Over the past couple of years, we have built a healthy, vibrant and influential community which recognises the need to counter the corporate propaganda spouted by the mainstream media on behalf of the football authorities.
The media have, not entirely but in the main, been hostage to the patronage of those in charge of the club/media links, and to the narrow demographic of their readership. Despite a continuing rejection of the media’s position by that readership (in terms of year on year slump in sales) there is an obstinate refusal to see what is by now inevitable – the death of the print media. The lamb metaphor in fact ironically moving to the slaughter.
The football authorities in Scotland, once the country that gave the world the beautiful game, are rigid with fear that their own world will fall apart – because they are wedded to the idea that only one football match actually matters. To that end they will do whatever it takes to ensure that it continues. They have long since dispensed with the notion that football is an interdependent industry, and incredibly, even those who are not participants in that match follow like sheep towards the abattoir.
The argument is no longer that one club cheated and got away with it. The debate that we need to have is one about what is paramount in the eyes of the clubs and the media . Is it the inegrity of sporting endeavour, or box-office?
For out part, independent sites like this have accelerated the print media’s demise, and there have been temporary successes in persuading the clubs to uphold the spirit of sport. However our role has up to now been to cast a spotlight on the inaccuracies, inconsistencies and downright lies that routinely pass for news. News that is imagined up by PR agencies and dutifully copied by the lazy pretend-journalists who betray no thought whatsoever during the process.
Despite our successes, it really is not enough. We have the means at our disposal to do more, but do more we need to change ourselves, because the authorities sure as hell aren’t gonna.
We need to provide meaningful insight into the game that removes the Old Firm prism from the light path. We need to provide news that has covered all of the angles. We need to entertain, inform and energise fans of sport and all clubs.
We need to do that from a wholly independent perspective. None of this refusing to tell the truth about club allegiances. There is no reason why intelligent men and women can’t be objective in spite of their own allegiances (although the corollary absolutely holds true). Our experience of the MSM in this country is that the lack of arms-length principles in the media has corrupted it to such an extent that they barely recognise truth and objectivity. We need to be firm on those arms-length principles.
In order to do that we have put together a plan (with enough room to manoeuvre if required) as follows;
We will rebrand and re-launch as the Independent Sports Monitor. We have acquired the domains isMonitor.co.uk and IndependentSportsMonitor.co.uk, and those will be the main urls after the re-launch, hopefully later in the summer.
The change in name reflects the reality of our current debate which is not always confined to Scotland or football. It will also give us the option in future of applying the success of our model to other sports and jurisdictions through partner sites and blogs. This should also help in our efforts to raise funds in the future. However any expansion outwith the domain of Scottish football is some time away, and will depend on the success we have with the core model.
Our mission statement will be;
- ISM will seek to build a community of sports fans whose overarching aim is the integrity of competition in the sport.
- ISM will, without favour, seek to find objective truths on the conduct and administration of sport. We will avoid building relationships with individuals or organisations which would bring us into conflict with that.
- ISM will provide a platform for the views of ALL fans, and guarantee that those views will be heard in a mutually respectful environment.
- ISM will also endeavour to inform and entertain members on a wide range of topics related to our shared love of sport.
- ISM will seek to represent the views of sports fans to sporting authorities and hold the authorities to account.
We have estimated our (modest) costs to expand our role as per recent discussions. The expanded role will take the form of a new Internet Radio Channel where we hope to provide 24/7 content by the end of the year. It will also see a greater news role where we will engage directly with clubs and authorities to seek answers to our questions directly. And we will seek to contact the best fan sites across Scotland with a view to showcasing their content.
We have identified individuals who we want to work (initially on a part time basis) towards our objectives, we have identified premises where we want to conduct our business, and we hope to move into those premises during this summer.
To finance these plans there are a couple of stages;
- Initially (as soon as possible) we need to pay accommodation and hosting costs for the first year. To do so, we hope to appeal to the community itself. Our aim is to raise around £5000 by the end of August.
- There are salary costs (around £15,000) attached to our first year plan, but these have been underwritten by Big Pink, and equipment costs (est. £3000). These will be reimbursed if the advertising campaign we recently started bears any fruit (we will not know about that for a few months).
- It will not be too discouraging if we make losses in the first couple of years, so if necessary we will seek crowd-funding to finance our plans if the resources of the community itself prove inadequate to smooth a path to break-even point.
Our first year may be a perilous hand-to-mouth existence, but I am certain the journey will be an exciting and enjoyable one. We will also need to search our community resources for contacts at clubs; players, officials, ex-players, local journalists etc. Please get in touch if you have any in at your club.
We also hope to tap into the expertise of our community for advice, comment and analysis of developments, and we will be looking for any aspiring presenters, journalists, sound and video editors, graphic designers (and lots of others) to help us find our feet. Any offers of assistance would be gratefully accepted.
We mustn’t lose sight of why we are doing this. It is because we love our sport, because we want to be able to continue to call it that, and because the disconnect we find in Scottish football, that of the conflicting interests of the fans and the money men, will never be addressed as long as the fans are hopelessly split.
The ultimate goal is to allow sport – not our individual clubs – to triumph over the greed and corporate troglodyte-ism of those people who run it. I am confident that we as a community desperately want to be able to make a difference. That is why I am confident we can achieve our aim of becoming a significant player in the game.
offensive 🙂
BP, explain, please…
Is it something wickedly amusing, or just a slip of the finger on keyboard?
Kilgore Trout says:
July 27, 2015 at 9:07 am
Allyjambo @ 8:33am
When clicking a star just isn’t enough.
