Guest Post by James Forrest
Those who like to read the techno-thrillers of Tom Clancy will remember well the scene in The Sum of all Fears, when the nuclear bomb explodes in Denver, outside the stadium where the Super Bowl is being played. Clancy handles the moment in two very distinct chapters. The second is a vivid and frightening examination of the explosion’s terrible effects as they are felt, firstly in Denver and then experienced around the world.
Before that, he devotes an entire chapter to the mechanics of the explosion itself. Chapters like this are either what attract readers to Clancy in the first place or turn them off entirely. It is technical, it is complex, and the layman who reads it and fully understands it is indeed a massive geek. Of all the times he has loaded the reader with technical detail, this is probably when he risked most in terms of keeping you interested in the story. Yet it works. The chapter is not long, but nor is it short. And the events in it span not seconds but fractions of a second
It was in that chapter I first learned the term “shake”, so named for the old aphorism “a shake of a lamb’s tail”. A “shake” is a term used in nuclear physics. It represents ten nanoseconds. To grasp fully the size of that, consider that there are a billion nanoseconds in a second. The chemical process involved in a nuclear detonation involves a number of “shakes”, with a chain reaction usually completed in 50.
Clancy’s decision to devote an entire chapter of the book to a few nanoseconds came back to me over and over again during the weeks and months of the Rangers crisis. It became clear to me that, drawn out though the events following administration were, what we were seeing was not the effect of the explosion but the explosion itself. Those months were our nanoseconds. Every day, every revelation, every moment we thought was a separate event, was merely a peek inside the bomb case, at the chemical process of a chain reaction.
I would say the chain reaction was completed on the day HMRC announced they were refusing the CVA proposal. That was the detonation. It’s only now we’re witnessing the explosion, and its effects, and in my view we are still a long way from the end of that process. We have had the initial double flash thermal pulse and we’ve seen some EMP effects, but the real damage is still to come. The shock wave and the fireball have yet to spread, and their cumulative effects could yet annihilate Ibrox and extend as far as Hampden.
Am I making claims of “financial Armageddon”? No, I’m not. I never believed the collapse of Rangers would devastate Scottish football. I thought then, and now, that it was scaremongering nonsense to even suggest it. It didn’t matter to me whether the authorities were spreading those stories because of a deep-seated love of the Ibrox club, or because they had bonuses at stake, or out of their own internal, personal weaknesses. Those stories were inconsistent, based on worst case scenarios which were never likely to materialise, and insulting. The notion that the game in this country amounts to no more than one or two teams is offensive.
I love football. I always have. I’m a Celtic supporter, but my interests in the game extend far beyond my own club. At its best, football is a tremendous unifier of people, from those wonderful stories about Christmas Day in the trenches of World War I to the matches organised every year between Palestinian and Israeli children. The game has the potential for tremendous good. I am proud that my own club’s supporters have honoured the dead of Hillsborough and Ibrox. I am proud they unfurled a banner to the Benfica player Miklos Feher, and invaded Seville and showed that city how to party. I am proud of every moment when the supporters of a club applauded an injured player, or staged a silence to honour an official or competitor at another team. Although there are some who would use this sport in a divisive way, who would hijack it for their own ends, I believe this game can still be an inspiration, and find the best in all of us.
I think what happened during this summer, as the fans of every club in the land made their voices heard, was one of the greatest moments in Scottish football’s recent history. I believe it will have an impact far beyond one season. I think it was special.
My concern, as I’ve said, is that the appalling effects of the detonation at Ibrox are still to be fully realised. I am worried about the impact they could yet have on all of us.
Let me be quite specific about the two things that worry me most. They are to do with the decision to grant Sevco/Rangers a license to play in the Scottish Football League this year.
First, I believe the license was granted without sufficient guarantees being given by Charles Green and others that they would respect the decisions taken by the independent judiciary panel of the SPL in relation to EBTs, and secondly, I am concerned that not enough is known about Green and his financial backers, or plans for Rangers, for the authorities to be satisfied that the club is in good financial health. I don’t believe for one second anyone can allay my fears in these two areas. It is obvious to all that due diligence has not been done, and the entire situation at Rangers/Sevco is still shrouded in doubt, and that anything may yet happen.
The independent panel investigating dual contracts is going to have to make the most momentous decision in the history of the game in the UK. I do not believe what Rangers are accused of has any precedent. We are talking about a decade or more in which the results of every single match might be in doubt. Every single game. The rules were not written to envision such an appalling breach of faith. It would seem almost inevitable that stripping of titles will be the smallest of Charles Green and Ally McCoist’s concerns if this verdict goes against them.
Frankly, I don’t see an alternative to suspending Rangers membership of football in this country for at least two years, with points deductions and monetary fines to follow when the suspension period is done. This is not harsh; in fact it falls far short of the maximum penalty, which is expulsion from the game altogether, and as it is the authorities are going to have to do a damned good job of setting out the reasons why that ultimate sanction is not applied. It will not be enough to say it would damage the game in Scotland to wipe the club away. To allow a decade of malfeasance to pass without that ultimate sanction would create the perception that Rangers is above the law, and I cannot think of anything that would do the game more harm than for any club to be considered too big, or too important, to be subject to the regulations.
