I think in the fallout from the SPFL statement today it is worth coming back to the words of the author of the EBT scheme at Rangers (1873-2012).
In the First Tier Tribunal the anonymous “Mr Black” stated:
- Next, Mr Black gave evidence. He read and confirmed the terms of his Witness Statement. His role within the Group is in providing strategic guidance to the individual companies. These companies carry out wide-ranging commercial activities. It also owns Rangers Football Club. The Remuneration Trust was set up in about 2001, Mr Black explained, following on specialist advice. While he himself was familiar with its broad function, its day-to-day operations were supervised by Mr Red. Originally it was used to benefit only MGM’s employees, but later was extended to employees of other companies in the Group and their relations. It was valuable in incentivising employees in providing larger sums for their and their families’ benefit in view of the tax savings. Mr Black did not consider the Trust as a means of tax avoidance, but rather as a means of retaining and rewarding loyal employees. So far as Rangers was concerned it enabled the Club to attract players who would not otherwise have been obtainable.
The last sentence is the smoking gun apropos sporting advantage.
Let’s look at it one more time:
So far as Rangers was concerned it enabled the Club to attract players who would not otherwise have been obtainable.
This admission was not lost on Alex Thomson of Channel 4 News in November 2015 when the Court of Session ruled in favour of HMRC.
Mr Black is, of course, Sir David Murray.
In the Craig Whyte trial, he inserted the word “perhaps” into his explanation of the utility function of the EBT scheme apropos Rangers and their playing staff.
Rangers gained a financial advantage over other clubs by scamming the tax man for a decade.
The full details of these payments were hidden from the football authorities rendering the players ineligible to play in matches.
Yet today the SPFL said it is no biggie.
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Been off-grid in remote parts and Only just catching up with the response from the spineless SPFL and subsequent fallout.
My industrially phrased and noisy ‘soliloquial’ outburst in Helsinki railway station yesterday broke the calm morning atmosphere to some effect!
It’s not entirely unexpected…. But the compliance from virtually every other club and its officials is most depressing. Whether it is the fear of losing their previous ‘blue pound’ or fear of threats and violence… It is a sad and pathetic situation to be in.
Fan action may possibly help as it did in 2012… But it shouldn’t come to that. The clubs and governing body’s that represent them.. ARE THEM! Should be doing something.
I fear I am done with football.
One Word: Hillsborough.
The establishment cannot defeat the truth.
In a court of law Charles Green lawyer stated that his client didn’t buy Rangers, he bought a basket full of assets. No titles or cups or history changed hand ( that’s again the rules)
I read the Livingston case from 2010 they were docked 5 points and fined 10k for not paying tax on a bonus to the players. Yet they got fined 250k (has it been paid yet?)for 10 years of tax avoidance/ evasion. They had the wee tax case guilty £4m never paid, the big tax case over £50m never paid and Craig Whyte era of over £14m never paid ,so well over £70m in unpaid taxes to her majesty.
Rod Mackenzie said Rangers didn’t know they had to supply the EBT letters as they were paying a off shore trust, is the bottom line with the taxman ignorance IS NO EXCUSE
If I was a certain Mr Desmond, I’d be seeking political asylum in an English league to escape all this pseudo-legal, governance garbage. Who could deny his pleas. Even the bottom league (Div 2) would be a blessing after decades of this Malice in Wonderland nonsense. CFC would soon rise to their level – but guaranteed Euro competitions would almost certainly be a thing of the past.
I’ve noticed that Grant Russell of stv has put up a 43 second slice of his interview with Neil Doncaster, regarding the wee tax case.
This is magician’s sleight of hand.
The real important part of the interview is when Grant enquiries about the SPFL statement and the bit about buying the titles. Grant looks very uncomfortable and twitches. Doncaster replies this is the case and has always been the case. Grant deflates to a burst balloon in his seat.
Russell is a detail Nerd. He poured over the SPFL statement and shock horror it states Green started a new outfit and purported to buy the history and titles. Ergo it’s a new club with an unproven legal claim on titles.
