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.
Brenda says:
September 17, 2013 at 11:24 pm
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2
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Any word from mr Mather on the hold up with these audited accounts from the ‘debt free ‘ club 😆
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Brenda, gaun yersel hen!
Imagine the following scenario.
The UK or Scottish Government has ordered a public inquiry into a matter which has caused a great degree of public concern. The inquiry is held, and the outcome is made public, with many sceptical of the result. Some months later alllegations are made public that the Government had written to the subject of the inquiry assuring them of the outcome before the inquiry is held.
– Would the media say nothing because they wouldn’t want to cause further distress to the Government or the subject of the inquiry?
– Would the media say nothing because they wouldn’t want to upset the supporters of the majority party who ordered the inquiry?
Just a thought, given where we are.
StevieBC says:
September 18, 2013 at 12:58 am
7 0 Rate This
DP, tell your ‘friend’ to give himself a slap for listening to that dreadful radio show…
———–
You’re right Stevie, although last night’s was one of the better, at least from 47min in. Gordon Smith and Andy Walker had quite a ding-dong about simulation and retrospective punishment. Andy Walker, who is usually one of the better pundits, thought that there was an acceptable level of cheating these days. Must say, I thought Gordon Smith won the moral argument on this occasion (Mr Bryson take note of his stance on retrospective punishment). If SSB are smart they will get these two across the table from each other again.
The final callers were mostly berating Walker, especially one youth coach. The Black-betting fall-out was also discussed. But the very last caller had a bit of info that I’d never heard about. Seems that after Gordon Smith went to Ibrox for £65,000 he later learned from Billy McNeill that Jock Stein had put in a far larger bid, as had Aberdeen. Yet Kilmarnock let him go to Ibrox for, what on paper, looked like far less. Smith had been kept in the dark about these offers. The caller asked if that incident had been a form of cheating, “Well, it might have been,” said Gordon Smith.
Seems that after Gordon Smith went to Ibrox for £65,000 he later learned from Billy McNeill that Jock Stein had put in a far larger bid, as had Aberdeen. Yet Kilmarnock let him go to Ibrox for, what on paper, looked like far less. Smith had been kept in the dark about these offers. The caller asked if that incident had been a form of cheating, “Well, it might have been,” said Gordon Smith.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Gordon should be grateful – he probably is.
Had he gone elsewhere, it is almost certain he would not have had the jobs he’s had since he stopped playing
Just listened to Gary Richardson on Radio 4 talking about Celtic’s chances in Europe.
‘When Celtic won the European Cup,the pictures were in black and white’
Well yes Gary,but they are in the Champions League now and the pictures are in colour.Celtic represent the Scottish league ,and Scotland ,proudly.
All the very best to Celtic in the San Siro.Forza!
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1872 – The end of time
September 17, 2013
Bigotry in corduroy ?
Scotland it would appear has a new form of immunity allowing persons to express an opinion with apparent impunity. All that is required is to precede whatever you have to say with the phrase “Some would say”. The phrases’ creator – BBC Scotland’s Jim Spence – has overlooked one small detail however – his previous comments on the subject.
A quick search through the BBC archives reveal that Jim Spence has previously alluded to Rangers having died or being no more. Therefore not only is he erroneous in with his use of this “get out clause” – he is also disingenuous. Perhaps the BBC Scotland investigation into this furore will consider this fact in it’s conclusions. If it fails to, then their investigation will be deemed little more that a whitewash.
In some ways it should come as no surprise to us that there is a movement to pronounce life extinct over Ibrox way. I say that, having recently re-visited American Psychologist Gordon Allport’s Scale of Prejudice, where the conduct of these proponents that Rangers are dead display all the characteristics required of the prejudiced bigot. Allport’s scale determines the following 5 stages :-
Anti-locution – this would include jokes, negative stereotypes as well as hate speech
Avoidance – the target is treated in such a way as to be effectively isolated
Discrimination – Denial of opportunity, restriction of rights etc.
Physical Attack – self explanatory.
Extermination – the majority group seek extermination or removal of the minority group.
Whilst often applied in situations which involves genocide, Allport’s Scale is also used in modern day Britain as an industry standard in determining prejudice within the workplace. In such a setting the extermination stage manifests itself with the victim either leaving or being forced to leave the work place.
For a Rangers support often referred to as “Huns”, likened to a “bunch of bigoted troglodytes, almost to a man”, and whose club were denied the fundamental principal of innocence until proven guilty, along with numerous other instances of unfair and unjust treatment, it should come as no surprise to us as we tick through the various stages that we would eventually end up at extermination.
Of course that hatred and prejudice manifests itself daily on social media networks where Rangers supporters are no longer “Huns” or “Orange Bastards” instead they are “Zombies” or “Sevconians”.
However this appears to be little more than a “wish-list” mentality, which requires “believers” to ignore considerable evidence, rulings and judgements to the contrary.
I wont recount Lord Nimmo Smith’s commentary regarding Rangers continuing as a footballing entity – it has been cited in many a previous discourse on this subject – suffice to say one of the most respected legal brains has passed his judgement on the matter. So too of course have the SFA, The European Clubs Association, UEFA and, perhaps as an indication of how desperate some are to confirm the death of Rangers, even the Advertising Standards Authority.
Those proponents of “Zombies” and “Sevconians” appear more than happy to ignore the evidence in order that their wishes can be realised, in fact they give new meaning to the term “Ignorance is bliss”. Who said blind hatred was a bad thing ?
But what of the Jim Spence’s and Graham Spiers of this world, who, whilst not using the terms “zombies” or “sevconians”, continually repeat the mantra, that Rangers have died ? What separates them from the knuckle dragging element motivated by hatred bigotry and prejudice, who scream about “zombies” and “sevconians” ?