Well said.
100% Bang on.
=======================================
…and just where did these ‘5 Stars’ to vote come from ?!
A Freudian slip from Tris/SFM ?
I think we should be told. 🙄
From Phil’s latest-
“a fresh infusion of £15m plus the season ticket money would allow auditors to sign off on the RIFC accounts.
These are due at the start of September.”
The RIFC year end is 30 June. As a Public company they have 6 months from the year end to file accounts, so the next accounts are due by 31 December. Or have I got that wrong?
RyanGosling says:
July 27, 2015 at 1:39 am
Perhaps I’m being facetious, but Rangers’ next game is against Peterhead. I’m not aware of any bids from Rangers for a Peterhead player. If we win that one, what will you all find to get upset about?!
I’ve obviously gone too far, but as I hinted at previously, I’ve seen no evidence of wrongdoing by Rangers in the Scott Allan situation and it has been used as a stick with which to beat an impressive Rangers side. Calling us cheats for putting in a low bid, in the absence of any evidence of any underhand campaign, is outrageous. Sharp evidence of why we don’t get more Rangers fans here. Rangers won so they must have been cheating.
102 Votes
============================================
Ryan,
I don’t think the forum can be collectively “responsible” for every comment made and you have to take care not to assume a few posts are representative of everyone on the forum. As usual we all have a range of subtle and different views.
For what its worth I’ll offer my own.. (if I can explain it well enough)
I think the “evidence” as you put it is all to clear in the press and media coverage. Personally I am in very little doubt this coverage has 2 aims, to unsettle the Hibs player prior to the game and to pressurise Hibs into selling the player (to a rival at a rock bottom price).
Do I have evidence to make that opinion stand up in court? NO.
Do I feel I need it, given the weight of guff in the press and media that fits my suspicion? Well for me personally no I don’t. I think I’m entitled to hold my opinion given the history of Rangers’ (old and new clubs) PR manipulation of the Scottish sports press in the last few years.
And to be clear I think its unfair and “not really cricket” to manipulate the media (even if the are all to willing) to stir up problems for opponents.
Sorry of that’s difficult to swallow but I’m afraid its what will happen when such a cynical approach to “media management”/PR/whatever is employed by Rangers (both old and new). ie. People will assume the worst once the pattern has been outed. Its cause and effect really.
I don’t think its “outrageous” to hold this opinion as you put it. Quite the opposite really.
But that is where I would leave my critique of this incident personally.
I don’t think we can say it affected the game adversely.
I don’t think it means the new Rangers club “cheated” to win this game. That’s too strong a word I think.
And I don’t think it really takes away from the fact that Rangers thumped Hibs convincingly with some quite nice play at times.
But then the forum doesn’t really function to bask in the glory of a thumping win or a particular team’s success. Its for discussion of the problems in our game regarding fairness, governance and so on.
So I think its far more likely you’ll see comments about the handling of Scott Allan affair than comments about what a cracking result the game was for Rangers.
Methilhill Stroller says:
July 27, 2015 at 3:28 pm
I see Phil McG has hinted that DCK has gone back with the begging bowl to Big Mike in what seems like an effort to get enough cash in the door to have the accounts signed off. As many have stated here the season can only last so long without a decent inflow of cash but it seems that DCK wants it to be OPM again…
=========================================================
In the continued absence of ‘overinvestment’ cash from King or others, together with Phil’s latest that King has brass-necked it yet again to look for cash from MA, and/or sell his shares to him…
On the face of it, the only leverage that King has with Ashley is to organise placing RIFC/TRFC into administration, [or rather, threaten to].
Agreed, this may not impact the ‘onerous contracts’ held by SD and which are secured against RIFC/TRFC assets.
But, it could get very messy, and the return on Ashley’s investment/loan could take significantly longer to realise ?
King certainly isn’t ‘jetting in’ to splash the cash.
Getting a feeling something significant might happen with King’s return though.
Well, he wouldn’t want to waste a return airfare just to watch a TRFC game would he ?!
Popcorn on standby, just in case… 😉
StevieBC says:
July 27, 2015 at 4:18 pm
My take on the likely scenario, before reading PMGB’s latest, was that some time soon King would have to go cap in hand to Ashley and offer to leave the board (perhaps taking Murray with him and ignoring any SPFL/SFA regulations)handing everything over to Ashley’s tender mercies. That may, or may not, have fitted in with Ashley’s plans but I’m pretty sure he would not have wanted to expose himself to any more than the £10m he’d originally been prepared to lend. If PMGB is correct about King’s intention to ask for a further £15m then I doubt Ashley would want to increase his exposure (and certainly not unsecured) to double the level he was prepared to go to when he had a firm grip on expenditure – I expect the ‘squad rebuilding’ has already surpassed the intended budget and it won’t just be £15m more required for this season either.
I have suspected all along that Ashley has set up his contracts/security in a way that they survive any insolvency event, even if no ‘Rangers’ rises immediately from the flames, as he will hold the rights to all the Intellectual Property and no club, claiming to be ‘Rangers’ will be able to produce merchandise, or strips, without using the SD owned IP!
Basically, without spending another penny, Ashley stands to make a lot more money from ‘Rangers’ for many years to come, so why commit another £5m, let alone three times that? One thing’s for certain, if he King wants Ashley to lend the club another £15m, he’s going to have to offer something by way of security. Now what might that be?
Allyjambo says:
July 27, 2015 at 4:54 pm
One thing’s for certain, if he King wants Ashley to lend the club another £15m, he’s going to have to offer something by way of security. Now what might that be?
