The verdict is in, Rangers cheated.
It was like playing Football Manager with the cheat codes on.
After failing to win Ten In A Row, the only thing that Sir Duped could offer to The People was the possibility of European glory.
He would need to spend big to finance his Dutch manager to deliver Champions League success and overpower the city rivals.
However, there was just one problem.
Celtic had a bigger stadium, more season ticket holders and a bloke called Larsson.
Somehow they would have to get an edge over a powerful Celtic side managed by Martin O’Neill.
In professional sport a financial advantage is, ipso facto, a sporting advantage.
This transfer window Celtic will almost certainly spend more on a single player that most clubs in Scotland will spend on their entire acquisitions.
A quick glance at the published accounts of the Scottish champions will show that the player wage bill at Parkhead is greater than anyone else in Scotland could sustain.
No one would seriously contend that because of this the Parkhead club does not enjoy a significant sporting advantage over their domestic opponents.
During the EBT years Rangers (1872) had a major financial advantage over every other team in Scotland.
It achieved that be denying money that was due to their Queen.
The irony of all of this is delicious.
It is well known that the Ibrox club declares a very special affection for the Crown Forces.
Yet, the Quintessentially British football club ™ deprived the Exchequer of much-needed funds during a period when the UK was involved in two land wars.
Britain’s soldiers were dying in Afghanistan and Iraq due to inadequate protective equipment and a shortage of helicopters to take the wounded to field hospitals.
In scamming Her Majesty’s Customs and Revenue the club that loves the armed forces contributed to death by MOD budget cut.
Of course, none of this will register with The People, and they will continue to consume Poppy Porn at Ibrox.
A reasonable person would be ashamed, but that won’t happen at the stadium John Brown played for.
The Herrenvolk hubris of The People demanded that they win by any means necessary and Sir Duped picked up on that.
Today is the end of the denial and the deflection.
Rangers (1872) cheated their way to titles and cups.
It is undeniable that the Ibrox club had an unfair sporting advantage over their rivals.
In athletics, cheating is usually done when the athlete puts banned substances into their body.
In this case, it was financial doping that enhanced the performance of Rangers.
They have admitted that the EBT scheme was used to bring in players that they could not have otherwise have afforded.
That, in plain language, is cheating.
Cheats cannot be allowed to get away with it, and those who were cheated cannot remain silent about it.
Moreover, those tasked with ensuring that the game was straight cannot now escape scrutiny.
They failed in their well-paid roles and cannot now remain in post.
The EBT saga was also a failure for the Fitba Fourth Estate.
In the main, it was a story that was accurately reported by outsiders.
Alex Thomson of Channel 4 News, the Rangers Tax Case blog and, if I may, your own humble correspondent.
My thoughts today are with my late friend Paul McConville.
The big guy would have loved this verdict.
As with most things his take on matters legal was ultimately vindicated.
He was more of a man that the Fascist underclass who gleefully put his image on a “death wall”.
Perhaps it was this sort of behaviour by The People that kept the hacks on message…
When the First Tier Tax Tribunal ruled partially in favour of Rangers, the stenographers called out in ecstasy.
They told their dwindling readership that “Rangers proved innocent!”
Of course, it was pish, but the hacks don’t do nuance or detail.
The fact was that the Murray Group (representing Rangers) had accepted liability in the case of FIVE players who had been receiving EBTs.
It was a majority verdict, but the dissenting opinion of Dr Heidi Poon laid it all out there.
Her two colleagues were not as detailed in their written judgements.
Ultimately her view prevailed.
I’ve been on this story since 2010.
I had the scoop on the arithmetic of the Big Tax Case.
Once the numbers were out there the size of the contingent liability made Rangers toxic to any potential new owner.
Despite the protestations of The People I only ever told the truth about the Big Tax Case.
Those infected with Unsurpassed Dignity tried to silence me.
It is their Pavlovian reaction to any message that they don’t like.
They attack the messenger in the most ad hominem of ways.
