green chose to go that route for fear of the unknown.

    It bothered me that when LNS gave his lamentable decision that rules were broken but no sporting advantage was gained by RFC(IL) regarding the double contracts he handed the £500,000 fine to old co. Sevco were not liable for this as they were now a new co.

    Had Green known that the fine was only going to be £500k he wouldn’t have chosen the route he did but for all he knew at the time it might have been a multi million £ fine with additional law suits coming from other clubs. It was a risk he wasn’t prepared to take.

    So there’s my theory. That Sevco ARE a new club but for different reasons than I believed last night.


  56. broganrogantrevinoandhogan says:
    September 11, 2013 at 9:37 am
    Silent Odyssey Gerry Hughes
    =============================================
    BRTH, Anya, Maloney and the rest’s efforts were great to see last night but Gerry Hughes is a truly inspirational individual and the documentary was a wonderfull piece of television.


  58. James Traynor is beneath contempt and a permanent embarrassment to the journalistic profession.End of story.


  59. Re: Archie McPherson

    It must have been 1978/79 I was in the company of Archie at a small function in the offices of British Caledonian Airways, B’Cal (who remembers them) and he related a story of a viewer who phoned up the BBC to complain that his new colour telly couldn’t be working properly. There was something wrong with the broadcast of Sportscence (or whatever it was called then) and in particular Archies face. When asked why he was calling the BBC and what this problem was the reply was ” Ah cannae see his blue nose”


  60. Great letter Allyjambo 9.05
    And well done to all who showed The BBC management (who have not covered themselves in glory and don’t deserve the Spenceys and Cosgraves of this world) that the internet is not overrun by badly briefed hordes issuing daft wee threats.

    While the blue fans remain focussed on what Jim Spence might or might not have have said (or meant) they are being blind sighted and corralled and sadly I think we have been sucked in too.
    It smells of an external PR exploiting us all and Jim was merely collateral damage in a textbook example of Jack converting a half chance and mobilising his wee pals to stir the proverbial.
    Jack doesn’t care about damage to the Jim Spences of the world or their careers or even about honesty or truth.
    That doesn’t pay his wages and make him feel like a big man,

    But why would he want them and us to be wallowing in the margins?
    Why now?

    I’d say real stuff is happening at a pace.


  62. Previously

    Rangers = Omnipotence

    Now

    Rangers = impotentem ( well less anyway)


  64. Angus1983 says:
    September 11, 2013 at 8:44 am

    The Herald:
    The group have also proposed the return of ex-chairman John McClelland to the board.
    ——–

    Still repeating the line I mentioned yesterday.
    FFS. Even if you believe the ‘same club’ myth (and I certainly don’t), it is beyond argument that McClelland has never been on the board of RIFC. How then can he be an ‘ex-chairman’ and ‘return’?


  65. upthehoops says:
    September 11, 2013 at 7:20 am

    I for one am fed up about the tit for tat about what strands of the MSM support which Glasgow club.
    As discussed before, go to any T’Rangers forum and they are talking about the pro Celtic BBC , Daily Rebel etc.
    The fact is that we are all still suffering from the amount of coverage that was given to ‘The Old Firm’ in days gone by.

    The trouble is that for longer than I care to remember certain people seemed to believe that regardless of who people supported you had to have a liking for Celtic or Rangers hidden away in the background.

    We really have to move on from that attitude.

    We know that the red tops indulge in ‘Old Firmery’ because they want to walk along the top of the fence peddling their nonsense to both sides of Glasgow where they feel they can maximise sales..

    While the BBC have a number of pundits with perceived Rangers connections they do spread the jobs around.
    For example in the list above Craig Paterson, son of a Hibs players, is marked as a ‘Rangers Man’ when he only spent 20% (83) of his playing career there (Hibs 108, Motherwell 158, Kilmarnock 55, Accies 9). If Paterson is marked down for Rangers then why are we not seeing Hibbys complaining of an anti-Hibs bias being most other Premier teams seem to be covered, if we allow John Robertson a wee liking for the two highland teams as well as Hearts.

    When Gordon Smith got punted then Steven Craigan was brought in so the BBC didn’t automatically go for a ‘Rangers’ replacement.

    The pundits used on Sportscene these days have little connection to the two big Glasgow clubs and are often current players with the provincial clubs.

    If Jim Spence hasn’t received immediate support from the BBC then that is dissappointing but as I said earlier they are a large organisation and nothing happens fast. The right decision appears to have been made and hopefully there may be further work to be done.
    However as far as I am concerned given the pool of talent available the BBC and especially the guys on the radio still give a fair shout to the whole of Scottish football albeit there can be the annoying wee bits from time to time.


  66. upthehoops says:
    September 11, 2013 at 7:20 am
    Just had a look at the comments section in the Herald under the piece Graham Spiers did on Monday. There are the usual screams about the BBC being blatantly anti-Rangers. One contributor challenging that view listed every pundit who works / did work for them and their ‘main’ club association. It really does blow any accusation of anti-Rangers out the window. Here is the list – I have added a few others that were missed.

