UEFA Club Licensing. – To Comply or not to Comply ?
On 16 April 2018 The UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) adjudicatory chamber took decisions in the cases of four clubs that had been referred to it by the CFCB chief investigator, concerning the non-fulfilment of the club licensing criteria defined in the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations.
Such criteria must be complied with by the clubs in order to be granted the licence required to enter the UEFA club competitions.
The cases of two clubs::
Olympique des Alpes SA (Sion Switzerland )
and
FC Irtysh (Kazakhstan)
are of particular interest to those following the events under which the SFA awarded a UEFA License to Rangers FC in 2011 currently under investigation by the SFA Compliance Officer because
- The case documentation tell us how UEFA wish national associations to apply UEFA FFP rules
- The cases tell us what might have happened to Rangers FC in 2012 had they not gone into liquidation and as a consequence avoided the same type of sanctions that UEFA applied to Sion and Irtysh.
FC Sion (Olympique des Alpes SA)
Here we are told how the Swiss FL and then the UEFA CFCB acted in respect of FC Sion in 2017 where a misleading statement was made in the Sion UEFA licensing application.
Full details can be read at
but this is a summary.
In April 2017 the Swiss FL (SFL) granted a licence to Sion FC but indicated that a Disciplinary case was pending.
In July 2017 the CFCB, as part of their licence auditing programme, carried out a compliance audit on 3 clubs to determine if licences had been properly awarded. Sion was one of those clubs.
The subsequent audit by Deloitte LLP discovered Sion had an overdue payable on a player, amounting to €950,000, owed to another football club (FC Sochaux ) at 31st March 2017 as a result of a transfer undertaken by Sion before 31st December 2016, although the €950,000 was paid in early June 2017.
Deloitte produced a draft report of their findings that was passed to SFL and Sion for comment on factual accuracy and comment on the findings. Sion responded quickly enabling Deloitte to present a final report to the CFCB Investigation Unit. In response to the Deloitte final report Sion stated:
“il apparaît aujourd’hui qu’il existait bel et bien un engagement impayé découlant d’une activité de transfert. Ce point est admis” translated as
“it now appears that there was indeed an outstanding commitment arising from transfer activity. This is admitted”
What emerged as the investigation proceeded was that the Swiss FL Licensing Committee, after granting the license in April and as a result of a Sochaux complaint of non-payment to FIFA, had reason to refer Sion’s application to their Disciplinary Commission in May 2017 with regard to the submission of potentially misleading information by FC Sion to the SFL on 7th April 2017 as part of its licensing documentation.
Sion had declared
“Written confirmation: no overdue payables arising from transfer activities”, signed by the Club’s president, stating that as at 31 March 2017 there were no overdue payables towards other football clubs. In particular, the Club indicated that the case between FC Sion and FC Sochaux regarding the transfer of the player Ishmael Yartey was still under dispute.
The SFL Disciplinary Commission came to the conclusion that FC Sion had no intention to mislead the SFL, but indeed submitted some incorrect licensing documentation; the SFL Disciplinary Commission further confirmed that the total amount of €950,000 had been paid by the Club to FC Sochaux on 7 June 2017. Because of the inaccurate information submitted, the SFL Disciplinary Commission decided to impose a fine of CHF 8,000 on the Club.
Whilst this satisfied the SFL Disciplinary process the CFCB deemed it not enough to justify the granting of the licence as UEFA intended their FFP rules to be applied.
Sion provided the CFCB with a number of reasons on the basis of which no sanction should be imposed. In particular, the Club admitted that there was an overdue payable as at 31 March 2017, but stated that the mistake in the document dated 7 April 2017 was the result of a misinterpretation by the club’s responsible person for dealing with the licence (the “Club’s licence manager”), who is not a lawyer. The Club affirmed that it never had the intention to conceal the information and had provisioned the amount due for payment and that, in any case, it has already been sanctioned by the SFL for providing the wrong information.
The CFCB Investigation Unit accepted that the Sion application, although inaccurate, was a one off misrepresentation and not a forgery, (as in intended to deceive ) but that nevertheless an overdue payable did exist at 31st March and a licence should not have been granted.
Based on their findings, the CFCB Chief Investigator decided to refer the case to the CFCB Adjudicatory Chamber and suggested a disciplinary measure to be imposed on FC Sion by the CFCB Adjudicatory Chamber, such measure consisting of a fine of €235,000, corresponding to the UEFA Revenues the Club gained by participating in the 2017/2018 UEFA Europa League.
The CFCB Investigatory Chamber submitted that it was appropriate to impose a fine corresponding to all the UEFA revenues the Club gained by participating in the competition considering the fact that FC Sion should not have been admitted to the competition for failing to meet one of its admission criteria.
The Adjudicatory Chambers took all the circumstances (see paras 91 to 120 at http://tiny.cc/i8sxsy ) into consideration and reached the following key decisions.
- FC Sion failed to satisfy the requirements of Article 49(1) of the CL&FFP Regulations and it obtained the licence issued by the SFL not in accordance with the CL&FFP Regulations.
- FC Sion breached Articles 13(1) and 43(1)(i) of the CL&FFP Regulations. (Documents complete and correct)
- To exclude FC Sion from participating in the next UEFA club competition for which it would otherwise qualify in the next two (2) seasons (i.e. the 2018/19 and 2019/20).
- To impose a fine of two hundred and thirty five thousand Euros (€235,000) on FC Sion.
- FC Sion is to pay three thousand Euros (€3,000) towards the costs of these proceedings.
Comment in respect of the award of a UEFA Licence in 2011 to Rangers FC.
It is now public knowledge that an actual liability of tax due before 31stDecember 2010 towards HMRC, was admitted by Rangers FC before 31st March 2011.
This liability was described as “potential” in Rangers Interim accounts audited by Grant Thornton.
“Note 1: The exceptional item reflects a provision for a potential tax liability in relation to a Discounted Option Scheme associated with player contributions between 1999 and 2003. A provision for interest of £0.9m has also been included within the interest charge.”
