The scandal in which Scottish football has become embroiled is neither equivocal nor complicated. It happened. It is easily seen to have happened. It is certainly not a degree course in nuclear physics. Why then, are simple facts ignored day after day, week after week, by not just the so called purveyors of truth in the media, but the body of the SFA itself, the clubs?
Five years or so ago, systematic cheating by a club involved in Scottish football was uncovered as a consequence of the club slipping into liquidation. This is easily established as fact.
It soon became clear that the authorities had been aware of the situation for as long as it had been going on, but instead of applying their own rules, which would have saved that club from it’s ultimate demise, they chose to enable it and cover it up. Also, backed up by documentary evidence.
As a consequence of the slide towards liquidation, the authorities went into cover-up overdrive to protect their own position. Inquiries based on rhetorical “you’ll have had your tea!” questions were set up to arrive at predetermined conclusions. The post-truth era in Scottish football had begun in earnest.
The claims of corruption which subsequently emerged were dismissed out of hand by the authorities and the press; first by accusations that it was only Paranoid Celtic fans looking to put the boot into Rangers who were behind the claims, then, when it became clear that it was not only Celtic fans who were angered by the way the integrity of the sport had been shattered, the “mad Celtic fans” epithet was amended to “mad online conspiracy theorists”.
The tactic was clear. NEVER address the issue. Attack the messengers. Ridicule them, mock them, demonise them. Despite that, the message of SFM and others was gaining traction and dangerously for the authorities, becoming difficult to ignore.
Last Autumn SFM was approached in confidence by senior figures in two print media outlets. The request was for us to provide them with the facts we had in bullet points – to make it easier for them to reach their audience, an audience they claimed was not sophisticated enough to absorb the detail and minutiae of the story.
The role of journalists is to do exactly that of course. They had access to the same documentary evidence we had (we know this because we gave it to them), but they wanted us to do their job for them? Leaving aside the scant regard I have for football journalists in this country, I don’t believe they are incapable of carrying out that simple task – but we humoured them anyway and provided them with the “SFA Corruption for Dummies” guide that they asked for.
But what were they really up to?
Remembering the RTC thread where he pointed out that genuine whistle-blowers in this saga were reluctant to come forward because of trust issues – they feared any contact with the MSM would result in their details being provided to those they were exposing – we proceeded with some caution. Amusingly, the same three questions was asked at each meeting; “You must know who Rangers Tax Case is?”, “any idea who John James is?” and, “what team do you support?”. (FYI, my answers were, “No”, “No”, and “Celtic” respectively).
Interestingly, for people who needed clarification by bullet-point, they were well enough versed in the minutiae to attempt to argue the flat-earth case and try to sell us the “it has been established legally that <insert something that hasn’t been established legally here>”
Our only conjecture was that they were trying to convince us we were wrong, or ascertain how firm a grasp we actually had on the facts to better see who and what they were dealing with, or (most probably) they were reacting aimlessly to online pressure and not really following any plan at all. Perhaps they were seeking to reassure themselves that it was just Celtic fans who were angry – although I fail to see how Celtic or their fans have less credibility when asking legitimate questions about the running of the game just because Rangers were involved.
Subsequently, despite the platitudes of “print and social media should work together” and the like, and despite being furnished with the aforementioned bullet points, no further contact was made with SFM other than a couple of childish comments about SFM on Twitter.
Facts might be facts to us all, but in the case of the print media, they can be ignored on the basis that mad internet bampots are not a credible source, although metaphysical hypotheses are clearly thought to be a far more sensible line of inquiry!
However, facts ARE indeed facts, and in the hands of real journalists like Alec Thomson and those in The Offshore Game (TOG), they are given the credence they merit. Since TOG published the report on the SFA (see below), the facts have emerged from not just the so-called internet bampots. Those facts have survived the scrutiny of several reputable journalists involved in TOG – and their legal advisers.
Accusations more blunt and unequivocal than we have ever made have been published. The genie is most definitely out of the bottle, but the prodigious MSM Twitterati, so meticulous in their investigations into the occupation of Craig Whyte’s female companions, appear to have run out of batteries on their keyboards. “No answer” is the loud reply, since TOG cannot be ridiculed quite so easily without exposing themselves to the same scrutiny they have failed to apply to the SFA.
If I can be as unequivocal about this as possible. Senior journalists in at least two MSM print outlets KNOW there has been a cover up, and that systematic cheating took place. They knew that before the TOG report, long before it, but still they did nothing. Even now they do nothing. They are now playing a reactionary role – as counterpoint to the accessible online truth – involved in actively concealing that truth from the offline public. An Offline Game if you like.
Of course we are not surprised by that, and as the falling-off-a-cliff circulation figures show, fewer and fewer people are playing their game. Even those who still purchase newspapers believe little of what they read.
The clubs are a different matter. Fans of every single club in this country – and that includes TRFC – will benefit from an inquiry into the handling of this matter. In the light of the TOG report, there is no excuse for the clubs to ignore calls for an inquiry to be set up. In fact by doing so, they are actively embracing corruption.
As we have said time and time again, this is no longer about Rangers. It is about institutionalised mal-governance at Hampden. By assisting the cover-up, the clubs are ensuring that the same corrupt practices are in place, ready to go again when necessary. Those practices which saw journalists and SFA officials cede editorial control (both statements backed up by documentary evidence) of their output to one club, and allow damaging conflicts of interest to circumvent rules.
The Offshore Game has thrown a media spotlight onto a cover-up. The MSM have attempted to bury it in the offline domain, but corruption, however well established,is not unbeatable. We can beat it if we work together – and here is how.
Season ticket renewals are dropping through letterboxes as I write this. If we do nothing other than protest, the clubs will do – just like Stewart Regan says he will – NOTHING!
