In the absence of any actual football matches, we all have to find other sources of entertainment.
In that sense, anytime the little hand strikes Crayon O Clock at Ibrox we are all grateful for the light relief.
Their offering last night was a candidate for “statement of the season”.
If you really must, then you can read it here.
There is no doubt that this is the pull quote:
“Scottish football must work together for the common good of every club, their staff and supporters. Any attempts to railroad changes to existing rules or run roughshod over corporate governance will be opposed in the strongest possible terms. We must allow decisions to be made in a rational, fair and balanced manner.”
I had to re-read that paragraph several times just to try to imagine the lack of self-awareness that must exist at the top of the Magic Staircase in Ibrox.
“Any attempts to railroad changes to existing rules or run roughshod over corporate governance…”
Yeah, you read that correctly dear reader.
That one puts irony on a ventilator.
A new club, but the same old hubris.
There is a rich vein of sociology PHDs to be unearthed at the stadium that John Brown played for.
The backstory to the statement is simple.
The Sevco High Command is desperate for money.
Consequently, they would very much like the prize money for the current season distributed.
However, to appease their klanbase, they do not want to concede to the title to Celtic.
David Low will forget more about football finance in an absent-minded afternoon than the clotted cream of the Stenography Corp will learn in their entire…ahem…careers.
Nailed it.
Of course, all of this coloured in nonsense from the Ibrox statement factory stems the hegemonic hangover that has lingered since the events of 2012.
I am loath to reference Gramsci’s model as some stupidologist in the Stenography Corps might think I am writing about the rather fetching girlfriend of an Italian playmaker…
No.
It’s this guy.
He’s been on my bookshelf since my teenage years.
There is undoubtedly a base and superstructure aspect to the reversal of the fitba hegemony post-2012.
The death of Rangers meant that Sevco had to pretend to be the old club in order to cleave the klanbase to their ersatz product.
However, the Ibrox brand had been stripped of their ability to rely on a large company and scam the taxman.
This means that their neighbours in Parkhead have financially dwarfed them since then.
However, they still have friends in low places.
The creation of the “imperfectly registered” euphemism means that the long match through the institutions at Hampden is still a process rather than an event.
In Marxist terms, the Ibrox klanbase represents the leftover of a labour aristocracy in the old shipyards that, due to Thatcherite de-industrialisation, became essentially lumpen.
That same process by the dear demented Margaret also largely wiped out the brogue wearing bourgeoise on the Clyde.
Now the klan’s preferred sporting vehicle of ethno-supremacism is clearly simply the second best to a club that was established by the Fenian Xarnegos of Edwardian Clydeside.
What is in front of the klan at the start of every season is a Sisyphean prospect while Celtic are already securely at the summit.
That angst is what produced that bizarre statement yesterday.
A key function of the Fourth Estate is to provide a translation service to the general population.
The role of the journalist is to hold power to account.
They do so by presenting the real intentions of the rulers to the ruled.
As we know on Planet Fitba the folks at Ibrox for generations believed, and with some justification, that rules didn’t apply to them.
The journalist must always strive to punch up and never, ever to direct a blow in the opposite direction.
If they do opt for the easy option and punch down, then they are reinforcing the hegemony of the rulers.
Now, I have become accustomed over the years to certain members of the Stenography Corps lifting material from this site.
However, I hope that even they will realise that using the analogies from Marxist political economy is way above their meagre capabilities.
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A highly entertaining and heartening read. The red neck of that outfit! Keep up the excellent work.
Huns – Season can only be won once 38 games are played.
Huns- any chance we can have the ‘ prize’ money after 30 games plus a wee interest free loan.
They used your line!
For the avoidance of doubt, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
When you find yourself on the other side of the debate from Keith Jackson you know you are on the right side.
How he and his boss held onto their jobs after putting in print the billionaire fiction story without a shred of evidence to back it up is anyone’s guess.
