The “Lawwell Letter” is trending everywhere this week. To elucidate, it is email sent to (among others) Peter Lawwell and Eric Riley of Celtic on 26 July 2012 by SPL CEO Neil Doncaster.
The email came with an attached copy of the Five Way Agreement (hereafter “5WA”, the deal between Sevco, Rangers, the SFA, the SPL and the SFL). Now that it has been made public, it seems safe to speak openly about what it all means for us as folk who believe in sporting integrity.
I would preface my comments with a caveat though. On the face of it, the Celtic Chief Executive appears to have misled the gathering at the recent Celtic AGM. He was asked by a shareholder if Celtic were involved in the Five Way Agreement. Lawwell replied, “No”, and gave same “No” response to the follow up question, “have you seen it?”
Given that a copy of that email was in the possession of a few folk before that AGM, I have to admit to being surprised by that answer – although even more surprised at the apparent lack of due diligence implied by the lack of knowledge of its content.
We have attempted to contact Mr Lawwell to ask him if he would like to comment on the apparent discrepancy between the evidence and his answer (and I am sure we are not the only ones to have done so). To date, we have received no response. Given the complete lack of acknowledgement of the existence of this anomaly in the MSM, we should perhaps assume that none will be forthcoming.
Perhaps there is an explanation (yes I know), but Celtic should know, like Rangers old and new have come to realise, that silence on these matters breeds deep suspicion and distrust.
Assuming for the minute that Occam’s Razor applies here, there may be an uncomfortable truth emerging for Celtic fans – that Rangers (old and new) do not have a monopoly on dishonesty. There is also an uncomfortable truth that should emerge for Rangers fans too – that as we have said all along, this has never been about just Rangers, but about the governance of the game.
If the Celtic CEO did lie to the AGM a few weeks ago what are the consequences? He broke no laws as far as I can see. One insider I spoke to said simply this,
“So he lied. So what? What happens now? It’s irrelevant”
That is of course absolutely true. As long as controlling shareholders are happy that Resolution 12 is buried, and that no deep inquiry into governance is held into the workings of the game in Scotland, the lie is nonpunishable, though it would be a mistake to believe that accountability is confined only to the corporate rules governing Boards and shareholders; the corporate veil of “I was only following company policy” can be readily challenged in the court of public opinion, which has no statute of limitations.
What all this demonstrates of course is that Celtic have been saying one thing to their fans and shareholders, nodding agreement in private meetings about how appalling Rangers behaviour was, tut-tutting over how amateurish the authorities were, and wringing their hands in frustration at what a sham the LNS inquiry turned out to be.
At the same time, they have done nothing, allowed small shareholders to spend not inconsiderable suns progressing the matter, and quietly hoped that the “appetite” for justice would diminish so they could get back to whatever it is they and the rest do when subject to little or no scrutiny.
Whilst ten in a row is on the table of course, they can get away with it. To Celtic fans right now, understandably, nothing else matters. But what if TIAR is derailed? Not a stretch to imagine that the Parkhead kitchen could get uncontrollably hot in that circumstance. And when the TIAR squirrel finally ends its scurry, in either success or failure, where will the fans attention be diverted?
Perhaps the arrogance that permits making (allegedly) false statements to a general meeting, and (allegedly) misleading shareholders over Res 12 is borne of the knowledge that the parachutes are ready to be deployed when either of the above scenarios come to pass? If TIAR is achieved or goes south, are they already prepared for an emergency exit?
Celtic have two major shareholders whose combined holding is over 50% of the club’s shares. Dermot Desmond and Nick Train. Desmond is now in his eighth decade and Train is reportedly having some business difficulties. Both may well be moved to get out anyway, but fan unrest would make their decision a whole lot easier.
And Lawwell himself is – if you believe the MSM – on the wanted list of nearly as many top clubs as Alfredo Morelos.
The foregoing of course is extremely “Old Firm” centric, and as the two biggest clubs in the country they certainly have the biggest impact on the game, culturally, socially and financially. However there is no get-out clause here for others.
We KNOW there is evidence of fraud surrounding the licencing issue in 2012. We KNOW there is evidence of a cover up over that, and the EBT-related registration issues for Old Rangers. We KNOW that the Five Way Agreement was signed by football authorities in the knowledge that it would rob their own rules of judicial authority with regard to compliance by RFC prior to 2012.
We also know that NOT ONE club has taken a meaningful stand against any of it.
Clubs are saying one thing to supporters and doing their best to derail those supporters’ efforts on the other. We can also infer (not unreasonably) that the folk who run the clubs think that we as fans have no right to interfere in how they run their operations.
As I said earlier, Celtic can do what they like whilst TIAR is live, but afterwards, however it ends, the fans and shareholders involved in Res 12 will still be asking questions. Celtic in particular know how fatal it can be to alienate their own fan base – a fan base that has flexed its muscles with devastating effect for the boardroom in the past. And it is the wrath of the fans of all clubs that will eventually see the charlatans get their just desserts.
Our job as fans is to continue to hold those who care little for the honour and beauty of football to account, to continue to press them on their refusal to deal with arguably the biggest sporting scandal in Scottish history.
The bottom line (which is of course what the folk in boardrooms care about) is this. They need us far more than we need them. As fans of different clubs, the sensibility of those of us at SFM recognises that the real battle, the real war, is not between rival fans or rival clubs, but between the arrogant, self-entitled clique who run our game; who lie for fun, who cheat and belittle the sport; and the good folk who make it possible for the game to prosper.
Resolution 12 is not just about Rangers – nor is it just about Celtic. It deserves to be embraced by every true football fan in the country. The Res 12 franchise needs to widened
Sooner or later the fans will demonstrate their unhappiness with the money men. They did it in 2012, and they will inevitably do so again.
Big Pink
good post,i said that the other day,lose the holy grail(10inarow)and the gloves will be off,win the 10 and i think lawell and desmond will go anyway
Excellent and timely post, Big Pink.
How on earth Lawwell could stand up at the Celtic AGM and do his Sergeant Schults routine (“I know nothing”) beats me. In the wake of the RFC collapse Lawwell and Doncaster travelled the length of the country together trying to negotiate new sponsorship deals for the SPL. I would find it incredible that they did not discuss in detail the terms and implications of the 5WA in their many hours spent together on planes and in hotels. The same goes for Lawwell’s close contact with Petrie and Regan over this critical period.
As a Celtic shareholder I wrote individual letters to each of the directors of Celtic plc re: Resolution 12. I sent them all by recorded delivery. I never received an acknowledgement from the club far less any sort of reply. In 2012 Celtic FC hosted a group of Thai schoolchildren (‘The Thai Tims’) at Parkhead. I wrote a note of appreciation to the directors for their kind gesture. Lo and behold, I received a thank you letter by return of post, signed by Mr Lawwell personally. How this man can devote his time to such trivial correspondence yet completely ignore the deep concerns of the shareholders shows the Board’s utter contempt for the shareholders and fans. Expect further prevarication in the matter of Celtic’s knowledge of the 5WA.
“Now that it [the 5-Way Agreement] has been made public, it seems safe to speak openly about what it all means for us as folk who believe in sporting integrity.”…
Not only ‘safe to speak openly’ but really obliged to speak out.
No journalist or editor of any journal was present at and a signatory to that ridiculous and shameful agreement. It now behoves every editor to instruct his or her hacks to behave like serious journalists and start asking the really awkward questions that need to be asked.
And there is any number of questions to be asked, not least ‘why the secrecy’ if there was nothing underhand or deceitful, (always allowing for a degree of commercial confidentiality where appropriate).
Let’s now hear them probing into that, AND into the Res12 issue, and into the Bryson intervention.
Let them get their teeth into a disgustingly dirty mess, roust out the destroyers of trust in our game who allowed their rotten hearts to be so panicked as to make them ready to forswear themselves.
This , as the blog says, is not about TRFC directly except in so far as they lie about their ‘history’ stretching back more than 7 years but about the absurd measures taken by the Governance bodies to avoid punishing the most sports cheating club in the history of Scottish football in the fully appropriate way, and to create the myth that going into liquidation did not, uniquely for RFC of 1872, mean the death of that club!
Hi, can't get in to site on laptop, but can on phone, its saying this site can't provide a secure connection?
Tony
Clear your browser cache.
We had to move the site after it was subject to more nonsense from hackers. Actually had moved it to a co-hosted platform in a trial to see if we could save some cash. Co-hostees not best pleased with things after the intrusion 🙂
Consequently, there are some DNS and SSL issues that are caused by the move. Clearing browser cash should work.
Also going to a command prompt in windows and typing
ipconfig /flushdns
may also help. Could also use a different browser. Otherwise a few hours will se it all cleared up
Billy Boyce 28th January 2020 at 21:37
Excellent and timely post, Big Pink.
How on earth Lawwell could stand up at the Celtic AGM and do his Sergeant Schults routine (“I know nothing”) beats me. In the wake of the RFC collapse Lawwell and Doncaster travelled the length of the country together trying to negotiate new sponsorship deals for the SPL. I would find it incredible that they did not discuss in detail the terms and implications of the 5WA in their many hours spent together on planes and in hotels. The same goes for Lawwell’s close contact with Petrie and Regan over this critical period.
As a Celtic shareholder I wrote individual letters to each of the directors of Celtic plc re: Resolution 12. I sent them all by recorded delivery. I never received an acknowledgement from the club far less any sort of reply. In 2012 Celtic FC hosted a group of Thai schoolchildren (‘The Thai Tims’) at Parkhead. I wrote a note of appreciation to the directors for their kind gesture. Lo and behold, I received a thank you letter by return of post, signed by Mr Lawwell personally. How this man can devote his time to such trivial correspondence yet completely ignore the deep concerns of the shareholders shows the Board’s utter contempt for the shareholders and fans.
Expect further prevarication in the matter of Celtic’s knowledge of the 5WA.
================
Resistance is futile, we know what they did that summer and what they didn't do two years later in respect of the LNS Commission.
Good one BP, and it probably reflects the uneasiness felt amongst Bampots since the – alleged – revelations about Lawwell.
I can’t speak for other clubs, but my own club is supposed to be ‘more than a club’.
However, if that belief is simply suspended, and the club regards itself as just another club / business…
then I suppose it doesn’t really matter if a CEO lies to minority shareholders – and the majority owners can just ignore the fans’ feedback.
And again, IF the allegations are true… then the corrupt SFA and SPFL are NEVER going to evolve into trustworthy and professionally run organisations.
Not good.
John Clark 28th January 2020 at 19:38
easyJambo @ 17.39
———-'
Yes and I lost a wee comment on your post.(still can't access via pc,so am reduced to trying to use my phone)
Surely HSL must have considered the possibility of RG doing exactly that??
I ask that because not being well versed in these matters I was surprised to learn that a shareholder in a private company cannot sell his shares unless the board agrees
But surely HSL would have had professional expert advice. They had no promises (I think) that the club would move to fan ownership , but they must have planned on getting a blocking power?
Curious.
==============================
Sir Tom Farmer's plan was for fans (including HSL) to own 51% of the shares in the club. The HSL scheme used fans' monthly pledges to raise the cash that was handed over to the club and every couple of months HSL would receive new shares in return.
It is clear that HSL didn't have a legally binding agreement with STF to ensure that they could achieve their goals, 20% to get a representative on the Board, 25% for a "blocking" stake etc. They were never going to be able to obtain a majority shareholding themselves as other parties held a few percent of the club shares.
In my opinion, STF (and Rod Petrie) shafted the fans, not just by selling their own shares, but allowing Ron Gordon to buy the shares earmarked for HSL, thus freezing out HSL from further purchases.
There is a contrast with what has happened at Hearts. The FOH agreement with Ann Budge looks (to my untrained eye) to be fairly watertight and prevents Ann Budge from selling out her shareholding to a third party, without FOH's agreement. That hasn't been tested to date, although I know that she has had at least one approach from a prospective buyer (that one may have come from Ron Gordon before he bought Hibs). Anyway, Ann Budge knocked back the approach on the basis of the binding(?) agreement with FOH.
If you look at paragraph 4 of the Hibs AoA dated 16 January 2015 then you will see that the Board has the power to block any share transfer. Out out curiosity, I checked the RIFC AoA and they have similar powers.
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/SC005323/filing-history?page=3
Sooner or later the fans will demonstrate their unhappiness with the money men. They did it in 2012, and they will inevitably do so again.
……………..
Sooner the Better i say.
Thanks Big Pink.
It is very unlikely that the current email leak was anything other than a genuine communication between Doncaster and a sizeable working group united for varying reasons some being alignment some being future plans but all underwritten by money.
The fact they used Peter's private address for the stuff he didn't want his PA to see is an extra insight.
We had three broad groups
1 The leading inner sanctum of chairmen who had and still have control of the strategy of the SPFL and the way the SFA see the world.
2 The administrators whose jobs well paid packages bonuses and future prospects depended on Scottish football continuing with two big Glasgow clubs to keep the tv deal and various other packages in place.
3 The other Premier League clubs, mostly minnows like Inverness CT whose Chairman was simply told the working team and the strategy of continuation via the 5 way agreements was best for all and to vote it through.
What helped the tabled plan get full support around the Premier league directors table was the plan of sharing out of the cash due from the league to the dying Rangers.
This proved a bonus to Doncaster and his wee cabal because it provided an almost immediate and unexpected financial bonus to those who might have objected, for whatever reason, to sign off the and support the continuity of oldco/newco in the top league.
Turnbull's subsequent wee revolution put paid to the top league continuation and the SPL2 plans but a form of continuity was then eventually finagled – just not quite in time for the Brechin match.
But pretty soon after.
If all this were a stick of rock it would have several names right through the core from end to end.
Peter Lawwell's name would be one of them.
I can see the conflict between what he and Desmond saw and see their vision of Celtic and how that clashes directly with what Auldheid & Co think.
Peter thinks he knows that sooner or later all the RES 12 stuff will be forgotten as the fans move on.
To him it was and is all about money.
Finloch 29th January 2020 at 08:31
'..To him it was and is all about money.'
++++++++++++++++
It is not too much a leap of imagination , Finloch, to wonder to what extent the SFA might actually have helped, by the creation of the myth that RFC of 1872 did not really die, in the task of persuading the FCA that shares in the new RIFC plc were shares in in a company that owned the original RFC of 1872, and not in new club that hadn't kicked a ball in competition?
The success of the IPO depended on investors believing that it was 'continuity most successful club in the world'
SevcoScotland/TRFC most certainly were not that. As every lying sod knew at the time, the most successful club in the world had gone into liquidation and had ceased to exist.
In my view, there are very serious questions to be asked if the SFA was party to plans to mislead investors, as well perhaps, of being guilty of lying to UEFA and thereby cheating one club out of UEFA monies that were its due.
What an atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust now exists, and with questions like those needing answered, it's no wonder that those under suspicion have to hang together in maintaining the fictions for fear that if truth were to be known, they'd hang separately!
According to Phil, Sevco back in court for Judgement 10:30 today.
Will the bow break.
Two very simple questions that have continued throughout.
1/ What would Rangers* and Rangers (note no asterisk this time) fans have done if the SFA/SPFL had played it by the book? Left? No chance.
2/ When TIAR does inevitably come unstuck (whether before T or afterwards) one expects to hear Lawell plead something along the lines of "there was no other way" or "what else could we do?" Does he expect any agreement let alone sympathy, from Celtic fans and from the rest of us diddies?
And that is why the latter two questions are interlinked. There was no other way? No, you made damn sure of that!
Ps. Done it for Benji.
Sorry JC @ 09.18 I dont buy that.
Were investors genuinely bothered about the continuity thing? One can only assume that the only body, the ONLY body that told them it was necessary were the individuals standing in the dock in front of them. Like a veteran house burglar claiming leniency was necessary as he had a job planned for a week on Friday.
Anyone with a financial hat on knew and knows damn fine what liquidation is and what it meant. The current investors are just as aware. What they needed was a stadium, facilities and licence all of which they had and a fan base which, no disrespect to the rest of us, any sort of challenge/supposed re-emergence to the top would generate. I genuinely don't believe that the continuity myth was necessary. Certainly not to the extent of isolating the rest of the Clubs fans which they inevitably have. If they think that's going away they can think again. And that now applies as much to Lawell as it does to King.
https://www.judiciary.uk/judgments/
judgement should be shown here
Scottish football is corrupt and that is a fact. RFC (IL) cheated Scottish Football and European Football for at least 13 years that we know of. EBTs were declared as earnings by SC in 2017, this meant that the club had fielded in the region of 55 players illegally as these earnings were not declared to our SFA. This meant no punishment when normally one illegal player fielded means 3 0 loss. This club played in Scotland, Europe and players played for their country in European Championships and World Cups, all illegally. LNS sham went unchallenged and them being the same club goes unchallenged by SFA, smsm and our football clubs. The 5 way agreement is the pinnacle of this level of cheating and corruption. Every one involved should be made to answer including and imo especially Celtic. We always rightly condemn glib so Lawwell has to be honest no matter what the outcome. Since 2011 our game has lost all integrity and shame on all involved. This new club is killing our game and being allowed to. The fear from our smsm and SFA to state that Ibox club is a new club is one of the main reasons we are where we are. Fact. This new club is in debt every year and needs 10 million to see season out and nothing gets mentioned in smsm and SFA takes no action. I want this new club to win nothing as like old club they are cheating financially. With a bit of luck Mr Ashley might put wheels in motion to punish this new entity.
Smugas 29th January 2020 at 12:07
Sorry JC @ 09.18 I dont buy that.
Were investors genuinely bothered about the continuity thing? One can only assume that the only body, the ONLY body that told them it was necessary were the individuals standing in the dock in front of them. Like a veteran house burglar claiming leniency was necessary as he had a job planned for a week on Friday.
Anyone with a financial hat on knew and knows damn fine what liquidation is and what it meant. The current investors are just as aware. What they needed was a stadium, facilities and licence all of which they had and a fan base which, no disrespect to the rest of us, any sort of challenge/supposed re-emergence to the top would generate. I genuinely don't believe that the continuity myth was necessary. Certainly not to the extent of isolating the rest of the Clubs fans which they inevitably have. If they think that's going away they can think again. And that now applies as much to Lawell as it does to King.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I agree anyone with a financial hat on would have undertaken proper due diligence before investing and would have had the ability to recognise what they were investing in. However, not everyone investing was wearing that hat and that is the moral and compliance issue JC is raising here.
I too believe the continuity myth was unecessary. Rangers fans aren't the overly crtical type and just needed a "Rangers" to follow. There has been a lot of corruption and artifice involved in promoting an unecessary myth and in the process shames those concerned at the SFA and all other clubs.
The silence of other clubs and fans makes them complicit. As a great man once said:
"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality. "
One thing this whole shitshow has confirmed though is the suspicions of the diddy clubs that the corrupting of the game was led by the Old Firm with their close working relationship. This led to carve ups (prize money, gate money, voting rights etc) and their ultimate aim to satisfy their greed by leaving for the EPL. Cue a storm of thumbs down!
Smugas 29th January 2020 at 12:07 Sorry JC @ 09.18 I dont buy that. Were investors genuinely bothered about the continuity thing? One can only assume that the only body, the ONLY body that told them it was necessary were the individuals standing in the dock in front of them. Like a veteran house burglar claiming leniency was necessary as he had a job planned for a week on Friday. Anyone with a financial hat on knew and knows damn fine what liquidation is and what it meant. The current investors are just as aware. What they needed was a stadium, facilities and licence all of which they had and a fan base which, no disrespect to the rest of us, any sort of challenge/supposed re-emergence to the top would generate. I genuinely don't believe that the continuity myth was necessary. Certainly not to the extent of isolating the rest of the Clubs fans which they inevitably have. If they think that's going away they can think again. And that now applies as much to Lawell as it does to King.
_______________________
Perhaps not, Smugas, but Green didn't seem to know it. If for no other reason he had to convince the existing players they were still with the club they'd signed for and not some new club with limited prospects. The fact that some of them walked away because it being a new club meant they could, but some didn't, shows how necessary convincing some people of the club's continuity was. I also think the depression and embarrassment of supporting a club that was correctly acknowledged as not Rangers would have reduced the Ibrox crowd enough to stymie it's progress, or, at least, create the fear of it in Green's mind.
I think Green had enough assurances from the game's governors, and the (correct) belief that the media would play ball, that Sevco would be universally accepted (bar a few dissenters) to go ahead with the purchase of Rangers' assets but may not have if he had to push a new club to make his fortune. He could not have even been sure that a 'new club' would have got a place in the SFL, let alone, what he believed inevitable at the time, a place in the SPL.
A new club was never going to get into the SPL, and it didn't because not everyone was prepared to roll over, but before then it was very important to Green to believe that he could get away with the myth, and it was, I suspect, so important that if he didn't believe he could get away with it, he'd have walked away to look for another patsy to scam.
Excellent blog post, BP, that sadly highlights just how corrupt Scottish football was, and still is, over and above Rangers on their own. The 'Old Firm' was more than a mere construct of the SMSM to make the two biggest clubs in Scotland appear even bigger and more important than they already were, it was a cabal designed to further the financial growth of two clubs, quite possibly at the expense of all others, aided and abetted by the SFA and League of the day. The existence of the 'Old Firm' probably kicked 'sporting integrity' into the long grass many decades ago, especially once it got to the stage of both clubs seeing so much value in it they had the name registered as copyright.
Not from me Bogs, not from me!
And thats the morality line that Im referring to also. Did/does Lawell genuinely believe that TIAR or whatever other target they set themselves 2012 and since would in itself provide some kind of miraculous deliverance from the rapidly deteriorating circumstances in which it is achieved*?
Sorry, there's not a million miles between that means to an end thinking and the win at all costs EBT mentality that brought us all together in the first place.
* With apologies to the green side of the argument – Im neither assuming you are already champions on merit, nor tipping you for said position since nothing will see it evaporate quicker !
The myth that they were the same club was paramount. If it was declared as new club with absolutely no history this would have had a devastating efffect on Ibrox fans and would definitely have had repercussions on Scottish Football.. Just look back at the time when stripping titles was mentioned, uproar. This new club myth has always been the main issue. If this was stated back in 2012 and maintained by SFA football would have benefited. To every fan their club’s history is everything. Thus fear is the key concerning our SFA and smsm. In the words of Mr Bowie they were hero’s just for one day.
valentinesclown 29th January 2020 at 12:48
Scottish football is corrupt and that is a fact.
oooooooooooooo
I'm with you for all of that post, but with Smugas on the need for continuity. 50,000+ fans looking for a Rangers to watch at Ibrox every second week were not going to disappear because the team in blue was a new club. Marketing and the SMSM would have seen to that anyway.
The most generous interpretation I can put on events is that the imminent loss of TV revenues and sponsorship due to the liquidation of RFC as was caused genuine panic and a dive for the 5WA, and to hell with the integrity of the game of professional football in Scotland. As soon as clubs voted to refuse entry to the SPFL and admitted them to Div. 4 however the 5WA became redundant for that purpose, and that was the moment to rip it up and abandon any continuation lie. The terms of the 5WA as applied to Sevco had not been fulfilled by the SPFL, and the other half, the payments of RFC's football debts were never Sevco's to pay anyway.
The game could have been clean, with no greater financial loss to clubs than was occurring anyway.
I would like to think that this is now apparent to the game's administrators, but iirc the response has been to reform the rules to allow for a form of mythical franchises to facilitate the same strategy in future. Until all the signatories to the 5WA and others like Petrie go, there is little hope I'm afraid.
Laughing Tim 29th January 2020 at 11:55
According to Phil, Sevco back in court for Judgement 10:30 today.
Will the bow break.
=============================
I don't think this is a significant judgement, as I believe Justice Persey was only asked to reduce/relieve the injunction on activities by TRFC and Elite that had been imposed during the summer, TRFC and Elite had claimed that it was affecting their ability to carry out their business.
I have seen tweets claiming that Justice Persey has agreed, at least in part, to this request.
The request had come at the previous "directions" hearing, which was only to map out the way forward for SDI's claims against TRFC and Elite, and TRFC's counter claim aginst SDI.
I'd expect the case to run for several months more, although I'm sure that all parties would want it resolved before any new strip is launched for next season.
Bogs Dollox 29th January 2020 at 13:22
One thing this whole shitshow has confirmed though the suspicions of the diddy clubs that the corrupting of the game was led by the Old Firm with their close working relationship. This led to carve ups (prize money, gate money, voting rights etc) and their ultimate aim to satisfy their greed by leaving for the EPL. Cue a storm of thumbs down!
———————–
BD – Might I suggest that it has confirmed the suspicions held by fans of the diddy clubs, rather than the boards of said clubs most of whom I firmly believe have no issues with the re-emergence of the OF, ergo the Status Quo.
This appears to be the request that was made at the last hearing, i.e. to have some funds released by Elite to TRFC.
smallchange29th January 2020 at 15:22
BD – Might I suggest that it has confirmed the suspicions held by fans of the diddy clubs, rather than the boards of said clubs most of whom I firmly believe have no issues with the re-emergence of the OF, ergo the Status Quo.
=======================
Suggestion accepted.
……. and this is today’s judgement that allows TRFC to receive the funds held by Elite, (but not have the effect of the injunction reduced).
https://www.docdroid.net/c7dFwz1/sdir-v-rangers-judgment-on-scope-of-injunction-final.doc
(12). It follows from the above that Rangers will not be in breach of the Injunction should it seek (whether by court action or otherwise) to recover sums said to be due to it under the Elite/Hummel Agreement. It is, therefore, unnecessary for me to consider the parties’ interesting arguments as to whether the Injunction should be varied.
(13). The parties should now agree a form of order which gives effect to this judgment/ruling.
‘Smugas 29th January 2020 at 12:07
…What they needed was a stadium, facilities and licence all of which they had and a fan base which, no disrespect to the rest of us, any sort of challenge/supposed re-emergence to the top would generate…’
#########################
What Charles Green didn’t have was membership of a recognised football association & a league to play in. That was the overarching issue for SevcoScotland. Without professional football at Ibrox, Green had bought an expensive piece of lawn surrounded by 50k seats.
The craven acceptance by the majority of board members of the SFA, SPL & SFL that there had to be a form of Rangers in the professional game was (and is) the issue. Green did what his kind do: he hyped his product, he gulled some people important to his scheme. He schmoozed those he had to; others would have followed him blindly (and probably did). He was an influencer before the term was in common usage.
The people responsible for managing governance (and, by default, keeping Green’s version of hucksterism away from Scottish football) failed in their duty: they failed to recognise that Dr. Green’s Scottish Football Elixir, Which Cures All Ills, was simply snake oil.
Chuckie & Co. invented Continuity Rangers FC. (he bought ‘the history’, you know!) to sell season tickets. It worked!
Sorry, their membership was never ever in question. Even the eventual vote re Div 4 entry was by default. There was no worse option.
I would also be very very surprised if the instigator of the continuity myth was the chap holding a refreshed brand with a cast iron fortified legalistic line between it and £168m of severed debt. He may have asked for an inch re his IPO but Im fairly certain he was gladly awarded several miles whether he wanted them or not. His subsequent court testimonies more or less back that up.
No my personal view is the proud parents of the myth lie much closer to home than that.
The story about Morelos and someone allegedly underneath his car… is just weird.
stevieBC
sounds like another reason for him to go rather than TRFC need to sell
Note to JC re court tomorrow.
The latest David Whitehouse v the Chief Constable hearing is now an "Unstarred motion" in the Court Rolls.
There's no point in going along.
I would guess that DW's legal team has withdrawn its motion to move the case to the Commercial Court, as a result of Lord Doherty's initial take on the matter last week. It will save DW a fair bit in costs as he would probably have lost.
easyJambo 29th January 2020 at 15:31
'..Note to JC re court tomorrow..'
++++++++++
Thanks for that,eJ.
I've not been able to find how and why a case relating to compensation for damages for wrongful arrest etc could be dealt with in the Commercial Court.That is, I haven't so far found very much about how the Commercial Court operates except that it appears to be much more informal and sort of leaning towards achieving settlement by discussion, with the judge not 'refereeing' but more actively participating in settling commercial disputes.
It's hard to see how being banged up in the pokey could be considered any kind of commercial action!
Bogs Dollox 29th January 2020 at 13:22
I too believe the continuity myth was unecessary.
……………………..
It was necessary, as only 250 bought season tickets to watch a new club.
Green faced a £15mill black hole. The new club would have gone under before it got off the ground.
https://twitter.com/ClusterOne2/status/1222644017067970560/photo/1
Todays judgment is interesting in that it allows TRFC access to funds they believe they are entitled to under the agrrement with Elite. The problem might be Elite thinking they have been deceived as to the efficacy of any indemnity initially discussed with regard to SDI lurking in the corner.Elite will be wary of SDI next steps and it could be in their interest to privately consult with all parties before releasing any funds at all.I wonder if it is as cut and dried as here you are Dave £2000000 and sorry for the delay.
easyJambo 29th January 2020 at 15:14
I’d expect the case to run for several months more, although I’m sure that all parties would want it resolved before any new strip is launched for next season
………………….
I was thinking about that senario earlier. What if it is not? New shirts have to be registered with the SFA by June 30.
What are the rules on a club having no shirts to play in a league?
someone asked (i don’t have time to look back, sorry) about the celtic CO on holiday when the 5 way was to be signed?
