Huge result from the SFA Judicial Panel Tribunal tonight, absolutely enormous, perhaps the biggest decision ever made in Scottish football history. Rangers have been banned from signing players over 18-years-old, for a period of 12 months and fined £160k.
For months Scottish football has lived under some huge moral questions; would the combined forces of TV contracts, the Bank of Scotland and the formidable Rangers lobby combine to subvert the meritocratic spirit of sport and see rules written to see Rangers kept afloat.
The SFA Judicial Panel Tribunal made these questions moot. In the event that Rangers fail to agree a CVA with creditors and emerge as a Newco, and IF that Newco is allowed to inherit the SPL share given up by Rangers, the Newco will be unable to sign any players of 18 years or older.
Although the SPL and SFA are able to transfer Rangers league share to a Newco, player employment contracts are with the current company, so players would not be contracted to any new company. An SPL Newco would need to compete with 16 and 17-year-olds.
Conversely, there is nothing to stop a new football club, Rangers United, for example, sharing Firhill and applying to the Scottish Football League, from signing players of any age. A new football club like this would inherit no financial or football punishment from Rangers FC. Anyone aspiring to fill the gap left by Rangers would do well to navigate their plans in this direction.
In fact, scrub that first sentence, this is the biggest decision ever made in Scottish football history, no perhaps about it.
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starryhope
23:32 on 23 April, 2012
1st podium?
Bundoran Bhoy – Standing with Neil Lennon against victimisation and injustice!!!!!
23:33 on 23 April, 2012
2nd?
Bundoran Bhoy – Standing with Neil Lennon against victimisation and injustice!!!!!
23:33 on 23 April, 2012
Get in :)
Bundoran Bhoy – Standing with Neil Lennon against victimisation and injustice!!!!!
23:34 on 23 April, 2012
cheeky wee 2nd lol
HH
aldersyde avenue
23:34 on 23 April, 2012
aldersyde avenue on 23 April, 2012 at 23:23 said:
I for one will hold off celebrating this decision for the time being.
Rangers (IA) will have a right of appeal I presume.
Sorry to be cynical but I’m guessing the penalty will be reduced or even suspended for a period of time.
I do not trust the SFA and always suspect ulterior motives.
shady
23:34 on 23 April, 2012
2nd?
Art of War
23:34 on 23 April, 2012
Still gobsmacked!
obonfanti1888
23:34 on 23 April, 2012
THE GREATEST EVER HEADLINE!!!!
Well until, Rangers RIP. :-)
Valley Exile (Not in Administration)
23:34 on 23 April, 2012
Hopefully bye bye r##gets. Hope the police are watching Sunday
Celtic_First
23:34 on 23 April, 2012
Some of those Queen of the South boys showed up very well tonight.
Just saying.
Art of War
23:34 on 23 April, 2012
Didn’t think they had the haw-maws!
No to NewCo is Malone19
23:34 on 23 April, 2012
I was thinking – 12 month signing ban, funny but they’re not going to be able to sign players anyway. Never thought about the signing their own players angle. hahahahahaha csc
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon
23:35 on 23 April, 2012
Damn this is funny
up_over_goal
23:35 on 23 April, 2012
News reaches the Celtic boardroom:
http://i39.tinypic.com/1hcsup.gif
pabloh_AKA_NEIL LENNON
23:35 on 23 April, 2012
Boom!
Pjbruce
23:36 on 23 April, 2012
Looks like a SFA SPL power struggle going on here SFA saying rules are rules SPL saying to hell with rules let them in funny old game innit
starryhope
23:36 on 23 April, 2012
Never chased the podium before but must have been in the right place at the right time.
A memory I will cherish.
Where were you when the SFA stuck it to Rangers? I was winning the CQN Podium!
Hail Hail
Starryhope
Marrakesh Express
23:36 on 23 April, 2012
lucky cody 23-17.
well spotted. CW has single handedly sanitised Scottish football. By doing more damage to the huns than Jock, Jinky and Henke put together he has achieved the impossible, with much help from SDM.
It now looks like a slow, lingering painful death. If ever an entity deserved it, its the RFC. I keep getting a picture of the end of the movie ‘Ghost’, where the bad guy gets dragged away to an eternity in hell by the evil spirits. Get what I mean?
hh
sparkleghirl
23:37 on 23 April, 2012
Over on R-Media they’re suggesting that Ragers should refuse to fulfill their fixtures as a protest…….
Art of War
23:37 on 23 April, 2012
Paul67 – Big question – has the integrity of football won over financial considerations?
HH
thebhoyfromoz
23:37 on 23 April, 2012
I wonder if the SFA punishment will embolden the SPL to speed up their own investigation on the two contracts.
The End is nigh
HH
share on F’book or Twitter
Kojo
23:37 on 23 April, 2012
Sir Paul
The News jist keeps oan gettin’ . Bettah and Bettah!
Fur.
Jist When Wan Door Closes , fur the G.A.
Another Door..
Bangs… Right in Thur Face!
Goodnight,Kiddo.. Ah am sure Ye wull sleep .. weel.
Kojo
Still
Laughin’ like …Hell!
BULL67
23:37 on 23 April, 2012
Hail Hail…
Hugh Bonkle fae Dallas
23:38 on 23 April, 2012
Anyone know what the Thai for Duffy and Phelps is? Maybe the superstore can print it on my shirt for Sunday.
Por Cierto
23:38 on 23 April, 2012
Yes Paul that is what the SFA are trying to do with this verdict, is lead the parties down the road of a completely New Club.
Now they CAN investigate the 2 contracts issue without fear of any backlash and remove all the trophies from a Club that no longer exists.