His article this morning is full of holes and he’s managed to single out Dundee as the club whose vote may change the fate of Scottish football forever.
When the Grim Reaper comes a calling at Ibrox he will be at the front of the queue telling his ever diminishing readership that ‘ I told you so.’
Thats the world that Jackson lives in and I feel sorry for anyone who gives his shit an ounce of credibility.
Jackson’s article was a disgrace this morning
Trying to highten up is v them in this I just hope no money goes anywhere until this is finished
Sevco shouldn’t have the platform they have.
I see the Ibrox statement monkey has been given another go on his typewriter….
Ha!
And the law of averages also means that the overworked monkey will produce a succinct, objective and unemotional statement… eventually.
It’s only been 8 years of trying so far: probably take quite a few more.
🙂
Hardly surprising that Sevco have come up with the loan ruse. They obviously learned something from their dearly departed relations. Disguise remuneration as a loan. The loan exactly matches the prize money they would get. Hmmmm. That looks like a sheep in other clothing. Give players loans matching their agreed pay. So it’s not really prize money even though it looks and totals exactly as the prize money would. No Siree, this is a loan. Of course, being a loan it is not taxable. It gets even more like the old sheep’s clothing. The SPFL are then on the hook for a load of clubs under threat of administration defaulting in these loans. When will the prize money required to actually repay these “loans” be paid? Never according to Sevco’s logic because being no winners there will be no prizes. Let’s just call the “loan” an EBT and be done with the subterfuge.
You have to give it to them. Take an old idea, re-hash it and present it as them looking out for other clubs.
So now Sevco want an interest free loan .
Sounds familiar, doesn t it. Why don t they go the whole hog and ask for it to be paid via offshore, no repayment date and a concealed side letter .
Their recent statement was crayoned well before any SPFL proposals were even considered. It merely contained comments which have been posted on Fester Fester for weeks.
They are amateurish in everything thet do.
Banter years and schadenfreude continue.
Always wondered what the saying “you can’t have your cake and eat it” meant… HH KTF
The Executive decision on the season has been taken. The Govt Minister has stated no football for another 13 weeks. That brings us to July. UEFA has been trumped.
This Regional Political decision has been taken. UEFA can like it or lump it.
The SFA must bow down and do. They have closed football to no earlier than June 10th. That’s the close season. Season 19/20 is therefore over. It’s all about season 20/21.
The SevcoRangers proposal is now not legally competent. There is no longer wait and see to play out season 19/20. It’s about wrapping it up.
Fortunately for sevcorangers, the SFA decision protects their pitch situation and gives it ample time to recover.
I suggest wrapping it up traditionally on June 1st and awarding prizemonies then. The two outstanding match days of the Scottish Cup can be played anytime after June 10th.
Let’s see sevco challenge UEFA if they call the season as it is . Would they be shouting about taking them to court to fight it . It’s all bluff and scaremongering to keep their bigoted fans on their good side to buy ST . Can you just imagine the Union Bears all with their baliclavas on marching towards UEFA headquarters.
If clubs vote this down then no money should be paid out until season complete hope this runs to end of June. Also how can Fifa say they will extend players contracts this impossible as employment law would not allow this as out of contract players can move for free on 1st July and how can clubs play 19/20 season with different squads and new signings.
Follow the money
The United Kingdom is a space where Roman Catholics thrive and prosper in every field of industry, science, business, academics, sports, etc….
The distinctly West of Scotland model of Orange/Rangers supremacy was always a perception that required an element of the green half to buy into. To accept it and know your place. More fool you if you did. To even consider that ill educated lot were a societal elite (including their directors) lol.
Apprenticeships to Catholic’s, in one of the most heavily industrialised zones of Europe, were verboten. Fine, adapt and overcome. The 20th Century’s revolution in free education facilitated school leavers, denied apprenticeships, investing in themselves at College then University.
