I am sad to report that the Sevco High Command currently appears to be in a terrible state o’ chassis.
Their silence on the matter of stadium safety, since I published my piece on Friday is, for me, instructive.
An Ibrox insider told me that there was a meeting of the High Command today to discuss their ongoing non-response.
Essentially they don’t appear to know what their next move is on this one.
I wish I could help them.
I really do.
Perhaps some award-winning Off the Radar correspondent will come to their rescue.
Sadly Mr David Cunningham King was not available to electronically take part in the dignfied conclave today.
Perhaps he was out patrolling the perimeter of his Laager.
Outside of Ibrox some of The People are content if they merely have access to super lager.
I had to deploy block function on my twitter feed in the aftermath of Sevco’s victory over Hearts at the weekend.
When The People are feeling good about themselves, a rather rare occurrence over these past four years in fairness, they feel the need to tell me about it.
Recently they have been trying to share their professionally qualified observations on issues of child protection.
The gleeful weaponizing of the issues around Child Sex Abuse in the wake of the current revelations from within British football is particularly nauseating.
Then again this is a subculture that finds a famine funny.
That which is cultural is not amenable to reason dear reader and The People demonstrate this rather well.
Some of them have a grasp of the absurd that would elicit a ‘chapeau’ from Albert Camus.
Perhaps there is an existentialist literature awaiting to emerge from the Sevco clientele.
I can see the titles on the shelves now:
Out Cider.
The Taig.
However, I fear that the enigmatic Patrice Meursault would be too complicated for the simple binary world view of The People.
For the moment it would appear that the Sevco clientele is willing to believe that all is well.
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose…
The row between the City Council person and the Sevco High Command on Saturday was apparently down to the precise nature of the information contained within my article.
They both accused the other of being the source of the leak.
I had expected a high-Level PR operation to swing into action after my piece on Friday.
The main problem for any spin to counter the facts in the report is just that.
The facts.
However, I have been told of a more prosaic reason for the absence of a PR response to my article about safety issues at Ibrox.
Quite simply the PR budget has been gobbled up by a spinmeister in a far off galaxy.
A large chunk of it was consumed during the AGM period.
Incredibly the rubbishing of Ian Cathro appears to have emanated at a high Level too.
Very bizarre behaviour all around.
Of course, the Sevco High Command did not know that they would have to deal with the story I published on Friday.
I know that it came as rather a surprise when I submitted my questions to the Sevco Press Office that day.
The main problem for them is that the story is true and therefore coming out and formally rubbishing it would be a risky strategy.
In these matters, there is a fine balance to be struck when you wish to avoid embarrassing scrutiny, and you have a Fenian with a Press Card who won’t let you be.
You may recall the Holding Company Vehicle statement in February 2014 telling The People to ignore a chap in Ireland.
I had this crazy notion that Sevco had burned their way through all of the IPO money and were in dire need of external finance.
To counter this undignified reportage, the statement was issued to soothe The People.
They gleefully believed the folks at the top of the Marble Staircase.
Three weeks later the Engine Room Subsidiary had to arrange an emergency loan of £1.5m from shareholders Laxey Partners and the Easdales.
Awkward.
However, silence can also be problematic in such situations.
When General Ashley had his combat engineers in to assess the Ibrox fortifications in November 2014, they dismissed the idea of nets as not worth the rations.
Apparently, these contraptions require strong points in the stands, and that in itself is an issue in the stadium that John Brown played for.
The picture painted for me today was of a squabbling High Command where no one was asserting their authority.
Without the wherewithal to bring in an inter-galactic PR guru to assist them they might have to turn to an enthusiastic amateur.
Peace be upon him at this special time of year…
However, there is no spin that will alter the facts on the ground no matter how much they wish it were otherwise.
That is true of the impregnable nature of Ashely’s retail deal as it is with the current state of the stadium.
Of course, it is ok to dream.
One day it could all be peachy, but that will take action, not wishful thinking.
I just hope that one day they don’t look skywards at Ibrox and see the plough and the stars.
