It was a rare event for the Stenography Corp to hear the truth about the financial situation at Sevco.
Last August, Jon Dahl Tomasson toyed with the assembled hacks when he dared to mention a verboten subject on Planet fitba.
He then doubled down with some top-class shithousery when he referred to them as “clever lads”.
For the avoidance of doubt, they’re not.
Dear reader, I have had the misfortune to be in close proximity to the Scottish sports desk types over the years.
At no time did I ever think of re-visiting the Miliband–Poulantzas debate with them or the relevance of Gramsci’s model to the post-Suez angst of many Brits.
Indeed, they probably think that Hegemony is a fella who is playing in the Bundesliga!
One of the reasons they so signally failed to grasp what was happening to the original Rangers back in 2011 was simply a lack of collective cognitive bandwidth.
Celtic’s victory today made me think of the smirking Dane.
This is too contrived for a novel that both Rangers took a turn for the worse after a defeat to Swedish side Malmo.
However, Jon Dahl Tomasson wasn’t making it up back last August.
They really DO need that money.
Consequently, the prize for winning the league this season was so crucial for the Sevco High Command.
I know of one football finance expert who is a veteran Ibrox watcher and believes that failure to get those UEFA riches is an existential threat to the ten-year-old club.
I’m not with him on that for reasons that Antonio Francesco Gramsci would probably appreciate.
The current occupants of the Blue Room are, for the most part, genuine fans, and the events of 2012 hurt them every bit as much as the Ibrox klanbase.
That is why despite all of the challenges since the Off License Putsch of 2015, they have managed to find enough money to keep going.
I believe that will continue to be the case.
However, there is a point where financial reality has to be formally introduced to their supremacism addiction.
That means a degree of austerity.
Whereas Celtic has the ability to have the biggest wage budget of any club in Scotland on a sustainable basis.
All that is required is for a competent manager to be allowed to deploy those resources without CEO interference.
The latter issue HAS left the building at Parkhead.
Celtic historians will look back and realise that the January 2022 transfer window was a genuine break from the past.
The manager asked for players.
He got them in when he wanted and the new CEO just did the paperwork.
Two of those players started today and one came on as a substitute.
After today Angelos Postecoglou will not tolerate any of his charges assuming that the victory at Ibrox today seals the deal.
It doesn’t, but it could be a harbinger of Blue Room chaos across the city as Mr King turns up the heat on his ex-colleagues.
As ever at that place it will be necessary to follow follow the money.
Always…
Anyone surprised at the criminal thuggery at Ibrox today hasn’t been paying attention.
It is who they are.
That and their racism towards Scotland’s multi-generational Irish community is what defines them.
That’s why the thought of their collective pain tonight is making this Fenian in Dún na nGall smile like a Dane at an Ibrox presser.
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Just saw your second comment ,on my original comment, seconds after I sent another, Aye. I’ll leave it alone. On this site. I value your views, contacts and insight too much to miss my regular fix.
When I moderate a comment I’m the publisher-therefore liable.
That’s why I have to make sure that they’re legal.
You have Baby Doctor, I have Baby Lawyer. Next time I’ll run anything I think might be a bit border line past her first.
Noticed the small minority, approximately 50,000, bringing the club into disrepute with their inappropriate songs yesterday. Tut, tut.
No surprises about Sevco’s overall behaviour on Sunday Thousands chanting Billy Boys, which glorifies a guy who had membership of the KKK, attacking their opponents background staff, and throwing broken glass onto the field. Suffice to say, one of their own players could’ve been seriously hurt. Obviously they’re not the brightest fanbase around. You could laugh at the large puerile banner proclaiming: “This City Of Ours’. Does it have some White Supremacist/WASP undertones to the slogan? Given their historic repertoire you can’t rule it out. Maybe we need to arrange another round of applause event for NHS workers. Every time the Klan lose such contests, hospital staff are overwhelmed.
I believe it does. The highlighting of the error ‘ours’ implies that
I hadn’t seen Sportscene in maybe 10 years and tuned in for the match post mortem. I was astounded how much standards have falling. It was so depressing even though they had the token Celtic old boy Simon Donnelly, who looked like something from Lord of the Rings, his eyes shifting right and left checking to see if his comments were being approved by the two ex Rangers. (perm any two from hundreds in the media). It’s funny how the BBC bend over backwards for every other minority in this country.
Shame on the FAI for sitting down at the same table with the SFA in talks to jointly host the Euros 28, considering the continued blind eye the SFA has when it comes to anti Irish racism/bigotry evidenced at matches involving Sevco.
Shame on the FAI.
Bang on.
Surely Celtic must cancel their allocation of tickets after the cowardly attack on our staff yesterday
Shame on the FAI for sitting down at the same table with the SFA in talks to jointly host the Euros 28, considering the continued blind eye the SFA has when it comes to anti Irish racism/bigotry evidenced at matches involving Sevco.
Shame on the FAI.
I’m sure I heard the Angelos Bells ring out yesterday, o’er the Liffey swells.