There is only one way to establish the Independent Inquiry that is demanded in the wake of TOG report. Ask your club if they will vote for an Independent Inquiry to be set up.
If they agree, there is no problem. They are doing the right thing and will be deserving of our support.
Otherwise, send their renewal forms back to them unsigned.
It really is that simple.
http://www.theoffshoregame.net/475-2/
I note that finally the main stream media is reporting on the RES12 issue.
However all the immediate reports on outlet’s web pages are a cut and paste job from either a Press Release or some from of agreed wording between the journos covering the story.
It will be interesting to see if any independent thinkers will takes a different slant on things tomorrow.
The story is our there now and answers now need to be given. (Well done the Res 12 guys)
Who is going to be bold enough to do the digging?
Tonight I feel dangerously good. Dangerous? Because I am risking the last vestiges of my optimism.
I feel we will look back on this week and recognise that this was the week when the tide turned in our favour. Everything appears set up like just before the dominoes get that flick of the finger.
Regan has put his head above the parapet, a couple of media outlets have dipped their toes in the Res 12 water, TJN have reinforced their stance, the Integrity Iniatiative are about to gallop over the hill(Please Andy just one more push before you can join your family on holiday), Ms Dempster answered the phone, EUFAs Integrity department now have the facts they need and our politicians are coming on board.
Of course this may just be me in a daydream but somethinng tells me otherwise.
It may be time to start organising our plans to thank the Res 12 boys but we should not be concentrating on that. We need to apply the pressure. See what the Res 12 boys have done and chip in. Let your MSP know that you support them, get yourself on the MSM comments sections and make your opinions known. Let’s let them know where we stand.
I feared that the close season was going to see us in the Doldrums but yet again I appear to be wrong.
What next though? Plenty! The SPFL stood shoulder to shoulder with the SFA so they too must be held to account.
TOG suggesting that UEFA maybe don’t need a wee push, but it wouldn’t do any harm
https://twitter.com/theoffshoregame/status/738061928019398656
WOTTPIJUNE 1, 2016 at 18:03
I note that finally the main stream media is reporting on the RES12 issue.
However all the immediate reports on outlet’s web pages are a cut and paste job from either a Press Release or some from of agreed wording between the journos covering the story.
It will be interesting to see if any independent thinkers will takes a different slant on things tomorrow.
The story is our there now and answers now need to be given. (Well done the Res 12 guys)
Who is going to be bold enough to do the digging?
=========================================
It is my understanding that the information on Res 12 which the media have previously been given leaves no digging required. It is all there on a plate for them. I’m sure Auldheid, who sometimes post on here, can confirm. There won’t be many opportunities to ask Regan though like there was today. As far as I could see someone was trying to ask him further questions but he refused to stray from the same line he peddled when he last spoke of this publicly on Sportsound about three years ago.
UPTHEHOOPSJUNE 1, 2016 at 19:41
” As far as I could see someone was trying to ask him further questions but he refused to stray from the same line he peddled when he last spoke of this publicly on Sportsound about three years ago.
======================================================================
Totally agree UTH. The Swiss advert invited the public to visit the TOG website.
No Q’s about Campbell Ogilvie’s involvement No Q’s about the rigged LNS commission No Q’s about the DOS scheme (WTC) No Q’s about the 30th June deadline No Q’s about the emails No Q’s about the secret meeting in the Hotel du Vin with wee Craigy No Q’s about agreeing to an independent inquiry All of the issues highlighted in the TOG report
The SMSM just provided a denial opportunity of an issue that wasn’t the issue
————————————————————————————–
Has everybody seen this?…A new one on me
https://twitter.com/AyeMcClane/status/738070810397691904
http://thecelticblog.com/2016/06/blogs/with-todays-hampden-statement-stewart-regan-threw-sevco-to-the-wolves
Corrupt official June 1, 2016 at 19:53
Has everybody seen this?…A new one on mehttps://twitter.com/AyeMcClane/status/738070810397691904
———————————-
It was included in the Annexes to the original TOG report
EASYJAMBOJUNE 1, 2016 at 20:14
Cheers EJ. Either my memory is getting worse, or I scrolled past it. D’Oh !
EASYJAMBO
JUNE 1, 2016 at 16:41
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36426878
I haven’t come across Mr Bowen in any Rangers related cases to date, so perhaps their remains a truly independent mind out there.
Edward F Bowen, sheriff principal for the Lothian and Borders, will chair the independent commission into the Scottish Cup final disorder.
Violent clashes and vandalism marred Hibernian’s win over Rangers as thousands spilled onto the Hampden pitch at the final whistle.
Mr Bowen CBE QC will establish the commission immediately.
And he will provide the Scottish FA with a report into the “security and risk management procedures” deployed.
The SFA has asked for the report to be presented by 31 July.
The SFA’s compliance officer has also initiated an investigation into the scenes at the cup final, from a “football regulatory perspective”.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
They are at it again
The SFA have created a mechanism to avoid any independent investigation commenting on the law breaking behaviour of TRFC fans setting off flares and singing sectarian songs. This so called “even handedness” is “justified” by also excluding the independent investigation from commenting on the law breaking behaviour of Hibs and TRFC fans after the match.
Or put another way
The SFA have excluded the behaviour of fans from the Sheriff`s Terms of Reference by focussing his efforts on what went wrong with the stewarding and policing strategy.
i.e.
The Terms of Reference for Edward F Bowen will focus on the scenes after the final whistle He is not being invited to comment on what stewarding and police strategy might have prevented flares and sectarian singing during the game itself
The SFA Regulatory Officer is being asked to consider the entire event (from pre match to post match) This would pick up issues like flares and sectarian singing as well pitch invasions and player assaults
By splitting the investigation the SFA keeps in house the nasty problem of confronting its errant child.
