I recall in 2012 that when my publisher asked me to come up with some ideas for a title on my book about Rangers he gave me some guidance.
He informed me that the book trade tends to like one or two-word titles.
After a few moments, I had an answer for him.
“Downfall”.
A strapline can be added and the one I suggested was:
“How Rangers FC self-destructed”.
Both were accepted.
The book wasn’t in the shops for a week when I started getting messages about my allusion to Der Untergang.
As a devout follower of Godwin’s law, it had never occurred to me to connect the death of Rangers and the destruction of the Third Reich.
Moreover, when I thought of Craig Whyte I did not see Bruno Ganz!
However, this morning I am being drawn to the image of Mr David Cunningham King issuing orders from his laager.
I don’t want to be a Boer about this, but his output is targeted at chaps who are fond of Super Lager.
The statement that many on Planet Fitba thought was a spoof was, in fact, the product of a phone rant from Johannesburg to a PR universe far far away.
It was then processed into the written form by means of some high-Level sorcery of which I know little.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Sevco High Command was not in the loop at any moment.
It is fair to say that they are mortified by all of this.
This is particularly the case with the Serious Professional who was apprised of all the details apropos the appointment of Mr Murdoch MacLennan.
All that Mr King has achieved with this ill-considered rant, apart from red faces in the Blue Room, has been to enrage ANOTHER Irish billionaire.
Mr Denis O’Brien is no stranger to legal action.
Indeed, his litigiousness is legendary in Irish media circles.
Nice one Dave.
Now, if I didn’t know any better then I would think that there is some very bad news about to come down the Sevco pipe.
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Oh and Stevie, one more question. Where do you see yourself and the club in a year’s time…..’ Champions League mate, no danger, club is screaming out for it.
Macca and I had breakfast at Murray Park recently, absolutely world class. If medals were handied out for breakfasts……….
One thing that always escapes the over-excitable SMSM transfer mongers is this. If a player is any good, there will be competition for his signature. That competition will usually include consideration of transfer fee, weekly basic, bonuses etc. That is, consideration of MONEY now and MONEY later. And so in any competition for any player worth having, The Rangers are at a distinct disadvantage viz-a-vis having not a ssausage to spend now and only DavieG’s promises to spend later. And there you have Gerrard’s paradox. He can attract lots of interest but he can’t convert interest into signatures – unless the player is utterly desperate or the agent is gullible on the Glasgow Scale
Follow up question for the presser. ‘ Stevie, what did you think of the decision by the Scottish football authorities to start the same club off in the Scottish 3rd division after making them apply for a new licence?’
It seems that King is trying to do a Trump number on his gullible followers by screaming ‘Fake News’ whilst lying through his teeth, turning his basket of assets into a basket of deplorables and babbling on about witch hunts when addressing their respective Klans.
Forget about signing targets, warchests et al.
One of the first questions at tomorrow’s presser will be ‘Stevie, do you support your Chairman’s claims of SFA/SPFL bias against your new club?’
Clueless Stevie will of course throw his full weight behind King guaranteeing him hero, more hero status, amongst the gullibles, not understanding for a moment that he’s just signed up.
Doubtful if one of the questions will be ‘Stevie, can I call you Stevie, when you flew out to Seville in May 2003 for the UEFA Cup Final it was a surprise to many to find out that you were such a huge a Porto fan. ‘
Is that still the case?
This is a master class in “Clusterfuckery” by Dave of the Transvaal, the drum banging paranoid bigot class have risen to feverish ferver levels and July is so far over the horizon, scary indeed. I see it like many others no doubt by thinking Dave for all his brogue heal clicking has delivered what will be a most(possibly the worst) terminal impact on their underfunded activities? can it get any worse for the once friends who have gave their silver and now turn out to be Indian givers, what next, will it be a closeshave or a throat slitting?…WHO knows…but it is excellent being able to enjoy and savour the whole slow burner getting to a head…AND KEEP IN MIND. the real beauty here is that we have a record breaking Celtic team who are a joy to watch most days getting ready for another campaign they will want to win..
King is counting on 100% compliance from the Scottish media on his witch hunt.
No doubt that is a given as Level 5 crack the whip.
However with a new man at the helm, hopefully with no blood on his hands from previous SFA regimes, he can call King’s bluff.
UEFA licences.
EBT/DOS schemes.
New club claiming Old Club trophies.
Players contract information omitted from details supplied to SFA.
Ogilvie’s compromised position and his input into actions taken, or not, against his former employer.
5 way agreement stitch up.
King acting as a Shadow Director without any comment, never mind action from the SFA.
Bringing the game into disrepute with his rantings.
The list is endless, meanwhile stoking up the resentment of the Ibrox clubs fans against the outside haters.
He’s playing them like a fiddle with the victim card.
