We’re Gonny Need Another Baw.

Some of us are old enough to remember the days when we played football in the streets with lamp posts for goals. The “baw” in my day was a plastic “Hampden Frido” (with wee studs that left yer forehead looking like a golf ball when heading it – see picture) and a “Wembley Mettoy”.

Cue memories of MouldMasters and days of pain and glory

But I digress.

The plastic ball was prone to bursting and on a good day or evening a replacement was secured by the original version of crowd funding.; However, the Calton then was a poor neighbourhood and sometimes the “baw” depended on the generosity of a single provider.

This came with risks because generous folk can still be bad losers and if the provider’s team of rags, taigs and bluenoses (remember when that didn’t matter)  was getting  a drubbing or a high shot was deemed a goal but he protested because he was only 4 feet 6  tall and ,with no crossbar ,height is but a subjective perspective, hence argumentative, or perhaps the goal that created a 10 goal  gap occasionally saw the baw ,metaphorical if not physically, land on the slates, at which point the provider and now owner, out of his sense of entitlement as owner, grab the baw and threatened to storm off in the huff.

As long as the game was everything and in the Calton then EVERYTHING was fitbaw, the bawless plebs were only too willing to reduce the imaginary cross bar height or take their foot off the gas, hence the derogatory saying of those who capitulate too easily “they hivnae any baws”.

Memories! Wit are they like and what is the connection to modern day Scottish professional football?

I’m indebted to this article by The Battered Bunnet first posted on CQN on 30 June 2012 at  https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/abject-failure-of-leadership/comment-page-2/#comment-1479329  since reproduced on other blogs including SFM but worth reproducing here:


“Senior Hampden source tells ch4news cannot see how RFC were allowed to play lastseason at all. Doesn’t believe they met finance criteria…”

Alex Thomson – Twitter


Alex Thomson’s tweets yesterday re ‘senior Hampden source’ casting doubt on Rangers’ eligibility to obtain a Club Licence last year were rather intriguing.

We have by now a clearer picture of the failure of governance at Rangers through the David Murray/ John McClelland/ Alastair Johnston/ Craig Whyte years, albeit we await further definitive details from the judgement of the Tax Tribunal. Essentially, over a period spanning 2 decades, the means that Rangers used to sustain its football operation utterly disregarded the requirements of both corporate governance and football regulation. While the scandal related solely to payments and procedures within Rangers, we could hope that it was contained internally.

However, the revelation that Rangers paid former manager Souness via EBT while he was manager at Blackburn Rovers confirmed for the first time that the scandal had become external. I understand that RangersTaxCase and Alex Thomson have further information on the extent of payments to Souness and also to Walter Smith, and look forward to the details being revealed, but it is now clear that the Rangers ‘toxin’ had leached out of the club by 2001.

The compelling question now is: How far did the toxin spread?

Was it contained within the ‘outer circle’ of former Rangers employees, however inexplicable such payments may appear? Or did it extend beyond that outer circle, and contaminate senior figures in the Game in Scotland. The contamination does not relate solely to payments from Rangers’offshore trust, but more subtly perhaps, the behaviour of individuals in positions of influence.

We know that Rangers’ Executive Chairman JohnMcClelland was an SPL Board member during the startling ramp up of EBT use from 2003 to 2005, and was himself a beneficiary of the scheme.

We know that Rangers’ Chief Executive Martin Bain was an SPL Board member 2008 to 2011, coinciding with the receipt by Rangers of the HMRC assessments on the EBT scheme, of which he was himself a beneficiary.

We know that current SFA President Campbell Ogilvie was simultaneously an SFA Director and Executive Director and Company Secretary of Rangers, and was a beneficiary of the scheme.

These parallel functions of course present a profound conflict of interest for each man, at once implementing a scam on the Game to disguise a fraud on the Revenue, while owing specific legal duties of care to the Game being scammed.

So far, so shabby.

Thomson’s tweets yesterday indicate a doubt on the part of a ‘senior Hampden source’ that Rangers were eligible to hold a Club Licence last season, thus disqualifying them from participating in European competition, and perhaps Scottish Football too. Is this doubt grounded in a retrospective review of the licence qualifying criteria given what has emerged recently? Or was there a ‘blind eye’ turned by the SFA’s Licensing Committee to information in the public domain at the time of the Licence application? In this respect the ‘Wee Tax Case’ represented a fundamental failure against at least one Licence criterion.

The proposals to the SFL clubs this week make it plain that should the SFA conclude the outstanding Disciplinary issues against Rangers with either suspension or expulsion of Rangers from the SFA(perhaps the only sanctions remaining available to the SFA following Lord Glennie’s Judicial Review) that the Game will face ‘financial meltdown’.

Concurrently, the SPL has adjudged Rangers to have a prima facie case to answer in respect of SPL rule breaches on player registration, the outcome of which will confirm that the club fielded ineligible players in upwards of 400 SPL matches. The only possible disciplinary outcome given such a sustained breach of SPL rules, corrupting the completion as it did from its inception in 1999 to 2011, is expulsion from theSPL.

As a consequence, the SFA, as the authority responsible for implementing FIFA’s Rules on the Registration of Players, will be required to act on these breaches of FIFA rules. Again, expulsion for what amounts to Championship fixing is inevitable.

Curiously, the SFL, this week asking its members to vote to admit the Sevco Rangers club into their top tier, has the same issue given that its League Cup competition featured dozens of ineligible Rangers players through the years, and further claims by Hugh Adam that its‘Premier Division’ competition during the 1990s was similarly bent through the use of ‘off the books’ payments to players by Rangers.

The scale of it all is breath-taking and were the rules of the Game to be applied, Rangers FC would be expelled from each Governing body in turn, before we even consider the extraordinary breaches of faith and duties by co-serving Directors.