The answer is – very little.
For in arriving at such a conclusion they too have exercised the necessary exclusion of facts and chosen to ignore the authority and expertise of those previously cited. What is particularly interesting with both Spiers and Spence is that in making such assertions they refuse continually to mention or comment on Lord Nimmo Smith’s ruling, the SFA Transfer of licence or the European Club’s Association determination on Rangers.
The real question for me is why they are doing this. Why are allegedly objective and impartial journalists choosing to ignore the considerable body of evidence available and arrive at conclusions which are at odds with that evidence ? Or do our journalists now have a right to deliberately mislead and misinform the public ?
It is perhaps ironic that last week, Alex Thomson of Channel 4 News, who has a colourful history with the Rangers support released the following tweet :-
“it’s a pointless debate – you cannot “kill” an FC like Rangers. Isn’t this obvious? And an FC is more than a PLC end of.”
So over to you Messrs Spiers and Spence, the floor as they say is yours – explain to this Rangers support why you have arrived at the conclusion that Rangers are dead. It shouldn’t be that hard for you – you have after all repeated it often enough. Tell us why Lord Nimmo Smith is wrong in his legal conclusions, why the SFA were misguided to transfer the licence and why the ECA have determined the situation incorrectly.
Because at the moment their appears to be little to separate you from those whose motivations are based on prejudice, blind hatred and bigotry.
————————————————————-
Questions for the Numpty Sevconian.
1 – how can a football club or company, be the victim of bigotry
2 – how can a football club or company, be maliciously treated by individuals such as Jim Spence
3 – how can Jim Traynor say that Rangers(1872) are dead, and Jim Spence can’t say it
3 – how can Charles Green say that Rangers(1872) are dead and Jim Spence can’t say it
4 – how can Walter Smith say that Sevco and Rangers(1872) are separate entities and Jim spence can’t
5 – how can Alan McGregor, Steven Naismith, Steven Whittaker say Rangers(1872) and Sevco are different
Entities and that as far as they were concerned – as a result of Rangers(1872) going out of business and
Sevco (5088 or Scotland) buying the assets, then the contract(s) between the players and Rangers(1872)
Ceased upon Rangers(1872) going out of business (into liquidation) and Jim Spence can’t ?
And how does saying Rangers(sic) are dead – constitute Bigotry.
rantinrobin says:
September 18, 2013 at 8:37 am
3 0 Rate This
… Celtic represent the Scottish league ,and Scotland ,proudly. All the very best to Celtic in the San Siro.Forza!
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Indeed. Finally, one of the myriad CL games that means something — and after witnessing the indignity of the Scottish national champions having to spend 6 weeks and 6 matches to get there.
By the way, I’ve been trying to locate details of that dubious Gordon Smith transfer to Ibrox, which led to resignations. Nothing so far, but this amusing aside on a Killie website:
http://bit.ly/1gx2gUQ
Daily Record :Ian Black issue not going down well with the fans
paulonotini says:
September 17, 2013 at 10:59 pm
“Prejudice,blind hatred & bigotry” if you say RFC died or use the words Zombie or Sevconian.The view from a deluded new club fan.
http://immortalrangers.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/bigotry-in-corduroy/
——
Unfortunately for this fellow, his summarising paragraph contains questions which – as he says himself – have been answered many times:
“…explain to this Rangers support why you have arrived at the conclusion that Rangers are dead. It shouldn’t be that hard for you – you have after all repeated it often enough. Tell us why Lord Nimmo Smith is wrong in his legal conclusions, why the SFA were misguided to transfer the licence and why the ECA have determined the situation incorrectly.”
Answers and clarifications of these points have indeed “been repeated often enough”. This unfortunate blogger succeeds only in revealing himself as a personification of the wilful ignorance we have come to associate with an element of the Rangers support, playing to a gallery of like-minded fingerlugs.
Re the Gordon Smith transfer.
My father knew the then Killie manager, Willie Fernie (who later became a taxi driver) and I can confirm the transfer story, certainly the Celtic part. I think Celtic offered £5k more than Rangers but I was unaware of the Aberdeen bid.
Fernie left Killie shortly thereafter but I don’t know if the two are related.
jimlarkin says:
September 18, 2013 at 8:50 am
The Blue Blog
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1872 – The end of time
September 17, 2013
Bigotry in corduroy ?
Scotland it would appear has a new form of immunity allowing persons to express an opinion with apparent impunity. All that is required is to precede whatever you have to say with the phrase “Some would say”. The phrases’ creator – BBC Scotland’s Jim Spence – has overlooked one small detail however – his previous comments on the subject
==============================
Read the article yesterday, it wasMince then, It is Mince now, It will be Mince Forever.
The Blue Blog
Rangers then, Rangers now, Rangers forever.
September 17, 2013
Scotland it would appear has a new form of immunity allowing persons to express an opinion with apparent impunity.
+++++++++++++++++++++
I think that sentence sums it up for me regarding those of an Ibrox persuasion. The fact that anyone can express an opinion with impunity is, apparently, a scandalous state of affairs in Scotland in the year 2013. What a mindset that reveals!
These peepil feel threatened by the expression of any opinion with which they don’t agree. Which tells you a lot about the deep insecurity which lies behind all the supremacits rants, the threats, the bullying and the bluster.
Chris McLaughlin @BBCchrismclaug 15m The #Rangers AGM next month is shaping up to be quite a battle. Sandy Easdale has secured voting rights -shares/proxy totalling almost 24%
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As I keep saying this all appears to be PR.
Large shareholdings have to be declared and as we have seen recently it appears there are thresholds for when announcements are required and it appears that when people have broken the 3% then 6% levels a la Laxeys.
Therefore Sandy Easdale can only hold the 4.37% and we know James holds a mere 357,143.