For the avoidance of doubt, I’m still here.
So today I will allow myself a little smile, and also dear reader give yourself a pat on the back.
Without your continuous support, this Samizdat outlet would not have endured through the years.
Míle Buíochas
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Hey Phil
Ten out of ten for your tenacity and stamina in keeping up the great work overy the last 7/8 years to get the truth out there. Yer some man. Be proud. HH ??
The replica trophies etc. Are still on display at the club. Technically they belong to the liquidator , but ultimately to the SFA. They must not have these on display as they belong to an entity that no longer exists not Rangers 1872.
They avoided the fines by declaring themselves a new entity , so they cannot have it both ways. They cannot display their ill gotten gains, while avoiding the fines. Pay the millions of fines and then keep the trophies………
They cannot keep any of the trophies won prior to 2012. The don’t belong to them. HH
What about Celtic’s use of the EBT’s, or does that not count.!!!!!!!!
Ok, I’ll bite. Celtic dabbled with EBT’s (Juninho) I think. They soon realised the possible consequences and shelved them, paid any dues and never used them again.
You’re welcome. 😉
Still an ebt . If you kill one person or ten you’re still a murderer
Nobody died, you idiot, only the oldco fitba club/scam/racket thingy.
Celtic paid the tax due, Rangers didn’t.
Death & taxes, inextricably linked.
What’s more is the EBT was only part of his pay off when he was released. It was not part of any shady side letter undeclared to the SFA.
Idiotic statement. HH
Your obviously referring to the EBT paid to Juninho, that was taken care of a long time ago, when Celtic were told there may be a problem with EBT’s.
Juninho did not have a side letter unregistered with the football authroities either.
Celtic paid the remainder of his contract when he was released using an EBT. The tax was paid soon after when HMRC made enquiries about it.
Rangers on the other hand used side letters (contracts) and deliberately hid them from both HMRC and the football authorities. When questioned by Hector about their existence they denied they used them.
Also all payments to players for football activities must be registered with the authorities otherwise you are in breach of the registration rules.
So not only did they cheat on their taxes and lie to HMRC they systematically and deliberately breached the registration rules for years. All players where a side letter exists should be found inelgible in all games that they played. Everybody knows what happens when they do. All games scored 3 – 0 for the opposition.
Celtic and others may also have a case regarding loss of revenue.
Lets see if the same club lie endures then.
When was this ? Provide all/any info, please.
We payed our taxes on the one ebt ok arsehole now away tae bed and fuck ur brains out.
As ever when it comes to ‘Ra Peepil’ just when you think you have crossed the Rubicon and that no sane person would defend them the forces of reaction and the SMSM circle the wagons in defence of THEIR club.
There is now no reasonable doubt that Rangers recieveved a competitive advantage from blatant cheating. It defies all logIc to suggest otherwise, similar to the contortions that the denizens of Hampden undergo trying to convince us that everything bad is the ‘OldCo’ and everything good is the ‘NewCo’?
Ideally, I would like Messrs. Doncaster and Reagan to be fired, because their tenure has been one unmitigated disaster after another. Nonetheless, I accept that justice is not always done and certainly not always seen to be done. I would be content though, if ALL trophies won by Rangers as a result of cheating were expunged from the official records.
For the avoidance of any doubt I am not a Celtic supporter, I,am and have been for more than forty years a fully paid up supporter as Phil knows of Partick Thistle. So I don’t fit the SMSM stereotype of the chip on the shoulder Tim.
I honestly can not think of a reason that justifies stripping Glasgow rangers of titles.
They cheated, lied and were abetted in their efforts by a”rangers” facing governing body.
However, posthumously stripping jimmy saville of any accreditation he received, is the same as stripping honours from Glasgow rANGERS. They are both dead and can not feel pain!
Punishing the family/PEEPUL is not justifiable!
Even playing devil’s advocate, I honestly can’t fathom any argument for not stripping the titles. The cheating has been evidence, proven and admitted by the perpetrators. Failing to hold the cheats to account is an absolute non-starter.