The SPFL know this from the Lord Bannatyne ruling. Rangers were not relegated.
THE SPFL know it cannot defend the same football club and bought titles story. But it has decided to defend the EBT titles which were awarded to old Rangers. Because it (SPFL) doesn’t want to say it erred and got it wrong.
Why does Grant always field Sevco questions as though he works for Rangers-SPFL rather than a neutral? Is he taking a devils advocate position?
I should add to myprevious comment that it is clear that the SPFL hope to bamboozle the public into moving on with the help of the SMSM and other friends of influence.
They do not wish to imagine the possibility of a judicial review where their arguments would be scrutinized under oath because they KNOW the outcome would be devastating for them.
Their incompetence and hubris in previous actions has placed them in a position of EXTREME vulnerability.
If a legal challenge emerges they would like it to come only from CFC so they can label it jealous, bigoted, self-interested. I don’t believe CFC have any interest in taking this further – it is against their commercial interests and personal safety of key individuals. Nor do I think CFC wouild be foolish enough to fall into that trap even if they were motivated.
Any action must come from the fans of all clubs under the banner of natural justice, fair play and the spirit of sport over cack-handed misgoverance. And I include in that fair minded Rangers fans.
This hasn’t even started yet.
Blizzard of Bollocks
The mark of a good QC is that he/she can spin on a sixpence to argue the opposite case and exploit every weaknesses of the arguement they have just made. They are shark-eyed, hired guns with no dog in any fight.
McKenzie and Moynihan have forgotten this essential role. They have a need to believe one arguement and so cannot act as devil’s advocate to see its obvious weaknesses.
There is a saying in law that a lawyer representing himself has a fool for a lawyer and a fool for a client.
This is what we are seeing here – undoubtably clever people made stupid by their emotional need to believe an unbelievable posiiton.
If the SPFL was at all open minded in this matter, they would have employed an uncompromised QC to argue the “strip the titles” case and pull Moynihan, McKenzie, Doncaster, Topping, Regan et al to shreds in private before every considering going public with this current blizzard of bollocks.
They have presented any opposing QC with a smorgesbord of inconsisteny, contradiction and fancifull absurdity.
All that is needed now is the opportunitiy for an emotionally detached QC to shoot them all to pieces under oath.
Well done chaps, another intellectual triumph for Scottish football goverance!
I don’t see what the big problem here is.
One of the things that other fans want is some admission from the Ibrox club that they transgressed the rules, illegal tax scams, player contracts lodged with missing wages details, will do for a start.
Dave King at his next statement o clock can then deliver something along the lines of……yes, the club did wrong and we acknowledge that to be the case and apologise but please remember that these actions were carried out during the tenure of previous boards who have long since left the building………oh hang on!
Perhaps the fatal blow to the liars and cheats that masquerade as our football authorities will have to wait till nearer Xmas.
With Mr Whyte found not guilty of all the charges made against him then he’s completely free to pen his own version of events at Ibrox which will be a sure fire best seller.
His insight into the shambles he inherited from SDM, his dealings with SDM and the then Rangers board, his opinion on the football management team he had inherited, his relationship with Duff and Phelps, the Ticketus deal, the bank, and surely a chapter or more on his discussions with the SFA and SPL, particularly any meetings he had with Regan and Doncaster, Hotel Du Vin et al.
One can only assume following his silence since the court case that negotiations for a tell all book are at an advanced stage and an announcement is imminent….go Craigy
Mr Black and Mr Red enter the fray, I feel a Palestinian flag moment coming on just as soon as Mr Whyte and Mr Green slip into the same paragraph. Ooops.. my banned?
Watched this farrago since first week of RTC blog, sorry but it’s all for nothing. RFC (1,2,3 or whatever) will again be champions, we are Chumpions! Mere fodder for SMSM!
Yip no advantage, interview the next top manager of Man City and tell him his budget is a 10/th of his top opponents and c what he thinks of his future in the game !!!