Regan flew out on holiday.
https://twitter.com/ClusterOne2/status/1222648130602225664/photo/1
StevieBC@18.32
Definitely weird. No one can get under a Lamborghini. The ground clearance is 100 millimetres. (I don’t own one, I just googled it)
Ex Ludo
as i said,smsm nonsense,now defoe injured will morelos be here for friday?not only did slimmer of the year get under his car he also out ran him,surely traynor can come up with better than that
Ex Ludo 29th January 2020 at 22:38
StevieBC@18.32
Definitely weird. No one can get under a Lamborghini. The ground clearance is 100 millimetres. (I don’t own one, I just googled it)
==================================
Must have been his "flat" mate
Easyjambo@00.42
Short cymbal crash.
tony 29th January 2020 at 18:48 stevieBC sounds like another reason for him to go rather than TRFC need to sell
____________________-
All rather dramatic, like a scene out of a cheap 'good guy versus evil drugs baron' movie.
If it is a set up, it looks more like one dreamed up by someone somewhat desperate for publicity while sitting around with no opportunity to display his talents, rather than something some devious PR man might come up with.
https://twitter.com/jimspencesport/status/1222816289015705600?s=21
A bit more on Lambogate courtesy of Jim Spence.
Not a court date as such, but the sist period in the case below has expired. It will most likely return to the court in the near future, but I'd expect it to be sisted (put on hold) once again, pending the outcome of the Whitehouse, Clark and Grier cases.
A54/19 Charles Green v The Chief Constable of Police Scotland &c – Jones Whyte Law – Ledingham Chalmers LLP
Short statement o'clock
The Morelos "LamboGate" thing is very odd. Seems utterly disingenuous in as much it doesn't really make sense, and if someone was making it up, they would surely know that.
After all if you had gone to all the bother of creating that story before phoning some subserviant former employees and hangers-on, instructing them to print the story in the former paper of Record and The Daily Shark Jump, you would most likely – surely – have tested out its plausibility first?
Perhaps the answer is that someone really was messing with Morelos’s motor. Lets face it, a car of that type (crass and in bad taste to me but not my kids) is more than likely to attract the gaze and closer inspection of passers-by. Perhaps Morelos innocently, and in high dudgeon, recounted the tale of the unwanted vehicular attention when it was overheard by the PR team, desperate to find a pretext for a transfer of their most sell-able asset.
I use the word desperate because I have heard that loan deals for the likes of Greg Docherty (and Sunderland have a keen interest there) have hit the skids because of the stratospherically high loan fees being requested by the Ibrox Director of Football.
If a few leave on loan tomorrow, one would be forgiven for inferring that the bluff had not worked, and that Rangers blinked first. And that approach to business is I would suggest a sign of desperation – a desperation that would be instantly relieved if that pretext for the Morelos transfer could be found.
When Dembele left Celtic last year, the combination of spin against the player AND spending £9m on Edouard only just kept dissatisfied Celtic fans from storming the Parkhead barricades.
If Morelos goes – especially after the injury to Defoe – Bear on Board action would be almost inevitable.
Desperation is often the mother of recklessness and stupidity. That's my take on LamboGate
Based on what we know from their latest accounts,
RIFC/TRFC should have a much clearer picture of how the land lies come Monday morning,
WRT its financial position – and cashflow through to season end.
EJ
It appears to me that Elite have withheld payments on the pretext that in their opinion, the injunction proscribes it.
Rangers go to court thinking the same, but are told they are mistaken. The fact that they only "hope" the payments will be made suggest that new front has opened up – this time with Elite.
All criticism of Rangers old and new aside, this really doesn't seem like a way to run a business.
I had a look on FF to see the reaction to the latest SDI/TRFC/Elite court judgement.
I was surprised to read that there is a view, being put out by well informed and connected posters, that all is not well in the relationship between TRFC and Elite and that the latter has been hiding behind the SDI injunction to avoid handing over the cash that TRFC claims is due.
That view is backed up to some extent by TRFC's statement that they "hope" that Elite will pay up.
Further concern is raised by the fact that Elite's commercial director is a former SD employee.
The suggestion is that SDI is exerting some influence over Elite' activities in its relationship with TRFC.
Developing story?
EJ
Great minds etc 🙂
I listened with some interest to a report on the volte-face by Irish Government in now agreeing to 'bail out' the Football Association of Ireland, reversing their previous attitude, expressed as recently as December and earlier this month.
From the Irish Times:
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/government-to-provide-20m-in-extra-funding-as-part-of-fai-rescue-package-1.4156296
"The Government is to provide almost €20 million in extra funding to the Football Association of Ireland over the next four years as part of a rescue package announced on Thursday.
As part of the deal, €7.6 million Government funding will be provided “in recognition of the importance of the continued operation of the Aviva Stadium”. This money will be paid directly to the company operating the stadium, New Stadium DAC, in three instalments and will be repayable from 2024.
Liabilities of €62 million in the FAI emerged following the restatement of financial accounts for 2016, 2017 and 2018, which were republished late last year. The association has been in the midst of a financial and corporate governance crisis since the emergence of a €100,000 loan from its former chief executive, John Delaney. This sparked a series of controversies, ultimately leading the to the departure of Mr Delaney from the FAI.
The new Government funding is in addition to the €2.9 the association already receives from the State each year.
The Cabinet signed off on the rescue package on Thursday after an emergency “incorporeal” meeting. An incorporeal meeting means not all members of the Cabinet will be physically present, with some dialling in by phone.
It is understood that all sides party to recent rescue discussions have agreed to make concessions. The four parties are the FAI itself, the Government, the association’s bankers, Bank of Ireland, and European football’s governing body, Uefa."
One of the conditions was that the whole existing Board of the FAI should be changed!
But my principal interest is in the part that UEFA played, in the sense that there is no real indication of what part they had to play?
Does UEFA financially help distressed national associations directly with cash, as well as indirectly influencing governments and banks etc to make monies available to avoid the liquidation of a national association?
Big Pink 30th January 2020 at 19:18
EJ
Great minds etc ?
=======================
There's a first time for everything LOL!
Hibs' Kamberi to The Rangers FC (on loan)
STV reporting this evening clubs "locked" in discussions – strange one – why the hell would Hibs help out a competitor – (forgot Ms Dempster was a former season ticket holder @ Ibrox) .
naegreetin
think i am more likely to fit under morelos motor than that happening
Amazing that the fans were already accepting the fate and that they understood fully the impact and the meaning of what was going down and went down. however, the story and the moonbeams story of the Bobby Ewing moment IMO leaves me feeling the fans are so gullible and so insecure it's laughable and it's amazing how easy fools are parted with their money.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpImJxXg7K0
bigboab1916
wonder if the guy in video is going about today saying we are the same club
Big Pink 30th January 2020 at 18:25
===================
Some people believe they have an overdue tax bill to HMRC of around £3M. Not just hopeful Celtic fans at the end of a bar I may add. I have no idea whether it's true, and personally I think it unlikely they would be so crazy given all that happened before. However, they did recently use a Rangers friendly newspaper Editor to get a rather pathetic story out there that liquidation didn't really need to happen. HMRC then took the very unusual step of issuing a very strongly worded rebuttal the next day, and made it public into the bargain.
Considering RIFC's increasingly perilous financial position, I had always thought that the SFA/SPFL could be the Ibrox club's banker of last resort.
A secretive loan – or advance of prize monies – is nothing compared to what Hampden has enthusiastically concealed in recent years.
…and further to recent e-mail allegations about a certain CEO…
I wonder if another SPL club could ultimately become the very discreet, banker of last resort for Ibrox – if required?
https://twitter.com/spflscouting/status/1222969230179565568?s=21
stevieBC
you would never see that money again,so think that's a non starter
easyJambo 30th January 2020 at 19:13
'….That view is backed up to some extent by TRFC's statement that they "hope" that Elite will pay up.'
++++++++++
Not directly related to your post, ej, but just on the Persey judgment.
Am I alone in thinking that there's something of a Brysonism element in the judge's decision?
TRFC is not caught doing something naughty until after they have done it, but they cannot be punished for the period that elapsed between when they 'done' it and when it was discovered that they had 'done' it!
They breached their deal with SDIR, Elite/Hummel made some money on account of that in a contract that TRFC were not legally capable of being party to
If I were Elite/ Hummel I'd be inclined to say the contract was null and void, TRFC made a hames of it, and that there would be no legal obligation on me to honour the contract ( and no noblesse oblige on me to honour my part of a contract that the other party knew damn fine he had no power to make!)
The contract was invalid from the start, and I would tell TRFC to GTF! ( I might accept that I should slide a few bob to SDIR for making money that , unknowingly to me, I had no right to make, but that would be between me and SDIR)
I think it's now way beyond reasonable to assume as fact that the football authorities treated a brand new club as if it was a recently defunct club for the purposes of financial and contractual expediency back in 2012.
Notwithstanding the defunct club's culpability with regard to unpunished cheating and gaining unwarranted access to potential European prize money that it wasn't qualified to access, isn't the elephant in the room now the question of whether the SFA and SPL/SFL would've avoided 'financial armageddon' by treating a liquidated Celtic in precisely the same way, had the roles been reversed?
In other words, however much we may hate the term, the 'Old Firm', it has created and maintained an historical duopoly which has positively promoted sectarianism and divide and made humungous amounts of money out of a pseudo-religious Irish political divide to prolong the hatred and vitriol.
Any governing body which genuinely wanted to eradicate this poison could have easily done so at any single point in the past century or so by meaningful points deductions, or ultimately by well deserved banishment or exclusion, but such has been the clamour for maintaining the poison that drives the divide, the square root of diddly squat has happened. Money is what drives football. Money inevitably corrupts. Money is everything – just ask Peter Lawwell.
Smugas 29th January 2020 at 12:07
'…
Sorry JC @ 09.18 I dont buy that.
Were investors genuinely bothered about the continuity thing? ….
..Anyone with a financial hat on knew and knows damn fine what liquidation is and what it meant. The current investors are just as aware.'
++++++++++++++++++
I'm coming late to your post, Smugas, and apologise accordingly.
I think you are correct in asserting that the general run of people who have money to invest have some street savvy, and that those who in fact were the big investors in RIFC plc are more than street savvy!
The basic point I was making, and tried to make to the FCA [still haven't had a reply from them to tell me I am wrong!] is that the IPO prospectus clearly suggested that investors in RIFC plc would be investing in a company which was to make its money from running the most successful football club of all time, Rangers of 140 years of history of sporting achievement.
It's the FCA's job to ensure that Prospectuses [Prospecti?] are so written as not to be misleading to Joe Public. They know that the sharks in the investment world can look after themselves, but they also know that there are millions of potential (albeit small) investors who can be easily misled by cleverly worded references to success and fortune.
And I think that in allowing the RIFC plc IPO Prospectus to be published, the FCA breached their statutory duty to ensure that that there was nothing misleading in it.
Possibly because, if they had at the time ( which they probably did not) asked any questions about this news story about 'Rangers' being liquidated they would have been told by the lying SFA that no, no, Rangers were still alive and thriving and that what the Prospectus said was absolutely true and accurate and not at all misleading. [The kind of response the BBC Trust would have given, and the ASA etc etc]
Highlander 30th January 2020 at 23:28
'..isn't the elephant in the room now the question of whether the SFA and SPL/SFL would've avoided 'financial armageddon' by treating a liquidated Celtic in precisely the same way, had the roles been reversed? '
++++++++++++
No. We know what happened in fact.
Speculation about what might happen in a hypothetical case is irrelevant.
But in saying that, the history is that the Bank establishment and Scottish football was ready to see Celtic FC disappear in fairly recent times!
Whether and to what extent Celtic plc acted unwisely and incorrectly in being party to the lying of the Governance bodies in order to protect their own business future is still not absolutely determined.
But there's not a chance that the SFA would have gone to the same fantastic, lying efforts to save them from the effects of Liquidation as our football governance people did in the case of that club of which the wretched knight of the realm, SDM, was the majority shareholder , and which,disgustingly , he palmed off to CW in order to protect his other business interests, and bugger the loyal fans!
The elephant in the room is the reluctance of all of Scottish Football to acknowledge that our Governance people have made liars and complete ars.s of themselves in refusing even to investigate certain matters while maintaining an absolute fiction about TRFC being Rangers of 1872.
The whole thing is now such a mess that one would hope that UEFA would notice that the SFA is an untrustworthy body.
John Clark 30th January 2020 at 23:46
The thing is John , if I may be so bold , is that it didn't state that they were one and the same thing , by my reading . The IPO tells investors all they need to know about RIFC . Then , unasked and out of nowhere gives a hagiography of a different entity (IL) . It was placed there to deliberately confuse , not business investors , but the gullibles who might buy a share or two , clutching at straws that the death of their club didn't happen . I've been to an AGM . It's still Rangers 1872/73/99 to them because it says Rangers on it , and if you disagree , you are a hater . All the heads will then turn and all the fingers point in your direction . The football authorities know that , and are happy to see your gang take on their gang . Those fans have nothing to lose . It will crush them if they're forced to accept the truth . Then we may see the "Armageddon" that the authorities tried to scare us with . Some p*sh from that enlightened time
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/armageddon-how-was-it-for-you-1504208
paddy malarkey 31st January 2020 at 00:32
'..is that it didn't state that they were one and the same thing , by my reading '
+++++++++
I agree.
It was cleverly done.The 'summary' is all about the most successful club in the world. But even the fine print ( that people might not read) contrives to suggest that RIFC plc owns Rangers of 1872.
But it is the 'summary' that is key.
And in no way should the FCA have let that 'summary' pass without serious question. And, as I say, to whom would they pose the question, other than the lying sods in the SFA!
John Clark 31st January 2020 at 00:46
I agree , very cleverly done . But instead of the potted history of the dead club they could have put something like
The elephant is a dainty bird,
It flits from bough to bough.
It makes its nest in a Rhubarb tree,
And whistles like a cow.
and it would have had as much relevance to the stuff before in the eyes of the FCA . Charles Green knew who was laying the golden eggs and made sure his goose wasn't cooked .
Big Pink 30th January 2020 at 21:58 https://twitter.com/spflscouting/status/1222969230179565568?s=21 ___________________
That must surely rate amongst the 'cheekiest' of transfer/loan deals ever suggested. 'We'll take your striker to help us win the league, while providing you with no advantage (other than a few pounds you can do not much with), then, if we, by some miracle, have the readies, pay you for him if he turns out to be a success. Or we could give you these magic beans…'
If, as the tweet suggests, TRFC really have put this deal to Hibs, then it looks more like an effort to appease the fans with a statement such as 'all our efforts to sign new players were stymied by uncooperative clubs' when the window closes and the title charge has not been supplemented with new blood.
Much as I'd like it to be true, and I don't doubt that somewhere in the Hibs' board's minds the prospect of TRFC not having the readies to pay for Kamberi exists, I very much doubt that anyone at Hibs would be so careless (or boldly honest) to say so, even in private, outside of the confines of the boardroom.
John Clark 31st January 2020 at 00:15
………………….
The elephant in the room is the reluctance of all of Scottish Football to acknowledge that our Governance people have made liars and complete ars.s of themselves in refusing even to investigate certain matters while maintaining an absolute fiction about TRFC being Rangers of 1872.
…………………….
They never will John.
Doncaster shared the prize money due to the then dying club to effectively bribe the non old firm chairmen to back his 11th hour, heavily compromised, version of the planned rescue.
And he did this while he and his SFA buddy Regan were telling them (and us) that all Scottish Football faced armageddon if it lost the key commercial entity that was Rangers/Sevco.
So the reality is Scottish football was bribed and sold for Rangers gold and there was then, and is now, no appetite to ever look back.
……………….
Highlander 30th January 2020 at 23:28
………………
Money is what drives football. Money inevitably corrupts. Money is everything – just ask Peter Lawwell.
……………
I can’t disagree with that.
Money framed what happened in the run up to Rangers tumbling into an ignominious accountants box where it still resides.
Money framed how the SPL and SFA wanted to first keep them alive then bestow all things Rangers to Charlie’s Sevco project.
Money has framed how The Rangers project has performed since 2012.
And money will frame what happens next both at Rangers and how the SPFL/SFA and all the chairmen react to whatever transpires whether it is at Rangers or indeed elsewhere.
The latest iteration of MASH v GASH, lauded by the SMSM as a triumph for T'Rangers, does not seem to have produced sunshine, rainbows and lollipops down Govan way. What looks like a simple toe-in-the-water application by T'Rangers to ensure receipt of monies from Elite does not fall foul of an Injunction has quickly escalated into talk of the ever-popular boycott/protest/statement/march. Views range from there is no problem; the Court has spoken; Elite have put a cheque in the post, through Elite are not paying; Elite will have to be pursued in Court to, my favourite if only for the irony and lack of self awareness explosion, MASH will buy/has bought Elite; some creative accounting will occur; Elite suffers one of those insolvency events; T'Rangers get tuppence in the pound; Elite carries on as T'Elite. Stranger things have happened.
Meanwhile MASH v GASH trundles on threatening the record of Jarndyce v Jarndyce although the Duff & Phelps/BDO Administration/Liquidation might drag on longer than both.
LamboGate may be explained someday but if it turns out to be other than as reported there is every chance that when Frodo is charged with wasting police time the charge is rescinded by the SFA.
LUGOSI 31st January 2020 at 10:28 The latest iteration of MASH v GASH, lauded by the SMSM as a triumph for T'Rangers, does not seem to have produced sunshine, rainbows and lollipops down Govan way. What looks like a simple toe-in-the-water application by T'Rangers to ensure receipt of monies from Elite does not fall foul of an Injunction has quickly escalated into talk of the ever-popular boycott/protest/statement/march. Views range from there is no problem; the Court has spoken; Elite have put a cheque in the post, through Elite are not paying; Elite will have to be pursued in Court to, my favourite if only for the irony and lack of self awareness explosion, MASH will buy/has bought Elite; some creative accounting will occur; Elite suffers one of those insolvency events; T'Rangers get tuppence in the pound; Elite carries on as T'Elite. Stranger things have happened. Meanwhile MASH v GASH trundles on threatening the record of Jarndyce v Jarndyce although the Duff & Phelps/BDO Administration/Liquidation might drag on longer than both. LamboGate may be explained someday but if it turns out to be other than as reported there is every chance that when Frodo is charged with wasting police time the charge is rescinded by the SFA.
_________________
Could it be that we will see, for the first time ever in Scottish football, the introduction of VAR, with Morelos getting off (again) because the replay (of the CCTV footage) shows Morelos had, in fact, not hit the numbers 999 on his mobile with excessive force? Alternatively it might show that what Morelos mistook for the thinnest Celtic supporter ever seen was, in fact, a cat in a baby sized Celtic top.
PS The alternative scenario I suggested was, of course, completely silly
IIRC do Elite not enjoy an indemnity from TRFC/RIFC with regard to any damages that might result from an action by SDI?
In the circumstances would 'ring fencing'/escrow (i.e.retention) by Elite of any sums due to TRFC/RIFC not be a prudent step to take? It would be interesting to see this matter come before a court.
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
John Clark 31st January 2020 at 00:15
Highlander 30th January 2020 at 23:28
'..isn't the elephant in the room now the question of whether the SFA and SPL/SFL would've avoided 'financial armageddon' by treating a liquidated Celtic in precisely the same way, had the roles been reversed? '
++++++++++++
No. We know what happened in fact. Speculation about what might happen in a hypothetical case is irrelevant.
Whether and to what extent Celtic plc acted unwisely and incorrectly in being party to the lying of the Governance bodies in order to protect their own business future is still not absolutely determined.
But there's not a chance that the SFA would have gone to the same fantastic, lying efforts to save them from the effects of Liquidation as our football governance people did in the case of that club
_______________________________________________________
With respect JC, you say that speculation is irrelevant before speculating that Celtic wouldn't be treated as Rangers were.
If financial armageddon was viewed by the football authorities as the inevitable outcome of the demise of the Old Firm, surely it wouldn't matter which of the two clubs died? The surviving club wouldn't have the ability to attract commercial and TV contracts without its partner in crime.
The following is not directed at you JC, but it strikes me yet again that criticism of Celtic on here is frowned upon unless that criticism comes from the Celtic support.
For the past few weeks the internet, not just on this site, has been awash with condemnation from the Celtic support of Peter Lawwell and Celtic's part in the continuity myth, 5WA and reluctance to support Res 12, all for the purposes of financial expediency, yet when I use different words to express the same thing, I am apparently in the wrong.
Allyjambo 31st January 2020 at 07:17
'..I very much doubt that anyone at Hibs would be so careless (or boldly honest) to say so, even in private, outside of the confines of the boardroom.'
++++++++++++++
As we know, Aj, there is a powerful element of fear in Scottish Football, that inhibits free speech and discussion.
For example, Queen's Park president Gerry Crawley is reported as being determined to show that Queen's Park are all about sustainability and any comparisons to the crash-and-burn strategy that befell Gretna over a decade ago are not welcome.
(today's 'The Scotsman', Craig Stewart on page 55)
He chickened out of making reference to another, much bigger club, that went into Liquidation on account of sports cheating allied with tax dodging and the massive debts incurred thereby just eight years ago and which ceased every bit as much as Gretna to be a football club participating in Scottish Professional football.
No harm to Queen's Park, of course and I do wish them well in their intention ,according to Crawley, 'to have a fundamental handle on the budgets that we have'
John Clark 31st January 2020 at 13:37
Sometime, though, John, it's what people don't say that can convey a hidden message, even while being seen as being expedient. In this case ignoring the 'biggest' and most spectacular Scottish football club to die in a way that gets people wondering why, have they been forgotten?
On a more likely note-
It could also be said that the Gretna situation is more germaine to QPFC than it is to Rangers. It could also be said to be more germaine to Gretna than to what the situation was at Hearts, Motherwell, Dundee and Dunfermline as QPFC are much closer in stature to Gretna than they are to any of those 'larger' clubs.
Still, I doubt he would want to bring down the wrath that was bound to follow if he had mentioned Rangers FC(IL) in this way. And their home is more or less situated in the woods where the bears sh*t.
Highlander 31st January 2020 at 12:58
'…With respect JC, you say that speculation is irrelevant before speculating that Celtic wouldn't be treated as Rangers were.'
++++++++++++
That's a fair cop, Highlander. I misdirected myself.
My defence is that ,while I am incandescent with rage at Celtic's refusal in 2012 to take a stand on principle that RFC of 1872 should have been formally expelled from football and stripped of its foully obtained titles and honours, and that CG's new club should have been (and should still be) declared to be a new club etc etc, I cannot accept that there is any equivalence between the evil perpetrated by the SFA (and before that, by SDM) and the weakness demonstrated by Celtic plc (and all the other clubs! bar RR) in Scottish professional football in failing to deal properly with that evil.
There are degrees of wickedness!
John Clark 30th January 2020 at 23:46
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Smugas 29th January 2020 at 12:07
‘…
Sorry JC @ 09.18 I dont buy that.
Were investors genuinely bothered about the continuity thing? ….
..Anyone with a financial hat on knew and knows damn fine what liquidation is and what it meant. The current investors are just as aware.’
++++++++++++++++++
I’m coming late to your post, Smugas, and apologise accordingly.
I think you are correct in asserting that the general run of people who have money to invest have some street savvy, and that those who in fact were the big investors in RIFC plc are more than street savvy!
The basic point I was making, and tried to make to the FCA [still haven’t had a reply from them to tell me I am wrong!] is that the IPO prospectus clearly suggested that investors in RIFC plc would be investing in a company which was to make its money from running the most successful football club of all time, Rangers of 140 years of history of sporting achievement.
It’s the FCA’s job to ensure that Prospectuses [Prospecti?] are so written as not to be misleading to Joe Public. They know that the sharks in the investment world can look after themselves, but they also know that there are millions of potential (albeit small) investors who can be easily misled by cleverly worded references to success and fortune.
And I think that in allowing the RIFC plc IPO Prospectus to be published, the FCA breached their statutory duty to ensure that that there was nothing misleading in it.
……………………..
paddy malarkey 31st January 2020 at 00:32
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John Clark 30th January 2020 at 23:46
The thing is John , if I may be so bold , is that it didn’t state that they were one and the same thing , by my reading . The IPO tells investors all they need to know about RIFC . Then , unasked and out of nowhere gives a hagiography of a different entity (IL) . It was placed there to deliberately confuse , not business investors , but the gullibles who might buy a share or two ,
……………..
John Clark 31st January 2020 at 00:46
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paddy malarkey 31st January 2020 at 00:32
‘..is that it didn’t state that they were one and the same thing , by my reading ‘
+++++++++
I agree.
……………………..
If i remember at the time Green got Ashley on board with the shares. He had a great shirt contract at the time and maybe even a better one if more shares were bought, the shirt deal would more than covered his layout for shares. The ordinary punter seeing a Billionare like Ashley getting on board as a This is a great deal. What i’m getting at is the big investers knew there was money to be made and knew or did not care for the prospectus wording, they knew there was money to be made. But i get JC point that the small investers were being misled as to what they were buying shares in.
Ps if i remember it was £500 for a starter
Cluster One 31st January 2020 at 18:04
If i remember at the time Green got Ashley on board with the shares. He had a great shirt contract at the time and maybe even a better one if more shares were bought, the shirt deal would more than covered his layout for shares. The ordinary punter seeing a Billionare like Ashley getting on board as a This is a great deal. What i’m getting at is the big investers knew there was money to be made and knew or did not care for the prospectus wording, they knew there was money to be made. But i get JC point that the small investers were being misled as to what they were buying shares in.
Ps if i remember it was £500 for a starter
===============================
Ashley made his investment in TRFCL in October 2012, which coincided with JJB Sports going into admin on 24 September 2012, and Sports Direct buying part of the business, assets, the brand (maybe even the history
) on 1st October.
With the 10 year JJB retail deal with RFC plc ending prematurely with 4 years to run, Ashley would have seen the opportunity to get a foot in the door at Ibrox and revive the former JJB deal with Charles Green on different and more favourable terms.
I strongly suspect that Ashley’s investment was opportunistic based on the JJB Sports situation at that moment in time. I’m sure that Ashley’s people would have done their due diligence on JJB’s portfolio of partners and the contractual arrangements.
The £500.
The Gymnastics in this piece are brilliant, no wonder the gullibles parted with their cash. A web site and everything.
https://twitter.com/ClusterOne2/status/1223337207232192512/photo/1
easyJambo 31st January 2020 at 19:11
Ashley made his investment in TRFCL in October 2012, which coincided with JJB Sports going into admin on 24 September 2012, and Sports Direct buying part of the business, assets, the brand (maybe even the history blush ) on 1st October.
……………………
And inbetween all that Green was coming near a deal with Adidas;-)
https://twitter.com/ClusterOne2/status/1223343909075636225/photo/1
Earlier this evening on Sportsound David Currie was telling us of the upcoming 'transfer window' programme from 9.00 pm to midnight. He speculated on the possibility of there being a shattering , earth-moving headline story breaking at twenty seconds to midnight, and asked Chick whether he thought there might be.
When Chick reminded himself of the Tore Andre Flo transfer to the now defunct Rangers ( which was, apparently, something of a surprise! ) Currie came back instantly with a 'aye, and see how that ended'.
I laughed out loud! I reckon it ended very badly indeed.
Cluster One 31st January 2020 at 20:10
'..The £500.,'
+++++++++
Once again, Cluster one, you're a great hand at producing contemporary source material relating to current discussion on the blog!
Anyone reading that piece (perhaps the FCA) would definitely read it as indicating that the plan to go to the market was based on conning potential investors into believing they would be investing in a company that would make its money by owning Rangers Football Club of 1872.
It strengthens my readiness to believe that the SFA in effect helped set up what I believe to have been a dishonest IPO prospectus, and were possibly aware of that fact.
Ok it’s quite so i may get away with this.
Feel a bit like Jimbo (what ever happened to him?)
Anyway, every time i log into the blog and see A lie for a lie.
I can’t get this song out of my head, so i should not be the only one tortured.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRXPE9QyxvE&w=640&h=360
Apolgies in advance if this seems preachy but if it helps even one reader then job done.
The banning of Brian Rice is neither here nor there as far as I am concerned.Footballers will always bet on games that they think they have more insight to than joe public.The professional sports are always open to insider knowledge and corruption but a savvy punter will factor this as much as possible into the equation. In short the game is rigged…always has been. Do you think Las Vegas exists in the middle of a desert because you have an even chance?..Forget it.Walk up to any fruit machine and it will promise a minimum payout of maybe 90%, this means that you will lose at least 10% of your wallet but usually more due to the flashing lights and music etc.I like to think that sports betting is something where the punter may have an edge due to taking an opinion on an outcome not determined purely by chance.When I place a bet on anything involving human interaction then trying to factor in the impossible fails.EG Lower grade horse racing in this country .The prize money and prestige for winning is negligible but it offers the chance to make money if you are in the know.A day out with friends and small stakes only on anything other than graded races. Compare a class 6 selling handicap at Southwell to the Gold cup at Cheltenham.The connections of the classier race are in it to win it and not make money by laying or planning a 'coup'.In the better races then form,trends and personal interpretation of such things really matters.I bet for fun,always aware of the 'known unknowns' in any outcome and self monitor my habit. I know and accept that in the long term as punter without inside knowledge then I will probably lose. I still do it for the thrill of the occasional win that makes me believe my opinion was validated.I repeat,when I gamble I accept that the stake is far more likely to be lost than returned manyfold.This acceptance is paramount to any attitude to gambling. Don't be fooled by any 'my mate has a gud fing' nonsense.Set limits,pick your own losers and walk away having enjoyed the transient ecstacy of sometimes winning.
https://about.gambleaware.org/
SFA chief exective Ian Maxwell said his body does not check on employment contracts, instead the SPFL askes clubs to self-certify that they are not breaching employment law.
https://twitter.com/ClusterOne2/status/1223377838595878914/photo/1
……………….