    Murdo MacLeod (Celtic); Richard Gordon (Aberdeen), Peter Houston (?), Willie Miller (Aberdeen). Derek Ferguson (Rangers), Billy Dodds (Rangers), Jim Spence (Dundee Utd), Gordon Smith (Rangers) Jim Traynor (Rangers), John Robertson (Hearts), Chic Young (St Mirren 😆 ), Craig Paterson (Rangers), Sandy Clark (Rangers), Graham Spiers (Rangers), Stuart Cosgrove (St Johnstone), Tam Cowan (Motherwell), Archie McPherson (Rangers), David Begg (Rangers), Paul Mitchell (Hearts), Liam McLeod (?), Dougie Donnelly (Rangers)
    ——————————————————————————————————————————————–
    A few quibbles with your list: Craig patterson is a Hibs man (3rd generation), Liam McLeod is an Aberdeen fan, and you could attribute David Begg to Hearts and you should also add Alan Preston (also Hearts?)


  67. this whole new club/old club argument has suddenly appeared out of the blue again, hasn’t it?

    Wait…
    Did you all see that squirrel run by!

    Is there something more important happening this week that Sevco need to keep quiet?


  68. Reilly1926 says:
    September 11, 2013 at 10:00 am

    Apparently Green could go down the same club route and prove to the SFA through financials that they were bona fide. Or he could pay £1000 for a new club license. (Albeit with conditions – 5 way agreement)
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Just a point of accuracy- I am not getting involved in the old club/new club/deid club/ holding company/newco/oldco debate which I personally think has been done to death many times over on this forum.

    I think that by licence you mean membership of the SFA. Green did not buy a “new club license”. By the terms of the five way agreement he obtained the transfer of the “old” Rangers SFA membership to Sevco. I don’t know anything about the £1000 payment by Green that you mention- that must have passed me by.

    In my opinion the most important current issue is the financial health of the current inhabitants of Ibrox. Can they see out the season? Because if, as I suspect, they can’t, then that will set in train events which will make last year’s shennanigans look like a mere warm-up bout.

    Am I the only one who sees all this outrage from Ibrox as a diversionary tactic, to draw attention away from the EGM fiasco? I feel very sorry for Jim Spence by the way, who is being crucified at the behest of the Ibrox PR machine just to suit their little game plan of the moment. Having read a small fraction of the vile filth being directed at him over the last few days, I have written to Police Scotland demanding that something be done to crack down on these morons. I am not even vaguely interested in living in a country where expressing a totally innocuous opinion results in the sort of stuff directed at Spence, with no visible response from the people tasked with protecting our freedoms..


  69. Briggsbhoy

    Nae idea how to check my PM’s!! Lol

    Nobody ever sends me one so in the dark how to do that or where other than twitter lol.


  70. I ask your indulgance in posting this here. Celtic / Stiliyan Petrov are selling the shirts from Sundays game (signed) in order to raise more money for charity. If anyone is interested this is a link to where you can bid

    http://ebaygivingworks.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?charity-Profile&NP_ID=58689

    The more people who know about this the more chance of raising as much as possible. So if people could spread this about a bit thank you.

    Scottish football raising money to help charity, whatever the club or clubs involved can only be a positive thing.


  71. Neepheid.

    Is another, equally accurate and fair way to look at it that sevco required a membership, and got one transferred to it from another entity that no longer required it?

    It’s the association of the two that counts to the blue corner. It was RFC’s membership and therefore…….. In reality there is no link other than the fact it was a closed tender process when it was up for grabs. A bit like a bride throwing her bouquet and only inviting one lassie to the wedding.


  72. As a young man I lived beyond my means, the offer of interest free credit and gold credit cards with huge available balances ultimately led to the point where I simply had to sit down and face facts. No more – live within my means and pay my debts. The clearance of my debts took considerably longer than the time I spent accruing them but I am pleased to say that I am now debt free.

    It angers me that The Rangers say they are the same club but will never have to settle the old club debts. The fans are being manipulated by the MSM, SFA and the spivs on The Rangers board into believing they are continuing a proud and noble history but what is proud and noble about leaving behind a mountain of debt.

    Why did I clear my debt rather than seeking bankruptcy? I incurred the debt – I received the benefit from spending the money therefore I had to pay it back – it was my responsibility. The Rangers if you want your history remember your responsibility and how you paid for part of that history!


  73. selfassessor says:
    September 11, 2013 at 5:58 am
    ecobhoy says:
    September 10, 2013 at 11:05 pm
    22 4 Rate This
    RyanGosling says:
    September 10, 2013 at 10:29 pm
    —————————————————-
    OK, Mia Culpa. The Lee Wallace comment was going a bit too far. 😥
    However, my serious point which was lost through my attempt humour was about the Media House advert at the side of the pitch. Is it normal to see them or any other comms company to advertise like this? What would Jack’s purpose for this be?
    ——————————————————————-
    Well he might be looking for the SFA PR account once Rangers is put back in the grave.


  74. Smugas says:
    September 11, 2013 at 11:19 am
    1 0 Rate This

    Neepheid.

    Is another, equally accurate and fair way to look at it that sevco required a membership, and got one transferred to it from another entity that no longer required it?
    ++++++++++++++
    That is exactly right. The membership was transferred from RFC PLC (in administration) to Sevco Scotland Ltd. Sevco desperately needed the membership, because they couldn’t be in SFL3 without it, and they couldn’t qualify for a new membership as a brand new company.


  75. Allyjambo says:
    September 11, 2013 at 9:05 am

    Complaint to BBC submitted, under heading, ‘Fear of the mob’.
    =======================================================
    Ecellently put ❗

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