With their money on the table, I don’t see any way Charles Green and his cohorts will accept the judgement of the independent panel if it has an impact on their plans to recoup their investments. With the way he’s rallied the Rangers fans behind him recently, by essentially talking about a conspiracy against them, I don’t see how he convinces them to accept sanctions, even if he personally was inclined to do so. He has painted himself into a corner where now, if he wants his money at all, he has to fight, and keep on fighting. Without the written guarantee that the club would accept whatever the panel decides, without recourse to the law, I will be shocked if this matter doesn’t end up in the courts somewhere down the line, because I don’t think for one second he signed up to that particular demand.
I think the SFA backed down on this, the most fundamental matter of them all.
Which isn’t to say the due diligence matter isn’t worrying, because, of course, it is. Again, no-one is going to convince me that the SFA has conducted proper due diligence on Charles Green and his backers. No-one will convince me they are satisfied that this club is in safe hands, and that the game in this country will not be rocked by a further implosion at Ibrox. They failed to properly investigate Craig Whyte, because of lax regulations requiring disclosure from the club itself, regulations which are just a joke, but they can be forgiven for that as the press was talking sheer nonsense about him having billions at his disposal, and a lot of people (but not everyone!) were either convinced or wanted to be convinced by him.
To have witnessed what Whyte did, to have witnessed the Duff & Phelps “process” of finding a buyer, and having Green essentially emerge from nowhere, with a hundred unanswered questions as to his background and financing, for the SFA to have given this guy the go ahead, only for it to blow up in their faces later, would annihilate the credibility of the governing body and necessitate resignations at every level. There would be no hiding place.
At an early stage in the Rangers crisis, a couple of people told me they thought the club would not play football for at least a year. I told them of all the possible scenarios that was the most unlikely, because I honestly could see no way back for them once they had gone. There is no precedent I am aware of, anywhere, for a football club taking a “year out” only to return. Certainly, in the context of the Scottish game I didn’t see how it could be done without creating one almighty shambles, or by bending the rules until the elastic snapped.
Yet I’ve since become convinced that it was the correct course of action. The club calling itself Rangers FC is still in a state of flux. The issues still surrounding it are enormous and potentially devastating. There are any number of ways in which the entire edifice could utterly collapse. The liquidators and HMRC could yet challenge the takeover, or the coming share issue. Craig Whyte may yet emerge and take a claim to the courts. The share issue itself could be an utter failure, leaving the club unable to meet annual running costs. All of this, even without the vast effects of the EBT case, which has the potential to wash the whole club away.
Had Rangers been out of the game for a year, these issues could have been properly explored, dealt with and put behind them, and the game as whole.
Of course, it’s just possible that the worst is over. It’s possible that this particular nuclear detonation, like the one is The Sum of All Fears, is an enormous “fizzle”, that the appalling destruction unleashed will not be on the thermonuclear level which could obliterate our hopes of a fresh start, of forward motion for the whole game. It might be that everything at Ibrox is hunky-dory, that this, all I’ve written, is the product of a febrile imagination, on the same level as the financial Armageddon nonsense we spent the summer hearing about.
It may well be, but only if the people who’ve been right all along have suddenly gotten it wrong. The evidence all points to something big, and bad, coming this way.
The smart folks will be hunkering down in their shelters for a while yet.
James is a co-editor of the Famous Tartan Army Magazine, latest issue out 17th October (digital, and free), featuring women’s football
The DR has stopped even pretending to be a newspaper.
Three coordinated pieces this morning on Chuck in it for the long haul and being the rangers Fergus McCann.
I assume they have an editorial conference call every evening with Jack/Ramsey.
Much better read here Dundee Utd will really be bestest mates with the Pretendygers now.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8195595/
Not The Huddle Malcontent says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 10:08
“That was my job butNot The Huddle Malcontent says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 10:08
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“That was my job but now I’m staying until I hear that Champions League anthem blaring out once again across Ibrox. That’s what the fans and the people here should be given and if that can be delivered maybe I’ll feel my job is complete.
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how do you get in the CL chuckie?
well, you can only qualify by finishing 1st or 2nd in the SPL but before that you have to be eligible to enter, so that means 3 years AUDITED accounts
I reckon you won’t have audited accounts this april, so, it’ll be 4 years before you have 3 years accounts available and of course, you will have to get into the SPL (even though you said you wont) and then finish in the top 2. So, I reckon that if 5 years before you’ll be close to the CL anthem – never mind the fact you said you won’t be going back into the SPL That’s what the fans and the people here should be given and if that can be delivered maybe I’ll feel my job is complete.
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how do you get in the CL chuckie?
well, you can only qualify by finishing 1st or 2nd in the SPL but before that you have to be eligible to enter, so that means 3 years AUDITED accounts
I reckon you won’t have audited accounts this april, so, it’ll be 4 years before you have 3 years accounts available and of course, you will have to get into the SPL (even though you said you wont) and then finish in the top 2. So, I reckon that if 5 years before you’ll be close to the CL anthem – never mind the fact you said you won’t be going back into the SPL
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I might be wrong, but I dont think the “Anthem” is played in the 2 or 3 qualifying ties to get to the Champ league and is only played from group stages onwards.