The rest of what his pals own and what proxy’s he has is just ‘known unknowns’.
I really don’t understand their confusion.
Their football club/company/institution is in the process of being ‘liquidated’.
The Little Oxford Dictionary
Liquidate = Wind up affairs of (firm etc): Pay off (debt): wipe out: kill.
If they missed it with first Rangers, no worries – they’ll soon have another opportunity with second Rangers. 🙂
Anyone looking for a recap of events over the last 2 + years may find this useful.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administration_and_liquidation_of_The_Rangers_Football_Club_Plc#References
😀
wottpi says:
September 18, 2013 at 10:38 am
8 0 Rate This
… The rest of what his pals own and what proxy’s he has is just ‘known unknowns’.
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Haha, Donald Rumsfeld I presume 🙂 Another one of his startling profundities was: “It is easier to get into something than to get out of it” … in this case, all we need are the words ‘with a profit’.
So, the SFA have unusually clear and unambiguous rules on betting.
Despite the Black betting scandal, his manager openly claiming not to know the rules, being aware of others in his own team, officials, opponents and a team of ex pro’s turned pundits claiming it is widespread
What have the SFA done?
Has their been any statement on the matter – even just to re-inforce the rules to players/managers/officials?
Has there been any statement on the NEED for such a rule?
Has there been any action from Lunney to follow up on the statements of Black/McCoist and numerous pundits to investigate this widespread rule breaking?
Are the SFA simply going to ignore this?
Are football fans actually going to bother to do anything about this lot?
Not The Huddle Malcontent says:
September 18, 2013 at 12:24 pm
The SFA board says
” look at all those ugly wriggly things under this rock, Campbell! get yer arse over here wi yon brush, Stewart, be a good lad, lift the corner o the carpet”
jimlarkin says:
September 18, 2013 at 8:50 am
“All that is required is to precede whatever you have to say with the phrase “Some would say”. The phrases’ creator – BBC Scotland’s Jim Spence …”
——
Oh yeah, and well done to Jim Spence for creating the phrase “Some would say”.
I could have sworn I’d heard it before, though. 😕
ianjs says:
September 18, 2013 at 11:13 am
“Anyone looking for a recap of events over the last 2 + years may find this useful.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administration_and_liquidation_of_The_Rangers_Football_Club_Plc#References
————–
Can see the Wiki editors are going to have a full-time job dealing with the edits on that page.
Every time I hear anything now about CO (the Conflicted One) I can’t help but think of Billy Connolly singing Last train to Glasgow Central and the image of CO “hiding in the lavvy when the ticket man came. Beedy beedy bare bum”. I’ll leave you with that image. 😀
jw hardin says:
September 18, 2013 at 1:31
😛 😛
ratethisthenyabampots says:
September 18, 2013 at 1:36 pm
4 0 Rate This
Every time I hear anything now about CO (the Conflicted One) I can’t help but think of Billy Connolly singing Last train to Glasgow Central and the image of CO “hiding in the lavvy when the ticket man came.–++++++++++++++++++++++++
And every time I think of him (which I try hard not to do) I feel almost physically sick at the thought that MY club was complicit in handing this scumbag another two years in office.
Phil has a new post up http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/a-cunning-plan/#more-4019
while
Paul McC is busy celebrating his 20th wedding anniversary – with his wife of course!
Not The Huddle Malcontent says:
September 18, 2013 at 12:24 pm
.[Ian Black issue]……’……Are the SFA simply going to ignore this? ”
————–
A letter from the SFA ( Darryl Broadfoot) in the ‘Scotsman’ today :
“Following the report (11th September)regarding the Scottish FA’s disciplinary tribunal hearing of the Ian Black case, “SFA head into uncharted territory as Black is tried”, the Scottish FA wishes to reaffirm that the judicial panel operates entirely independently from the Association.
We are disappointed that this clarification was sought neither by the author nor the newspaper prior to publication,especially when we consider allegations contained within the article to be completely without foundation.We are therefore happy to exercise our right of reply” Darryl Broadfoot, Head of Communications, Scottish FA.
—
Darryl has his head up his own posterior orifice if he thinks it more important to assert the independence of the jud.trib than to make some statement about the perception that the Black case and McCoist’s defence of Black has raised serious concerns that the whole game is dirty.
If this inability to see the problems carries on, the SFA will self-destruct.
Interesting piece on community ownership from supporters direct
http://www.supporters-direct.org/news-article/french-football-authorities-urged-to-support-community-ownership
Neepheid, you’ve got me thinking about what locus CO has to allow him to take up a senior position within the SFA structure. I’d assumed, naively, that the Board office bearers came from the membership, with the addition of NEDs to ensure proper governance. However CO hasn’t had a direct and public connection to any club since leaving Hearts. His profile on the SFA website is helpful though and you can see why Rangers thought he’d be the man to keep them right on registering players.
CO’s profile isn’t nearly as interesting as the Junior FA President’s though:
BUSY DOING NOTHING AT HAMPDEN . Must be – I can’t hear a sound. ( Trust Darryl Broadfoot to go and spoil it)
Since everyone else seems reasonably clear, and have been for quite sometime,
that TRFC are about to sink beneath the financial waves,
then Campbell Ogilvie, SFA president, and Stewart Regan, SFA CEO, must know too.
Oh and Sandy Bryson – whose job it is to ask ‘ has it registered yet ?’
They probably also know that there is nothing now that they can do about it.
So, like the good Blazer men that they are,
they’re doing nothing.
Except to stay indoors, sit back, think on their 16 grand a month salary, and wait for it to happen.
.