But according to the SFL/SFA/SPL circular to clubs, “Rangers Terminated or Suspended’ will cause “Financial Meltdown”.

To avoid this meltdown, it is proposed by the Executives of the combined SFL/SFA/SPL that the rules of the Game are not applied to Rangers, and that the clubs effectively rewrite the rule book to permit what remains of the club to compete at the top of the SFL.

In effect, according to the Governing Bodies,the Rules of the Game CANNOT be applied to Rangers or the Game’s finances will‘meltdown’.

The corollary question this raises is: For how long have the Governing bodies been so unable to apply the Rules of the Game to Rangers? Is this a new epiphany, or a longer standing recognition?

When Rangers submitted their allegedly ineligible application for a Club Licence in 2011, did the SFA recognise that Rangers failing to participate in Europe would cause the club to fail, as it subsequently did? Were the Rules ignored to avoid ‘financial meltdown’ then?

How far did the toxin spread?

Did this recognition extend back to the period following the disintegration of Murray International, hitherto Rangers’ source of continuing funding? Was the season of ‘Honest Mistakes’ some absurd, dutiful reaction to the recognition that should Rangers fail, Scottish Football would melt down?

Was the ineligible status of so many of Rangers’ first team players noticed prior to the SPL’s Inquiry commencing on 5th March? Was it noticed in an Audit as part of the SFA’s Club Licensing process some years ago? Was it noticed by the recent SFA Chief Executive Gordon Smith, who as an Agent had represented players on Rangers’ books through his Directorship of Prostar Management and other Agencies?

Beyond the duplicity of Ogilvie, McClelland and Bain, were Rangers’ irregular practices known to others at the SFA and SPL,others who chose not to address the matter, thus further contaminated the Governing Bodies with the Rangers toxin?

It is heartening that the Liquidators of Rangers plc will be instructed to examine all of the circumstances surrounding the failure of Rangers as a corporate entity. Equally, perhaps the detail contained in the Tax Tribunal judgement will reveal further connections,hitherto unknown.

What is likely to remain hidden from view though, is the full extent to which key influencers at the Governing Bodies were aware of Rangers’ conduct and circumstances, and how this affected their behaviour and their decision making in applying the rules of the Game to that club.

What we can say with certainty now though is that the people holding office at the Governing Bodies are unable or unwilling to apply the Rules of the Game to Rangers, despite the breaches being fundamentally and profoundly corrupt. The SFA and SPL, despite having outstanding disciplinary cases against Rangers that will, in all other circumstances see the club expelled from the Game, are intent to delete the cases provided the SFL clubs accept the Sevco Rangers into the SFL’s top division.

The Rules of the Game cannot be applied to Rangers.

When the rules cannot be applied, the Game itself is broken, and we can say now with some certainty that the Rangers toxin has spread beyond the club, its former employees and Directors of the Governing Bodies, and contaminated the very Game itself. The Office Bearers of the SFA,whose FIFA mandate requires them to “protect and foster the Game” in Scotland,and “protect it from abuses”, have contrived to do the contrary, to the point where the Game is stricken.

It is for this reason that a thorough clear out of the Office Bearers in the Governing Bodies is now a prerequisite to the Game recovering from the poison inflicted upon it by Rangers. The dissolution of the Governing Bodies is perhaps appropriate.

Clear your desk Gentlemen, the bus to ignominy departs shortly.


The position that the SFA and then SPL found themselves in is perfectly clear from the foregoing. Desperately keen for commercial reasons to hold onto the “baw” they changed the rules, but never took ownership of the baw from the owner and so are still beholden to him.

Hence the blog title “We Are Going To Need Another Baw “ because the one currently in play is burst, stuffed with £14M worth of share vouchers.

What was done in 2012 was understandably commercially necessary, but the price to be paid was twofold:

  1. Not just to the integrity of our game then but the ongoing price now, where all energies are directed at continuing to pretend that the rules are followed without fear of favour.
  2. The idea that the Scottish game cannot survive without a “ Rangers”  is one that most folk would accept but the danger arising, which is unacceptable, is that because of it “Rangers” think they can do as they please as a result which requires rules to be reinforced. And seen to be reinforced.

They clearly aren’t under the SFA’s own rule enforcing process called the Judicial Panel Protocol  https://www.sfm.scot/jpp-perverting-justice/   not to mention Club Licensing processes that have so far manged to avoid the scrutiny that, had Resolution 12 been acted upon in 2013,  would have resulted in changes that would protect the game from all those who think it is still their baw.

The general perception of supporters is that lessons have not been learned from past behaviour.

Until there is evidence that they have, for example: the Judicial Panel Disciplinary Tribunal investigating at snail’s pace the process followed in 2011 that allowed a UEFA licence to be granted to Rangers FC without question, coming to conclusion or providing reasons why it cannot by the spring, the perception will continue to be   “Its all about Rangers”  followed by what is the point?.

Is it not about time now that the fear that drove thinking in 2012 was faced and recognised by all clubs as unfounded and a new integrity filled baw was used?

What is there to fear now from restoring integrity to its rightful place, unless of course you were party to the thinking that kicked the integrity of our game to death in 2012 and are still in a position of influence?

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Auldheid

About Auldheid

Celtic fan from Glasgow living mostly in Spain. A contributor to several websites, discussion groups and blogs, and a member of the Resolution 12 Celtic shareholders' group. Committed to sporting integrity, good governance, and the idea that football is interdependent. We all need each other in the game.

1,434 thoughts on “We’re Gonny Need Another Baw.


  1. It would make you think that something bad is coming down the tube and some folk are getting their retaliation in first .


  2. All I want for Christmas is… a totally new SFA organisation.

    If Santa can't deliver this, then a particularly huge final demand in January – to finally tip TRFC into the abyss – would suffice.