It sets up the scenario where sectarian singing by TRFC fans leads to zero punishment for TRFC in line with current SFA policy. A modest fine for flares and pitch invasion is the most that TRFC can expect together with a nod and a wink that it will be subtracted from their prize money in the distant future when they next win the Premier League .
TBKJUNE 1, 2016 at 13:18
sad that it has had to come to having to put a newspaper ad in a foreign newspaper, as the powers that be and journalists in Scotland refuse to bring to the attention of the wider public……..
. http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/tanks-on-the-lawns-of-uefa/
=======================
Sad indeed, TBK.
And you would think that any decent, SMSM sports journalist would be highly embarrassed at this development.
…but there aren’t any, so they won’t…
But the SFA should be not just embarrassed, but mortified that it is being humiliated – quite rightly – in the capital of world football.
And whilst the advert’s wording has been carefully crafted, it clearly lets the reader infer that the SFA is guilty of incompetence, corruption, bias, or all of the above !
I’m surprised that the d!ddies at the SFA have not yet thought to issue a hollow legal threat, as a desperate deflection.
I wonder if Regan still thinks it was worthwhile / justifiable in his own head – to ‘save’ The Rangers at all costs…?
Regan’s poor judgement as SFA CEO – and that of the 41 other senior clubs – will simply not be forgotten.
It all seems to be starting to run away from them …
Happy days
easyJamboJune 1, 2016 at 17:03 14 2 Rate This
I’m glad to see that the Scottish Government has now woken from its slumbers with regard to the introduction of strict liability, and if not they may consider legislation.
http://stv.tv/sport/football/1356032-justice-secretary-calls-on-sfa-to-introduce-strict-liability-rules/
It’s not beyond the bounds of possibility that some sort of council licensing process could be put in place for sports grounds, akin to that already in place for pubs, clubs, etc. Strike three times and you lose your licence. Simples really.
===
Don’t know EJ if you read my earlier post today as to why TRFC would/will struggle to compete with CFC.I didn’t know that the Scottish Government minister was going to come out with a statement.What was astonishing was Regan reacting within minutes,warning the SG that any action could provoke a reaction from FIFA,I suppose it never occurred to him that if he and his cohorts at the SFA(why are clubs not speaking out?)dealt with these problems then there would be no need for the SG to get involved at all.
FWIW,as a user of Twitter,I have asked the First Minister & various MPs,MSPs etc what they are proposing to do to deal with the problem of sectarianism in our wee country.At this moment,not one has replied to me.
As I said earlier.this is a social problem.The SG threat this morning is directed towards football and does nothing to address this in a wider context.Maybe someone should ask why Falkirk Council,looking at an 8 figure shortfall,have voted to subsidise an Orange Walk.That’s up to them.
I’ll make you a bet right now.10 years from now we’ll be asking the same questions.
WRT Regans “Threat” this afternoon,all the SG has to say is that given the choice of FIFA sanctions or the safety of the public,it’s a no brainer!.
Let Regan etc,deal with that.
StevieBCJune 1, 2016 at 17:47
Or, am I just getting too cynical now ?
_____________________________________________________
Edward F Bowen, hmmmm!!!
Someone on JJ’S site claiming the res 12 boys put the ad in the wrong paper and only found out last night.
“We need a transparent and robust scheme to prevent unacceptable conduct and deal with it effectively if it does occur..’ says the Justice Minister.
Too right, say I!
No new club should be allowed to trade falsely under the name of a Liquidated club, and to be treated as being that liquidated club in every respect except, surprise, surprise, liability for all the debts of that liquidated company!
And no governing body of a sport which receives public funding, however little or for whatever purpose, should be allowed to get away unquestioned by Government for permitting the gross perversion and distortion of Sporting Integrity that caused those very things to occur, and continues to allow them at the expense of common sense ,Truth and Sporting Integrity.
My money, and your money, has gone to the SFA. Matheson’s ministerial colleagues have told several of us that they cannot interfere in the affairs of the SFA. And yet, here is the bold boy now, threatening fire and brimstone.
Let the Justice Minister prevail upon his Ministerial colleagues to face up to reality,cleanse the Augean stables that house all the manure that the 6th Floor has come to represent, and get football in this country back to honest and transparent Governance.
I have a feeling we are about to be faced with a fierce LEVEL of rhetoric regarding the latest RES12 activity which if Regan is to be believed he answered all the questions 3 years ago?
If he believes that then why has he responded to today’s ad in the Swiss press?
Already we have STV and the herald group stating it’s a solely Celtic Supporters issue with no mention of other fans much the same as when STV are showing the after match footage it’s only Hibs fans I can see!
If as CQN state the tanks are parked on UEFA’s lawn then I expect Jabba to come out with a counter-offensive.
The next few days are going to be very entertaining.
GERRYBHOY67 maybe the comment on JJ’S site from pinky is the start of it.
Shug
Today’s ad was in the Tribune de Geneve as planned.
We translated to journalistic French but it lengthened the text and we had to explain what some of the terms used were.
We also did some research on the languages spoken by the three chaps who will look at this and English was the best choice.
Also the offshore site that is featured in the ad is obviously in English.
We delivered three newspapers in CQN’s new Swiss paper round.
We hope to be handsomely rewarded for our efforts.
Time will tell.
I’ve been looking at the coverage of Stewart Regan’s response to the Resolution 12 issue.
The text on the Daily Record website and the Scotsman website and the Herald website is identical. Word for word. Even down to the paragraphing. I’m not good enough at maths to work out the statistical probably of this happening. If one of an infinite number of monkeys on a typewriter can reproduce Shakespeare, then it must be possible for three Scottish journalistic monkeys to produce identical copy.
There seem to be two possibilities, both of which are pretty unpalatable. Either both titles just reproduced a press release or both titles just used an AP version…implying that they did not think the story was important enough to send their own journalists to cover it.
