The last 12 months has seen a lot of water pass under the bridge. For a newcomer it is very hard to see past what the MSM are currently printing – I hope this article will go someway to rectifying that, and allow those who didn’t follow this story from the start to get a basic understanding of the views that have been formed on Rangerstaxcase.com and on TSFM. Further, I hope it refreshes the memories of those of us who have followed the saga since the early days and focuses our attention on asking key questions that remain unasked or unanswered.
I have provided links where possible throughout the time line. I have also highlighted in red where the story seems to end, a question remains unasked, or no answer has been forthcoming. I may also have missed some critical points – feel free to mention these and we can add as we go.
The Rangers Saga as it happened…
June 2001: Christian Nerlinger joins Rangers. Little be known to the rest of Scottish football he will be the first player paid by an EBT (an Employee Benefit Trust) which will later be declared illegal (as administered by Rangers) by HMRC.
Summer 2004: Jean Alain Boumsong rejects English Premier League sides to sign for Rangers on a free transfer. Six months later he is sold (January of 2005) to Newcastle in an 8million deal . This deal is later investigated by the City of London police who raided Newcastle and Rangers in June 2007.
A later report from Lord Steven remarked:
“There remains inconsistencies in evidence provided by Graeme Souness – a former manager of the club – and Freddy Shepherd – apparently acting in an undefined role but not as a club official – as to their respective roles in transfer negotiations.”
April 2010: HMRC hit Rangers with a tax bill of 24m before penalties for non payment of taxes on monies remitted to players and staff via the EBT scheme.
27th March 2011: A new blog appears on wordpress named ‘Rangerstaxcase.com’. Little did we know the impact it will have on Scottish Football.
6th of May 2011: Craig Whyte buys Rangers FC PLC for 1gbp from David Murray, with his holding company Wavetower taking over 85% of the Football club.
Mid-May 2011: Craig Whyte renames Wavetower to the ‘Rangers Football Group Ltd’, the holding company for Rangers FC PLC. He immediately claims he has cleared the Rangers debt to Lloyds Bank and is ready to invest in the team. He quickly removes Alastair Johnston and Paul Murray from the Board and suspends Martin Bain and Donald McIntyre.
5th June 2011: RTC uncovers a MG05 document filed at Companies House showing that Rangers have assigned 4 years of season ticket sales to another company. This is later denied by Craig Whyte, but later on turns out to be the mechanism by which Whyte funded the takeover.
19th June 2011: Craig Whyte is asked about the RTC blog, remarking:
“I’m aware of a website that has dedicated itself to talking about our tax case, I’ve looked at it. What they’re saying is 99 per cent crap”
August 2011: Rangers are knocked out of Europe by Maribor. A seemingly irrelevant event, but one that leaves a £15m hole in Craig Whytes budget. One that he meets by not paying the tax man. RTC questions in October where this money was coming from…
10th September 2011: Court papers from Martin Bain, related to his employment case against Rangers explode across the internet (papers in full here). Within them there is a plea from Bain’s lawyers to freeze the claimed compensation as they feel there is a question mark over the clubs solvency. Further it exposes the assignment of ticket sales to a 3rd party and shows that the debt owed to Lloyds Bank has not been discharged completely. RTC analysis’ of these ‘Bain papers’ is concluded with the following:
While Rangers’ supporters might not be in any mood to thank anyone for helping shed light on this situation, it is good for their club (if not its current and previous owners) that this information is in the public domain. It is especially good for our national game as a whole that we discuss the problems of the last decade openly. Rangers supporters need to ask themselves why they have meekly stood by while the future of their club has been imperiled and whether their “friends” in the media have done them an injustice by becoming complicit in the cover-up of this story.
Unfortunately, despite the information being exposed to all, the Rangers fans failed to listen…
October 2011: In the first mainstream feature on the case, the BBC air a documentary proving that Craig Whyte had been banned from holding a director position in UK companies for 7 years for ‘putting assets out of the reach of creditors’. BBC are banned from Ibrox and Whyte claims he will sue the BBC for presenting false evidence – but later admits that he was disqualified. Rather amusingly he admits this the same day he reveals Rangers have reduced their debt to 14m…. (they hadn’t)
The SFA stay silent on the matter and the writ received by the BBC in February 2012 has since vanished.
30th November 2011: Rangers PLC release un-audited accounts for the year 2010/2011 revealing profits of 2 million pounds and NET Assets of 76m. The accounts are NOT signed by an auditor leading to rumors all is not well in Ibrox.
January 2012: RTC explains in detail Succulent Lamb Journalism… the phrase becomes a defining point of the story, along with ‘internet bampots’, coined by Hugh Keevins.
18th January 2012: The ‘Big tax case’ concludes. We still await the findings…
13th February: Rangers file papers at the Court of Session giving notice of their intention to enter administration within 7 days…
14th February: HMRC petition the CoS to allow them to appoint administrators. After a short hearing, HMRC withdraw the motion and Rangers PLC promptly appoints the now infamous Duff & Phelps as administrators. On Valentines eve, Craig Whyte stands on the steps of Ibrox and announces to the angry mob the unthinkable… Rangers FC PLC is now in administration.
That evening it is confirmed that HMRC had pushed for administration over £9 million in unpaid VAT, PAYE and NI since the Whyte takeover. This later rises to 18m.
99% what Craig?
15th February 2012: The SPL immediately deduct Rangers (IA) 10 points for entering administration, as per league rules. Possibly the last time they follow their own rules throughout this saga.
Bizarrely, Rangers (IA) push ahead with the proposed signing of Daniel Cousin on wages of 7500GBP/week. The SFA make no comment, despite this being against the rules for a club in administration.
David Murray, in typical fashion, professes surprise at events which RTC warned about 12 months earlier while Murray was still in charge. Murray also says:
“Firstly, there has been no decision, and there is no present indication as to the timing of a decision, from the first-tier tax tribunal concerning the potential claim from HMRC of £36.5m excluding interest and penalties.
“Secondly, legal opinion on the strength of the club’s case remains favorable.”
21st February: Daily Mail confirm what RTC told us last year, by confirming that Ticketus bought 100,000 season tickets at Ibrox over the next 4 years. It was this money that Whyte used to buy the club. Rangers fans are up in arms. Even though they ignored the warnings a year earlier.
The SFA announce that Lord Nimmo Smith will chair an inquiry into the circumstances leading to administration.
25th February 2012: The Sun on Sunday launches by printing what they claim is a ‘side letter’ given to Rangers players. A financial expert tells them:
“Number one, you are going to get £122,000 and number two you get £1,200 for a first-team game.
“It equates to salary as far as I am concerned. I would say this sort of letter will be a central thread in the big tax case.
RTC will later confirm they are correct.
27th February 2012: The SFA confirm they will start an investigation into these ‘side letters’
3rd March 2012: D&P admit Rangers have no chance of making Europe next season, as they admit audited accounts by the 31st of March would be almost impossible.