The Rangurs would need to have a strong enough squad to not only finish at least second in the SPL but to also negotiate maybe three qualifying rounds against some pretty decent teams before Chuckie fulfils his dream “of staying until I hear that Champions League anthem blaring out once again across Ibrox”.
And if Allys still the manager 🙂
Mans a clown, full stop.
Spanish Celt: The music is played for all Champions League games, not just group stages.
madbhoy24941 says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 11:04
Spanish Celt: The music is played for all Champions League games, not just group stages.
……………………………………………………………………..
I did say I might be wrong about that bit!
But Allys still the manager and Greens still a clown 🙂
spanishcelt says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 11:10
Certainly no argument from me there… 🙂
“It’s a very different league this year. Dundee United are no worse off than we would have been if Rangers were still in the SPL. If anything we’ve gained from Dundee being in the SPL.”
Stephen Thomson ,Dundee Utd
SPL,post Armageddon—the air is cleaner
Not The Huddle Malcontent says: Friday, October 26, 2012 at 10:08
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Second place in the SPL won’t offer a place in the CL qualifying for several years, such is the scale of the fall in Scotland’s coefficient. You need to be in the top 15 counties in the UEFA coefficient rankings to get a second CL place. Despite Celtic’s current campaign, I can’t see Scotland being ranked much higher than the mid twenties for at least the next five years.
For 2013/14 we are ranked 18th so we are guaranteed to only have one CL place next season. In subsequent seasons we are currently looking at 26th, 24th, 24th, and 27th. There is still scope to improve the rankings for the later seasons, but outside Celtic the reality is that we are not going to earn many coefficient points.
What if
Whyte has a tape of a conversation with Green in which he rubbishes the gullible fans?
Would that warrant a swift exit from Ibrox?
Tuesday – Whyte fires a couple of warning shots….
Wednesday – Green renegades on radio interview….
Hately today
“No, it seems Green has caught the bug. We call it Rangersitis.”
Actually laughed out loud when I read this 🙂
Good point easyjambo. When uefa turn over all their uefa games as 3-0 defeats the Scottish coefficient will be abysmal
Email sent to David Kerr, chief executive of the Insolvency Practitioners Association.
——————–
Sir
If you are not already aware, I draw your attention to the latest revelations by the BBC regarding the behaviour of Mr David Grier of Duff & Phelps. If true – I would have thought the BBC is confident of its sources – they appear to show Mr Grier conspiring with others to deceive creditors of RFC about the role of Duff & Phelps in the affairs of the company prior to Administration.
I would have thought this is inconsistent with your code of conduct.
Rantin Robin
I agree fully with your post about zero tolerance towards racism and sectarianism in the game of football (or anywhere else, for that matter.) However, I’m afraid it is long past time for the likes of Regan and Doncaster to oversee anything in Scottish football, never mind racism and sectarianism.
The best thing this pair can do with regards to the welfare of Scottish football is to get out of it now. This pair were willing to manipulate the chairmen of every Scottish club, to threaten them and to break every rule in the book for the benefit of one team alone. They have also allowed a major refereeing scandal to continue during their watch. (Also, why should Sevco be afforded SPL refs? They are division three and must be treated as such!)
We are now in a position – because of these two and Campbell Ogilvie – where they cannot hand out proportionate and fair punishments to any football team in Scotland when rules are broken because every team can retort, “Why did you do nothing to Rangers/Sevco for far worse rule breaking?”
The work towards ending sectarianism and racism is far too crucial to our future to be overseen by this pair of numpties. They must, and hopefully will, get the boot soon.
Mr Green can say what he wants to the support, in order to get them behind the IPO or private share sale. Once that is done and the money is in he can say what he wants to suit that new agenda.
One suspects it will all become to much for him, the Scottish football authorities will bully Rangers too much, everyone will hate them and will make progressing the club impossible, he will have done all he can, and with a heavy heart he will have to move on.
He will however have saved the club, for the rangers Family and put it into their hands where it belongs.
Another in a line of charlatans will walk away.
bect67 says:
Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 22:07
Plenty of (largely unexpected) TDs tonight. Suspiciously organised!?
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Can’t see the point of it if that’s the case .. not that I post often enough for it to count for much to me but who else really feels it bothers them? I only feel bad if I post something mistaken or dumb and have it pointed out to me in no uncertain terms. But all bad feelings directed at myself for my stupidity unless no uncertain terms are a bit rude.
Still if you’re right then it shows that’s all they have in the way or argument against what’s posted here.
jack and jabber earning their `corn` today
Meanwhile over at the sun CW waiting in the wings
Tab – Wars!
Started the week waiting on the FTT
But something’s up
Brass tacks – D+P DG `evidence` is clear that they should not have been appointed. Don’t know what LH could / will do but admins actions to date have generated a position which will at least require a review. Come what may any decision will be legally grounded so must assume if the `sale` is legal then it will stand but that may depend on what else is uncovered and what other information the authorities have briefed to the Court.