Can anyone see Ashley stepping out of the shadows to save them?
The funding over the last 18 months has been a mixture of the usual share issues along with a loan facility. They have pretty much maximised all revenue streams to help cashflow. Whilst I can still see directors chipping in it its a cashflow situation I can see them actually having to sell players at a reasonable fee to cover the shortfall in annual funding along with the law suits finally being due to be paid. This will leave them nothing for players to try and get through qualifying.
Beir bua ✌️
I read comments from a few Rangers fans tonight bemoaning a lack of ‘investment’ from the board. They just don’t understand that Celtic have a larger turnover and are much more financially stable (perhaps they should read this site). It amazes me that a decade after Rangers v1.0 imploded, none of their fans ask or care where the money comes from.
Today’s result was indeed a sore one for Ibrox.
It was great to watch.
Could be a rather difficult summer for RIFC… 🙂
Phil, the hegemony is obviously how much it going to cost you to get your ball back at Glebe Park, Brechin City V the Rangers Fc – 29 Jul 2012, good times..
Downfall 2
How sevco self-destructed.
TIC tock TIC tock goes the admin clock
The admin button will be pressed some time in 2022.. Fact!!! Might even happen before this season ends:-)
ho ho ho
Here we go.. 10 in a row (with fans)
HH
I disagree.
The chaps in the Blue Room will find the money to keep the show on the road.
They have stepped up to the plate when required but they don’t have limitless funds and much of the funding so far has been a gamble on getting a return from the CL riches. There was a time when David Murray always managed to keep the show on the road until he couldn’t. Park and Co could have stepped up at the same time as Charles Green , they didn’t . They saw an opportunity when things were headed downhill and jumped into bed with King which says much about their judgement. The appointment of DUP man , the farce of Australia and the situation with Ashley shows that the current Board are not competent. I have been told that Park is done with funding and the latest funding isn’t from him. The economy has taken a serious downturn , interest rates are rising and disposable income is lessening , this is not a good time to be a loss making business without credit facilities from a bank . They could of course still qualify for the CL if they finish 2nd but by then Mr Ashley and a few other creditors could have done some serious damage.
Ashley and the other creditors will probably be the deciding factors in whether or not there’s another insolvency event. My gut feeling is that Big Mike wanted them to make the CL. Let’s face it. They’re unlikely to have £10m plus in the bank to pay him at any other time than the day that money arrives. Going for a bank seizure is all about timing. You get one bite at it. If the money is not in the bank at the EXACT moment you move you’ve had it.
His probable only option then would be to push for an admin event. Taking £10m as a base figure, would Park and his buddies be prepared to fork that out? How much, if anything, is The Lying King personally responsible for?
Again, from a purely personal point of view, I want MA paid, and completely out of the picture. Him owning them is my nightmare scenario.
Maybe so, Phil… but “goodwill” only stretches so far. They can forget about any potential investment coming from the USA, after what happened with poor Bill Miller. Likewise, and investment from the Far East, particularly Hong Kong. Yesterday’s little “exhibition” at Ibrox must surely have killed any interest from any one. They are the footballing equivalent of Monsanto agricultural products.
What I regularly wonder is just where they’re finding it. These are wealthy men. Millionaires. However, they’re NOT billionaires. They do not have wealth “off the radar”. There IS a limit to how much they can put in.
In three of the last four months – I don’t yet know about March – there has been an end of month share issue. The amount involved makes it VERY clear that these issues are to cover ongoing costs and nothing else.
There’s not a company on the planet where this business model is sustainable in the long term.
I just wonder. That’s all.
Edited to keep it legal.
You are courageously concealed and think you can make actionable statements on here.
You cannot.
YELLOW CARD.
Was a wee tad worried about how that bit might stand legal scrutiny. Accept my apologies.
Leave that subject alone.
As a follow up to my earlier reply, “courageously concealed,” is MORE than just a bit misleading. In fact the more I think about it, it’s actually an insult. I worded my comment in such a way that I thought it would protect your site.
You clearly think otherwise. Possibly, maybe probably, your legal advisors agree with you. But I am hiding behind nothing or no one. I have voiced my opinions/concerns on this topic openly and often.
I HIDE MY VIEWS BEHIND NO ONE. I AM OPEN AND HONEST! If that honesty causes problems on your website then I AM genuinely sorry, but I will make NO apologies for the the views/opinions I hold. And I will make NO apologies for publicly voicing them.
If it causes me personally, legal problems, then so be it. However I know it won’t. Those my comments are aimed will NOT, under ANY circumstances, want them aired in a court of law.
You are anonymous here but you’re asking me to publish your actionable comments.
Unimpressive.
Wouldn’t that stop them from competing in Europe for 3 years? Clearly that would be the absolute laat resort.
UEFA would have them play behind closed doors…The SFA will turn a blind eye.
That last photo. Are they searching for the missing Rangers penalty ?
3 points, next.
It’s anti Catholic and fine you know it.