We need to both ensure that the cheating is addressed appropriately and provide a clear disincentive for any current or future cheating that may be going on or considered.
There’s only one crowd who consistently call for no more transparency, no more rule reviews and no technological assistance to get the big decisions right. It’s clear to me why that is.
Seriously?
Wtf…..???? HH
Regan and Doncaster need to be forced to make a clear statement about the verdict. No more hiding grow a pair and put that nut house in its place.
Thanks Phil and Paul ,wish my dad was alive to see it , remember when you young and your
Dad told you how the refs and linesman cheated us ,we all know now what we’ve all secretly known
For years. THEY CHEATED …………bastards
Total respect sir, loved reading your blogs at night, entertaining and interesting pity there was nobody in mainstream news like you, all the best with your future. Hail.Hail.
Loved Alex Thomson tonight on channel 4 news “the biggest sporting scandal in British history”
That is it in a nutshell -well done Phil and more power to your pen
Phil you have been a bastion of the truth throughout this shameful and continuing saga. For your unfloundering efforts and for keeping anyone who cared to listen informed I salute you. In all just men’s eyes this confirms the gross cheating that Scottish Football has endured through the years to the detriment of all but one club. Not to mention the effect on the public purse, armed forces, NHS etc. I can’t help feel that their comeuppance has been and is being dealt out continuously since the old club expired, albeit it’s the new club that’s getting it tight. God or Karma take as you will, works in mysterious ways. However on the basis of new shite same flies, they deserve it and some.
I won’t hold my breath for SFA to act, as the proven 5 guilty/DOS situation was cheating in the exact same fashion, with no real action taken, no complaint from any other club, so I don’t see today’s decision being treated any differently. However with the utmost gratitude to Phil and the late Paul McConville the truth like a shining beacon has been exposed for all to see, even to those sporting the darkest of royal blue tinted specs. With wee dram in hand I offer a toast to you and your good friend Paul McC.
Vindicated m8 ,The pen is mightier than the sword without doubt.
Scottish FA Statement on Supreme Court ruling –
“Errr, ahhh, ohh, eerr, hmmm!”
That carpet must be mighty lumpy by now.
This is a great day for Scottish Football and blows the farce that was the LNS enquiry out of the water and puts Messrs Regan and Doncaster in an untenable position. It changes everything because there is no further room for appeal. Rangers cheated – fact. Well done to people like Phil, putting mainstream journalists and pundits to shame and keeping at it until justice was seen to be done. There’s still a little way to go but this is a major game changer.
The initial majority verdict of the First Tier Tribunal shocked me and led me to believe the Scottish legal system was corrupt. How did the late Kenneth Mure QC and Scott Rae support ‘in principle’ the Rangers position? It all seemed a bit Masonic to me – and forgive that opinion which has no basis in known fact, but it was bizarre decision in what was clearly – and has subsequently proved to be – a fairly open and shut case.
Paul McConville supported and wrote in some detail about Dr Heidi Poon’s position which was subsequently adopted by both the Inner House and the Supreme Court – and you didn’t need to be a legal expert to share her view.
Of course, before all that we the Upper Tribunal which did nothing to assuage my fears for the Scottish legal system. It was interesting that while one judge usually sits on the upper tribunal, in cases of importance and complexity it can be expanded and Mr McConville thought there might be three sitting judges on that panel – as it was, there was only Lord Doherty and I seriously question his judgment.
The quotes coming out at the time from Murray and Rangers, calling for an end to the whole saga suggested to me they were running out of influence in this case. There was also a lot of noise about how the club would not have been liquidated and how that was all Craig Whyte’s fault – but of course we know different because it’s all come out in a court of law about the perilous state of Ranger’s finances, regardless of the big tax case.
Since the Upper Tier ruling, this case has evolved in a way that any sane person predicted – an obvious conclusion that income derived from an employee’s service, in their capacity as an employee, is an emolument and subject to tax and NI contributions.