======================================================================
My thoughts exactly, King has nothing to offer which makes the story all a bit unbelievable.
Ashley has a loan deal in place and has security over everything but Ibrox.
We were told he asked for his cash back and still appears to be waiting.
He asked questions re Nomads, how the 3 bears loan was structured etc and still no answers.
Why would he do a deal with a shyster who has been calling him and his acquaintances for everything over the last year or so,
Ashley can sit back coin in a bit of cash while keeping any competitors out of the 500m shirts per annum market 🙂
I can’t see a large stadium being of that much interest to him at this time and certainly not worth £15m!
Still say that if the thing is to fail it is simply just going to come down to the newco running out of money at some point. At that point Ashley can probably step in and do a Charles Green and get the whole shooting match for next to nothing.
No need to part with any cash at this present time if his end game is to own the club lock stock and barrel.
ya gotta feel for the bully wees…. they coulda still been in the petrofac if their manager had spent the WHOLE week concentrating on the livi game instead of trying to sign a player for the spfl’s newest club…..
Allyjambo says:
July 27, 2015 at 4:54 pm
__________________________________
The latest blog from Phil Mac Giolla Bhain is another thought-provoker!
There is a developing narrative about King seeking finance that isn’t coming from him. For example from the fans (“co-investors”), or (if we take on board Phil’s blogs (and I see no reason not to believe them) from Mike Ashley/Sports Direct.
Quite how this squares with King’s previous comments about ‘over-investment etc is anyone’s guess.
I would be fascinated to know what would be in it for Ashley/Sports Direct to loan any more cash to Sevco at this point.
Clearly they previously had some things in mind in return for the second tranche of £5m. We know that the former board had started the process of attempting to draw it down before they were removed.
You could imagine that Sports Direct might demand things like a larger slice of the retail pie, more advertising space, a longer notice period for the entire retail deal, longer shirt sponsorship rights, stadium naming rights etc etc.
If it were possible they might even want security over Ibrox! If…
They might even demand the departure of Murray and King himself from the board, and the installation of other people.
But what on earth would they ask for in return for an additional £10m?! The mind boggles!
And finally, when Mr King was drooled over by Jim White last week, he commented on reworking the commercial deal with Sports Direct as it wasn’t working for Sevco and “couldn’t be working for Sports Direct” either.
Is he going to ask Big Mike to loosen his grip on the retail deal at the same time as he asks him to loan them more money?
Having already said that he doesn’t really view the current £5m loan as being a loan?
Having resisted repayment of that loan outside an ‘holistic’ consideration of the Sevco relationship with Sports Direct?
Having booted out Ashley’s allies from the RIFC Board?
And having overseen a note going out to shareholders suggesting that the board might seek the disapplication of the shareholder voting rights of anyone who might place the ‘club’ at risk of contravening the SFA’s dual ownership rules?
Really?
Aren’t Sevconomics great?
Have a good evening!
Alljambo old thing,
Nothing wickedly amusing – just self-indulgent nonsense. If I might explain;
Tris tells me that someone is having difficulty posting comments (a login problem actually) so I attempt to post a “test”, but old ThickFinger took over and mistyped it as “tet”.
Just couldn’t resist the old 60s idiom from there 🙂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tet_Offensive
StevieBC
Yeah it’s a really nice irony with the stars I suppose, but an unconscious one as you suggest.
Matty Roth says:
July 27, 2015 at 4:11 pm
I think the “evidence” as you put it is all to clear in the press and media coverage. Personally I am in very little doubt this coverage has 2 aims, to unsettle the Hibs player prior to the game and to pressurise Hibs into selling the player (to a rival at a rock bottom price).
——————-
Just a pity TRFC don’t have any players that any other club thinks worthy of a small bid to pressurise TRFC into selling the player (to a rival at a rock bottom price).
THEY HAVE NO PLAYERS THAT ANY CLUB IN THE SCOTTISH LEAGUES DEEMS WORTH A BID
Big Pink says:
July 27, 2015 at 6:15 pm
Thought that might be the case but was half hoping you had some ‘Apocalypse Now’ type news 😉 , thought for a moment I could hear those attack helicopters approaching 😆
Perhaps Viet King is hoping for the same success the Viet Cong had with their Tet Offensive when he launches his assault on MA!
Cluster One says:
July 27, 2015 at 6:36 pm
Matty Roth says:
…
——————-
Just a pity TRFC don’t have any players that any other club thinks worthy of a small bid to pressurise TRFC into selling the player (to a rival at a rock bottom price).
THEY HAVE NO PLAYERS THAT ANY CLUB IN THE SCOTTISH LEAGUES DEEMS WORTH A BID
=================================
But would it not be great fun if Ayr United subjected TRFC to the same treatment ?
In the run up to their Petrofac meeting, what if ‘it was leaked’ to the SMSM that Ayr was seriously considering a bid for x of TRFC…maybe funded by a wealthy supporter interested in helping out his club ? 🙄
Informed, Scottish football fans would get – and appreciate – the joke, and it just ‘might’ embarrass the Ibrox club from repeating this trick in future ?
[Edit: for Mods. The lamb icon is not co-operating again !]
I have always said that i would prefer that Mike Ashley was a million miles from Govan.
Unfortunately, he is there and he is very much the piper.
In actual fact, everybody else will jump to his tune.
Again, unfortunately, that includes a compliant SFA.
I think Mike sees potential in Sevco.
He could easily bankroll them into the SPFL and in a couple of seasons, why not, into the CL proper. Sevco have more chance than NU of getting there.
Is there a huge return on investment in that scenario – I have no idea.