You wuld think that after the ibrox fiasco they would take an interest in player contracts.
easyJambo 31st January 2020 at 19:11
‘..Ashley made his investment in TRFCL in October 2012.’
Again, eJ, I post not in respect of the substance of your post, but only to say that it prompted me to look again at the IPO prospectus (I couldn’t remember whether Ashley’s shareholding pre-dated the issue of the IPO).
In doing so, I came across this, which has nothing to do with Ashley, and cannot honestly say that I had previously seen it:
“12.1.7 5 Way Agreement between SFA, SFL, SPL, RFC 2012 plc and RFCL …
‘..The SFA, SPL, SFL, RFC 2012 plc and RFCL entered into an agreement dated 27 July 2012 ...The Administrators of RFC 2012 plc disclaimed all liability in relation to the 5 Way Agreement.”
That prompts me to ask, were they actually signatories? If so, they could hardly ‘disclaim all liability’ for what they signed up to?
Was that an attempt by Whitehouse and Clark [ the very people who knew for an absolute fact that they had failed to bring RFC of 1872 out of Administration by failing to secure a buyer who was ready to pay all the debts of the club in administration] to distance themselves from the nonsense of ‘continuity’?
Or were they only present to formally surrender the RFC of 1872’s SPL share to the SPL, under the Articles of Association of the SPL?
One wonders, why else would they need to be party to any such Agreement?
Cluster One 31st January 2020 at 22:59
'..SFA chief exective Ian Maxwell said his body does not check on employment contracts, ..'
'…You would think that after the ibrox fiasco they would take an interest in player contracts.'
+++++++++
Indeed.
But of course they have a history of not checking what a lying majority shareholder of Rangers FC of 1872 told them he was paying his players!
At a time when CO from his personal knowledge and enrichment knew, allegedly, what lies had been told.
Such a stupid statement by Maxwell sums it all up.
The SFA is no kind of trustworthy 'governance' body.
You'll remember that the SFA's Judicial Panel issued a punishment to Rangers that was later found under judicial review to have been ultra vires. That is, the judge decided that the SFA articles and rules did not give the judicial panel the power to impose the specific sanction it sought to hand down.
Organisations and individuals can – and do – often act beyond their powers.
The 5WA contains a contractual agreement to collectively accept a construct (defining an association football club in an entirely new way) which was clearly at odds with the extant SPL and SFA articles/rules and the constitution of the SFL.
It would beyond credible that any officer of these organisations believed he had the power (from their respective articles, rules and constitution) to agree to sanction such a construct.
Such an agreement would likely – in legal terms – to be declared null and void if challenged. Of course, within the parties, there is no incentive to question the validity of the agreement.
As there was a financial benefit to the creation and acceptance of this false construct, the question of whether a fraudulent transaction took place is still open.
Remember, Sevco effectively paid the SPL £2.55m for this false construct.
I agree with JC, the SFA – as a signatory to the 5WA – became party to the subsequent false IPO prospectus.
John Clark 31st January 2020 at 23:47
‘..The SFA, SPL, SFL, RFC 2012 plc and RFCL entered into an agreement dated 27 July 2012 ...The Administrators of RFC 2012 plc disclaimed all liability in relation to the 5 Way Agreement.”
============================
I don't know if you were in court at the time, but I recall asking DG about the 5WA, in relation to the indemnities and reference to CAS. He said that he personally didn't know what the 5WA was, but that he would ask DW/PC. At a subsequent court date he said that DW/PC didn't know anything about it either. I told him that was a bit odd as they were supposed to be signatories to the agreement on behalf of RFC plc.
I've tried to reconcile the above with the highlighted bit from your post. It may reflect that the administrators took a view that the 5WA had nothing to do with them (it didn't, barring the SPL share transfer). They may have intimated at an early stage that they would not accept any new claim or liability imposed on them, other than what arose as part of the normal administration process. To that extent, they would not have participated in the creation or discussions that led to the 5WA, hence their claim to me of having no knowledge of the agreement.
Just to highlight another 'unusual' element of the 5WA…
It contains a clause which specifically includes the Recitals as part of the body of the agreement.
Recitals to an agreement normally 'set the scene' and would include include uncontroversial facts about the participants that simply give context to the formal parts of the document. Recitals are not normally, in themselves, legally binding in contractual terms.
That the 5WA was constructed in this way tells me that they were sensitive to the fact that their novel construct for an association football club was not uncontroversial. Agreement between the parties for the construct needed to be confirmed in strict contractual terms. They hid in the Recitals in an attempt to make their creation appear 'normal'. It was anything but…
JC & EJ, From my ever less accurate memory I seem to recall that Green was given permission by the administrators (or it was claimed he had been given permission) to act on behalf of Rangers FC (IL) and as such signed the 5WA on behalf of both Rangers (IL) and Sevco.
I may be completely wrong with this but it may jog someone's memory if I am in anyway correct, but it might explain the existence of the disclaimer and also the claim by DG and subsequently DC/PC that they knew nothing about the 5WA. Perhaps a more accurate statement might have been to say the chose to know nothing about it.
Fitba' rules they can bend, break, ignore or re-draft with impunity, but there are some things by which even the corrupt must comply.
Members meetings were hastily called, as highlighted on the steps of Hampden by the late honourable Turnbull Hutton. They were not an attempt to do the right thing, but a legal requirement, minuted and recorded for posterity.
. The 5-way agreement?…….Merely an addendum stapled to the application form……It's all documented and recorded, as per the legal obligations of a company limited by guarantee…..Which the SFA are.
If the correct legal procedures were followed, it's all written down folks…. hidden in plain view.
If they have complied with company laws in the same manner as they complied with their own rules, that may be a problem.
Rules the SFA MUST obey?…..Who'd hae thunk it?…..I smell the sweaty sock of Achilles.
https://www.informdirect.co.uk/business-management/company-limited-by-guarantee-what-is-it/
Allyjambo 1st February 2020 at 13:16
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JC & EJ, From my ever less accurate memory I seem to recall that Green was given permission by the administrators (or it was claimed he had been given permission) to act on behalf of Rangers FC (IL) and as such signed the 5WA on behalf of both Rangers (IL) and Sevco.
………….
Regan off to Airport.
https://twitter.com/ClusterOne2/status/1223619679194898432/photo/1
A bit off topic but one last comment on Lambogate. A story has emerged on Twitter saying the guy tampering with the Lamborghini was a PI hired by a certain footballer’s girlfriend to put a tracking device on the car. The veracity of this explanation is not confirmed but it’s interesting that the tabloids have dropped the story.
I note the following from last Thursday's Court Roll :
"The sists in the undernoted cases have expired. Accordingly the cases will be put out By Order in the near future. Intimation should be given to the Keeper of the Rolls of any cases on the list which have settled:
1. A54/19 Charles Green v The Chief Constable of Police Scotland &c "
As far as I can gather, this means that the period for which it was agreed/decided that a case should be put to sleep for a while (as far as further court action is concerned) has expired, and it either has to be brought back into action or abandoned.
I don't know whether we, the public, would necessarily be told if Green has abandoned his action or reached a settlement?
I'll watch out for the 'By Order'
Hello strangers!
I’ve been lurking every day. But that wee dog on the front page has broken my heart. Wanted to make sure I could get back on before I send a donation.
Me@18.03
Must be true. The Sunday Mail are running with the PI story.
Allegedly , a certain player was having a liaison with a quine . And not like Stevie G to throw players under the bus .
Ex Ludo 2nd February 2020 at 00:09
Must be true. The Sunday Mail are running with the PI story.
========================================
Sunday Mail@Sunday_Mail
Exclusive in tomorrow's Sunday Mail: Rangers star Alfredo Morelos' car targeted by private detective hired by his wife
Nicked from Twitter
Columbo 1
Columbian 0
Oh, and just one more thing…
Immediately, when the very weird 'brakes tampering / incredibly thin man' story broke, the average Bampot smelt sh… something unpleasant.
Unlike some in the SMSM – who quickly seized the opportunity to produce all sorts of admonishing, preaching p!sh.
And now it appears – allegedly – that the on field, inveterate cheat is not too honest off the field either…?
Quelle surprise!
According to the Sunday Mail, the SFA has banned at least one player for betting on games & kept it secret:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/sfa-chiefs-secret-gambling-ban-21412212
I wonder if the player appeared on the 'Suspensions List' which is available on the SFA's website? I remember a few years ago that a Hamilton Academical player (Simon Mensing) got a drugs ban & that was hushed up until he had served his suspension.
This lack of transparency from the governing body can't be good for the game.
Jingso Jimsie
I was told on Friday that a particular player who is often in the news was the subject of an investigation into a spread-betting situation and that today’s papers would have details. Told this morning that publication was prevented by injunction. Was sceptical at first but is this perhaps a sideways allusion to that?
I re-read the Scottish Sun article on 29 Jan. which seemed to start the story about the Morelos car incident being 'brake tampering'. When you read it there is no mention of sources. The few quotes from neighbours do not mention brakes. It was pure speculation.
The latest story in the same publication is more believable – stop laughing at the back! There is mention of sources. Apparently there has indeed been an arrest, confirmed by the police. The PI volunteered going to the police because he was worried about the brake tampering allegations. I didn't read the journalist saying "That was us! That was us!"
At the end of the day rival fans can sleep easy, the inference of dangerous sabotage was unfounded. Scottish football's reputation is restored.
It's an astonishingly perverted SMSM when the off-field affairs of footballers can grab front page headlines while the lies and corruption of the Governance board in the propagation of the sporting myths [that RFC of 1872 were entitled to a UEFA competitions licence in 20112 and that TRFC ,created in 2012, is somehow 140-odd years old!] are investigated and reported on.
Let's see, say,Gordon Blackstock interviewing, say, Maxwell, like an investigative journalist like, say, Alex Thomson would interview him about the Res12 matter and the 5-Way Agreement and why SDM's cheating was not discovered by any ordinary, routine SFA internal checking mechanism (when eyebrows were first raised at the quality of players who were apparently accepting such relatively low wages)
Hey, Jimbo, great to see you back. Gies us a wee song
…Hmm, maybe no
Hiya Allyjambo, I was with my Jambo pal and his good lady yesterday. I often tell him what you and easy are saying.
We were talking about your new manager and how he will need time. I mentioned why is CL not off the premises yet? He agreed but reckons, according to what he has heard, AB is doing him a favour because he has a similar problem to Brian Rice.
I'll leave my songs to Sentinel Celts where I mostly post now!
Cheers.
Jimbo,
Echoing EJ's post above. Great to see you back. I've missed your insightful contributions; even the 'wee songs'.
You won't believe it! The latest is that the Private Investigator is ex Army and wait for it – a ST holder at Ibrox. Fair play to him at least he wasn't trying to endanger someone's life. I don't know the legalities of his efforts but if he is only being charged with a breach of the peace it must be pretty low down the chain.
I await all the apologies from various mouthpieces.
Cheers Mordecai, it's good to be back!
Big Pink 2nd February 2020 at 12:05
I was told on Friday that a particular player who is often in the news was the subject of an investigation into a spread-betting situation and that today’s papers would have details. Told this morning that publication was prevented by injunction. Was sceptical at first but is this perhaps a sideways allusion to that?
———————
Interesting. Do you know whether the player, the club he plays for, or the SFA applied for the injunction?
JohnClark@12.03
I suppose it’s a “value” judgement on what will sell more papers. The recent Profumo affair television series showed us that that the tabloids have never changed. The story should be why certain papers speculated wildly about the Lamborghini and thereby encouraged even more hysterical and libellous assertions on social media.
jimbo 2nd February 2020 at 15:12
'..I don't know the legalities of his efforts but if he is only being charged with a breach of the peace it must be pretty low down the chain…'
+++++++++++
And a welcome back from me, jimbo.
Anent your post, I spent an otherwise empty part of the morning trying to find out what kind of offence it might be to stick a tracking device on someone's car without their permission.
I found all kinds of interesting stuff that I hadn't known existed. For example, there is a 'Lawful basis interactive guidance tool' published on line by the Information Commissioner Scotland for use by folk whose official jobs(authorised) might require some detailed knowledge of the Data protection stuff as well as the law(in England) of trespass give rise to the need to collect data.
I couldn't take it all in, f course, but there can be criminal offences and civil offences involved if a person whether an 'official' or a private eye records personal data of people by remote tracking of them.
https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/gdpr-resources/lawful-basis-interactive-guidance-tool/
I suspect that our PI was maybe lucky that the polis /PF couldn't be ar.ed using the Data protection complicated stuff, and settled instead for an everyday breach of the peace!
Thanks John, I just wondered if his wife/partner giving permission might have compromised the illegality. (What's mine is yours etc.)
jimbo 2nd February 2020 at 16:12
'..What's mine is yours etc.'
++++++++++++
Ha,ha! The lawyers could have a wee discussion on the question of whether the family car belongs to both man and wife and whether either could give permission for the other to be tailed/tracked without their knowledge or permission.
jimbo 1st February 2020 at 22:49
……………
Never a stranger when someone remembers your name.
Ok i post one song. I now step back.
……………………………..
I’ll leave my songs to Sentinel Celts where I mostly post now!
……………………
So you have been playing away, i would check under your car on the way home;-)
C.O.
btw I almost kept in touch! I had a good blether with Big Pink about a year ago. He was in my local picking up a guitar. If you get the chance his group is well worth a listen. Moonrocks or Moonraker – my memory is terrible nowadays.
jimbo 2nd February 2020 at 19:06
I had a good blether with Big Pink about a year ago. He was in my local picking up a guitar. If you get the chance his group is well worth a listen. Moonrocks or Moonraker – my memory is terrible nowadays.
===================================
Big Pink is into "rock".
https://www.moonrocks.band/
(apologies for the advertising)
Cheers for that EJ looking forward to watching that later on esp. Cigarettes and Alcohol, but I'm watching the snooker final just now.
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/11925255/exclusive-morelos-on-racism-discipline-and-life-at-rangers
Disfrutate!
Jingso.Jimsie 3rd February 2020 at 11:29
'..Disfrutate!'
+++++++++++
Not exactly something to enjoy, Jingo.Jimsie, just another attempt by the media to try to tell us that a throat-slitting gesture meant 'it's over' or some such nonsense.
What next? A documentary about the incorruptibility and gold standard integrity of Scottish Football governance over the past 20 years or so?
That would be just about as believable as that 'interview' with Morelos.
There seems to be a lot of deflection going on and I cannot think it's to distract from Morelos' private life. Today's race card is scraping the barrel , is there a reason why we should feel sorry for this individual? Is he involved in the spread betting allegation ? Meanwhile we have now entered February and the "massive investment" hinted at by Alex Rae doesn't seem to have materialised . Maybe the corona virus has put investors on caution , the Chinese market was down 8% on opening today which may restrict Julian Wolhardt's ability to raise funds for vanity projects from far East speculators. Dave King is still listed as a Director at Companies House and his presence even from behind a curtain will not encourage external funding . The share issue mentioned at the AGM doesn't seem to be making any headway either. The transfer window didn't bring in the multi million offers suggested and wages saved by loaning players out were neutralised by those coming in. I'm sure the Close loan is due repayment in February , can they roll it over for another year ? Can they roll it over and increase it or will Close call time on this risky venture ? I believe they may just have ran out of road.
(A quick run through of moonrocks playlist – what excellent taste in music , none more so than Maid in Heaven by Be Bop Deluxe , a band I was lucky enough to see 3 times at the Apollo in Glasgow.)
TimTim
There’s a rough version of that on the FB page taken by a punter at a soundcheck.
Just read a post elsewhere listing 3 bad results for TRFC that had, in the immediate aftermath, 3 stories clearly seeking sympathy for Morelos/TRFC.
Drew 1-1 with Hearts at Tynecastle followed by claims Morelos was racially abused. Police and Hearts follow it up, nothing found to substantiate it (I'm not saying it didn't happen).
Beaten 2-1 by Hearts at Tynecastle followed by Lamborghini-gate that held strong insinuations it involved a Celtic supporter. Absolute nonsense.
Drew 0-0 with Aberdeen at Ibrox followed by media PR job including claims of racism aimed at Morelos (not specifically in that game).
Perhaps TRFC are not going to win the league, and it's everyone else to blame – for unsettling their prized 'asset'.
John Clark 3rd February 2020 at 11:58:
The ‘enjoyment’ isn’t in the content of the piece, but in deconstructing the purpose/need of TRFC to permit said (very rare) interview with ‘Puir Wee Elfie’ at this time.
So what was it: recent team performances, Lambogate, the Judicial Panel x2 on Thursday (which shouldn’t affect Morelos directly, I think), the Corona Virus preventing his transfer to China for gazillions, or something else that’s not yet in the public domain?
It’s a ‘scurius pucheranii’, if you will: deflection, but why now?
(Apologies. Much of my post has been covered by Allyjambo above. Must post faster!)
“Why now” is a pertinent question indeed. We are often advised to follow the money so I did and well to cut a long story short there isn’t any. We know there is a minimum 10m shortfall to see out the season , we know there are millions in outstanding transfer fees, we know they owe Close a minimum of 4m , we know they owe Ashley many millions , we know King can’t/won’t put any more money in , we suspect other Directors are tapped out , we know there were no substantial fees incoming during the transfer window, we know there is no movement on a share issue , we know that they have been spending more than they earn since inception. They had to meet the January wage bill as it fell due before the transfer window closed . They still had hope of domestic success and CL riches next year before Hearts and Aberdeen recently put a dent in that. The picture at the beginning of January was one filled with hope and possibility , the picture now is one of despair. As is normal down Ibrox way the toys are coming out the pram and the fingers are being pointed at everybody else.They say history doesn’t repeat but it rhymes so for the 14th of this month
“Faces are Red – invoices are to – stump up the cash – or it’s Sevco series 2 ” (apologies in advance)
If you haven’t listened to Sportsound this evening, then it’s worth listening to it on the podcast for Michael Stewart’s rant about James Traynor.
Allyjambo 3rd February 2020 at 15:43
'..Just read a post elsewhere listing 3 bad results for TRFC that had, in the immediate aftermath, 3 stories clearly seeking sympathy for Morelos/TRFC.'
+++++++++++
And I've just been listening to Michael Stewart debunking the 'Morelos as a victim ' myth', battling with McIntyre (useless as a 'chairman' because of his personal allegiances) and Darryl Broadfoot about the leaked story about tampering with brakes, and the Skysport interview with Morelos recorded last Friday being put out to get the Lamborghini story off the pages; and having a go at Traynor and his leaked stories that ,as it were, drum up PR business for him, and do damage to TRFC its image.
Listen back to Sportsound when you can.
‘Jim Traynor is a dangerous character ‘
Michael Stewart
A 'friend' of one of Scotland's most successful, be-knighted, businessmen? Surely not!
Allyjambo 3rd February 2020 at 15:43
'..Just read a post elsewhere listing 3 bad results for TRFC that had, in the immediate aftermath, 3 stories clearly seeking sympathy for Morelos/TRFC.'
====================
When I became aware of the latest Morelos racism claims this morning I was angry to the point that I hoped Celtic would respond to them. As the day wore on though I am glad they didn't. That is twice now the claim has been made that Morelos was racially abused at Celtic Park on 29th December, and no substantive evidence has ever been provided. There were TV microphones, Police and stewards everywhere, yet the only person to hear racism is someone who is unable to speak English. This comes hard on the heels of seeing absurd implications in the media that Celtic fans were attempting to harm Morelos and his family by tampering with the brakes on his car.
I am glad Celtic did not respond because I am sure that is exactly what Rangers want, and also because someone like Tom English would dive straight in with a 'let's stop the tit-for-tat' type article. I often see football writers complaining about the poisonous atmosphere surrounding Scottish Football, while completely ignoring the chief culprits behind it all. This is not two sides of the same coin. If Rangers PR are allowed to continue this vile campaign unchallenged, then who is to say what is going to happen if the more unhinged in our society allow it to influence their actions.
Timtim, yes indeed: Lambogate is a ridiculous story – but at least it's a useful distraction from a dire lack of readies down Govan way.
And, unlike 2012 when both Ibrox and Hampden reacted to events, and made things up as they went along – to accommodate an Ibrox club,
…this time should be no surprise whatsoever to anyone who has merely skimmed through the latest RIFC accounts.
And, it would seem reasonable to expect that Hampden and Ibrox have already discussed options and actions to deal with an insolvency event.
And, to sidestep awkward questions and those pesky Internet Bampots, their agreed solution – and accompanying PR assault in the SMSM – will be executed with indecent haste.
I would also guess that – perhaps a first – the Hampden blazers will have a comprehensive and detailed plan to rollout if and when required.
And as we know: the SFA & SPFL ARE the 42 senior clubs.
So, a question I would now be eager to ask Lawwell – who infamously claimed at the AGM to have never seen the 5WA – is this;
"Peter, forget about the 5WA.
But, can you tell the CFC fans if you – or anyone at CFC – have been involved in any discussions with representatives of the SFA, the SPFL or The Rangers in the last 12 months – to address how to deal with a potential insolvency event arising at Ibrox?"
Timtim 3rd February 2020 at 16:22
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“Why now” is a pertinent question indeed. We are often advised to follow the money so I did and well to cut a long story short there isn’t any. We know there is a minimum 10m shortfall to see out the season , we know there are millions in outstanding transfer fees, we know they owe Close a minimum of 4m , we know they owe Ashley many millions , we know King can’t/won’t put any more money in , we suspect other Directors are tapped out , we know there were no substantial fees incoming during the transfer window, we know there is no movement on a share issue , we know that they have been spending more than they earn since inception. They had to meet the January wage bill as it fell due before the transfer window closed . They still had hope of domestic success and CL riches next year before Hearts and Aberdeen recently put a dent in that. The picture at the beginning of January was one filled with hope and possibility , the picture now is one of despair. As is normal down Ibrox way the toys are coming out the pram and the fingers are being pointed at everybody else.They say history doesn’t repeat but it rhymes so for the 14th of this month
…………………
We know they still have enough cash to pay a dangerous character
@C1
There always seems to be enough cash to pay the Minister of Propaganda ,he's not someone you want to get on the wrong side of . I remember just before he took up a position at Ibrox he publicly stated
They’ll slip into liquidation within the next couple of weeks with a new company emerging but 140 years of history, triumph and tears, will have ended. No matter how Charles Green attempts to dress it up, a newco equals a new club. When the CVA was thrown out Rangers as we know them died.
Why do other journalists do his bidding ? Does he have the power to damage them ? Yes he is certainly a dangerous and imo nasty little man so is it any wonder his bills are settled ? You need a long straw to sit and sup with this character.
@Stevie BC 20:22
I have no doubt that should an insolvency event present itself then everything will be done to usher them back with the minimum of damage . They have already paved the way by excluding the clubs from having a say . What won't happen is Celtic or the SFA funding the shortfall to dig them out a hole , even if they wanted to the hole is now too deep.
I sent this little email to the FCA earlier today:
To:Complaints Scheme
3 Feb at 09:46
Dear Complaints Scheme,
It is now two months since I last heard from you about my complaint that the FCA may have breached its statutory duty in authorising a misleading IPO Prospectus.
May I have an update, please, on the action that the Authority has taken in respect of that complaint?
Yours sincerely,
me."
It was acknowledged by automated email.
I think the interim CEO needs to pull his socks up, or he will definitely not get the job permanently!
John, sounds like a supporting letter from your MP might help, if you are lucky enough to have an empathetic one!
They dare not ignore correspondence from an MP.
Even if your MP has no sympathy with your point raised they are duty bound to support you in the handling of your correspondence to a body like the FCA.
David Low@Heavidor3h
Four of us unrepentant types down here @ the Turnberry Hotel restaurant when in walk the RIFC board for a strategy meeting; sat down at the table next, looked up, stood up and left. Funny as ………. couldn’t make it up
=======================
Decisions, decisions, decisions to be made , but not in the present company, thanks!
.
Now why on earth would they be wary of David Low overhearing anything?
When I think about it they might have been interested in what David Low was speaking about!
EJ if you are still on. I was telling AJ that I was with my Jambo pal a few days ago. I mentioned that the new stand at Tynecastle looked pretty good. He went off on a rant! Costs spiralled out of control from £12m to £24 apparently. And it’s still not finished. He reckoned AB was instrumental in the joinery work being awarded to friend or family company and was a major factor in delays etc. I think there was much more to it than that.
My point to him was this. Major building and civil engineering works are guesswork. Fixed Price Contracts are the exception rather than the rule for that reason. Pricing the cost of a ‘Pre-Fab’ housing scheme would be easy. Most others are not. So they opt for ‘Cost Plus’ contracts.
I remember in the 1970s the first time I was aware of this. Ninewells Hospital. It was front page news how much dearer it ended up. Since then – take your pick. The Scottish Parliament Building. The HS2 railway line being the latest.
The ‘inflated’ cost of the new stand is par for the course! As Aberdeen FC will find out soon enough. Clever clubs will take the first estimate with a pinch of salt. Have in the back of your mind up to double.
I see BBC have departed from the norm and have yet to put up the Podcast of last night's Sportsound. For anyone who wants to hear the part of it where Michael Stewart gives it tight to Rangers PR tactics, see the link below. Macintyre and Broadfoot should just give up and spend Monday nights in the Louden Tavern, where they will find plenty of like minded individuals.
As for Michael Stewart, I suspect he is now about to follow the same path as Jim Spence out of the BBC, such will be the volume of complaints, and no doubt threats coming down the line.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZEZXkr9OiM&t=328s
jimbo 4th February 2020 at 00:11
Now why on earth would they be wary of David Low overhearing anything?
================
Perhaps they didn't want him to hear them discussing the 'massive investment' coming Rangers way?
UTH@07.04
It seems pointless by me, at least, to try and limit the damage of that Sportsound broadcast by failing to put the podcast up since the horse has well and truly bolted. In the clip from the link above there seems to be some desperation by Daryl Broadfoot to play down Lambogate and continue to push the narrative that Senhõr Morelos is more sinned against than sinning. Kudos to Michael Stewart for telling it like it is and sticking to his guns. There is a dark parallel with what went on yesterday in Downing Street when the assembled Press Corp walked out because only a chosen few were deemed worthy enough to get restricted briefing from whoever presents this sort of stuff inside No. 10. In terms of Scottish football it is quite clear that Mr Broadfoot is one of the chosen few who can be trusted to remain “on message” The corollary of that is that Michael Stewart may find himself outside the tent looking in along with Jim Spence. If that does transpire then it would be a great coup for this site if Michael Stewart could provide some thoughts on this forum?
It is all about cash.
That is what pays the bills as the clock ticks on relentlessly.
The blue club don’t have enough revenue to cover their outgoings between now and the arrival of season book money.
They didn’t sell their big South American asset in the window even for the rumoured and inadequate agreed move-on fee.
They didn’t seem to make other inroads into their expenditures either.
So their moneymen and board have a few options not all mutually exclusive but all tricky enough to find a path through.
They need to talk and why not at Trump Turnberry while their credit is good.
They need to consider these (and maybe more)
1 Keep going and do nothing heading for the iceberg like before in 2011 /2012 (accepting that chaos is manageable when you are the much needed establishment club).
2 Squeeze their current directors and fans group even more to buy more confetti shares with the real threat of option 1 being the alternative.
3 Find new money from new directors (maybe even at the extreme end a trade sale with a new owner coming in to save the day)
4 Agree new commercial loans like the loan from Close Bros or another similar friendly loan shark in a suit.
5 Consider a pre-pack with the blessing of the authorities (and all the complicities that involves) – because it really is everybody else’s fault.
And it all comes back to cash because every month in the real world they have wages and bills to pay and not enough income to pay their current outgoings.
Whatever the Rangers board agree they will need their support to be on side.
All the victimhood stuff is making sense.
A few people are now dismissing the translated subtitles on the skysports interview with Morelos . This shouldn't be difficult to prove. If SkySports Scotland are literally putting words in his mouth then I would expect Celtic to throw the book at them for making false allegations. It would have been incredibly stupid not to think someone out there could translate Spanish efficiently , it may come down to the level of desperation to deflect .
Regarding the cash required to see out the season.
Could a Hong Kong, or other consortium lend the money "secured" on El Duffalo???
If they, (TRFC and consortium) agree to a base value of £10 million and a loan provided for this amount, with a summer sale meeting the repayment. Any surplus e.g. £5 million if he is sold for £15 million, to be the reward for the risk taken, or even potentially split between the two parties.
Unusual scenario but nothing this club does would surprise me.
Before people lend money they want to be assured of the quality of the asset the loan is based on . In this instance they would want to assure themselves that there is no release clause if a set amount is offered . According to his agent there is and the price isn't very high . There is also the possibility of a loss of form or an injury that would reduce the valuation . This is also a legal minefield as it then involves dual or multiple claims of ownership of his contract so I would say the possibility of raising funds in this manner are unlikely. To date no offers have been received unless you believe the verbal offer of 20m from Beijing story that a BBC journalist claimed to have seen written evidence of. The opportunity to raise capital from players has passed until the summer transfer window opens .
jimbo 4th February 2020 at 00:44
EJ if you are still on. I was telling AJ that I was with my Jambo pal a few days ago. I mentioned that the new stand at Tynecastle looked pretty good. He went off on a rant! Costs spiralled out of control from £12m to £24 apparently. And it’s still not finished. He reckoned AB was instrumental in the joinery work being awarded to friend or family company and was a major factor in delays etc. I think there was much more to it than that.
My point to him was this. Major building and civil engineering works are guesswork. Fixed Price Contracts are the exception rather than the rule for that reason. Pricing the cost of a ‘Pre-Fab’ housing scheme would be easy. Most others are not. So they opt for ‘Cost Plus’ contracts.