However, in a baffling move, one month later D&P reveal they are ‘appealing’ the decision to ban Rangers from Europe. UEFA respond by saying
“Licence applicants must demonstrate that as at March 31, 2012, they have no payables overdue towards their employees or social/tax authorities as a result of contractual/legal obligations to their employees that arose prior to December 31, 2011.”
8th March 2012: Lord Nimmo Smith forwards his report to the SFA Judicial Panel. The report contains prima facie evidence that Craig Whyte was not a ‘fit and proper person’. A hearing is set for the 29th of March. This is later postponed at the request of Whyte. The full Nimmo Smith report has still not been released by the SFA.
9th March 2012: With no redundancies in sight, Rangers players agree to pay cuts, ranging from 75 – 25%. It is later revealed that these are not ‘pay cuts’, but pay deferments which must be repaid in the summer, otherwise Rangers will be in breach of contract. No info is forthcoming in the summer on whether this was paid or not.
5th April 2012: D&P reveal in their first creditors report that Rangers debts could top 134m, with HMRC claiming 93m of the total.
The report also details debts to football creditors of around 2.3m. It also details debts of hundreds of creditors, such as that for Susie Thomson – a face-painter from Glasgow owed 40quid. These were the real human losers in this story.
Interestingly, assets are valued at 116m, as per the 2011 accounts.
23rd April 2012: The SFA’s independent panel finds Rangers (IA) guilty of 5 different breaches of SFA rules relating to disrupte charges and are handed a 160,000GBP fine, the maximum available and a 12 month transfer embargo. The judicial panel state that the offenses committed by Rangers were only one step “lower than match fixing”, and reveal that they considered the punishment of suspension of license or expulsion from the SFA. They determine a fine would not be enough given the seriousness of the charges and thus impose a transfer embargo.
In the judgement, the panel make reference to evidence given by the Rangers Financial Controller who said invoices to Ticketus were such that they ” appeared as though Clip Art computer processes had been involved in their creation.” The FC tells the panel he had never seen them.
24th April 2012: The uproar from Ibrox is loud, with the Bears taking their anger out on the SFA. McCoist makes a rallying call, demanding to know “who these people are”. He makes an ‘apology’ the next day for putting their lives in danger, but stops short of apologising for forcing names to be released, despite his club previously voting in a motion to keep names confidential.
As a result, a poor director at Raith Rovers takes his family into protective police custody, and Raith are forced to hire round the clock security after arson threats to their ground. Finally, in August 2012, McCoist is charged by the SFA for his remarks. He has decided to challenge the charge and the case is ongoing.
Rangers blame the SFA for not stopping Whyte earlier, despite warnings before he took over from RTC.
“Why did the SFA not investigate when they said they had suspicions before Christmas rather than wait until the club went into administration?
9th May 2012: American tycoon Bill Miller walks away from a proposed offer for Rangers (IA) after being subjected to threats from the Ibrox crowd and discovering a “30 million black hole” in the Rangers accounts.
11th May 2012: Rangers reveal they will appeal the transfer embargo and fine imposed. The SFA inexplicably name the 3 man panel that will oversee the decision, going against SFA rules agreed by ALL clubs, including Rangers (IA).
13th May 2012: Reports suggest Charles Green, backed by a global consortium (still unknown!) has bought shares from Craig Whyte for 2quid. He is given an exclusivity period to propose a CVA worth 8.5m.
17th May 2012: SFA uphold the transfer embargo against Rangers (IA) . The SFA state that it was “proportionate to the breach, dissuasive to others and effective in the context of serious misconduct, bringing the game into disrepute.”
The Rangers Fighting Fund along with D&P announces they are paying a lawyer to challenge the SFA in the Court of Session. SFA say nothing.
22nd May 2012: It is now May, 3 months since the SFA/SPL announced an investigation into side letters and unauthorized payments to players from Rangers FC. RTC once again provides evidence of a ‘prima facie’ case by revealing details of Christian Nerlinger’s EBT letters.
23rd May 2012: BBC air a damning documentary revealing details of EBT payments and side letters to Rangers players since 2001. They also uncover emails showing that D&P’s David Grier seemed to have prior knowledge of the Ticketus deal. D&P and Craig Whyte threaten legal action, but none is forthcoming. The BBC also hint at payments made to managers not employed by Rangers at the time, including Graeme Souness.
29th of May 2012: D&P reveal their ‘CVA’ proposal. One that was doomed to fail, offering creditors little or nothing. It also revealed if it was rejected then the ‘assets’ would automatically be sold to Charles Green and Sevco 5088 for just 5.5m (the ‘new’ value of the assets. No evidence has yet been presented on how these ‘assets’ were valued.)
On the same day (seeing the pattern of bad news being overshadowed by good news yet?) Rangers ‘win’ at the Court of Session, with the court ruling that the SFA had no powers to give a transfer ban. They decide to refer the decision back to the SFA judicial panel to decide on a new punishment.
Lawyer Gregory Ioannidis remarks:
“If the Scottish Football Association decides to not take action against Rangers, in relation to Rangers submitting the application to the Court of Session, then Fifa can actually penalise the SFA, and the individual club, and the national team of Scotland, and impose an international ban on all of them.”
No action is ever taken by the SFA or FIFA.
12th June 2012: HMRC release a statement saying that they will reject the CVA. Given that they have over 25% of the debt, it makes the creditors meeting scheduled for the 14th irrelevant.
“A CVA would restrict the scope of such action. Moreover, the liquidation route does not prejudice the proposed sale of the club. This sale can take place either through a CVA or a liquidation, so the sale is not being undermined, it simply takes a different route.
“Liquidation will enable a sale of the football assets to be made to a new company, thereby ensuring that football will continue at Ibrox. It also means that the new company will be free from claims or litigation in a way which would not be achievable with a CVA.
“Rangers can make a fresh start.”
14th June 2012: The CVA is formally rejected. D&P immediately sell the assets to Sevco 5088 Ltd and Rangers FC PLC (IA) cease to operate as a football club. The assets are later assigned to Sevco Scotland Ltd. SPL rules state that a club that ceases to function as a football club should immediately relinquish its share and membership. This does not happen.
15th June 2012: Ian Hart denies being part of the Green consortium buying the Rangers assets. Green had earlier named him when pushed to name his backers
So starts the misinformation campaign from Sevco.
17th June 2012: Rangers FC are excluded from the fixture list for the forthcoming SPL season, replaced instead by ‘Club 12’. It is widely reported, that if Sevco Scotland are refused a place in the SPL, then Club 12 will be Dundee. The SPL give no reasons why.
17th – 27th June 2012: Walter Smith, Allan Stewart and Stephen McKenna, and then John Brown all turn up in the papers making ‘bids’ for the assets which Green has already bought.
22nd June 2012 – Lord Hodge seeks report from D & P re: a potential “conflict of interest”, after information given to him by the BBC.
25th June 2012: The BBC reveal that Sevco Scotland will not be granted admission to the SPL, after 6 clubs publicly declare their opposition, after season ticket sales fail to materialize as fans make their views known.