Already we are hearing noises of a new draft of NU players arriving down Govan way to ensure promotion. Don’t think we’ll hear too much about Scott Allan then…
Sounds more like business than sport to me.
RyanGosling says:
July 27, 2015 at 1:39 am
Perhaps I’m being facetious, but Rangers’ next game is against Peterhead. I’m not aware of any bids from Rangers for a Peterhead player. If we win that one, what will you all find to get upset about?!
I’ve obviously gone too far, but as I hinted at previously, I’ve seen no evidence of wrongdoing by Rangers in the Scott Allan situation and it has been used as a stick with which to beat an impressive Rangers side. Calling us cheats for putting in a low bid, in the absence of any evidence of any underhand campaign, is outrageous. Sharp evidence of why we don’t get more Rangers fans here. Rangers won so they must have been cheating.
—————————————
There is zero evidence to suggest Rangers cheated to win on Saturday. As far as I’m aware no-one on here has suggested that.
What I do believe is that their very public pursuit of Scott Allan in the week leading up to the game was no co-incidence. Neither was the paucity of the offers which were never going to be accepted.
Was looking for the accounts dates for TRFC (made up to June 30,2015 and due by March 31,2016 ) and noticed that an alteration had been made to the floating charge on June 17 ( SC4251590005 ) Any significance ?
I want to discuss Mr Warburton – and I have nothing unfavourable to say. He has conducted himself well and his team did more than anyone could have expected.
I would say that his playing career was rather basic, he lacks top level experience and he never played in the top division in Scotland far less the old Old Firm. Normally this enough to get the press and the BBC ‘trusties’ to start patronizing any contribution to football. The belief is ‘you need to have been there to be credible.’ I am just glad to see someone come in and disturb this rotten barrel of self reinforcing tosh. I am fed up with the platitudes of the type, ‘Of course it should not have been a red card. I played with him. It is not in his nature.’ Or they need more games to get up to speed’ followed by the need a few weeks later of a mid season break …
So Mr Warburton might just break the tedium of discourse that passes for discussion of Scottish football in the press. I am fed up discovering that the opposition is well organised, made good signings and need to be taken seriously.
Considering how many former players have tried managing it is surprising how few succeed. It appears the old pro stuff doesn’t really work.
I must say Willie Miller stands out for me as an exception in this commenting game: another thing I was not expecting.
alexander276 says:
July 27, 2015 at 8:07 pm
I want to discuss Mr Warburton – and I have nothing unfavourable to say. He has conducted himself well and his team did more than anyone could have expected.
…
So Mr Warburton might just break the tedium of discourse that passes for discussion of Scottish football in the press…
=================================
From what little I have seen of him so far, Warburton seems like a decent bloke, and has done nothing to criticise – and yes it is refreshing to see a new face at the helm.
My only reservation is that in the absence of a higher level playing career, and with only 18 months management experience, how will he cope if/when the results start to dip ?
Does he have the personality to ‘deal with’ Board members if necessary ?
And during the Rangers heyday of big English player imports, the frequent comment they made was that they just didn’t appreciate the level of media attention, fans’ expectations or interest.
Does Warburton really know what he could encounter if he doesn’t win most of the games – and win them with attractive football ?
A good move to retain Weir at his side though.
There has been some discussion on whether or not Rangers will have enough income to see the season out and how that might effect whether the SFA allows them to play football this season. I think the short answer to the last part is, yes they will, no doubt about it.
However can I draw people’s attention to a few parts of the last set of accounts, which deal with “Going Concern” issues. The first two are from the accounts themselves, in effect the Directors’ comments. The third is from the Auditor, an Auditor who subsequently resigned from that position.
I have marked a couple of bits in red, however it is all worth reading, it should only take a few minutes.
Please note parts 1 and 2 are actually from the same section, it was just easier to do it this way because of the way the accounts are set out.
http://s15.postimg.org/939gccrij/Going_concern_1.jpg
http://s22.postimg.org/6b7e0p8nl/Going_concern_2.jpg
http://s14.postimg.org/9sa58odgh/Going_concern_Auditor.jpg
Given that Rangers failed to gain promotion where does that leave them. Certainly any talk of it actually being better to spend another season in the second tier is not in accordance with the assumptions that were made when looking into whether they were a going concern or not.
TheClumpany says:
July 27, 2015 at 6:03 pm
Allyjambo says:
July 27, 2015 at 4:54 pm
——————————————————-
deja vu :-
=======================================================
Leaks & Lawsuits
02/09/2011 by rangerstaxcase
The Summer 2011 Transfer Window
Craig Whyte’s modest actions over the close season and in the final weeks of the transfer window confirm that he is not a billionaire who will spend whatever it takes to make his footballing fantasies come true. In fact, with a net spend that could have been financed purely from season ticket cash inherited when he took ownership of Rangers, Whyte might just as well be an unemployed security guard for all the investment of personal cash that has been required so far in his tenure as club custodian.
same MO different name. ❗
Off topic, has anyone seen Robbie Muirhead’s goal for Scotland U19s against Norway which has been shortlisted for UEFA goal of the season? It’s majestic!!
http://therangersreport.com/2015/07/27/which-old-firm-club-drives-television-ratings-the-most/?
More justification to bin sporting integrity – to allow Scotland’s best supported ‘team” more TV exposure . . .
Put radio on in car at 19:15 tonight within 60 seconds Mr Keevan stated Ibrox club would win the Championship with 10 to 15 points, Ibrox club would challenge Celtic next year and finally Celtic need to win with 2 clear goals on Wednesday otherwise they are out. FFS radio off at 19:20. Oh forgot to state the obvious Mr Derek Johnstone agreed with Hugh.