Slowly slowly catchy monkey
RB,
That’s definitely the right approach to take. Play the long game.
The monkey was caught 5 years ago, mate, and the Supreme Court has just ratified it.
So this ‘let’s take our time now’ bullshit is exactly what it says on the tin, a delaying tactic while they’re think up stuff to put us off the scent.
Watch this, we’ll still have Lawwell at Celtic in the next 5 years while Regan & Donkey have slitted off I tot heir own little tax havens under Murray’s protective wing and those that really care about all this will have given up in anger and disgust.
In my long life history of watching this sort of stuff unfold, I can absolutely guarantee you that ther’s nothing surer.
As John Cleese said about depression ‘It’s not the illness that gets you, you can cope with that, it’s the HOPE that something’s gonna change that crushes you every time.’
Any SPFL & SFA reviews of their actions will be meaningless until after the impending judicial Reviews lessons are learned.
At the moment the SFA and SPFL are insisting they are legally right. No review OF PREVIOUS ACTIONS can proceed whilst this circumstance exists.
Only after the legal questions surrounding tax avoidance cheating and the same club myth are answered in court can a review of their actions take place.
No review before court nor in parallel to court. It’s illogical.
Lord Nimmo-Smith now sits on a miscarriage of justice of his making.
His Commission findings were five years premature and he jumped the courts due process gun.
Surely Channel 4’s Thompson can give him a call for his remarks?
Phil, Would be interested in any views of the following
I see it as a waste of time discussing or challenging Gerry Moynihan QC, and the conclusions, statement or opinion he or the spfl sreached. Simply because this ‘ extensive consultation’ is nothing more than a smoke screen.
I would argue that it’s better to Focus and I mean Focus on the specific question Moynihan was asked to consider!
Any judicial review could only successful proceed after scrutinising the ‘terms of reference’ given to Moynihan QC as well as the ‘conclusions requested’ of him.
What was he asked to do?
What was he asked NOT to do?
The spfl Board and Directors are responsible for the management of the Company’s business.
Under Companies Act 2006 every Director has 7 specific duties
The seven duties are (in summary):
1. Company offers must act within their powers as a director.
2. Directors must promote their companies.
3. Directors must exercise independent judgement.
4. Directors must use reasonable care, skill and diligence.
5. Directors must try to avoid conflicts of interest.
6. Directors must not accept benefits from third parties.
7. Directors must declare any interests in any proposed transactions/arrangements with their company.
For easy reading See http://www.contracteye.co.uk/company_director_duties.shtml
So, taking into account (a) the Companies Act 2006 and (b) the duties of the spfl board and its directors the starting point is (c) establish and interrogate :-
What was Moynihan QC asked to do?
What was he asked NOT to do?
What was he asked to comment on?
What was he asked NOT to comment on?
The above questions are the key to any subsequent (intended or unintended) corruption taking place.
Only with full public disclosure to these 4 question could any reasonable person then consider if the spfl board was exercising reasonable care, skill, diligence and independent judgement in relation to the opinion it sought from Gerry Moynihan QC
Right now the key is not to waste time and energy on the current bogus ‘dead cat’ spfl statements and QC opinions.
And for what it’s worth, I don’t believe the spfl will ever give up or release the ‘terms of reference’ to their extensive consultation’ without a Court Order.
But would I financially contribute to obtaining that Court Order? … Definitely!
Put all the same facts in front of 5 QC’s and you’ll get 5 different opinions. In fact you’ll probably get 6. Someone will be in two minds about it!
The questions are not asked of a QC’s – the questions are put to the spfl directors. A QC is given terms of reference – they don’t make them up themselves!
It is obvious the spfl have started with ‘an answer’ (no further action) and then found some very narrow terms of reference and irrelevant questions to support their conclusions .
For example – All that irrelevant HMRC waffle in the opinion provided. The question is about any breach of spfl rules – but the answer provided is that the spfl can’t make rangers pay their taxes! Which is exactly what the spfl ‘asked’ the QC for an opinion on….. TAX rules?