    I've been a good boy all year Santa, mibbees.  crying 

     

     


  3. I take it that the actual payment of this derisory £6K fine is 'optional' for the Ibrox club/company? 🙁

    Wonder how Collum and the other refs feel about the handling of these charges?  The SFA doesn’t seem to have their backs, IMO.


  4. Ex Ludo 21st December 2018 at 01:03 https://twitter.com/waz612/status/1074868958078083073?s=21 Really interesting interview given by John Barnes on the BBC.

    ________________

     

    Thanks for putting that up, Ex Ludo, it was well worth a listen and quite moving to hear racism, and bigotry, spoken about in real terms. I was particularly impressed by the way he emphasised that black footballers and celebrities like himself don't suffer from racism and abuse anything nearly as bad as the ordinary black (Asian, gay…) person in the street, something I think is missed when these matters are discussed in/by the media. So many good and worthwhile things he said that needed to be said, but too political for the blog, I think, so I'll not speak any more of the content. At least, for once, the interviewers gave a very eloquent man the space to speak.

     

    At a time when Britain is so bereft of decent politicians and political commentators, John Barnes shows how it should be done. I have to admit to being very pro-immigration and felt John Barnes gave a perfect example of what we would miss should it be reduced or stopped. I admired the man as a player, but as a man with something worthwhile to say, my admiration has grown.


  5. StevieBC 21st December 2018 at 08:39 I take it that the actual payment of this derisory £6K fine is 'optional' for the Ibrox club/company? Wonder how Collum and the other refs feel about the handling of these charges? The SFA doesn’t seem to have their backs, IMO.

    ______________

     

    Optional or not, Stevie, they will be given time to pay, as it will, no doubt, be deducted from their share of prize money rather than have them stump up while short of the readies.

     


  6. Ally Jambo @09.27

    The interview is certainly miles away from the standard “110% game of two halves “ football interview.


  7. @AJ 09.31

    Is this the John Barnes that claimed he was sacked by Celtic because he was black?

    Maybe Celtic didn't notice what colour he was at the interview. Lost all respect for him after playing the race card to cover up his inadequacies as a manager.


  8. Tinytim

    @AJ 09.31

    "Is this the John Barnes that claimed he was sacked by Celtic because he was black?"

    Can't find anywhere where John Barnes claimed he was sacked by Celtic because he was black. care to share? 

    He does say that black managers losing one job find it difficult to get another.  His very lucid account of racism in the link above was again about systemic racism – he never mentioned Celtic in his interview.

     

     


  9. I remember it from the time , maybe it was tabloid sensationalism from our smsm eager to play the race card on his behalf, if so it is they I would have an issue with. Like the vast majority of contributors on here I despise racism and people who overplay the race card when there is no justification do more damage to the fight against racism than good. I am 100% sure this claim however was made as I was angered by it at the time.


  10. Ex Ludo 21st December 2018 at 10:07 Ally Jambo @09.27 The interview is certainly miles away from the standard “110% game of two halves “ football interview.

    ________________

     

    It was the man's eloquence and understanding of both sides of the argument that impressed me. To make the point that black footballers and celebrities have it much easier than the ordinary black (Asian, gay…) man or woman in the street is, to me, a very important point to be made. Pointing out that just because the racist chants have stopped doesn't mean the fight against racism is being won was so important, too.

     

    John Barnes, going by that interview, has the makings of a fine politician, if only…


  11. I notice there's talk of TRFC making something like £15m from their Euro sojourn. Does anyone know if this is a net figure, ie profit, or is it just gross income, not taking into account all the expenses that so often result in smaller clubs making a loss from European participation*, and, of course, there's player Euro bonuses to consider?

     

    * I'm not suggesting TRFC will not have made a healthy profit from their Euro experience, just that European expenses can be so heavy that they can lead to some clubs making a loss.


  12. I believe it is not only the gross figure but gross exaggeration. 


  13. Timtim 21st December 2018 at 13:15

    I have seen these two articles you provided links to but nowhere can I see anything where Barnes says he was sacked from Celtic for being black.

    The articles from 2012 (and then again from 2015) appear to be, as RMcGeddawn says, related to Barnes saying black managers, coaches ex-players etc not being given the same crack of the whip as white managers, some of who are shit but get a gig again and again.

    Maybe there is something out there where Barnes said 'Celtic fired me because I'm black' but I doubt it as such a statement would result in countless results from a Google search.

    The two articles  appear to be correct in pointing out Barnes' management record perhaps wasn't great but have no links of direct quotes attributed to Barnes. My feeling is that they have been written (as a knee jerk reaction) from the point of view in trying to 'defend' Celtic,  despite no direct allegation being made against the club.

    Barnes of course has a point. While it is appreciated folks at Parkhead didn't see him taking Celtic forward his win percentage was 65.5%. Compare that to Deila's 63.5% that was allowed to continue for two years. 

    Barnes stint as Jamaica manager posted a record of 7 wins, 4 draws and 0 losses. Not too shabby. He seems to have left the job because he  wanted to be involved in club management.

    His 12 games at Tranmere seemed to be a bit of a disaster that put the nail in the coffin for any future management/coaching jobs.

    However Tony Mobray who left Celtic with a dismal 51/1% win percentage has been in near continual employment in the English game, posting win percentages of 39.9% at Middlesborough, 34.2% at Coventry and currently 48.4% at Blackburn.

    Barnes himself may well not be suited coaching but his point re the lack of opportunities for black managers and coaches still appears to be valid and shouldn't be so easily dismissed as sour grapes because things didn't work out at Celtic.

     

     


  14. Allyjambo 

    21st December 2018 at 14:54

    =====================================

    Only guessing but I would be totally stunned if it was anything other than income, before any associated expenses were deducted.