For the rest of us, these are still, possibly, among the best days of our lives.
blu says:
September 18, 2013 at 2:42 pm
I’d assumed, naively, that the Board office bearers came from the membership, with the addition of NEDs to ensure proper governance.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Here are the relevant rules of the SFA-
47. The Honorary Office-Bearers and the Office-Bearers
47.1 The Honorary Office-Bearers and the Office-Bearers shall consist of not more than:-
(a) the President;
(b) the First Vice-President;
(c) subject to Article 58, the Second Vice-President; and
(d) such former Presidents as are elected to the position of Honorary Vice-
President.
47.2 An Office-Bearer shall not belong to or have any prohibited connection with the same
member club as any other Office-Bearer.
47.3 An Office-Bearer, for the period of his term of office as an Office-Bearer, shall be
entitled, at any time during the period of his term of office as an Office-Bearer, to
renounce all connections with the club on whose Official Return he is specified, subject
to prior written intimation to the Board.
47.4 At the expiry, or earlier termination, of his period of office, each Office-Bearer who
renounced his connection with the club, the full member or the associate member on
whose Official Return he was specified immediately prior to the commencement of the
period of his term of office shall be entitled to renew his connections with his former
club, full member or associate member (as the case may be).
47.5 For the avoidance of all doubt, neither the exercise by an Office-Bearer of his right
in terms of Article 47.3 shall in any way whatsoever prejudice nor impinge upon the
power, authority and role of such Office-Bearer as contained within these Articles.
48. Nomination of Candidates as Honorary Office-Bearers and Office-Bearers
48.1 The Honorary Office-Bearers shall be nominated by the Board.
48.2 The nomination of any other candidate as an Office-Bearer shall state the office
to which such candidate seeks to be elected and must be submitted by electronic
communication or by recorded delivery letter to the Secretary so as to be received
by him in the period commencing on 28th February and ending on 31st March prior
to the Annual General Meeting at which election or re-election for such office is
determined.
48.3 A candidate nominated as an Office-Bearer shall:-
(a) be an office-bearer, secretary, director or member of the board of
management or committee of a full member and must be listed as such in
the Official Return of such full member;
(b) have served for a minimum of 1 year on either the Professional Game Board
or the Non-Professional Game Board and must have been a member of the
Council for a minimum of 4 years;
(c) have attended at least 8 meetings of the Council within the last 5 years
preceding such nomination;
(d) be nominated by a full member on whose Official Return he is listed in terms
of Article 48.3(a);
(e) not be listed in the Official Return of more than one club in full membership
or associate membership;
(f) not be participating as a player or a referee in Association Football and, in
the case of a person who was formerly such a participant, the Board must be
satisfied that he has permanently ceased so to be; and
(g) not belong to or have any prohibited connection with the same member club
such as would cause his election to fail in terms of Article 47.2.
For the avoidance of doubt, the terms of Articles 48.3(a) and 48.3(d) shall not apply in
the event that the candidate, as aforesaid, is an Office-Bearer at the date of submission
of the nomination, as aforesaid.
48.4 The Secretary shall on issuing the notices convening the Annual General Meeting
intimate to the members entitled to receive notice of such meeting the names of the
candidates for office.
48.5 A member shall only be entitled to participate either by nomination or voting in the election
of the Office-Bearers or the Honorary Office-Bearers if:-
(a) it is a full member;
(b) it has played and completed its participation in the Challenge Cup Competition in
the preceding playing season unless the circumstances surrounding its failure to do
so have been accepted by the Board; and
(c) it is not under suspension imposed or confirmed by the Scottish FA.
ianjs says:
September 18, 2013 at 11:13 am
You’d never guess that the person who wrote that muck was a Sevco fan would you?
Bought history indeed!!
Sevco now offering ‘discounted’ ST’s for just over 200quid
Is 200quid good . . .to see a tribute act ?!!
jimlarkin says:
September 18, 2013 at 5:04 pm
Sevco now offering ‘discounted’ ST’s for just over 200quid
Is 200quid good . . .to see a tribute act ?!!
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
it must be mind numbing to go each week to watch your team when you already know that it will only be a matter of ”how many” you win by.
I honestly think that without the ”victim” card you will be lucky to see 15 to 16.000 at Ibrox by mid season if administration doesnt kick in first.
We all know Celtic WILL win the SPL and that in itself takes away from the pleasure of the competition , BUT, I would expect just about every club in the SPL would fancy their chances on a good day and with a fair share of the luck/breaks that they could leave Celtic park with a result.
But the situation The Rangers have been allowed to create in the lower leagues makes a mockery of the game, they have a player cost of possibly 3 or 4 SPL first team squads added together to ensure they win the 3rd Division of Scotish football!
Green is right, the very least they should be demanding is a Scotish or league cup win and certainly the final if they dont get drawn against Celtic in the earlier rounds.
(Barry) Hearn added: “If he has names and he knows of incidences, he has an obligation and a duty to report them…”
It would be nice to see our own SFA take a similar pro-active approach to the murky world of gambling
spanishcelt says:
September 18, 2013 at 5:23 pm
I’m not sure that the powers that be in Scottish Football would allow The RangersFC to be drawn against Celtic in the Early rounds of any Cup 😈
John Clarke
What problems are they unable to see John,or what problems are we seeing that the SFA dont see,does anyone else see any problems maybe we are the ones with problems ,I’ll be up all night thinking about these problems,probably wont.
The SFA, SPFL, TRFC & RIFC have probably already got the plan for the next transmogrification into the next “rangers” like entity all ready and waiting, so there never has been, is not, and never will be a problem. We will likely be continually amazed at the spurious arguments, structures and financial/regulatory jiggery pokery that will emerge to protect the species of rangeritis establishmentarianism zombiefootballium for the benefit of future generations.