It may be too early to conclude that this story is heading anywhere other than straight back under the carpet.
I’ve been looking at the coverage of Stewart Regan’s response to the Resolution 12 issue.
The text on the Daily Record website and the Scotsman website and the Herald website is identical. Word for word. Even down to the paragraphing. I’m not good enough at maths to work out the statistical probably of this happening. If one of an infinite number of monkeys on a typewriter can reproduce Shakespeare, then it must be possible for three Scottish journalistic monkeys to produce identical copy.
There seem to be two possibilities, both of which are pretty unpalatable. Either all three titles just reproduced a press release or all three titles just used an AP version…implying that they did not think the story was important enough to send their own journalists to cover it.
It may be too early to conclude that this story is heading anywhere other than straight back under the carpet.
Cygnus X2June 2, 2016 at 02:48
‘..implying that they did not think the story was important enough to send their own journalists to cover it.’
________
They know only too well how important the story is,CygnusX2!
They are either too partisan ( i.e. heart and hand emotionally prepared to defend the Big Lie) or too terrified to take on the baddies.
Pretty much like Justice Ministers and Sports Ministers in other small countries in the world that we have traditionally thought of as less than honest and thirled to hypocrisy.
The pus from this running sore will be with us until the antibiotic of truth is injected into the buttocks of Scottish Football Governance and our SMSM. And, sadly, there is no Scottish Government capable of or willing to hold the hypodermic.
A letter from 5 May 2011 has appeared on the John James site. Quite how Mr Regan thinks the SFA had no responsibility regarding Rangers tax overdues before 30 June 2011 is beyond me.
https://johnjamessite.com/
upthehoopsJune 2, 2016 at 07:22
”..A letter from 5 May 2011 has appeared on the John James site.’
________
It is amusing to think of how the SFA and the various representatives of RFC(IL) and TRFC must be bitching with each other ( and trying to do so in secret with nothing in writing or on tape)about how to try to contain this whole monstrous act of deception.None can trust the other, and the evidence of collusion is pretty plain, it seems to me.
The SFA (and consequently, the whole of Scottish Football) has actually most to lose when, not if, the whole truth is recognised by UEFA. It has already lost the rust of a huge body of supporters, and is now actually so weakened in its ‘disciplinary’ capacity and authority as to be unable to take action against any wayward former directors of RFC(IL) who might be on the TRFC Board.
It would require PR men, bent lawyers and really bent politicians, of outstanding ‘gifts’ to get anyone out of this mess with any particle of personal integrity left to them.
As it was last night, it is the same this morning.
The Scotsman has the Res12 issue at No 1 of its ‘Trending’ articles
The Herald has the Res 12 issue as the highest ranks sports story in its ‘Most Popular’ ranking.
The Daily Record has Res 12 as its ‘Most Read’ article for all news.
Just remember that when folk say ask ‘is it not time to move on’ or ‘Its only a few internet bampots who are interested in this nonsense’.
They are one a winner here in terms of potential sales and web hits if they follow this up in the manner which it deserves.
The question is – will they?
WINNING CAPTAINS when I read the post I thought that seems odd for those guys who seem to have been working on this for a good long while to get the wrong paper. It didn’t seem right that this could be the case but I thought I would mention it make others aware that the deflection was maybe starting.
UTH I’m sure CORRUPT OFFICIAL posted a link to said letter yesterday.
Like most football fans, I spend a somewhat unhealthy amount of time speculating about various aspects of the Beautiful Game. Well, did you know that Edinburgh has a venerable society devoted solely to speculation? Sounds like a right laugh, actually. I was initially worried that yer venerable Edina types might lean more towards rugger, but I was looking over an unofficial and slightly outdated membership list, and I noticed someone who’s far more knowledgable about the game than most of us. I’m talking about none other than our old friend Lord Nimmo-Smith! I am currently trying to figure out the on-line application process for this wee club–hopefully it won’t be long before I’m engaging “Oor Wullie” in some “topbantz” about our favourite teams/clubs/companies. Larks!
http://thessoe.blogspot.com/2000/01/spec-members-1947-2002.html
The ‘”Scotsman” leader today ( about the resumption of the Birmingham pub bombing inquest)has this sentence: ” Denial of information always gives the impression that the with-holder has something to hide”
While not in the least comparing the deceit practised on Scottish football to the massacre of innocent people, I would assert that the sentence quoted applies to our ‘saga’ every bit as much.
And further assert that whoever in the ‘Scotsman’ editorial team wrote that sentence must be a right cynical/hypocritical hack, indeed, to have written it in the knowledge that his own newspaper has consistently failed to challenge the SFA for its failure to provide straightforward, comprehensive information on the full facts of the granting of licence to RFC.
Instead, they merely obediently parrot Regan’s Pr statement, while doing their best to make it appear ( as professor what’s his name ( perhaps best forgotten, and likely to be forgotten) did during Regan’s talk at Edinburgh University a few weeks ago) a ‘Celtic/Rangers’ west-of-Scotland thing.
There are a lot of people ready to deceive. Some of them are newspaper men. And some are Football Administrators with something to hide.
UPTHEHOOPSJUNE 2, 2016 at 07:22
Indeed
All the evidence points to MIH and McIntyre as RFC Company Secretary having been given options in the letter of 5 May 2011
– Sign the offer letter and pay up within 30 days otherwise debt collection follows
or
– If you don’t sign the offer by 16 May 2011 debt collection follows.
Sheriffs officers arriving at the gates of Ibrox on 10 August 2011 shows that one or other of the above did not happen.
The problem is of course that Whyte was reported as having sealed the takeover deal on 5 May 2011 and Donald McIntyre was suspended from his post, along with Martin Bain, on 24 May 2011.
Ken Olverman, who was in post as Financial Controller, in both SDM and Whyte regimes, seems to have been no more than a Yes-man lackie for Whyte.