The English Oxford Dictionary definition of potential is:
Having or showing the capacity to develop into something in the future.
Which was not true as the liability had already been “developed” so could not be potential.
This was repeated by Chairman Alistair Johnson in his covering Interim Accounts statement
“The exceptional item reflects a provision for a potential tax liability in relation to a Discounted Option Scheme associated with player contributions between 1999 and 2003. “ where he also added
“Discussions are continuing with HMRC to establish a resolution to the assessments raised.”
This could be taken as disputing the liability but In fact the resolution to the assessments raised would have been payment of the actual liability, something that never happened.
In the Sion case it was accepted the misleading statement was a one off misrepresentation, but at the monitoring stages at June 2011 in Ranger’s case the status of the liability continued to be misrepresented and in September the continuing discussions reason was repeated, along with a claim of an instalment paid whose veracity is highly questionable.
The Swiss FL Licensing Committee did at least refer the case to their Disciplinary Committee when they realised a misleading statement might have been made. The SFA however in August 2011, when Sherriff Officers called at Ibrox for payment of the overdue tax , did no such thing and pulled up the drawbridge for six years, one that the Compliance Officer is now finally charged with lowering.
The case of FC Irtysh of Kazakhstan is set out in full at http://tiny.cc/y9sxsy and is a bit more straightforward but is nevertheless useful to compare with events in 2011 in Scotland.
Unlike Rangers FC , FC Irtysh properly disclosed that they had an overdue payable to the Kazakhstan tax authorities at the monitoring point at 30th June 2017. This caused the CFCB Investigatory Unit to seek further information with regard to the position at 31st March
It transpired that Irtysh had declared an overdue payable at 31st March but cited their financial position (awaiting sponsor money) as a reason for non payment to the Kazakhstan FA who accepted it and granted the licence. The outstanding tax was paid in September 2107.
The outcome of the CFCB Investigation was a case put to the CFCB Adjudicatory Chamber who agreed with the CFCB Investigation Unit that a licence should not have been granted and recommended that Irtysh be fined the equivalent of the UEFA prize money, (that had been withheld in any case whilst CFCB investigated.)
The CFCB Adjudicatory Chamber however decided that a fine was not sufficient in sporting deterrent terms and ruled that:
- FC Irtysh failed to satisfy the requirements of Article 50bis(1) of the CL&FFP Regulations and it obtained the licence issued by the FFK not in accordance with the CL&FFP Regulations.
- To withhold four hundred and forty thousand Euros (€440,000) corresponding to the UEFA revenues FC Irtysh gained by participating in the 2017/2018 UEFA Europa League.
- To exclude FC Irtysh from participating in the next UEFA club competition for which it would otherwise qualify in the next three (3) seasons (i.e. the 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons). This sanction is deferred for a probationary period of (3) three years. This exclusion must be enforced in case the Club participates again in a UEFA club competition having not fulfilled the licence criteria required to obtain the UEFA licence in accordance with the CL&FFP Regulations.
- FC Irtysh is to pay three thousand Euros (€3,000) towards the costs of these proceedings. “
The deferral was because unlike Rangers FC, FC Irtysh had properly disclosed to the licensor the correct & accurate financial information required, so the exclusion was deferred for a probationary period of (3) years.
Comment in respect of the award of a UEFA Licence in 2011 to Rangers FC.
From the foregoing it could be deduced that had Rangers FC qualified for the Champions League (or European League) and not gone bust as a result and so not entered liquidation BUT it became public knowledge by 2012 that a licence had been wrongly and possibly fraudulently granted then
- Rangers would have been fined the equivalent of their earnings from their participation in the UEFA competitions in 2011
- At least a two year ban from UEFA Competitions would have been imposed, but more likely three in view of repeated incorrect statements.
- The consequences of both would have been as damaging for Rangers survival as the real life consequences of losing to Malmo and Maribor in the qualifying rounds of the Champions and European Leagues.
Karma eh!
Interestingly in the UEFA COMPLIANCE AND INVESTIGATION ACTIVITY REPORT 2015 – 2017 , the CFCB investigatory chamber recommended that both the Kazakhstan FA and Swiss FA as licensors
“pay particular attention to the adequate disclosure of the outstanding amounts payable towards other football clubs, in respect of employees and towards social/tax authorities, which must be disclosed separately;
Would the same recommendation apply to the Scottish FA with regard to their performance in 2011 and will the SFA responses thereafter to shareholders in a member club be examined for compliance with best governance practice by the SFA Compliance Officer investigating the processing of the UEFA Licence in 2011?
This would be a welcome step in fully restoring trust in the SFA.
Cluster OneJune 23, 2018 at 22:27
‘May 22, to respond.June 26 principal hearing JC.’
easyJamboJune 23, 2018 at 22:36
‘The “Principal Hearing” is scheduled for that date….’
____________________
Thanks to you both.
I was beginning to think that fumes from Solvite wallpaper paste and B&Q’s best paint and whatnot had addled my brains!
—————-
One would have thought that the new CEO , eager to show a desire to be ‘transparent’ would have taken the initiative by calling a Press conference , or at least circulating the Scottish press, to give the kind of information about the mechanics of the ‘hearing’ that you mention, eJ.
Are ‘charges’ under the Protocol being brought? Or is it a meeting merely to consider the ‘facts’ to decide whether ‘charges’ ought to be brought, and what those ‘charges’ might be and against which ‘legal person’? And such like.
I think if I had a ‘Press card’ I’d be persistent in asking Maxwell for such info, and assuring him that an unwillingness to answer would be taken as a sign of a desire to be anything but ‘transparent’.
If, if, there was jiggery-pokery and lying and agreements to lie, then we would be in the realms of conspiracy to defraud ( a conspiracy which had very practical consequences for one plc, and perhaps for other football businesses)
That is, the matter ceases to be simply an internal matter of football rules, but becomes one with potential implications under both criminal and civil law.
Any journalist who thinks it is a piddling little trifle is no journalist!