They will also fast track there New League formula and guess who will be invited to take part? por cierto.
tomthelennytim
23:39 on 23 April, 2012
Paul67 – RTC reckons existing contracts can be switched to newhuns. Not affected by the embargo.
googybhoy ♥ Celtic and Integrity
23:40 on 23 April, 2012
Cheerio Cheerio Cheerio Cheerio
This will unravel now and they will be found rotten to the core.
What you think Paul67?
RogueLeader
23:40 on 23 April, 2012
Paul67 – I wonder if the SFA have taken the moral decision right out of the hands of the self-serving SPL Chairmen?
The line from the UEFA statement always stuck in my head that they expect “the spirit” of the FFP rules to be adhered to.
They couldn’t trust greed not to win and UEFA to have to step in.
Green Lantern (((((0)))))
23:41 on 23 April, 2012
Rangers delenda est.
Moonbeams WD. Kano \o/ Neil Celtic FC. We are the Champions. Ignore the WARTS.
23:41 on 23 April, 2012
Duff n Phelps or Cheech n Chong
MWD
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon
23:41 on 23 April, 2012
Statement fron Paul Murray: “feck”.
Statement from Bill Miller: “I’m outta here. Bye y’all”.
Statement from Dark Mingwall: “But they canny. We arra peepil. Help”.
tictalker
23:42 on 23 April, 2012
You know something good is happening when paul67 is posting at this time.
Tictalker talking tic
What is the Stars
23:42 on 23 April, 2012
This is just pure pantomime
http://forum.rangersmedia.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=217763
Ceaser67
23:43 on 23 April, 2012
40th YeSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
The Token Tim
23:43 on 23 April, 2012
Didnt think the SFA would do that at all.
Historic indeed!
Yo Ho Ho, off they go…….
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
PS – Starry Hope……..”never chased a podium” Aye Right!! :-)
hamiltontim
23:44 on 23 April, 2012
Gordon_j
Don’t think you’ll get a statement from fat Mark apparently FF has crashed 3 times since the announcement!!
This is the day….
Paul67
23:44 on 23 April, 2012
obonfanti1888, aye, that one is coming.
Art of War, yes, integrity has won over, before the SPL clubs had a chance to vote on the matter.
Kojo, had a wry smile at that, thank you.
Por Cierto, so far so good. A new league structure is still an obscure ambition, agreed by no one, and not even relevant to a Newco starting at the bottom of the structure.
tomthelennytim, Fraser Wishart said otherwise last week. Contracts of employment are with the current company. New company does not employ these players.
Googybhoy, game changer.
RogueLeader, this is exactly what has happened and will be the subject of a blog tomorrow. This decision takes pressure away from votes.
tictalker, indeed.
pggtips2
23:44 on 23 April, 2012
Paul67
Just read the headlines on newsnow. Wow!!! Stunning news! Craig Whyte’s reply to the PA is brilliant. What a crazy guy!
Looks like its the 3rd division for Rangers. A team of 16 and 17 year old’s simply couldn’t compete in the SPL, not sure they could compete in the 3rd division either.
Stunned with the brilliant news!
Today is a truly historic day!
pggtips2
23:45 on 23 April, 2012
Paul67
I think Bill Miller’s bid is now out of the running (giggle).
Craiginho
23:45 on 23 April, 2012
This is a very interesting first crack at a disciplinary decision by the SFA. I say first crack as it will be their decision on the inevitable appeal that will determine how this actually plays out. If this is upheld it could signal the end of Rangers hold over the Scottish football authorities and perhaps the levelling of the plays field.
On a separate note, this will enrage the hordes and with the game coming up on Sunday all of our fans will need to be wary of the usual reaction of the Burberry-wearing Chelsea fans. Although it could be a sparsely populated away end on Sunday if the good news keeps coming.
Craiginho
sonofaderryman
23:46 on 23 April, 2012
tomthelennytim on 23 April, 2012 at 23:39 said:
Paul67 – RTC reckons existing contracts can be switched to newhuns. Not affected by the embargo.
I would not worry too much about the players theyn have re signing, any that are out of contract wont stay if they are in teh third division, or have to take pay cuts. Their years of cheating is biting their erses!!!
Hell slap it intae them.
Allgreen tthinks SPL are at it
23:46 on 23 April, 2012
What exactly have the Huns been found guilty of? Can’t get into SFA site to check offences.
SwanseaBhoy
23:46 on 23 April, 2012
Damn you SFA and damn you Paul67.
I’m up at 4am and this breaks!
SwanseaSleepyBhoy
The Token Tim
23:47 on 23 April, 2012
WITS,
what is it with the huns and Walking???
Now it would appear that quite the opposite of not walking away, they want to walk away from Celtic Park.
Jog-On Hun is my response.
Whaddya know, Its 9-i-A-Row…..
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
sonofaderryman
23:48 on 23 April, 2012
Swanseabhoy
Get to your bed leave this staying up late to the youngsters!
jeez_I_thought_blinker_was_pants
23:48 on 23 April, 2012
RE: FF & R***ers Media : They don’t like Peter Lawwell do they?
Ceaser67
23:48 on 23 April, 2012
The Gatland boys were innocent Becky was a slut!!!
praecepta
23:49 on 23 April, 2012
Paul67
Interesting verdict – now what’s left by way of punishment when the BTC is announced?
Stripping of titles?
Revoking their licence?
Newco and start from scratch or cease to exist?
Malc
23:49 on 23 April, 2012
Great to see the beaks have got some cojones after all… And Justice For All
tomthelennytim
23:50 on 23 April, 2012
Paul67 – cheers for reply. If that is true then they’re truly fecked.
I can’t see how they will put a side out. If they are now (as seems likely given the change of pace) hammered for the dual contracts then I think division three might be the best newhuns can hope for.
Absolutely doomed.