27th June 2012: John Brown stands on the steps of Ibrox and pleads with Rangers fans not to buy season tickets until Green reveals who are his backers and who owns Ibrox. This question remains unanswered. Brown is now silent.
4th July 2012: Despite weeks of pressure from the SFA, SPL and MSM, the SPL clubs reject the application from Sevco Scotland to join the SPL.
Stewart Regan warns of Armageddon for Scottish Football if Sevco are not admitted to SFL1 instead. We are still waiting.
5th July 2012: Stenhousemuir reveal details of a talk given to them by Neil Doncaster and Stewart Regan, where SFL clubs are threatened with bankruptcy if they don’t vote Sevco Scotland into Division 1. Figures presented are ridiculed by the internet bampots.
Clyde and Raith Rovers emerge as the cheerleaders for sporting integrity in the lower leagues, with both clubs openly speaking out against what they describe as “irresponsible”. Raith Chairman Turnbull Hutton suggests the SFL clubs send their mascots to vote on the proposal for Sevco to enter SFL1.
9th July 2012: the SFA refuse international clearance for players who decided to leave Rangers (IA) when the assets were sold, as were their rights under the TUPE laws. This decision has yet to be explained, and is contrary to legal advice.
Meanwhile, Sevco director Imran Ahmad, when asked what he felt was the exit price to sell Rangers/Sevco was, replied:
“On a bad day the club is worth £50m.”
Of course, they had just bought the club for just 5.5m, and still had no league place for the forthcoming season.
13th July 2012: Expiry of deadline for submission of report on D&P conflict of interest. News suggests that Lord Hodge is on holiday. No news has been heard since and the administration continues…
13th July 2012: Sevco Scotland are allowed to start life in the 3rd division, subject to gaining an SFA licence, after SFL clubs vote to reject the proposal to allow Sevco Scotland into the 1st division. There is no sign of Armageddon.
15th July 2012: FIFA write to the SFA asking for reasons why former Rangers IA players are having their registration transfer blocked. The players claim their free agents and have rejected the TUPE arrangements with Green’s new club. As of August Allan McGregor’s move to Turkey is still onhold as they wait on international clearance. We await an answer, as we suspect FIFA do to.
24th July 2012: Ian Black signs a 3 year deal with Sevco Scotland. It is unclear how he is registered or who he is contracted to.
9pm, 27th July 2012: Just 48 hours before the first scheduled match for Sevco Scotland the SFA grant an unheard of ‘conditional’ membership to Sevco Scotland. It is reported that Sevco Scotland have agreed to a 12 month transfer embargo, starting on the 1st of September 2012. They also agree to pay all football debts of Rangers (IA).
Sevco, playing in strips of Rangers (IA) defeat Brechin City in extra time to record their first ever victory. Ian Black plays as a trialist, despite signing a contract with Sevco Scotland earlier in the week. It is further unclear whether players are registered to Rangers IA or Sevco Scotland, and if the former, how?
31st July 2012: At an EGM of Rangers FC PLC (IA) the directors change the company name to Rangers 2012 (IA). At the same time Sevco Scotland pass a resolution to change their name to ‘The Rangers FC Ltd’. Companies house data shows that Charles Green owns more than 10% of The Rangers FC Ltd, despite his claims that no one person would own more than this. No one from the MSM thinks to ask this question.
3rd August 2012: The Rangers FC Ltd are granted full SFA membership, after having the membership of Rangers 2012 (IA) transferred to them. Under what rules this was possible is not clear.
ESPN follow SKY in agreeing a new deal with the SPL for TV rights. No sign of Armageddon yet.
15th August 2012: Dundee Utd in a short statement reveal that they have not been paid by Sevco/TRFC for the unpaid debt relating to last season’s Scottish Cup with Rangers (IA). Despite an agreement with the SFA to pay these debts, Charles Green blames the SPL for going back on a agreement made in May to pay this out of money owed to Rangers (IA). Dundee Utd, and other European clubs remain unpaid, as does the poor face painter from Glasgow.
It is unclear how the ‘conditional’ membership works if the ‘conditions’ have not been met.
STV further report that SPL clubs still do not know how much TV cash they are going to get from the new SPL SKY deal. The SPL make no comment.
17th August 2012: Lord Nimmo Smith is appointed to chair an independent commission into Rangers (IA) making undeclared payments to players from 2001 onwards. They are unlikely to sit before October.
22nd August 2012: ‘The Rangers’ announce they have signed a joint venture with Sports Direct for the merchandising rights. Companies House shows that the new company, ‘Rangers Retail’, is owned 100% by SportsDirect.com
23rd August 2012: There is still no word on who are the investors in Sevco Scotland. The SFA have not released any details to explain how Green passed the fit and proper person test. No details of proof that Sevco Scotland have the finances to last the season. The question of where are Ticketus is silent. Lord Hodge has still not returned his findings on a conflict of interest in the appointment of D&P. The FTT result is still awaited, just like BDO await the liquidation of Rangers 2012 PLC. Meanwhile, Stewart Regan resurfaces to announce details of league reorganization in time for next season, reducing Scotland to 3 leagues from 4.
Oh… and there is still no signs of Armageddon.
28th August 2012: Campbell Ogilvie finally breaks cover to talk about how league reconstruction was on the agenda long before Rangers ran into problems. He managed however to proclaim;
To be fair, nobody really saw the situation coming
Yes Campbell… just like you didn’t see the side letters.
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stevensanph says:
August 26, 2012 at 12:33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8bZbI4Efvw&feature=related
Charles Green
Excellent post. Really lays the corruption out. This post is one that the MSM should print out in their rags, as it cuts through the bluff and bluster of the whole issue. It’ll never happen, sadly.
long time lurker, 1st post. well done stephen, great layout, leaves you speechless, football as we know it sold down the river for filthy lucre. but never fear, the truth will out, we can’t let them win.
Tedspeak says:
August 26, 2012 at 12:18
The understanding I took from a couple of mentions on the RTC site is that the tax bill first winged its way into Ibrox in February 2008. I cannot recall who stated it on the blog but that date was never refuted and it was ran by someone who was in a position to do so.
If you accept that it would take time to establish the need for an FTT and the speed these things go at it is not inconceivable that Rangers had an inkling of a problem in writing from HMRC long before it became public knowledge.
What is certain is that in 2007 and 2008 Rangers spent £29.3 Million offset by sales of £19.5M for a net spend of £9.8M but much of that total spend could (and should) have been placed against the tax bill but they had no intention of paying that anyway as events have shown.
If BDO ever get going we might get at the whgole picture.
http://blogs.channel4.com/alex-thomsons-view/walter-smith-questions-rangers-legend/1947
Katie (@FinnK17) says:
August 26, 2012 at 13:15
==================================
CG – We intend to save Rangers’ history through a CVA.
That makes sense Charles, it would be the same business, which had agreed terms with it’s creditors, and you would now own it. Happens loads of times, and is accepted by everyone.