  15. "reading John Barnes telling the world that his race played a part in his being sacked at Celtic"

    well James Forrest read it and commented on it within 24 hrs of having done so , the other points re lack of opportunities for black managers I agree with . Maybe James and myself just imagined this happening but I doubt it. 


  16. Allyjambo 21st December 2018 at 14:54

     I usually leave these issues to Easyjambo but T'Rangers have had 7 near full houses for there Euro ties.

    Lets call it 50k at £30 a pop for 7 games. = £10.5m.

    You can allow something for corporates, catering, TV income etc

    Then add on any prize money for participation and getting to the group stages.

    Then take off the cost of going to seven away games, policing, security, taxes at home matches etc etc.

    £15m in the hand looks a bit on the high side to me.

    As it stands Celtic will probably make the same and a bit more for a larger stadium and an extra round.

    As discussed a few weeks back when the accounts were produced, every time you think the club from Ibrox may be heading for sustainability something pops up in the accounts to show them burning any cash that does come in like it is going out of fashion.

    I wouldn't be surprised if any additional monies earned from Europe are heading out straight back down the marble staircase and out the door without touching the sides.


  17. Timtim 21st December 2018 at 15:31

    James Forrest's article was posted on 31st March 2015 at 1:15pm

     

    It seems to be in reaction to articles (see a selection below) from 30 March 2015 that were a prelude to a programme John Barnes : Sports Life Stories that wasn't shown until 10:00pm on 31 March 2015.

    http://www.itv.com/england-football/sports-life-stories-john-barnes

    As such I am still of the opinion that Forrest's blog is a knee jerk reaction to 'defend' Celtic that got the wrong end of the stick.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/32112666

    https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/mar/30/john-barnes-black-managerial-career

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3017296/John-Barnes-claims-t-job-management-black.html

     

     

     

     


  18. AllyJambo@14.26

    John Barnes was certainly eloquent in the interview. Perhaps politics would be a step too far but I wonder if his views  that were so well expressed on TV could be delivered in a blog on, erm, the SFM platform?

     


  19. torrejohnbhoy 21st December 2018 at 14:46 

    For anyone interested,Phils latest. If his info is correct,then it seems Mr King has not come up with the readies. https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2018/12/21/my-happy-midwinter/

    =============

    Well, as it is the season for giving, and Smiler King has 'honestly' provided much merriment / confusion / bewilderment over recent years…

    Mibbees we should create a GoFundMe page?

    I'm sure the Scottish Legal profession will be only too keen to show their appreciation for King's largesse re: his innumerable court actions.

    Alternatively…

    The King has retired. Long live the King!  enlightened


  20. Ex Ludo

    A good shout on the Barnes thing. BP will follow it up.

    I was never aware that JB had claimed he had been dismissed because of his race, although I do know that he has been vocal (and eloquent) in his his campaigning to highlight the statistical disparity between the numbers of black players vs black managers and the inference that there are hidden (or perhaps even unconscious) prejudices at work.

    I can tell you that Barnes was definitely not sacked as a consequence of his racial background, nor even his inability to beat ICT.

    Perhaps that defeat would have eventually led to his dismissal, but his sacking was due to a half-time dressing room situation during that match, where he demonstrated to the Celtic directors that he had no control over proceedings. 

    The decision to dismiss him was taken BEFORE that match had ended, and before Kenny Dalglish returned (reluctantly) from the golfing mini-break he was on whilst the match took place.


  21. Allyjambo 21st December 2018 at 14:54

    I notice there's talk of TRFC making something like £15m from their Euro sojourn. Does anyone know if this is a net figure, ie profit, or is it just gross income, not taking into account all the expenses that so often result in smaller clubs making a loss from European participation*, and, of course, there's player Euro bonuses to consider?

    ==================================

    In terms of revenue they wont be far short of that figure from match day income, broadcasting and prize money.

    We don't know the cost of putting on these games and travel costs for away matches, player/management bonuses etc., but I wouldn't be surprised if half of that sum could end up as profit.

    The clubs that have lost money from their participation in Europe are those that are drawn against and lose to unattractive teams in Eastern Europe or the former Soviet Union states in the early qualifying rounds. Small home crowds and expensive travel costs will eat up the prize money.

    The income for participating in the qualifying rounds of the EL works out at around £250k for each round, then the money cranks up to around £2.6m for reaching the group stages. Once you reach there, you are guaranteed three home games, probably against more attractive opposition, and you also have the bonus of additional cash for each point gained.


  22. Would it be churlish of me to remind you chaps that whilst Rangers are running at a loss there won't be any corporation tax due. However there will be VAT on most of their income from the Europa run, so remember to take 1/6th away from any income calculation as the press are likely to report the gross figure.

    Assuming they are paying it of course. 


  23. Trisidium@17.19

    It would be great if JB agrees to put pen to paper for the blog. Hope it happens. 

    In terms of football management he probably lacked a hard edge to his character and a naivety that his reputation as a great player would see him through. 


  24. easyJambo 21st December 2018 at 17:23

     

    Thanks for the figures EJ, they kind of confirm what I suspected, though I thought it likely the profit figure would only drop a couple of million or so. The main point, though, is that it appears to being trumpeted, or maybe just taken by the bears, as meaning they have this £15m 'in the bank' and, no doubt, expect it to be spent strengthening the squad during January. I wouldn't be surprised if whatever the actual 'profit' figure might be it barely covers the increased wage bill and transfer costs of the new players who managed to get them so far.


  25. torrejohnbhoy 21st December 2018 at 14:46

    For anyone interested,Phils latest.If his info is correct,then it seems Mr King has not come up with the readies.

    https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2018/12/21/my-happy-midwinter/

    =================================

    I think Phil is wrong about the need to come up with £19m. That figure will be reduced in all probability, if King can show the "cash confirmer" the undertakings not to sell from the placees in the last share issue. The TOP was amenable to that approach, and indeed suggested that to King as a means of reducing the amount of cash required up front.