However as everyone believes in the continuity of the club, regardless of its operator, its officers or legal status then who gives a damn. (Evidence is there to suggest Whyte agreed to take on the WTC tax bill anyway)
From the Ken Olverman e-mail Rangers, as a member club of the SFA, provided inaccurate and untrue information to Uefa at 30 June 2011.
Either the SFA were lied to and accepted Rangers version of events or they had knowledge of the deceit and were happy to let the matter pass onto Uefa in an inaccurate state.
It is clear that the SFA must have had some involvement in viewing the figures produced by Rangers for the 30 June 2011 deadline as mention is made, by Olverman, of them seeing draft numbers on player transfers.
You could easily throw Whyte under the bus and no-one would blame or disagree with Regan for doing that. The problem is of course the potential for punishment to be received by the club if found guilty of misleading both national and European associations.
The continuation myth points to a potential ban the next time the club qualifies for Europe based on precedent of punishments dished out for similar offences.
Or
Own up to being a new club and benefit from potential European income sooner than later.
For the SFA they need to tighten up their procedures or, ideally, face a Uefa audit and a wrist slapping, as seems to have been a precedent for member associations who are not up to the job.
First off, I would like to thank the Res 12 Bhoys for putting together the funding, and organising the Swiss newspaper advert. (Writing that I realised how long it is since I said the word “newspaper”). This advert was a huge custard pie in the mush of the SMSM, exposing the steps that need to be taken to have a voice in North Koreadonia.
It has been a ten-fold that, level of embarrassment for the SFA though. This was a big foamy paper plate, launched from some distance, with considerable venom. The arc of trajectory was followed by many, slack-jawed and with bated breath, as it made it’s way to it’s intended target. A big baw-face on UEFA’s doorstep. It didn’t miss. The “SPLATT” is still reverberating around Europe.
The SFA are standing there, with their troosers around their ankles, totally exposed, with only the dripping foam concealing their modesty. Weans are pointing at them and laughing. The postie crashed and fell off his bike, The baker’s breid-board scattered croissants over the cobbled paving, and coffee was spluttered over many an elegant blouse.
Chapeau Res 12-ers….Chapeau. An image of Stewart Regan, peeling two eye-holes of creamy foam from his face to speak yesterday, should be hung in the hall of fame
Could someone post a link to the Res 12 advert please.
So lets be clear on this
The SFA know that Rangers had one Chairman who willing to indulge in dodgy tax avoidance schemes and withhold evidence of side letters etc from Hector and the Footballing Authorities.
The SFA know that Rangers had a further chairman who failed to pay an overdue tax bill, failed to pay PAYE and NI and used future season ticket sales to broker a dodgy deal.
The SFA know that T’Rangers were run by a CEO who was nothing more than a get rich quick spiv and a director who appears to have fled the country and had links to Richard Hughes of Zeus who himself is now up on tax fraud charges.
The SFA know that T’Rangers currently have a chairman who is a convicted multi-million pound tax dodger.
Yet we are to believe they, as the regulatory authority appear to have no concerns or fears, in anyway, with regard to how ‘the club’ has been run past, present or future with regard to overdue tax payables or their own role as a regulatory body in allowing all this to happen under their watch.
Struth!!!
upthehoopsJune 2, 2016 at 07:22 17 1 Rate This
A letter from 5 May 2011 has appeared on the John James site. Quite how Mr Regan thinks the SFA had no responsibility regarding Rangers tax overdues before 30 June 2011 is beyond me.
https://johnjamessite.com/
===========
I don’t know where JJ gets this stuff from, but that letter of 5 May is absolute dynamite. (I do wish he had redacted the Inspector’s name, though).
It is now established beyond any doubt that there was an overdue payable at 30 June 2011. Regan appears to be saying that he was told by his member club that there wasn’t, and acted accordingly. I don’t believe that, by the way, in my view the SFA were well aware of the situation.
But let’s accept what Regan says, and see where that takes us.
The SFA, and UEFA, of course, as a consequence, appear to have been materially misled by a member club, clearly with a view to that club obtaining a pecuniary advantage. So what does Regan propose doing about it? This goes well beyond football governance. Making a false statement to obtain a pecuniary advantage was a criminal offence when I was involved in such matters. Maybe Scots Law is different, but I doubt it.
Has Regan contacted Police Scotland? I very much doubt it. Maybe someone else should?
And if, as I strongly suspect, the SFA knew the truth at 30 June 2011, but didn’t report it to UEFA? Is that then a criminal conspiracy? I would have thought so.
As usual, lots of questions some keen young journalist should be following up. But then I remind myself- this is Scotland.
NEEPHEIDJUNE 2, 2016 at 10:51
Our best hope may be Grant Russell at STV who to be fair seems to be willing to have a go at real investigative journalism without fear or favour.
Grant Russell @STVGrant 14h14 hours ago@GersnetOnline @Jas72Boyd There’s a lot more reporting to be done on it. And it centres around UEFA.
A bit of clarification on Mr Regan’s statement with regard to requisitioners being happy that the licence was granted properly at 31 March.
The Resolution when written in 2013 mentioned the granting as well as administration and implementation of UEFA rules.
However in following up it quickly became evident from the rules regarding tax that whilst a liability existed at 31st March no demand to pay did. That did not turn up until 20 May.
So there was no point pursuing whether the tax was overdue as UEFA define it at 31st March. There was no happiness involved.
The concerns were around the 20 May bill that became an overdue payable as UEFA define it by mid June and it is around the process at that time Res12 concentrated.
However should the circumstances regarding the granting be fully investigated (but I doubt they will) then the skullduggery eyebrow might reach Roger Moore proportions.
Football fans are very passionate about football and I would argue that the football fans on here are even more passionate about football but ultimately in the grand scheme of things, it is only a game.