Due to bigotry at the engineering company gates, catholic’s became a bullwork of the professional and Artistic class; Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, Managers, Accountants, Directors, Bankers, Shareholders, Investors, Musicians, Actors, Artists, Politicians, Lords, senior police officers, senior armed forces officers, senior Civil Servants,…. they travelled out of the bigot zone, worked in London and overseas and thrived in those environments.
Such people visit back to Scotland’s central west and laugh at the yesteryear posturing of a left behind, self perceived, blue elite. Which was basically just a herd for milking.
Such returning visitors buy their £320 shoes in House of Fraser and their bespoke blazers and suits in Saville Row. Thanks for not giving this Catholic an apprenticeship. I decided to get educated to PhD level instead. Divine Providence.
My Rangers supporting pals who swaggered with an apprenticeship quickly became unemployed Welders then taxi drivers and I’ve never really thought about it until this post. Nothing against welders and taxi men but do you drop £320 on shoes? Oh and the golf club they liked shut down too. Oh and their football club died in 2012. Oh and the surgeons, doctors and nurses in the regional hospital support Celtic so keep on their good side. 🙂
£320 shoes? People have more to worry about at the present time than rubbish talk like that. What a load of guff! Talk about putting a beggar on horseback..
There are plenty of surgeons, doctors and nurses, etc. to whom Celtic will be the last thing on their minds today and for a few more days to come, I can assure you…
For someone with a PhD and £320 shoes, yer spelling and punctuation are shite.
Champagne Socialist
No such thing Cyan. They’re just Tories who are too embarrassed to admit it.
This from the latest TRFC statement:
“For the avoidance of doubt, Rangers firmly believe that the 2019/20 season is only complete when all 38 games have been played to a finish.”
And then we find out that they have ripped up the Ibrox pitch in preparation for next season. Can we conclude from this that they have no intention of completing the season?
50% wage deferral if you want to play in the dome of doom. Staff ‘furloughed’ and now they want prize money before they insist on the prizes not being handed out. Join the dots ffs lads!
There is a certain poetic justice in the fact a Football Club was left up shit creek without a paddle after being founded by four men from a Rowing Club.
Aye. AND then fucked over by two guys called Green & Whyte.
Accept their proposal but the clubs have to apply for the right to their share, this will then be made public, lets see who is concerned about the other clubs plight then
Here’s my hope…
We manage to play out the season….and…
They lose their game in hand…we stuff them twice…and the gap is embarrassing…again.
Bring it on.
I expect this league to restart without fans initially. Staged as they say.
As Celtic’s first game is at Ibrox, and Sevco have deliberately damaged their pitch mid season to make it unplayable, Celtic should be awarded a 0-3 win.
Celtic should then move directly to the scheduled games after Ibrox behind closed doors until mathematical champions.
Tv cameras screening live with advertising boards up.
Probability of winning the League:
Celtic – 98.87%
Sevco – 1.13%
Imperfect but thoroughly viable comes to mind. Unreasonable to challenge that in the courts. You wouldn’t win given the pandemic circumstances.
Sevco have a 1.13% say in the matter. Pity they put forward a not authorised fit and proper former Director of a Liquidated football club to talk it up.
Sevco have shown their hand. The SPFL can now respond to it. All Clubs accepting prizemonies must first sign a legal binding contract to agree CELTIC are the lawful champions. I suggest they get Mike Ashley’s contract lawyers to write it up. A sort of mini 5 way agreement. Sevco need the money, they’ll do anything.
The Celtic position should remain Wait and See. Celtic only need to win three games or so to win it outright. It’s what UEFA want. That’s why Jackson and pals rage against UEFA.
No season needs to be 38 games long. Champions are always crowned at the mathematical winning point.
Reverse probability figures once SPFL board make decisions
Hold onto dishing out SPFL titles, hold onto the tournament cash and the Euro cheque until a final decision is made in June when I hope the lockdown is alleviated a little and we can all have a beer to the success of the Celts. Sevco by then will likely be in a pile of their own rotting shoite..