If UEFA send in an auditor to look under the bonnet and as a result throw them out of Europe for 3 or 4 seasons will they be King’s next target?
Lots of Taigs on those UEFA boards, bound to be biased against them, stands to reason?
This is a perfect opportunity for Maxwell to show what he’s made of.
If they allow King to continue as he is without rebuke then all hope is gone of a new broom sweeping clean and we can look forward to more statements o clock.
Something big is in the wind, of that there is no doubt, whether it be no UEFA licence, COS/TOP compliance, no promised share issue, a smokescreen to divert attention from the lack of transfer activity both in and out of Ibrox.
The latter is of paramount importance to free up space on the payroll as much as bring in some cash.
I see Besitkas fancy getting Morelos, the £12m pound man, for a fraction of that, surely not?
All this fuss over a Non Executive Director in situ to oversee the work of those on the various committee’s responsible for what passes as decision making.
Hardly a mover and shaker.
Compare and contrast with the indominitable Ogilvie.
From Ibrox to Hampden with a £96k EBT payment in his hip pocket.
Central to the LNS farce and the remit handed to him by the SFA.
Central to the EBT scheme set in motion at Ibrox and fully aware that the side letters had to be hidden from HMRC at all costs as the scheme would have been holed below the water at the outset.
Also the side letters from his old employer had to be hidden from his new employer because the details of the payments had not been lodged with the players contract details held at Hampden.
Dickson in evidence to one of the tax commissions opined that Rangers thought it not to be necessary. Aye right!
There is a hope amongst Dave’s disciples that he’s holding back some real dirt on the SFA/SPFL.
No doubt he has but putting this in the public domain will require a few home truths and sacrificial Ibrox lambs will be unavoidable in the ensuing carnage.
Right behind you Dave, let’s get it all out there and see whose left standing when the smoke clears.
UEFA license deadline – Friday
New manager to start – Friday
DCK doing all he can to try and discredit the football authorities and Celtic.
He is desperate and clearly has advance notice of some very bad news about to be made public. Trying to force a meltdown before the peepul go ‘nuclear’ on him!
Still time for one last statement before tomorrow Dave !
Every day that passes sees Dave King look more and more like a clapped out, washed up boxer. He’s on the way down, he’s bleeding, he knows there’s more punishment to come but maybe, just maybe if he can throw that possibly final flailing directionless punch it might just land for him and he’ll live to fight again.
I think all that matters is what the Sevco fans think about the bold Dave and as long as they support him, the Scottish football authorities and the media will go along. Whether the Gerrard appointment works or not is not important as it has already served its purpose in bringing in the season ticket money for next year. The fans have literally bought into it and who could have predicted that.
I mean who else would come out with the idea that Scotland’s football authorities are anti Sevco and have it discussed seriously in the media.
Anybody else starting to warm to the old fox. He’s taken this pantomime to places of which no one else could have dreamt.
If you lose £20m and get £21 back…you’ll do walking away… Quickly.
Its the end game now. Sevco won’t make October
There is no evidence that Mr King has taken substantial monies from Sevco.
Can’t disagree with that.
Quick question: If Dave King is now judged unfit to be a chairman of a football club where would this leave the take over panel ?
I guess I’m asking if it’s possible this is a big ruse ???
Mr Glib n Blameless,i mean Shameless.This man is in serious need of Sectioning.Along with the rest of the DeLooDeid Hordes.No wonder Scottish Football is frowned upon when The Lying King shows his true worth at every turn.He is just trying to keep the Zombies on Board.I reckon his Reign is going to come crashing Down,Like a Deck of Cards.After All wasnt it him that stated,They shouldnt take a CVA etc at that Dead Club.The myth that is Rangers Sevco Oldco Newco!..Spoon Feeding the Hun a daily dose of BS is one Diet theyve been living on for Way To Long.Everything about King (Stinks)
I always thought that the title Downfall was intentional. Apologies.
This Sevco circus is often (quite rightly so) referred to as Orwellian
You could have gone for 1988. The year big Dave walked in the door. Or 2012 for, well, obvious reasons.
Phil when i read that rant this morning, that was my first thought. He is aiming to the lowest form of them the no one likes us. Everyone’s against us. But, as for going on about a conflict of interest. Does he forget about Campbell ogilvey at the sfa with a conflict of interest through EBT’S? Yup the man has lost it.
Some Hummel pie Dave?
Watch out for a re-run of ‘Mo Johnston ‘ being paraded in a hoops top without actually signing a binding contract .
Mr G’s legal eagles will be awaiting , but not receiving, written guarantees to back up the verbals , before advising their client to ‘walk away’ after all, it wouldn’t be prudent to do so if he was actually in office!
First of all, Dave King questioning anyone’s integrity, transparency and modus operandi…..are you having a laugh?