RyanGosling says:
July 27, 2015 at 10:33 pm
——————
http://www.uefa.com/goal-of-the-season/videoid=2267539.html
Gets a vote from me.
If this link doesn’t work, Google UEFA.
jimlarkin:
July 27, 2015 at 11:09 pm
thing is how many people are just tuning in just to watch the calamitous new club scramble in the dirt ,id think that number would be very high indeed.
THE firm providing the team bus from Rangers has been sacked, with the contract going instead to the company owned by a leading club director.
Bruce’s Coaches have had their contract terminated a year early The Herald understands, with Parks of Hamilton reinstated as the Rangers official transport provider after a gap of around three years.
The firm is owned by Douglas Park, a director and one of the trio dubbed ‘The Three Bears’ which bought a slice of the club last year and was part of the successful takeover along with chairman Dave King.
————–
Would this be a way Mr Park gets back his money
I see the BBC have no problems calling Parma a new club
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33684256
I wonder what is different to the Rangers situation. 😯
It looks like a correction to the SportsDirect.Com Retail Limited Bond and Floating Charge of 27 January 2015 over the training centre, which failed to take account of Sportscotland’s (Scottish Sports Council) rights when they awarded money for the building of the centre in 2002.
Bit of an epiphany moment last night!
I think we’re seeing the true definition of the media’s comic term “real rangers man” if Phil’s latest is anything to go by.
The “real rangers man,” the comic one not to be confused with the Ryan’s of this world, in the same way that Yosemite Sam isn’t a real cowboy, is someone who creates an unbreakable expectation to win, completely isolated and more importantly impenetrable to the worlds realities of petty things like finance, austerity and debt. I can see why the fans would back that character especially if he seemed to come with parachute billions, you know in case it all goes wrong. What is there to lose?
Is that a fair interpretation? And is this a relatively new thing post Murray (incl)?
Good spot on the Parma article btw. I remember a screenshot off bbc of four scores that had popped up on their latest scores page, where they had clearly gone out of their way to describe the three new clubs fresh out of liquidation complete with full date bearing titles. You can guess who the fourth was!
Much as I’m sorry for perpetuating the Scott Allan saga (and much as I agree that the timing was deliberate to try to unsettle Hibs), there is a wider context of clubs making ridiculously low bids for a player as the start of an acquisition process. Presumably this is to allow the larger (or at least better media-connected) club to provide its press lackeys with something to use to generate stories. Which they do.
The ‘opening bid’ seems to be part of the modern transfer dance. In England, we have recently had Chelsea going for Everton’s John Stones using a low bid followed by “he would better himself at Chelsea / heir to John Terry” stories, and today’s Telegraph has two examples – “Manchester City prepare £40m Kevin De Bruyne opening bid…But City will need to smash their transfer record for a second time this summer and pay £57m to convince Wolfsburg to sell” and “Tottenham plan £10m Saido Berahino bid but West Brom want £25m”.
Money doesn’t talk, it swears, as Mr Dylan would say.
part time pete says:
Member: (8 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 7:48 am
‘..I see the BBC have no problems calling Parma a new club
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33684256
I wonder what is different to the Rangers situation. ?’
_________
I assume that this report is on the sort of ‘BBC England’ page, which is not at all biased in Scottish Sporting matters in the same way as BBC Radio Scotland!
I think Jim Spence might have an expletive or two to utter about the biased churls at Pacific Quay who refused to back him in his telling of simple factual truth, when their counterparts in London can freely state the factual truth about what happens when a failed club does not get sold as a going concern to a new owner, but is liquidated and its assets are bought by a newly founded club!
It is a pretty grim matter when your broadcasting bosses assist in the distortion of truth in the matter of sport.
What might they do when it comes to major political matters?
(Actually, I think we know the answer to that already)
It’s Tuesday after TRFC’s “stunning”, “world class” victory over Hibs (who collapsed like a painter’s table, IMO) & the Scott Allan narrative has changed.
The usual suspects are now offering the “Do TRFC need Scott Allan?” line, obviously preparing the ground for the possibility of it not “Ending only one way”, which was their weekend message.
Jingso.Jimsie says:
Member: (68 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 11:19 am
As surely as night follows day, JJ!
I think the only way things could have gone wrong would have been if Hibs had said, ‘OK, but we want all the money up front!’ Still, even then, it would have been spun that Hibs were being unreasonable.
Ok the amount donated so far is £2607. I have a suggestion. To get it across the line is it possible for all contributors, as a once off gesture, two double their contribution.
We would never live it down if for the sake of a paltry £2000 we let this brilliant forum stagnate or decline.
I am a pensioner and my own contribution is modest so I don’t want to appear as if I am preaching to others.
Re the Park bus contract, it appears that there is more than one GASL at Ibrox.
From the Herald in 2013
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/13134168._Rangers_Constitution__to_be_published/
“We intend to publish the Rangers Constitution next week,” said Paul Murray. “We want to set out the values and the pledges that we, as nominations, would make if we joined the board. It would be a written commitment that all Rangers directors should sign. We would make it clear that Ibrox is our spiritual home, and that we can never leave Ibrox. We would also put an end to directors having contracts.”
———————–
I guess that a new bus contract is a means of obtaining some return on an interest free loan for Mr Park.
bfbpuzzled says:
July 27, 2015 at 3:26 pm
If the DR is a TRFC fanzine why is it regarded by some supporters of TRFC as precisely the opposite? They use the tedious putting an h as the second letter of a word to call the record the Rhebel.