CROWNSTBHOYJUNE 23, 2018 at 19:35
Something must be up.Getting really desperate now…https://daviesleftpeg.wordpress.com/2018/06/23/fiddling-feeders/
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Is this cretin aware that Celtic had just under £30m in the Bank in Feb?
Not only that but the final payment on the Long Term Loan with the Co-Op is due to be paid in July 2019.
It’s in the Interim Results online.
A sum total of £6.25m.
So in effect Celtic are basically operating Debt Free.
Is he also aware that Celtic are spending just under £5m on lighting /sound and a pitch upgrade ?
Now a Club with financial sense would not be blowing this amount on non essential upgrades unless they had excess cash available and nothing else to be concerned about would they?
As for the Southampton guff?
Stuart Armstrong is out of contract in 12 months so to be getting upwards of £5m for a guy who wants to go is a major coup given his recent form!
Rodgers already stated he’s against selling and wants to build so unless there is a bid for the likes of Dembele that is over and above Celtics valuation he’s going nowhere.
Fandantasist.
http://cdn.celticfc.net/assets/downloads/Interim%20Results%202017%20FINAL.pdf
Talking about journalists, there is an email in my in-box from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
This is an excerpt from it:
“On March 9, 2016, employees of Mossack Fonseca, a Panamanian law firm that for decades had kept the financial secrets of global celebrities, oligarchs and criminals, made a stomach-churning discovery. Someone had copied huge amounts of data from its computers.Emails, contracts, banking statements – 11.5 million documents of the firm’s most sensitive client records, a staggering 2.6 terabytes of data – had been taken.
Suddenly, the day-to-day business of setting up shell companies in tax havens was no longer the priority. Instead, newly obtained Mossack Fonseca documents show, employees began working furiously on a new mission: find out who its clients were.
As a key player in the world of offshore finance, Mossack Fonseca had for years flouted rules requiring lawyers and other offshore specialists to identify and verify their clients, requirements designed to prevent aiding criminal activity.
Over the year, newly leaked documents show, Mossack Fonseca employees frantically emailed bankers, accountants and lawyers – the professionals who had hired the firm to set up shell companies for wealthy clients who wanted to remain anonymous – in an attempt to close the gaps in its recordkeeping.
Those intermediaries responded with panic and fury.“
THE CLIENT DISAPPEARED! I CAN NOT FIND HIM ANYMORE!!!!!!!,” Nicole Didi, a Swiss wealth management adviser, wrote in March 2017.
A long-time intermediary of Mossack Fonseca, she acted for 80 companies set up by the firm……..”
and so on.
Real, ‘Watergate’ kind of journalism is involved in this kind of reporting….
Puts our SMSM people who choose not to ask questions, not of guys like Putin or extremely powerful Arabian princes and such like, but of a tuppence-ha’penny Football Governance body like the SFA, in a very, very poor light indeed.
To their shame.
John Clark June 23, 2018 at 23:31
Are ‘charges’ under the Protocol being brought? Or is it a meeting merely to consider the ‘facts’ to decide whether ‘charges’ ought to be brought, and what those ‘charges’ might be and against which ‘legal person’? And such like.
=========================
The charges have already been set out. Simply put, “Rangers FC” (I don’t know if this is the legal entity or the metaphysical thingy) has been charged with 1) failing to abide by the rules of the SFA/FIFA/UEFA/CAS (Delete as appropriate) and, 2) Not acting in good faith
DLP is most likely on a large dose of deludamol.
SHUG
True and yet many on here were willing to believe his Club 1872 borrowing £2 million story just a few weeks ago.
Both stories are complete nonsense.
I can only think that DLP’s purpose is to send out a message of This is what it feels like to be a fan at Ibrox! He almost admits it in his piece.
To circulate a story of impending doom.
Now his story about Celtic is clearly nonsense. On the other hand most red flags pointed out around Ibrox are either true or have large kernel of truth.
Does he ever stop to think why they have no sympathy from other fans in Scottish football? I can’t remember any gloating or laughing when other clubs got into financial difficulties. Perhaps it’s easier when faced with so much mocking and glee to go into denial, think it’s all conspiracy stories and shout ‘Nobody likes us and we don’t care!’
Except they do.
So the latest wheeze is to accuse Celtic of secretly being in as bad a state as TRFC. I can just imagine that to many of their fans this latest b.llshit is a salve to their souls.
After writing some decent stuff on Club 1872, DLP has let himself down and reverted to type.
Over and above the reassuring figures quoted by JUSTTHEFACTS above, here are some interesting figures.
According to Mark Walker of the Daily Record 18 April 2018, Celtic earned from European participation:
2016-17 – £28,348,581
2017-18 – c£27,600,00
Around £56m
In todays CQN, a Transfer Bonanza in the past 6 years of £69m (£55m net) in transfers to English clubs.
Should Celtic fans be worried about DLP’s revelations?
I’m shaking as I type.
Things must be really bad down ibrox way if a feel good puff piece like that has been told to be put out.Don’t look at us look over there.
———
Could it be that an entire rebuild of the stadium.
———-
Celtic are installing a stunning state-of-the-art light and sound show as part of a massive £4million stadium investment.
Hoops chiefs are spending £2.3m on a spectacular entertainment system similar to those used in Ajax’s Amsterdam ArenA and Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena to create a spectacular backdrop to major matches.
The multi-million upgrade will push Celtic Park even further up the ladder of Europe’s elite venues.
The club will also put down the final £1.3m outlay to complete the installation of their new Hybrid pitch.
—————
Now why would celtic spend £4million on stadium investment.If the entire stadium needed a rebuild?
—————–
With the debt owed to Co-Op Bank, huge structural stadium issues, pending court cases and possibly massive legal settlements to follow, nerves are jangling.
—–
You can almost see the deflection.
With the debt owed…….What club owes debt?
huge structural stadium issues…..What club has huge structural stadium issues?
pending court cases….What club has pending court cases?
massive legal settlements to follow,….What club may have massive legal settlements to follow,?
nerves are jangling Alright, and with a puff piece like that the nerves are not jangling down parkhead way.
The best part from L5 was.