Specifically avoiding – In light of recent ruling – how should spfl best apply its membership rules to address the recent court ruling?
Do you lot honestly think Bob Malcolm was a better player than Stillian Petrov and Maurice Ross a better player than Didier Agathe??
It matters not a jot, spending money you can’t afford on shite players is still cheating !
If you bothered to read the article, based on good strong journalism,; then you would have seen that even your own Mob, yes the very ones who cheated and lied their way through 10 years, admit that they couldn’t attract players without the need to offer the EBT and side letters. But I do agree both Oldcastle players mentioned were shoite.
I blame those choices of player on the level of management employed and willing to work under a decidedly dodgy regime in both the underhand method of staff remuneration presented to agents and employees, and the self entitled and presumptive culture of misplaced superiority in evidence throughout Murray’s hey day of succulent lamb press directives. Any single minded footballing person worth his salt untainted by masonry or bigotry would soon realise what was invilved when wage negotiations started.
Despite Rangers clear financial advantage of an extra £120, 000 per WEEK available for extra players from their tax dodging, FOR 10 YEARS, they still could not stop Celtic winning trophies during their 10 year cheating spree. I blame the schools.
Teerush,
Did Malcolm & Ross receive an ebt as well?
In conjunction with a judicial review, taking away income from the corrupt is the only way to resolve this and be prepared for a long game. Fergus McCann fought a long game and succeeded.
I would suggest the following long term campaign (as well as the legal route):
1. Do not attend away matches and give your hard earned cash to those who remain silent and expect Celtic and the Celtic family to cure these horrendous ills.
2. Do not attend cup games for either League cup or Scottish cup. No attendance, no sponsors, no money.
3. Do not buy Scottish based newspapers and go online to let the English based owners know why you are no longer buying their titles. Name names. Follow the Celtic blogs for a more balanced and honest view of what is happening. Get older members of your family/friends circle on line and show them the blogs – let them see an alternative view to the lies being peddled by the Scottish MSM. If you stop buying these papers people like Keith Jackson will eventually be cleared out.
4. Boycott the main sponsors of the SPFL and SFA. Ladbrokes and Betfred are the main ones that come to mind. There are plenty of on line and shop alternatives to these companies. Again, tell them why you’ll not be using their company again. Take your cash elsewhere.
5. Don’t call any fan phone in. Starve them of controversy and of the ‘air’ they need to survive. The less calls the less money they get for advertising. Their shows are aimed at the main demographic in the country (and that’s not Celtic fans) so leave them too it.
One final point. Fear has been visited on the country’s football administrators, in what can only be described as mob rule, by the fans of a 5 year old team that play out of Ibrox. Using an old fashioned term…they shat it! Don’t be like them…..stand up and be proud of the fact that you know the truth and will not be moved by a mob culture.
Have your £5, £10 or whatever you can afford ready to support the Judicial review but do all of the above too….lets end this corruption once and for all.
^^^^^ This ^^^^^
It’s the only way forward
Spot on.
I have a crisp £20 sat here waiting.
Well said Towbar. Agree with all your points. However, I’d also like to see us try to gather collective support with other clubs fan groups to show that most of Scottish football’s followers will never accept the crap from the hierarchy with regards to all things Dead Rangers nor the nonsense suggesting Sevco are anything to do with them.
We can probably discount any support from Dundee and Kilmarnock but they mean so little anyway they really don’t matter.
There is genuine outrage out there amongst fans of many clubs and the more the SFA continue to try to bully us into accepting their crap, the more we have to stand firm….. And that’s just firm, not “Old Firm”, the Rangers half of that is DEAD!
Towbar34 SPOT ON
Spot on but we should also have our day in court.
The other night the 4th official prevented a young Hearts substitute from entering the field of play as the number of strip he was wearing didnt match his number stated on the team sheet. He was a listed player and he was numbered just “imperfectly”
Legia Warsaw and Dunfermline were kicked out of cup tournaments for players and team sheets that were “imperfectly” eligible……
Even discounting sporting integrity and competitive advantage having “imperfect” registered players (dozens over hundreds of games) is enough grounds to have the rules applied.