==================================
There are a number of people who share the same concerns as your "Jambo pal", including myself.
The original budget for the Tynecastle redevelopment program was £11m, with a £1m contingency (the project involved more than just the stand). That £12m was quoted by Ann Budge at the club's AGM in December 2016. The budget went up to £15m a year later (it was meant to have been completed by then). The following year the figure was £20.7m. The club didn't announce a figure at the last AGM in December 2019, but you could work out that the spend to date was £21.6m (with the fit out of the second floor still to be completed). I personally asked Ann Budge at the AGM how much it would take to complete the fit out. She advised £1.5m, so that will take the total up to at least £23.1m.
We are all acutely aware that budgets and final prices can vary enormously, but a project that was meant to be completed within a year has now reached 4 years and is still incomplete. You would have thought that within that first year you would now have a proper handle on the price and time scales. There has been nothing from Ann Budge to explain the cost overrun, other that to say that she has improved the spec on some items and added other items to the project. There has been no admission that they got anything wrong, although it is known that some things in the original spec have been dropped or replaced by a lower cost option. There were also changes to key personnel during the project. Mistakes were made, such as the club failing to order the seats. Why the "club" should be ordering stuff in a project of that nature is beyond me. I think the club probably thought it was doing it on the cheap by taking on some of the project management itself.
The club was poorly advised about costs and timescales from the off and has contributed to the project's mismanagement itself.
On the budget side, the escalating cost of the development has only been met form donations from benefactors amounting to at least £6.75m (originally £3m). Additional funds have come from the club's own resources, estimated at £7.7m (originally £3m), which has restricted spending in other areas including the first team, plus a loan facility from Ann Budge herself.
It will probably take at least another couple of years to raise any further funds required and pay off Ann Budge, during which the spending of the team will continue to be compromised.
Your pal's concern about contracts being awarded to family members is also valid and shared by myself. The main fit-out works were awarded, we are told "by structured tender", to Ann Budge's brother's company. However, I know from someone working in a senior role in the project, that some of the works did not go through a tender process because of time constraints. Fair enough if the tender process was transparent and fair, but £6.1m has been paid to his company to date. A check on his accounts at Companies House suggest that he has never undertaken anything on this scale before. Now, it may be that the club has received good value from the contract, but there is no way of knowing whether or not that is true. The upshot, is that suspicions remain that the contract was awarded because of who it was, rather than on a best for the club basis.
That's my rant over.
'Timtim 4th February 2020 at 11:19
…The opportunity to raise capital from players has passed until the summer transfer window opens.'
####################################
Plenty of transfer windows still open worldwide according to the FIFA list:
https://resources.fifa.com/image/upload/transfer-window-calendar.pdf?cloudid=jdhfjn1zhxbwezpl5fzc
There's still hope!
https://thecelticstar.com/disgraceful-manipulation-sky-sports-accused-of-a-completely-invented-translation/#.XjlUk3cjlNQ.twitter
A link to the allegations of the mistranslation.
Good rant EJ , where there's money there's corruption and nepotism is rarely the most effective business model
Fair point Jingso , who knows , the Bhutanese Premiera may yet ride to the rescue. ( I did say on twitter to prepare for a late flurry of interest from Russia and China) I will change from opportunity passed to chances are now very slim.
If anyone is waiting for the podcast from last night's Sportsound, here is a youtube clip of the relevant bits.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=KZEZXkr9OiM&feature=emb_logo
EJ, thanks for that reply. Andy (my pal) is an honest and clever man but I thought he might have been over-egging it a bit because of his emotional ties to Hearts. But it would seem not!
The whole thing should have been project managed with the club just looking over their shoulders in terms of costs and timescales etc. Club executives should be at arms length, they don’t have the expertise. Celtic suffer from the same problem with PL acting like a Director of Football. There are many other issues he should be dealing with. Like at Hampden.
The "podcast" issue seems to be escalating. The BBC still haven't put it up. The Daily Record has complained to the BBC that Michael Stewart was wrong in his assertion that the paper ran the brake tampering story. That could be the reason for the non publication, unless Rangers themselves have made a similar request.
I suspect MS might be in receipt of a lawyer's letter before too long, or perhaps suspended by the BBC pending further investigations.
To add further fuel to the fire, Graham Spiers has added his tuppenceworth.
Graham Spiers@GrahamSpiers1h
What Rangers FC could do with a young, modern, creative PR guru instead of an old blowhard 40 years in the business harbouring deep-seated grudges against sections of the media. A disaster.
Sorry EJ, I meant to add, the Club should have employed a Quantity Surveyor on a consultancy basis to act on their behalf to watch over costs and contract obligations.
I wondered about that myself when Michael Stewart mentioned the Record. I thought it was the Scottish Sun.
I'm wondering with the Michael Stewart outburst and now Spiers, is the tide turning against traynor? if so, not before time in my opinion
'easyJambo 4th February 2020 at 12:30
….The Daily Record has complained to the BBC that Michael Stewart was wrong in his assertion that the paper ran the brake tampering story…'
#########################
As an aside to the above; the Daily Record has a piece timed at 2150 yesterday which states that Morelos has told a Colombian radio station that he thought, 'the person was trying to sabotage his car by tampering with the brakes':
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/rangers-alfredo-morelos-claims-my-21423944
I don't know if that radio interview has been referenced by any other blatt.
easyJambo 3rd February 2020 at 23:52 David Low@Heavidor3h Four of us unrepentant types down here @ the Turnberry Hotel restaurant when in walk the RIFC board for a strategy meeting; sat down at the table next, looked up, stood up and left. Funny as ………. couldn’t make it up ======================= Decisions, decisions, decisions to be made , but not in the present company, thanks!
__________
Not so surprising that the TRFC board walked out on noticing a well know Celtic man, much more surprising that the TRFC board members should find it necessary to hold a meeting (or something that DL's presence caused them so much concern) in such a public, but not so public as to be anonymous, place. Could they possibly be discussing something so serious that they are afraid to be overheard by the Ibrox mole? (If, indeed, one does exist.)
I'm genuinely bemused by the need in the first place to hold a board meeting (or a meeting of board members) so far from the boardroom, while, at the same time, holding it in such a public (ok, not available to Joe Public) place, where not only fellow diners but ever nosey waiters are there to hang onto every juicy word uttered.
Are the ears on Ibrox walls so big and sensitive?
Allyjambo 4th February 2020 at 16:06:
Even stranger when you consider that Trump Turnberry can offer private dining facilities (the Trump Boardroom) for up to ten people.
Then again, perhaps their Christmas vouchers weren't valid for that option!
Here's the view of a journalist who covers South American football. I assume he is fluent in Spanish.
Simon Edwards@SimonEdwardsSAF
South American football journalist. Colombia expert for @WorldFootballi Copa Libertadores & South American Football Show. Luxury #10, Paisa chiviado, Mono.
Simon Edwards@SimonEdwardsSAF
What Morelos actually says in this interview:
"There have been a lot of racist gestures towards me. Including in Aberdeen with my mum, she was with me & they threw coins, threw everything. Sometimes when I celebrate goals in away games"
"But no, I am a person who moves forward. Who doesn't stop… who doesn't pay much attention because the truth is it is my work and it's my passion to score goals and I know the others fans won't like that".
"Are you ever worried about your safety?"
"I don't know what they wanted to do, I don't know what they are going to do. They hadn't done what they wanted. If I hadn't noticed that the kid was under the car I don't know what could have happened"
In the interview he doesn’t once mention Celtic specifically but rather points to the racism & abuse he has received from away fans during his time in Scotland In passing he mentions one incident where his mother was in the ground playing against Aberdeen
Despite never once mentioning Celtic in the interview, every article has taken the inaccurate translation and lead with ‘Morelos slams racist Celtic’. The racist incidents are serious and it needs to be reported but this is a complete distortion of what was said or intended.
A wee thought on Turnberrygate.
While it might be interesting to know which RIFC/TRFC board members were present, it would be even more interesting to know which board members were missing (DK obviously).
Oh, does anyone know if a rather portly PR man was seen at the restaurant door instructing those staunchest of the staunch to leave? You know, just as an early era TRFC manager was unceremoniously hauled (metaphorically speaking) from an Ibrox press conference!
I suspect it's a close one, but would I be wrong to suggest that using racism as a slur against a person, business or football supporters is in the same ball park as those who would shout out those vile racist remarks? I'm not in any way downplaying the disgusting behaviour of racists, whether within football or society as a whole, but rather questioning the morality of those ever ready to use it to stigmatize sections of society they view as not their own.
Anyone got access to a copy of Saturday's Daily Record (I know, I know).
Jim Craig asked me to buy a copy and scan his column, but I forgot. He's in NZ right now so cant get it himself
Now Celtic has their say in a spat with Sky Sports translation.
http://www.celticfc.net/news/17492
The article starts:
Sky Sports have apparently now taken the Morelos interview down from their website. Celtic’s call for clarification raises really serious issues. It is fair to assume Celtic have employed a language expert to get a translation of what Morelos said. If Sky have deliberately put comments up on the subtitles Morelos did not actually say then where on earth does that leave them as a broadcaster, and who was responsible for it?
upthehoops 4th February 2020 at 18:41
============================
The Daily Record has put up a full translation and compared it to what Sky put up in its subtitles.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/what-rangers-star-alfredo-morelos-21428201.amp?__twitter_impression=true
Big Pink
I have a copy of Jim's article (the wife buys 'The Ha'penny Liar' on a Saturday for the crossword – honest boss!), but I wouldn't know how to get it to you!
Bect67
If you can take a photo of it send it to bigpink@sfm.scot?
easyJambo 4th February 2020 at 18:45
———————————————–
The difference in what the Daily Record translation says compared to what Sky said is significant. Did Sky simply accept a 'translation' from someone???????
So BBC Sportsound starts with an apology to Jim Traynor! Heaven help us. Then go on to discuss at length the pundits anguish at LG not getting a retrospective red card.
What about the huge media story that Sky are up to their necks in it? Sky have had to pull the dishonestly presented interview with Morelos. Bearing in mind that accusations of racist stuff against Morelos by Celtic fans was a hot topic last night, words fail me.
Not deemed to be newsworthy? Not worth a comment or two?
Having just listened to the Sportsound audio above;
the fact that the PR person himself is the focus – rather than his Client’s business – tells you all you need to know about his PR management skills, IMO.
Karma would be a large bloke falling on his Gladius…!
The sad thing is Traynor will be loving this. There’s no such thing as bad publicity etc.
And here’s me contributing to it!
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1224419268575612930/pu/vid/1280×720/uqYRYpakIu9OwMGv.mp4?tag=10
Tony that sounds like a more honest interpretation!
jmbo
lol,my mate sent me it
Michael Stewart
@mstewart_23
Impossible to thank everyone who has been in touch today, it’s been incredible the variety of people who’ve been in contact, but I appreciate every word of support and encouragement. I’ll keep saying it as I see it 1/2
Michael Stewart
@mstewart_23
Imposible agradecer a todos los que han estado en contacto hoy, ha sido increíble la variedad de personas que han estado en contacto, pero agradezco cada palabra de apoyo y aliento. Seguiré diciéndolo tal como lo veo. 2/2
top trolling
Knicked from reddit
Daily Record – New twist in Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos' interview scandal as Sky distance themselves from translation
u/sjekky10m
Another surprising twist! I wonder who it was that controlled the translation and subtitling of an interview with Rangers star player by a Rangers supporting journalist in Rangers training complex. We'll just have to hope that story comes out down the line!
From the BBC:
"On this occasion we did not adhere to our editorial values and standards and we have reminded those concerned of their responsibility to follow our guidelines while working for the BBC."
I would simply say that BBC radio Scotland in relation to the death of Rangers FC of 1872 has insistently and consistently fostered and propagated the absurd Lie created by the lying Governance body of Scottish Football; and therefore has the editorial values and standards of a Josef Goebbels.
Like the creature to whom they now apologise, they initially spoke Truth: but when pressure was applied or personal advantage beckoned they sold their souls like the vilest turncoats in history.
And have for seven years supported and propagated the most risible untruth that RFC of 1872 did not cease to exist as a football club eligible to play in Scottish professional (or even amateur!) football.
The rot , of course, is at the top.
Everyday programme presenters are small fry obeying orders ( as thousands of Nazis claimed as their defence-didn't make them good persons, and it does not make the everyday programme producers and presenters 'good persons' but , in my opinion, moral cowards.
It's the big bad moral Quislings at the top of the BBC in Scotland that should be hunted out: the ones who did not have the courage to stand up to the bloody nonsense they got from the now defunct Editorial Board, and who now like Nazi gauleiters collaborate in the lying propaganda and make their underlings do the same.
My contempt for such knows no depths, and no bounds.
And I cast their hypocritical cant about editorial values and standards back in their lying faces.
To think we pay their wages!
I have my doubts that Sky produced either the Morelos interview or the translation, the whole thing seems quite amateurish, and note that PMGB has heard that it was given to Sky by Morelos' agent.
It doesn't seem to me to be something an agent would put together, either, off his own bat as it serves no purpose in that it hardly increases his client's standing or value. It's more like something either put together by TRFC or by someone acting, or thinking he was acting, on their behalf, then given to Morelos' agent to pass to Sky. Plus, of course, he's wearing his TRFC t-shirt and it looks like it's been recorded at Auchenhowie, so certainly it's been given the club's OK (I nearly said 'blessing'
).
In truth, the dodgy translation, itself, doesn't make Morelos appear any better a person, or better footballer, than the more accurate one and I can't imagine what the agent could gain by such an obvious misinterpretation. Did the person, people or company that put it together not realise that there are people out there who can speak both Spanish and English perfectly?
Regardless of whose cock up this is it appears Morelos is being used in some game he is probably not aware he is participating in. That's two rather extreme PR disasters in less than a week, one that involved a situation that would have been better, for Morelos, to have been kept quiet, and another straight out of Comedy Central.
If TRFC did comedy…they'd still be losing money
tony 4th February 2020 at 23:13
'…I wonder who it was that controlled the translation and subtitling of an interview with Rangers star player by a Rangers supporting journalist in Rangers training complex. '
++++++++++++++
That question reminded me of Caroline Aherne's famous question to Debbie McGee, Paul Daniel's partner: " So what attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?'
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/caroline-aherne-dead-mrs-merton-debbie-mcgee-what-attracted-you-to-millionaire-paul-daniels-a7115801.html
The answer was/is kind of obvious!
'Allyjambo 4th February 2020 at 23:26
'..Regardless of whose cock up this is …'
+++++++++++++
As you say, Allyjambo, TRFC PR has been well and truly shafted!
Oops, am I dyslexic? Word order can be a problem.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51368596
Coincidence or what? But the BBC, those bastions of truth, are running a story that starts –
'Rangers manager Steven Gerrard hopes the racial slurs Alfredo Morelos says he has been subjected to will not drive the striker out of Scottish football.'
and goes on at some length about poor Morelos and his claims of racist insults – obviously from supporters of every team (but by insinuation Celtic supporters) bar TRFC, who are, of course, the good guys when it comes to racism.
Does anyone else feel this is beginning to look like a pre-conceived, concerted campaign to make TRFC look better/innocent in comparison with other clubs' supporters and one club's supporters in particular? Pre-conceived and concerted, maybe, but not at all planned well!
If TRFC did bogitry and racism…Oh wait!
The interview was carried out by Craig Slater a Sky Sports reporter. Regardless of who did the actual subtitling it was in the hands of Sky, it was their responsibility. Whether an employee or someone brought in, it’s their baby. They broadcast it with their name on it. The bigger question is WHY? What was the agenda? Who’s agenda?
That was not a poor translation. That was mischief making to put it mildly.
The Evening Times has a rather controversial headline based on what is now being shown to be a badly translated interview.
Racists 0 Morelos 1.
Another statement from Celtic on the cards perhaps? I’m anticipating a whole new batch of court cases emanating from this mess. No need to reference the common denominator here.
John Clark
I think we all know, that's a couple of pr disasters lately, I think it's time for a so called pr guru to be relieved of his duties
Is that the throat cutting actions now forgot about as everyone focuses on the dodgy translation now? Job done it would appear
The bottom line is that Sky are responsible for what gets broadcast on Sky , saying that I would be surprised if they were responsible for this blatant smear attempt . Does his agent have access to editing facilities or ability to add subtitles ? I think it more likely that someone involved in Rangers* PR Dept with access to facilities at say Rangers* TV could have prepared the video then handed it to an unsuspecting SkySports producer for airing. Traynor isn't the type to retire quietly into the night , and the band played on……….
Timtim
The guy at sky will end up being the fall guy for not checking and going on trust, he won't do that again
I have seen poor translations in the past. They are usually humorous, using slightly the wrong words but we know what they mean. That wasn't the case here. That translation was total fabrication in parts.
Allyjambo 4th February 2020 at 23:51
‘..Does anyone else feel this is beginning to look like a pre-conceived, concerted campaign to make TRFC look better/innocent in comparison with other clubs’ supporters and one club’s supporters in particular? ‘
I remember asking in a post a year or three/four/five years ago whether there was any journalistic sports reporting and analysis course in any of our universities or other academic institutions.
Answer was there none.
Our sports journalists are just like putty in the hands of those who give them some handout, which they faithfully reproduce in their ‘copy’, without any kind of questioning or hard analysis of what they are told.
Puff- puff PR stuff , for which they do no real journalism, but for which they get paid by the column inch ( or the modern day equivalent).
Betrayers of the essence of true journalism.
The bast..ds!
I have read several times on social media that the Morelos interview, and how it was translated was a 'PR disaster'. However, as we all know a lie can fly round the world twice before the truth gets out of bed. As far as many observers will still be concerned, Morelos suffered racist abuse as he left the pitch at Celtic Park on 29th December, and that has been the line getting pushed since a couple of days after the game. The BBC Scotland website makes no reference to the false translation of the interview, but has a big story about the Rangers Manager talking about the racial abuse Morelos gets, and how big a problem it is in Scotland. I am not saying for one minute there is no racial abuse dished out at football games in Scotland, but as yet there has been no evidence of any against Morelos, other than the line continually pushed by his club. This is a club of course who have had action taken against them this season by UEFA because of racist chanting by their fans.
In my view the tactics being employed by whoever is behind this latest issue work big style, and many casual observers will still believe Morelos suffers sustained racial abuse, and in particular at the game on the 29th. When the national broadcaster would rather issue an apology rather than even mention that the interview in question has seemingly been doctored we are in a very bad place. Unless Celtic are willing to take this inside a court it won't stop in my view.
With deflection shields in overdrive it’s easy for The Rangers fans to forget that their team dropped 5 points out of 6 in a week. This doesn’t by itself hand the league title to Celtic but certainly shows up the weaknesses in the The Rangers first team squad which is directly related to a shortage of funds. On a slightly different note I see that Andy Jackson (Hearts fan) is under fire on Twitter because he pointed out the bleedin’ obvious about Lambogate and the car crash interview.
On Monday an event of huge Scottish and UK significance happened.
I’m not referring to Michael Stewart being honest on the Radio Shortbread evening filler football debate.
No I’m referring to the cynical Trumpian decision by Boris and Dominic to exclude some left wing titles from a special press briefing.
I’ve since read that there was a righteous reaction and that the good southern based journalists like Laura Kuenssberg staged a walk out in protest.
You’d think that that would be news and we’d hear about it.
But no it seems to have been a non story to those who dictate what we get to hear about.
Well yesterday it was granddaughter day with a walk along the front into Leith to our favourite wee cafe with the best bacon rolls in the world.
As we sat down baby was asleep and I picked up the coffee shop’s copy of The Scottish Sun as some guy in a suit and tie had already picked up the local rag and it was a Hobson’s Choice of The Sun or nothing.
The paper was right behind the story …
It was easy to see the front page and inside DPS were coordinated and shouting with words leaping off the pages.
Was it righteous indignation about our journalists being kept out of a briefing at No 10 and the implications for Scotland?
No it was about The Sun’s take on a third party and as we now know hugely inaccurate translation of an interview with Scottish Football’s South American striker.
The Scottish Sun editor had really put his journalistic weight behind this huge and as he saw it a very necessary story.
Front page headline was “Alfie My Racism Hatred
Inside DPS was a few heads including Alfie’s anger at Sicko fans insults
But as wee Jimmy Cricket used to say – “Wait there’s more”…
The huge story also spilled into the sports pages first onto the back page “I was just telling hate mob the game was over” and the inside back page spread too with “Ref’s don’t treat me like other players”.
So 5 pages in the biggest selling Scottish and UK tabloid on a story based first on inaccurate translation and then enhanced and flavoured by inherent bias and a drive to attract a particular audience and fill space that could have criticised Boris and his cabal.
The most read and therefore important 5 pages in a title that is owned by a billionaire who doesn’t live in the UK and who doesn’t pay UK taxes.
5 pages of utter diatribe from named “journalists” who must know what they are doing is a charade.
My take on it all is we live in a society where truth is not always welcomed and where the media is manipulative to get particular messages across.
We know that because of how the media wagons have circled since the demise of Sir David.
This is a football blog so I won’t dwell on the ethics of Boris and Dominic deciding only on briefing and working with complicit media titles but this trend has been the reality in Scottish Football for years.
It is going to get worse in this era of post truth and truths.
We have never more needed the Michael Stewarts, Jim Spences and John Clarks of this world.
Finloch
Part of the reason social media outlets are taking over from the print media is that the costly news gathering activity of the press has been replaced by cut’n’paste drivel from PR and succulent opinion.
We are not a match for the news gathering capacity of old, but we at least tregard the spin doctors sceptically and often intelligently. And of course we are equally (at least) qualified to express our opinions.
Ultimately, cost cutting on their core activity, and lowering the bar for entry to journalism ( also to cut costs) has done for the print media. Only a matter of time now.
As I asked previously , is there not a potential UEFA charge for racist chanting by TRFC fans in Porto to be considered in February , deferred as it happened only a week before a sold-out game at Ibrox ? Maybe trying to show the behaviour is the norm in Scotland ? And I think Morelos is refereed differently from other players in Scotland – he gets more latitude than Scott Brown .
Big Pink 5th February 2020 at 08:39
Finloch
Part of the reason social media outlets are taking over from the print media is that the costly news gathering activity of the press has been replaced by cut’n’paste drivel from PR and succulent opinion.
We are not a match for the news gathering capacity of old, but we at least tregard the spin doctors sceptically and often intelligently. And of course we are equally (at least) qualified to express our opinions.
Ultimately, cost cutting on their core activity, and lowering the bar for entry to journalism ( also to cut costs) has done for the print media. Only a matter of time now.
_________________
I think you are being way too kind on the media, BP. There is far more at play in their selective reporting than costs or incompetency/copy and paste. They are deliberately ignoring massive stories that would be easy and cheap to cover purely because it does not suit the owners of the various media outlets to have such truths exposed to the general public. Covering sport, pop music and banal beyond belief 'celebrities' is used to fill pages that should be full of the wrongdoings being perpetrated against us all, or, at least, against those of us not rich enough to enjoy the advantages of offshore accounts.
The media moguls, including the BBC, have their man/men in Downing Street, and they intend to keep him/them there to protect their own selfish interests – for ever if they can. Similarly, their minions/representatives in Scotland have their football club chasing it's first major title, and they are going to publish/not publish whatever they think will help/hinder that club fulfil their joint dream.
This is, of course, not a political blog, but I find it impossible to ignore the more serious one sided symbiotic relationships of the media within politics as well as within Scottish football. In some ways the similarity of the media coverage of the Rangers Saga and UK politics of the past few years makes me think the media used the cheating, dishonesty and collapse of Rangers, with the subsequent emergence of TRFC, as a testing ground for their plans to get their man into power. Sadly, it worked.
PS I enjoyed Finloch's original post on the subject, and agree with what he says in it.
I've just listened to the BBC's Sportsound intro last night when James Traynor was given an apology on the basis the previous night's discussion "was not fair and balanced" and didn't give Mr Traynor "an opportunity to respond".
Having listened to the previous night's discussion (without the help of the BBC) I can only concur that it was not fair and balanced. On one side we heard Michael Stewart telling the truth and on the other side we heard Kenny McIntyre and Darryl 'I Used To Be The SFA' Broadfoot blustering and deflecting. To be fair and balanced there should have been at least one more contributor telling the truth.
So far as being given an apology for being the subject of discussion without being given "an opportunity to respond" is concerned I'm confused.
I'm fairly sure that after the apology to a pillar of society whose reputation and public standing might be lowered there was a discussion which did not include "Well, Leigh, we say you're Guilty of Common Law Assault and the SFA are wrong not to hammer you. This is your opportunity to respond. If we didn't give you this opportunity it wouldn't be fair or balanced." Or can we expect an apology tonight in exactly the same words with the name Traynor being replaced by Griffiths? If not why not?
I don't pretend to understand how PR works but it's certainly made me totally forget all about how one club goes about its business. I don't remember a translation of an interview which cast fans as racists. Or press reports that someone tried to get under a car for sabotage purposes (by the reporting Police Scotland might want a word with Hen Broon; last known address Glebe Street). Or press reports that if anything was being sabotaged it was a marriage. Or the Manager of a club which has already been sanctioned (and still has cases outstanding?) for racism lecturing us that racism is A Bad Thing. Or a club Statement five weeks ago alleging racism which has been followed by zero evidence. Or two players playing Give Us A Clue; one miming a headshot and the other miming throatslitting. Or Court actions where the only constant is one club's bad faith. Or…I can't remember how many things I can't remember.
Some might think it's not fair and balanced but so long as they keep telling lies about us we'll keep telling the truth about them.
The BBC are reporting FOH are to become the majority shareholder in their club in April of this year. The fans actions and success in safeguarding Heart of Midlothian F.C.from any future exploitation is to be appluaded and envied.I did think I read on the blog earlier from either EJ or ALLY that there were some reservations to be had with regard to the leadership of the club after Ann Budge steps down. Would appreciate a quick catch up on Hearts fans thoughts on this if possible.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51383726
'Not fair and balanced'. Is that not a phrase the BBC have used before to ensure the 'Rangers' point of view is never challenged? I'm sure it will have been used (though not necessarily publicly) many times but the one that sticks out in my mind most is the time the late Paul McConville was invited onto BBC Radio Scotland to discuss things 'Rangers' and his invite was cancelled because the Real Rangers Man he was to debate with was suddenly unavailable (chickened out in reality). They cancelled his invite, according to them, because it would not now be a 'fair and balanced' discussion – and he was never invited on again. And yet, to this day, BBC Scotland is more than happy to fill its studios with ex-Rangers players and current supporters as was evident even in the broadcast in question.
Balance at BBC Scotland clearly means 'many more Rangers men present than all other clubs put together'.
While I very much doubt BBC Scotland are in any way concerned to keep things 'fair and balanced' where Scottish football is concerned, I'm pretty certain the following excerpt from their statement is genuine.
"On this occasion we did not adhere to our editorial values and standards and we have reminded those concerned of their responsibility to follow our guidelines while working for the BBC."
The question remains, though, what are these 'editorial values and standards' and 'guidelines' that seem to favour one club, and one club only, as Lugosi has so ably demonstrated above?
It's very much the case that what's good for the goose is good for the gander at BBC Scotland – where the goose = 'Rangers' of the day and the gander = BBC Scotland.
I’m really confused now. Is that the same BBC who are banned sine die from Ibrox and it’s environs and who are now falling over themselves to apologise for someone telling the truth on one of their (BBC) programmes?
In previous posts the link between The Sun and the establishment was highlighted. It’s just a coincidence I’m sure, that The Sun and SKY are owned by the same people.
Finloch 5th February 2020 at 08:29
'..we live in a society where truth is not always welcomed and where the media is manipulative to get particular messages across.
We know that because of how the media wagons have circled since the demise of Sir David.'
+++++++++++++++++
'The Scotsman' , Finloch, has an editorial this morning with the headline "Government cannot blacklist journalists"
The last paragraph of it reads:
" And it is a challenge to the freedom of the press that journalists must stand against. The alternative is to take an immoral, dishonest path towards providing increasingly obsequious coverage in the hope of avoiding being added to the blacklist"
What else, I ask the author of the editorial, has the SMSM been doing in the matter of Scottish football reporting other "take an immoral, dishonest path towards providing increasingly obsequious coverage" of the worst act of sports governance cheating Scottish Football has experienced by not only failing to denounce the 5-Way Agreement and the liars and cheats who were party to that but positively supporting and propagating on a daily basis the myth those wicked men created?
I suggest that the nameless author of that 'Editorial' is expressing nothing other than canting hypocrisy when he speaks of the British main-stream media sending a message to Government that it "will not collude in populist " tactics. There's not a newspaper in Scotland that tells the truth, the actual factual truth that the Rangers FC of 1872 died, and that TRFC is new kid on the block , with no sporting history of its own going back further than 2012.
Collusion in populism?
Unquestionably.
You have to laugh.
Whilst the print media is racing to the gutter with ultra-dumbed down content,
the BBC seems to regard itself as a bastion of truth in global media.
But, it's just the same as the other MSM outlets – just bigger, costlier and with a guaranteed income stream.
And we have all observed how cowardly the BBC in Scotland has covered mere football since 2012, in particular.
The reaction to Michael Stewart is simply another reason to mistrust the BBC… in a long list of more significant reasons to mistrust the State broadcaster.
AJ/EJ …..or anyone else.
I heard something in Edinburgh today regarding the new stand at Tynecastle.
Do either of you know if this is true?
It was mentioned to me today that although the stand belongs to Hearts, the corporate suites
will in some context "belong" to Ann Budge either in part or entirely.