FIFA says:
September 18, 2013 at 5:51 pm
1 0 Rate This
John Clarke
What problems are they unable to see John,or what problems are we seeing that the SFA dont see,does anyone else see any problems maybe we are the ones with problems ,I’ll be up all night thinking about these problems,probably wont.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Daryll Broadfoot, SFA Communications Director,
in a letter to The Scotsman today
sums up ‘the problem’.
He defends the independence of the Judicial board into the Ian Black betting scandal.
DB is convinced and certain about their independence, reflecting his masters’ view at the SFA.
Meanwhile, the rest of the country is laughing at him and at the SFA
while the decision of the tribunal is scorned and ridiculed everywhere.
Back at his desk
Darren doesn’t get it.
Neither does the SFA
That’s the problem
Two slightly bigger sales today totallng 65,000 shares. Insignificant no doubt, but imagine if you’d just got them for 1p each and sold 65,000 for around 50p that would be a nice wee deal.
All aboard.
Hi 1st post here been a keen watcher for what seems like ever even through RTC just seen that one of RIFC young starlets has went on to bigger and better things to a club less toxic than them.
Stuart Urquhart has signed for Coventry City.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24146552
Keep up the good work we are all Jim Spence
joe millers shorts says:
September 18, 2013 at 5:41 pm
(Barry) Hearn added: “If he has names and he knows of incidences, he has an obligation and a duty to report them…”
It would be nice to see our own SFA take a similar pro-active approach to the murky world of gambling
=================================================================================
Joe…there speaks a proper and honest Chartered Accountant, sadly another member of the “English Institute”….(sic!)
He is certainly no angel in business but his sporting and pragmatic financial attitudes in relation to Leyton Orient as a “community club” would serve as a good model for ALL clubs in the UK.
essexbeancounter says:
September 18, 2013 at 7:49 pm
Tim Bush is another,:
“Not sure what ICAEW Ethics Code say about members openly lying to MPs/MEPs to deny the law that has been given to accountants by them….”
“UK accounting establishment in crisis. Berlin Wall moment. But this time the wall is toppling on top of them. As corrupt as the Stasi.”
“ICAEW Council is having to vote on my resignation as FCA member. Problem is admitting IFRS illegal blows up most Big4. Tough.Truth hurts.”
scapaflow says:
September 18, 2013 at 8:09 pm
2
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essexbeancounter says:
September 18, 2013 at 7:49 pm
Tim Bush is another,:
“Not sure what ICAEW Ethics Code say about members openly lying to MPs/MEPs to deny the law that has been given to accountants by them….”
“UK accounting establishment in crisis. Berlin Wall moment. But this time the wall is toppling on top of them. As corrupt as the Stasi.”
“ICAEW Council is having to vote on my resignation as FCA member. Problem is admitting IFRS illegal blows up most Big4. Tough.Truth hurts.”
================================================================================
Scapa…I commend your response/research etc…but you are of course missing (?) the main thrust in all of this, i.e. that these guys are “professionals” and that no one, not no one , should question their solemn utterances.
I am glad that being 400 plus miles away I am so remote from such professional utterances as that so called “expert/pundit” Patey of Ernst & Young…and knowing a couple of partners down here, I know he makes them wince with is witterings to the media!
essexbeancounter says:
September 18, 2013 at 8:25 pm
The banking crisis has thrown a harsh spotlight onto Accountancy’s problems, (just as it has with the Corporate Governance Code of Conduct), but, blaming the crisis on Accounting Standards, while allowing a lesser mortal such as myself to enjoy a bit of schadenfreude, is nonetheless over egging it.
Teasing aside, the apparent reluctance of various bodies to “get the drains up”, figure out what went wrong and fix it, is very distressing, apart from anything else, its just asking for it to happen again.
scapaflow says:
September 18, 2013 at 8:37 pm
essexbeancounter says:
September 18, 2013 at 8:25 pm
No 1 brother is a member of ICAS, and an IP his views on Mr Patey are unprintable in such polite company as this.
The banking crisis has thrown a harsh spotlight onto Accountancy’s problems, (just as it has with the Corporate Governance Code of Conduct), but, blaming the crisis on Accounting Standards, while allowing a lesser mortal such as myself to enjoy a bit of schadenfreude, is nonetheless over egging it.
Teasing aside, the apparent reluctance of various bodies to “get the drains up”, figure out what went wrong and fix it, is very distressing, apart from anything else, its just asking for it to happen again.
================================================================================
Scapa…as an article in last Saturday’s “Torygraph” highlighted, nothing has changed in the banking industry in the five years since the “meltdown”…emphasising that nothing has been learnt from the Lehman Bros implosion and if anything, a repeat is on the horizon….!
Q. What has this to do with this glorious blog?
A. The spivs are using the same banking system/culture as David Murray and his BOS/Establishment cronies…! Plus ca change…plus c’est la meme chose…!
PS…”schadenfreude”…that term has not been used on here since RTC at its peak…but …”schadenfreude” it remains!
essexbeancounter says:
September 18, 2013 at 8:49 pm
Very true sadly, read the article all too accurate. The downfall of RBS really started the day Mark Smith announced that the merged back office function was going to be called Manufacturing. One of the few proper bankers at the meeting asked just what the f–k banks manufactured? Mark replied things like mortgages and other financial instruments. Given what the lads in the states got up to subsequently, Mark may have been more prophetic than he knew.
On a happier note, its still 0-0 a draw would be a fantastic result.
Easdale Shares Mystery
By Chris Graham
4
Ever since they appeared in the press around April, as players in the ongoing struggle for the boardroom at Rangers, the Easdale brothers have been reported to have had various different share holdings and intentions for the club. If we look back through these reports now, then several of them appear to make no sense whatsoever. So whilst the intentions of the Easdales remain unclear, one thing appears certain, the misdirection of Jack Irvine, and the willingness of the BBC in particular to print whatever they are told about them, appears to have played a major role in getting the brothers to where they are now.