Titles dont need to be stripped simply apply the rules as they were (then & now) thus rezults are voided or 0-3 defeats.
Imperfectly registered players WAS a breach of the rules therefore players WERE ineligible.
Apply the rules.
It seems no-one is disagreeing, it was blatant cheating. This period will forever be a stain on Scottish Football. No club playing out of Ibrox will ever do so without this one BIG asterisk hanging over everything they ever say they achieved. Fans of all other clubs will not simply forget and this is a measure of their dignity- the legacy they leave to their grandkids- then THEIR grandkids.
It seems to me the fix is in for declaring Sevco a new club with no titles.
Toppings bit last week about fans and wealthy supporters going to court for results was very telling.
The SPFL release is full of legal holes to take to court. Almost inviting. Mentioning the sale of history as an asset for heavens sake.
The SPFL and SFA doing nothing leaves it to the courts to hammer the nails into the Rangers continuum.
The governing bodies do nothing and the court does the honest correction.
Gullibears cannot argue with court judgements. Such as “Rangers were not demoted, relegated or sent down the leagues”.
An elegant solution.
Celtic FC released a formal statement asking the governing bodies to revisit the LNS no Sporting Advantage of using EBTs finding, Given the Supreme Court found Rangers EBTs to be unlawful.
Both the SFA and SPFL have stated they will not do this. The SPFL has stated they will do a general review but not specifically about Rangers and they have no legal powers to revisit LNS or punish Rangers.
Celtic FC must now respond to this with action.
Part of the SPFL statement appears to be the old excuse it’s the same Rangers regarding titles and honours but it’s not the same Rangers for punishments and disciplinary measures. Which is a smarmy wind up by Doncaster.
Did Grant Russell have a nervous twitch whilst interviewing Doncaster on stv or was it a wink?
Folks
The press releases coming from the SPFL can best be described as a farce, with corruption running through the game in Scotland
It is very clear to me that we cannot put any trust in either the SPFL or SFA to govern our game
As it currently stands in reverse order, we have the following on going
A. Franchise in Govan over spending beyond its means flaunting fair play rules again
B. Same franchise very close to trading insolvent (month on month) flaunting Uk laws
C. Franchise given access to European competition with un audited accounts march 2017
D. Directors running the franchise that were part of a liquidated business less than 5 years ago – why is this even possible ?
E. Club owner of franchise bringing the game into disrepute on a weekly basis attacking other clubs/ officials
So far…..
What is the governing bodies doing about this ?
We look beyond this….
F. Directors of oldco bringing the game into disrepute with lack of governance of football club as legal directors, start from Craig whyte and work back the way until the mid 80’s
G. Tax evasion on an industrial level dating back as proven from 2011 until 1999 – no action taken against these directors
H. If Hugh Adam is to be believed this pre dates 1999 And goes back mid 80’s
I. All edged Bungs paid to Lawrence Marlborough in 80s to seek club
J. Alledged Bungs paid to messrs m Johnstone
What is the governing bodies doing about this
K. Industrial level cheating off in proper player registration / EBT side contracts
L. Cheating of HMRC
M. Clubs up and down the country being cheated in what was a rigged game – entire period of time unclear as not every year proven as yet, it could be most years from 1986 ?
What is the governing bodies doing about this ?
As fans of Scottish football do we really thing this is acceptable ?
If the game is to survive then it has to be one of governance and accountability, that starts with addressing the corruption before we can move on
Hold the thought and consider what can we as individuals do to address this with our clubs and the league/ SFA sponsors
Excellent.
But we can do ZERO unless we give them all, including Celtic, and as much as it hurts me to say so, ZERO.
Starve them of cash and the farce will be over within the month.