????????
hs
https://www.channel4.com/news/by/alex-thomson/blogs/succulent-lamb-rack
Plus ça change. From 2013.
gunnerb 5th February 2020 at 12:19
The BBC are reporting FOH are to become the majority shareholder in their club in April of this year. The fans actions and success in safeguarding Heart of Midlothian F.C.from any future exploitation is to be appluaded and envied.I did think I read on the blog earlier from either EJ or ALLY that there were some reservations to be had with regard to the leadership of the club after Ann Budge steps down. Would appreciate a quick catch up on Hearts fans thoughts on this if possible.
===================================
As far as we know Ann Budge will not be stepping down in the immediate future. Personally, I expect her to stay on as Chairman or CEO or both, for another year.
I think most fans are comfortable with the proposed future structure, going by the overwhelming vote at the FOH AGM on the future governance arrangements for both FOH and the Club.
I am probably unrepresentative of the average fan in that I have expressed reservations about a number of governance issues, not least, the future structure of FOH re the ownership of the club, their membership model, no control over the future use of pledgers funds by the club, the lack of a cap on FOH's internal spending, a "hands off" relationship with the club rather than an arms length arrangement, the absence of a fans voice (FOH will not comment on football matters), a super majority voting requirement over key decisions like the sale of shares or Tynecastle. My concerns have largely been rejected by FOH's governance working party, but that was their choice and their recommendations have the support of a majority of the members.
Basically it will be business as usual for the club. FOH will retain their two places on the Club Board. The club will continue to operate independently of FOH, although welcoming the £1.4m in cash donations from FOH each year.
Ann Budge has surrounded herself by people she trusts or that she knows from her business days. It has proved to be both a strength and a weakness. She has certainly made a difference in the club's off field activities, but her excessive loyalty to Craig Levein has seen the club's on field performance deteriorate in successive years, from 3rd in 2016, to 5th, 6th, 6th and currently 11th. Those failings have resulted in a growing but vocal minority hoping that she will go sooner rather than later.
Once FOH takes over as majority shareholder, Ann Budge will retain a residual holding of approx 17.4%. I expect that she will use that stake to ensure that her interests are protected and that she will continue to influence the appointments to the Club Board once she finally steps down.
To date, FOH has handed over £9.45m since May 2014, made up of £2.4m to repay Ann Budge's loan, £1m to repay Ann Budge's professional costs and football creditors from the CVA, £3m towards the stadium redevelopment and £3.05M in working capital. All future funds raised will be spent at the discretion of the club and as such should be considered additional working capital.
It appears that the Morelos Sky Sports interview and the subtitles accompanying it were supplied by TRFC. Given the nature of the lies in the "mistranslation" and the attempt to smear ALL Scottish clubs with the charge of racism should there not now be a complaint to the SFA against TRFC for failing to act in good faith toward other clubs?
I believe there is a specific disciplinary section dealing with not acting in good faith toward other clubs and the penalties, if found guilty, can be severe. (JC will know more)
It's a serious charge but surely there comes a point when ALL clubs, not just Celtic, need to stand up to the bully and stop the game being dragged further into the gutter.
Celtic and Hamilton to face Scottish FA charge for not acting in 'orderly fashion'
53 minutes agoFrom the sectionScottish Premiership
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Alex Gogic and Leigh Griffiths clashed after the Celtic striker's tangle with Sam Woods
Alex Gogic and Leigh Griffiths clashed after the Celtic striker's tangle with Sam Woods
Celtic and Hamilton Academical will be charged by the Scottish FA for failing to act "in an orderly fashion" during Sunday's Scottish Premiership game.
It relates to a first-half incident when players from each team surrounded referee Nick Walsh after Leigh Griffiths stood on Accies' Sam Woods.
Celtic striker Griffiths and Hamilton defender Alex Gogic pushed each other after the challenge and were booked.
The clubs face a hearing at Hampden on 20 February.
Lennon backs Griffiths over challenge
'No debate Griffiths should have had red'
Celtic seven points clear after late goals
If found guilty, each could face a fine ranging from £2,500 to £20,000.
The clubs will be charged under disciplinary rule 204 which states players and staff must "conduct themselves in an orderly fashion at all times" and refrain from "confrontation" and "conduct likely to lead to or to exacerbate or prolong a hostile or argumentative situation".
Premiership leaders Celtic won the match 4-1 at Hamilton's Fountain of Youth Stadium, with Griffiths avoiding further punishment for his tangle with Woods, which happened when the game was goalless.
The Griffiths incident was referred by Scottish FA compliance offer Clare Whyte to a three-man panel of former referees, who did not agree it was a red-card offence.
Hamilton were later reduced to 10 men in the first half when Jamie Hamilton received a straight red for a last-man foul on Griffiths.
Bogs Dollox 5th February 2020 at 14:04
This. Without doubt, Bogs.
When Big Pink named this latest blog post I wonder if he knew just how prescient it was going to be! That these latest Ibrox mainly unsubstantiated claims/lies include all Scottish Premiership clubs (specifically at Celtic and Aberdeen) then all these clubs owe it to themselves, and their supporters, to insist on the most serious action being taken.
There can be absolutely no doubt that TRFC are trying to use racism to their own advantage. A disgusting action by any body, sporting or otherwise, but particularly so coming from one so steeped in its own particular brand of racism.
The question has to be asked; just how much can this club get away with? But they only get away with it because the media are 100% on their side, as the BBC has just proven.
Allyjambo 5th February 2020 at 12:22
Balance at BBC Scotland clearly means 'many more Rangers men present than all other clubs put together'.
—————————————————-
For every five men of honesty and integrity, we'll use ten unscrupulous revisionists???
tony 5th February 2020 at 14:20
—————————————–
Celtic has actually been cited on two similar charges, both of which will be heard on 20 February.
https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish-fa/football-governance/disciplinary/disciplinary-updates/
Charge 1:
Match: Partick Thistle FC v Celtic FC Date: Saturday 18 January 2020 Competition: Scottish Cup
Charge 2:
Match: Hamilton Academical FC v Celtic FC Date: Sunday 2 February 2020 Competition: Scottish Premiership
easyjambo
It's just getting ridiculous now, if celtic win this league the 10 in a row season will be crazy, I'm not paranoid enough
https://twitter.com/maroonajambo/status/1225113798639603712?s=21
Quelle surpris
Allyjambo 4th February 2020 at 23:26
I have my doubts that Sky produced either the Morelos interview or the translation, the whole thing seems quite amateurish, and note that PMGB has heard that it was given to Sky by Morelos' agent.
—————————————————-
I have no idea who was involved either Ally…..Honest !
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EP9wnTaX4AMdWda?format=jpg&name=small
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EP9O3f6XkAYyyyV?format=jpg&name=small
(time-stamped tweets lifted from ETims.)
Sky Sports News@SkySportsNews
Sky Sports News apologises for inaccuracies in Alfredo Morelos interview and publishes full, verified transcript
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11927058/alfredo-morelos-apology-correction-and-full-transcript-of-sky-sports-news-interview
EasyJambo@19.03
I wonder if The Sun will also print this? I’m not holding my breath.
So Sky apologise to Celtic AND Rangers for the Morelos interview translation, but don't explain who provided it. NOT good enough and the platform for more unsubstantiated poison to be released may well still exist.
…. and so it continues
Herald & Times Sport@HandTsport
Michael Stewart dropped by BBC after slamming Rangers chief Jim Traynor
https://glasgowtimes.co.uk/sport/18213869.michael-stewart-dropped-bbc-jim-traynor-comments/
easyjambo
what a bitter wee shithole we live in
tony 5th February 2020 at 19:51
easyjambo what a bitter wee shithole we live in
======
Or,
what bitter wee sh!tes live in our country…
StevieBC
think there are more of them,or at least what they have seem to control the narrative
A bit OT
We spoke the other day about Ashley getting on board, and i was looking for something when i came across this.
https://twitter.com/ClusterOne2/status/1225182726640238593/photo/1
Sorry it’s a bit late in the run of the blog, but i just thought i may as well post incase anyone is keeping track.
Bogs Dollox 5th February 2020 at 14:04
'…I believe there is a specific disciplinary section dealing with not acting in good faith toward other clubs and the penalties, if found guilty, can be severe.'
++++++++++++++++
Yes, Bogs Dollox, there is:
Article 5.1 (b) of the Articles of Association of the SFA states
'All members shall be subject to and shall comply
(a) with these articles
(b) with the Judicial Panel protocol.'
Article 5.2 (f) states ' [all members shall] behave towards the SFA and other members with the utmost good faith'
And the Judicial Panel Protocol at Section 1.3 has 'Members and Associated Persons shall comply with the Disciplinary Rules'
and the very first Rule in the protocol , Rule 1(f) ' behave towards the Scottish FA and other members with the utmost good faith.'
If found guilty of breaching that Rule the penalty is
'£100,000 and/or ejection/exclusion from the Scottish Cup and/or any player registration restrictions and/or suspension and/or Termination of membership and/or any sanction or disposal not expressly provided above, provided that such other sanctions are sanctions listed in respect of Paragraph 11.5 of this Protocol.'
Hypothetically, would a Compliance Officer consider,say, that a malicious attempt by a PR creature hired by one SPFL club, to malign and blacken the good name of another club by arranging for a fable spouted by a player of the first club to be videoed and for the video to be sent to a TV broadcasting company,was in breach of Rule 1(f)?
I suspect that no rational person could view such a dirty trick as anything other than being in breach of Rule 1(f).
I also suspect that if such a dirty trick ever was perpetrated , it would be a brave Compliance Officer indeed who would raise a 'Complaint'.
I further suspect that any club on whom such a dirty trick had been played would also be ready to avoid taking action to have the club that employed the PR creature acting on its behalf cited in a complaint.
Particularly if it's a club that has already failed to denounce the dirty 5-Way agreement and has meekly accepted the possibility of having been ripped off a good few million quid by the club represented by the same PR creature!
easyJambo 5th February 2020 at 19:41
'..Michael Stewart dropped by BBC..'
+++++++++++++++++
I wonder will we see any of our SMSM people speaking up about 'freedom of speech' ?
No, I don't wonder at all: I know that they will all sit in dumb complicity as an honest man ,who tells it as it is ,is hung out to dry by a thoroughly rotten BBC Scotland administration, propagandists as that publicly funded organisation has been for lies and deceit for at least the last seven years.
Honest to God.! that we should be paying the defenders of lies and deceit housed in Pacific Quay!
John Clark 6th February 2020 at 00:09
===================
The Sportscene host, Kenny Macintyre, runs it like a Rangers fans Podcast in my view, and is a huge part of the problem. Have the BBC really changed since the days of 'Blue' Peter Thomson, who was once thrown out of Celtic Park by Jock Stein? Archie Macpherson has spoken often enough of the bias that existed. No doubt we were all paranoid then as well!
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2020/02/05/defending-the-incomprehensible/
The last paragraph sums up the whole sleazy mess that is the Scottish mainstream media.
I am sure, that regardless of whatever entity created the Morelos interview, it won't have been TRFC, whether they created it or not.
By that, I mean, either some small unimportant person/production company will take the rap, or Sky will take it as they will view their relationship with TRFC as being too important to themselves and so be happy to take the very limited (for a company their size) fallout, thus cementing their relationship into something even slimier*.
*I was going to write 'stickier' to go with 'cementing' but then thought 'slimier' describes such a relationship in a more accurate way.
https://www.docdroid.net/bqIKbAa/revista-sabado-6feb2020.pdf
Dodgy deals in Portugal. Can anyone recommend a good translator?
A further statement from Celtic and a complaint to OFCOM
http://www.celticfc.net/news/17507
The statement starts:
It goes on to reproduce the letter of complaint.
Now we know why the RIFC Board was at Turnberry the other day ……… to establish a connection with Donald Trump.
Rangers Football Club@RangersFC
#RangersFC are delighted to announce luxury Scottish resort @TrumpTurnberry will join the club’s growing family of partners.
Learn More: https://rng.rs/2Sm5Ahj
easyJambo
i can see a letter from mr clark heading to turnberry
Think I'll give Turnberry a miss for week-ends away now. I'll stick with Gleneagles!
easyJambo 6th February 2020 at 13:30
'..Now we know why the RIFC Board was at Turnberry the other day'
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No more long weekends at Turnberry for me, then, and Porcini is off my Christmas card list.
Seriously, I note how cautiously worded Mr Porciani's statement is
"Turnberry and Rangers boast rich sporting legacies, each playing a significant role in the history of Scottish sport. Therefore, this felt like a natural partnership and an exciting way to kick off 2020."
As a cunning businessman he has left it to the reader to assume that he believes he is partnering with Rangers of 1872 rather than the new club called TRFC, so that he can avoid any accusation of lying to or misleading the public.
Maybe we will be entertained by the sight of oor Dave toadying to oor while caddying to someone so like himself.
Picture the scene in a court room somewhere in Scotland. The following characters are entirely fictional and any resemblance to actual persons is entirely coincidental.
JUDGE: The defender is accused of blackening the name of the Pursuer via publicly announced accusations of lying, bullying, manipulation and general skulduggery. How does he plead?
LAWYER1: Not guilty your honour.
JUDGE: Then what evidence does the Defender have to offer?
LAWYER1: The Pursuer has a well-documented history of lying. Indeed, his current occupation, just like his previous one, could accurately be described as ‘Purveyor of Untruths’.
JUDGE: Please provide the court with incontrovertible evidence of such lying and deceit.
LAWYER1: You will see from Document A before you that the Pursuer once stated as fact – “They’ll slip into liquidation within the next couple of weeks with a new company emerging but 140 years of history, triumph and tears, will have ended. No matter how Charles Green attempts to dress it up, a newco equals a new club. When the CVA was thrown out Rangers as we know them died.”
A short time later, the Pursuer stated – “But why is it that so many continue to write or broadcast that this club is a new club when it is the owners who are new? Is it a lack of basic intelligence or is it something more sinister?”
I’m sure your honour will agree with me that the Pursuer was lying, as both statements can’t possibly be true.
JUDGE: Lawyer2?
LAWYER2: Your honour, the Pursuer wasn’t lying, the statement my client originally made was based on the information as it was known at that time.
LAWYER1: Indeed, so my client wasn’t lying either when he made disparaging comments about the Pursuer. He was simply reporting the information as it was known at that time and he will update that information as soon as the Pursuer proves his innocence, if that ever happens.
JUDGE: Case dismissed.
easyJambo 6th February 2020 at 13:30:
Perfect synergy, I’d say: an ideal stop-off for the supporters’ buses coming & going from the ferry at Cairnryan (‘Can we use your lavvies? WATP*!’), not to mention Turnberry’s 5 stars will match up with the 5 above TRFC’s crest.
(*WATP in this sense of course stands for ‘We Are Turnberry People!’)
Jingso.Jimsie
we are trumps poodles
Tony, I love Trump, he's a super snooker player!
A Roger Mitchell tweet is suggesting that the most recent Celtic statement and complaint to Ofcom might damage the SKY deal re Scottish football. I don’t believe SKY is the object of Celtic’s ire just a means to an end.
Ex Ludo 6th February 2020 at 16:34 A Roger Mitchell tweet is suggesting that the most recent Celtic statement and complaint to Ofcom might damage the SKY deal re Scottish football. I don’t believe SKY is the object of Celtic’s ire just a means to an end.
____________________
I wonder if Roger Mitchell is suggesting that Celtic are somehow harming Scottish football by doing the right thing. If he is, it's yet another example of the protection Rangers got, continue to get even after death, and that which TRFC have had since their inception from all areas of Scottish football – particularly from its own governance, including ex-members of its governance and the Scottish media.
'Operation baton down the hatches of the SS Ibrox' may well have started. That's 'Operation No. who knows how many?'
AllyJambo@16.56
I can’t copy the link to the tweet in question but it is subtly suggesting that Celtic are putting the TV deal at risk.
Ex Ludo
here's hoping it is,they are brutal
Ex Ludo 6th February 2020 at 16:34 A Roger Mitchell tweet is suggesting that the most recent Celtic statement and complaint to Ofcom might damage the SKY deal re Scottish football
========================
Roger Mitchell
@RPMComo
Btw, Peter does well here. He needs to throw his weight around. I’d expect that. Also because the tv is marginal for Celtic. I’m however sure the other clubs are rather uncomfortable just now. Mr Comcast will be asking “who are these people up there? Do we really need them?”
Sky TV deal at risk?
Wouldn’t that be awful?!
Once again,
Fiat justitia ruat caelum!
(see what I did there, in Latin!)
Don’t want to be a grass, but…
Just watched the goals from the The Rangers v. Hibs game last night,
and the Ibrox pitch looks dreadful!
Patchy, bobbly, with brown spots – and looking more like a well used, municipal grass pitch after a long season.
Has King got rid of the groundstaff…?
StevieBC
never looked the same since they got rid of lee wallace
Stevie BC, Do you remember the pitches at this time of the year in the 60s & 70s? Todays grass pitches are ten times better. Even at their worst I prefer them to those excuse of pitches in use by Kilmarnock, Hamilton and Livingston. Shameful pitches. Embaressing.
Grass pitches? Jimbo you were obviously spoiled!
It was always nasty, skin removing blaes pitches for me until well into amateur footy!
Still got the scars to prove it too…
TRFC are not exactly strangers to Turnberry of course. Ally McC took the players there one Friday night en route to Stranraer during the heady days of that unstoppable surge up through the divisions when money was no object
Stevie BC, LOL , but you get my point!
Scottc, I remember, and they wonder where the money went?
The superiority complex.
Blagged from the Bears Den – I assume it's properly translated .
Disciplinary Tribunal Update | Michael Beale, Team Staff, Rangers FC
Thursday 6 February 2020
Alleged Party in Breach: Michael Beale, Team Staff, Rangers FC
Match: celtic FC v Rangers FC
Date: Sunday 29 December 2019
Competition: Scottish Premiership
Disciplinary Rule allegedly breached: Disciplinary Rule 203 – No member of Team Staff shall commit Misconduct at a match.
Principal hearing date: Thursday 6 February 2020
Outcome: Suspension of 5 matches applied as follows: 3 matches immediate and 2 matches suspended until the End of Season 2019/20
Disciplinary Tribunal Update | Thomas Culshaw, Team Staff, Rangers FC
Thursday 6 February 2020
Alleged Party in Breach: Thomas Culshaw, Team Staff, Rangers FC
Match: Hibernian FC v Rangers FC
Date: Friday 20 December 2019
Competition: Scottish Premiership
Disciplinary Rule allegedly breached: Disciplinary Rule 203 – No member of Team Staff shall commit Misconduct at a match.
Principal hearing date: Thursday 6 February 2020
Outcome: Suspension of 2 matches applied as follows: 1 match immediate and 1 match suspended until the End of Season 2019/20
Update: Notice of Complaint | Rangers FC
Thursday 6 February 2020
Alleged Party in Breach: Rangers FC
Charge 1:
Match: Hibernian FC v Rangers FC
Date: Friday 20 December 2019
Competition: Scottish Premiership
Disciplinary Rule allegedly breached: Disciplinary Rule 204 – All Clubs and recognised football bodies shall procure that its officials, Team Staff, employees and players conduct themselves in an orderly fashion at all times during and/or after a match. In particular, Clubs and recognised football bodies are responsible for ensuring that its officials, Team Staff, employees and players refrain from any one or a combination of the following: (a) becoming involved in a confrontation (b) conduct that is likely to lead to or to exacerbate or prolong a hostile or argumentative situation with players and/or team staff from the opposing team and/or match officials (c) conduct that may otherwise incite disorder.
Charge 2:
Match: celtic FC v Rangers FC
Date: Sunday 29 December 2019
Competition: Scottish Premiership
Disciplinary Rule allegedly breached: Disciplinary Rule 204 – All Clubs and recognised football bodies shall procure that its officials, Team Staff, employees and players conduct themselves in an orderly fashion at all times during and/or after a match. In particular, Clubs and recognised football bodies are responsible for ensuring that its officials, Team Staff, employees and players refrain from any one or a combination of the following: (a) becoming involved in a confrontation (b) conduct that is likely to lead to or to exacerbate or prolong a hostile or argumentative situation with players and/or team staff from the opposing team and/or match officials (c) conduct that may otherwise incite disorder.
Principal hearing date: Thursday 6 February 2020 – adjourned to later date
James Doleman
@jamesdoleman
One is suspiciously Orange and is best known for never being out of court due to corruption charges. The other is the President of the United States.
on the turnberry link with trfc
SKY to be honest does not really give a toss about Scottish Football imo. This Morelos interview fiasco illustrates this as how is it possible to make such an (error). I cancelled in 2012 as Div 3 games were live on SKY (ffs really). I want SKY out of our game. I am glad that Celtic have not accepted this apology as the end of the matter. Who translated this and altered the words. Racism is a serious topic and the facts have to be correct. Morelos has been wrongly misquoted imo deliberately, so why. Why does Morelos not make a statement to this effect? Why does his club not make a statement to protect and support their player? ( as we all know they love making statements) Why does our smsm not report this issue? Why was the only pundit to question the issue and timing of the statement removed from BBC at present? Why listen to BBC Sportsound, they are governed by one man to the benefit of one club. He was cheerleader for RFC (IL) and now has same role at new Ibrox club. James Traynor like SKY has no interest in Scottish Football, unless it is all about his club. Scottish Football is corrupt thanks to people like him. More people like MS need to speak out.
“Alternative headline: Celtic attacking the sole future financier of Scottish football. Just to get the mob off their back. Poor Neil.”
Copied from Roger Mitchell’s latest tweet. “Future sole financier” really?
I wonder which mob he is referring to here. SFM?
Anyone else find it really strange that Rangers, Kings of the statement world, have said absolutely nothing about the false translation of the Morelos interview? The interview took place inside their training ground, involved their star player, and the translation has been proven to be untrue. You would think Rangers would want to distance themselves or anyone working on their behalf from this. You would also think they would be angry that their player was badly misrepresented. Instead we have silence, as well as silence from the main Scottish broadcast media outlets, BBC Scotland and STV, both of whom were very eager to promote the racism against Morelos story before this all kicked off.
Whatever the ins and outs of this the fact was that at the end of 2019 Rangers were in a great place, at least on the park. I have yet to speak to a Celtic fan who did not think Rangers deserved to win on the 29th and that the challenge was very real. Yet in the immediate aftermath Rangers began lashing out in all directions, and raised the Morelos racism accusation with the help of some friendly Journalists, however the evidence from any of them has yet to be produced. Where are Rangers now, both on and off the park, and how on earth did they let it get to this? Sometimes saying nothing and basking in your glory is the best way ahead.
To conclude it is easy to think Celtic know where the blame lies in this fiasco, and are going the right way about exposing it. There are no friendly media outlets for Celtic to vent their fury and none would be the place to do so in any case. In my opinion, for what it’s worth, Celtic’s actions and Rangers silence is speaking volumes.
Addendum – today’s Herald is calling for peace between Rangers and the BBC. What on earth would the pro-Rangers bias be like if that was declared, given how bad it is in ‘wartime’? God help us all.
“I’ve always liked JT since I saw him backstage knocking 6 bells out of the BBC’s Dougie Wernham at the SPOTY awards. After quickly realising I was no longer in Kansas in my career, I adapted, and accepted it was “all knockabout stuff” and I would never take it very seriously.”
“If I instead were to write a book about bad behaviour in football I’d come across as Mary Whitehouse. The environment is not conducive to your “finest moments”. Move on everyone!”
More tweets from Roger Mitchell this morning. No need to worry it’s all knockabout stuff not to be taken seriously.
"Rangers cheated for years under David Murray. There should be a level playing field in sport and Rangers did not adhere to that by using the EBT scheme to sign players they otherwise would not have been able to bring to the club. That was unfair on the other teams."
On the SFA: "They struck me as being completely clueless. They were complete clowns. They had a lot to say about me at the time, but did they say anything about the EBT case? A club effectively cheated the game for years and no sanctions were taken against any of the individuals responsible."
From Craig Whyte's autobiography, Into the Bear Pit, published in a week's time, aptly.
I see The Herald is also joining in the wagon circling this morning as Michael Stewart’s comments from that podcast are described as a rant. It’s beginning to resemble the SMSM behaviour of 2012. The one important difference this time around is that CFC appear to be taking a stand.
Craig Whyte, the former Rangers owner, publishes his autobiography, Into the Bear Pit, a week today on the eighth anniversary of the Ibrox club being put into administration.
The book, published by Birlinn, is packed with astonishing revelations about his time in charge of the Glasgow club and is sure to shake Scottish football to its foundations.
Here are some of the most incredible quotes:
On being disqualified as a director in the United Kingdom for seven years:
"I didn't see the judgement as a big deal. Banning problem directors doesn't curb their activities.
"Anyone with half a brain can get around it and it means the authorities can't monitor them."
On moving to tax haven Costa Rica:
"My view on tax is that transactions between people should be voluntary, and that goes for the government as well.
"Tax havens are completely moral as they stop governments from stealing your money. Governments are basically shakedown operations, like the mafia, but with better manners. They are parasites with no morals whatsoever."
READ MORE: Craig Whyte attacks just about everyone in explosive new Rangers book
On the likelihood of Rangers going into administration after his takeover:
"Administration seemed almost inevitable. We looked at the possibility of of putting the club into administration pre-acquisition, or at the time of the takeover.
"But the outcome of the EBT tax case was within the first month of the takeover. If we put the club into administration and then found we'd won the case that wouldn't look great."
On the Rangers directors:
"I thought the board were a bunch of pompous buffoons and meeting them served no purpose.
"I decided they were all going to have to go sooner rather than later."
On Rangers manager Ally McCoist:
"Ally McCoist was untested as a manager, but I had no choice but to keep him as it would have cost the club £1 million to break his contract.
"My hands had been tied by the old board."
On Rangers losing to Malmo in a Champions League qualifier in 2011:
"It was probably the moment when the inexperience of our young manager was most exposed.
"Had Walter Smith still been in charge and been able to guide us into the Champions League I firmly believe I would still be the owner of Rangers today."
On the Rangers players:
"In the main footballers struck me as mercenaries. They were there for the money, not because they loved the club.
"They got in at 10.30am, had a run around the pitch, got their free breakfast, their free lunch and then they disappeared. What a life. I used to hear all sorts of things about the players.
"The club doctor told me a player had picked up a sexually transmitted disease and his performances had seemed to dip as a result."
On failing to broker a deal with HMRC over the "big tax case":
"From the moment I took over I was confident that we'd either win the case or be able to do a deal with HMRC.
"At the time of the takeover I didn’t believe there was a single problem facing the club that was insurmountable. In my experience, when it came to dealing with HMRC, there was always a deal to be done. They always wanted to get paid. It didn't make sense to me."
On the SFA, who fined him £200,000 and banned him from being involved in football for life:
"They struck me as being completely clueless. They were complete clowns. They had a lot to say about me at the time, but did they say anything about the EBT case?
"A club effectively cheated the game for years and no sanctions were taken against any of the individuals responsible."
On selling Rangers' shares in Arsenal:
"The media said I'd sold shares the club held in Arsenal and kept the proceeds – that was completely untrue."
On being frozen out after Rangers went into administration:
"I thought I was in control of the situation. I genuinely believed we could emerge a debt-free club, that I'd still be at the helm and we could move on.
"The moment I thought I was in command was precisely the time it all fell apart. Duff and Phelps (the administrators) were acting with HMRC. Suddenly I was an outcast. Duff and Phelps were in charge and they swiftly instructed everybody not to deal with me."
On receiving death threats:
"I was the subject of several death threats, mostly online, people saying they'd happily take a life sentence to do me in. Another threatened to fire bomb the castle."
On Rangers' use of EBTs:
"Rangers cheated for years under David Murray. There should be a level playing field in sport and Rangers did not adhere to that by using the EBT scheme to sign players they otherwise would not have been able to bring to the club. That was unfair on the other teams."
On his involvement with Rangers:
"I've never known a deal like it. It seemed that everyone I came into contact with tried to shaft me. Many of them succeeded."
On Rangers and their supporters:
"I don't care what happens to Rangers now – but I have a lot of sympathy for the Rangers supporters.
"Those fans have suffered more than anyone, and through no fault of their own."
“The moment I thought I was in command was precisely the time it all fell apart. Duff and Phelps (the administrators) were acting with HMRC. Suddenly I was an outcast. Duff and Phelps were in charge and they swiftly instructed everybody not to deal with me.”
I seem to remember that HMRC has their own preferred firm (BDO?) to be administrators at the time. When Duff & Phelps were appointed many people were surprised that they didn’t challenge it. Maybe we now know the reason why. It’s strange, I thought people reckoned Duff & Phelps were Craig Whyte’s choice?
So who chose D & P?
‘upthehoops 7th February 2020 at 07:00
Anyone else find it really strange that Rangers, Kings of the statement world, have said absolutely nothing about the false translation of the Morelos interview? The interview took place inside their training ground, involved their star player, and the translation has been proven to be untrue. You would think Rangers would want to distance themselves or anyone working on their behalf from this. You would also think they would be angry that their player was badly misrepresented…’
##########################
Two possible reasons immediately spring to my mind (there may be several other explanations):
Complicity. TRFC has been caught bang to rights. Silence & ride the storm out. Unlikely, but possible. Morelos’ well-being/reputation is collateral damage in this scenario. Doesn’t really matter about him: today’s Scotsman has him going to Liverpool for gazillions in the summer…
Embarrassment. TRFC has trusted someone (not necessarily an employee) within the club/players circle with regard to the interview & translation. Club has been let down badly. Internal inquiry & person to blame made persona non grata or sacked. Again, Morelos’ well-being/reputation is collateral damage. Doesn’t really matter about him: today’s Scotsman has him going to Liverpool for gazillions in the summer etc.