_______________________________________________
Because many Rangers fans are seriously deluded and can’t see beyond a blinkered paranoid siege mentality where, in the manner of a spoiled child, anything other than fawning sycophancy is seen as some sort of slur. Some of them even go as far as producing enemies lists.
They also read and hear fans of other teams calling out media bias towards Rangers and not willing to be outdone have developed an automatic kneejerk counter view to those assertions.
Makes you wonder if management/editors at the Daily Record etc might have some food for thought to dwell on the fact that despite the pathetic servile lengths they go to to placate and endear themselves to this group, they are still referred to as the Daily Rhebel/Lawwell’s phuppets etc
Might a revolutionary idea be, rather than alienate fans of every other persuasion in fawning to one group – thereby managing merely to alienate everyone – perhaps, I know it sounds crazy, but….. try agenda free honest reporting?? 😯
It might not suit everyone but it could catch on.
It’s interesting that between 12 Noon and 2pm today there have only been two posts and yet More Celtic Paranoia received 21 votes. That seems a poor return for at least 21 people in two hours. Any opinions why?
jimbo says:
July 28, 2015 at 2:12 pm
________________________________
The vagaries of people’s schedules/diaries/broadband connections/employer IT use policies?
It does seem to be a slow day for comment although not unprecedented.
Strangely the browser keeps returning me to page 38 of comments rather than page 39
Wrt our old nemesis Ogilvie…
Would anyone know if he has retained any connection with Hampden / the SFA / the SPFL or even UEFA ?
Maybe on a consultancy basis ?
Is he looking for a club board to join ? 🙄
Or is he out of football for good, tending his garden and getting dragged round the shops by his missus ?
To complete the total contempt he has for the paying customer he should really be granted an honorary ‘Life President’ role at a club based in Govan…
StevieBC says:
Member: (801 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 3:52 pm
Its difficult to say, because, as you see from the link below, Stevie The IT Guy, has yet to find time, what with Scouting and what not, to update the SFA website
http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_football.cfm?page=2561
http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_football.cfm?page=2560
Below is a small selection of wikipedia entries introducing the chairs of Scottish football clubs. Can you guess which entry alone goes out of its way to differentiate between a holding company and a football club of which it “owns and operates”? Are The Rangers – damn, gave the answer – the only club in Scotland/UK/Europe/The World that has such an invention?
Ian Bankier
Ian Bankier (born 1952) is the chairman of Celtic Football Club and executive chairman of Glenkeir Whiskies Ltd.
Stephen Thompson
Stephen Thompson (born 1965 or 1966) is the chairman of Scottish football club Dundee United.
Stewart Milne
Stewart Milne CBE, DBA, DTech (born 23 July 1950) is a Scottish businessman and football club chairman, from Alford, Aberdeenshire… Milne is also a major shareholder and chairman of Aberdeen F.C.
David Beattie
David Beattie (born 1955) is a Scottish businessman who is currently Chief Executive of Enterprise Foods Ltd and chairman of Scottish Premiership football club Partick Thistle.
Roderick McKenzie Petrie
Roderick McKenzie Petrie (born 22 April 1956) is the chairman and former chief executive of Scottish football club Hibernian.
Dave King
David Cunningham “Dave” King (born 1955 in Castlemilk) is a South African based businessman and is the chairman of Rangers International Football Club PLC, the holding company that owns Rangers Football Club Ltd, the company that owns and operates Rangers Football Club.
… Bizarrely, no one has as yet patented this innovative “Save the Parts that other Liquidations Liquidate” toolkit. It is genius in its simplicity: when liquidation is inevitable, apply the toolkit to disentangle any nasty legally incorporated entity – and, hey presto, out pops a purified club with a brand new engine room!
May I suggest that the SFM community chip in and acquire, in the first instance, the UK intellectual property rights. At a mere £230 for an online application this is a snip (https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-patent) and could solve TSFM’s long-term funding issues. Emboldened and enriched we could then seek a European patent. No football club ever has to suffer liquidation again. Now, I wonder which wee country’s newspapers would be bold enough to run with this invention…
Starman says:
Member: (8 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 4:30 pm
Dave King
David Cunningham “Dave” King (born 1955 in Castlemilk) is a South African based businessman and is the chairman of Rangers International Football Club PLC, the holding company that owns Rangers Football Club Ltd, the company that owns and operates Rangers Football Club.
___________________________
I’ve just realised where Green got his idea from:-
There was an old lady who swallowed a fly…
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don’t know why she swallowed a fly – Perhaps she’ll die!
John Clark says:
Member: (1029 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 9:57 am
“It is a pretty grim matter when your broadcasting bosses assist in the distortion of truth in the matter of sport.”
————————–
From my flimsy recollection of BBC editorial policy in this respect, a distinction between club/clumpany structure in a business reporting environment and that concerning only sporting matters is being adhered to. The Parma story was not a match report, it was a report on the resurrection of the business, therefore the distinction in the business structure was pertinent. Had it been a report on Parma playing a game of football then the BBC would of course not wish to confuse the viewing public by bringing up matters of club restructuring.
Of course I take your wider point that the type of report concerning Parma is unlikely to be published concerning a Scottish club/clumpany that recently suffered an insolvency event. Your ire is understandable but in some ways may be subject to mitigation.
The attempts to gloss over this business discontinuity have to some extent failed to achieve their aims. A blog has appeared using the epithet ‘Clumpany’ to act as a reminder of this translucent varnish. Far from papering over the cracks the attempted PR coup just draws attention to itself.