Thing is Charles, the CVA failed, as you knew it would. So why are you claiming to have the same history, to be the same club. It’s not true is it, and you know it.
Different business, different club. Rangers still exists, it’s in administration and is going to be liquidated. It’s not your business, or your club.
Stop lying Charles, it really is unseemly.
stevensanph says:
August 26, 2012 at 12:33
5 0 Rate This
Lord Wobbly
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added 10th Sep Bain papers – check I read it all right – I joined
RTC around that time I think so didn’t fully understand the
implications at the time. Thanks also to Tedspeak who posted the papers pdf – I uploaded myself so that you guys don’t have to go through the tons of adverts the other site sent you too!
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I think that’s it in a nutshell.
Maybe add a footnote that the Judge agreed regarding the ‘very real threat of insolvency’.
PS Just watched The Rangers hold a superior Berwick Rangers to an undeserved draw. The Rangers still haven’t won away from Ibrox.
The ‘honest mistakes’ saga continues not off topic very on topic totally outrageous decision!!
Brenda says:
August 26, 2012 at 14:10
Mr Green obviously bought the referees in the package too!!
Agrajag says 13:36
Spot on bur the lnk im on about is a one to one where CG goads Dave King and criticises him for tellng creditors to reject he CVA its a STV local news piece sated 8 June
It is hard to defend the game against charges of corruption when you see the goal Berwick had disallowed. Is this what the need for a strong Rangers leads to?
Lets settle for calling it incompetency but it is simply not good enough and changes to how referees are provided, monitored and whom they report to are required to make our game squeaky clean – This is from a CU article:
http://celticunderground.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=693:sfa-reform-one-down-three-to-go&catid=45:season-2010-2011&Itemid=80
The Referee Service
This would be split with the SFA doing the recruitment, training and match appointments (having taken the nature of the game to be officiated into account). However the monitoring and evaluation would be the province of the customer, using referees or ex refs from anywhere to mark to a standard set by the customer.
This spilt of responsibilities would prevent any one person being in a position to exert his own influence on referees as a result of being part of the appointment and evaluation process. It would safeguard the SFA from the kind of suspicion that led to the referees’ strike and lead to a higher standard of referee because the customer would be setting the standard not the supplier (as happens everywhere in business but football)
If it did not improve quality, it would free the SPL/SL to hire their own referees from wherever they could get them. A bit of competition never did anybody any harm and that includes our referees who, if they reached higher standards, would be in more demand outside Scotland.
guys… as funny as sevco drawing is, and as obvious as a dodgy refereeing decision going Sevco’s way is, lets not talk about this here – there is plenty in the timeline above to discuss and dissect!
Lets ask this question though? If this ‘form’ keeps up there is a good chance TRFC will not win the league – what happens then? Does league reconstruction not happen? Or do they insist Rangers get promoted?
Brenda says:
August 26, 2012 at 14:10
The ‘honest mistakes’ saga continues not off topic very on topic totally outrageous decision!!
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I think it goes to the core issue, the belief of the SFA that our game needs a strong Rangers. That idea needs to be exposed to rational thinking. We need an honest Rangers, not a strong Rangers. One that can handle not being strong, one that does not see domination of the game as its raison d’etre. (Something I read in the CG Presentation).
Mind you the reality that Rangers are no longer strong is becoming clearer to see with every game.
At this rate, Stewart Regan may have to facilitate an agreement that Whitstheirname play all their games at Ibrox in order to increase the quantum generated for Scottish football.
stevensanph says:
August 26, 2012 at 14:18
guys… as funny as sevco drawing is, and as obvious as a dodgy refereeing decision going Sevco’s way is, lets not talk about this here – there is plenty in the timeline above to discuss and dissect!
Lets ask this question though? If this ‘form’ keeps up there is a good chance TRFC will not win the league – what happens then? Does league reconstruction not happen? Or do they insist Rangers get promoted?
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Ah, but they are in a play-off position so that’ll be alright.
The thing for me, though, is their complete failure to win ‘on the road’ in the regulation 90 minutes. It took 120 to beat Brechin and Peterhead and Berwick have both held them to draws. The fans are going to start getting a tad miffed soon.
stevensanph says:
August 26, 2012 at 14:18
I gave some thought to making my post before making it but I think it a mistake to avoid looking at how the refereeing can be improved just because of beliefs or suspicions behind why they make the mistakes that they do.
If the SFA are keen to see Rangers back in the top tier as soon as possible and the SFA appoint referees, then why not change how referees are provided and judged to take the SFA out of the “influencing” loop whilst improving refereeing?
Or do referees buy into the same commercial need as the SFA as individuals and is that something the game just has to live with?
Now maybe that is a diversion from the excellent timeline and issues it raises, but the issue is not why referees make questionable decisions but what can be done to improve their standard as well as stopping their motives being questionned.
Happy for that to be parked but lets not lose sight of the core belief that Scottish football needs a strong Rangers that creates all the red bits in your time line.
Folks, I have opened a Facebook page for the purposes of putting Steven’s timeline together. It is a work in progress and I expect additions, revisions and so on.
I hope that it will act as a quick reference for those who come to the blog not up to speed on RTC developments.
Additions or suggestions for inclusion on the timeline are welcome.
http://www.facebook.com/TheSFMonitor#!/TheSFMonitor
one of my former colleagues has posted a twitter type screenshot alleging that CG is going to charge £14 for a program, but only £1 for a ticket…and in that way, almost the all money will go to ‘The Rangers’, and only the SFA cut of the £1 tickets will be paid out away from the blue coffers.
From my calendar.
16th February 2012 Strathclyde Police Enquiry established.
12th June 2012 Strathclyde Police Investigation announced.
‘We don’t do winning away’
Tweet of the day.As a medium Twitter certainly has its moments.Hats off to the creator!
Excellent post by STEVENSANPH.
I think it would be useful to have a factual timeline such as the one posted by STEVENSANPH as one of the main menu headings for TSFM.
It can be updated and refined over time like a Wiki article.
This would make it easy for newcomers (and those who have not visited the site for a few days!) to have a handy reference point.
Without a Wiki Timeline many of the key factual points and references are buried in the blogs and comments of TSFM… and previously RTC.
It is also something to which the MSM and others can refer for factual information.
I also think it would be useful for newcomers to have a reference for commonly used abbreviations and phrases. After first encountering RTC it took me a few days to work out what MSM and “succulent lamb” referred to!
iki says:
August 26, 2012 at 14:24
🙂
but on a serious note it shows what the SFA are opening themselves up to. It going to take a bit of time (and help by the looks of it) before a Rangers team of a standard in any way comparable to the one that has gone returns and a rethink of the Scottosh football business model is necessary.
I know it’s early days, but I just can’t stop myself enjoying the thought / wee fantasy that if Sevco keep performing at their current level, they might be lucky to finish mid-table in the Third. After all the bending over to try to parachute them straight back into the top level, wouldn’t sporting justice be simply the best kind of justice possible?
I don’t even have it in for Sevco, so much as all the jelly-spined administrators who have let everyone down so badly during this whole affair.
