Despite being in an interregnum without football matches, the chaps in the Blue Room still tasted defeat yesterday.
How very Sevco of them!
Meanwhile, people are still dying from Covid19 in Fair Caledonia, and that should be the only story.
The very idea that a contact sport could continue during a pandemic is weapons-grade stupidity.
This week the British Prime Minister announced guidelines for relaxing the lockdown.
However, many of those who saw The Rt Hon Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson MP in full flow have come down with WTAF syndrome.
Conversely, the Scottish Government have attracted praise, even from political opponents for their precise and unequivocal science-based message, which is clearly at variance with Westminster.
However, the powers the be on Planet Fitba moved before the folks at Holyrood to shut down football.
Back in March, the SPFL decided that the Glasgow Derby match which was due to be played at Ibrox should not go ahead.
I was told today, by an impeccably placed source, that the person who drove that initially unpopular decision was the much-maligned Neil Doncaster.
This was back at the time when the Cheltenham racing weekend was allowed to go ahead.
My source said to me today that if that fixture had been allowed to go ahead at Ibrox, then it would have been Scotland’s equivalent of the Atalanta v Valencia match.
A fixture that was called a “biological bomb” by the Mayor of Bergamo.
Had that Glasgow Derby match went ahead at Ibrox then tens of thousands of supporters could have been infected with Covid19.
They, in turn, would have spread the deadly virus to their families.
In truth, many lives were saved by the decision to position that game in March.
At the time, I reported that the chaps in the Blue Room were incensed that they were denied vital matchday revenue from a packed Ibrox.
On reflection, Mr Doncaster was entirely correct to put lives before the bottom line.
Despite winning the vote Mr Doncaster and his SPFL colleagues are still in the crosshairs of the Sevco High Command.
Consequently, the usual suspects in the Stenography Corps have been unrelenting today.
Of course, they tend to gloss over the fact that the vote in the Championship was 9-1.
That is not a good look for the ICT chap.
This morning I also spoke with a well-placed Championship source who was in the EGM conference call yesterday.
He told me that the pre-meeting chats within the second tier clubs were focused on their situation and that the name “Rangers” did not come up once.
What now?
Regular readers will know that the Sevco High Command are no strangers to self-inflicted defeats in the courts.
The SPFL statement after the vote was quite clear that they are confident about their position.
Then it was the turn of the wealthiest, most powerful club in Scotland to finally have their say.
“This current crisis is the fault of no individual or organisation and it would be irrational to suggest otherwise. It is the duty of everyone committed to the future of our game to make the best of this awful situation, and not the worst.”
I would suggest that the word “irrational” has been chosen with some care.
That leapt out of the Celtic statement for me.
Indeed, if I were forced to use one word to encapsulate the post-2012 zeitgeist in the Blue Room, it would be that:
Irrational.
Consequently, trying to second guess what the Sevco High Command will do next as they strive to appease the Ibrox klanbase is for others to discern.
Stay safe.
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13 points are not significant but 13 votes are. It’s the schools who are to blame!
Just another point to note in all this Phil. It was an absolute disgrace that the Deadco v Leverkusen match was allowed to go ahead at the Bigotdome as well.
Well done Neill Doncaster. Ahead of the game on Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Govt and Her Health Secretary.
If Gullibillies stopped and thought for a moment, I know! I know! It’s difficult, but just try…… don’t you think instead of having characters like Park and Robertson and Ibrox, or bringing in another zero like Gardiner, that you would be much more better served by an exceedingly smart character like Neil Doncaster?
Of course you would.
The problem is, given the Ibrox brand and reputation, billionaire investors and professionals with integrity won’t touch you with a bargepole.
Unstoppable downward spiral !
ScotGov could not have done anything until given the go-ahead by Westminster. They did not have the authority. One of the drawbacks of not being an independent country.
But you knew that already.
Now focus on the Tories. They must be held accountable for their (in)actions.
Lies. ScotGov runs the NHS in Scotland and Sport.
Lying that they couldn’t stop football is a disgrace. Shame on you.
Sturgeon will decide when it starts up too, not ukgov. Or are you arguing against that fact too?
I suppose it was also Nicola Sturgeon’s fault that the Cheltenham Festival went ahead. Averaging a higher number of attendees each day for several days than would have attended Ibrox.
Oh aye. The Scottish Government runs sport but Doncaster made the decision to pull the plug. A wee bit contradictory that, is it not.
Is there anything that can be done about Tom English’s conduct during this farce?
He works for the national broadcaster. He’s supposed to report on what’s happening with complete impartiality. He has clearly taken the role of cheerleader for Sevco, against the national football authorities.
He continues to shout about how the SPFL needs reconstruction at a time of crisis for the whole country, not just football.
We agree that things need to change but shouting about rebuilding the house while it’s still on fire shows that he’s not thinking about what’s best for the game. His motivation is clearly about aligning himself with Sevco’s null and void agenda.
The BBC need to rein him in.