Phil, No-one has mentioned that fact that this legal “opinion” has to have been provided before the supreme court ruling was made and therefore before Peter Lawwell resigned his role. Do you think himself and Celtic knew this before it was released?
Rhetorical question or do you know the answer already ..?
When it comes to the craft any amount of money suddenly appears. Reference David Ike documentary. I know he’s mad but not stupid !!
Oldco cheated, Nimmo Smith missed it, the SPL ruled but do not want to reopen it since Oldco are dead. Sevco claim the titles as an asset. The titles during the cheating years MUST be stripped from Oldco. Sevco can then pursue the liquidators for redress, once any court accepts that they can trade in the former club’s history as if it is a material asset. In fact, they have no claim.
The SFA and SPL need to get their act together. They are not ruling in a legal debate, which, since Rangers are defunct, will never come to court. They are ruling on the integrity of the football record now that financial doping on an industrial scale has been proven.
Listen to BBC commentators and the missing words are: there is a new club at Ibrox pretending to be Rangers. Rangers cheated. They are dead, but now the record must be amended in fairness to all football fans of all those teams cheated out of honours by the Ibrox tax fiddlers.
Shame on the BBC for not even asking the key questions, and allowing fudge as fact (how old is the legal advice they are now papping out?)/
The name of the game is shame, shame, shame…
Surely Charles Green and the Liquidators have copies of the contract which explains in legal detail exactly what was bought. I’m sure all the assets will be specified on the contract. Anyone seen a copy?
Dear Jim, it wont run out if its laundered
Even the “reformer” Ann Budge has bottled it thanks to fear of the sub-culture response and the blue pound. Celtic cannot remain in the goldfish bowl that is the SPFL – now a cesspit of cheating & mythology with lily livered regulators (depending on who they’re dishing out punishment to). Whatever it takes, Lawwell needs to ramp up our efforts to move to a new league set up outwith Scotland. Lets see how the nodding dogs miss the green pound.
If Ann Budge was ever a genuine ‘reformer’ they would never have let her near the place.
All this is for show, McMurdo said it 2 years ago, ‘the fix is in’, but no one seems to have thought all the possibilities through in how wide ranging the fraud really is, and towhead, exactly, he was alluding.
Everything is planned in advance and even if Celtic do take it to court I suspect that that, too, will be just another sham for the sake of appearances.
Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen lawyers & judges dance in the charade, or knights of the realm perjure themselves without any further inquiry, would it ..?
The sfa spfl boffins either had great foresight or were completely stupid in writing their rules which are being used to protect themselves and their club from what is their due which one is it
Well ,all I can say after that guff from the corrupt SPFL is
THE BAW IS WELL AND TRULY BURST
The unlawful actions have been identified, no need to revisit anything. The SPFL just need to apply sanctions on The Extinct Club and those associated with the now proven unlawful decision-making and operations.
Phil
While no doubt the anger of I and many Celtic fans at the SFA and SPFL position is palpable. Celtic must take time to consider best their next course of action. But be in no doubt action there must be. Most Celtic people have never had any faith in the people that have ran the Scottish game and it’s becoming clearer by the day we were right all along. Celtic must go all the way with this not only for football in Scotland to retain a tiny modicum of integrity but for genuine fans like myself who were spending money watching a rigged game to retain faith and belief that our own beloved club will stand up for what’s right as the people who formed Celtic would surely have wanted them to. If they don’t I fear many fans will never forgive them. Hail Hail
Peter Lawell has proved once again that he is one of them…not one of us. A disgrace; state sponsored Cheating. We as football supporters must take our own action to right this wrong.
There’s the rub, though, they don’t run the game for Scottish football, they’re there – and it becomes more and more evident each and every day – they’re there for the benefit of that ‘quintessentially british club’. I don’t think it’s the pitch fork army they fear so much as what sanctions they might face should UEFA pay closer scrutiny to their actions / inaction with regard to the now defunct rangers and the phoenix club thet rose from their ashes.
Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that, TB, UEFA are happy to keep schtum for their cut.
For those who don’t have the right handshake invariably have the right price.