Even if the vote does fail tomorrow hell slap that into them that voted against the proposal . Hold back the prize money for them all the longer this goes on the more they lose that includes the new club from more than anyone else . Watch as time runs on and each passing day is at a huge cost to clubs that voted against ending the season now and scratching their arse at the same time .
Mad Bamber Gascoigne at ibrox noise wants his new club to sign Jon Obi Mikel . He tells us he is on mega money but that sevco can afford him as he will be a free agent . The new club can’t pay the current playing staff and management team for the next number of months but they will bring Mikel in on the payroll on astronomical wages . Got to give Bamber credit at least he is consistent with his Comedy GOLD act .
“Bourgeois nationalism and proletarian internationalism—these are the two irreconcilably hostile slogans that correspond to the two great class camps throughout the capitalist world, and express the two policies (nay, the two world outlooks) in the national question.” (Lenin: Critical Remarks on the National Question, October-December 1913)
To quote yourself Phil from many years ago….. the Klan are the trailer trash of a dead empire.
I can’t believe I’d forgotten that one. It was the best description EVER by ANYONE.
Oh dear talk about begging and asking people for money and interest free loans these TRAMPS are at it . Talking about how they wont stand for anyone riding roughshod over the rules these thieves from ibrox done that for years . They have shareholders today calling on the board and club 18to30 to take legal action if Celtic are crowned champions at this moment and time as they would then have bee CHISELED out of champions league money and income had the games been completed this season and sevco to be champions . You could not make this stuff up they TRAMPS laughed at us for RES12 and now they have theirs and they have named it RES13 . The TRAMPS that told us to bolt with this as well now want to use it . I hope we get the league right now and then we can sit back and watch the TRAMPS do some serious projectile vomiting . What an absolute disgrace of a club they are the pain they are in if they had been an animal the new club would have been put to sleep by now . Though it is not to late .
Are you Engelsing for compliments Phil?
Don’t you come the smart dialectic with me young man…
As long as they’re not expecting to be bailed out by mystery benefactors and their hegemony…
They are not journalists, they are regurgitators. I doubt they ever intended to be proper journalists; they just wanted a job on a paper.
Euan…The stuff that they write is akin to a job on a paper.
Or shoite in print if you prefer.
Hail hail
You mean – they are not journalists… they are very naughty boys! 😂
We call their bluff.
Make the proposal that we restart this season in Late July-September. Play out the remainder of the league and cup games. Forfeiting Europe for a season as a result. We can just about afford it. I know at least one team who can’t.
We then start season 20-21 and run without a winter break immediately. Players will get a rest in between internationals. Those that have the misfortune of being picked to play for Scotland can have a rest against whoever it is they play, We’re not qualifying anyway.
We have a winner! 🙂
I quite like the Winter breaks, it’s when THEM all get together for a bit of teambuilding and realise that they hate each other as much as they hate everyone else. They then fall out, fall apart, down tools and roll over when the great Celtic machine gets into it’s full stride. Winter breaks really must be protected.
Celtic should call their bluff.Propose all monies from the 4leagues are pulled together and then distributed equally among all clubs in the divisions and then watch them squirm when they realise in helping the other clubs as they say they is their main aim of giving out placed money,they end up getting the same amount as Brechin at the bottom of the pile.
Great idea
Ah’ll second, third and fourth that…Its a great suggestion…SERIOUSLY.
Couldn’t agree more, that way it will benefit all clubs equally, its principled guidance from real Rangers men
Either that or withhold all prize money until the season is completed. If declared null-and-void, no prize money to ANYONE. And any money already paid out to be returned immediately.
Phil – there’s a damned-good reason why the likes of Keith Jackson, Chris “Union” Jack, etc are “journalists”, and not employed by MI5, that reason being that MI5 are one of our INTELLIGENCE services.