    Where Phil is closer to the mark is about King and his family's wealth. I posted previously about the value of his investment in Micromega (now called Sebata), falling significantly over the last few months, and in particular since he "declared" a special dividend following the sale of the NOSA subsidiary in April.  It was that dividend that was supposed to be used to fund the share offer.

    Looking at the share price of Micromega/Sebata, the 52 week high was 11.8 Rand, which valued King's 63% family stake in the company at £46.7m (at today's exchange rate).  Today's closing share price was just 2.6 Rand, which means that the stake has fallen in value to just £10.3m.

    He should still have the £13m (less 20% SA dividend taxmail) in cash he received from the special dividend, and probably has more stashed offshore, but his total wealth has taken a hammering since April.


  26. Hello StevieBC from 08:39 this am.

    I don't disagree that the file is somewhat derisory, but I tip my hat to the new CO for taking them on.  She seems to have persisted and is trying to be consistent.  It is a small positive step that the New Club, which behaves almost as badly as the previous one, is being reined in a bit.


  27. wottpi 21st December 2018 at 15:53
    It seems to be in reaction to articles (see a selection below) from 30 March 2015 that were a prelude to a programme John Barnes : Sports Life Stories that wasn’t shown until 10:00pm on 31 March 2015.
    ……………….
    Timtim 21st December 2018 at 13:08
    6 1 Rate This

    I remember it from the time , maybe it was tabloid sensationalism from our smsm eager to play the race card on his behalf,
    …………………
    It has been one of those days for me. But if you could bear with me until tomorrow i will have a look for any tabloid sensationalism around the date 30 March 2015 -31 March 2015.
    ……………….
    wottpi 21st December 2018 at 15:53
    Four links in one post.
    Next time SJ is on can you give him a hand as he could only find/post one link for one subject, when he could have posted several other links relating to matters he had thoughts on.Or did he just have tunnel vision on the subject he had thoughts on. I wonder.


  28. Jimmy Bones 21st December 2018 at 18:09 but I tip my hat to the new CO …… That is me and Corrupt Official down the pecking order then.wink

    As i said one of those days.smiley


  29. "Alex Thomson, who wrote an introduction to Phil Macgiollabhain’s compendium of other people’s work …"

    The first sentence is nonsense, why would I take anything else as being worth reading.


  30. https://www.scottishreviewofbooks.org/2012/11/what-s-the-score/

     

    "Three years ago Mac Giolla Bhain began to post blogs about the approaching perfect financial storm that was about to hit Rangers and which would eventually engulf it within two years. If Mac Giolla Bhain had been employed as a staffer on any of Scotland’s dozen or so national newspaper titles he would be a certainty to be crowned sportswriter of the year, news reporter of the year and journalist of the year for his work on the Rangers story."


  31. Always a time for reflection. It's our seventh Christmas together and still justice has not been served. On the plus side though, the clubs, the SFA, the SPFL, the MSM and all the other beneficiaries of the Great Swindle thought we would be gone by now – and that hasn’t happened.

    True, we have lost some friends along the way; people of great intellect and gravitas who enhanced our number and reputation – and we would welcome them all back to contribute again to our discussion. The likes of (to name only a few) SergioBiscuits, Paulie Walnuts, Danish Pasty, EssexBeanCounter, TallboyPoppy; they have all left big holes to fill and we owe them much more than they will realise.

    Others have taken their pace though, and along with stalwarts from the very early days, they have become standard bearers for that integrity we have sought for all these years.

    Maybe 2019 is the year the corrupt freeloaders in our game will realise that their wish for us to evaporate will absolutely not come true. Ridicule is always the first tactic employed against folk who go up against the establishment. We’ve certainly experienced, and continue to experience our fair share of that. Next comes vilification, and we should be ready for that too.

    As long as we persist though, there can be no satisfactory victory for the cheats and the liars.

    On that note, a very Merry Christmas to you all, and to our absent friends.


  32. Trisidium 22nd December 2018 at 11:09

    '…As long as we persist though, there can be no satisfactory victory for the cheats and the liars.'

    %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

    And may the ghosts of their Christmases past and present turn their festive food to ashes in their mouths, and their  drink to reindeer p..h!

    And let the ghosts of their Christmases to come hold up the mirror of truth to their faces that they might see themselves as the pitiable wretches that they have made of themselves for all time to come in the annals of sport.

    And may the most guilty celebrate in the fullness of time a Christmas or five in HMP Barlinnie after trial and conviction for conspiracy to defraud.


  33. Timtim 21st December 2018 at 13:08
    6 1 Rate This

    I remember it from the time , maybe it was tabloid sensationalism from our smsm eager to play the race card on his behalf,
    ……………….
    Re the JB. I don’t have anything from March 30/31 2015, but did aquire this.

    Frozen out of football because the colour of his skin.
    …………..
    Can’t find anything to help
    Timtim 21st December 2018 at 13:08
    11 2 Rate This

    I remember it from the time , maybe it was tabloid sensationalism from our smsm
    ………………………………
    Looking back at March 2015
    we had the king concert party takeover.
    Paul Murray thanking the Daily Record for it’s courageous journalism.
    King stating that David Murray Duped him.
    The fan who offered to raise an army of Free workers for ibrox, embroiled in racism row.
    And a whole host of ibrox related people backing Dave king.
    …………………
    Edit, sorry that link did not work.
    https://ton.twitter.com/i/ton/data/dm/1076470255701110788/1076470250684772352/QA-hcXEp.jpg


  34. Trisidium 22nd December 2018 at 20:07

    We have revived – at last – the SFM archive. Posts and comments over a year old can now be viewed at 

    https://sfmarchive.privateland.net

    Had a wee browse myself today. Rerr 

     

    Excellent news!