Its 22 guys we have no control over, running around on the pitch playing a game. a GAME!
In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t really matter who wins or loses.
So with that in mind you’d think that reporting factual information about a recreational activity wouldn’t be that big a deal in a country with a free press and that claims to be a liberal democracy. We have all chuckled at tales of North Koreas’s Kim Jong Ill getting 7 ‘hole-in-ones’ in his first ever round of golf and various other tall tales of sporting achievements in some 3rd world hell-hole.
I say “have” chuckled because this resolution 12 carry-on has made it all a bit less funny.
If Scottish football fans have to go to the lengths of taking out an advert in a newspaper in another country before anyone in the Scottish press will discuss it, then what does it say about our press and in a wider context what does it say about the kind of country we live in?
I often wonder if the people in North Korea sit around laughing at people in other countries blissfully unaware of their own situation or do they know they are being lied to? Also if you were blissfully unaware, how would you ever know that you were?
In the same way I am now wondering that if the reporting on a GAME can be silenced and censored in this manner then what would happen if it involved a real life and death issue?
Is this just a football thing or does it extend in to the police, the judiciary, politics, big business…? I mean all thats at stake in football is a few trophies and some temporary bragging rights. What if an entire government department was at risk and the threat of prison was there etc.. ? Would our media be so easily cowed and more importantly, how would we know if they were?
I realise a comparison with North Korea is extreme (no-one is going to “disappear” in the middle of the night) but I only use it to highlight the point and to show where this sort stuff can lead.
Countries like North Korea don’t end up like that overnight, its a gradual process of freedoms being eroded one step at a time and by the time anyone notices its already been made illegal to notice.
So far the only people who have noticed when it comes to the great big continuity myth and the OBFA are a handful of ‘internet bampots’
Anyway, well played to the Res12 guys but it is very depressing that they have had to go to these lengths in the first place.
John Clark
June 2, 2016 at 07:01
From STV re Res 12
“STV attempted to speak to Celtic secretary Michael Nicholson but he declined to comment on whether Celtic was actively involved in investigating the decision or if the club had written to UEFA.
UEFA have failed to respond to numerous emails from STV over the past two weeks seeking clarity on whether they are investigating.”
,,,,,,,,,,,,,
That’s interesting
STV take no notice of the Res 12 issue despite having chapter and verse given to them on a plate years ago
Then,
Only when it becomes clear that the Requisitioners have bought advertising space in the Guardian and a Swiss newspaper do STV try to get ahead of the game by emailing UEFA for information BEFORE the advert appears?
Question
What is going on at Board level in STV ?
They have no problem running stories on the absolute corruption at FIFA and UEFA
But a first class football corruption scandal on their own doorstep has been deliberately ignored for years.
It is now evident that STV silence on this matter is not solely the responsibility of the STV Sports Dept. If it was they would have continued to ignore it.
IMO
The driver was the advert placed in the English newspaper The Guardian
Anyone with half a brain reading this advert would conclude that the Guardian was being favoured because the Scottish MSM was blacklisting the story.
It seems very likely that until yesterday it was official policy of the STV Board to blacklist the Res 12 story
And
Yesterday’s Regan interview was a damage limitation exercise by STV to try to pre-empt any allegation (possibly by an English TV Company) that they had blacklisted the story.
Proof?
STV must have been desperate to run some kind of story when they agreed to the conditions for the interview
Why?
The format of the piece was designed to bolster the SFA position on Res 12.
We got a 1.21 minute long “interview” in which Regan recited a prepared speech and refused to answer any questions
Strongly Suggesting
The pre-negotiations for this interview were settled on the basis that STV would only be permitted to receive one answer to one question…. and that question had to be written by Regan
The Good News
…maybe…just maybe
Having dipped their toe in the water
STV are about to break ranks and cover the story properly………before someone in the English MSM does
I bet Tom English (and others) will be slack jawed in amazement that such respectable newspapers could run with a story based on this “flawed” report.
ERNIEJUNE 2, 2016 at 12:10
I bet Tom English (and others) will be slack jawed in amazement that such respectable newspapers could run with a story based on this “flawed” report.
—————————————————————————————————–
He hasn’t noticed through the tears brought on by Jim Traynor shouting at him. I think he is still blubbing in his bedroom.
I would give a word of caution here. I we continue to emphasize the issues from 2011 we could be shooting ourselves in the foot. The March 31 2011 date is now beyond the statutes of limitations for UEFA so if we engage Regan on his announcement yesterday then we are letting the tick down on the June 30th S o L. We need to argue the most recenr stuff including Kings fit and proper status. The 2011 license is still a valid argument but as long as it is used as evidence of an ongoing problem.
I can report that I was in Parliament House this morning at 10.00, and was leaving at conclusion of business at 11.14.
I will be able to attend the High Court in Glasgow tomorrow and not miss any relevant business in the Court of Session.
John Clark June 2, 2016 at 13:07
====================
Are there any follow up actions planned re today’s CoS business?
I’m actually free tomorrow afternoon onwards after my invigilation duties are finished.
If someone tells me ‘x’ which I pass on in good faith and I then find out that ‘x’ turns out to be a damning ‘y’, that is damning for them and for me, the simple purveyor of the information, I don’t tend to go back to the original contributor of ‘x’ and say, in a chummy way, “don’t worry, they seem to have accepted ‘x’ so it should all blow over, lets move on, and whilst we’re at it completely ignore the ramifications of what y actually means”
But then I’m not a highly paid football administrator.
I can’t make up my mind whether the injection should be applied to the left or right buttock, or to Stewart Regan, the ars**ole in between.
Edit – apologies for double post
Breath is well and truly held that the latest Res.12 developments produce something tangible for the long-suffering fans – and especially for the indefatigable Requisitioners themselves.