“Dave King stated that he would never do business with them”.
DK would do business with the Devil
I’ll ’ve just read the latest DLP article and it takes paranoia to a whole new level. What is especially disappointing is that the DLP blog stood out as one which tempered its articles with some realism but that has well and truly gone.
The Club 1872 article asked some difficult questions but was then pulled without explanation. It is reasonable to deduce from these changes that there has been a coup d’etat and the previous regime are now ensconced in a rehabilitation camp somewhere in deepest Lanarkshire and L5 lackeys now run the show, just like the article from below from the DR.
https://twitter.com/fritzagrandauld/status/1010787188806742017?s=21
JIMBOJUNE 24, 2018 at 07:53
DLP is an idiot. He talks nonsense. To think what he feels represents what other fans at Ibrox feel is like saying John James represents fans at Celtic Park and they must all think like him.
Correct. The guy talks nonsense.
Lucky if there is 10 people who believe his nonsense.
And here we have the crux of the issue. The stuff he wrote about 1872 then deleted was a load of nonsense. I said so at the time and also said that he had form for writing nonsense. Because it suited the agenda of most on here, it was taken as gospel and is now been described as “decent stuff”
It was never decent stuff. He has never written anything decent. Ever. Its all purile nonsense.
https://www.economist.com/business/2018/06/23/michel-foucaults-lessons-for-business
Maybe a bit too exciting for a Sunday morning but I think DCK might have been reading up on Michel Foucault. It would explain a lot.
It’s all about the taxonomies don’t ya know.
Hi Moderators/anyone can someone please help here every time I come onto the blog I have to go through a cookie agreement page( I think it is a cookie thing), also at the bottom of the page is symbols for Facebook Twitter Tec.
I use a kindle fire is this the problem can someone help me to get rid off/round this problem.
Cheers in advance.
PS
I am a bit of a technophobe at these things
easyJamboJune 24, 2018 at 01:41
‘….The charges have already been set out. ‘
____________________
Thank you, eJ: it’s coming back to me now.
I wonder what ‘club’ the CO means by ‘Rangers Football Club’?
If he means RFC(IL)/RFC 2012, presumably the Liquidators would be the only ones who could answer the charges?!
If he means TRFC Ltd, then surely as a matter of law, he has made an egregious error in charging an entity that did not exist at the time of the alleged offences!
The Big Lie has got them all in a fankle, a real dilemma: if TRFC Ltd are deemed to be the offender, and are found guilty of lying to the SFA and UEFA about their social taxes indebtedness, then I can see the possibilities arising of the Crown Office being asked by shareholders of Celtic plc to investigate the possibility of fraud: and of expulsion from Scottish football as the only appropriate football crime penalty.
If it is RFC(IL) that is the alleged offender, and, remembering that that club in liquidation is still in existence as a legal entity,then if it is found guilty, it would surely be possible for the shareholders to lodge a claim against the few million quid that remain in the hands of the Liquidators.
And the penalty of retrospective expulsion could be applied.
But, of course, as Alan Massie ( in the course of his review in yesterday’s ‘Scotsman Magazine’ of a book about the Oscar Slater case) remarks:
“Too often and too easily, Establishments will, in self-protection or with a regard for their reputation, persist in an unjust course rather than admit to have made a mistake and been at fault.”
The remark was made in relation to the legal establishment (police, prosecuting authorities, and the judge in the Slater case, and the Sheriff who conducted a ‘review’ of the conviction years after Slater had been jailed)
But I believe there might be sufficient reason for us to apply that remark toanother ‘Establishment’ operating in the field of Sport.
TheLawman2,
I take your comments on board. He certainly is speaking nonsense in this recent article. I thought some of his comments rung true regarding Club 1872. The governance of it, the decision making, the people involved. How independent it is.
The £2m loan accusation was indeed pulled and you repudiated it at the time. I’ll give that an 8 out of 10 in the nonsense stakes for the moment, just in case further information is forthcoming.
But you haven’t offered an explanation as to why someone would make up such outrageous claims about Celtic and publish them on social media. It is so easy to disprove.
Or could it simply be the case DLP has been told to produce something that is so wide of the mark regarding Celtic that it then automatically leads the reader to dismiss the previous article which May well have been close to the mark?
I wouldn’t put it past the “basket of assets”-(Charles Green)to pull such a trick myself.
I think it is more a case of…
“Nothing to see here Timothy move along”
JUSTTHEFACTSJUNE 24, 2018 at 12:22
That thought had occurred to me too.
Given the resources being poured into PR and trying to control the narrative I would never underestimate the lengths they will go to. Past behaviours also support this.
JUSTTHEFACTSJUNE 24, 2018 at 12:22
____________________________________________________________
This often gets levelled against me as well. And just like the article itself, its more nonsense.
DLP pretty much rubbishes the Board and 1872 constantly. So who would be telling him to produce something ? The guys he hates and mocks all the time ?????
JIMBO
f
You would need to ask him why. Ive saw James Forrest write a whole lot of tripe about Rangers and I challenged him with indisputable facts around what he wrote. He then back tracked and wrote another piece but still got it completely wrong. John James writes nonsense day after day.
Remember Rangers were stealing water from a church.
Remember the stands were getting closed in December.
Remember we were going into admin in September 17, then October then November then Dec……..
The fact is there are people out there craving attention and MONEY(though i dont believe DLP begs for money) so they just write rubbish after rubbish to try and attract a readership and get the gullibles to give them money.
BOGS DOLLOXJUNE 24, 2018 at 12:39
That thought had occurred to me too.
Given the resources being poured into PR and trying to control the narrative I would never underestimate the lengths they will go to. Past behaviours also support this.
_____________________________________________________________________
Do you believe they would pay money to someone to mock them and call them all the names under the sun so that at some point in the future they could use him to “deflect” attention from something ?
There is some quality schadenfreude going on over at follow follow where the good people there are reveling in the notion that Chris Sutton will be facing a tax bill from HMRC re his involvement in film schemes.