     

    I note that the archive is searchable by date. Is it possible to make it searchable by author/contributor?


  35. Trisidium 22nd December 2018 at 20:07

    '..

    We have revived – at last – the SFM archive. Posts and comments over a year old can now be viewed at 

    https://sfmarchive.privateland.net '

    %%%%%%%%%%%%%%

    I think I may have at some time or other asked whether the 'media studies' or 'sociology' or even 'sports psychology' or general 'social history' or 'journalism' lecturers in our Universities have included blogs such as the SFM as source material in their specialist examinations of 'society' in Scotland.

    Is there anyone on here who can say? 

    Any PhD student at Strathclyde , for example, working on a thesis about the suppression of truth ( or the perceived suppression ) in the reporting of the whole disgusting Rangers-of-SDM-Craig Whyte saga?

    I'd love to know.

    Because it was and is such a feckin ridiculous piece of nonsense that a Football governance body should have been so caught by the short and curlies by

    a  cheating millionaire,

    a Jackson-type MBMB

    a horse-loving  horse's ar.e of a  yorkshire man,

    and a GASL…….

    as to make whores of themselves and, in effect, destroy Scottish Football as a clean sport.

    Honest to God. Surely there must be some honest academics out there ( perhaps not in Edinburgh University) prepared to do the research, and get right into blogs of all kinds relating to the matter?

    Of course not. Academics and PhD students know on which side their bread is buttered, just as much as our SMSM.

     


  36. Winning the Rangers way

     

    Quote from Gerrard after to-day's match at Perth "We shouldn't have to work that hard to win at places like this , with due respect" – no wonder everyone hates them (& they don't care) .


  37. Re : Rangers

     

    I would love it (in a Kevin Keegan voice) if on Wednesday at a pre-match interview Neil Lennon says (with a straight face) "we should be winning at places like this" – cue uproar !


  38. naegreetin 23rd December 2018 at 20:13

    —————————————————–

    Even allowing for my pro-Celtic bias I think Brendan Rodgers could justify saying Celtic should beat Rangers next week. He won't, but if he did the same media lining up to defend Gerrard today would go utterly ballistic. 


  39. Making such a statement as Stevie Gerrard did post match today; whilst it is completely disrespectful of the opposition, it conveniently moves the narrative away from his own supporters on field celebrations. That’s 3 invasions so far. New world record? Needless to say the BBC radio commentary team made no mention of it. 


  40. Yes, Ex Ludo.

    Having watched the highlights earlier, I had merely assumed that TRFC had won 'the Big Cup' – based on the bears' delirious celebrations.

    …but they had in fact beaten another SPFL team… in a League game… in December?!

    cheeky

    I'm embarrassed for them.

    And how would local NHS services cope with the bears if TRFC actually won a proper trophy – like the Scottish Cup?


  41. Re: the disgusting behaviour in the Glenafton v. Cambuslang Rangers game, where the ref was allegedly assaulted.

    OK, investigation will confirm details, but main points include;

    – 2 Cambuslang Rangers were sent off

    – 1 of them allegedly 'wounded' the ref in the stomach

    – the ref – a policeman – requested a police presence AT HIS HOME due to threats being made.

     

    Can't help but wonder if there is any correlation behind this 'wee Rangers' behaviour and that of TRFC?

    …and so soon after TRFC was answering to various SFA charges in relation to the treatment of – and slurs against – a referee.

     

    I don't actually hate TRFC.

    I do feel pity for those who blindly / loyally support this deviant club.

    They don't know what they don't know.

     

    Oh, and Merry Christmas, one and all!

    broken heart

     

     


  42. Ex Ludo
    I’m kinda for giving Gerrard the benefit of the doubt due to his managerial inexperience. There’s been a growing list of these disrespectful comments. The latest is just another WATP slogan. Perhaps a need to play to the home gallery coupled with a lack of eloquence is to blame. Trouble is that TRFC’s PR won’t be involved in any corrective methods to offer wise advice.
    Perhaps someone who is a friend of Gerrard could offer such counsel.


  43. BP@11.46

    Since it’s Christmas Eve I should be generous and acknowledge that it was probably a cack handed attempt by SG to motivate his own team by praising the effort St Johnstone put in yesterday.

    Merry Christmas to all on here.


  44. SG may well be a rookie manager but he is a vastly experienced player well used to having a microphone stuck in his face immediately after a match. Clubs train & prepare their players for that (perhaps explaining the dull cliche ridden interviews) so I wouldn’t be so quick to let him off the hook on the inexperience point.

    Then again maybe the training is a bit different down Ibrox way. 


  45. justbecauseyoureparanoid 24th December 2018 at 15:06

    '..Clubs train & prepare their players for that (perhaps explaining the dull cliche ridden interviews) so I wouldn’t be so quick to let him off the hook on the inexperience point.'

    _______________________

    At 03.50 Brisbane time , carrots out for Rudolph and Dancer  and a quarter gill of (my)Johnny Walker Red for yer man , I think I agree with you.

    It has been a convention for generations in most sports ( with the possible exception of professional boxing) for sports participants to be respectful of their sporting competitors.

    Nobody, but nobody, loves any jumped up insulting bast.rd who tries to pi.s on ,from on high, his fellow professionals , to demean and belittle them.

    It's just not done.

    And any sportsman who does it is no sportsman, or even any kind of decent person.

    Very black marks to Gerrard if he spoke his own mind.

    Doubly black, if he was prepared to speak to another's script.