But as an amusing aside, [well I thought so anyway], I read an article in the DR today which immediately forced me to consider our old friend Super Ally alongside the Maestro Messi !
But it had nothing to do with footballing abilities…
“…Three years ago as part of his witness statement Messi said:
“I trust my dad, who is in charge of my things, and who tells me what I do.
“I have signed things, but I never look at the contracts. I don’t know what I sign.”
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/lionel-messi-met-angry-hecklers-8100721#QIrWpKRCpIF3v3oM.99
===============================
Apologies in advance, but couldn’t let this go !
The Sky News website has this eye-catching headline re: Messi’s tax case;
“Messi Tells Tax Fraud Trial He Knew Nothing”
Well, obviously…he’s from Barcelona !!!
[The old ones are the best, IMO.]
Now we know that the SFA have appointed Sheriff Principal Edward Bowen to chair the independent commission into the events following the Scottish Cup final.That is the commission will look into events following the END of the game.
Has Glasgow-based lawyer Tony McGlennan the new compliance officer.who replace Vincent Lunny still got a job to do assessing the game and the fans behaviour during 120 minutes of play.for example flares and sectarian singing.Or has his report been kicked down the road?
The Concentration seems to be to get to the bottom of things after the match. While we still await answers from the compliance officer of events that happend during the match.
Was there not a fast track system put in place by the SFA to get answers straight away about a compliance officers report on a game
CLUSTER ONEJUNE 2, 2016 at 17:57
C1, It’s a flaw in the system that I don’t imagine they wish to see rectified.
SFA responsible for site security
Site security seen to be inadequate
SFA sets remit terms for independent commission to investigate site security.
They like setting the remit terms of their independent commissions…It looks good eh
easyJamboJune 2, 2016 at 14:20
‘..John Clark June 2, 2016 at 13:07..
——–
I’ve sent you an email, eJ
The Unasked Question
Why would a UEFA official engage in corrupt behaviour to rubber stamp an SFA recommendation to approve the participation of RFC in the 2011-2012 CL competition?
Answer?
The same answer you get to this question
Why would any UEFA official engage in corrupt behaviour?
Which begs another question?
Is the SFA / RFC corruption in 2011 simply the tip of the iceberg as far as UEFA are concerned?
Or put another way
Is it a well-known fact at the SFA that UEFA approval can be bought if you know the right people?
If So
Any failure by UEFA to respond to the Res12 issue strongly suggests that the corrupt official involved in the RFC scandal is still employed by UEFA
And
Any Scottish MSM organisation that can be accused of looking the other way on the Res12 issue will be exposed as fellow travellers to corruption at the SFA and UEFA
And this exposure will almost certainly be done by real Journalists from outside Scotland
@JC – email response sent.
Off Topic: I see that SDM has finally obtained planning consent for a green belt development to the west of Edinburgh (the Garden District). The development is on land he has owned for a number of years between the Gyle and RBS’ Gogarburn site.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-36436284
He should never have been left in a position to “own” this development given the indebtedness of his other business interests.
Charlie_KellyJune 2, 2016 at 11:08
“I often wonder if the people in North Korea sit around laughing at people in other countries blissfully unaware of their own situation or do they know they are being lied to?”
————————————
I don’t presently have much knowledge about the post WWII history of North Korea but have recently touched upon another aspect of the Indochina conflicts engaged in by the US in a similar period. Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos suffered monumental assault by US forces in an attempt to stem communist leanings in that region. If, as seems plausible, Korea suffered a similar fate then you might forgive the insularity and paranoia of the North of the country given such an experience.
We in the ‘free’ West have no such excuses. However the possibility that we are routinely duped about all manner of concerns must be real and present.
To stretch your humorous analogy, how humiliating must it be to be viewed by North Koreans as sooper dupees. You’d have to laugh if you didn’t cry.
AULDHEIDJUNE 2, 2016 at 11:04 56 3 Rate This
A bit of clarification on Mr Regan’s statement with regard to requisitioners being happy that the licence was granted properly at 31 March.The Resolution when written in 2013 mentioned the granting as well as administration and implementation of UEFA rules.However in following up it quickly became evident from the rules regarding tax that whilst a liability existed at 31st March no demand to pay did. That did not turn up until 20 May.So there was no point pursuing whether the tax was overdue as UEFA define it at 31st March. There was no happiness involved. The concerns were around the 20 May bill that became an overdue payable as UEFA define it by mid June and it is around the process at that time Res12 concentrated.However should the circumstances regarding the granting be fully investigated (but I doubt they will) then the skullduggery eyebrow might reach Roger Moore proportions.
=========================================================
http://www.centrostudisport.it/PDF/TAS_CAS_ULTIMO/136.pdf
My understanding of the Malaga case is that the issuance (or lack) of a demand for payment is not relevant to whether of not a tax liability is deemed “overdue payable”.
The key element is when the tax should have been paid originally.
UEFA took the view that Malaga’s liability became “overdue” from the date the Spanish tax authority applied interest to the debt. Despite the fact that, under Spanish law, the tax debt could not be enforced until Malaga’s application for deferment had been processed, the CAS agreed that only a written agreement for deferment from the tax authority could prevent the liability being classified as “overdue payable” under the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations. There was no written agreement, therefore the debt was overdue.
In the WTC the unpaid tax should have been lodged between 1999 and 2003. HMRC applied interest (and added penalties) from the relevant dates when the tax should have been paid for each DOS payment. This meant that HMRC considered the tax liability to be overdue for between 8 and 12 years.
The leeway that HMRC provided Rangers in late 2010 and early 2011 (in terms of being slow to make a formal demand for payment) does not affect, in my view, the status of the tax liability as “overdue payable” for many years under the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations.
easyJamboJune 2, 2016 at 23:14
“@JC – email response sent.”