The first major story about the Easdales appeared back on the 23rd April. The ever reliable Chris McLaughlin of BBC Scotland told us that they had agreed to buy Charles Green’s shares, that they wanted a place on the board and that they may look to take overall control of the club. We were also told that they already held 6% of the total shares in Rangers. It is worth noting at this point that shareholdings of over 3% have to be notified to the London Stock Exchange and that no such notification existed for James or Sandy Easdale. However, at that stage it was possible that they both held just under 3% and the story could therefore have been almost accurate. We were later to find out that it was absolute fantasy.
——————————-
. . . they wanted a place on the board and that they may look to take overall control of the club. . .
WHAT – the CLUB . . . Not the ‘holding company’ ??????
Should these guys not have to be specific with the semantic description of what they actually are referring to.
It can’t be the club, because you can’t buy shares in the club !!?????
scapaflow says:
September 18, 2013 at 8:56 pm
Very true sadly, read the article all too accurate. The downfall of RBS really started the day Mark Smith announced that the merged back office function was going to be called Manufacturing. One of the few proper bankers at the meeting asked just what the f–k banks manufactured? Mark replied things like mortgages and other financial instruments. Given what the lads in the states got up to subsequently, Mark may have been more prophetic than he knew.
On a happier note, its still 0-0 a draw would be a fantastic result.
==============================================================================
Scapa…that is probably why the Financial Services Industry (sic!)(again!) refer to their “output” as “Financial Products”…apparently made in some factory…but not as I knew factories in the West of Scotland.
Agree re outcome at San Siro…my last glass of Gavi (it really is Italian DOCG quality is seeing me through!)
essexbeancounter says:
September 18, 2013 at 9:11 pm
Do not get me started on the pernicious impact of marketing, and its evil off spring customer relationship management has had on British banking, as I will quickly descend into grumpy old git mode….
Advertising Standards Authority & Ongoing Debate on Status of RFC
Thought I would do a summation of ASA’s decision to re-open the case against RFC’s “most successful club” claim which was reported on The Drum website on 6 August 2013:
http://www.thedrum.com/news/2013/08/06/independent-reviewer-reopening-case-against-rangers-fc-most-successful-football-club
The original ruling saw ASA allow the statement that Rangers is ‘Scotland’s most successful club’ in an advertising campaign,however that original ruling has now been removed from the ASA website.
As well as RFC making false claims that the London stock Exchange(LSE) endorsed “the most successful” claim,the Independent reviewer Sir Hayden Phillips summarised that
-“it was a procedural flaw for the ASA to have relied on an extract only of a report sent to it by the advertiser”,&
-“there was also the risk of a substantial flaw of adjudication in the distinction that had been made between ‘club’ and ‘company’”,
-and “especially in light of previous ASA decisions about companies that change hands and the circumstances in which the new company could or could not trade off the reputation of the old company”
After a bit of searching on the ASA training website(cap.org,uk) to see if there was
any info on previous ASA decisions regarding liquidated companies I saw this topic:
Type of Claims,”Established since……..”
http://www.cap.org.uk/Advice-Training-on-the-rules/Advice-Online-Database/Types-of-claims-Established-since.aspx
There was a very interesting point made here:
“Marketers claiming that their business has been established for a specific number of years or implying that their business has been established for a long time should hold documentary evidence (Rules 3.1 and 3.7)”.
This is a point which could affect RFC’s claim to be Scotlands most successful club,140 years in existence & 54 League titles,despite only being in existence for just over a year.
Other potentially pertinent points to RFC are:
1-“The ASA adjudicated that,because it was unable to show it had taken on the debts and liabilities of the previous company, the advertiser was unfairly trading on the reputation and trading history of
an earlier incarnation of the same company (Minster Windows Ltd, 16 January 2008)”.
2-“The ASA has ruled against an advertiser that could not demonstrate an
uninterrupted and stable trading history (Barry Allsuch and Co LLP, 21 May 2008)”.
Rules 3.1 & 3.7 can be found here :
http://www.cap.org.uk/Advertising-Codes/Non-broadcast-HTML/Section-3-Misleading-advertising.aspx
3.1 Marketing communications must not materially mislead or be likely to do so.
3.7 Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove claims that consumers are likely to regard as objective and that are capable of objective substantiation.The ASA may regard claims as misleading in the absence of adequate substantiation.
The questions ASA must now ask based on previous precedents are:
1-Can TRFCL demonstrate it had taken on the debts & liabilities of the previous company?
I think we can all agree that is no.
2-Can RFC/now TRFCL demonstrate an uninterrupted & stable trading history?
Due to liquidation I would say no again.
However,how will ASA treat RFC club,will they treat it as a special case & assert club/co separate therefore they are entitled to say “most successful club”.
Or will they accept Sir Hayden Phillips points “there was also the risk of a substantial flaw of adjudication in the distinction that had been made between ‘club’ and ‘company’”,& also to consider the precedents set by previous ASA decisions.
I guess we’ll just have to wait & see.
My final points however are on more recent developments & in particular the Upper Tax Tribunal document by Judge Colin Bishopp released last week.With regard to the status of RFC point 27 is very interesting where Judge Bishopp asserts a modern pro football club is a “commercial enterprise” & “has no special status”.Part of point 27 is shown below:
27.”Before coming to the detail of the case it is worth making a preliminary observation.
I have referred above to the strong feelings of many football supporters.
Perhaps because of such feelings, professional football clubs are often regarded as having
a special status.In some respects that may be the correct view; but it should nevertheless
not be overlooked that a modern professional football club is not a“club”,in the sense of an unincorporated association of members who join together in pursuit of a common
purpose, but a commercial enterprise whose function is to generate profits for its
shareholders. From that perspective it has no special status, and there is no reason why
its tax affairs should not be as open to scrutiny as those of any other profit-making
organisation”.