All respect to the other Third Division teams for refusing to accept their MSM-prescribed role as bit-part-players in the Sevco ‘journey’.
Auldheid says:
August 26, 2012 at 14:41
comment wasn’t aimed at you – I think you make a very valid point re: how can standards be improved. I do however think that is a question for another day, and too much talk of it here will see us descend into an anti rangers rabble. Discussion in the last few days has been fantastic, and that is where we need to keep things!
Geoff says:
August 26, 2012 at 14:42
one of my former colleagues has posted a twitter type screenshot alleging that CG is going to charge £14 for a program, but only £1 for a ticket…and in that way, almost the all money will go to ‘The Rangers’, and only the SFA cut of the £1 tickets will be paid out away from the blue coffers.
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I read that last week, Geoff. I believe the threat is to do that if they are drawn against any SPL teams in cup competitions in order to ‘stick it to bar stewards who stabbed us in the back’.
stevensanph says:
August 26, 2012 at 14:18
6 0 Rate This
guys… as funny as sevco drawing is, and as obvious as a dodgy refereeing decision going Sevco’s way is, lets not talk about this here – there is plenty in the timeline above to discuss and dissect!
————–
Good call Steven. Totally agree. It’s erupted on Pie & Bovril, which is the place for it. I’m listening to sportsound and the commentators are also questioning this decision big time, so fair do’s to them.
Something that is needed though is for all referees to state their club loyalties. It’s been up before here and it’s an issue worth persuing. It really is needed to help defuse some of Scotland’s highly-poisoned atmosphere of suspicion and distrust.
Does anyone actually know what arguments have been given for non-Div 3 refs being drafted in?
Subject for a future blog perhaps?
Scottc & Geoff
What is being suggested can’t be done
As timtim pointed out last week, both clubs have to agree the price of tickets for cup games
It sounds like another stupid idea from the lunatic fringe, or should that be majority
Auldheid says:
August 26, 2012 at 13:29
———————————–
Auldheid
The first HMRC enquiry letters landed on the Edmiston Drive doorstep in late 2003 / early 2004, looking into the payments disclosed in the 2001/02 accounts.
It is safe to assume that there then followed a lengthy correspondence back and forth between the Revenue and RFC’s advisers, who in turn would have been consulting with the EBT promoters.
By late 2007 when no headway was being made, a policy decision would have been implemented to raise assessments for the tax due. RFC would have been give due notice that that was going to happen.
So within 2 years of starting the EBT payments, RFC knew they were in for a rough ride and that there was a strong chance HMRC would successfully challenge their validity. Notwithstanding that, they went on using them for the next 4-5 years, as well as spending money like water, to get themselves 3 further leagues titles they otherwise could not have afforded. During this period they putting aside not one penny to cater for the (remote?) possibility that they might lose the tax case.
Of course the credit crunch then arrived around much the same time and suddenly Murray found himself bereft of friends of influence, at the banks, in government etc.
This will all come out when the FTT is finally able to report its findings but as previously discussed, for legal reasons that could be a few years away yet.
stevensanph says:
August 26, 2012 at 14:52
I know what you mean but it was a humdinger of a decision and was bound to be commented on.
Back on the timeline it certainly raises issues about the credibility of the laws, processes and those in authority, football, civil and political charged with conducting them.
When will BDO move in for example, why the delay?
Danish Pastry @ 14:53
This is one of the most infuriating aspects of this whole fiasco
They are not treated as a 3rd Division side, and the SFL have decreed that there will also be a fourth official in attendance at Sevco games
The authorities, and the MSM continue to see them and treat them as an SPL side
Level playing field, don’t make me laugh
A lot of discussion about what monies are available to newco and who the backers are at the moment, but is it possible that some of the monies from last season under Craigy Whytes reign has been hidden away, and has been (Will be) syphoned off to fund the pheonix club.
campsiejoe says:
August 26, 2012 at 14:58
Scottc & Geoff
What is being suggested can’t be done
As timtim pointed out last week, both clubs have to agree the price of tickets for cup games
It sounds like another stupid idea from the lunatic fringe, or should that be majority
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’m glad to hear that campsiejoe. The way I read it was that they would sell programmes for £14 with a free ‘token’ that would give you entry for £1, so they could maybe still argue that the tickets were £15 but that certain fans took advantage of a special offer. One to watch, I fear
slimshady61 says:
August 26, 2012 at 15:01
Many thanks for providing that info. Maybe it can be reflected in the timeline?
I knew the tax bill just did not appear suddenly and it would have a genesis, but I was really surprised to see the reference on RTC somewhere of the core bill of £24M as we recognise it arriving in early 2008, when I compared the sums spent on players by Smith in August 2008 (and 2007).
I am expecting a similar result as you predict but think the strategy is similar to the joker who was condemned to death for failing to make the king laugh. He persuaded the king to let him live if the joker taught his favourite horse to talk within a year.
The king agreed but the joker’s friend pulled him aside and told him he was a fool as he would never ever teach the horse to talk never mind in a year.
“I know” said the joker “but in a year the king might die, the horse might die or I might die”
I think they are all waiting for divine providence to intervene.
Palacio67 says:
August 26, 2012 at 15:07
===========================
Fraud and money laundering you mean.
Anything is possible, but I would suggest being careful when suggesting things like that.
I have just watched Berwick Rangers vs Green’s Rangers. Well done Berwick ! They were robbed of victory by poor refereeing, how unusual for such a thing to happen in a game involving the ‘famous’ Glasgow side.
Anyway what will happen if the bears can’t hack it in SFL3 and don’t make the play offs never mind win promotion?
And where is the money coming from to keep them afloat? They cannot be making the monies from season tickets, tv rights and replica jerseys to pay for this team they have accumulated over the past month or so (even if these players are to last them through two transfer windows). They are overheating their local economy again, i.e. SFL3 in the hope that they can buy their way to success again. It did not work before and seems not to be working this time either.
campsiejoe says:
August 26, 2012 at 15:04
0 0 Rate This
Danish Pastry @ 14:53
This is one of the most infuriating aspects of this whole fiasco.
They are not treated as a 3rd Division side, and the SFL have decreed that there will also be a fourth official …
—————-
Agreed, it reeks of special treatment and privilege.
PS
I remember a Saturday night programme on one of German channels you get over here where there was an aftermatch Q&A with refs. I thought I heard something similar was tried out in Scotland once? Anyway, I reckon it really would add something to our game with a ref’s press conference. A thought maybe worth including in any future blog about officiating.
stevensanph says:
August 26, 2012 at 12:33
6 0 i Rate This
chancer67 says:
August 26, 2012 at 09:21
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x635arDpkAc
12 minutes in.
Danish Pastry,Camsie and Auldheid,all excellent insight into the culture,and the fault-line in our game which so cradles the wrongly held belief that we need a strong ‘The Rangers’
No, we need a strong infrastructure that allows any participating team to compete in as fair an arena as is possible.