Aye. A couple of his comments last night’s podcast were outrageous. He barely stopped short of questioning the sanity of anyone who voted against the sevco motion.
King off to South Africa, Park and the whole motor trade in real trouble, whose going to come up with the cash to pay off Sports Direct, Close Bros, the deferred wages, the Hagi fee and instalments due on other player purchases plus the day to day bills, oops and Stevie G’s transfer chest?
Incoming transfer fees for Alfredo and Tavernier?
Thats all dependent on the window opening on the first of June which surely can’t happen till the leagues that are going to play out their games, Germany, Spain eg. are complete.
It’s 100% certain that King will next attempt to go down some legal route or other. Exactly what case their QC will be able to put forward is anyone’s guess.
M’lud we must stand together, loyal and true, to stop 9 IAR. I rest my case.
Or M’lud it’s no fair so it is’nae, gie’s a break eh?
I’m sure at this very moment Rangers crack legal team will be all over the events of the last few weeks. Unless Park has spent the money put aside for the legal costs of that independent enquiry there’s the start of a pot to fund any future costs.
Why has not one of them cast aside the cloak of corporate malfeasance and be honest for once. If the SPFL call Celtic Champions in the next few days Rangers season ticket sales will take a hit, thats the nub of their howling in the wind.
As usual the Scottish media has been loyal and true but even by their standards they are scraping the bottom of the barrel. They almost to a man are showing their true colours.
Once again I would like to praise Neil Doncaster for his handling of the shite being thrown at him by Rangers and the Scottish media. A weaker man would have crumbled.
Over the last few weeks he’s been at the centre of the storm created by Rangers and their acolytes.
If he didn’t know beforehand that Maxwell and his crew had his back, he certainly knows the truth now.
How Maxwell got the SFA top job is mystifying.
If he was the best candidate I would eat my hat!
However, but for this farrago we would not have had wee Derek on Radio Clyde threatening to boycott all TRFC away games in future as this would put those clubs out of business. Absolutely hilarious!
Apparently the blue pound has devalued drastically wee Derek will be heart broken
Irrational is PL’s word for them…………..but I have several other better words to describe them. HH
I’m going to stop using the name SEVCO now that I realise RANGERS FC is actually an acronym for Rapacious, Arrogant, Nauseating, Grandstanding, Entitled, Racist, Supremacist, Facsimile Club.
Brilliant😂
Nice one.
Its kinda like watching a really bad car crash, you feel guilty to be looking, then you remember that its a car full of white supremists, and you dont feel so bad about the macabre entertainment from seeing the mangled wreckage.
Keep up the good work Phil.
HH
From reading this piece, Phil, I can only reach the conclusion that sevco threw their toys out of the pram because Doncaster’s decision deprived them of badly-needed and urgent revenue. The entire timeline suggests this is the case. It also suggests that ICT must launch their own internal investigation that ultimately concludes with the swift removal of Scott Gardiner.
You really do wonder about Tom English he is still running about today with the figures from the vote yesterday 27 against 13 or 70% against 30% . Apparently according to Tom the 13 votes out weigh the 27 and the 30% out weigh the 70% of the vote . Why is this idiot still in a job . Someone needs to tell this guy to sober up . That’s embarrassing imagine he was your parent helping you with your maths homework ramming this down your throat .
The stitch up was on week’s ago when Scott Gardiner was on Sportsound sound from that minute on they had been in cohorts with sevco to null and void season . Gardiner was willing for his club to take hit a of £175,000 less in prize money to void the season. His club are in financial difficulties and this guy was willing to lose them that money to push through a vote with sevco to null and void the season and stop Celtic getting 9 in a row . Now if they want do an independent inquirie then start with this one and ask Gardiner what his end goal was in all of this . This guy ain’t been seen or heard of since the Sportsound interview 3 week’s ago . That to me says it all . No doubt there is a job waiting for him at ibrox get your cash on it .
Absolutely agree with you. I would also like to think that some of the heat is off Peter Lawwell now as well. It’s been very easy for people to point the finger of criticism at him for not spending enough on transfers, wages, and being too cautious with spending money. His involvement and activities during the current shambolic situation has been exemplary, he has portrayed himself and represented the club in exactly the correct and professional manner, one should expect from a CEO.
We may not agree with all of his decisions and reasoning, but I seriously doubt that there is any club in European football who would not welcome him as their CEO.
They were hoping by backing sevco that they would be included in the top flight ‘after’ reconstruction.
Duplicitous and desperate folks do deplorably desperate things;all to stop TIAR🍀
Let’s hope they get hammered for bringing the game into disrepute,far worse than Broonie ever has!
Thanks Phil🇮🇪
I would start with his mobile phone and email history over the period in question.
Lets have an independent investigation into that and see how it plays out.
Nothing to hide Mr Gardiner, I’m sure, so just hand over your phone, laptop and any other devices that you use to communicate.
Not be long now as the wage deferral date draws closer and closer for the stricken Kkklub.
… . … .. . … 💣