In the Inner House of the Court of Session, Lords Carloway, Menzies and Drummond-Young could see that, and at the Supreme Court we had a unanimous decision from 5 eminent legal professionals – Lords Carnwath, Hodge, Neuberger, Reed and Lady Hale.
It is now a known fact that Rangers were engaging in a tax avoidance scheme. That in itself was not a problem for me because they were taking a risk and ended up paying the consequences for that risk. Where my problem lies, and indeed it’s a problem shared by other football fans, is in the non-disclosure of side letters. That made this particular tax avoidance a form of cheating, and the titles and cups won must now be revoked.
You can’t award the cups to other teams because those knocked out in the semis or quarters by Rangers would have an equal claim, but you can award the league titles to the nearest rival by reversing all Ranger’s results during the EBT era to a 0-3 defeat and I think the SFA must now do that.
I also think Rangers should be relegated to the Championship, unless they agree to stop the Orwellian lie of the same club stance and consent to being a new club formed in 2012 with no honours.
Rangers died because they cheated. It’s now been proved and it’s time for the other clubs and their fans to act, but for tonight raise a glass to justice.
I’ve always respected your input to the debate, loved reading your stuff on RTC, seems like forever ago.
Only disagreement with this, another contribution, Is that I am in the Asterisk camp and want only that on the current and future Trophies. This is their lasting shame and should not be forgotten. This also gives them reason to reform.
And Thanks Again
MrGreenWhyteBrown
This is probably the best example of what could and should happen. They cheated, Got caught, and so must be punished. But The SFA will do precisely that,(S.F.A.)as we all know.And as we all know you can’t be the same club with the trophies. but non the punishment.. One or the other!
Thanks Phil, for your superb commentary on this. It has been a pleasure reading your blog. More power to your elbow. Keep up the good work.
Followed your words from the off. Trusted your every word and I feel delighted on today’s outcome.
Quite simply your a legend in my eyes. HH Phil
Maltybhoy from Tillicoultry
Hi Phil, This is a day we’ve all been waiting for, your unfearing journalistic skills, and determination is a lesson many other men and woman in our sad little rangers facing media should attain too. Thanks for all your time and efforts Phil, Lamb free……just the truth,
The SFA & the Wretched in full ‘Senior Counsel’ mode …
‘League chiefs have yet to respond but the SFA has ruled out taking any further action against Rangers. (Well, well, who’d’ve thunk it?)
A statement released this afternoon said: “The Board of the Scottish FA notes the judgment of the Supreme Court and wishes to clarify the implications of this final legal decision from a football regulatory perspective.
“In light of the Inner House of the Court of Session decision, the Board of the Scottish FA sought external senior counsel opinion to ensure a robust and independent consideration of all implications of today’s judgment.
“The Board received written advice from Senior Counsel, amplified when the QC attended a full meeting of the Board to discuss his conclusions.
“Specifically, Senior Counsel was asked to anticipate whether a determination in favour of HMRC, as announced today, could imply that there had been a breach of the Scottish FA’s Disciplinary Rules as they applied at the time of the EBT payments.
“The clear opinion of Senior Counsel is that there is a very limited chance of the Scottish FA succeeding in relation to any complaint regarding this matter and that, even if successful, any sanctions available to a Judicial Panel would also be limited in their scope.
“Accordingly, having had time to consider the opinion from Senior Counsel, and having examined the judgment of the UK Supreme Court, the Board has determined that no further disciplinary action should be taken by the Scottish FA at this time.”
Who is this ‘Senior Counsel’ of whom they repeatedly speak ..?
Surely not the same ‘Senior Counsel’ fella that headed up the joke LNS inquiry in his full ‘Non senior civilian’ mode?
Or could it simply be Pedro’s new assistant, here to take the flak
‘This is Señor Counsel, my much needed deflective shield’ …
Vajazzling to deceive, methinks.