Intuitively, what we have seen may be the tip of the iceberg but what we have seen displays a culture or behaviour that must be shared at the very least to degrees. On that basis – that is it is improbable that there are any business shining knights in armour amongst that lot – it is a reasonable assumption that there is more untoward information at play – then the real possibility exists that the `sale` could be overturned. If it is it will be a legal decision with creditor and possibly others input.
Today’s tabs and PR behind them could well be yet another example of the sorry well-worn path to pressure decisions. As usual the irrationality will do nothing positive, and as usual will generate a further deepening of the abyss as is their want – but PR get well paid for it.
But tabs won’t matter.
As I remember the tone of the HMRC statement at the time of the sale they wanted TRFC to have a fresh start reserving HMRCs energies to investigate the causes of the fracas and the kind of people behind them. I think they had in mind a fresh business culture to go with those aims.
What we have seen is that an individual who was part of the original take-over team and negotiated with the bank [what was CW doing then?] was still involved with the process – months after the collapse into the administration – soliciting assistance from a supposed security owner on behalf of a would be buyer at the time. Not sure creditors like that sort of thing.
Don’t know what’s going to happen but its telling the SFA have a default plan formed before August.
bect67 says:
Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 22:07
Plenty of (largely unexpected) TDs tonight. Suspiciously organised!?
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The thumbs up/thumbs down thingy dosn’t really bother me but I do find it strange or amusing that when their are a lot of thumbs down very, very few of them ever post a comment,reason or counter argument to the post they have disagreed with.
Surely the point of the blog in the first place?
Obviously when you thumb something up there little need to comment as you have agreed but at least open up a debate by posting/commenting when you thumb down?
I just listened to the Alex Thompson interview with our esteemed QC. It his own poised and measure way he basically said, “Coisty, you were at it sunshine. Bang out of order.”
I think there was a little warning in there too for the numbskulls that would attempt to intimidate a member of the old boys network. Next time you are in the dock, will it be one of his pals representing you?
Mindless, disgusting, cowardly behaviour.
CG comes out with yet more rhetoric that the gullible amongst his support will lap up. He is possibly the best/worst PR man since Goebbels.
THE FOUR LAWS OF KARMA
1. Results are similar to the cause
2. No results without a cause
3. Once an action is done, the result is never lost
4. Karma expands
As the Govan team begin their probable tail spin toward oblivion, there is a real whiff of karma surrounding this whole saga; if 15 years ago the BOD at Ibrox had functioned as they ought, and reined in the excesses of the vainglorious David Murray then followed the rules that bind the rest ………….none of this would have happened.
If the sense of entitlement that runs through the core of the Rangers family was balanced by even a modicum of introspection then the executives they spawned at the SFA might have foreseen the tangled web they were weaving and actually applied the rules………none of this would have happened.
If the media had functioned as they ought and subjected Murray/Whyte/Green to the scrutiny their actions deserved………none of this would have happened…..but it has happened they were warned, they are all in on it………..as Buddha says
“I am the owner of my karma .
I inherit my karma.
I am born of my karma.
I am related to my karma.
I live supported by my karma.
Whatever karma I create, whether good or evil, that I shall inherit.”
Lets lighten the mood with a wee song for Chuckles……
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=078VM6JrpkQ
john clarke says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 01:48
Possibly the best known conspiracy in the history of Europe was that which targeted Julius Caesar.
It succeeded in so far as the conspirators got rid of a baddie, the AC/DC archetype of continental dictators, perverted in his unbridled lust for power.
—-
(Completely OT historical aside coming up – please skip if not interested!)
Ah, JC, I’d have to dispute that at least in part. All in the best possible taste, of course.
Caesar was not a baddie, despite the bad press he’s had (courtesy of noses he put out of joint at the time).
If it wasn’t for him, the utterly disorganised Roman Republic would probably have imploded before its transformation (which, ironically, happened soon after and because of his death) into full-blown Empire. His assassination was meant to preserve the Republic and the entrenched “interests” of the upper classes, but had entirely the opposite effect.
True that he gave himself increasing powers, and installed a bunch of Yes men (not of the Jon Anderson variety) in the Senate – this allowed him to weed out corruption and to form the Empire into a cohesive singular force.
In fact, he was probably the best thing that ever happened to Rome. As was realised soon after his death.
Regarding refs, does anyone else find it a little offensive that the standard of football should dictate the standard of refereeing? Why should that be? It’s the same game, the same rules. If top refs are more motivated by “performing” in front of 50,000 than in front of 500, maybe the recruitment and allocation processes need to be looked at. There may be more money at stake at the top but this is a sport and, according to UEFA, the sport is more important.
Spanishcelt
I’m gonna be pedantic and support your comments on champions league anthems. I attended the HJK Helsinki game there was no zadok the priest played at Celtic park that night. I expected there to be but was informed as this was a preliminary round it was omitted. It was however blasted out at the Helsingborgs game.
Apologies if this has already been raised.
Regarding the timing of Whyte coming back on the scene with the Duff and Duffer (copyright acknowledged) recordings.
Could a motive be one of reverse psychology, i.e. he is seeking to help the share issue move along?