Do you think they know that a chap called Steven Gerrard, born May 1980 and describing himself as a “professional footballer” is (or was) director or member of various companies / LLPs, including but not limited to.
PHOENIX FILM PARTNERS LLP (OC339129)
INSIDE TRACK PRODUCTIONS LLP (OC303045)
INSIDE TRACK 1 LLP (OC304434)
INSIDE TRACK 2 LLP (OC304622)
INGENIOUS FILM PARTNERS LLP (OC308659)
INGENIOUS FILM PARTNERS 2 LLP (OC314069)
INGENIOUS FILM PARTNERS 3 LLP (OC318988)
The following comes from separate newspaper reports and may or may not be linked to the above.
“David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard face bills over suspected tax avoidance scheme”
“Other clubs with high-profile investors included Liverpool – where one paid £10.4million in cash and loans”
The above information is freely available from the internet, I draw no conclusion from it. Just so we are clear former Celtic players in addition to Chris Sutton will also have been involved in such schemes. As will players from a lot of clubs across the UK and indeed all sorts of high earners who think paying tax is for the working man and not for them.
HOMUNCULUSJUNE 24, 2018 at 15:54
Follow Follow banned me after 3 posts on their site so unable to read their content however, it should be noted that a number of clubs invited these tax specialists into their club to speak to their staff as they considered it would be a great retention tool. It is not beyond belief that chats would have been had with prospective signings that they could potentially earn more by using the services of these advisors.
Its easy to spot the potential culprits when you look at the players or managements first involvement in the schemes in direct correlation to when they joined certain clubs. It could just be a coincidence of course.
What advice players take on a private basis has hee haw to do with their respective Clubs though.
I mean it’s not as if these Clubs operated a sham scheme in order to secure their signatures is it?
https://twitter.com/eebhoy88/status/1010824003320238085?s=21
A bit awkward this.
KENTES1
The problem could be that you are clearing the history and cookies thus you will be a new visitor every time you go to SFM,hope this helps.
Phil’s latest post suggests that Sevco and the company proving ‘merchant services’ i.e. credit card facilities (Metro Bank?) are no longer an item.
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2018/06/24/catching-up-on-sevco-chaos/
Anyone able to verify that? Quite a major development if true. A ‘cold shoulder’ outcome?
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
TheLawMan2 June 24, 2018 at 16:14
HOMUNCULUSJUNE 24, 2018 at 15:54
It is not beyond belief that chats would have been had with prospective signings that they could potentially earn more by using the services of these advisors.
Its easy to spot the potential culprits when you look at the players or managements first involvement in the schemes in direct correlation to when they joined certain clubs. It could just be a coincidence of course.
=========================
I’m not so sure that the clubs would be advertising such schemes directly to the players or their agents, although the clubs, or indeed the players’ agents, may well have links to recommended IFA’s given that a number of their employees are highly paid professionals.
It’s also equally possible that players were more influenced one or more of their team mates, who perhaps had already signed up to what they thought was a clever wheeze that would enable them to claim tax relief on their “investments”.
Unless you have evidence to the contrary of course.
I have no sympathy whatsoever for any current or former player or manager, who sought the advice of some independent tax planning “expert” with a view to reducing the amount of tax they paid. Like most schemes that sound too good to be true, they seldom are.
I’m pleased to see the courts adopting a more purposive approach to what the lawmakers intended and whether such tax schemes were operated within both the spirit and the letter of what was intended.
EASYJAMBOJUNE 24, 2018 at 20:04
Unless you have evidence to the contrary of course.
________________________________________________________
I know of one Tax advisor who tried to get a few of my ex companies to use EBTs then when knocked back, turned to these film schemes. Part of his pitch was that he would pay our company a fee for access to staff members and a bigger fee if any went ahead.
He claimed and named 2 Scottish clubs as clients of his.
Finally getting round to listening to the CW tapes
Charles Green.When we sell the club we’ve got someone lined up the SFA TOLD US WE’LL INTRODUCE YOU TO THEM AND YOU CAN TALK ABOUT REMOVING THE SANCTIONS,AND DON’T QUOTE US BUT YOU’LL DEFINETLY GET LIFTED.BUT YOU WILL BE STUCK WITH uefa COS THE sfa i’ll if you put a good argument they’ll help you prepare the case.That will make it difficult for them to turn it down when you give it to them but that’s off the record.
sorry about the caps was listening and trying to type
just listening to CG slagging souness walter and Ally
CLUSTER ONE
have you a link for these tapes
tony June 24, 2018 at 21:12
CLUSTER ONE have you a link for these tapes
======================
This is one of them
https://soundcloud.com/oisin71/charlotte-fakeover
TONYJUNE 24, 2018 at 21:12
———–
On cd,
EASYJAMBO
cheers mate
CLUSTER ONE
ok mate
EASYJAMBOJUNE 24, 2018 at 20:04
I’m pleased to see the courts adopting a more purposive approach to what the lawmakers intended and whether such tax schemes were operated within both the spirit and the letter of what was intended.
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Exactly, from the Supreme Court ruling.
39. I see nothing in the wider purpose of the legislation, which taxes remuneration from employment, which excludes from the tax charge or the PAYE regime remuneration which the employee is entitled to have paid to a third party. Thus, if an employee enters into a contract or contracts with an employer which provide that he will receive a salary of £X and that as part of his remuneration the employer will also pay £Y to the employee’s spouse or aunt Agatha, I can ascertain no statutory purpose for taxing the former but not the latter. The breadth of the wording of the tax charge and the absence of any restrictive wording in the primary legislation, do not give any support for inferring an intention to exclude from the tax charge such a payment to a third party which the employer and employee have agreed as part of the employee’s entitlement. Both sums involve the payment of remuneration for the employee’s work as an employee.
EASYJAMBOJUNE 24, 2018 at 21:31
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tony June 24, 2018 at 21:12CLUSTER ONE have you a link for these tapes ======================This is one of themhttps://soundcloud.com/oisin71/charlotte-fakeover
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That’s the very one i’m listening to, much better with headphones.I was playing cd in a dvd player.cd player not working and computer not playing it for some reason,so had to resort to dvd player.