Karma is the best PR.
Paul Murray (2013):
“We want to set out the values and the pledges that we, as nominations, would make if we joined the board… We would also put an end to directors having contracts.”
The Herald (2015):
“The firm providing the team bus from Rangers has been sacked… Bruce’s Coaches have had their contract terminated a year early The Herald understands, with Parks of Hamilton reinstated as the Rangers official transport provider after a gap of around three years.”
Parks of Hamilton is owned by Douglas Park. Douglas Park is a director of The Rangers.
Just as Ashley found, to his diasdvantage, The Rangers’ fluid definition of a debt, so Douglas Park discovered, luckily to his advantage, the same flexible approach attached to a pledge.
A headline ad concerning a well known pop act has prompted me to post this rather traumatic video of a group of guys attempting to eviscerate the souls of a theatre full of music lovers. Any unwitting connection that exists between this unfortunate event and Scotland’s Argentinian World Cup campaign is merely co-incidental.
https://youtu.be/ASJy3c4ACiU
Starman says:
Member: (9 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 5:37 pm
‘Paul Murray (2013):
“We want to set out the values and the pledges that we, as nominations, would make if we joined the board… We would also put an end to directors having contracts.”
______
Starman, that’s a cracker!
The glibness of liars is contagious, it seems, spreading from previous majority shareholders , through fly-by-night shysters , snake-oil horse-loving manure spreading Yorkshire muckers,south african convicted criminals, aided and abetted by loose governance by the football institutions, and in plain sight of our newshounds chewing their lamb, without a critical word.
One stands amazed at the effrontery exhibited.
“Scott Allan has officially handed in his transfer request according to Sky Sports”
Hibs statement
Jim Spence @JimSpenceSport · 20 mins20 minutes ago
“@HibsOfficial: BREAKING: #Hibs Club Statement: Scott Allan http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/5590 ”principled. Will it catch on ?
Think it is unlikely but why not let Allan go, beat the sh!te out T’Rangers in the league and let the lad take a chance on having yet another season in the Championship 🙂
I see Charlie Miller was waxing lyrical in the Scotsman about Allan being given verbal assurances he could leave for a bigger club. Given Hibs stance – Dundee united it is then!! 🙂
On a serious note it is time that all Scottish teams took a bit more time to think about the consequences of selling players to close rivals.
A balance needs to be struck between ensuring young talent doesn’t go the waste and actually developing the potential of your own club to win things and remain competitive.
Big Pink says:
Moderator: (326 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 6:32 pm
================================
It’s a strong statement from Hibs, and one it will be difficult to back down from. In the past if Rangers wanted a player bad enough they would pay enough to get him. They clearly can’t do that now and it appears their allies in the media will not force Hibs hand either.
As for Scott Allan I hope he is professional enough to get his head down and get on with doing his best for Hibs. Of course, there is still the chance of a club outwith the Championship making an offer for him. We’ll see.
wottpi says:
Member: (679 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 6:50 pm
‘.Think it is unlikely but why not let Allan go, beat the sh!te out T’Rangers in the league and let the lad take a chance on having yet another season in the Championship :-)’
_________
Prescinding from the immediate cases ( a player making it plain that his heart lies elsewhere, and a football club manager making it plain that he also thinks far more about the fortunes of another club in his musings in the press than he does of the club that pays him,the question of ‘professional loyalty’ to one’s employer arises.
Serious questions must surely be asked of any employee or contracted professional who, as it were, openly worships and adores a rival club and pines away at not being at that other club?
Self-evidently, the minds and hearts of such ‘piners’ are clearly not likely to function with due devotion and duty to their present wage-paying employer.
Heavens above, the next thing will be players betting against their own team in a game in which they are actually playing for their team!
Meanwhile Rangers most vociferous cheerleader urges:
Chris Jack
@Chris_Jack89 An unhappy Allan wont win Hibs the Championship. Should take what they can get, use £ to strengthen & move on. Fighting a losing battle here
———————–
I truly despair at the SMSM.
Big Pink says:
Moderator: (326 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 6:32 pm
Hibs statement
…
Hibernian’s position has not changed. The player will not be sold to Rangers.
======================================
I just read that as a negotiating ploy: it puts the onus on TRFC to pay up.
But it could also mean a lot of vitriol being directed at Stubbs, for depressingly obvious reasons. 😐
All Hibs need is a Championship or League 1 club to start a bidding war with TRFC – and see how the bears react if Allan goes elsewhere but for much more salary than his ‘boyhood dream club’ can offer. That would indeed be funny. 😉
easyJambo says:
July 28, 2015 at 7:27 pm
Meanwhile Rangers most vociferous cheerleader urges:
=======================================================
Can you recall who said this?
“We would be as well not turning up today.”
“Its all about Rangers”
“OK, Mr. Murray, it’s quite simple. £1m cash by 1200 Friday.”
Cue sounds of flatulence from Govan.
Whilst Hibs are in a difficult position, TRFC are equally compromised by their apparent lack of liquidity.
Starman says:
July 28, 2015 at 5:37 pm
‘Paul Murray (2013):
“We want to set out the values and the pledges that we, as nominations, would make if we joined the board… We would also put an end to directors having contracts.”
—————————-
To be fair, given a little time, these guys could put an end to all the contracts at Ibrox.
What’s the betting Newcastle sign Allan and loan him out? I’m only half joking.
wottpi says: July 28, 2015 at 7:34 pm
Can you recall who said this?
====================
Craig Levein copyright 2008 re Mike McCurry.