Jingso.Jimsie
the word on the street is that it was morelos own advisor who handled the translation,don't know if it was or he is the fall guy
Revenge is a dish best served cold à la Whyte. I might even buy his book if I can get past the protesters who are sure to picket the booksellers.
Ex Ludo
there is always the e-book
Tony@11.58
I think I’ll just rely on your summaries on here. ?
Ex Ludo
Ex Ludo 7th February 2020 at 09:07
'…The one important difference this time around is that CFC appear to be taking a stand. '
++++++++++++++++++++++++
If Celtic had taken a stand alongside Turnbull Hutton and called out the rottenness at the heart of Scottish Football ,and had simply refused to countenance the creation and fostering of the Big Lie and preserved their own integrity and the integrity of the entire sport in Scotland!
Huffing and puffing now about 'fake news' is not at all tackling the underlying problem-the rottenness and deceit that runs right through football administration like the coronavirus through China.
I would prefer that Celtic would do what the their shareholders asked: get the RES12 issue investigated, and get the 5-Way Agreement nonsense rescinded.
That would be far more beneficial than any chasing up of false translations of an 'interview' with an unlikeable footballer.
John Clark
True, we wouldn't be having translategate if they had stood up back then
What are the chances of statement o'clock today ? Somebody must be itching to respond .
https://twitter.com/tenglishsport/status/1225764552392036352?s=21
Irony overload here.
JohnClark@12.55 and Tony@14.00
I’m in no position to judge why CFC have taken the position they have re Translategate and remained silent over Res 12. I would hesitate to conflate the two issues separated as they are by such a long period of time and involving 2 separate entities employing different people. That said I feel it’s appropriate to acknowledge that Celtic, in the latter instance have acted correctly.
https://www.ftadviser.com/regulation/2020/02/07/watchdog-hits-out-at-wholly-unacceptable-fca-response-times/
It would appear you're not alone JC…???
https://twitter.com/record_sport/status/1225787194574548992?s=21
The next “Morelos”?
‘tony 7th February 2020 at 11:32
Jingso.Jimsie
the word on the street is that it was morelos own advisor who handled the translation,don’t know if it was or he is the fall guy’
####################
Yes, I saw that in the Record. I wonder what their source for that was? Nivel Cinco?
I’ve been keeping an eye open for developments in the Scottish football pyramid below the SPFL
There have been a few things that have come up in the past 10 days or so. The Pyramid Working Group (PWG) met last week and couldn’t agree on anything, so much so that Rod Petrie seems to have shut it down.
Following the PWG meeting, Tom Johnston, the SJFA secretary, then emailed the junior clubs saying that the LL and EOSFL don’t like the juniors and had vetoed recommendations of the PWG. He also said that all the junior clubs were together on their stance.
A couple of things happened thereafter. Tom Johnston’s account of the meeting was challenged by others who were represented at the PWG meeting. Firstly, because the PWG hadn’t made any recommendations. The LL and EOS were apparently not in favour of the SFFA joining the pyramid with their structure and organisation intact, but were willing to accept the West junior sides into a WOSFL equivalent to the EOSFL which would fall under the auspices of the SFA / SPFL / LL rules and regulations on fixture calendars, discipline, promotion, licensing etc, i.e. the SJFA could not remain as an autonomous entity within the pyramid.
The LL board met earlier this week and agreed to progress the introduction of a WOSFL being set up at Tier 6 (same as the EoSFL and SoSFL). A joint statement from the LL and EoSFL was issued today inviting clubs to express interest in joining the pyramid in a new WoSFL.
Three West Junior clubs have already publicly responded to the invite, Kilwinning, Clydebank and Whitletts Victoria, with several more said to be interested, but haven’t yet gone public.
I think that what we are seeing is similar to what happened with the East Juniors the season before last. What starts as a trickle will become a flood, with several clubs looking to joins a WOSFL setup. Only those die-hard juniors will stay put.
It will be a shame for the Juniors to be broken up in this way, but I don’t believe that the SJFA has any justification for attempting to stop ambitious clubs joining, or progressing up the Scottish Football pyramid.
It should be possible to get a WOSFL started in time for the new season, although the promotion/relegation/play off arrangements with the LL will have to be adjusted.
I wonder if it's ever happened before; a football club boasting about the value of a player they don't own?
Or a…
football club bigging up the value of a player they are supposedly intending to buy (if his loan period is successsful).
The stupidity of TRFC's PR efforts really do take some beating…in the laughter stakes
But not only that, they really do take great efforts to make sure their support look as stupid as they are gullible.
Celtic's half year report has been published to the market.
https://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/CCP/14416061.html
Financial Highlights
· Revenue increased by 6.6% to £53.3m (2018: £50.0m)
· Profit from trading was £7.1m (2018: £6.2m)
· Profit from transfer of player registrations (shown as profit on disposal of intangible assets) £23.0m (2018: £17.6m)
· Profit before taxation of £24.4m (2018: £18.8m)
· Acquisition of player registrations of £15.0m (2018: £1.9m)
· Period end net cash at bank of £32.9m (2018: £38.6m)
· Period end net cash, net of debt and debt like items, of £45.1m (2018: £37.7m)1
https://www.change.org/p/bbc-scotland-bbc-scotland-reinstate-michael-stewart?recruiter=false&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_medium=whatsapp&utm_content=washarecopy_20197986_en-GB%3Av1&recruited_by_id=977d89b0-49d5-11ea-8819-bb9f090674fb
Petition to reinstate Michael Stewart at the BBC
jimbo 7th February 2020 at 18:55
Signed Jimbo. Welcome back and thanks for the link..
Ex Ludo 7th February 2020 at 14:37
'..I feel it’s appropriate to acknowledge that Celtic, in the latter instance have acted correctly.'
++++++++++++++=
I agree, of course, Ex Ludo: tackling any untruth is better than tackling none.
But if Celtic had really hit the 'TRFC= Rangers of 1872' nonsense on the head (and the lying deceitful mentality of those in governance responsible for it) we might have had a governance body of such unimpeachable integrity that no one involved in football would even have dreamt of pulling such a stunt as 'translatorgate'.
We might never know which evil, malicious dirty wee , or dirty fat ,tyke engineered that stunt, may the curse of Cromwell be upon him., but it's odds on that if he is ever identified, he sure as hell will not be punished to any significant degree, any more than was RFC of 1872 for SDM's cheating.
The SFA is so heavily compromised by its caving in to CG as to be, like Macbeth '"…in blood Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er'…''…….as to be a completely busted flush.
At about 7.54 this evening, I though I heard David Currie commit career suicide: I distinctly heard him say to whoever he was talking to on Sportsound "It's a new club, isn't it… six or so years old.."
I nearly choked on my post-prandial Armignac…and for the longest brief second wondered …
Currie is by no means the worst, I have to say, but even in working for Sportsound demeans him, in my view.
And there are not many in Scottish football with the integrity of Michael Stewart and Jim Spence …
[ I still don't know which club Currie was speaking of or to whom he was speaking)]
Signed Jimbo ??
David Currie was referring to BSC Glasgow JC. I think they were formed about a year after Sevco. I bet the producer was having kittens when he said it, thinking where is he going with this!!
Just a pity, BSC didn't draw TRFC rather than Hibs this weekend. Some of the contorted gymnastics from the EBT'd pundits would have been tremendous.
normanbatesmumfc 7th February 2020 at 14:46
'..It would appear you're not alone JC…'
++++++++++++++
That's a good spot, nbmfc, and encouraging.
I might send a wee email to Rachel Mortimer.
https://www.change.org/p/bbc-scotland-bbc-scotland-reinstate-michael-stewart?recruiter=false&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_medium=whatsapp&utm_content=washarecopy_20197986_en-GB:v1&recruited_by_id=977d89b0-49d5-11ea-8819-bb9f090674fb
Petition to reinstate Michael Stewart at the BBC
Hope you don’t mind me repeating the link to the new page. Thanks to all who have signed. 1,500 so far.
If anyone deserves our support it’s Michael Stewart, he made BBC Scotland almost tolerable. A light shining in the darkness. I like Willie Miller too but he sticks to on field stuff.
Can’t believe The Evening Times on line has an article reporting on the petition for Michael Stewart. With a link to it! We are led to believe by JJ that Traynor has influence at that paper!
normanbatesmumfc 7th February 2020 at 14:46
++++++++++==
Anent my post of 20.54 tonight I'll definitely write to Rachel Mortimer!
I went into my email inbox about half an hour ago , not having accessed it since earlier this morning.
Lo and behold, what do I find?
This email :
Complaints Scheme <complaints@fca.org.uk>
To:(me)
Cc:Complaints Scheme
7 Feb at 16:35
Dear Mr ..
Thank you for your email of 3 February 2020.
We have checked our records and have liaised with the relevant departments in relation to the correspondence you told us that you have sent to the Financial Conduct Authority. Unfortunately we have no record of these. We would be grateful if you could provide us with these documents again and we will forward it to the relevant areas to review and respond to.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
FCA Complaints Team "
That is identical to a previous email about not being able to find my correspondence!
Not being able to find snail-mail letters is one thing: not being able to find emails is unheard of.
It instantly raises the suspicion that someone is deleting stuff in the hope that it might go away and they can plead ignorance or accident.
Ms Mortimer will get the whole story and copies from me as soon as I can compose myself and draft an appropriate letter.
Thanks again, nbmfc.
Allyjambo 7th February 2020 at 17:42
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I wonder if it’s ever happened before; a football club boasting about the value of a player they don’t own?
Or a…
football club bigging up the value of a player they are supposedly intending to buy (if his loan period is successsful).
The stupidity of TRFC’s PR efforts really do take some beating…in the laughter stakesmail But not only that, they really do take great efforts to make sure their support look as stupid as they are gullible.
…………………
Pure deflection by the club. The fans were promised a share issue in Jan and large investment believed to be coming from Hong kong, and many of the fans were hoping for some money to be spent on January signings to boost the squad.
Instead of the ibrox fans thinking we got nothing, they are now high on a loan player being valued at £100mill. So from thinking we got nothing too we have a player worth £100mill.
Deflection job done.
Cluster One 7th February 2020 at 22:39
There can be no doubt that it is all deflection, but their deflections are becoming ever more ludicrous, and should surely be seen by the most sentient of bears, at least, as downright insulting to all of them.
I'm sure he was first announced as a loan signing with a view to a permanent move, yet, here they are, saying the very opposite to what any sane business would say when intending to negotiate a purchase in the not too distant future. Any statement they make, if serious (we all know they're not) should qualify their bumming up of a loan player with the word 'but…' and definitely not put some fanciful price tag on him that makes it obvious they have no intention of signing him.
In true Ibroxian style, they are doing a 'reverse Morelos' with this one, just ever more ludicrous. They're even pricing him at five times the top fairy tale price they bandied about for their greatest ever player.
AllyJambo@23.09
The deflection is deployed on the same day CFC announce interim financials. Coincidence? Joincidince? (Friends reference)
I’m signing off now. I’m 3 generous measures into Auchentoshan Dark Oak.
I suppose the next 3 months or so are going to be a real test of Gerrard’s managerial abilities?
TRFC is still within touching-ish distance of a first title – and a SC win is still doable.
The transfer window has slammed shut without any incoming signings of note, (I.e. nothing to compare with Defoe and Davis last year).
But on the plus side, their star player Morelos is still at Ibrox. He didn’t get a transfer – as he allegedly expected – and to compound possible frustrations, he has VERY publicly suffered the humiliation of both Lambogate and Translationgate.
For a player who displays petulance – and cheating – on the field of play, mibbees he’s like that off the field too?
…and he could now be carefully lining up his toys – prior to violently ejecting them out of his pram?
Could be tricky for Gerrard to control?
And on top of recent, poor results, Gerrard has to lift his squad to actually win something this season.
And then there could be increasing noise off the field about the Ibrox finances, and even about Agent Whyte’s book…?
I don’t think it looks too promising for the Ibrox outfit this season – but as we all saw in the LC, if Gerrard can manage his squad effectively, then a SC win is certainly still achievable.
https://twitter.com/slimshady1961/status/1226081829549158401?s=21
Only the finest hagiography will do.
StevieBC 8th February 2020 at 07:48
And then there could be increasing noise off the field about the Ibrox finances, and even about Agent Whyte’s book…?
………..
With Whytes short stay at ibrox he knows how to play the media, get the big headline out there. Even if there is no substance it’s all about the headline. Jabba will be busy deflecting. But just now he must feel like a punch drunk fighter getting hit from all sides.
Morelos must be thinking, what the feck are they doing to me, I don’t mind a laugh and a joke but feck a pantomine.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/celtic-announce-huge-244m-profit-21453086
Just dawned on me that there are so many fires to put out at Ibrox that the reason we come up with so many different ideas for the regular deflections is just that: there really is a hell of a lot of problems for TRFC to deflect from. What's more, we have no idea of just how many problems they've had/continue to have that the deflections have successfully deflected everyone from. A bit of the old known knowns, known unknowns and unknown unknowns.
I suspect that all football clubs, and all other businesses, have major problems from time to time, and minor ones that are ongoing, that we, the general public, never hear about. The problem for TRFC/RIFC is that there is an amazing amount of problems that we all know they've had that were resolved to their detriment while many are ongoing and almost certain to also be resolved to their detriment eventually. So many very expensive problems, so just imagine if, within all those deflections, some have been highly successful, indeed! Imagine if this current extra high level of p*sh is actually very clever PR, deflecting from something none of us have even guessed at!
All this is pure conjecture on my part, of course, but I'm pretty certain that, while in the same way that not all that's been reported about TRFC on social media has been accurate, there could/will be just as many serious problems that have gone unnoticed that we will never know about.
It's a long shot, I know, but just imagine if Traynor is actually a very gifted PR guru!!!
Craig Whyte: I edited Rangers stories before they were printed
EXCLUSIVE
Ex-Rangers owner Craig Whyte made the claims in his new book
19 comments
FORMER Rangers owner Craig Whyte has sensationally claimed that he used to “correct” the stories of Jim Traynor – then a journalist at the Daily Record – before they went to print.
Into The Bear Pit, Whyte’s autobiography due to be released next Friday, sees Whyte – who bought Rangers from David Murray for £1 in 2011 – also claim that he was able to get stories “pulled” from the Scottish press whenever he wanted.
READ MORE: The Kicker: Here's why Craig Whyte's book is utter mince
He also tells of his shock when the Record and Traynor – now the PR chief at Rangers – wrongly called him a “billionaire” in an infamous front-page headline.
Whyte claims: “Jim Traynor used to send me his articles through before he’d print them, and I’d correct them for him. In the pre-internet days, Murray must have had complete control. Some journalists were happy to have a good relationship with Rangers if that meant getting stories, even if as a result it became difficult to criticise the club.
“Traynor had got in touch … about a month after I went into Ibrox. We went for lunch at the Rogano restaurant and from that day he hounded me for a job. I was never that impressed with him. I would soon discover he could fly with the wind.”
Traynor hit back last night at Whyte’s claims, telling the Glasgow Times: “The truth about him is well-known. He was merely a pawn in a strategy – played out perfectly by the Record team at the time. So I can understand that he was ultimately and rightly exposed. You’d have thought the pound would have dropped by now.”
READ MORE: Petition launched for BBC to reinstate Michael Stewart
In the book, Whyte also said he could phone up newspapers to get rid of bad stories. “I had dinners with all the editors and learned very quickly that if there was a negative story I could call some of them up and have a pretty good chance of getting it stopped. With the Daily Record I had a 100% chance, and it was the same with The Sun.
“I used to call the editor of The Herald. I had a 50-50 chance of getting things stopped there. If it didn’t get stopped, you threatened them with withdrawal of access, that they wouldn’t get stories.”
READ MORE: 15 of the most incredible quotes from Craig Whyte's new Rangers book
He then describes picking up the Daily Record on the day the newspaper printed the news he was going to buy Rangers: “The front page screamed: ‘BILLIONAIRE SCOT TO BUY RANGERS FOR £30m.’ What the hell?! Billionaire?! How had they come to that?
“I soon found out. In response to the enquiries from journalists, Ian McKerron had put together a small biography of me, and had said I had a billion under management.
“Clearly the Record hadn’t understood there is a world of difference between assets under management and assets that you own. Maybe it was a reasonable mistake to make, but it wasn’t true.”
The piece, written by Traynor, claimed talks were at an advanced stage, though Whyte claims this was not the case after only meeting Murray once until that point.
Claims by Traynor that then Rangers manager Walter Smith would have a “massive sum” to spend in the following January were also wide of the mark, according to Whyte.
“The Scottish Sun went further and said: ‘RANGERS SOLD BY XMAS,” added Whyte.
The Daily Record and The Scottish Sun have declined to comment.
“…imagine if Traynor is actually a very gifted PR guru!!!…”
Right Allyjambo: you’ve finally outed yourself as Jabba!
You’re right of course.
Traynor could be doing a fantastic job for a very challenging Client, all things considered.
But my gut feeling is that Traynor is a similar character to those occupying the Blue Room: an unethical chancer, who has bullsh!ted his way throughout his working life.
The prime example?
Traynor’s seamless transition from p!sh poor footy pundit to a PR ‘expert’.
And talking of unknowns, etc. when it comes to PR management, IMO, Traynor simply doesn’t know what he doesn’t know!
StevieBC 8th February 2020 at 13:05
“But my gut feeling is that Traynor is a similar character to those occupying the Blue Room: an unethical chancer, who has bullsh!ted his way throughout his working life.”
In my opinion, Stevie, you’ve just precis’d the job description of the perfect PR man, though I have to admit, your opinion of Traynor matches mine.
Still, however good or bad a PR man Traynor is, the ludicrous stories he’s pushing now can’t just be to deflect from what we already know ie RIFC/TRFC are low on/out of cash and were in desperate need to sell Morelos plus the rest, have numerous court cases to settle, the Close loan to pay back and all the while keeping their support onside. You don’t have to be a half-decent PR man to come up with some deflection that doesn’t make your client look even more stupid than they already did, not when you’ve got the media in the palm of your hand. And after all this time of ever more obvious lying PR, the club keep paying him for this BS. He’s either doing a good job, or they just can’t fire him. I’d suspect that if Jim Traynor is not doing a good job, then he has one of those ‘onerous contracts’ we used to hear about from PMGB.
On page23 of today's 'The Scotsman' we have John McLellan under the heading 'A timely reminder of the power of the 'Press' ' using the McKay scandal as an opportunity for bit of SNP bashing (McLellan, of course, is a former editor of the Scotsman and was communications director for the Scottish Tories and media advisor to Ruth Davidson, so we know where he's coming from)'
We know the power of the Press, thank you, Mr McLellan: we have watched that power over the last decade not as a power for good, but for evil , protecting at the expense of truth
first ,a dishonest,cheating Football Club and its majority share-holder ,
second, a dishonest, deceitful, Football governance body,
third, a dishonest new football club claiming falsely the sporting achievements and honours of a defunct club and marketing itself as being that defunct club
And on the back page of the 'Weekend Sport' supplement of the same paper (a whole half a page!) we have Alan Pattullo's 'advertisement' for CW's book.
The second sentence of the 'advert reads' "On 14 February, eight years to the day after Rangers plunged into administration……….comes Craig Whyte' memoirs"
No mention, of course, that Rangers never came out of Administration, but went into Liquidation and ceased to be a shareholder in the SPL and ceased to be entitled to membership of the SFA.
That is, not all the truth is being told.
————
Trumpeting about the power of the Press? Josef Goebbels could do as much.
Trouble is, Truth is indivisible.
And using the power of the Press to support and defend a lie is to betray a Goebbels-like attitude.
If journalists are scared to report simple sporting matters truthfully, what greater evils might they also choose not to report?
StevieBC 8th February 2020 at 13:05
“an unethical chancer, who has bullsh!ted his way throughout his working life.”
Bullshat, shurely. (Ed)
The Rangers nwmtp…
I stand / sit corrected… and I duly defer to your superior bullshittery.
Graham Spiers has a half decent article in today's Times about Translategate. pointing out that it is no wonder football fans are so mistrusting of the media. I note Spiers no longer gets work from the BBC either. The same BBC who have yet to mention the false translation of the Morelos interview, but who were happy to banner headline about the racism he suffers before we knew the subtitles had been made up.
On another note I remain mystified as to why Rangers have yet to issue a statement on the matter, given the interview was inside their Training Ground, and the player was misrepresented.
A short piece about Translategate on the 7th on The Nine
The Nine, 07/02/2020: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000f4hg via @bbciplayer
StevieBC 8th February 2020 at 15:15
I stand / sit corrected… and I duly defer to your superior bullshittery.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
As well you should, sir, given my propensity for same.
https://twitter.com/frpaul_stone/status/1226065650394767364?s=21
This sort of thing couldn’t happen here in Scotland obviously.
tony 8th February 2020 at 12:54
“The front page screamed: ‘BILLIONAIRE SCOT TO BUY RANGERS FOR £30m.’ What the hell?! Billionaire?! How had they come to that?
……………………
This one?
https://twitter.com/ClusterOne2/status/1226229503103467522/photo/1
Avataradam812 8th February 2020 at 16:32 A short piece about Translategate on the 7th on The Nine The Nine, 07/02/2020: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000f4hg via @bbciplayer
______________
I couldn't find the piece you refer to, but did you notice the piece on White's book where Chris McŁaughlin talks of the club (Rangers) entering administration…and subsequent liquidation. Maybe Michael Stewart has a mate at the BBC who knows how vile Traynor and TRFC can be.
The piece is timed around 15 mins.
Allyjambo 8th February 2020 at 22:09
'….Maybe Michael Stewart has a mate at the BBC who knows how vile Traynor and TRFC can be.'
+++++++++
It's no secret that Chris McLaughlin is the one banned from Ibrox for telling it as it is.
To be more fair to the BBC than they actually deserve, although they persist in denying discussion of the death of RFC of 1872 ,and propagating the myth of that club's continuing existence (on the programmes and by staff whom they control) they at least have not caved in to the idea that a football club can dictate to them which reporter should be permitted access to Ibrox.
That would be a step too far, and one that BBC London would not approve or permit.
BBC Scotland was, however, happy enough to allow the succulent lamb eaters to do their sickening sycophantic crawling to SDM and bathe rapturously in the arch-cheat's favour while neglecting their duty to their profession as 'journalists'
God, how I contemn them.
I have sent this email :
To:Rachel.Mortimer@ft.com
8 Feb at 22:52
Hello, Rachel Mortimer.
It’s late on a Saturday night, but I have just read your piece about the FCA’s deficiencies in the matter of correspondence handling.
Here is a summary of my ‘correspondence-with-the FCA’ saga.
[ and here I listed in date order and summarised all the correspondence since 25 June]
Now[I continued], I know that snail mail can get lost in the post, and my having put not quite the correct postcode on three of the four letters would not have helped: – but for four letters from the same individual to two separate officers of a company not to be found? (and I did have , for the fourth letter, a Royal mail tracking receipt!)
And as for emails (which my own pc shows as having been sent) can they be accidentally lost, irretrievably?
At the very least, that would betoken gross carelessness and/or indifference in the matter of monitoring incoming stuff.
And when the reason for my communicating with the FCA was to suggest that they themselves had been in breach of their statutory duty in authorising a particular IPO Prospectus it might be that there other reasons why I have not received any kind of substantive reply!
Below are the emails I sent to the FCA’s Mr Scrivener [ God forgive me, but I actually was beginning to think I was being practised upon by some joker, or perhaps ‘Mr Scrivener’ is the name used by whichever member of staff happens to be clearing the inbox at any given time, like ‘Bob’ used to be in my day]
The other email correspondence can of course, be copied to you if you particularly want to see the to-ing and fro-ing, but I’ll give you the most recent as evidence that I’ve had no substantive reply to my original letter of June last year:
“Complaints Scheme complaints@fca.org.uk
To:
(me)
3 Feb at 09:48
Thank you for contacting the FCA’s Complaints Team. We will aim to respond to your email within 5 working days.
Please note that our normal business hours are 09:00-17:00 daily, excluding weekends and Bank holidays. To find out more about the work of the Complaints Team please click here ”
I don’t expect ( although I would love it if you were to be ) that you will be particularly interested in whether the FCA authorisation of an IPO issued by a holding company which implies that its principal business is the running of what had been, before it went into Liquidation, the most successful football club in the world, instead of a football club newly created and newly admitted as a football club in 2012!
But if you could just get the FCA to reply to me to explain on what grounds they believed that the RIFC plc IPO published in 2012 was not written in such a way as to mislead potential investors, I would be very happy.
And I think it is a little worrying that Andrew Bailey is now Chairman of the Bank of England: I hope he has people who run a better correspondence unit than he appears to have had at the FCA.
Yours in peace, happiness and the light of truth, or, more conventionally,
yours sincerely,
Good luck with your latest effort John.
Over on Sentinel Celts there is a poster, an ex referee, who has been having problems getting answers from the SFA. He won’t be the first person in that position! He is about to raise it to UEFA.
Some folk don’t like awkward questions.
Likewise, good luck to him.
I thought it was Kieth Jackson who created the myth of the Motherwell Billionaire with wealth off the radar.
As for Whyte's allusion to having a billion quid of assets 'under management'? LMAO.
The biggest threat to Sevco is RIFC. Or, to put it bluntly, Dave King. RIFC owes him £5 million. He has the most significant shareholding. He is persona non grata in the financial community. He is the millstone around Sevco's brass neck.
TRFC really has to be sold off to survive, but King will want his pounds of flesh. He is a bigger drawback to Sevco than an elephant's prepuce. The longer this standoff continues the lower the price will be for TRFC.
As for Traynor? I have a suspicion that he is finished. Hence the lack of 'statement' Friday and Gerrard's silence on the Morelos matter.
Of course, these are just my opinionated opinions.
As a quick aside. What are Celtic doing accumulating capital of over £30 million in the Bank? Does anyone find this suspicious?
jimbo 9th February 2020 at 00:25
'.Good luck with your latest effort John.'
++++++++++
Thank you, jimbo.
And you and I both know that we can go beddy-bys with a conscience clear of betrayal of duty, of office, and of sports cheating and business lying.
God rot the rotten baster.s who have so sullied our game, and who sleep uneasily in their beds waiting for Truth to nail them as the liars and cheats that they KNOW that they are.
And that's the thing-they know!
finnmccool 9th February 2020 at 00:43
'…He is a bigger drawback to Sevco than an elephant's prepuce.'
++++++++
Ah, man, that deserves a literary prize!
Finnmccool@00.43
As a quick aside. What are Celtic doing accumulating capital of over £30 million in the Bank? Does anyone find this suspicious?
Making the club more saleable I would suggest.
https://twitter.com/rangerstaxcase/status/1226240150696538112?s=21
Interesting thread from RTC.
From Observer/Guardian .
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2020/feb/09/rangers-pele-diego-maradona-ianis-hagi-football
finnmccool 9th February 2020 at 00:43
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1
Rate This
I thought it was Kieth Jackson who created the myth of the Motherwell Billionaire with wealth off the radar.
………………………
He just prints what he is told. I believe he once said.
…………………………….
As a quick aside. What are Celtic doing accumulating capital of over £30 million in the Bank? Does anyone find this suspicious?
…………………..
No. They have a Hotel to build, a fan zone to create and now have bought land to turn into a disabled parking area. And enough left over to sustain another disaster from an ibrox club
Ex Ludo 9th February 2020 at 08:36
Finnmccool@00.43
As a quick aside. What are Celtic doing accumulating capital of over £30 million in the Bank? Does anyone find this suspicious?
Making the club more saleable I would suggest.
=====================
Personally I see nothing untoward. They have to fund infrastructure too, and have planning permission for a new full size indoor pitch at Barrowfield as well as the hotel at the stadium. Also, given the number of qualifying rounds for the Champions League they have to have resilience in place should they fail to qualify.
I am as annoyed at the lack of action by the Celtic Board over Res. 12 as anyone, but sometimes I find it difficult to comprehend why they receive so much criticism on how they run the club.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18222003.anger-thousands-fans-owed-millions-rangers-liquidation-set-lose-money/
………………………
Anger as thousands of fans owed millions from Rangers liquidation set to lose out
…………………
Don’t know why this story is getting aired today
Back in Dec Easyjambo let us know that only about 20% of debenture holders had made claims and the rest were now time barred.
Taken from the BDO report i believe back in December.
…………..
Has someone got a book out or something and he needs to be portrayed in a bad light?
upthehoops 9th February 2020 at 11:17
and have planning permission for a new full size indoor pitch at Barrowfield as well
………………..
Thanks i had forgot about that.
………………
And with that all in mind do you believe £30 million in the Bank is enough to cover all that?
Ex Ludo 9th February 2020 at 08:36
Finnmccool@00.43
As a quick aside. What are Celtic doing accumulating capital of over £30 million in the Bank? Does anyone find this suspicious?
Making the club more saleable I would suggest.
=================================
Who would you suggest intends selling their shares, it's a PLC, so selling "the club" really isn't an option as far as I am aware.
Celtic are "accumulating capital" because they are making more money than they are earning and have various capital projects planned. They are also providing a buffer for failing to qualify for the champions league, or being able to sell a player in order to make up the shortfall.
Its called planning.
Cluster One 9th February 2020 at 11:27
=====================================
Things like this also make me laugh. Trying to make it look like its not actually Rangers.