What next……Harold Shipman teaching bedside manner? Joseph Fritzl running parenting classes?
However, as anyone with half an ounce of nouse would already have sussed the moment they heard or saw the latest idiotic output from Ibrox is the simple fact that it’s another smoke screen and deflection tactic with the sole intent of blocking legitimate questions such as “Ehhh, Mr. GASL, Where’s Martin Skrtel like, you know”?
The utter poison spewing from their media output now only serves to highlight Sevco’s well earned reputation as The World’s Most Embarrassing Club.
If the SFA truly had both guts and integrity, they’d do the right thing and throw this sick joke of a club out of the game completely.
They are already creating a far more anti-social atmosphere within the game in their 6yrs than Glasgow Rangers ever did before they died.
Sevco would most definitely not be missed. They will continue to be irrelevant until they die and will pass into the same folklore as Clydebank and Gretna who also tried to be something they couldn’t be. But…..The GASL calling out anyone on integrity?
Ah Haa ha ha a haha haha hahaa!
just imagine the scenario gerrard walks away season books cancelled king changes his mind on celtics ibrokes ticket allocation celtic and their fans refuse the allocation, how sweet would that be.
Terry Pratchett would have struggled to come up with the Ibrox Script these past 6 years or so.
It makes Weave World read like a one line bookies slip.
Weave World is Clive Barker
The Carpet Peepo was my intended Book well spotted Steve glad to see someone engages brain when reading my inane dribble ?
Though Clive Barker would have worked just as well methinks.
The script to the Aye Broke omnishambles is one either would be proud of I should think?
I’m actually starting to warm to Davie Boy. Per his statement today, and with no hint of irony, “Any organisation that has behaved properly would welcome an independent and transparent review.”. This change of heart will help move things along nicely. Resolution 12, The Nimmo-Smith stitch-up, title stripping, biased referees, the transfer from Hamilton on never-before-seen terms in favour of the buyer, etc. I’m sure we can now count on Sevco’s support in forcing the SFA/SPFL into action.
I thought the best and most ironic line from King was about the credibility of Scottish football being at risk.
He managed to keep a straight face as well!
King still at it like a terrier with a rat with the statements – so the coming news must be very bad for the peepul.
My guess is the UEFA license is toast, so King’s riffing on “our football governance is corrupted by so many Fenian hands – infamy, infamy, they’ve all got it infamy …. “.
I assume no licence means that more creativity is needed in the accounts to explain how the short fall will be filled for some years without Euro millions from Europa League and Champions League triumphs.
BTW, is it still schadenfreude when it feels 100% guilt-free? Do we need another word?
I think DCK Dastardly would welcome Sevvie G pulling out of the position on a breach of terms ( transfer budget)… He only needed him until now in order to create his own ‘Brendan Efect’ and sell as many season tickets as possible (and then some more). Mission accomplished in that respect… Why actually let the new manager start when there is no money to either pay him or buy him players. Of course it won’t be his fault and will be spun as a terrible crime against ‘the peepul’.
Could be interesting waiting to find out if he arrives on Friday or if there will be a statement from ‘afar’…
Are they still making friends on their journey back to where they belong?
Oh yes,they’ve made many friends mostly from the SS,KKK,Mossad,Pol Pot,Hilter,Mussolini and of course Donald Trump,he was the trip organiser,never missing a chance to turn a profit.
Their rightful place being Haedes,or was it Xanadu??
Personally,imho launching the whole kit and kaboodle into Outer Space IS NOT a viable option,as We really shouldn’t be playing pass the parcel on this one,well,not unless the rocket is an actual bomb too,set to explode once well past The Kuiper Belt……or further.
Thanks again Phil,great wee read,appreciated.
ps.Do you think SG will actually turn up on Friday,or,will DCKs hypnotherapy have worn off by then?
Steven Gerrard was, as a player, a consummate professional, though I recall him suffering in his later years by committing himself to attacking positions and being caught out on pace running back into defence, usually having to head back goalwards a cleverly lobbed ball. His truly incredible energy levels and commitment made him talismanic at Liverpool, and his strategic sense as a player has informed his commentating abilities (his silence on the cynical Ramos tackle which ended Mo Salah’s Champions League final spoke volumes.)
I would suspect that his personal dynamism and initial enthusiasm for the Sevco hotseat will be tempered by an appreciation of who or what exactly he is dealing with, both in defence and attack. Would I be surprised if a former player of his calibre backed out of a deal which saw him compromised at the back?… I think not.