And in so doing,we can then say ‘May the best team win’
Agrajag says:
August 26, 2012 at 15:14
=========================
Arrajag, I did not mean monies coming from them means, I just believe there was a black hole in the finances during the MBBs reign that is unaccounted for, could it have been placed out of reach to be used at a later date when needed. Did’nt Dumb and Dumber lay claim to £25 million missing?
Apologies if this figure is wrong,
As recent results have shown, Sevco can’t be trusted ‘to romp’ through the leagues in 3 seasons.
The Sevco season ticket holders might genuinely prefer to gain promotion via their team’s own playing merits.
But, of course money talks.
CG and his backers – and fellow owner McCoist – need to get back to the top league ASAP to maximise their payoff.
And the SFA has ignored/bent/broken so many rules to date, what is to stop them breaking a few more ?
With league reconstruction, Sevco must be ‘invited’ to join the top league, [not the second tier league], as there is just too much risk that Sevco will not achieve promotion(s) quick enough for CG/McC/SFA/SPL etc.
And if Sevco are dropped into the top league, I think at that point most fans would instead prefer to be dragged around the shops on a Saturday afternoon by the wife. 🙂
Unless Sevco go bust meantime…
Danish Pastry @ 14:53
If they have nothing to hide, why shouldn’t they be interviewed
They tried a website, but I think Dallas allowed one season and then pulled it
Things over in RM planet seem to be bouncing currently – have been fed drivel by their main posters all week about how the Sports Direct deal will mean all the profits for a suppsedly JV (even though its not a JV) going to T’Rangers and will aloow them to have T;Rangers sold to the The Worldwide peepil with even a tour of Japan being muted – and how the SPL2 plans touted by SR is recognition that they are indeed the peepil and are needed for Scotland to survive…
Then came today…..
They are now all worried that if they don;t get promoted because of Ally’s long ball tactics and preoccupation with having Elbows and Black kicking and elbowing anything that moves their wage bill will not be able to sustained in SFL3 for 2 seasons…….Calls for Cardigan to come back and help Swally are starting……as are no way we are paying for this nonsense…..
I think its dawning on them that Swally is not going to lead them on the march through the leagues – only their arch enemy SFA/SPL can do that for them – and that is not sitting well.
Personally, I think Swally has done well already – if he had managed to coach a team past Maribor or Malmo, all of the last years events woudl not have happened and it would all be covered up waiting for an FTT verdict that would be swept under the rug……….
There are still very easy questions MSM can be asking regarding player registrations….
(1) For all the players from the current T’Rangers squad today – who has been registered with what clubs other than Rangers NIL with SFA and what date were these registrations completed?
(2) Edu’s transfer is from what team to Stoke – bearing in mind he has never played for T’Rangers – is he still registerd with Rangers NIL?
(3) Stoke are – same as Helsingborgs, Everton, Hull and Southamption – denying there is a fee involved. Why is MSM stating a fee of perhaps 500K is being asked for by T;Rangers?
(4) Does the transfer embargo cover any “returning” loan players like Goiran?
(5) How many players are currently registered with SFL and how does this tie in with SFL rules of no of players?
Any chance someone in MSM can ask questions on these lines other than “isn’t the crowd marvellous…” and my personal favourite “have you been punished enough” (copyright Chico).
Katie says ;@15:31
That’s the one thanks for digging it out, now how can the MSM in this country not have the guts to confront Charlie and ask him to explain, on another note if you google Charlie boy it seems there is very little on the guy for someone who claims to have done so much un business.
That seems to be a common trait in this saga ,just saying
There is only one reason CG and his Octopus/Ticketus pals need to get into the SPL – so they can double or triple the ST price and get out quicker. The share issue is not going to happen since no one in their right mind would underwrite it – and the shares will be non voting and explanations will have to be done on the old/new co along with published accounts – not going to happen.
Getting the Bears to buy STs at a low price (not low for SFL3 mind you) is using the X-Factor business model – get people hooked early on so they feel an emotional attachment to the contestant – here it is well you bought a ST for 268 and for 500, it is the 2nd part of the journey and we are in this together……..and Ra Peepil will be parting with their money until the Vultures have their carcass stripped……
Nothing will be put aside for youths, investments, stadium repairs, rainy days etc………….
Unfortunately our SFA/SPL execs not only made an emotional investment – they made a dishonest one – and that is the unforgiveable sin in my eyes………..
TSFM 14.42
Brill idea, Face book, This is the way to go, the more light this scandal is exposed to the quicker it will be resolved. There must be other open chat rooms, bloggs, social sites that would allow this info be posted on.
chancer67 says:
August 26, 2012 at 15:54
Katie says ;@15:31
That’s the one thanks for digging it out, now how can the MSM in this country not have the guts to confront Charlie and ask him to explain, on another note if you google Charlie boy it seems there is very little on the guy for someone who claims to have done so much un business.
That seems to be a common trait in this saga ,just saying
**********
More proof he is in league with CW maybe (just kidding :-)) – reference to the infamous answer to why did you say Whyte was a billionaire with off the radar wealth when he was not – answer – he has paid someone to delete his history off Google so no one can see it anymore (copyright Daryll King).
The Invisible Line says:
August 26, 2012 at 15:43
(5) How many players are currently registered with SFL and how does this tie in with SFL rules of no of players?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I tried to do a quick calculation during the week, before their recent signings and think that, at that time, they had 17 or 18 first team players over 21. I don’t know if any of their reserve players are over 21 but assume there will be a few (??) They are perilously close, if not over, the 22 permitted players of 21 years of age or more. They can have as many youngsters as they want, I believe. It’s worth keeping track of though
Scottc – hopefully someone at SFL is also aware of this – bearing in mind Swally has said he wants to sell Hutton (who was the first to TUPE over) and his trialists are all over 21 then it would seem Swally has not been informed of the SFL rules……….
Great effort STEVENSANPH,your timeline perfectly illustrates the extent the sfa an spl will go to avoid taking action.
Ad like to suggest another couple of entries to add to the saga
March 5 2012
doncaster says rangers could be expelled from the competition if the club has failed to disclose payments to players
Rangers could face spl expulsion
The spl instructed Harper Mcloud to conduct the investigation into the non disclosure of payments.
31 May
rangers eventually hand over previously requested documents to Harper Mcleod.
18 June
Spl staement confirming Harper Mcloud investigation has been completed an as a result
rangers WILL face disciplinary action before the season starts as a result of a prima facie case
Rangers to face diciplinary measures
The question is why the need for a new independent investigation when the spl had announced that rangers would face disciplinary charges?
So they establish guilt decide punishment is due then weeks go past and they announce a new investigation to establish guilt.
Am ah missing something.
Another question why was Harper Mclouds remit to investigate from 1998 but the new panel are to investigate from 2000 ?
slimshady61 says:
August 26, 2012 at 15:01 (Edit)
________________________________________
Slim, with your permission I will add your background info to the FB timeline. Let me know if that’s a problem.