"… the liquidators of RFC 2012 plc,"
That would be the new name for
THE RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB P.L.C. 27 May 1899 – 31 Jul 2012
Would it not.
Homunculus@11.38
It’s never a bad thing to have money put away for a rainy day and no one could argue that the Celtic business model isn’t working on and off the park. There was some stories circulating a couple of months ago that Dermot Desmond was preparing to sell shares and there was interest from the US. That has all gone quiet now but the profits continue upwards.
Homunculus 9th February 2020 at 11:44 Cluster One 9th February 2020 at 11:27 ===================================== Things like this also make me laugh. Trying to make it look like its not actually Rangers. "… the liquidators of RFC 2012 plc," That would be the new name for THE RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB P.L.C. 27 May 1899 – 31 Jul 2012 Would it not.
_________
Your post just made me realise how strange the world of Scottish football is. Sevco (Scotland) Ltd changed it's name to The Rangers FC Ltd and 'became' 'Rangers', while Rangers changed it's name to RFC 2012 and became 'not The Rangers Football Club PLC'.
In short; subterfuge*.
*Subterfuge, deceit used in order to achieve one's goal.
Allyjambo 9th February 2020 at 13:47
Exactly the point of the exercise.
The name "RFC 2012 plc" even suggests it's the year it was formed, as opposed to the year it died.
Homunculus 9th February 2020 at 11:44
'…..trying to make it look like its not actually Rangers..'
Allyjambo 9th February 2020 at 13:47 ,stiff-armed'
'..In short; subterfuge.'
+++++++++++++++
You beat me to it, gentlemen!
How ill-served we have been by the Herald (may it go bust before very much longer) and the general run of the SMSM in such a banal matter as the death of a football club!
What would editors and journalists of that type be like in any major political crisis where their personal freedom and possibly their lives would be at stake if they did not toe the party line?
I can see them as sleek and prosperous collaborators obediently eating their succulent lamb as they churned out propaganda sheets at the bidding of a latter-day gauleiter, while shouting 'ja wohl!'
They are a disgrace to their profession.
Hello, Long, long-time lurker. Since RTC days, in fact. I have never felt the need to post because I believe I couldn't offer anything worthwhile. Maybe now. I checked out bookies to find out the odds on Rangers Mark II going into liquidation, either before the season ends or before next season begins. Nada. None biting. Not a biggie, but thought might be of interest.
In case you missed it – an interesting piece from Gordon Waddell on Translategate. It’s worth reading the whole article, I think. Excerpts below:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alfredo-morelos-victim-translategate-rangers-21456932
‘When they exercise this level of control over three minutes of banality from a Glen Kamara or a Steven Davis, are we honestly expected to believe they somehow relinquished it so completely and absolutely last week for Morelos?’
‘He has played 129 games, scored 76 goals, been sent off seven times – not one single interview, beyond a club TV puff piece when they allowed a Portuguese broadcaster to speak to him after the Porto game in October.’
‘Yet in a week when he’s front-page news, back-page news and on virtually every page in between, he does an interview with the Formula 1 reporter from the Scottish game’s biggest rights holders, inside their training ground, and there’s zero knowledge of, or control over, a single word that comes out of his mouth? Or maybe more saliently, the words that don’t come out of his mouth?’
‘If this was the BBC that had misrepresented their star player, Rangers fans and their various representative bodies would be heading for Pacific Quay with pitchforks and torches.
Where are the official statements of outrage, demanding bans?
Sky were there on Friday at the training ground, business as usual. Are Club1872 not up in arms? And if not, why not?’
Peter, I have heard, like you, many times in the past that Rangers Mk2 are heading for the gutter. Most of the time I agreed. But they always seem to avoid it. With the help of rich directors. But rumour has it that that particular source of help has dried up. Close Bros. have to be paid back so that is no help. One thing is for sure, they are spending more than they earn. I’m no expert but a takeover seems the only solution to me. Unless of course they reduce their spending considerably.
It is interesting that the bookies are not taking bets on it but I don’t know how much to read into that.
Once again I will just have to wait and see!
Yes Jimbo – they seem to avoid the Administration/Liquidation iceberg on a regular basis for the reasons outlined by you..
I believe this could last (God knows how!) until TIAR hits the fan – if indeed it does.
The TRFC ‘raison d’etre’ (i.e. stopping it) will only then be well and truly ‘goosed’.
Till then – onward SEVCO Soldiers (Irony)!
daily record went rogue
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alfredo-morelos-victim-translategate-rangers-21456932
Jingsojimsie@19.22
The piece by Gordon Waddell suggests he has been doing some research on the Internet prior to writing his article. That very question of the lack of response has been mooted on here and on Twitter. That there has been no outrage from Club72 might be as a result of pressure from the blue room in the hope that it will all go away. I would suggest that Club72 would not rock the boat because they have bought into the narrative that everybody hates them and they really don’t care.
tony 9th February 2020 at 20:55
daily record went rogue…
=========
Dare I say it: that's a decent article from Waddell!
It gives an interesting insight into the media game.
Only questions are: why has he written it – and for whom?
StevieBC
are the walls coming down for traynor,sounds like it is being organised
Given that Rangers* are desperate for funds to see out the season then why are they not taking Skysports to task for the misrepresentation of their player , why have they not even issued a statement on their concerns , why have I not included a question mark ? Rhetorical ? Correct . It's blatantly obvious what has gone on here and with Craig Whyte confirming what most of us already knew it really has been a bad week for PR at Ibrox.
There seems to be a Mexican stand off at Board level , King has not left the building and I doubt he will do without recouping as much of his investment as possible . He is just one of the hands held out for some cash , Close Brothers and the need to fund the shortfall are all in competition for whatever is left in the kitty. With King onboard there is zero possibility of investment , if Close aren't paid off then assets are seized and litigation follows , if the shortfall isn't addressed then they must call in administrators or they will be trading while insolvent . We haven't even touched on Ashleys claim or the fact they have no kit deal signed up for next season . Who in their right mind would launch a takeover deal for this basket case of asses (sic)? For me January was the last chance saloon to get the books in order by launching a clear out of any saleable players and reducing running costs . I cannot see of any possibility they can break even in the accounts and a licence for Europe is hanging by a thread . It has become so ridiculous that a loan player is now being valued at €100m after 1 goal against Hibs .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administration_and_liquidation_of_The_Rangers_Football_Club_plc
Still tumbleweed down Ibrox way regarding the translation of the Morelos interview. Where are the frothing at the mouth statements, promising retribution?
It's fairly easy to conclude what has gone on here. Sky are not innocent, but I am sure they would be quite happy to throw those responsible for handing them the translation under a bus. Meanwhile the national broadcaster can't even bring itself to mention the incident.
They say the truth will always get you in the end, and sometimes I look around myself in life and see liars, cheats, and downright evil bastards prospering, and I wonder whether that is actually the case. Perhaps this time it will be though.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-chief-dave-king-held-21466514.amp?__twitter_impression=true
Monday column: The truth about Craig Whyte and the Daily Record…
Craig Whyte's Rangers power myth and the real facts behind his claims – Jackson
The hated former owner has a book out soon and Keith has explained why a lot of what Whyte says can't be trusted.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/craig-whytes-rangers-power-myth-21464319
——————————————
There's a bit of rewriting of history as he seeks to distance himself from former colleagues Jim Traynor and Bruce Waddell. He also blames Waddell for his "wealth off the radar" claim.
His claims about revealing the source of Whyte's funds, apparently "splashed across the back page of the Daily Record on June 14, 2011", are accompanied by a picture of a back page dated 31 January 2012 with the Ticketus exclusive.
The mortgaging of Season Tickets had been discussed on RTC as soon as the security documents appeared at Companies House. As I posted 3 weeks ago, one poster had identified Ticketus as the likely source of the funds as early as 5 June 2011.
johnbhoy says: 05/06/2011 at 5:35 pm
http://southafrica.trendolizer.com/2020/02/dave-king-held-at-gunpoint-during-terrifying-south-africa-robbery.html
The only reference I can find to King's allegations of robbery at gunpoint ( 7 days ago) is in the SMSM ,when searching the Sth African Press all I find is a link to reports in Scotland. Anyone else find it strange that the Sth African Press would get their news about crime in Sth Africa from news outlets in Scotland . There are no quotes from the Sth African police to validate anything just the word "alleges" from the Press (North and South of the Limpopo) . Would King lie ? Would Traynor facilitate the story without checking the facts ? Would the SMSM? What purpose does it serve ? A distraction from recent events , gain sympathy , a future excuse for the hacking of his wealth that limits his ability to function. According to King this is the 3rd armed robbery on himself and family recently, surely there would be a police report to validate these allegations or an insurance claim . Maybe this is one for an investigative journalist to follow up . After taking advice from a Judge in Sth Africa I'm not prepared to believe it unless it is backed up by written evidence.
A bad week for the SMSM, who, as things stand, have been trapped in their own web of lies over Hen Broon brake-line snippers, and the translategate deflection plan.
Now Klaxon has thrust forward his disclaimer notice and spoiler spiel before the claims are even officially revealed as legal tender…………..There is fear in the air. "Duped" is the buzz-word of the dilemma.
Is it honestly fact, that so many hacks can be duped by ridiculousness, while reams of documented and authenticated information passed to them, time-lined and catalogued, were dismissed as an, "Attempted Duping"……….Really?..
Or is it honestly fact, that a campaign of deflection and mis-information was willingly entered into by those entrusted to shine a light in dark corners, where Sevco fans feared to tread.
The SKY VTR has libelled, or slandered, Celtic FC and the Scottish game in general, on a loop, on a global reach broadcast. That is a legal matter…..If it transpires that a SFA member club was involved, it becomes an SFA matter.
If it transpires that no clubs were involved, but the player or his representatives that were at the libellous duping, it is also a legal AND SFA matter.
On the "Bringing the game into disrepute", scale….I'd say it was off the radar.
Silence is golden……Has the fat slug not here to defend himself been given his jotters?
Just re read the DR article
“One of them said, ‘Where’s your money?’, so I took all my cash out and gave it to them. They took my laptop, my case, my drivers’ licence, diary, phone and all the things I need to function.” Would be catastrophic if this limits Kings ability to fund the shortfall,pay back Close Leasing, sort out a kit deal , re pay Ashley …………..
Timtim 10th February 2020 at 11:53
Just re read the DR article “One of them said, ‘Where’s your money?’, so I took all my cash out and gave it to them. They took my laptop, my case, my drivers’ licence, diary, phone and all the things I need to function.” Would be catastrophic if this limits Kings ability to fund the shortfall,pay back Close Leasing, sort out a kit deal , re pay Ashley.
—————————————————————————————
I think it more likely he is being tactical and threatening his auld pals that he just might not bugger aff efter a'……….That's a' they need !
Maybe it was a rogue band of Private Eyes who mugged him.
.
Timtim 10th February 2020 at 11:53
oooooooooooo
My first thought too. Perhaps the people at this end have been finding it difficult to contact him recently.
Timtim 10th February 2020 at 11:53
'..“One of them said, ‘Where’s your money?’, '
++++++++++++++
I believe he was asked that question a few times by certain tax inspectors some years ago?
easyJambo 10th February 2020 at 10:21
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/craig-whytes-rangers-power-myth-21464319
================================
He was as wrong then as he is now.
Ticketus did not provide loans secured on future season ticket sales, Whyte did not mortgage anything to get money from them.
The tickets were sold to Ticketus at a heavy discount, providing the cash in advance. I think Rangers were already doing that to assist cash flow at the end of the season, as do other clubs.
The tickets were then to be sold at face value, by the club, with the profit going to Ticketus (minus an administration fee). That way the fans thought they were buying their tickets from the club.
That is Ticketus' standard operating model. It helps struggling clubs with cashflow but is very costly as you are spending next season's income. In Rangers case several future seasons' money (or a large part of it) has been spent.
That article, and I use the word incorrectly is a pathetic attempt at saying "it wisnae ma fault a big boy made me do it, but I tried to fix it" and he can't even get his facts right when he says it.
Jackson is as much to blame, for selling Whyte to the Rangers support, as anyone else outside of the club. He played an important role in getting Whyte into power at Rangers and his latest is a pathetic attempt at trying to get the support back onside. No wonder print media in this country is on it's last legs.
"I was dragged into this ‘wealth off the radar’ charade having been instructed to write a puff piece by Waddell .'
Ja wohl, mein Fuhrer!
Nothing like doing a bit of investigative journalism on your own initiative, is there, Keef?
Homunculus 10th February 2020 at 13:43
easyJambo 10th February 2020 at 10:21 https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/craig-whytes-rangers-power-myth-21464319
================================
He was as wrong then as he is now.
===================================
Bottom line being that if, for whatever reason, the sale to wee Craigy never took place, Minty would be left holding the black ball with the ever shortening fuse burning.
It’s interesting in the latest recantation from the DR and Keith Jackson that the principal player in this long running omnishambles is rarely mentioned and never criticised by the SMSM. Such power still being exercised by the liege Lord.
A quote from the Daily Ranger "muggingate"
"Afterwards there was a growing anger within me. I was angry about the violation and that I am living in a country which no longers appears to have a rule of law."
From a man who has spent a lifetime holding two fingers up to the law. As some might say, "he widnae get a red face at a bonfire"
Is Keith Jackson's column an example (or a collection of examples) of Cognitive Dissonance?
Over the past week or two, it appears to this layman that the SMSM's (and not just KJ's) Cognitive Consistency is creaking at the edges…
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/twelve-year-old-boy-charged-21468886
Ex-Rangers owner Whyte claims DUP offered him peerage for £250k
Craig Whyte
By Allan Preston
February 10 2020 06:45 AM
The DUP has blasted a former owner of Rangers Football Club as "desperate" for publicity after claiming that the party had offered him a peerage in return for a £250,000 donation.
Craig Whyte makes the claim in his forthcoming autobiography Into The Bear Pit, where he alleges "senior members of the DUP" made the offer.
But a DUP spokesperson said yesterday: "This is absolute nonsense and a desperate attempt to help sell a book. Mr Whyte should name and shame if he's so confident of his facts."
In 2011 the Scottish businessman bought the club from Sir David Murray for just £1.
He sold his interest less than a year later for £2 before the club went into administration, and then liquidation.
During his brief time at the Ibrox club he claimed the DUP were among those after his patronage.
"It was fascinating to see how people of differing political persuasions had a common cause in their love for Rangers," he wrote.
"The political reach of the club amazed me. And as a door-opener being the owner of a significant football club couldn't be beat.
"For example, one of my colleagues at Merchant House, who was involved with the Conservative Party and Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland, said to me: 'You're not going to believe this. I've got a great deal for you. I have been talking to senior people in the DUP and they want to offer you a peerage so you can sit in the House of Lords for them, if you donate £250,000 and hold some functions for them in Northern Ireland'."
Mr Whyte said he had met "other DUP people" at Ibrox when supporters from here travelled over for games.
"The offer was on the table and if I had pressed the button it would have happened, but it wasn't something that interested me," he stated.
"When I look at the influence the DUP now have at Westminster, I think it's funny when you know the type of deals they've tried to make in the past."
Mr Whyte also claims that Rangers "cheated for years under David Murray" over their use of the EBT tax scheme to pay players.
He added that there was a failed effort to rewrite The Billy Boys song to remove sectarian lyrics for supporters to avoid Uefa sanctions.
Belfast Telegraph
https://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/police-charge/
Statement time , not a mention about the Rangers* fan who racially abused Shay Logan or any comment on translategate but Traynor clearly rattled by recent events spitting his poison despite this child not having been convicted of anything so far unlike his glib and shameless paymaster
On a sliding scale of serious crime where do you rate them?
Shouting racist remarks from a football ‘terrace’
Making ‘cut throat gestures’ towards opposition fans, or, officials
Making gun threat gestures.
All at the same game.
They all sound equal to me. But who was charged by Police Scotland? a 12 year old boy? but not the adults?
Doesn’t sound fair to me. If I was the parents involved I’d hire a cheap lawyer. Case closed!
Paying for an 'honour' is as old as the honours system itself.
The Whyte claim is a perfectly reasonable claim.
…and the obvious follow on question is;
How much did Minty pay for his 'K' ? [Allegedly.
]
Gordon Brown sanctioned the Honour on David Murray. Look what happened to him. The once great Labour Party is now reduced to a nothingness in Scotland. Tells you everything. A white washed tory. The City of London loved him. Destroyed the pension schemes of millions.
StevieBC
with the level of debt he left i can only assume the taxpayer paid for his
So that's both Jackson and Traynor who have released personal statements having ago at other people.
One wonders whether they are using their respective institutions to do it before said institutions have no voice left, or even cease to exist entirely.
I suppose it was Jackson who "started it" this time, with his comments about previous bosses.
Blaming the delay of the Rangers statement on having to wait until a 12 year old was charged seems a bit disingenuous. This excuse is the clearly best Jim T could come up with.
We have all read warnings not to comment on cases that are ongoing lest we prejudice them . Traynor has just declared a child guilty of racism before it has been tried in court . The statement tonight was an act of extreme desperation to deflect the mounting criticism on him personally . Nobody is safe from this thug's vitriol , Michael Stewart had him bang to rights , time he was relieved of his duties as he is certainly causing more problems than he is solving.
Homunculus 10th February 2020 at 21:37
So that's both Jackson and Traynor who have released personal statements having ago at other people…
=========
That will be those 2 literary titans – Keef & Jabba – issuing statements as if they had something of significance to share.
Like 2 jakeys, looking for a square go with anyone – whilst they can barely stand unaided.
We'll all miss their p!sh output when they're punted.
Mibbees.
I have emailed the offices of The Children’s Commissioner and the Children’s Reporter seeking their views regarding the appropriateness of the statement issued by Rangers FC. I will share any response I receive.
Timtim
just read that statement,this bit sticks out
Finally, Rangers would be more than happy to accommodate the young person involved in this latest incident on one of our courses designed to help people understand why racist and sectarian abuse is unacceptable. Indeed, if any of those journalists/pundits who got it so badly wrong would like to attend we’d also welcome and help them.
that is going to be a busy course after every game at ibrox
Tony22.09
Whilst there will not be a criminal trial in relation to the 12 year old who has been charged. The matter is still sub judice and the statement by Rangers is both ill judged and premature. Everybody should be wary of passing comment until the Children’s Panel hearing is concluded.
Ex Ludo 10th February 2020 at 22:44
Tony22.09
Whilst there will not be a criminal trial in relation to the 12 year old who has been charged. The matter is still sub judice and the statement by Rangers is both ill judged and premature. Everybody should be wary of passing comment until the Children’s Panel hearing is concluded.
=========
I posted this comment last night about Traynor, and he has conveniently validated it, again, within 24 hours;
"…he doesn't know what he doesn't know…"
StevieBC@22.53
Ah yes! The Johari Window has been demonstrated once more.
I can’t reproduce the actual Twitter message but Graham Spiers hits the target with this :
“How desperate must Jim Traynor be to produce this wafting resentment? on the fate of a 12 year old boy? And, believe me, it is Jim, from the tortured syntax and sheer ineptitude with punctuation.”
Why has the Son of the Manse suddenly chosen to remove himself from Jabba’s Christmas card list?
Billy Boyce
I don't know what has happened between the two but it could tasty if traynor replies
Cluster One
Apologies for taking so much time to reply to the Kieth Jackson comment.
You said Keith just writes what he's told and then a couple of days later Kieth confirms it in his article! I had a good laugh. I imagined you phoning him up and telling what to write so you could say, 'I told you so'.
As for Celtic hoarding cash, I am suspicious. It is unusual for a company to do that. Celtic have had a huge cash surplus for a few years. It makes the Bank money. Not Celtic.
I follow your argument about the Hotel but would anyone want to build an hotel with their own money? Would it not make more sense to borrow the money and have investment partners? It's cheaper and spreads the risk.
I talked to Trump about it yesterday, before I woke up, and he assured me he would get that moron at the Daily Wreckhard to write an article on it just to prove you wrong
Ex Ludo 10th February 2020 at 23:42
StevieBC@22.53 Ah yes! The Johari Window has been demonstrated once more.
========
Every day a school day: had never heard that term before.
…so you're implying that Traynor needs a dug…?
Just when you thought it couldn't get any more bizarre Statement O'Clock comes round again.
The contents of the Statement raise many interesting points but sub iudice laws and Contempt of Court provisions mean only an idiot would discuss live proceedings. Which brings me neatly to one of the two things which can safely be mentioned. Who is the idiot who penned this? My initial thought was that the author was the man who has just got his BBC apology back from his picture framer but I then re-read it and thought that Chris "Ze List" Graham could well be involved. It's certainly bad enough to be either. Graham Spiers is in no doubt who is responsible (using the word in one of its meanings) and has tweeted naming him. By the time Craig Whyte's book comes out there won't be a journalist left who doesn't have Jabba's teethprints on his throat and vice versa.
The other thing that can be mentioned is that the Statement ends with a Copyright warning (always sticklers for the law down Govan way) and readers are put on notice Article Copyright (C) 2019. Which means they started writing the Statement on Hogmanay. However I fear this will be the least of their problems.
StevieBC@00.32
“O wad some pow’r the gift to gie us, to see ourselves as ithers see us!”
Maybe not a dug but perhaps more self awareness.
I have to say, hats off to Craig Whyte, which is something I never thought I'd ever have to say, and to use another idiom, he's certainly thrown the cat amongst the pigeons with the release of his book.
One could never ask for better pre-release publicity for a book than to have media hacks falling out in print over it in the way we're seeing just now, but I do wonder if Craigie boy will make that much money as a result, as all the juicy bits will be plastered all over social media within days of it's release.
I also wonder if we'll ever see Whyte being interviewed about his book on TV, or even hear him on radio, having an opportunity to affirm what he says in a way that might beat the standard SMSM/ Ibrox/Traynor censorship? Actually, I doubt he'll ever be given such an opportunity to defend himself, or his book, in this way, for it would reach an audience that no other medium reaches.
Still, it may be hats off, but zero sympathy from me for the asset stripping rat!
Billy Boyce 10th February 2020 at 23:50
https://twitter.com/GrahamSpiers/status/1227012288101724164
From the Rangers statement
"The implication seems to be that the fault lies not with those who choose racism and abuse, but with a young immigrant who chose to come to our country. This is a deeply disturbing attitude and that it was actually expressed in a national newspaper defies belief."
One is forced to wonder about people who came to Scotland, who weren't actually immigrants. Should they just "go home". Is racism and abuse OK when it relates to them and their descendants who were born in Scotland.
Did someone break irony when I wasn't looking.
'The first thing to be made clear is that even though many others commented on the issue of abuse (racial and sectarian) directed towards Alfredo Morelos, Rangers had a duty of care not to say anything that might compromise a live Police Scotland investigation.'
An excerpt from that TRFC statement that falls, not only into the area of being an oxymoron, but is, unless I'm misinterpreting the meaning of sub judice, breaking the law* it claims to have previously been respecting.
They seem to fire-fight with buckets of paraffin more often than not, but get away with it because the media are part of the fire. But maybe, just maybe, some members of the media have realised they are about to get burned and are desperate to distance themselves from the ever burning Ibrox fire.
*But like most laws they break, nothing much will come of this latest careless reaction.
PS Just noticed, they've referred to the abuse they claim was hurled at Morelos as both racist and sectarian! Well there could only be one area of the crowd that any sectarian abuse hurled at a Catholic could possibly have come from, regardless of the man's colour, or even what team he plays for. I wonder if any media hack will pick up on that!
Homunculus 11th February 2020 at 09:31 From the Rangers statement "The implication seems to be that the fault lies not with those who choose racism and abuse, but with a young immigrant who chose to come to our country. This is a deeply disturbing attitude and that it was actually expressed in a national newspaper defies belief." One is forced to wonder about people who came to Scotland, who weren't actually immigrants. Should they just "go home". Is racism and abuse OK when it relates to them and their descendants who were born in Scotland. Did someone break irony when I wasn't looking.
______________
Amazing how they would conflate immigrants*, many who came to our country to escape famine and other horrors, with a man solely here to make lots of money from playing a game and who has absolutely no intention of remaining here once his contract is over.
He is not an immigrant, under any stretch of imagination. He is just a man lucky enough to be able to ply his lucrative trade in whatever country he can make most money. And then move on to the next.
* I think we can be pretty certain that this conflating is a deliberate attempt to embarrass Celtic supporters, and the club, by suggesting they are being somewhat hypocritical in the claimed abuse. Another mistake from a PR disaster.
I see John Hartson has posted that his friend and former teammate, Jackie McNamara, has collapsed at home on Saturday with a bleed on the brain. Jackie McNamara was one of those players no other club's supporters disliked, a very good footballer who never did anything to upset opposing fans. Always played, in my opinion, like a gentleman footballer.
My heartfelt best wishes go out to him and his family at this very trying time.
https://twitter.com/jamesdoleman/status/1227250682828378113?s=21
You wait for ages to get a statement and then another comes along right behind it.
Ex Ludo
surely this wasn't written by an ex board member who was sacked for being..er…emmm,racist,crackpots
When will football fans and especially those speaking for 'fans groups' acknowledge that all clubs have their share of nutters and the larger clubs, in terms of probability, will have more nutters than others.
At some point one of these nutters will come and bite you in the bum if you get on your high horse about other clubs. (or if you are on a high horse someone may come along and punch it!!)
A wee while back Phil Mac posted a picture of the Hearts 'young team' as justification for his constant jibes that the Tynecastle club are a diet version of the club from Govan. A good deal of lads in the picture Phil chose were not much older than the 12 year old who is being reported as being under investigation for an incident at Celtic Park.
Hearts fans are well aware of the issues (mostly sectarian singing and flag waving crap, especially outwith the confines of Tynecastle and at away games) caused by a certain group of daft wee laddies. As far as I can see the vast majority condemn such behaviour but there is no doubt a pocket of neanderthals who think its all good fun.
We of course have to wait to see what comes out of the investigations into alleged racism by a 12 year old but everyone should be worried if it does turn out there is something in it.
I have seen some commentary on social media that seems to imply because its a 12 year old its not that bad.
Whether it be a Hoops fan of 12, a Hearts 'young team' member of 15 or 16 or a grown man at Ibrox, football as a whole should be calling them all out, when the evidence is there that racism has occurred, and this should especially be by the clubs that these people are purporting to support. End of.
Daft statements from the likes of Club 1872 help no-one.
wottpi 11th February 2020 at 16:44
When will football fans and especially those speaking for 'fans groups' acknowledge that all clubs have their share of nutters and the larger clubs, in terms of probability, will have more nutters than others.
======================
I was thinking much the same today. If every football club and its supporters looked inwardly and were honest they would admit that some of their fans indulge in abuse or chants that others find unacceptable, or may even be against the law. This could be racist, sectarian, point scoring over the tragedy of child abuse, or focusing on a misfortune which an opponent has suffered in his life.
That is why I find the attitude taken by Rangers and their fans group in the two recent statements truly baffling, because as a support they have been hugely guilty in the past of all that I mention. Even this season they have had part of their ground closed because of it.
Thy would do really well to get a new PR firm in with a totally different style. Not only would Scottish football benefit, Scottish society in general would as well.
tony 11th February 2020 at 16:04
Can you sense fury in every word.
Homunculus
i sense that irony has left the building down in sunny govan
My interest in the blog was reignited by MichaelStewartGate.
Derek McInnes seems to be taking a panning on Radio shortbread. Chris Commons was guest executioner. I presume he was recruited to alleviate the possibility of incriminating fingerprints.
A sacrifice is necessary to appease the gods.
Celtic refusing to cooperate with Sky Sports after Morelos mistranslation
Celtic are refusing to co-operate with Sky Sports as the Scottish champions pursue a full explanation for a mistranslated interview with the Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos.
In a major embarrassment for Sky, subtitles attached to Morelos, who spoke in Spanish, wrongly accused Celtic supporters of racially abusing the Colombian at the Old Firm match on 29 December.
Sky’s reporters were not welcome at Celtic’s pre-match press conference for Wednesday’s game at home to Hearts, as had been the case before last Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie against Clyde. Such a move is not typical of Celtic and illustrates the scale of their feeling. The broadcaster faces a race to resolve the matter before its live screening of Aberdeen v Celtic on Sunday.
After Celtic’s initial complaint, Sky admitted “inaccuracies” in the interview and removed it from all platforms before making a corrected version available. It said in a statement: “After numerous steps undertaken by Sky to verify the interview thoroughly we can be clear that at no point did Morelos allege that any racial abuse was directed at him by Celtic supporters in the interview. We apologise to the supporters of Celtic football club for this serious error. We are reviewing our procedures for translated interviews to ensure this does not occur in future.”
There was, though, no detail offered publicly or privately as to how this situation arose. Celtic remain angry with what they regard as the unsatisfactory nature of Sky’s response and have reported the situation to Ofcom.
This fall-out is all the more notable because Sky will begin an exclusive, five-year deal to screen live Scottish Premiership matches next season. Sky did not comment on this on Monday when approached by the Guardian. It has also been approached on Tuesday in relation to its lack of access to Celtic’s media briefings.
Ofcom is looking through complaints from Celtic supporters as well as from the club. An Ofcom spokesperson said: “We are assessing these complaints against our broadcasting rules, but have yet to decide whether or not to investigate.” This analysis typically takes around two weeks, with any formal investigation then usually completed within 50 working days.
Celtic have specifically demanded to know who was responsible for the translation. “The use of mistranslation to convey false meaning is a dangerous form of fake news which must be condemned and sanctioned,” said the club’s chief executive, Peter Lawwell.
upthehoops11th February 2020 at 19:39
Said along time ago, probably back on RTC, that a chance had been missed to bring football in Govan into the 21st Century.