Thanks.
redlichtieJune 24, 2018 at 19:53
“Phil’s latest post suggests that Sevco and the company proving ‘merchant services’ i.e. credit card facilities (Metro Bank?) are no longer an item………..Anyone able to verify that? Quite a major development if true. A ‘cold shoulder’
outcome?”
____________________________
The Top’s practice, it would appear, is to issue a statement giving the details of the case they have investigated, the decision made by the Executive, and the decision made by a Hearing, and any further Appeal Hearing decision, and ending up with their concluding paragraph , using words like ” The Committee has come to the conclusion that Mr X should be cold shouldered for (duration of penalty) from the date of this decision, which is…(whatever)”
It is by means of a statement of that kind that the people in the Market, and public companies generally, learn that ‘cold shouldering’ has been ordered.
There is no such statement at present showing on the TOP’s website.
PMcG ‘s sources may be right, of course, but if they are they must be very good sources if they know that a statement is to be made in a couple of weeks.And perhaps, also, normal practice has changed since in King’s/Laird Proprietary’s case the Courts have been involved.
It’ll be eyes down daily on the TOP’s website from tomorrow, on this link http://www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk/statements/panel-statements/ps2018
Who knows what the TOP’s most recent approach to the Court was about? ( I got no reply to my email)
Maybe the judge simply suggested to the Panel that they use their own disciplinary powers against King, rather than pursue the ‘contempt of court’ angle?
Will we ever know?
Have the Panel b.ggered things up for themselves?
Is the ‘law’ a ass?
You know how I was accused of courting favouritism or something like that? Despite me having the highest number of thumbs down in the history of thumbsdowness?
Well here I go again.
I like Harry Kane.
Yes Red Lichtie, I do remember Radio Scotland, Radio 242. I loved it too. A young Jean Brodie was their first lady DJ.
Happy days. But since it was berthed in the west coast it never reached Jamboland.
What made you bring the subject up?
George Ezra is a massive Celtic supporter. Loves Leigh Griffiths and Kieran Tierney (who doesn’t?)
Dedicated his big hit Paradise to the Tims. God Love Him.
He even brought out a song called Barcelona because we are fierce rivals.
I first started working in 1968, and was constantly being asked about “tax efficient” schemes.
Two things I told them, caveat emptor, and, there is no such thing as a free lunch.
JIMBOJUNE 24, 2018 at 23:29
Yes Red Lichtie, I do remember Radio Scotland, Radio 242. I loved it too. A young Jean Brodie was their first lady DJ.
Happy days. But since it was berthed in the west coast it never reached Jamboland.
What made you bring the subject up?
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JIMBO, you must have me confused with someone else but you have stirred happy memories of listening to R242 whilst delivering morning papers! 🙂 It did reach the East Coast, at least in our neck of the woods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O6R5QXElME
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
So. Your team has just brought in a new manager. Young and fresh with a raft of new ideas. He is going to remodel and reshape the team. He is gunning for the biggest scalp in the Land and is fully supported by trophy starved and star struck fans, a compliant and frothing at the mouth MSM & Corrupt Officials. First thing he says is I am going to ask an old manager who retired 200 years ago for help. I know I certainly Wouldn’t be best pleased.
Cartons Finest, I’ve seen that movie. Back to the Future it was called. This time though it won’t be a Delorean. It’ll be a corporation bus parked across the middle of a football field.
Ex LudoJune 25, 2018 at 08:08
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Cartons Finest, I’ve seen that movie….Couldve been worse I suppose…Cartoons Finest…..…..
Is Kane seriously claiming a deflection off his heel as a World Cup goal?
Ronaldo shakes his heid in disbelief ??
I’m not getting the court/TOP thing at all. Does the court order a cold shoulder? That seems crazy. And it’s surely irrelevant when TOP make a statement and what it contains. If King has not complied with a court order then he is in contempt so surely the next step must be by the court?
HELPUMOOTJUNE 25, 2018 at 11:17
You’re completely correct, the court have nothing to do with the “cold shoulder” which is simply a statement published on the Takeover Panel website. It would also be published on the FCA website advising their members not to assist the on any transactions to which the Takeover Code applies.
There does seem to be a bit of a misunderstanding around what the Cold Shoulder would mean with a few people (including Phil) suggesting Metro Bank would close Rangers’ accounts. This isn’t correct, day to day business banking does not involve transactions to which the Takeover Code applies. Share issues etc would however potentially fall under the remit of the Takeover Code which could cause some complications and perhaps could be the reason they are pushing through the current rights issue.
Carfin not recognised by predictive text.
https://twitter.com/lequipedestelle/status/1010890879073218560?s=21
Interesting chat here. In French though. Pardonnez moi.
NickJune 25, 2018 at 11:38
“Cold Shoulder would mean with a few people (including Phil) suggesting Metro Bank would close Rangers’ accounts. This isn’t correct, day to day business banking does not involve transactions to which the Takeover Code applies.”
===============
Phil suggested no such thing.He posted that his “sources” implied that RIFCs relationship with Metro would not survive.He also stated that he,personally,is no expert in the workings of the city watchdogs.Fair enough.
Probably best if we take any info,no matter the source,at face value and don’t try to make 2 + 2 make 5.
A bedtime read, may be of interest to some of you very learned guys on the forum, ….. not forgetting Ms. Brodie.
http://www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk/publication/view/20174-rangers-international-football-club-plc
PORTBHOYJUNE 25, 2018 at 21:17 13. Rangers football club has a long and proud history. Founded in 1872, it has formany years been one of the great institutions of Scottish football. Mr King and eachof the three with whom he is alleged to have acted in concert are long standing andcommitted fans of the club, prepared to inject large sums of money by investments
It then goes onto say.