Rangers Fan – Whyte is coming out of the woodwork to scupper the share issue – b@st@rd – lets support Green and buy shares, there is no way that that [insert expletive here] is going to screw the Club again etc,
bawsbustedanatha on Friday, October 26, 2012 at 11:57
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Tuesday – Whyte fires a couple of warning shots….
Wednesday – Green renegades on radio interview….
Hately today
“No, it seems Green has caught the bug. We call it Rangersitis.”
Actually laughed out loud when I read this.
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I think Mark um err eh Hately actually means Rangers, is it????
Rudi Skacel off to Dundee Utd? Who’d’ve thunk it?
Meanwhile (for a quiet Friday after quite a week) somewhere far off in a distant land a previously successful football club faces up to it being put into administration say around valentine’s day.
On Valentine’s Day +1 the Board, with administrators sit down and say “right, item one on the agenda is costs. Are we all agreed to release everyone today to protect creditor’s funds? Agreed? Item 2 then.”
“Since we all know what’s coming vis a vis the tax case should we go cap in hand to Neil and Stuart and confess the game’s a bogey, we’ll take 0-3 on all our games and we’ll see you all in Div 1 next year where we hope to be promoted el pronto.” The board then bring to the administrators attention some behind the scenes talks with Neil and Stuart, (Campbell somebody or other being noted as particularly helpful) to the effect that they hope to help the club limp through to the end of the season to avoid fixture implications and crowd (mob) ‘management.’ Administrators do bring up the question of new team registration next year but, it not being their speciality takes the boards advice “not to worry their pretty little heads about it.” Administrators nod in hearty agreement.
Item 3 – SPL Enquiry. Administrators refer back to the ‘games a bogey’ discussion and expand that if the HMRC debt crystallises as expected then a CVA is a non starter. This obviously opens the door to a pre pack which, with a bit of careful management will have, as a by-product, the effect of banjoing the enquiry completely. Board member Gordon immediately questions the topic of history but the administrators declare “well you can’t have it both ways.” Board member Jack jumps in and says “We’ll see about that” so the administrators decide to humour him.
Item 4 – How to get rid of LBG debt? Again told not to worry. “Pre pack will just be the start of it” shouts Jack, “I can see marching bands, cheerleaders, world record crowds oh I can see it now” Again lofted eyebrows and a note in the administrators margins to watch that one he could be trouble.
Item 5. Lunch. Hearty handshakes all round then off to the next sorry saga in liquidation world.
Where did it all go wrong?
Of interest – Roddy no less!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/9634064/Craig-Whyte-makes-no-secret-of-his-true-intentions-with-covert-conversations.html
http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/2481-celebrate-halloween-at-ibrox
Wouldn’t it be great if the Bears had enough of a sense of humour to dress up as zombies.
I have just watched the Gary Allen QC interview with Alex Thomson..
As Scots we do tend to express a gallows humour when faced with life threatening situations…however the details presented by Gary are without doubt shameful..
What is clear in my mind..is that Scottish Football must deal with this continuing behaviour…which is not an isolated case..in THE most robust way it can…
This behaviour has been applied to so many over the years and will continue..Gary is not alone…Neil Lennon…Turnbull Hutton…Raith Rovers…Paul McBride…the 25 Scottish journalists…Alex Thomson etc etc..
A minority it may be…but we all know it is a significant minority…
I welcome the comments from Mr. Thompson at Dundee United…it’s a pity more don’t have the courage to be honest…publicly on the more serious aspect of this mob..I say mob..because that is what they appear to be..
The interview also brings into sharp focus..the actions and comments of Mr. McCoist…is he one of the decent fans? If so it begs the question how big is this minority we keep hearing about?
I imagine personal safety is the root cause for the Scottish media’s lack of purpose in attacking this aspect of THE MINORITY behaviour…although one has to wonder!
angus1983 says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 12:47
‘..In fact, he was probably the best thing that ever happened to Rome. As was realised soon after his death…’
—–
Well, I’m inclined to think of him as probably having set back the development of Roman democracy for a few hundred years or so, in the way that ‘successful’ strong-men-at-times-of grave-political-crisis create political ‘stability’ by dictatorship.
Cicero could see clearly what would happen.
Just for a moment there, I thought Mr Jardine was turning his sights on Duff and Phelps…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-20091117
SouthernExile says: (Edit)
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 10:11
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“the odd casual nutter”
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There’s a few of them around sevco, any particular names in mind ??
torrejohnbhoy says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 07:53
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A more interesting subsidiary of Charlestown Holdings is First Scottish Group Limited. Masterton
has a third, Yorkston has a third and the other third being owned by Brian Souter. If you know your history that brings you right back to Jack Irvine (clause 28) and of course David Murray.
Arsenal are on the verge of signing a £25 million-a-year kit deal with Adidas, Telegraph Sport can reveal.
The club’s contract with Nike expires in 2013-14 and Adidas’s interest is set to hugely improve the £13 million a year Arsenal earn from it. Arsenal fans buy 800,000 shirts every year, the third biggest number in Nike’s portfolio after Manchester United and Barcelona.
Adidas dropped Liverpool last season after growing frustrated with the club’s demands over an extension and are keen to find a new partner of similar stature.