——————–
I see the official website is claiming sales of 30,500 STs to date. That will bring them in a net figure of around £8M, the same as they earned in Division 3 in 2012/13.
I wonder where the missing 6,000 fans are, given that they sold over 36,000 the season before the boycott.
I just had a read at Tom English’s Twitter timeline, where he is engaged in a debate with Chris Graham over the Scott Allan situation. Why any TV company let’s Graham through their front door is utterly beyond me.
Starman says:
Member: (9 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 5:37 pm
Indeed. You would think they would at least keep some sort of record of the “pledges they make. So as not to contradict themselves so soon afterwards.
It might help with the openness and transparency they also promised the support.
However the “feelgood” factor of having Real Rangers Men now running the PLC / Company / Club means that to question practically anything is almost heresy.
Just look at how DCK has backtracked on his original promises. Over and over again. The faithful are more than happy to explain to anyone who questions this what “Mr King” actually meant when he said version 1, version 2, version 3 … and then point out that the heretic must be either a … you know the rest.
Mr Allen is now a one trick pony. No. One will touch him.
He’s also as we saw. Really not that good. Farm him out to someone in England that believes in his mythology.
I see from the JP Jenkins site that 586,428 RIFC shares were traded this afternoon at 27.731 pence (= £162,622.35 total value). This is by far the largest trade since the loss of their NOMAD.
Do the numbers give any clue to who the seller is?
upthehoops says:
Member: (806 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 7:04 pm
Big Pink says:
Moderator: (326 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 6:32 pm
================================
It’s a strong statement from Hibs, and one it will be difficult to back down from. In the past if Rangers wanted a player bad enough they would pay enough to get him. They clearly can’t do that now and it appears their allies in the media will not force Hibs hand either.
As for Scott Allan I hope he is professional enough to get his head down and get on with doing his best for Hibs. Of course, there is still the chance of a club outwith the Championship making an offer for him. We’ll see.
32 Votes
=====================
Some other clubs may have consider Allan. But given his action now and previous history at Utd. most clubs must be thinking twice about wasting any money on the lad. Very poorly advised by his agent I’d guess, but not sure this is a an excuse.
ianagain says:
Member: (626 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 9:08 pm
Mr Allen is now a one trick pony. No. One will touch him.
He’s also as we saw. Really not that good. Farm him out to someone in England that believes in his mythology.
9 Votes
==========
Couldn’t agree more. This isn’t the first time he’s played this game and after Hibs gave him a chance to resurrect a floundering career this is how he behaves.
Hard to discern what is clearer, his limited ability or his limitless ego?
To be fair on Scott Allan. Maybe he is just a Rangers supporter who sees a chance to play for the club he grew up supporting. Being promoted along with that club, and playing at Ibrox in the top division of Scottish football.
Being honest, how many people given the ability and opportunity would not want to do the same if the situation arose.
Homunculus says:
Member: (147 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 8:58 pm
Starman says:
Member: (9 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 5:37 pm
Indeed. You would think they would at least keep some sort of record of the “pledges” they make. So as not to contradict themselves so soon afterwards.
—
When you triumphantly declare yourself to be a mythical “Real” Rangers man, have the main stream media lie prostrate and gawk open-mouthed in submissive awe at every messianic edict, and expect unquestioning allegiance from your followers, then there is no need to be concerned with what your words actually mean.
If I was Alan Stubbs and could afford to do so I would bench Scott Allan – at best – for the remainder of his contract. As per Bobo Balde with Celtic.
Look where that got him. Mr. Nobody! He should respect the club and supporters who pay his wages.
Homunculus says:
Member: (148 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 9:58 pm
‘.. Maybe he is just a Rangers supporter who sees a chance to play for the club he grew up supporting.’
______
He’s surely more than 2 and half years old??
I see the bridge building is coming along nicely.
Long time lurker but felt compelled to comment on the Scott Allan saga.
It seems that the media, Rangers and the player himself have all forgotten the fact Rangers passed up the opportunity to sign for him before he went to Hibs. But now Hibs are supposed to just give him because Rangers fancy him again?
Also, interesting that come Monday, Warburton was saying he wasn’t sure there would be another bid. Sounds like the first two bids were just trouble making to me.
Needs to be said that no matter what anyone thinks of the parties involved in the Scott Allan saga, the online abuse he and his family have been subjected to this evening has been utterly despicable.
Scott Allen is not the first or the last player to hand in a transfer request at a club….however his loyalty or lack of to his employer will leave him exposed to a rather torid time at the club for the remainder of his contract.
When I see a story of this nature I always think back to Stilian Petrov…whose contract was coming to an end and was being sought after by various clubs…he could have simply bidded his time and just left but instead signed a new contract for a higher salary knowing this would create a bigger transfer fee to the club who had invested and gave him the chance he needed at a young age….sure enough he transfered shortly after signing a contract with Aston Villa..
At the time he was open to the fact he was only signing the contract because he believed he owed it to the club to obtain the highest transfer fee for his services…
Scott Allen owes Hibs for the chance they gave him…how does he repay that….by staying at the club and working to get them promoted…if an offer comes in and the club feel it is appropriate then they should in the normal way consult with the player…if the club is being properly compensated for the player and the player is happy to move on then in this way the club is repaid…
The current scenario just stinks of desparation all round.
Does anyone know what contract period Scott Allen had with Hibs and how long is left?
RyanGosling says:
Member: (196 comments)
July 28, 2015 at 11:29 pm
……………….
Sadly that is what today’s social media Breeds Ryan…
S. Petrov left Celtic with the fondest of memories. When he was diagnosed with a terrible illness he was supported by his previous supporters.