Resolution 12 and Celtic

There are still many outstanding legacy issues surrounding the death of Rangers in 2012.

One of them is the circumstances under which the Ibrox club was awarded a UEFA licence for season 2011-2012.

At the time of their exit from European competition in 2011, I wrote this piece in October 2011.

Regular readers will now that this became the subject of a resolution to the Celtic AGM in 2013.

“Resolution 12” (R12) is something that refuses to go away for both the world-class administrators on the 6th floor at Hampden and for the chaps in the Celtic boardroom.

However, it is the behaviour latter that concerns me today.

If everything comes back to the Godfather than the R12 requisitioners are serious men to be treated with respect.

I started having discussions with several of them before R12 was a thing.

For the avoidance of doubt, we are still in regular contact.

Back then I told them then that my settled view was that senior people at Celtic would not be willing to pursue R12 because it might prove difficult for them.

I told them at the time that the tactic of the Celtic board would be to play for time in the hope that the R12 requisitioners would tire of it all.

That is how I saw the decision to park the issue at the 2013 AGM.

In the immediate aftermath, I am not sure that all of the R12 crew fully accepted my analysis, although two of them were already on board.

However, I doubt that any of the original requisitioners would have thought that six years after the original resolution in 2013 that they would still be battling their own board.

Now the issue is due to be heard again at the Celtic AGM.

If you are entirely new to this then the issue emerges of what became known as the Wee Tax Case.

This site is fully searchable and it will not long to find the entire sad story of the Celtic board and R12.

Suffice to say there that there are two grounds both relating to non-disclosure for arguing that the granting and retention of the UEFA licence in 2011  was in contravention of UEFA Financial Fair Play articles 50 and Annex VIII and Article 13.

(1)          Article 50 – No overdue payables towards employees and social/tax authorities.

(2)          There was a significant change between the end of March and 26th May 2011 before UEFA were notified of clubs granted a licence as covered by Article 13 of UEFA FFP.

The facts of the matter were established in sworn evidence at the trial of Craig Whyte in 2017.

My understanding is that senior people at Celtic had stated to the requisitioners that they needed a “smoking gun” on this matter.

Well, the sworn evidence in that trial provided an entire armoury of such recently fired weapons!

Any reasonable person coming across this saga now would be forgiven for concluding that the Celtic board have been playing for time on this since 2013 in the hope that the requisitioners would eventually give up.

That clearly has not happened.

Consequently, the reluctance of the Celtic board to move on this over the past two years is rather baffling.

Playing for time was always going to end and now the issue is back on the agenda for Celtic shareholders to consider.

If people in the Parkhead boardroom thought back in 2013 that this one would go away then they have miscalculated.

Now the people who run the club want the shareholders to vote down the requisitioners request that the AGM either pass the original Resolution 12.

As I re-visit this story my thoughts are taken back to a wintery night outside of Celtic Park in 1994 as we waited for news that we truly had sacked the board.

The little guy in the Bunnet had a plan that would make my club the richest and most powerful in Scotland.

Moreover, he was clear that he needed all of in this together.

Firstly to build a new stadium and then to move to season tickets as the norm for supporters.

He treated his customers with respect and always levelled with them.

The chaps at Hampden are truly fortunate that they are not dealing with Fergus McCann these days.

Presented with this mountain of evidence that Celtic had been denied a valuable business opportunity (a chance to play in the Champions League) then the Bunnet would have been in court quicker than you could say “one thin dime”!

 

34 thoughts on “Resolution 12 and Celtic”

  1. Find it disgusting,that our board are not persuing resolution 12,the hacks at hampden have treated not just celtic,but all scottish football with contempt.If not taking to task,they will keep on doing these stunts,keep up the good work phil,our day will come hh.

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  2. A little bit of clarification on what Celtic actually oppose.

    They oppose taking the investigation away from the SFA and asking UEFA or the police to investigate.

    In doing so they are binding themselves to a judicial process that after 2 years has shown itself not fit for purpose and one in which they resist questioning.

    At the 2018 AGM questions relating to CAS involvement were asked and a commitment to providing a written answer was made at that AGM but to date there has been no answers.

    No answers to them by AGM 2019, suggests Celtic are incompetent at best and complicit at worst the consequences of which are a possible fraud is being covered up with Celtic’s knowledge.

    Not a good place to be standing at AGM time.