Now it is understood Adidas is hoping to renew an association with Arsenal that ended in the mid-1990s after taking the strategic decision to “own” London.
Adidas is also believed to be set to conclude a deal with Fulham.
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Adidas seem to have completely forgotten to mention the big deal.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/9634840/Arsenal-set-to-sign-25-million-shirt-deal-with-Adidas.html
john clarke says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 13:43
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Well, I’m inclined to think of him as probably having set back the development of Roman democracy for a few hundred years or so,
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That’s certainly true. Democracy was a no-no under the divine emperors. Whether things would have been improved by the continuation of a thoroughly rotten Republic is debatable, though. I think it would have come to the same thing in the end … someone either had to take overall control, or the “empire” would have fallen apart.
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in the way that ‘successful’ strong-men-at-times-of grave-political-crisis create political ‘stability’ by dictatorship.
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Stability for 400 years or so isn’t a bad result, though. One of the more successful empires, as these things go.
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Cicero could see clearly what would happen.
——
Cicero could clearly see the consequences of the loss of the Republic and it’s (ahem) “democracy”, that’s what he could see. Getting on the wrong side of Mark Antony wasn’t too smart a move, either. I did spare him a thought as I stood in front of the Rostra in the Forum recently, though.:)
Alex Thompson’s interview with Gary Allan QC is truly shocking.
Firstly I would say that it shows the true bravery of the likes of Gary Allan QC and the likes of Turnbull Hutton.
Secondly it shows that the Police have done a fine and thorough job in advising and protecting these individuals and their families, but for all that, the Police do not appear to be doing a good job at removing the violent people terrorising innocent families from our streets.
I would like to see some sustained pressure on the Police to start arresting those involved. What these families have been put through is extraordinarily horrific, and serious punishment needs to be applied to those responsible.
Let’s assume D&P are found guilty of COI by Lord Hodge
From the perspective of the US media what matters now is how much the US bosses knew Their interest will focus on whether senior US Managers approved of the scam
They will also be keenly interested in whether William H Donaldson approves the cover up by D&P Corporate that is happening right now
William H Donaldson is Chief Corporate Advisor to Duff and Phelps. He was recently appointed by President Obama to the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board.
Donaldson is a man with impeccable credentials.
e.g.
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 17 May 2010
CFA Institute, the global association for investment professionals, announced today that it presented William H. Donaldson, CFA, with its Daniel J. Forrestal III Leadership Award for Professional Ethics and Standards of Investment Practice
,,,,,,,,,,,,,
It is inconceivable that Greir, Clark and Whitehouse would still be in a job if Donaldson was fully briefed on what is already in the public domain
If Corporate PR is excluding Donaldson from details of this scandal they are playing with fire and the global reputation of a business respected for its integrity
Is it not usually around this time that Mark Daly pops up on Twitter to announce another Whyte tape? 😀
I am not sure if LH can quash the sale. What he can do, I think, is not sign off on the administration and send in BDO to investigate. This investigation of the administration of itself, I think, will make the sale sufficiently uncertain the the IPO cannot go ahead and even the berzz will not throw money into a possibly fraudulent set up – so even without the sale reversing it is highly likely that SEVCO Rangers will fold if LH refuses to Ok the liquidation , hence D and P’s description of it as 2urgent” they want their monay and to skedaddle.
been Thinking about Ticketus and its funding. Shadey individuals in anonymised companies. Is it possible that Murray himself has been investing in the Ticketus companies that RFC were using for finace. Lending RFC two million at the tale end of the season for a quick 400 grand return later in the year – no-one better plaved to rip off RFC that SDM I would have thought. And is it thus possible that the Ticketus cash which cleared the LBG debt was in fact Murray’s – who thought he had a guaranteed 60 % return over 4 years as he knew that Rangers were too big to fail and would be plying their trade in the SPL hence was prepared through Octopus to fund it.
No idea at all if that is even vaguely true – just came to me as a Murrayesque piece of business practice.
you mean slap on the fekn wrist pal!!!!!!awaw n bile yer hied,ya dafty….
________________________________
twopanda: Roddy Forsyth is basically trying to give Sevco supporters a glimmer of hope, he is pretty much saying that pretty soon an extraordinary amount of Number 2’s will be hitting the fan, but don’t worry too much because it will take years to sort it out, by which time the Rangers Tribute Act will be making inroads into the CL and it will not matter, nothing to see here, as you were, heads back in the sand.
@goosy
My take is that NY HQ thought that they had plausible deniability if it all blew up and were crossing fingers and toes that Hodge and the IPA would drop the matter.
However, the Griergate tape was a game-changer and it is hugely significant that Marty has now stepped in. Surprised by how quickly they reacted, I would guess they knew the truth/knew the three musketeers were telling them porkies and had a contingency plan ready to roll.
Re Chuckles and his Champion League Music moment ,Celtic can maybe arrange a 1minute beamback for Chuck ,standing there in the centre circle with his brown leather spiv suitcase before he leaves for the airport.
Qualifiers
No music was played at the Motherwell qualifier.
Also ,does any one know what the next step up from a nuclear event is called ,there is something in the air and its not a B52.