I am not surprised one bit by the SPFL statement. I think most of us were expecting something risible like this to be issued. It appears that clubs can now do as they wish and blame any wrongdoing on the “company”, as they are, in this case, deemed to be separate entities. The club can, at the same time, reap the long term rewards of this wrongdoing! I cannot imagine that any of this would be the case had this sorry chain of events involved any other club in Scotland other than rangers*. Scottish football fans and the clubs they support need to stand up to this “nothing to see here” nonsense. Financial doping = sporting advantage.
Best of luck to both Celtic and Aberdeen in Europe. It would be great to see both teams playing in the group stages of their respective competitions.
@gerardkelly Celtic need time to read this and then prepare their response. No need for sevco like statements. There is also the small matter of a game tonight. I’m sure an appropriate response will be forthcoming but these things are best done calmly.
Exactly.
A toddler’s timescale is not what is needed now.
Nor is Celtic’s Res12 timescale appropriate. I will be surprised if Celtic challenge the SPFL decision in any meaningful way.
I just cannot get my head around the fact that once Glasgow Rangers were shown to be cheaters of the highest kind and used a illegal scam to dominate Scottish Football at the expense of every other club….just how are the in existence….????? If it was a shop or factory it would have been shut down by the Creditors and every asset SOLD OFF.
The titles and Cup won during this time were WON BY CHEATING so I cannot see why they are not stripped of those Titles and Cups. Anyone who decided otherwise is nowhere near reality.
A chaire it time to “CLEAN HOUSE AND SHUT DOWN WHERE THE SMELL EMINATES FROM. HH
Pheonix companies are a real issue in the UK.
The BBC did a bit on it…..
The run up debts, shut down owning money, then spring up with a similar name and continue trading as if nothing has happened.
Meanwhile tax payer funded BBC Scotland advertise Sevco and claim they are the same club.
The Irony should not be lost on anyone.
The SPFL decision is the longest suicide note in global sporting history. Forget Michael Foot and Gerald Ratner, they have declared themselves corrupt and proud, self-righteoue and contenptuous of their customers, at odds with reality and the morals of the 21st century.
There’ll be a need for a book in due course: Downfall: How Scottish Football Self Destructed.
Any volunteers 🙂
Why Celtic do not release a statement with a breakdown of the salient facts of the matter and demanding reparations is beyond me. It’s quite sickening as it seems as though as long as their tills are ringing all is fine in the world. Oh for the days of Fergus rather than today’s glacial movements by committee.
It crushes my spirit knowing that I can’t go back to Celtic park due to a matter of principle which the club should be all over like a rash.
Oh dear…
It has been a but few hours since the lengthy legalled statement was released.
Is everything in your world run by to a toddler’s timeframe?
Grow up.
It is others that should grow a pair
Phil; Rarely find myself disagreeing with you. You are familiar with the saying “fail to prepare, prepare to fail”.
Well, the SFA/SPFL have had plenty of time to prepare their weasel defences on the EBT issue. So it is not a surprise that they (and their chums at Level) had the media and their excuses ready to go the moment that the Supreme Court ruling came down.
However, in that same vein, Celtic should also have had a plan ready for this. So no, it has nothing to do with running on a “toddler’s timeframe”. It should have been anticipated and a prudent step of preparation by the club to have a statement ready. Not only that, they would have known in advance that the SPFL were going to come out with this nonsense spouted today, so they have had more than a few hours to be ready.
They saw the lengthy statement today.
It will take time to respond appropriately.
Anything else is foot stamping toddlerdom…
I’m sorry Phil, I forgot all this industrial scale cheating and subsequent obfuscation just came to light today. You obviously have more confidence in the Celtic board than I do.
Not confidence.
Well sourced information.
Goodness me Gerard Kelly, what a comment to make sarcastically to a man who had the bravery to talk and research this subject matter YEARS AGO when NOBODY wanted to listen. Have some respect please. There is a long game here clearly not to everyone’s timescale but one none the less. Desmond & Ashley, actual billionaires, probably have a few plans made, so you can sleep easy on that.