     

     


  46. I have sent the following email:

    •  

      "To:letters@theaustralian.com.au

      ‎25‎ ‎Dec at ‎04‎:‎09

      For the attention of Mr Ray Gatt

       

      Dear Mr Gatt,

      As a holidaymaker from Scotland presently in Brisbane, and a casual reader of "The Australian", I was a little surprised to see that in yesterday's  issue, in your piece headed  " Injuries and Old Firm schedule play havoc with Socceroos' preparation"  you use the term 'Old Firm' in reference to Celtic FC  and The Rangers Football Club Ltd.

       

      Can it be that you really do not know that the term ceased to have any meaning or relevance on the death by Liquidation in 2012 of the original Rangers Football club of 1872 foundation? 

       

      It was that venerable club that was regarded as being  one  cheek of the  arse of which Celtic were the other,  in a century in which newspaper men were not mere PR hacks and partisan propagandists.

       

      Rangers went into Liquidation in 2012. It consequently lost its entitlement to membership of the then Scottish Premier League (SPL), and, consequently, its entitlement to membership of the Scottish Football Association (SFA)

       

      It simply ceased to exist as a recognised professional football club with a place in Scottish Football.

       

      In the Administration phase, the Administrators declaring that they had  failed to achieve a Company Voluntary Agreement and that Liquidation could not be avoided, sold some of the assets to a one-man company named SevcoScotland Ltd, incorporated on 29 May 2012.

      (Some of the player assets of Rangers FC (in Administration) since their former employer had gone bust realised that their were free of their contracts and walked away to seek positions with still-living football clubs, much to the chagrin of the founder of SevcoScotland Ltd, who had expected that he would be treated as being simply the  new owner of the existing club, rather than the founder of a new club altogether.

       

      His expectations were dashed when his application as 'The Rangers Football Club Ltd ( the new name given to SevcoScotland ) to enter the SPL was rejected. 

       

      His hopes were further disappointed when his new club was not admitted either to the First or Second divisions of the then Scottish Football League(SFL)

       

      Eventually ( after being allowed to play one game as 'Team 12') and having sought the permission of the Administrators of the now dead 'Rangers' [who held the registrations of those players who had opted to sign for the new club-on new contracts with a new employer] , the brand new 'The Rangers Football Club Ltd' was admitted into the third division of the SFL.

       

      Thus, the sporting history of today's 'Rangers' goes back no further than 2012. The 'Rangers'  1872  exists only in the limbo of Liquidation, and will be removed from Companies House register just as soon as the liquidators finally conclude their task.

       

      The history and sporting achievements of the Liquidated club belong only to that liquidated club and cannot by any stretch of imagination be deemed to belong to a six-year-old football club!

       

      There is , and cannot legally be, an  'Old Firm' other than in mere reference  to the now dead club's association with Celtic.

      And I think it is quite wrong of you as a journalist to mislead your readers by implying that the old Rangers are somehow not in liquidation and defunct as football club.

      They most definitely are dead, in the same way as every other football club in Scotland which has gone bust over the last 140 years or so is dead , and  'alive' only in the history books and memories of its supporters.

      And now that you know the truth ,which you will be able to check for yourself quite easily, and do not belong to the Scottish Main Stream Media pack of dishonest 'journalists' who propagate the myth  that The Rangers FC Ltd of 2012 foundation is one and the same as the Rangers of 1872 , you have a duty to refrain from any further direct or indirect propagation of a lie.

      Please, therefore, discontinue using the 'Old Firm' tag. It is offensive to those of us who know the truth.

      Yours sincerely, and with best wishes for Christmastide,

    • JC, 

     

     

     

     


  47. Well said JC.
    I would like to wish everyone who contributes and reads on SFM a Happy, Holy and Peaceful Christmas no matter your allegiances. After all we're all Jock Thomson's bairns.


  48. Merry Christmas to all members of our community. Thanks for a great year, and looking forward to the New ?


  49. Happy Christmas to you all, whoever and wherever you may be. 


  50. A Hearty Christmas to SFM bloggers and readers everywhere.


  51. Merry Xmas to all and especially to the Administrators for the work they've done for our benefit; to those who make intelligent analysis of the footballing scene; and to the readers who are taking time on Christmas Day to thumb down posts ?


  52. In February 2019 I will have been visiting this blog (And RTC before it) almost everyday for seven years. In that time I have learned about Occam's Razor, the Agean stables, share issues, standing charges, PR tactics, Scottish football history, Scottish history and benefitted from the experiences of many posters. Most of all this site has schooled me in how to hold a sensible, reasoned debate online without resorting to the usual whataboutery, abuse or general pish when dealing with the folk who deny the big lie, sfa corruption or indeed politics in general. It's been very useful in many shituations not regarding the recent shambles that is the SFA. There's too many people to thank from over the years, it's been a right education and I would like to thank ye all for keeping up the good work. I look forward to digging into the archive too. So, best wishes to all on the blog, here's to the truth coming out and to sorting out the SFA so we can actually love our game again.  Thank you all.  Peace!


  53. …George Weah's cousin ?  ?

     

    Some decent games tomorrow.

    And at the half way stage – rather unusually – there are only 4 points between the top 4 SPL teams, which keeps it exciting.

    And very pleased for Stevie Clarke that his Killie are still in the mix.

     


  54. Upthehoops, I have just DM'd you. If you are looking in now, could you acknowledge receipt here on the please blog asap? Ta.


  55. Yellohoose 25th December 2018 at 17:33

    '..In that time I have learned about Occam's Razor, the Agean stables, share issues, standing charges, PR tactics, Scottish football history, Scottish history and benefitted from the experiences of many posters. Most of all this site has schooled me in how to hold a sensible, reasoned debate..'

    __________________

    I echo your observations, Yellohoose. 