Just reading the comments on Thomo’s Blog, someone has posted a comment saying Livingston F.C turnstile’s were torched in an arson attack. This is the 1st I’ve heard of this. Coincidently it coincides with Livingston making their opinion on RFC’s Tribute Act not being allowed to corrupt the League more than they already have and saying they are against the new club joining the top of the League structure. Shocking stuff.
angus1983 says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 12:47
—————————————
‘Fraid I have to disagree. Just because an old system is falling apart doesn’t mean anything that take its place has to be better. Caesar was only one in a long line of leaders (Dictators, the original ones), e.g. Pompey, who were using the situation of political unrest and problems of civic organisation to grab power for themselves over the dead bodies of rivals.
The ones who came out at the other end set up a political system of one-man-rule (where if you didn’t agree with the leaders you were dead) which suited the kind of people who ended up with power. That such a system can last for centuries is something we should all think about when we’re tempted to say “a plague on all politicians”.
That Caesar has a better press than most is down to him being smart enough to write his own biography telling us what a great guy he was .. a kind of Charles Green of his day.
The one who really understood the power politics was ticketus…., sorry I mean tacitus, bloody predictive text!
Did I read somewhere there would be a big announcement today at 4.45pm?
Did I read somewhere there would be a big announcement today at 4.45pm?
Nope.
See Silvio Berlusconi has just got 4 years for tax fraud in Italy. Those pesky, corrupt foreigners.
It could never happen here……
SouthernExile says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:24
….I’m SPARTICKETUS,,,,,,,,,,,,,, copywrite acknowledged 🙂
Big annoucement today at 4.45pm .
At the first stroke it will be ….4.45pm beep beep beep anyone remember the speaking clock ,Charlie boy used to speak to it for hours on end as a boy.
youtawknaboot says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:40
SouthernExile says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:24
….I’m SPARTICKETUS,,,,,,,,,,,,,, copywrite acknowledged
——————————————————
Strangely enough I’m SPAR bound. Do you want anything while I’m there? 😀
beatipacificiscotia says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:27
1 0 i Rate This
Did I read somewhere there would be a big announcement today at 4.45pm?
bound to be one somewhere, i suppose.
tomtomaswell says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:45.
Cheers..get us one of those £1 aero bars & a halloween cream egg.
Ta TT
ordinaryfan says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:01
__
If you knew my record on Roddy over at RTC through this you would know he`s normally on the jabber scale.
But the article has only attracted one comment – normally there`s dozens berating. And, the article recounted some facts that CW was never going to get a CVA pre-pack or otherwise and neither was anyone else without a serious change of business culture at that Club. That`s why BM had a chance.
HMRC were looking for a decent type and if one came forward and with enough in the creditor’s pot that was `equitable to creditors` HMRC might have given them a CVA.
That`s why BM would have nothing to do with CW or TU. There could be nothing equitable possible for creditors with all these FC securities remaining with the culprits. I believe HMRC expected D+P to get rid of TU `debt` and the RFCG secured creditors. D+P tried with TU but it’s not clear on the end result or of RFCG
Out of that
What`s worth noting is that HMRC did not consider CG as that sort of differential business culture or `regime change` that they would consider granting a CVA. Maybe there was “noise” with TU or whether HMRC thought was a residual CW link in the securities – is borne out by yesterday’s DG/CW tapes.
12 days later they refused a CVA
I think HMRC have since been watching the `sale` like a hawk
That was my take and based on the historical narrative in the aricle that is accurate
But I do wholly agree with your sentiments
monsieurbunny says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:16
——
I quite agree with much of that. As I’ve said, I do like to see as many sides of a situation as I can and that around the time of Caesar’s demise is an interesting one.
As for self-hagiography, I think only to an extent is that true. It has to be admitted that JC (not our “refreshed” one, or the jewish one) made a series of wide-ranging reforms – many of which diverted funds from pockets that were traditionally used to it. Not a very bright plan, as it turned out.
Certainly he was a gigantic and possibly narcissistic chancer, possibly even of CG standards, but then he actually did things to justify his increasing prominence, even if that was the whole point of doing them in the first place.
An interesting “conspiracy theory” type interpretation of his death here (“New Perspective on Old Decisions”):
http://www.forensic-psych.com/articles/artTAP1103.php
youtawknaboot says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:49
tomtomaswell says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:45.
Cheers..get us one of those £1 aero bars & a halloween cream egg.
Ta TT
===============
You’re only asking for them because you know I’m on a diet. I’ll get you a Special K bar 😀
pau1mart1n says:
Did I read somewhere there would be a big announcement today at 4.45pm
I think it maybe that yon (Yellow Pr*ck Toad) Leggo’s book is…STILL on sale..?
tomtomaswell says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:45.
Special K…Haaaach tchyuu, ….ah don’t do salad 🙂
Sad times re Alex Thomson’s blog on Channel 4 news.
For every complimentary comment, there are at least two castigating the article, it’s contents and even his existence, in the most unparliamentary fashion.
AT frequently makes reference to any intimidation being the preserve of a small minority of Rangers fans. Perhaps the volume of bile contained in today’s comments may make him wish to revise such an estimate upwards.