    So whilst going to UEFA or the police is eschewed by Celtic, not providing answers to the questions posed as result of the SFA “parking” the investigation that Res12 has caused, is simply untenable.

    Opposing the current Res doesnt mean the matter is finished, it just means no more excuses can be accepted for Celtic’s inaction since in effect May 2018 when they were given hard legit evidence of fraud but did not act upon it, requiring Res12 lawyers to do so at cost of £2k to add to earlier costs of around £7k..

    So whilst Celtic might oppose going to UEFA they simply cannot stand aside and let the SFA stay silent.

    A deadline for SFA to decide what to do must be set by Celtic by or at the AGM, along with a timetable for completion, whether that be by SFA or CAS covering ALL of the submissions made by RFC under granting and monitoring of the UEFA licence in 2011.

    Otherwise Celtic are protecting the SFA and risk being seen as complicit in covering up a fraud in which they were victims.

    In short their continuing policy of inaction , silence and non interference, particularly from May 2018 is untenable and has to change to restore faith in Celtic and give the SFA an opportunity to regain the judicial authority they surrendered under the 5 Way and restore the rule of football law that otherwise lies in tatters.

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  3. The club that lied, or colluded, with the SFA is dead, so no action can be taken against the new club for the sins of the old.
    However what many people forget is that the awarding of the UEFA licence to Oldco was a fraudulent action and fraud is a criminal offence.
    Some of those involved are still participating in Scottish football whilst others have melted into the shadows.
    The participants of the fraud should be having sleepless nights, wondering when Police Scotland Fraud Squad will come knocking on the door.
    There is no time bar on criminal fraud and our major shareholder should have been leading the charge to lodge a complaint with the police.
    There is zero chance of Maxwell and his SFA crew throwing themselves under a bus as any police investigation is liable to uncover some very unsavoury facts that will rock Scottish football to the core and see some serious jail time being handed out to the conspirators.
    Bring it on.

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  4. The shareholders will have to vote for the board or for the rebels. The board do not have 51% of the votes and the AGM should be told that the malfeasance of the board has reduced the profit of the company. The guilty should be named and shamed

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  5. I live in Australia and so I am physically l removed from the machinations of the board. the SFA and the Huns but a thought occurred to me, can the rangers trade players while cold shouldered, just asking for a friend.

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  6. the SFA exist to help and support rangers/sevco in their cheating and corruption. no more and no less and it has always been thus.
    peter lawwell needs the backing of the SFA to help extend his career in football with EUFA.
    i think this may explain his silence and aquiescence.
    do not bite the hand that may feed you in the future.

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    • given that under his tenure as CEO Cetlic are on the verge of 9 in a row having survived the cheating years, in profit, i think his cv is good for his next job

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  7. Celtic and Neil Francis Lennon are 4 months into a 21 month program to get 10. – The roll of indiscretions that the NewCo have had from Uefa to Kilmarnock to a high penalty account received, even if they are missing them. – We do not have the luxury of VAR sadly. We need EVERYONE UNITED.

    Operation stop the 10 is under way, from MSM PR, MiB, and they’ve not even cranked it up yet. The Snake in the board at the blue has no boundaries and no respect of anything or anyone- certainly not everyone. They will get even more frenzied, the further they drop behind or start selling players and realising there won’t be any incomings.

    For the avoidance of doubt, I fully support the principal of the R12. I did say at the start of the season, “we” the club, need to be complete as ONE CLUB a CLUB LIKE NO OTHER. The board, the manager, the players, the green brigade,( who with Uefa fines are running us close to a closure) and all social avenues that compromise the MSM media ability to spin any division and or unrest. They tried in the build up to Ibrokes and the after the Cluj game, the KT saga, etc etc…….

    They are hanging on by the skin of their teeth yet again. and yes R12 get it done. However, we are so close, and the tactical play for this is once The Ego has departed, they are 30 mill in the red, they have a Cold shouldered chairman, the running of the club is really impacted, it’s a firesale for what they have, etc etc R12 should be rolled into the net once they are ready for extinction……

    the perfect storm must be created, and yes then – in the reform of it all over again -, let the R12 be bulldozer for the sFa, not because Celtic and Fergus, are owe from that institution not for just 2012, but since it’s inception.

    We are 17 months away from domestic history – Celtic Football Club – 10 in a row …….. our day will come and so will theirs for that matter.