    Because people with experiences in various walks of life have contributed something of their knowledge and awareness as they post on the blog, I have over the last six years  been made aware of whole dimensions of civic and sporting and legal and commercial life that I had never been conscious of in any meaningful way,

    For instance, six years ago I did not know  that there was such a thing as Companies House; I had only the haziest notion of 'Administration', and of 'Liquidation', and of the duties of Directors, and of how to find details of Court cases, and of banned directors, and of the governance bodies of football-FIFA, UEFA, and the SFA.

    The 'saga' has brought about the awakening in us of the need for vigilance, and the readiness to assert our desire for a clean sport. Who the hell wants a governance body that simply puts profit above the very concept of sport?

    And who wants to give money to competitors who are happy to accord their sporting rivals honours and sporting titles that those rivals have not actually won, and could not have won because they did not exist at the time they were won?

    I've learned a lot on this blog -of Truth, or of the ways to ty to establish the Truth, and the desire that the truth be found, and liars be rousted out and sent on their miserable, cheating way.


  56. Coming back from a Christmas Day overnighter with the son's in-laws in Mount Mee, about 2 hours drive north of Brisbane, I accessed my emails.

    This is a reply I received from the Company Secretary of Celtic plc:

    "Dear Mr..

    Thank you very much for your letter regarding Resolution 12 and for your recent email.  As was indicated at our recent Annual General Meeting, we are continuing to seek to engage with the Scottish FA in relation to this matter and we had held off responding to your correspondence in the meantime.

    We hope to be in a position to respond shortly.  Further, although I note that you are in Australia at the moment, I would be very happy to meet with you when you are back in Scotland.

    I hope that you have a peaceful Christmas and best wishes for 2019.

    Kind regards,

    Michael

     

    Michael Nicholson
    Company Secretary
    Celtic plc
    Celtic Park, Glasgow, G40 3RE
    Direct Tel: +44 (0)141 551 4207
    Direct Fax: +44 (0)141 554 8845"

    and my acknowledgement of that reply:

    "Dear Michael,

    I very much appreciate your reply, which I have only just accessed (at 21.00 Boxing Day, Brisbane time)

    I am heartened that Celtic plc are still engaged in  seeking to engage with the SFA, and are hoping to have some public response other than a continuation of kicking the matter (as it would appear to simple minds such as mine)into grass of a length that , if it were at Tynecastle, Mr Rodgers would not like his players to have to play on!

    We did actually meet (but without me  being introduced by name) as I joined a friend as he was concluding a conversation with you, immediately after the AGM.

    While I'm always happy to meet people, I would hope that before I get back to Scotland, Celtic and/or the SFA  will have made some public statement about progress.

    Thank you for your good wishes, and best wishes for the New Year."


  57. The taxman has given ­creditors of Rangers FC a £1million Christmas bonus.

    The cash will be split among them after HMRC reduced the amount of money they are owed from the Oldco club by £26million.

    Liquidators BDO will now distribute the funds – but it’s only 3.91p extra for every £1 owed.

    The reduction in HMRC’s bill emerged in the latest December update to creditors from Glasgow-based BDO, who are in control of the affairs of RFC 2012 PLC, formerly known as The Rangers Football Club PLC, who went into liquidation in 2012.

    HMRC initially made a claim of £94million in unpaid tax against Rangers, with £74million relating to the so-called Big Tax Case.
    https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/rangers-creditors-handed-1million-christmas-13776479
    …………………….
    Merry christmas


  58. I was listening to Five Live Arsenal game coverage , and the commentator opined that an Australian player at Brighton would be allowed to play on Saturday coming . Different rules for the big leagues ?


  59. John Clark 24th December 2018 at 18:37

    I have sent the following email:

    • "To:letters@theaustralian.com.au
    • —————————————————————-
    • Was your letter published John? I'm guessing not.

  60. I see the January sales have the Rangers fans speculating on how much they would be willing to let Morelos go for. They seem to do a lot of their deals in a fantasy rather than in reality.

    This is my favourite so far. I am sure they will get better as January progresses.

     

    Liverpool, Everton, Crystal palace + cardiff all had scouts loooking ay him. 

    My deal: sell for £15m to liverpool – we get him back on Loan for rest of season + Solanke on loan + Kent on a permanent deal and a 20% sell on clause.

     

     


  61. bordersdon 27th December 2018 at 12:04

    ' was your letter published…….'

    %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

    I was in two minds, bordersdon, about whether to write as someone writing a 'letter to the editor' , using the email address for that, or whether to write personally to Ray Gatt, the individual journalist. 

    In the event, I had to use the sort of general email address, but I headed my email  'for the attention of Mr Ray Gatt'.

    The newspapers are not published on Christmas day in Queensland, so if my email had been treated as a 'letter to the editor' and deemed worthy of publication, the earliest it might have appeared would have been Boxing day.  

    I was miles from any newsagent on Boxing day and hadn't a hope of buying a paper. Nor have I been able to buy one today ( it's now 23.37 on Thursday) because it was the birthday of my now 6 year old grandwean identical twins and I was engaged from early morning till fagged-out late afternoon in preparing for , enjoying, and clearing up after the double birthday party and socialising with a number of mums and dads of primary school classmates of the party girls . And very nice that was, too.

    I have had no email from Gatt himself, who might be on summer holiday now. (This is the height of summer holiday traffic, it seems)

    But I'm happy that at least one sports journalist in Australia will have an email putting him right.

    If he chooses to be like the SMSM guys, he is, like they, the loser by being utterly false to his profession and a betrayer of truth and principle.

    He may, like them, be happy to live with that while other proper journalists are prepared to die for the sake of truth.

    I hope he is not like that, and that he will favour me with some kind of reply, and be prepared to engage.
    But he might be an ex-patriate chap frae Castlemilk and a member of a Sydney ‘Rangers’ Supporters Club’. Who knows?

     

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