Mccoist no longer known as the ‘cheeky chappie’ ……… Sneaky snake more like 😉
posmill says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 02:56
Absolutely superb posmil! What’s the tune?
Paul Brennan @CQN
Sale and leaseback of Ibrox, Murray Park, Heads of Terms http://dlvr.it/2NYhR7
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From CQN: (TBC)
“I have a Heads of Terms document for the sale and leaseback of Ibrox, Murray Park and the Albion Car Park.
The purchase price for all three assets is £7.285m. In addition to this there is a £6.55m loan provision with 15% interest payable monthly (£985.5k annually). Initial rent for all three properties is £1.8m. The 20-year lease provides for upwards-only reviews every five years by either 2% p.a. or RPI, whatever is greater (so assuming RPI is less than 2% each year, after five years, rent would be £1.987m).
Annual costs for rent and interest would be £2.785m. Current season ticket sales are reported to be approximately 36,000 with a standard adult price of £286, income net of vat will be around £8.5m.
Although the top line figure for both sale and loan is £13.835, “the initial payment will be less 3 years rent [£5.4m] to compensate for the lack of guarantee covering the rental payments”, so monies paid would be £8.435m as the first three years rent is deducted from the total.
Crucially, rent is to be securitised against ticket receipts and the new landlord is to be granted “first charge on the season tickets”, so, just as Craig Whyte planned with Rangers, Sports Direct FC would collect ticket money before passing it on to the security holder.
If the buyer attains planning permission for residential properties at Murray Park, a provision releases the seller from having to repay the £6.55m loan and cancels future interest payments. This speculative clause would release the club from punitive interest repayments but would require them to find a reasonably priced ash park to train on. Perhaps the Albion Car and Training Park.
“The tenant” will be able to buyback the stadium. In year one the price would be £10m (they would still owe the £6.55m loan). The set price increases by 12% p.a. for 10 years, so the year 10 price would be £27.7m. Thereafter “price will revert to Market Value but will not be less than £20m”. The market value of Celtic Park is around £50m. There is no buyback provision for Murray Park or the Albion Car Park.
The deal is on the table but will not be signed before the share issue, or if “the tenant” wins the Euromillions Jackpot (that’s not a euphemism for Champions League money, I mean the actual lottery), or finds some magic beans.”
Brenda says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 16:13
What did he say to Lennon? When Celtic were almost going bankrupt what was it he said again? Forgive Hearts its not there fault they have no money but hey let them sign Skacel. We’ll be back and when we are be scared we remember threats. The man is part of the toxic underclass channel 4 will show tonight. No doubt he probably posted bail for the Hearts fan that attacked Lennon, but that’s a completely different story. I wager the guy that attacked the Sheff Wed keeper goes to jail though. Whereas Scottish justice done nothing, which is why I have no faith directors etc will be sought. If they are we have HMRC to thank. Sorry a bit of a meandering rant, just exited for channel 4 news a usually flick over after the Simpsons.
Something tells me that the Daily Record will be claiming an exlcusive that looks awfully similar to Paul67’s latest on CQN, tomorrow.
Would someone wish to say what CQN’s Head of Terms means for a layman.
Does it suggest who actually owns said properties or who is trying to rent them?
Many thanks.
Regarding the Channel 4 news item tonight about the threats to the QC and his family.
I tried to post time of news item on a “Rangers” (sevco cough ) forum. Surprise, surprise the editor did not put it up. They just keep burying their heads and hope everything will disappear.
Luckily our Alex is NOT jabba etc… the truth is out there.
obonfanti88 (@obonfanti88) says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:33
I hadn’t heard that about Berli boy. If there is anyone who should have been jailed long ago it was him. Can’t say there has been much on it in the news up to now and I take it this will be no more than house arrest.
Just heard that Jan Stepek, former owner and chairman of Hamilton Accies, has passed away today at the age of 91.
Accies fans will remember Jan as a real character and a champion of football in Hamilton.
Another of the old guard of Scottish football passes on – very sad.
. The man is part of the toxic underclass channel 4 will show tonight. No doubt he probably posted bail for the Hearts fan that attacked Lennon, but that’s a completely different story. I wager the guy that attacked the Sheff Wed keeper goes to jail though. Whereas Scottish justice done nothing, which is why I have no faith directors etc will be sought. If they are we have HMRC to thank. Sorry a bit of a meandering rant, just exited for channel 4 news a usually flick over after the Simpsons.
——————————————————————————————————————————–
The guy that attacked Lennon did spend some months in jail did he not, before the trial?
RIP Jan Stepek, helped save Accies in 1970 but didn’t cover himself in glory during the homeless years. A controversial figure in the late 90s it’s safe to say.
bobferris70 says:
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 17:15
Yip looks like your right he did I picked it up wrong. He got sentenced for breach of the peace and not sectarian motivated breach of the peace. He also got aquited with assault which is strange when I think back to it. But there you go lack of research my end, looks like the Record has another reporter.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/9317256/Charles-Green-will-not-sell-Rangers-assets-Ibrox-and-Murray-Park.html
Only time will tell
wottpi
CG will not sell ragers assets Ibrokes, murky park and the car park but are they the assets he bought and if so does he still have control of them