———————————–
What time is kick-off?
The Unasked Question
Why would a UEFA official engage in corrupt behaviour to rubber stamp an SFA recommendation to approve the participation of RFC in the 2011-2012 CL competition?
Answer?
The same answer you get to this question
Why would any UEFA official engage in corrupt behaviour?
Which begs another question
Is the SFA / RFC corruption in 2011 simply the tip of the iceberg as far as UEFA are concerned?
Or put another way
Is it a well known fact at the SFA that UEFA approval can be bought if you know the right people?
If So
Any failure by UEFA to respond to the Res12 issue strongly suggests that the corrupt official involved in the RFC scandal is still employed by UEFA
And
Any UK MSM organisation that can be accused of looking the other way on the Res12 issue will be exposed as fellow travellers to corruption at the SFA and UEFA
Sevco 5088 in court tomorrow v Green & others
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cj-o-pkXEAE6YtR.jpg
Should have added that’s the Chancery, London
CORRUPT OFFICIALJUNE 3, 2016 at 00:01
Sevco 5088 in court tomorrow v Green & othershttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cj-o-pkXEAE6YtR.jpg
————————————————————–
With New Order as the supporting act I see.
Should be a good gig.
Castofthousands June 2, 2016 at 23:42
easyJambo June 2, 2016 at 23:14
“@JC – email response sent.
——————-
What time is kick-off?
====================
It is normally 10am.
JC is on his way, but the M8 is closed at Baillieston (eastbound and partially westbound) this morning with an overturned lorry so traffic will be delayed. This may also affect Counsels getting through on time
The one thing I can’t head out of my head regarding the Rangers European licence in 2011 is what the media perception of Craig Whyte was at the time. He was allegedly a billionaire, he had been approved by the long standing media hero Sir David Murray, he was going to sort out the tax problems, and he was going to front load a warchest of £25M for Ally. The SFA had approved him as fit and proper, and the fans had fully bought into the hype.
Against this background it is almost unthinkable that Rangers would NOT have been awarded a licence. The media and supporter outrage would have been off-scale had it not been awarded.
KICKER CONSPIRACYJUNE 3, 2016 at 01:07
CORRUPT OFFICIALJUNE 3, 2016 at 00:01
Sevco 5088 in court tomorrow v Green & othershttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cj-o-pkXEAE6YtR.jpg
————————————————————–
With New Order as the supporting act I see.Should be a good gig
=======================================
It’s actually the tribute band Bloo Order that will take to the stage, but I heard The Fhun Lovin’ Criminals are jetting in for guest appearance if they can wrap up the Edinburgh gig in time.
An outrage that would have been avoided (both by RFC fans and by opposing supporters when the fan went chocolate) if Whyte had done what he supposedly said he would (and on that we only have SDM’s word so good luck with that) and paid the WTC liability off.
Whyte had no intention of so doing, he wasn’t even paying VAT at the time. He seemed to be the only one doing what he planned (statements from behind the front door notwithstanding).
So one would be forgiven for expecting to see lengthy Email chains from the SFA to Whyte’s Rangers along the lines of “What the f… are you playing at?” But no. Its was all chummy nonsense about how both could circumvent rules with no real problems FOR EITHER PARTY.
James Doleman @jamesdolemanCharges dropped against a number of defendants at the Rangers Fraud case. More to follow
James Doleman @jamesdolemanAfter a short beak HMA v Craig Whyte resumes at Glasgow’s High Court
James Doleman @jamesdolemanLatest from High Court. Craig Whyte is now the only accussed on the indictment.
An apology from me regarding getting someone’s name wrong.
The gentleman I spoke to the other day at UEFA was Gian Carlo Dapoto and not Juan Carlo Depoto.
Sorry if anyone tried to contact the wrong person because of my failure to get it correct the first time
I see the a representative of our football association must have met Senor Dapoto at the beginning of March in Gibraltar. –
http://www.gibraltarfa.com/media-enquiries/news/04-03-2016/gibraltar-fa-host-uefa-club-licensing-workshop
Of course maybe they didn’t actually make it for the workshop. They have, of course, an history of missing March deadlines.
Interesting to note that the hosts for this workshop were the GFA.
The 10 year review of club licensing by UEFA –
http://www.uefa.org/MultimediaFiles/Download/uefaorg/FinancialFairPlay/02/32/60/65/2326065_DOWNLOAD.pdf
– is quite interesting but lengthy.
For instance, in the Financial paragraph in the Criteria section it states
“The criteria should improve standards and the quality of financial management and planning, which should in turn increase transparency and credibility, protect creditors and provide a basis for fair competition.”
The SFA kinda failed miserably on that one then.
or How about this in relation to the lack of response when we contact UEFA-
“Since the implementation of the financial fair play requirements, significant results have been achieved. Overdue payables decreased by 91% and aggregate losses have been cut by two thirds, thus reversing a previously negative trend. More importantly, signals have been sent (via the imposing of strong sanctions) that UEFA is serious about its enforcement. Therefore, the set objectives are being met.”
Serious? Really?
James Doleman @jamesdoleman · 9m9 minutes ago
Case of HMA v Craig Whyte adjourns until 29 July
Using the attached diagram it would appear that Mr Regan is reluctant to discuss anything past step 5.
Come on Stewart explain step 8 to us.
Looking at the pictures supplied through James Doleman’s tweets it would appear, by their presence, that the police have learned lessons from the SC final.
“Craig Whyte leaves court as onlooker shouts “you’re a dead man.””
Surely that is not allowed, I mean it’s the terrible sin of “goading” that TRFC were so up in arms over.
Mystery “billionaire” buyer of Carlyle.
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/-Carlisle-Uniteds-mystery-billionaire-investor-saga-reaches-300th-day–947cbd42-ddda-4307-938e-2b47586a9e82-ds