Sorry to steal your job Stunney….but seem item 5 I was discussing above will need to be monitored closely…..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19384956
Rangers: Embarrassed Ally McCoist eyes signings after draw
Ally McCoist said he would go back into the transfer market after being left embarrassed by Rangers’ display in a draw with Berwick Rangers.
The Ibrox side were fortunate to escape with a 1-1 scoreline which leaves them fourth in Division Three.
“I am angry, I am disappointed, I’m embarrassed,” Rangers manager McCoist told BBC Scotland.
“We need to get bodies in and bodies in of quality, because that’s unacceptable.”
Regarding the difference in the referring for The Rangers games compared to the rest of SFL3 games, are the governing bodies covering their backsides in the event TRFC don’t achieve promotion?
Eliminates the opportunity for blaming the standard or lack of fourth officials should it all go mammaries up!
The Invisible Line @ 16:29
They will never learn
Same old spend, spend, spend, whenever there is the slightest sign of trouble
Maybe this is a bit of a naive idea, but why don’t the other clubs in Scottish football explore the possibility of forming a new set of clean leagues. I feel it will nearly have to come to this to restore the credibility of the game. The way the other clubs are accepting the downward spiral of the game would put lemmens to shame. In any event what could be done to any club that suggested the above idea – surely they would not fear SFA – the rules have been set aside!
stevensanph says:
August 26, 2012 at 14:18
————————————-
SFL divisions 3 and 2 (but not div 1 where promotion is into the SPL) have play offs — The winner goes up and the next 3 highest teams are in a play-off with the second bottom of the division above for a second promotion. So failing to win the division doesn’t mean you’ve scuppered your chances as long as you can get at least fourth position.
In fact (embarrassed to admit this) my own team PTFC won promotion from 2nd to 1st division a few years ago by coming 4th and then winning the play offs. I reckon the present TRFC would have a good chance of winning the play offs as these are a like kind of cup competition where their player would be up for it.
Their problem at the moment (seeing as Ally is a cr@p manager) is motivation players who think of themselves as big time (in Scottish terms) against 3rd division teams in 3rd division grounds week in week out. This would probably explain why they are winning comfortably at Ibrox (with a big crowd roaring them) on and doing badly away where they feel they are out in the sticks and the locals are shouting just as loudly as their own fans.
Good website here – gives all the players details(including their age and market value) and also their agents names 🙂
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/rangers-fc/kader/verein_124.html
The Invisible Line says:
August 26, 2012 at 16:29
…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19384956
Rangers: Embarrassed Ally McCoist eyes signings after draw…
==================================================
Has McCoist ‘successfully’ managed himself into a potential lose/lose position ?
Best case scenario: Sevco into the top league ASAP, share issue, and CG and backers suck out as much cash before they move on – leaving McCoist to face the bears.
Worst case scenario: Sevco struggle in SFL3, and McCoist leaves.
But how can he follow the well trodden path to a lower league in England to prove himself ?
He has full time, international class players at his disposal – against part-time SFL3 opposition.
He has the use of first class training facilities/stadium.
If he can’t prove himself in SFL3 with those resources at his disposal, then where can he go next ? [Is Question of Sport still on TV these days ?]
The Invisible Line says:
August 26, 2012 at 04:31
Sorry for that, just saw 6.4.4 in isolation in the original post and was unaware that it was D&P summarising the events after the sale to Green (which I would have thought had nothing to do with them as they’d already sold the assets to Sevco) and thought it was them setting out THEIR actions as administrators. I feel a bit like a Scottish sports journalist now 🙁 Thanks anyway for putting me right and my apologies to anyone who may have been misled as a result of my Jabba-like post.
scottc says:
August 26, 2012 at 15:09
2 0 Rate This
campsiejoe says:
August 26, 2012 at 14:58
Scottc & Geoff
What is being suggested can’t be done
As timtim pointed out last week, both clubs have to agree the price of tickets for cup games
It sounds like another stupid idea from the lunatic fringe, or should that be majority
______________________________
Respectfully, what we’re dealing with here is a lunatic CORE!
The Invisible Line says:
August 26, 2012 at 16:29
2 0 Rate This
Sorry to steal your job Stunney….but seem item 5 I was
discussing above will need to be monitored closely…..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19384956
Rangers: Embarrassed Ally McCoist eyes signings after draw
Ally McCoist said he would go back into the transfer market after being left embarrassed by Rangers’ display in a draw with
Berwick Rangers.
The Ibrox side were fortunate to escape with a 1-1 scoreline
which leaves them fourth in Division Three.
“I am angry, I am disappointed, I’m embarrassed,” Rangers
manager McCoist told BBC Scotland.
“We need to get bodies in and bodies in of quality, because that’s unacceptable.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Rangers are simply trying to maintain the illusion that it is the same club that failed to exit administration by attempting to buy success. The fact that they are apparently paying SPL wages, yet struggling against SFL3 opposition, must be a concern to all connected with The Rangers.
Allyjambo Taxpayer says:
August 26, 2012 at 17:02
The Invisible Line says:
August 26, 2012 at 04:31
Sorry for that, just saw 6.4.4 in isolation in the original post and was unaware that it was D&P summarising the events after the sale to Green (which I would have thought had nothing to do with them as they’d already sold the assets to Sevco) and thought it was them setting out THEIR actions as administrators. I feel a bit like a Scottish sports journalist now Thanks anyway for putting me right and my apologies to anyone who may have been misled as a result of my Jabba-like post.
**********
No worries mate – sums it up that we have to get the details of the 5 way agremeent from a report from D&P and not our own SFA/SPL execs…………..
campsiejoe says:
August 26, 2012 at 16:38
2 0 Rate This
The Invisible Line @ 16:29
They will never learn
Same old spend, spend, spend, whenever there is the slightest
sign of trouble
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I suspect Mr McCoist’s side will struggle away from home no matter how much The Rangers pay in order to coerce assorted journeymen to ply their trade in SFL3.
Palacio67 says:
August 26, 2012 at 15:38
Agrajag says:
August 26, 2012 at 15:14
=========================
Arrajag, I did not mean monies coming from them means, I just believe there was a black hole in the finances during the MBBs reign that is unaccounted for, could it have been placed out of reach to be used at a later date when needed. Did’nt Dumb and Dumber lay claim to £25 million missing?
Apologies if this figure is wrong,
======================
The £25m is a nonsense, based on what they feel the business would have been sold for had Collyer Bristow not done the deal and Craig Whyte gotten his hands on the shares. It was some specious argument involving what TBK would have paid if I remember correctly.
With regard money going into a black hole, or being unaccounted for during Craig Whyte’s reign. That would be a mixture of stealing from a PLC and / or a contrived insolvency. Failing to pay debts after having removed income from the business ,and not having accounted for it.
If it was place out of reach to be used later that would be transferring or otherwise concealing, to be used later. Or money laundering.
I think you are still talking fraud and money laundering here. Just because someone is the major shareholder in a PLC does not mean they can take it’s income, hide it away, fail to pay creditors, liquidate the business and then use the money for their own ends.