Over to Celtic and all the other clubs cheated out of trophies between 2001 and 2010.
Celtic Football Club must not let us down with this.
Helicopter Sunday my…..!
Hi Phil I live in Glasgow City Centre ,I was “entertained” by the peepil on Saturday , you can know them by their noise ,as they did their annual costume party parade through Glasgow.
I realised I wasn’t that bothered. When I was a boy living in Cowcaddens they would start to go by the bottom of my street at about 8am,the tail end would pass about 5pm,on Saturday they were here and gone in no time. They are a spent force, still a malicious one though, given the chance. Only you know what you have been subjected to over the years you have been covering this story. The truth will out most times and I think that you have always reported it ,in a true reflection of the facts as they have unfolded. I think it took a certain kind of tenacity to stick with it all this time. I also think given the nature of the beast were talking about , it also took “baws” and lots of them. Thanks for it all ,you have earned a great deal of respect I think. Chapeau Phil and be lucky. cheers.
So the Niederkorn keeper was called Charly Schinker …
One Charlie set her up so I guess it’s only right that another Charly should sink her.
Farewell, shamed ship Sevco, may your weeds lie long in Davy Jones’ locker, and your busted treasure chest spill out its looted trophies across the black of the ocean floor, spawned from the devil and to the devil you return for your woeful sins and disrespect unto others.
The gig’s up, the jig’s burst, the rig that was rigged must now be unrigged from the darkness of its lies and its liars, Raygun & Donkey the first two to go, then the full collapse of the edifice that is the joke of an SFA and the SPFL with it.
All to play for, bhoys n ghals.
It’s been a long road Phil but you have been totally vindicated, well done for sticking with it.
HAIL HAIL!!!!
Fair play to you to you Phil for sticking with it,mighty stuff.
The irony,hypocrisy of Rangers(Il) parading British soldiers around Ibrokes at a time when their comrades in Iraq had to settle for jungle fatigues due to lack of funding.
Good win for Mayo over Derry btw,if Carlsberg did weeks…
Phil. my respect for all your work in the face of adversity.
When Progres scored their goals i was bouncing… ha ha
#stripthetitles.
Gaia.
If I may just leave this here…
Found an link to this in an old, refuse-to-delete email.
May we never forget what is important.
For this and the day when the banter fell silent…
https://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2013/09/18/the-most-important-blog-i-have-written-what-happened-20-years-ago-today/
Your Dear friend and Ours Paul McConville must. E sitting in heaven today with the biggest smile that the Goid Lord can give him..Well done to you also Phil you’s were correct all along with all the rest..Now we must get those Tainted Titles off that despite of a club and as soon as possible..
God Rest Paul McConville RIP
The question I’m left with is do the authorities have the balls to apply a punishment. Without a sanction there is no incentive to stop this happening again. Fans up and down the country from all clubs (ironically the Rangers fans were worst affected) were presented with the beautiful game, being played on a level playing field – but in reality were watching a sham. If you attended, watched or were involved in fitba then you spent money on a lie.
How the authorities repair this will be interesting….
Not finished yet i hope, keep up the good work.
I remember sitting in the Dumbarton Harp club listening to you and Paul Brennan outline how the old Rangers would die. I also remember Paul stating quite forcefully how this case would run for years, and you both stating that justice would be served. This is a good day in many ways but a great day for the guys like yourselves who hung in there.
It’s absolutely crazy to think we live with a ‘media’ who have spun lies about this case for all these years. They have, and still give air time to large buffoons like DJ.
As someone who has followed Celtic since 1965 I need our club to take this shambles to its conclusion. I don’t particularly want anyone awarded those trophies or titles, I just want them scratched from the history of that cheating dead club.
Thanks Phil, it’s down to reading your blogs that my mates think I know what I am talking about ?
Raymy, It’s been many a year since I was in Dumbarton Harp and I still recall wondering why you were talking so much sense as it was out of character lol- yer secret is out.