Unfortunately for all of us the powers that be at both club and SFA/SPL allowed Ibrox to be solidly stuck in the past with all that pent up anger and entitlement along with the old school PR to support them.
About Police Scotland and Rangers.
Anyone remember PS's behaviour around Duff+Phelps?
"Lord Carlyle said they should not have seized the material as it breached the law".Glasgow Times
"nevertheless, the level of illegality is such that it can neither be condoned or countenanced not withstanding the relatively serious nature of the charge"Lord Carlyle.
Police Scotland have previous in losing the plot when it comes to matters involving the team which more than half its employees support.
Nearly 6 weeks after the event? I"ll apologise if I'm proved wrong on this but this 12 yr old wouldn't exist if Celtic hadn't gone to OFCOM. "He"ll" get off with a caution,his job done.
With all the attention grabbing noise around TRFC’s hapless PR management…
it would be interesting to be a fly on the wall at the Blue Room.
I’m guessing that the occupants are otherwise focused on more mundane matters – like how to find £10M ASAP?
StevieBC
Can't ask Dave for it, someone took his wallet and laptop
wottpi 11th February 2020 at 21:40
'…the powers that be at both club and SFA/SPL allowed Ibrox to be solidly stuck in the past .'
+++++++++++++++
Another way of putting that, wottpi, is to say that the 'powers that be' created the myth that a club with a very long history but which nevertheless died and now belongs to the past is somehow still alive and stuck in the present!
I know what you mean, of course.
If the SFA and the SPL and SFL had taken a position based on sporting and business actuality and truth, the death of RFC of 1872 could have been used as a salutary lesson in the need to govern the sport properly, by ensuring that there was no room for lying basterts on club Boards, or collaborators in the SFA with such lying boards( and without independent investigation, how are we to know that there were no collaborators in the Res12 matter?)
If RFC of 1872 and TRFC of 2012 had each been dealt with as truth demanded, there would have been laid a solid groundwork of Truth and Integrity on which every aspect of the sport as sport, as entertainment, as honest value for money, as socially useful in the widest possible sense, bringing huge benefits to large numbers, could have been developed; and while there'rivalry' and perhaps dislike or even 'enmity' may have continued, these would have been based on sport rather than on race or religion or politics.
As is the case in perhaps every other sport in the world!
I met 'Rafa' Nadal on one of my trips to Brisbane. Great guy. I've never met Andy Murray. If the two were to meet in competition, my support for Murray would not be based on a 'hatred' for Nadal!
Watching 'Superbowl' I took sides, without my support for one team meaning that I was an enemy of the other or the supporters of the other.
Shouting in support of my granddaughters in swimming competitions does not mean that I wish the other competitors ill.
But if ,in any of the three scenarios I mentioned, there were to have been any suspicion of game rigging or fixing ( with or without the knowledge of the 'organisers' ) I would be enraged!
As would anyone who is not by nature a cheat-whether , in money dealings, in sport, or in life in general.
As ,sadly, so many folk in the governance of Scottish Football have shown themselves to be.
Stoutly supported by a lying SMSM.
StevieBC 11th February 2020 at 22:46
=================================
The interim report should be out before the end of February.
Where is the £10m coming from, though they will probably announce a half year "profit" like last year. Even when everyone knows football doesn't work that way.
Where is the promised "investment" in January the support were promised, Alex Rae wouldn't lie.
Who is replacing the Chairman as he stands down.
There are a lot of questions to deflect from, sorry answer.
misterlightbulbjoke 11th February 2020 at 22:06
'…Police Scotland have previous in losing the plot .'
+++++++++++++++++++++
Speaking as a humble member of the public, who has attended a number of court hearings related to things 'Rangers of 1872', and with no starry-eyed view of the legal profession, I can (I hope safely ) say that if the 'trial' of the Rangers thingymajig had been the theme of a film, nobody would have thought of it as bearing any more relevance to truth than a Laurel and Hardy cock-up!
Or to a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta.
All fun and laughs, with no serious intention.
Homunculus 11th February 2020 at 23:16
The interim report should be out before the end of February…
=======
Oh yes, I forgot about that.
I wonder if the – alleged – robbers also stole King's fag packet?
The fag packet upon which the highly creative, totally unaudited, interim numbers are scribbled?
And yes, it's going to be amusing to see how King calculates an 'interim profit' this year – when even the bears must have some awareness of the car crash numbers and the HUGE, SWIRLING RED FLAGS contained in the last RIFC accounts?
And these could be Interims issued for the first time ever by a 'Cold Shouldered' Chairman.
Another Ibrox world record…?
The way things are shaping up it appears that both *Rangers and Celtic are both simultaneously about to fall out with SKY. The question is “Who is going to blink first?”
It has been long argued that both clubs are mutually dependent and often act in concert to the detriment of Scottish football in general. The current situation following Translategate etc is a test for this point of view.
If what PMGB is saying in his latest blog proves to be accurate, then it looks like Succulent Jim might be sitting down to write his memoirs anytime soon. Might send a few people involved in Scottish football governance in recent years into a bit of a state
Should we start organising the whip-round now?
A whip-round to pay for a super injunction???
Allyjambo 12th February 2020 at 10:43
If what PMGB is saying in his latest blog proves to be accurate, then it looks like Succulent Jim might be sitting down to write his memoirs anytime soon…
=======
I did wonder yesterday about Spiers sharing an unusually specific/brave Twitter post… as if he knew for a fact that Traynor’s days were numbered.
And nobody can deny that Traynor does indeed have a fascinating story to tell from behind the lines at Ibrox.
However, it is also highly likely that he would write a book whose content – much like his PR output – bore little resemblance to the truth!
I’m sure that there will be a Non Disclosure Agreement element to Traynor’s handshake.
(Yes you can read that in two ways!)
https://twitter.com/kickinon20/status/1227555229132038144?s=21
A picture of Scottish football in happier times.
StevieBC 12th February 2020 at 11:48
'..nobody can deny that Traynor does indeed have a fascinating story to tell from behind the lines at Ibrox.'
++++++++++++++
I'm no employment law expert, but I suspect that if the Ibrox Board want to get rid of their PR man it will cost them a few bob: if they are legally able to sack him without risking an unfair dismissal suit, they'll have to buy his silence with a NDA;
and if they agree to let him go they'll have to agree a parting settlement that satisfies him.
At all events, it strikes me that the Ibrox board must really be composed of irresponsible and /or feckless members, to have been so foolish as to let the PR guru have a free hand in determining PR policy without Board approval, or, alternatively, to have themselves authorised the statement.
But then, what's new in the foolishness stakes as far as that Board are concerned?
Am I the only one who imagined the blue collar ne’er do well, exhausted from a hard day’s thievery, calling in at his local shop for a paper on his way home. And finding his wallet emptied, his cards raided and when he went to vent his fury Yosemite Sam fashion discovered somebody that day had also pinched the bullets out of his gun!
no? Just me then.
John Clark 12th February 2020 at 12:22
I may be wrong but I thought Traynor had left an employed role at Ibrox in favour of providing a PR service via his Level 5 Company.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/24779284
If that's the case, there is no contract to be broken, just a contractual one between the 'club' and the PR company. That should be easier to break if it is considered his services are no longer up to desirable or up to scratch.
Like King and his Chairmanship, he may be portrayed as Rangers PR Man but isn't actually employed or acting in an 'official capacity' for the 'club'.
Happy to be corrected if anyone has other information to the contrary.
Wottpi@13.00
From what I recall Level 5 was launched in some style and were originally based in plush offices in Blythswood Square (on the square, so to speak) Murdo MacLeod featured in photos taken in the office at the launch. There may have been other clients but it soon became apparent that L5 had one exclusive client. JJ reports continually that the office is now situated within the Murray Park complex. Mr Traynor’s employment status is suitably opaque. The Eminence Gris if you will.
Ex Ludo 12th February 2020 at 13:26
Indeed, wouldn't it be a laugh if a certain PR consultant's activities warranted investigation under the IR35 legislation.
wottpi 12th February 2020 at 13:00
'..may be wrong but I thought Traynor had left an employed role at Ibro
Ex Ludo 12th February 2020 at 13:26
'…..Mr Traynor’s employment status is suitably opaque. The Eminence Gris if you will'
+++++++++++
Both of you are almost certainly correct in saying that the PR guru is not personally an employee of RIFC plc, but that his company is contracted on whatever basis to provide a PR service.
The main thing is that ending the contract will cost both parties a few bob and great embarrassment- settlement and NDA money on the one hand, and loss of future income on the other, as well as great damage to such residual 'reputation' as either has.
A marriage made in hell and ending in disaster!
wottpi 12th February 2020 at 14:15
'..wouldn't it be a laugh if a certain PR consultant's activities warranted investigation under the IR35 legislation.'
++++++++++++
I've just read the stuff on the changes to be made to the 'Private sector off-payroll working for clients' rules.
For the benefit of others
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/private-sector-off-payroll-working-for-clients
Very interesting, and I'm always startled to find out how little I know of tax laws and rules.And dismayed at how difficult I find it to understand the implications of particular changes or why they are made. I suppose the existing regime gives some sneaky advantage to people, and that HMRC wants to end that?
ohn Clark 12th February 2020 at 12:22 12 0 Rate This StevieBC 12th February 2020 at 11:48 '..nobody can deny that Traynor does indeed have a fascinating story to tell from behind the lines at Ibrox.' ++++++++++++++
I'm no employment law expert, but I suspect that if the Ibrox Board want to get rid of their PR man it will cost them a few bob: if they are legally able to sack him without risking an unfair dismissal suit, they'll have to buy his silence with a NDA; and if they agree to let him go they'll have to agree a parting settlement that satisfies him. At all events, it strikes me that the Ibrox board must really be composed of irresponsible and /or feckless members, to have been so foolish as to let the PR guru have a free hand in determining PR policy without Board approval, or, alternatively, to have themselves authorised the statement. But then, what's new in the foolishness stakes as far as that Board are concerned?
____________________-
And we know there was no approval given (by at least one board member or senior RIFC/TRFC employee)*, because..?
As you say, John, foolishness (and some even less desirable qualities) is an integral part of an Ibrox based football club's board member's DNA since the days of Craig Whyte, and maybe even David Murray, because even then they just let him get on with leading the club towards liquidation.
*Or, at least, an instruction to 'just get something out there, and turn the focus onto…'
Anent Traynor, whether employee or contractor (I thought the latter)
Various people on here a bit ahead of things? All based on PMGB's "developing story" which may develop as suggested or end up undeveloped like many others of his.
Yes I have my doubts about Phil’s predictions too. But Traynor will go at some point, with all those stories in his loving care.
bordersdon 12th February 2020 at 14:56
Agreed, however the mutterings of Michael Stewart are correct. The guy is a dinosaur and the club's PR is a disaster for anyone other than the gullibillies who lap such nonsense up.
Any professional and forward looking organisation would be looking for a change.
Of course given the current tactics of Trump and Johnson/Cummings some people may think this approach is very clever and goes down well with a certain audience.
Can't say its to my taste!!
Wottpi@14.50
IR35 is described in Wikipedia in the context of “disguised employees” This perhaps goes some way to explaining why a face painter was engaged by *Rangers from time to time. ? ? ?
Ex Ludo, That Face Painter on the list of creditors is easily the most famous face painter in history. Mentioned thousands of times. If I were he or she I would have exploited that by now. He or she should be the go to facial artist! Should be a household name! Maybe said person might consider hiring a PR guru?
bordersdon 12th February 2020 at 14:56
Anent Traynor, whether employee or contractor (I thought the latter) Various people on here a bit ahead of things?…
================
True.
I suppose the question for TRFC is: who would they get if they punted Traynor?
I’m guessing – as a one man band / one client business – he is relatively cheap as chips?
And it seems that his ‘virtual office’ at Blythswood Square has long been replaced with a desk at Murray Park – i.e. he is a virtual contractor, if not a real contractor?
For TRFC to bring in a decent, reputable PR outfit would – I guess – cost considerably more?
And all they really need is an unreconstructed media bully to keep the supine, Scottish hacks in check – nothing fancy required.
A decent organisation would have dispensed with Traynor’s services long before Lambogate / Transalationgate. [A decent organisation wouldn’t have engaged Traynor in the first place.]
So, he just might brass neck his way through this latest Ibrox crisis – all of his own making…
I would imagine the statement has Board approval as it is still on the website which means the Board aren't upset with Traynor or that King still has the final say in matters . That is if the Board can contact him seeing he has no phone and his back up laptop was also stolen in the latest robbery. I suppose the old saying "People in Charles Greenhouses shouldn't throw stones" rings true.
Anyone else, like me, hoping that Traynor remains in his guruificence for at least as long as TRFC remains in a different state than RFC?
He's such a character, he does mke me laugh
@AJ 17;44 there have been many characters in Football's longest running Farce that have been box office , Charles Green,Craig Whyte, Pedro , the Magic Hat and of course King himself but Traynor is just plain nasty . This time he may have gone too far and should he fall on his sword I won't miss him , he has been a poisonous element in our game for far too long. Of course the flip side to that is that he is also a negative for Rangers* never more so than now , maybe it's a case of Heads we win Tails he loses.
Allyjambo @ 17.44
————————
Yip. I'm with you AJ. They are made for each other!!
Timtim 12th February 2020 at 18:05
@AJ 17;44 there have been many characters in Football's longest running Farce that have been box office , Charles Green,Craig Whyte, Pedro , the Magic Hat and of course King himself but Traynor is just plain nasty . This time he may have gone too far and should he fall on his sword I won't miss him , he has been a poisonous element in our game for far too long. Of course the flip side to that is that he is also a negative for Rangers* never more so than now , maybe it's a case of Heads we win Tails he loses.
__________________
Totally agree with you that he's a nasty piece of work, but I think it's that nastiness that's led, in part, to his complete failure as a PR man, which has done so much to hold back TRFC's progress (if there has been progress). I think hubris and nastiness are good friends and cause blindness to one's own failings and failures. Traynor's greatest failing as a PR man, regardless of how much he knows of the art, itself, is that he's consistently been a part of the story, as he is now, which completely ruins even good PR manufacturing, let alone incompetent PR inventions.
I suppose, in this case he's actually turned the attention away from whatever it was TRFC wanted hidden. So credit where credit is due
It'll probably go down as Level5's greatest ever success
With a normal commercial arrangement, one would think that any contract put in place for PR services would have a clause covering what happens in the event that the contractor in some way brings the client into disrepute*.
In such circumstances the contract may well (should?) have a termination provision that leaves other obligations in place e.g. confidentiality.
*I eschew consideration of the ongoing reputational status of RIFC/TRFC. I believe that Mr Archer appropriately summed that up some years ago.
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
Imagine a farmer who is in financial trouble after the failure of his crops. Conventional loans are not an option but he does have one valuable asset:a shiny combine harvester.He can't sell it though as the farm badly needs it.What does he do? He finds someone that will give him emergency cash and in return he draws up a contract that gives his funder a 1/3 stake in the machine.Crops fail again sadly and the farmer needs cash again.He approaches his funder again and offers another 1/3 stake in the combine harvester.
PS, heard that after signing a new contract last March (tough month for football clubs) Alfredo Morelos is signing another one this February(also a tough month for football clubs).
the PR dept.are going to be up all night after tonight's games,time for traynor to earn a reprieve
Tony, apparently the Stevie G interview after the game, in Spanish, is saying the Ibrox club won 3-0 tonight. Honestly that guy Traynor!
Jimbo
That's appropriate as he will be getting the Spanish archer
Jimbo, during that post match interview you only had to look at Gerrard's coupon – which told you all you needed to know about the 'title challenge'.
No translation needed.
Aye, Traynor is going to have pull a massive squirrel out of his hat tomorrow.
Can't wait…
Winning the league was crucial to survival , they are all in . The only decision now is whether they throw millions more to survive or just call it a day . I believe an admin event is imminent now. (gut feeling)
Timtim
I feel the same way, if they go out of Europe and scottish Cup it's curtains for sevco
In the interests of symmetry,
RIFC could do the decent thing, [for once], and call an insolvency event on Friday / Valentine's Day…
And for completeness: a rambling, incoherent statement could also be released – late on Friday evening.
Timtim 12th February 2020 at 23:14
‘….I believe an admin event is imminent now. (gut feeling)’
And you, Timtim, presumably ( or am I being presumptuous?) are not even a creditor of TRFC!
I would imagine that a fair number of creditors are even now acting on their gut feeling and considering getting Counsel’s advice about trying to get monies owed to them ring-fenced against the possibility of a snap Admin?
Especially those creditors who swallow the myth of ‘continuity Rangers’, whose reasoning would be : they’ve done it before, they’ll do it again.
Jimbo@15.30
Kevin Bridges was probably the quickest off the mark and incorporated the face painters’ predicament into his contemporaneous stage act. The image of directors in the blue room with their faces painted like tigers springs to mind.
Out of interest what is the penalty for an insolvency event?
I believe it is a 15 pt reduction . King's latest drama (robbery and burglary) looks to gain sympathy from the hordes , he can now also blame Gerrard for the situation and claim he did his bit by backing him financially even though the players he got haven't actually been paid for yet. The foaming statements from Traynor reveal the level of pressure they are under . If they decide the league is lost then it's better to call Duff and Duffer sooner rather than later . Throwing more money in just to get to end of season intact doesn't solve any issues for next season . Do any of them really believe they can win a cup in Europe? A Scottish cup win does little to ease the balance sheet either. D Day may just have arrived.
I wonder what would mean more to TRFC now, a win at Tynecastle in the Scottish Cup, or a draw! Obviously going through to the next round is vital now, possibly even for their survival, but a replay at Ibrox, netting them, possibly, a million quid, might just be the difference between seeing out the season or not.
While not something the supporters would like, it must be a bit of a conundrum for the board. (Genuinely not suggesting they'd try to manufacture a draw, just that, financially, they might prefer it – and another couple of replays too)
Just one more piece of idle speculation of a type that's kept me entertained throughout the Rangers/Sevco Saga after a relatively long (for the Saga) spell of inactivity here. But as has been said on numerous occasions over the last 7 or 8 years, we certainly do live in interesting times.
When does the SDI situation crystallise? Is that the trigger? Big bad MA forcing the clumpany into admin? Not us Guv….a big boy (MA) did it and ran away.
Makes sense to do it this season as the points deduction can be used to partially explain away 10IAR. If only, etc….
So what's next if they do go into admin? A pre-pack? SDM to the rescue of new new 'Rangers'? Billionaires coming running?
And, disgustingly, a continuing 'history' for the new club of having 'won' past titles and cups?
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
Redlichtie@09.40
“Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath”
More than ever.
Admin? Too soon to say.
Gone 10.30 on the day after TRFC's title ambitions fell into terminal decline, almost 8 years to the day a similar thing had happened to Rangers. Anyone remember them?
Anyway, any breaking news, lads? 'Plastic pitch caused us 3 points' type of thing? 'Kilmarnock tried too hard – they're all out to stop us' sympathy search? 'Morelos' wife upset at recent publicity is affecting his form and the rest of the team' understandably lame excuse? Or have they used up all their PR ideas? Or, heaven forbid, have the SMSM hacks suddenly realised they've been taken for as big a ride as their fellow bears have and are saying 'no more' to Level5's p*sh handouts for them to print critique free?
Or have they just given up trying?
I suppose one of the benefits of the recent statements will be the total absence in future of racist/sectarian chants from TRFC fans . It would be impossible to sing them from their high horse , shirley ?
Just watched the Gerrard post match interview and have to say that, while clearly disappointed, he seems like a man now resigned to, and aware of, the true situation at his club. He sounded more of a realist than he, or any of his predecessors, had done before. Dare I say, he even sounded like this recent run of poor results was not entirely unexpected.
He appeared disappointed, but not gutted. Not like a man who'd just watched what was, almost certainly, that last nail being hammered into his title hope's coffin. His general demeanour suggested to me he knew someone held that final nail, but just didn't expect it to turn up so soon.
Can I just say something in Kilmarnock's favour? Their pies are legendary.
Likewise Redlichtie's Smokies.
I forgot Forfar Bridies and Dundee Jam.
Aberdeen Angus.
Nobody can accuse me of not supporting football Scotland wide.
paddy malarkey
As long as its a big white horse, they can sing what they want
Can I give a mention for the Ross County “Staggie pie” too. A tasty venison pie. On its introduction the now retired, and missed, stadium announcer Len was able to tell us “people ask are the pies dear? Of course they are deer ?!”
adam812
"Rangers fans react: Fury after Kilmarnock defeat as many criticise Steven Gerrard's tactics"
By Glasgow Times Sport
=========================
Hmmm, that's a headline you wouldn't typically see in Chris Jack's Glasgow Times.
Has Traynor finally run out of squirrels…?
adam812 13th February 2020 at 12:51
I bought eight legs of venison for £100 . Is that too dear ?
All this talk of Killie Pies. If memory serves me correctly they are not the same ones now as the original ones, which were produced by a local baker. Perhaps someone could clarify that?
Gullabillies. They are often accused of being hoodwinked by the media. But are they? The Ibrox fans can watch the games like the rest of us. I read today that they are gobsmacked by last night’s result v Kilmarnock. Because they were led to believe – by the media – after 29 December that they were going for 55. Really? They are not all stupid. As far as football goes Celtic were always in front of them. No surprises there.
Where they might be gullible is off the pitch. Believing in continuity myths. Club/company shit. Liquidation is liquidation.
I would like to believe if it happened to my club I would believe we are mark 2 of the founding club.
That bastert green has a lot to answer for.
But even worse, he got away with it by the sluts at Hampden. (Sluts not suits).
I didn't get Paddy's joke until I had read it for a 3rd time
As I was bored I decided to take a leaf out of JC's book and send an enquiring email to the national press club in Sth Africa asking for help in verifying King's recent claims (reminding them of Judge Southwoods comments) I will of course post any reply that is forthcoming. The Press back here seem to be rather muted today , resorting to questioning the referees ability and reporting a Rangers* fan heard someone from the Kilmarnock section racially abuse Morelos. Maybe Mr Traynor is having a day off or someone has just taken his shovel away from him. I also note it has all gone very quiet on the promise of that new share issue that was mentioned at the AGM , maybe they are too busy sorting out a new kit deal for next season . It has just all gone very calm all of a sudden but that's what happens just before a storm.
Looking for guidance . I was looking for something else and found a Rangers Football PLC , incorporated on November 16th , 2012 , and having the same company number as RIFC -SC437060 . Does that mean the holding company as a holding company of it's own ?
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/SC437060
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/SC437060/filing-history (Incorporation ) Or just a bit of tidying up ?
upthehoops 13th February 2020 at 19:16
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All this talk of Killie Pies. If memory serves me correctly they are not the same ones now as the original ones, which were produced by a local baker. Perhaps someone could clarify that?
………………..
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/say-bye-killie-pie-brownings-7886098
……………………..
The feud also led to the breakdown of the 13-year relationship between the two.
paddy malarkey 13th February 2020 at 21:08
‘…was looking for something else and found a Rangers Football PLC , incorporated on November 16th , 2012 , and having the same company number as RIFC -SC437060 .’
No, paddym, just a change of name.
Remember,the plan was always to go public by setting up a plc of which the original shareholders would be those who swapped their SevcoScotland shares for shares in the new plc on the launch of the (misleading ,in my opinion) IPO.
It’s likely that CG and the others knew that he couldn’t use the name ‘Rangers Football Club plc’, because there had already been a ‘Rangers Football Club plc’, which was put into Administration then Liquidation ,and there are some rules enforced under the Companies Act 2006!
So he used a marginally different name ‘Rangers Football plc’ to get round that problem , then a few weeks later changed the name to the vainglorious ‘Rangers International Football Club plc’ to pretend that the investors would be investing in something big, ‘the most successful club in world football’ with 500 000 000 supporters world wide, ready to splash their cash!
As Josef G used to say, if you are going to lie, make the lie really big. People are more likely to believe it.
I mean, they all believed Keef’s ‘MBMB’ didn’t they?
A lesson that a certain PR guru certainly took on board.
John Clark 13th February 2020 at 21:59
Thanks for that , JC , and so eloquently put that even I understood it .
Some might remember that on 28 December 2019 I sent an email to Dr Candy of HES [Historic Environment Scotland] querying her decision not to amend the entry in their 'listed buildings' list, which clearly says that Ibrox stadium is the home of Rangers Football club of 1872, and querying her academic detachment if it allows her to accept an actual untruth ( or words to that effect-canny be arsed looking my email) to be printed in HES material.
I believe she dodged the column disgracefully (like our PR gurus and the SMSM generally) in a way which I find shocking in an 'academic'.
So I've sent this reminder.
To:Julie Candy
13 Feb at 22:42
Dear Dr Candy,
Busy as you no doubt are, it is now a fair number of weeks since I emailed you.
Might you by now be in a position to reply to me, please?
Yours sincerely,
JC'
___
What is it with people who choose not to reply to correspondence?
Have they no reply to make? Are they afraid to reply?
There is an actual untruth in an HES 'publication'-why won't they try to prove that it is not an untruth and just shut me up with their 'proof'?'
And what kind of 'academic' is it, that won't look at the facts, and to hell with propaganda?
Would I now trust any kind of 'research paper' published personally by Dr Candy?
Any more than I would trust a paper from Level 5?
Seriously: can it be, can it possibly be, that the tentacles of RFC of 1872 reach not only into the political government sphere and Edinburgh University 'academics' but into the public service that we directly pay for?
Dr Candy, if and when she replies, had better have a good explanation [ such as the SFA has not been able to supply] as to why HES believes that TRFC is Rangers of 1872!
Utter nonsense from 'football people' is one thing.
For any kind of professed academic to subscribe to that nonsense is something quite different.
paddy malarkey 13th February 2020 at 22:35
'..Thanks for that , JC , and so eloquently put that even I understood it .'
_______________
The really important thing , I think, is that guys like you and me, should keep asking questions to force the smart guys to explain their actions in words and language that we understand .
If the smart guys are speaking truth, and we can see the truth in their explanations, great. No problem.
The problem lies( huh!) with secrecy, non-communication, false communications….
I expect that of the SFA and SMSM.
I did not expect it of 'academics'.
Bloody well annoys me , to tell the truth, if any academic bows to 'political' pressure.
Eppure si muove , said your man Galileo Galilei ( under his breath, granted!)
https://twitter.com/physiomac/status/1228058698569797632?s=21
A wee diversion.
Ex Ludo 14th February 2020 at 00:40
'..A wee diversion.'
________
Nay, rather a wee reminder of hard facts!
"Third Lanark went out of business in 1967 as a result of mismanagement"
As did Rangers of 1872,
Scottish Football Governance was quite happy to accept the death of Third Lanark then.,caused by mismanagement !
How absolutely corrupt must they be to have accepted in more recent times actual cheating , proven cheating, and to have manufactured a wholly ridiculous lie to protect the most cheating football club there ever has been!
Honest to God.
John Clark 14th February 2020 at 01:06
Nay, rather a wee reminder of hard facts!
"Third Lanark went out of business in 1967 as a result of mismanagement"
==========
They did, and it remains a tragedy. Last year I went to see Cathkin Park for the first time. I have been to Hampden countless times but never did I ever take that 10 minutes out to see the famous old ground nearby. It was a weekday, very peaceful, and the sun was shining. I was delighted to see that areas of the terracing are being restored, and the crush barriers have been painted. There was something very poignant just standing there leaning against a barrier, thinking of what once was. An older gent I spoke to told me football anoraks from all over the UK come to see the ground. Reading the history of their demise shows how it just didn't need to happen. I believe the club who benefited most from their demise was the fairly nearby Pollok Juniors, as the Thirds Fans could not support another senior team, and who could blame them. Your team, and memories of your team are for life.
I know that other organisations have been very poor, to say the least, at responding to emails, letters etc so well done to the office of the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland for getting back to me so quickly.
I am posting the response in full but without naming the responder respecting GDPR. The email is ended by a number of standard statements including "Any views expressed by the sender of this email are not necessarily those of Children & Young People’s Commissioner Scotland."
"Thank you for sending on the article. I have discussed your concerns about the wording you have highlighted with our Head of Advice and Investigations. We do not believe that the text implies guilt and in any case it does not identify the young person involved. In terms of fairness in the legal process, the law requires the Children’s Reporter or the Procurator Fiscal to ensure that the necessary evidential standard is met before proceeding any further and those decisions can be tested in court.
However, if you would like a further opinion on this, you may wish to contact the Independent Press Standards Organisation who are the independent regulators for the UK newspaper and magazine industry (https://www.ipso.co.uk/contact-us/) for their advice.
Should the young person themselves have any concerns, they could of course contact us directly for advice."
I have not received any response, even an acknowledgement, regarding my email to the office of the Children's Reporter
Had a quick look around the online media this morning and the general theme is 'where did it all go wrong for Rangers?'. Aside from the fact the league is not over yet I Simply can't understand why Rangers could end 2019 on such a high, then effectively go to war with the world. Why not take the plaudits, and keep focused on the park? Instead they went straight onto the attack and entered a disastrous PR campaign surrounding their star player. This has resulted in a complaint to Ofcom which Rangers, or someone working on their behalf may be implicated in, and some mainstream media people actually putting their head above the parapet to criticise the absolutely ridiculous nature of the PR coming from Ibrox.
It was all so unnecessary, and I would not bet against Steven Gerrard thinking that too.
I don't think you'd have seen an article like this a few weeks ago:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/18232998.steven-gerrard-went-wrong-rangers-bid-premiership/
J.J I think that article could also be shrunk right down to the main point;
"It was the Winter Break's fault!"