17. In February 2012, old Rangers entered administration and in July 2012 it enteredliquidation. Mr King appears to have lost the entirety of his investment. Theadministrators sold the business and assets to a new company, led by Mr CharlesGreen, which was later renamed The Rangers Football Club Ltd (“the Club”).Efforts to preserve the team’s place in the Scottish Premier League wereunsuccessful. The Club then applied to join the Scottish Football League andplayed the 2012/13 season in the fourth tier of Scottish football, rising to the secondtier by the 2014/15 season and securing promotion to the Scottish Premier Leaguefor the 2016/17 season. At the time of writing the Club is second in the ScottishPremier League behind their traditional arch-rivals, Celtic.
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How does that work?
James Tavernier roars Rangers won’t accept finishing second best under Steven GerrardRangers defender is sick and tired of finishing behind Celtic and reckons things can change under their new boss.
James Tavernier thinks the days of accepting second best at Ibrox are over now that new Rangers boss Steven Gerrard is in charge.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/james-tavernier-roars-rangers-wont-12779393
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Someone should tell him they have finish third the last two season’s.
Metro Bank PLC
Companies House Number 06419578
From Metro Bank website
Metro Bank PLC. Registered in England and Wales. Company number: 06419578. Registered office: One Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA. We are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. Metro Bank PLC is an independent UK Bank – it is not affiliated with any other bank or organisation (including the METRO newspaper or its publishers) anywhere in the world. “Metrobank” is the registered trademark of Metro Bank PLC
http://www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Operating-Guidelines-between-the-FCA-and-the-Panel-8-July-2016.pdf
The T.O.P do not operate on their own, as you can see from above, and, from my experience the FCA do not give any quarter or suffer fools gladly.
https://twitter.com/xrosiebradyx/status/1011341091554066432?s=21
Is Stevie G seeking other worldly advice? We should be told.
Ex LudoJune 25, 2018 at 22:29
Well tomorrow is the 26th of June. The dreaded 26th of June down Hampden way.
I wonder if Campbell Ogilivie, Andrew Dickson, Paul Murray, Dave King and Alastair Johnston will have a sleepless night.
No?
I thought not too. They are in safe hands. (Shakes).
I often wonder if Nimmo Smith realises in his old age, that after a lifetime working in the legal profession he will be remembered for one thing and one thing only.
He might have done some good along the way, in his professional career who knows?
All we know and will remember his name for is leading a piece of corruption prompted and abetted by the suits at Hampden.
What a shame.
If he had any decency he would come out and admit his failing. Recoup whatever good name he used to have.
jimboJune 25, 2018 at 23:14 (Edit)
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Well tomorrow is the 26th of June. The dreaded 26th of June down Hampden way.
I wonder if Campbell Ogilivie, Andrew Dickson, Paul Murray, Dave King and Alastair Johnston will have a sleepless night.
No?
I thought not too. They are in safe hands. (Shakes).
===========================
Scottish Football Has Arrived At A Crossroads With Tomorrow’s Hearing. It Needs To Take The Right Path.
https://thecelticblog.com/2018/06/blogs/scottish-football-has-arrived-at-a-crossroads-with-tomorrows-hearing-it-needs-to-take-the-right-path/
Cheers creepily will try that any info about how to get rid of the social media icons on the bottom of the screen.
Cheers
Kentes1, I wish I could help you, I know how annoying those cookies pop ups are. I was roasted with them. Especially from about a month ago when some change came in.
I’ve been messing about recently trying to get rid of unwanted virus protection pop ups. I finally found them and deleted them.
After that I found the level of pop ups reduced considerably. But I don’t know if that is related. I couldn’t change pages or update/refresh pages without those sodding things appearing.
Good luck mate.
Redpill thanks for the info sorry if it looks like i was calling you creepily, problems with predictive text and not checking properly so once again cheers
I was talking to some people today about the ‘saga’ generally.
The talk naturally turned to tomorrow’s ‘Hearing’.Arms were raised in puzzlement as to what the Compliance Officer means by ‘Rangers FC’.
This evening, I sent the following email to Roy Greenslade of the ‘Guardian’ ( no point, really, in writing to Scottish journalists) just to let someone in the outside world know of my concerns and feelings about bad guys getting away with bad things.
“Dear Mr Greenslade,You will know, of course, that the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers took the unprecedented step of going to the Court of Session some time ago to seek an order under Section 955 of the companies Act 2006, requiring Dave King,the Chairman of Rangers International Football Club plc, to make an offer to buy all the shares in that company which he, and the other members of the ‘concert party’ of which he was deemed to be the leader, does not already own.
The order was granted, King appealed, and his appeal was rejected , the order being confirmed, with appropriate amendment to the time period within which King was to comply.He did not comply, and has not since complied, with that Court order, possibly therefore being liable to be held in contempt of Court.The Takeover Panel very recently went back to the Court of Session, on petition seeking some further action.I cannot find out what exactly the petition was aimed at ( it was not dealt with in open court).(As far as I know, there was no indication that the matter fell under a ‘reporting restrictions’ order)As an ordinary member of the public, I find it extraordinary that the Takeover Panel, having for the first time used the Courts to bolster their authority over wayward company directors instead of immediately using their own disciplinary powers to , for example, ‘cold shoulder’ such directors, should be so ready-apparently- NOT to simply report to the Court the fact of non-compliance , in the expectation that charges of contempt would necessarily follow!
Would you be at all well-up in these matters, or interested enough to have a wee look-see?
Quite separately, and what you may not know, the SFA are staging a ‘Hearing’ of the ‘charges’ brought under the Judicial Panel Protocol by the Compliance Officer against ‘Rangers FC’, following an investigation into the awarding in 2011 of a UEFA Competitions licence to the then Rangers Football Club, which, under the new name given to it shortly before it went into Liquidation, is languishing as ‘RFC 2012’ in that unhappy state.
No one appears to know what the Compliance Officer means by ‘Rangers FC’.Can he mean the club that is now in Liquidation? If so, who would answer to the charges?If he means RIFC plc/ ‘The Rangers Football Club” of 2012 creation, how could that entity be held responsible for what the club in liquidation may have done?To put it another way, if “The Rangers Football Club Ltd” founded in 2012 is to be held guilty of any charge relating to any footballing offence committed in 2011, then it surely has to be held liable for the debts and other obligations of the club that is in Liquidation!