Phil, how does “vindicated” feel?
A great day for truth- will it be followed by a great day for justice? GERRY T
It’s been a long road phil, for you and your friends who have followed this for best part of a decade now.
This isn’t about any “obsession” for any peepel out there reading this. It’s about holding all to account of all creeds and castes and social standing (from the plumber to the knight of realm from the small business to the corporate multi million pound business, (i.e. RFC 1872)
Phil is “obsessed”, with fairness I believe for all and bringing up matters that haven’t been brought up by the fourth estate. The role of media in a functioning western democrat is to call out these for what they are. But not in our SMSM it would appear. We all follow this “obsessed” as we just want some truth.
Barrie McKay £6m sold for 10% approx. And much much much more. We all know. We do.
From Jim Garry, to high Dallas to mike McMurry, to resolution 12, to the tribute act and it’s birth to the fact that this latest ibrox mob were given a UEFA license. End the corruption. We have had enough.
As always with respect.
5-0 on penalties, sounds like an old firm score line, unanimous 5 judges roc did not convince one……
Vindicated once again Phil, along with all the rest of the truth Sayers. A statement from Celtic too. How about a statement from the rest of the clubs who were cheated during these years of EBT’s and DOS. Get rid of the main players and vote in honest, fair and transparent people who will support and promote Scottish football. I’m sure fans will want to see the proper decisions made and the facts out there for all to see, and once and for all end the continuation myth that is peddled to all and sundry every day by the current club playing from Ibrokes and the SMSM. Strip the cheated titles NOW
In addition to the EBT tax guilt it must be remembered that sdm and his Board conspired to hide this tax corruption.
They deliberately omitted the dodgy payments from players registration documents with the SFA. They clearly didn’t think it was above board.
This in itself was a most serious football crime. Usually punished by a 3-0 win to every club in matches with a crooked registered player.
Long time Rangers director and EBT beneficiary, Campbell Ogilvie was the SFA President during these corrupt registrations.
Hugh Adam confirmed on record that they knew it was wrong.
Financial doping indeed. Refer please to Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club stripped of their 2007 premiership. It can and should happen to the now defunct ‘Rangers Football Club’. Semper Fudge.
Now the fun begins. The SFA and SPFL have surely now painted themselves in to a corner. But I am sure they will take drastic action to get themselves out. Congratulations to your good self and all the others – thinking of Paul McC especially – who have had the bravery and tenacity to chase this wounded animal down. Its has been a great 24 hnours.
Go raibh maith agat Phil !!
Congratulations and thanks for all your work in opening my, and countless other supporters, eyes to this matter!! The tenacity shown by yourself, RTC and Paul McConville, brought to my attention what Rangers had been up to!!
It’s taken 7 years to get to this day, and hopefully, the epilogue will see Regan @ Doncaster ousted, and a new administration in place, and, the club playing out of Ibrox, becoming a junior club!!
Happy days ahead, and a fantastic time to be a Celtic man!!
Thanks again Phil.
(&RTC, Alex Thomson, and Paul RIP)
Hat tipped to you Phil, and a wee candle lit in memory of Paul.
The scottish goverment must act on this decision.
The same directors who oversaw this swindle are still in place.
The office bearers who assisted and are implicated must be removed from office.
If the football clubs do not demand change, then the scottish goverment must.Regan and Doncaster must be removed. The titles must be stripped.
We were hauled upto Edinburgh after the McCoist Lenny wee bust up.
Lets hear you Nicola.
S
I am ecstatic with a kind of ‘justice being done’ level of satisfied happiness after both last nights result AND this mornings. I do feel for the Face Painters, paperboys, Ambulance service, etc etc etc etc.. who will now see a reduced portion of the final spoils, but the overarching principals that have won out will far outweigh the localised side effects.
Something of a ‘2 in a row’ for Rainjuurz old and new’…
The ‘word’ amongst the Peepul, seems to be “that’s an old issue”, “doesn’t affect us!”