Comments & complaints on the SFA/SPFL statement ought perhaps be directed to : [email protected]
Today’s statement says that the SPFL members have been advised that there is nothing they can do about this. The questions asked by the SPFL (and answered by the QC) suggest that they agree with us that Rangers ‘sinned’ but there is nothing that can be done now. It’s too long after the event (how long did he expect a tax case to take??) and, since Oldco no longer exist, the sins of the father cannot be visited upon the children.
Whether it’s worth taking to court is debatable – the QC isn’t infallible and this is just his interpretation of the SPFL/SPL rules – but what would the accusation be?
The idea of reparations appealed to me initially – all other clubs suing for lost earnings over the 10 years – but who would they sue? The SPL is long gone.
Celtic SUPPORTERS need to take the fight to SPFL, SFA and enliste the support of UEFA IMMEDIATE BOYCOT OF ALL DOMESTIC AWAY MATCHES AND HOME EUROPEAN MATCHES. This will highlight our disgust at the corruption within the Scottish games and get our plight recognised by UEFA.
It is institutionalised cheating on a grand scale. The governing bodies running Scottish Football are corrupt to the core and anti Celtic . They will do everything in their power to stop Celtic doing another 9 in a row never mind surpassing that mark. It is stomach churning what’s going on with this fiasco, this could only happen in Bigotred Scotland. As long as I have breath I willl never ever enter Hampden park or any other establishment associated with these people. I will never go to another away fixture or purchase any kind of merchandise associated with them. I stopped buying news papers almost 3 years ago and will never buy another as long as I live.
We as Celtic Supporters need to unite and stand as one and do the same Boycott everything, don’t spend another penny on anything that remotely is associated with any of the clubs that stood silent through this whole thing or the corrupt rotten stinking SFA or SPFL ….. UNITE AND FIGHT BROTHERS…??
This is the bit that I’m loving –
“It is understood that the historical awards of Championships or Cups are amongst the assets of Oldco purportedly sold to Newco, through the agency of the administrators by Oldco, in June 2012”
So SPFL, your high-grade legal advice confirms that when the current incarnation of Rangers finally goes bust, another business entity will be able to purchase those Championships and Cups as *assets*?
In that case I would strongly suggest Celtic plc act to ensure they are the highest bidder.
102 and counting…
The whole idea is ludicrous.
So if Roger Federer were to go bankrupt, Andy Murray could purchase his Wimbledon titles – as assets – and claim them as his own??
This nonsense makes a joke of our legal system.
What I wasnt to know is, why does Lord Nimmo Smith not now stand up and remind those involved that his “no sporting advantage” decision was explicitly predicated on the assumption that the use of the EBTs was *lawful*. And that, since the UK Supreme Court has now decided otherwise, the original decision has no bearing whatsoever?
I have just bought Graceland and a load of gold discs and sequinned suits.
It’s great being Elvis.
Uh huh huh ..?
Hit the nail on the head mate everything has changed so lord snootys decision is null and void
Phil
3 great notes today and deeply appreciate the insight but what is your “gut feeling” telling you where this is all heading ?
Title stripping let’s put that in that in the wee “Nae Chance” bucket. However the big “Mibe” bucket for the last 20 months has been “going bust” again…. but its like watching a pregnant “White Elephant” and saying when is it going to happen? It just seems to stumble on with strange new twists with theme tune of SOAP playing in the background… back to the question what’s your hunch on the next episode? Phil or potentially “Rugger” guy
He’s already said that as long as the directors continue to sign the cheques then administration is unlikely.
I can’t believe that their directors have bottomless pockets or that their businesses are making the kind of profits that allow them to ante up a couple of million every few months. Maybe they’re redirecting their own companies’ PAYE and VAT towards the new club to keep it afloat.
As there’s no sign of them breaking even any time soon, the money has to run out at some point.
Do clothes run out at laundrettes ..?