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  8. I think it is very naive to say that the Celtic Board had miscalculated the strength of determination of the requisitioners in 2013?
    Au contraire Phil…The Celtic Board have since embarked on a cost cutting exercise at Celtic Park in order to:
    A Reduce the Debts to zero by changing the traditional approach from buy to build to buy to sell in the Transfer Market.
    B They have also embarked on spending in and around the Stadium at considerable expense whilst simultaneously reducing spending under both Neil Lennon and Ronny Della.
    C Increased the overall Value of Celtic since 2012 from around £74m to the Current £188m which I turn has increased the value of their own Shares from the 30-40p they were at to the current £1.60-1.70.
    D Stockpiled over £30m in cash whilst selling off the teams prize assets.
    They have calculated well in advance the reaction from both kicking this can (Res 12) up the road to the kicking the Supports haw maws on Friday.
    It is my opinion that there is going to be massive changes at Celtic in the very near future and those who have been behind all of the above are going to cash in their chips whilst the going is as good as its ever going to be at Celtic.
    Guess who footed the bill for all of the above?
    That’s right the very same people who turn up and put their hard earned into the turnstiles at “ Paradise”.
    Even if 5000 diehards walk away this week in disgust it won’t affect the smooth operators at Celtic Park.
    That money is already bulging out of the Accounts and paying dividends for those who Invested for them.
    It’s a win,win for the likes of Mr Mega Bonus no matter how it shakes down.
    The concept of Club was sold down the River (Clyde) many,many moons ago.
    It’s a business that operates a Football Team as its main source of Income and the sooner folk get their heads round that the better.
    If it’s a Club you want then there really is only one way to achieve it.
    Buy them out and make it one.
    Perhaps the Absentee Landlord could arrange for that to become a reality?
    He’s a billionaire you know 🤔
    Thought not…he will sell up to the next Charlatan and so it continues.
    Wake up and smell the Coffee folks.

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  9. I find it difficult to believe that our gates dropped due to the huns not being in our league, we got RD and the brand he played was woeful. Simple.

    Res 12 won’t go away unless a majority of shareholders decide to ditch it, we have the smoking gun and we have the 5 way agreement which if laid bare will show who was complicit. For me the SFA, SPL SFL Rankers 1 & 2 are the 5 way. CW said as much in testimony.

    Revenue did not drop significantly during RD rein but the old depth of hatred I have for anything Ibrokes did and as far as I’m concerned anything that buries that lots and their vile brand is good by me. Fuck em.

    I dunno what PL or DD have against it but I do know these boys move in circles and rub shoulders, sure it wasn’t till yir man from Raith stood up that we followed suit, bad enough we’re seen in the light we are at present without causing a further stir is the attitude I see at PH.

    Times like these I pine for the Bunnet.

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  10. There is a nice we touch to all of this infact even a wee touch of the Chisler (King) from ibrox in it . As the can is kicked down the road once again by Lawell (Just what is it he has to hide ) he definitely got some lessons on this one from his sidekick over at ibrox . Lawell went rock the boat ever he has everything to lose hear if this goes public . He will do what he always does at the AGM and tell the mug punters and season book holders the club are still looking into the issue at the moment and cant comment on it. And the nickel & dime shareholders will leave the premises with their tail between their legs. Only my opinion.

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  11. Half empty stands, half empty coffers. They’re money men protecting their financial interests and they believe ours too. If *Rangers are sanctioned they will die and Lawwell wont sanction the fallout from that. HH

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  12. In a choice between doing the right thing and doing what gets them more money we know which path wealthy businessmen will choose 99 out of a 100 times. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that back in 2012 the SFA showed the Board (and other teams) what the effects of Rangers being gone would be. Less sponsorship, less TV money, less prize money, less fans etc etc. Dermot Desmond and the Board went along with the chicanery to make sure they could continue to make money.

    In my eyes that makes them as bad as the SFA and Rangers in running a rigged game. If they ditch Res12, it will be final proof that they have been complicit from the get-go!

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  13. The answer is simple the Celtic board and the Sevco board need each other. Celtic’s gates dropped when Sevco were liquidated while every other club’s gates increased. The two need the ” rivalry ” for want of another description.
    The board won’t do anything to disrupt this old pals act, as it’s all about the money.

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  14. The obvious conclusion, reading between the lines, is that the club were complicit in allowing The Rangers to receive the UEFA licence (don’t think Lawwell does negligence), and don’t want whatever their role was to be made public.