Ahh! Well .. now there lies the ‘oldco/newco/sevco paradox.
This is where the ‘Title Stripping’ really needs to come into force to blast that very particular anomaly of Scottish Football law apart.
If they cheated, as the Supreme Court has ruled, as former chairmen and directors have admitted in court (carefully avoided by the good old SMSM) then OLDCO/NEWCO whatever you want to call them or view them won 14 assorted trophies through unfair means.
So Billy? … Is this current incarnation of Rainjuurz the one from 1872 which should be about to lose several Cups and its claim to have won most league titles to its name – “Worlds Most Successful Club” and all that pish! ? And I believe handing Celtic enough to set their own records.
Or..
Is it a club formed 5 years ago which has 2 lower tier titles and a playground cup to its name???
I think it is time for some serious Fan Action to put pressure on the SFA before all is forgotten as is the way with Scottish Football.
Spot on they cannot be allowed to have it both ways all ways.
Crowd fund the case and invite all fans of all sides affected to put their penny’s worth in.
Leave no stones unturned and expose the lot of them from top to rancid bottom.
I have a fresh £20 sitting here waiting.
I agree, Charlie. Crowdfunding is a fabulous idea………perhaps the fans could help also. You know, we could have races across the pitch at half time, a bouncy castle outside the ground, photos with Hoopy, pics with the car from the Dukes of Hazzard or Batman, bingo for the ladies, you know……that sort of thing. All at a pound a pop…….the cash would soon be rolling in ! Kerching ! Kerching ! Ahem…….HH
Imo its a 5 year old club,but because of the Side Letters with EBTs the trophies should be
Stripped & an Asterix in record books instead,as a Celtic Fan a want to win TROPIES on the pitch.
Only problem I see is club chairmen?Do they have the bottle to go up against SFA &SPFLeven though a know they’re in charge,WHO’SGoing to be the 1st to break ranks & call for TITLE&TROPY STRIPPING???
the truth will out
Thinking of Paul McConville and his familiy today.
When I first got interested in this saga, Paul raised the discussion way above the level of football fan tit for tat. His balance was sometimes infuriating in the face of such obvious cheating – but he always insisted on sticking to objective analysis of demonstrable fact – extrapolated hyperbole and wishful thinking were politely achnowledged as such in his pursuit of an informed assessment of the realistic parameters, legal process and probable outcomes. When he laid out the likel timescales involved we all groaned with fruustration that justise would never be sevred. We wanted gossip and drama and we got top quality legal advice pro bono.
No doubt his reaction today would be equally sanguine and fair minded.
RIP top man.
This is it … I used to support (The) Rangers, but now, I’m Tim all the way! I feel dirty. Or at least dirtier than I felt in Ibiza. And that was filthy dirty.
Great work over the years on thus Phil.The SFA may want to sweep this idea the rug but what about all the European teams who were cheated. They at least should be informed and maybe they can lodge a complaint with their own FA”s and ultimately UEFA. I would like to see this in front of a UEFA commitee. Expulsion from the game on the agenda would expose the continuation myth as well.
Great idea…get UEFA involved.
I was just looking back at the 2007-8 season where the dead Rangers FC got to the UEFA cup final. It would be interesting to fiND out what the fans and management of Sporting Lisbon and more importantly Fiorentina think about the proven cheating. I think if my team had been denied European glory after losing on penalties to a finacally doped team I would at least want the record to show that we lost to cheats. All the clubs the dead Rangers faced during the EBT times should be informed of the decision. UEFA may do something as the SFA will try and wait this out without action
Excellent Phil, vindicated. Exactly as you reported and what the rest of us believe……the simple truth. Cheats…….aided and abetted by the SFA and SPFL. Titles and Cups must be stripped. Doncaster and Regan must go…….NOW !! HH
Progress might have been slow but the right result prevailed in the end.
Carpe Diem
We have witnessed a wonderful 24 hours of Progres(s).
Progres weren’t that slow last night!