And Judge Bishops’ full document is linked below
http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKUT/TCC/2013/B6.pdf
Finally the stand-off between BBc Scotland & BBC Trust re status of RFC is also very interesting with BBC Scotlands legal view that club/co are indistinguishable whereas BBC Trust say BBC Scotland failed to achieve due accuracy for referring to old & new club.
There are some interesting times ahead as many of these situations play out.
Will we get confirmation that legally RFC is a new club or will we get the continued fudged arguments RFC club continue regardless of the company position.
Sorry I know OT but I thought Balotelli put his boot down Brown’s Achilles and unfortunately Brown reacted. Great show from Celtic pity about the result, the usual Scottish scenario nearly but not quite, had their chances.
briggsbhoy says:
September 18, 2013 at 10:01 pm
1 0 Rate This
Sorry I know OT but I thought Balotelli put his boot down Brown’s Achilles and unfortunately Brown reacted. Great show from Celtic pity about the result, the usual Scottish scenario nearly but not quite, had their chances.
————–
Rotten luck. Balotelli too cute by far, the type whose theatrics Andy Walker thinks are acceptable in modern football. But it could be worse, spare a thought for Michael Ballack on the pundit team with Jamie Carragher, and thurs nae subtitles!
DP,
Ballack and Carragher, what !
When you see Ballotelli dancing round the ball you would just want to boot him up the arse if you were playing against him, I would anyway 😀
Its not just Jim Spence, it would appear who is attracting the attentions of the sad, the bad and the mad
“Jim Delahunt @JimDelahunt 5m
Agree with most that Celtic deserved a draw tonight. Won’t be reading replies so apologies to the sane. That’s how bad it is.”
scapaflow says: September 18, 2013 at 8:56 pm 2 1 Rate This
essexbeancounter says: September 18, 2013 at 8:49 pm
Very true sadly, read the article all too accurate. The downfall of RBS really started the day Mark Smith announced that the merged back office function was going to be called Manufacturing…
===============
To be pedantic sf – Mark Fisher?
Agreed though, I couldn’t get my head around the ‘Manufacturing’ title either.
Interesting blog site here (hopefully the link works). Has anyone heard anything about the book he’s talking about? I also wonder who the West of Scotland club mentioned near the end of this article could possibly be?
http://footballisfixed.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/half-million-pound-insider-gamble.html?m=1
StevieBC says:
September 18, 2013 at 11:00 pm
Christ yes Mark Fisher, lord, he’ll take my shares back for getting his name wrong, oh wait, never mind.
Big bloke in every sense of the term. On one of the trial weekends, Mark came by to see the troops running the overnight batch, took Peter Hayes, who was meant to be in charge, out for a quick drink, came back three hours later, Peter couldn’t speak, Mark ended up pouring him into a taxi.
Now I know why people on here are so passionate about corporate governance and the too big to fail attitude!
It’s because all us ex-RBS peeps have seen one institution almost die because of poor decisions by people at the top. Looks like we all felt the pain of that and aren’t prepared to see another company (=club) benefitting from it again.
Interesting that both were supported by those in authority and both cost the wider taxpaying public a lot of money! I really don’t want to be part of that ‘establishment’.
LPS @11.12pm. Perhaps Phil Mac G could shed some light on the author of the proposed book on corruption in British football. Also on the site as i have never seen it mentioned here or on RTC before. Since the introduction of “agents” into football the chances of underhand dealings have risen astronomically. More power to his elbow. I agree also with (who are the W. of S. team?).
briggsbhoy says:
September 18, 2013 at 10:01 pm
Sorry I know OT but I thought Balotelli put his boot down Brown’s Achilles and unfortunately Brown reacted. Great show from Celtic pity about the result, the usual Scottish scenario nearly but not quite, had their chances.
==================
I was gutted as it was clearly a winnable game, at least as it unfolded if not before. Celtic had chances to capitalise but didn’t, while Milan benefited from outrageous good fortune. Despite all that Celtic are clearly moving well in European circles now. Barca next though 🙁
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24149076#TWEET894401
Well I never, football corruption in Singapore. Good job Scottish teams have no connection to anyone there. Well not since Bill Ng walked away and Orlit were shown to have wrongly sent an invoice to Ibrox. That is what happened isn’t it? CG did prove that they had no involvement in his takeover, didn’t he?
paulonotini says:
September 18, 2013 at 9:57 pm
“….Thought I would do a summation of ASA’s decision to re-open the case against RFC’s “most successful club” claim which was reported on The Drum website on 6 August 2013:…”
—–
A very useful post, paulonotini. Thank you.
jimlarkin says:
September 18, 2013 at 9:11
WHAT – the CLUB . . . Not the ‘holding company’ ??????
I came back on tonight to make the same comment, you beat me to it. I just read the strapline on the bottom of Sky Sports News about Easedale and thought Oh Aye, surely nobody has shares in this club !
Esssex. I recall when bankers were bankers and then these guys were move out in the late 80’s early 90’s to be replaced by salesmen.
UTH. It will be a fight for third spot and I worry about Barca after tonight’s result. AC will be beaten and drop points so you never know, second >>>>>nah
scapaflow says:
September 18, 2013 at 8:37 pm
essexbeancounter says:
September 18, 2013 at 8:25 pm
The banking crisis has thrown a harsh spotlight onto Accountancy’s problems, (just as it has with the Corporate Governance Code of Conduct), but, blaming the crisis on Accounting Standards, while allowing a lesser mortal such as myself to enjoy a bit of schadenfreude, is nonetheless over egging it.