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Sevcostriches are the real fiddlers on the roof,literally.Thanks Phil,fine article
Then again,they would have to have spent money on the roof to enable un/true fiddling.HH
Hello Hello we r the builders boys , hello hello , oh what the fucks that noise, Rrrrrrrrruuuuuunnnn
if the Sport Bible can comment on the state of the rood to millions of viewers worlwide, why cant the Radar.
http://www.thesportbible.com/football/news-rivalries-funny-celtic-fans-planning-planning-brilliant-outfits-for-next-old-firm-game-20161212
If they move to Hampden the other clubs who have any morals at all should ask to see the receipt of the reantals fee every time it is paid.Na that will not happen as the SFA will say they will pay at the end of the contract,which in turn means they will not pay a penny.Just a thought Phil.
Don’t Queen’s Park FC own Hampden? Or at least they have lease rights and a financial interest in any share arrangement !
I think THEY would want to know that rent was being paid in advance even if such a groundshare was possible.
If Sevco want to discuss a ground share arrangement at Hampden, they first need to speak to Queens Park FC, the owners then SPFL for permission. 50% of gate receipts (including season ticket pro-rata) seems a fair rental if the arrangement is approved.
Inter-galatic guru! I may the farce be with them!!
Perchance the Sevco high command will morph into roofing girders or perhaps netting a la “The Third Policeman” or will the whole shebang simply fall out of existance a la Third Lanark?
I have a solution for Ibrox repairs. As the Gers tend to have the British Army there every 2nd week absailing from their dodgy roof, perhaps King should ask that the Royal Engineers attend and whilst up there, carry out maintenance on their behalf.
I mean it’s the tax payers (us) that are paying for the army to turn up to Ibrokes for the ahem (entertainment) of the peeps anyway.
Or perhaps the army are there to try and catch falling debris…. 🙂
Maybe King should draft the 14th intelligence unit to determine the leaks from inside the Marble conclave, however, even Scooby Doo could work that one out in a 15min episode.
No dis-respect to Scooby Doo by the way, I’m a huge fan (even the movies) were top drawer. Freddie Prince Jnr is ace as Shaggy.
I here Super Ally does a good Shaggy too. Big bomber does a great Scrappy-Do, but he just get’s ignored, I mean who cares who has the deeds. Paul Murray could play Freddie with that Buffon of his and as for the array of villains at the rundown fun-park, well the list is endless…………………..
Since it`s Christmas, why don`t they sell big bolts with your name engraved at say £25 a bolt, included would be a certificate and map showing where your big bolt was placed, to help support the crumbling roofs..
A great gift for Big Bill, and wee William to open on the 25th.
The stadium that John Brown played for..
That’s what he said…
honestly . . do try and keep up !
the erudite and articulate shows ra deeds mr. brown famously said “ra stadium that I played for”
Actually, if you stop and think about it, it may be one of few sensible things they have done lately. I’m sure there was an overwhelming urge to get out a statement that put a lid on it.
However, I think even the dimwits at newco realize that putting out a statement on this is akin to putting a noose around ones neck should something bad happen with the roof.
No, they thought better about it and decided to hide behind saying nothing. But keep after this Phil. Whether they like it or not, safety of public is at risk. Really hope it doesn’t but God help them if something happens during a match…
Class read ,as usua . Maith thú.
GRMA
Superb Read ! You really do have the Rangers Board on the run and are also pulling tens of thousands of chains simultaneously .
Whether you are 100% right or partly wrong who cares ? Bravo!
A real journalistic accomplishment !
Camus, Mersault, existentialism .classical stuff very well inveigled into an article commentating on the unconscionable behaviour of the human detritus at the bottom end of the Ibrox faithful ..Excellent !
Everyone with a brain knows the core and fundamental issue your article is calling out .
IE If they fess up to the problem then they have to fix it ….and that very act will put this incarnation out of business .
Observing them wriggle and their army of apologists try to denounce you is wonderful!
I repeat previous posts…you shame the MSM
“Whether you are 100% right or partly wrong who cares ?”