The sports journalists of the Scottish Press and BBC radio Scotland choose not to ask questions such as these: they are thirled to the ‘Big Lie’, that the club presently playing at Ibrox Stadium is the very same club that is in Liquidation, except that it does not owe millions to the HMRC and other creditors!
This is the extraordinary world of Scottish Football!
Have another look at us, and enjoy the ridiculous messes both the Takeover Panel and the SFA have got themselves into.Yours in the hope that one day some kind of Sporting Integrity will be restored to Scottish Football.
Followed of course by a restoration to high placing for our national team in the world rankings!
Yours etc, ”
John Clark at 00.50 hrs.
I don’t know if you are familiar with the Robert Harris fictional novel “Fatherland “ however your correspondence to Mr Greenslade echoes part of the plot line in that book wherein the hero of the story succeeds in getting the true story of what happened in Nazi Germany out with the help of an American reporter.
Should the good professor become engaged (and I hope he does) it will be instructive to compare and contrast his take on these matters with that of our own press corps.
More power to your elbow, regardless of outcome.
Please forgive me for believing that the disciplinary hearing into Rangers 2011 European Licence award is already a pre-determined whitewash. Living in Scotland all my life and seeing how the SFA operate has made me cynical to say the least. I am sure that the disciplinary panel members, whoever they are, would deny any accusation of a whitewash but we have zero idea of the parameters they have been given to work within. The most telling part for me though is that King has stopped throwing the toys out the pram, accusing the SFA of being anti-Rangers. Have assurances been given?
As for the case itself the SFA would have looked even more ridiculous than normal had they ignored the evidence given under oath at the Craig Whyte trial. However they are in control of their own destiny, and it is a chance to shut up those pesky Celtic fans who have been complaining about it for years.
I could be wrong of course, but I doubt it.
Roy Greenslade has picked up this story b fore, I assume with the assistance of Phil MGB, it was at a time where the criticism of the SMSM was at its highest – there were documentaries on C4 and the BBC etc.
and now? The Big Lie still lives and anyone who isn’t actually overtly interested has indeed “moved on”. Which is why we need to keep the fire burning in the hope it one day illuminates the corruption at the heart of Scottish football…
upthehoopsJune 26, 2018 at 07:02
The most telling part for me though is that King has stopped throwing the toys out the pram, accusing the SFA of being anti-Rangers. Have assurances been given?
—————————————————————————————————-
Not according to the Scottish Daily Mail apparently (not read article though)
From BBC website Football gossip:
“Rangers will today lock horns with the Scottish FA over charges of disciplinary breaches dating back eight seasons. (Scottish Daily Mail, print edition)”
Bordersdon @ 09:22
Even the most optimistic amongst us should – by now – know to treat anything on this story emanating from the SMSM with a huge pinch of salt.
As UTH considers (@ 07:02): it is almost inconceivable that the SFA has not spent the last 7 months or so running through not only the parameters it should set for this latest panel, but also the various scenarios that could pan out depending on the likely judgment it determines.
If I were a betting man, I’d bet a substantial sum on an LNS type slap on the wrist. Anything else will be a bonus.
But its ‘fun’ (
) to run over in one’s mind the Rumsfeldian permutations of known-knowns, known-unknowns, and unknown-unknowns, etc.
My guess for the result of Euro Licence hearing will be some form of technical fudge where a slap on the wrist will be given. It may be the likes of Andrew Dickson will be asked to step down from any SFA related activities.
Scottish Football is a mine field of rules and is driven by strict application for some (Spartans duplicate signature fiasco) but wide, varying and incomprehensible interpretations for others (Bryson).
The bigger picture of a member club (regardless of who was sitting in the chair at the time) going about dubious business for years without any referral to the footballing authorities for advice and guidance is totally missed.
Either that of advice was sought and some folks within the SFA were in cahoots with the clubs from Ibrox and had full knowledge of what they were up to and turned a blind eye.
JIMBO
JUNE 25, 2018 at 23:22
I often wonder if Nimmo Smith realises in his old age, that after a lifetime working in the legal profession he will be remembered for one thing and one thing only.
———————————————
Two things, I think. The Scottish legal profession/The New Club (not TRFC!)/Speculative Society will remember him for:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inquiry-into-an-allegation-of-a-conspiracy-to-pervert-the-course-of-justice-in-scotland
I thought I would take a look at the SFA website and see what I could glean regards today’s big event at Hampden.
You know, things like what is actually happening, who is involved, when we can expect to be told of outcomes.
The ‘latest news’ on their site?
“Large turnout for successful walking football festival”
So I tried their recent disciplinary updates section. The latest? something about a Cowdenbeath v Cove Rangers game back in May.
So nothing about today’s business. Nothing to report on what should be a very big and far reaching event.
All things being equal of course.
ps, I’m quite sure they could have published the outcomes of today’s meeting, yesterday. Or back on the 1st.of April. Or maybe 6 months ago.
A useful guide as to what the SFA will do in any given situation is “what is the best outcome for us?”.
I think we can take it as a given that taking one of the strongest measures available to them like banning Rangers from the Scottish Cup for a season would not fall into the category of what they would view as the best outcome for the SFA.
With this in mind there appear to be two realistic outcomes:
1) All charges dropped (which would possibly explain the Compliance Officer’s sudden departure)
2) A fine, lets face it the SFA like money and aren’t great at bringing it in through commercial activity
Option one brings this saga to an end in practical terms, option 2 will almost inevitably see this contested all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport as we all know litigation is King’s favourite hobby.
I’d suggest the latter option may be a positive for those who wish to get clarity on things like the 5 way agreement.
TORREJOHNBHOYJUNE 25, 2018 at 20:48
“Probably best if we take any info,no matter the source,at face value and don’t try to make 2 + 2 make 5.”
Hmm, interesting suggestion TorreJB but I’d suggest taking anything that anyone says on the internet at face value is not that bright an idea.
You’ve basically described the exact phenomenon that saw Donald Trump rise to power…