Teasing aside, the apparent reluctance of various bodies to “get the drains up”, figure out what went wrong and fix it, is very distressing, apart from anything else, its just asking for it to happen again.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Of course it will happen again. The whole system is corrupt and lifting the lid on this little football corner of it is an eye opener for some readers and posters on here. But it is how business is done in UK plc.
The drains cannot be lifted by the various bodies as to do so would prove beyond doubt that capitalism doesn’t work. We can’t have that. No way.
Barry is a very amusing, likeable and generous geezer and is to be commended for his very public comments – he once bought me a bottle of Becks in the South Stand Bar at Brisbane Road (Barry calls it The Matchroom Stadium but we all know that’s wrong). He’s supported the club financially for 18 years now but The O’s fans have expressed concern about the sale of the ground to his holding company.
Lamp Post Sannies says:
September 18, 2013 at 11:12 pm
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Interesting blog site here (hopefully the link works). Has anyone heard anything about the book he’s talking about? I also wonder who the West of Scotland club mentioned near the end of this article could possibly be?
http://footballisfixed.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/half-million-pound-insider-gamble.html?m=1
————————————————————————————————————————————–
LPS, sounds a wee bit ‘nuclear’ to me. Thanks for posting. Very interesting times ahead I think.
Lamp Post Sannies says:
September 18, 2013 at 11:12 pm
21 0 Rate This
Interesting blog site here (hopefully the link works). Has anyone heard anything about the book he’s talking about? I also wonder who the West of Scotland club mentioned near the end of this article could possibly be?
http://footballisfixed.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/half-million-pound-insider-gamble.html?m=1
—————-
From a cursory reading, intriguing. Very serious allegations, and loaded insinuations about the EPL and some refs. In the absence of concrete evidence I find it difficult to believe, but I usually do when it comes to this type of thing. That said, I have often wondered about the Asia connection in the Glasgow takeover, whether it was purely about the rumoured money-lender type loans — but that was because of listening to interviews with Neil Humphreys, I believe that’s his name. He’s based over there, last I heard.
Funnily enough, while I was watching a CL match yesterday it appeared that the one team wasn’t trying that hard, at least the away team, who were underdogs, were dominant for the majority of the match. The ref was excellent so I reckoned he couldn’t be in on it. But I forgot to factor in the Italian attitude of doing no more than is absolutely necessary — and saving some energy for a last 10 minutes of frenetic activity when the opposing team has usually exhausted itself. Add a bit of lady luck and football looks so unjust 😉
Given what we think we know about the finances of Scotland’s newest club, why would anyone spend money on it’s shares as Easdale is doing?
I brought up the football is fixed blog up in a previous blog as I knew of the site now for a couple of years and he would be an obvious interested party in Scottish shenanigans
taxman cometh says:
September 19, 2013 at 7:21 am
2 0 Rate This
Given what we think we know about the finances of Scotland’s newest club, why would anyone spend money on it’s shares as Easdale is doing?
————
Mather has apparently been given a huge amount of 1p shares to offset his initial outlay. Have the Easdales been handed some cut-price shares too? Be interesting to know.
Can anyone tell me what, if any,contribution Supportersl Direct Scotland has made to the goings on in our game over the last couple of years? It seems to me that an organisation such as FDS by definition,should have lots to say.Or is it just another talking shop?
Above abbreviation should read SDS of course
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24153964
Alleged ”doping’ problem prevelant In rugby
. . . Not financial ‘doping’ ?
yakutsuki says:
September 19, 2013 at 7:07 am
5 0 Rate This
Lamp Post Sannies says:
September 18, 2013 at 11:12 pm
22
0
Rate This
Interesting blog site here (hopefully the link works). Has anyone heard anything about the book he’s talking about? I also wonder who the West of Scotland club mentioned near the end of this article could possibly be?
http://footballisfixed.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/half-million-pound-insider-gamble.html?m=1
————————————————————————————————————————————–
LPS, sounds a wee bit ‘nuclear’ to me. Thanks for posting. Very interesting times ahead I think
————————————–
On Ian Black,” many where he had private inside information”………..mmmmm
Found it strange that no one picked up on McCoists “I’ve got 100 names here”, and more importantly the ex-player now journalist who said he played in matches that were fixed. That’s a smoking gun right there, the Police should have been at his door pronto.
Did the TSFM blogger who contacted the Police over this, get any reply?
Lamp Post Sannies says:
September 18, 2013 at 11:12 pm
22
0
Rate This
Interesting blog site here (hopefully the link works). Has anyone heard anything about the book he’s talking about? I also wonder who the West of Scotland club mentioned near the end of this article could possibly be?
http://footballisfixed.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/half-million-pound-insider-gamble.html?m=1
___________________________________________________________________________
I think we need a ‘Popcorn Eating’ smillie.
This proposed book and expose could be explosive. We probably know the contents already but seeing it in mainstream print would be truly unique.
jimlarkin says:
September 19, 2013 at 8:40 am
1 0 Rate This
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24153964
Alleged ”doping’ problem prevelant In rugby ….
———-
I know cycling has been in the firing line for a very long time, and rightly so, but it is a sport that is actively cleaning up its act. Impressively so. At the height of doping scandals German TV refused to show the Tour and backed out. German companies would simply not be associated with cheating. This kind of action has sports authorities shuddering. Sponsors backing out has a huge effect. You can’t help but wonder if the lack of a new sponser for the SPL has something to do with the poor image Scottish football has thanks to the almost non-existent governance of the game, well apart from petty bans dished out for swearing and to wee teams that forget to sign the odd form in duplicate.
Who wants to be associated with the shambolic SFA & SPFL leadership? Hopefully, any future sponsor will demand a high standard of sporting oversight.