I care very much about the veracity of this story.
This particular investigation has taken many many weeks.
I wonder if anyone from club 1872 posted in the suggestion box that they will take shares for the cash handed over and the board mend the roof with the dough makes sense. Maybe a tradesman if they come in could help prise that old warchest open.
Ah, the great Sean O’Casey, whose brilliant autobiography I recommend to all for the true perspective on the realities of the brutish British Empire and its multiple misdeeds across Ireland.
His utter dissection of the MI5 propagandist George Orwell, and all his mutton-dressed-as-lamb ‘literature’, is both unmissable and unforgettable, an astonishing revelatory take on that Fabian/Jesuit bastard’s hoodwinking of the working man.
All of this and more contained in one of the most powerful collections of long hard bitter truth ever committed to print, O’Casey’s works all maintain his exceptional standard, but his self-penned reflections constitute an absolute masterpiece of writing and revolutionary thought, and I thank you for the reminder, Phil.
There is no greater work than telling the truth, except for saving lives, and you are currently engaged in both, acts which would not even be necessary in a truly uncorrupted ‘democratic’ society, far less this fascist-corporate bloodbath of mockery, robbery and murder we are presently being fooled by.
Slán to ye, mon.
I know the papers and media in Scotland are afraid to discuss the truth when it comes to Rangers in its current form. However, I cannot help but feel that some Scottish journalist will break ranks and do real investigative journalism.
This journalist can set him or herself up as the purveyor of truth. It will hurt at first but in time the respect he/she will be held in Rangers community will be immeasurable. The journalist will surely profit too.
It is a great opportunity for someone to be Scottish footballs version of Paul Kimmage.
The trouble with your hope of a Scottish journalist doing real investigative journalism is that there are very few good Scottish journalists left. You are looking at a group of people that now consider Kris Boyd and Barry Ferguson as their journalistic peers after all.
…and fewer still editors who would publish
Ha! the thought of king & Co looking up at a Starry Plough through a condemned ibrox tickled me 🙂
Summer football in stadiums without roofs to catch some rays in glorious Scottish summers that’s what’s required,once again Sevco are leading the way and when the exposed seats start to weather and break,just whip them out and call it safe-ish standing.Ibroke will be the most modern adaptable stadium in Europe given time it could be the Cathkin Park of Govan
I haven’t laughed so much for a long time – great (and funny) piece, Phil. I only hope the winter storms are not too wild this year !
Then, they thought they were the people, now they think they are the people, for ever they may think they are the people but we all know better……
Hi Phil
You have obviously found someone within those tainted walls who doesn’t take his vow of “riding the goat”very seriously
Plough and stars.
Subtly clever Phil.
Maybe Sevco are looking for Juno and the Paycock?
A funny and highly entertaining read.
Love the quip about the plough and the stars.
Good stuff Phil.
As much as I appreciate your hard work
I find this totally astonishing. I genuinely cannot get my head round the fact that the Edmondson drive outfit would pull such a stroke.
It’s unbelievable that this risk to health is being taken. Especially with the history of the disaster.
I just can’t believe it. I know you are normally spot on with all things sevco. It’s just too horrific to believe.
I am sorry.
Michael
I have visions of them going room to room in the big house with an electronic bug detector, trying to locate the source of the information leak.
Surely a brown brogued dignified chap would not lower himself to converse with someone who doesn’t profess that ‘he is the person’ at every opportunity.
We may soon be asking Where Are They Pylons?
Superb read. I can hardly even begin to imagine Sevco bereft of a PR operation…
The number of folk who have chosen to view child abuse as a great excuse for a laugh at the expense of others is truly appalling. Actually it’s disgusting. If I may, here are some further thoughts on that…
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/12/12/sweaty-palms-and-hatred/
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/11/26/a-blog-about-child-abuse/
They were the people.
No! They are the peepul, let them continue to be the “peepul” . As long as we are Celtic we will always be entertained. Hail,hail
I would have thought Mr Broadfoot would be on hand to help the Ibrox club?
Aren’t they and the SFA indivisible?