A regular theme here is that the cause of fairness in Scottish football has relied upon the intervention of outsiders.
This point was recently made by John Hughes (@yogijunior3) in the ACSOM Bulletin.
The entire show is excellent, as always, and John’s trenchant observations start at 32.14
Top fella!
The sad truth is that the national game in Fair Caledonia has repeatedly proved incapable of reform from within.
Serving the needs of the toxic franchise at Ibrox corrupts everything.
From granting a UEFA license in 2011 to the ongoing succulent obedience of the Stenography Corps.
The summer of 2012 WAS a teachable moment, a historic opportunity.
A decade of tax dodging and scores of ineligible players in hundreds of matches was exposed by the liquidation of the original Rangers.
Instead, we got Sevco and the continuation myth.
Now another outsider might be about to play a role in Project Level Playing Field in Scotland, however unwittingly.
This letter on July 22 2021, from Tracey Crouch MP to the then Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, The Rt Hon Oliver Dowden CBE MP, could become highly important.
In April 2021, Crouch was appointed to chair a review of English football following the controversy over the proposed European Super League.
Her proposals hit the buffers during the Truss reign of error, as Madame Lettuce wasn’t very keen on any form of regulation.
Now they could be back on track.
This piece from Caroline Wheeler, the Political Editor of the Times of London, on the last day of 2022, is well worth your time.
For those of ye shut out by the paywall, here it is:
English football is set to undergo its biggest revolution since the formation of the Premier League with the creation of a new regulator that will put fans at the heart of the game.
Ministers will publish plans to establish a new watchdog to ensure football clubs are managed responsibly and prevent the financial collapse suffered by clubs such as Bury and Macclesfield Town in recent years.
To guard against insolvency, clubs will be required to demonstrate good financial practices and have adequate resources to meet any cashflow problems and to protect the club’s core assets — such as its stadium — from being sold off against the long-term interests of the club.
The regulator will also have powers to prevent clubs competing in breakaway competitions like the abortive European Super League. Criteria for any newly proposed competition will be decided in consultation with the Football Association and fans.
While safeguarding fans’ interests, the move would ensure the Premier League would be protected as the world’s foremost football league.
The changes, which were proposed by Tracey Crouch, the former sports minister who led a fan-led review into football governance, will be the most significant to English football since the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The reforms are designed to recognise the central role clubs play at the heart of their communities and the importance of safeguarding their futures for new generations of fans yet to come.
Despite years of lobbying against the change, the Premier League, which only two months ago was celebrating having seen off the threat, has failed in its mission after Rishi Sunak signed off on the regulator. Sunak’s predecessor as prime minister, Liz Truss, had privately indicated to the Premier League that the regulator would be scrapped or diluted. However, the short tenure of Truss in Downing Street has resulted in the plans being put back on the table.
The proposals, which could become law by 2024, would see a panel appointed to search for an individual to lead the independent football regulator, an office which would have directors and scores of members of staff overseeing the most contentious issues in the game.
The government will present its White Paper on the proposed legislation in the new year.
Now, if this finds its way onto the statute book, it opens the door for the fine folk in Holyrood to follow Westminster’s lead on the matter.
Of course, failure to do so would lead a reasonable person to suspect that the toxic franchise still has friends in low places.
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Someone looking after the fans’ best interests? Now there’s a notion! HH
Holyrood is more corrupt than Westminster..
Won’t hold my breath..
Good 3pts yesterday..
The good guys march on..☘
Free market Tories regulating a free market
Phil, they’re up to something and if they’re not the law of unintended consequences will kick in.
I agree with the proposals to be fair but I’d rather trust the sevco board than the Tories and that’s saying something
Yep, they regularly have a pop at football and footballers, as to them its still a working class game, largely played and supported by ‘the great unwashed’.
They seem to have great concern about the level of footballers salaries, in inverse proportion to the same concerns over executive ones ie none.
Compare and contrast to (them) upper class games of Rugby Union and cricket. When the latter won a game against Australia, they got pissed up at Downing Street to no condemnation; just imagine if that was footballers, they’d still be talking about it today.
The likes of Sterling and Rashford can’t get a tattoo or buy a house for their mum and they’re criticising these ‘oiks’ for getting above their station.
I doubt a regulator would a joy of difference, look at var. we were told it would stop the “genuine mistakes “ that’s refs make, well that’s worked a treat so far, goldsons save and the penalty given against us when they’re player trod on starfelt in the recent game against scotlands newest club.
Important to football fans as this is I think there are greater priorities in this our tottering realm.
Does anyone wonder what the Scottish government will do?
Sod all