Is there really any point in asking refs to declare their allegiance to their boyhood clubs
Take our MSM for example ,
Jabba – Airdrie
Chic – St Mirren
Dougie Donnely – Clyde
The only MSM journo who I dont doubt is Mr Cosgrove who dug into his own pocket to sponsor my nephew at St Johnstone, oh and Jim Spence
Lets face it the refs would lie ,thats one thing they have a track record of .
Agrajag says: August 26. 2012. Adil Nasir just jailed for 10 years for doing what you have just described re company monies.
WARNING – this post is not necessarily anti-RFC! 🙂
I wouldn’t say it’s time to panic yet for TRFC. They’ve found themselves in an unknown situation in a league where they don’t know the players. We’ve seen in the past that they can’t cope with this – witness past European campaigns against “minnows”- but I’m sure they’ll find their feet in a few weeks.
Half their problem is psychological – they surely believe they just have to turn up to win (evidently with the help of officials, plus ca change etc) and aren’t taking the opposition and their “cup final” attitudes into account.
Not much of the transfer window to go – will be interesting to see what panic buying goes on in the next few days!
timtim says:
August 26, 2012 at 17:43
The only MSM journo who I dont doubt is Mr Cosgrove who dug into his own pocket to sponsor my nephew at St Johnstone, oh and Jim Spence.
——–
Can we add Richard Gordon to that list. An overt ovine. 🙂
Lord Wobbly says:
August 26, 2012 at 17:25
I suspect Mr McCoist’s side will struggle away from home no matter how much The Rangers pay in order to coerce assorted journeymen to ply their trade in SFL3.
=============
They have 5 days left in which to sign/steal all the best players from rival teams in SFL3, of course.
Some dates:
* 8 Apr 1986 – 16 Apr 1991: Graeme Souness as manager
* 23 Nov 1988 – DM purchase control of Rangers via Lawrence Marlborough (£22M valuation for £6M)
* 18 Jan 1989 – 26 Aug 2009: DM as company director
* 19 Apr 1991 – 31 May 1998: Walter Smith as manager (first go)
* Jan 1996 – ENIC 20.2% stake in Rangers (£18.9M)
* Feb 1997 – BoS stake (7%)
* 1 Jun 1998 – 12 Dec 2001: Dick Advocaat as manager
* 19 Nov 1998 – Jim Traynor: “He was about to take in another mouthful of the most succulent lamb – anyone who knows Murray shouldn’t be surprised to learn he is a full-blooded, unashamed red meat eater…”
* Jan 2000 – DM: “For every five pounds Celtic spend, we will spend ten”
* 23 Nov 2000 – Tore Andre Flo becomes the most expensive player signed by a Scottish club after completing his move from Chelsea to Rangers for £12M. The fee is twice the amount paid by Celtic for former Chelsea striker, Chris Sutton.
* 30 Mar 2000 – Rangers plan share issue (£53M)
* 4 May 2001 – Bos > HBoS
* 4 Jul 2001 – Murray Park opens (£14M)
* 13 Dec 2001 – 31 May 2006: Alex McLeish as manager
* Aug 2004 – ENIC sell 20.2% stake to MHL (£8.7M) – see Jan 1996 above
* 10 Feb 2006 – DM: “It is people’s entitlement. It does not sway me, nor does it put me off – I will still do my job to the very best. I can understand 300 people getting bloody annoyed if they felt there wasn’t a light at the end of the tunnel – but there is a massive moonbeam of success waiting for us.”
* 1 Jun 2006 – 4 Jan 2007: Paul Le Guen as manager
* 4 Jan 2007 – 10 Jan 2007: Ian Durrant as caretaker manager
* 10 Jan 2007 – 1 Jun 2011: Walter Smith as manager (second go)
* 4 Jul 2007 – DM knighted.
* Jan 2009 – HBoS > Lloyds
* 26 Aug 2009 – BoS takes control from DM
* 24 Oct 2009 – WSmith admits HBoS running Rangers since DM stepped down.
* 28 Apr 2010 – Rangers confirm HMRC investigation over payments to offshore accounts.
* 2 Jun 2011 – ??: Ally McCoist as manager (was he made redundant from oldco, did he TUPE over, or did he sign-up for a new contract with the new club? What’s the timeline?!)
It would be good to get a timeline on directors joining and leaving, as it would establish who might have known what at certain times.
I see Sally still thinks its the same club/company or whatever prior to administration. His quote from BBC page reads –
“That is arguably the worst performance I’ve seen in a long, long time from any Rangers team,” said McCoist.
How far are your memories going back Sally?
The Invisible Line says:
August 26, 2012 at 16:00
There is only one reason CG and his Octopus/Ticketus pals need to get into the SPL – so they can double or triple the ST price and get out quicker.
======================================
I think doubling or trebling the season ticket price is highly unlikely.
They took something like 30% off the price for dropping 3 divisions. To double or treble that price if and when they go back up would not work in my opinion.
The share issue is much more likely.
Interesting that Ra Gers may be in the SPL in a mere two years.
This of course presumes that they get promoted from Divvy 3!
Agrajag says:
August 26, 2012 at 17:34
I think you are still talking fraud and money laundering here. Just because someone is the major shareholder in a PLC does not mean they can take it’s income, hide it away, fail to pay creditors, liquidate the business and then use the money for their own ends.
===============================================
Me Personally would not put anything past Whyte, after his dealings last year, looks like it would surprise you, not me. I believe he is still in the background and still involved at some level.
Angus says:
August 26, 2012 at 17:49
Things have to start getting better for Sevco soon because one of the planks on which their assisted ascension will be based is that Scotttish football needs a strong Rangers.
Now that in itself is a myth in that they never achieved anything on merit for a long long time to merit being considered strong, but that old myth had the smoke screen of trophies and decent players to perpetuate it.
Sevco do not have that and stand bare/bear like the emperor in the noddy for all to see (and its not pretty). The longer it takes to put the old clothes around the old myth, the more difficult it is going to be to convince anyone, including Sky, that they deserve any consideration for special treatment under reconstruction.
If you look after the sport….@12.52
Thanks for the tip. I’m only a month behind? Not too bad.
Regarding the percentage owned by various persons within the newco;
Why would you invest £1M or £2M in a club only to see your percentage, and of course the value, diminished in a new share flotation.
It would be a strange businessman who invested money only to see the value of that investment drop in a relatively short space of time.
Unless of course the money from any share flotation goes to the initial investors and not ploughed back into the club. This would give them their initial stake back while at the same time remaining in control of the club and stiffing the fans yet again because the fans would never own a big enough percentage to make any real impact at board level.
Is there not a certain percentage of shares that you need to have to force through a share issue by creating new shares?
I think it is somewhere in the region of 70% but this would require a meeting of like minded individuals as not one person owns this level of overall percentage.
If I remember correctly this is what Minty did with Lewis(ENIC) when King came in with his cash. He made more shares available and diluted the value of the shares currently held whilst always ensuring that he remained above that percentage threshold to enable him to pull the same stunt again.