    For me, there is no other viable explanation.

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    • In an attempt to stop the original Rangers going bust? An interesting and logical theory considering their dependency on each other. Were Celtic aware of exactly how critical the situation at Ibrox was and were they prepared to take the financial hit of missing out on the CL to help them out? It would explain a lot of their reluctance to pursue the matter. Especially if there is a paper trail leading back to Parkhead.

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  15. It has looked for a long time that the only way to get Celtic to move on this is for the Celtic shareholders to bring Celtic/Lawwell to court for mismanagement of the of their shareholdings. That would be a big black mark on Lawwell’s cv as a director. It wouldn’t matter weather he won the case, just for a big news story like this to come out in the public eye would be enough to blacken his reputation. He should be given fair warning of this before he makes his case to vote this down at the AGM. give him something to think about.

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      • As a director he has lost Celtic potential millions.
        Any other director in any other company would be voted out. As Celtic shareholders do not have enough voting rights to pass that motion then a threat of an individual case is the only option. If Lawwell had to give evidence in a hearing as to why he was/is so reluctant to pursue the wrongdoings of another club that cost Celtic millions then at least it will be out in the open. I suspect he got a nice cushy seat on some board that paid well for doing fuck all. As long as he kept this resolution 12 out of sight. If this whole sorry affair ever got legs I think a lot of people at Hampden would be very worried.
        And NO it wouldn’t send Celtic share prices down. The only way that would happen is if the Celtic shareholders suddenly decide to start selling off their shares in their thousands.

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  16. It’s about time that we as supporters let the board know that if the vote to destroy the res 12 then they can kiss their big bonuses goodbye because it’s not the shareholders who keep the club alive it’s the supporters and because the wealthy think the club is theirs then they better think again if they want to vote on it then sent voting forms out to all season ticket holders and see what the supporters fell against the boards ideas HH

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    • Football fans are fickle … a large number of Celtics might be ‘savvy’ to res 12 but the majority are as fickle as any… the board know this.

      When you have 10,000 paying £10 a head to go on a season ticket waiting list it pretty much confirms to them that there will be no income damage should even a small and vocal % of supporters kick up a stink.

      The fans need their ‘fix’ and while many will want to see action on this… they are not prepared to take personal action that will deprive them of the weekend high.

      If Lawwell’s tight-fisted approach to recruitment causes the 9th or tenth title to evaporate however….

      He and his board will find their waiting list evaporate just as quickly along with up to a 50% drop in renewals. It would be back to the days of scraping 10,000 on a good day.

      They are playing a dangerous game.

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  17. I don’t understand. Why don’t Celtic want to pursue this? Surely it’s in Celtic’s interests to be taking the SFA to task.

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    • The only reasonable conclusion is that the Celtic board members have something they want to hide, and it’s only in THEIR best interest it shouldn’t see the light of day- they are guilty by association, complicit in skullduggery and possibly cheating as opposed to standing up for the club, it’s lost titles and revenue.

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      • Agreed, they don’t call it the “Old Firm” for nothing .. even if we fans believe the term died with OldCo, The board operate some twisted cartel where they make more money by feeding on the mutual hate generated between Us and Them,

        Personally, I’m a STH in the Jock Stein Stand since it opened and in the Lisbon Lion ( before it was called that, before then ) .

        I’ll support Celtic for what it represents until my dying breath but after the 10, I’m done with it as this Res12 issue shows the cowardice or complicity of the current board and I’ll not be part of it.

        Cowards or Complicit .. What are the board hiding?

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    • Absolutely and we Celtic fans are tired of seeing the SFA officials cheat us year in/year out.Oh! I wish the bunnet was involved in pursuing Res12

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  18. Lawwell is 60.

    He is a shrewd character: that’s why he has been CEO for a long time.

    He’s successfully managed to procrastinate for 6 long years on Resolution 12.

    If he can kick the can along the road for just a few more years, he can retire to count his money before anything tangible has actually ‘crystallised’. 😦

    By that time too, Desmond could have cashed in – and moved on.

    Then the Res.12 fallout will be someone else’s problem to deal with.

    Or, am I being too cynical?

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    • I might be wrong here, but if celtic decide to back Res.12, the SFA will counter this with the threat of publication of the five-way agreement, which will possibly indicate that Lawwell and his cronies were complicit in turning a blind eye to the shenanigans at Ibrox.

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