Clouds are gathering over the leaky roofs of the crumbledome, while fans shed silent tears as they realise that whatever DCK is offering is merely a wraith of the once might RFC. The cold light of dawn will surely bring more of the Ibrox faithful to their senses. It was, they will begin to realise, never a sensible option to keep the same club myth alive merely to serve the interests of the worst of the fan base. It was, they will gradually accept, never sensible to vacuum up so much money in a vain attempt to kick new life into the Sevco zombie. And ultimately they will finally come to see that it does not serve anyone’s interests to big up a fraudster like DCK, at the expense of the good reputations of honest folk, among whom I would count StevieG.
Stevie, you deserve better. It’s not too late to withdraw and leave DCK in the firing line where he belongs (and he can take Jabba with him, too).
As for the poor bloody fans, I think they too deserve much better from footballing authorities who have thus far allowed this truly Orwellian fiction of the same club to trundle on, supported in no small part by the fans with typewriters in the media (shame on you BBC Scotland). Let’s hope someone wakes up in time to save more red faces.
Phil
Its at times like this that I wonder what is going through The Honest Chairman’s mind, the celebrations at the end of the 2016 SC Semi Final penalty shoot-out caused Mr Desmond to feel enraged by the behaviour of the dignified Ultra-British directors and the outcome of that was Brendan Rodgers unveiled as the Celtic manager with a Double Treble to follow.
The Honest Chairman obviously did not remember from past experience what happens when you make an Irish billionaire feel enraged,this has once again caused The Honest Chairman to enrage another Irish billionaire in Mr O’Brien who is a close friend of Mr Desmond and who also holds a minority shareholding in Celtic.
I do not see this ending well for The Honest Chairman.
Denis, can I call you Denis? Sue the bastard, please.
Now that would please a lot of people, probably including the other members of the Sevco board.
They’re the ones with the bags over their heads.
Another cracker. Thanks again Phil.
A bag over their heads, but no cigarette, and the sun is almost on the horizon …
If the amount of shit that the GASL could possibly have coming down the pipe then we can only hope that someone at the end of said pipe in Ardrossan has a hefty lump hammer to use. I for one would be happy to provide that piece of equipment free, gratis and for nought as I’m sure would 60,000 others. 🙂 HH
Phil,you are in fine form
Can the Sevco omnishambles possibly get any worse or indeed tragic
You hint at perhaps something significant in a negative sense could be on its way
The behaviour of DK as a Lone Ranger is quite unbelievable
Would you say that the point we are at now resembles or comes close to anything you experienced in the Downfall era purely from a reporting the facts in a parallel timeline ?
Glorious stuff, Phil, especially the reference to Super Lager in the context of the piece. More than made me giggle!
Just a small niggle (to go with the giggle- sorry couldn’t resist)! Predictive text can be a pain. I know that blogging is a fairly instant medium but sometimes a moment to check things over is worthwhile otherwise one may be FOUND to be creating another giggle.
You’d think King would have learned by now, “Don’t poke Irish billionaires with a stick!”
It’s certainly a psychopathic trait to make the same mistake and then blame someone (anyone) else when things go wrong.
Keep the faith 😉
When everything goes dark underbelly-up, it will be everyone else’s fault.
My image of DK is akin to John Hurt as Caligula in I Claudius, on the morning he woke up to discover himself a god! Surely these hysterical thoughtless ravings will only serve to expedite his demise. The Gerrard appoinment served to put a time- frame on the project. King seems to want to get in front of things by throwing himself under the bus!
Craig Whyte is my hero, the wind beneath my wings. He kick started six years of hilarity – f not more – and in my opinion, is a worthy candidate for sainthood.
No worries: Steiner will break through to the bunker at any moment.
Now, about Fegelein …
Some very bad news with this lot could take many forms;
Stevie G backs out of manager job?
TOP cold shoulder applied?
Directors suing to get money back?
Other debtors going to court?
UEFA looking into their 2018-19 license and revoking?
Independent investigation by SFA of 2012 license fraud?
Insolvency event looming?
Anyone fancy calculating some odds/betting line on any of the above or all of the above happening in the next 10-30 days? Michael Palin couldn’t write this script any wilder as it would be deemed too preposterous. All brought to you by Lying Kings Flying Circus! 🙂
Thinking the third bottom one Peter.
It won’t be the last one. ST money is coming in. Sevco is in good financial form (relatively speaking, of course ) at this time of year.
I reckon it’s the UEFA licence.
Having said that, I’ll be happy with whatever it is. The name Sevco followed by the words “bad news ” always makes me smile.
If said bad news is Gerrard finally waking up to being duped and pulling out of this circus remember I called it. If that does happen I wonder what proportion of season tickets are reliant on Direct Debit instructions.
Or is that idea too far fetched?
One would think Mr Gerrard will not occupy the Ibrox Hot Seat on Friday….or is he regarding it as an electric chair?
Seems Slippery Steve is away on transfer business with the Director of Football for the next few days and won’t be at Ayebrokes on Friday.
Hmmm!