SPL chief executive, Neil Doncaster, appeared on BBC Radio Scotland this evening strongly pitching the appropriateness of a Newco to be voted into the SPL. He gave a couple of examples to back up his position and used gaps in his interviewer’s understanding to paint a strong picture.
While he accepted that a Newco had never assumed a position in an elevated league in Scotland he gave two examples of it happening in England and even went as far as suggesting that “going down the Newco route” was the normal way to exit administration now.
There is a crucial difference between the examples Doncaster gave and all other examples, including Rangers – over 75% of creditors agreed to a Creditors Voluntary Arrangement.
A note of explanation first:
Football clubs are free to change their corporate structure by application to their association. This has been done my most clubs over the years, in particular in the 19th century when they went from being private clubs to incorporated limited companies. There was another wave when the PLCs arrived. Celtic went through this process in 1897 when it became a limited company and again in 1994 when it became a PLC (Celtic PLC remains the same legal entity they became in 1897 with the same company number).
This facility to change your corporate structure has never been a charter to ditch your debts. Financially distressed football clubs in England often change corporate structure when subject to a takeover. The new boss comes in with the company he used to fund his takeover (like Craig Whyte’s Wavetower) then applies to the FA to associate the club with his new company. If over 75% of creditors support a CVA, this is in order and is always granted. The old company is then usually wound up.
Back to Neil Doncaster. He gave two examples: Crystal Palace and Plymouth Argyle.
Creditors of Crystal Palace agreed a CVA proposed by CPFC 2010 in June 2010. Following this, CPFC 2010 took ownership of the club and successfully applied to assume its league share.
Mr Doncaster may have been concentrating on matters elsewhere on 6 May last year when Plymouth Argyle’s creditors agreed to a CVA. The same day Craig Whyte completed his takeover of Rangers. Following this creditors agreement, the club was bought by the Akkeron Group.
Precedent in Scotland and in England is clear: if you get the agreement of your creditors (by a CVA, for example), the football authorities have no issues. If you don’t get agreement with your creditors, you’re finished.
Before I get asked the Leeds United question one more time…. 75.2% of Leeds United’s shareholders agreed to a CVA but on the 28th and final day creditors were allowed to act, HMRC objected. The Football League used emergency provisions to authorise Leeds share transfer as the CVA had sufficient support. HMRC dropped their appeal soon thereafter.
There is little we can do about controlling the debate on radio. Neil Doncaster has pinned his colours to the mast and tonight agreed to be interviewed by a journo who is also financially heavily conflicted towards supporting a Rangers-Newco in the SPL.
Doncaster also appears to have sprung the same misinformation on the organiser of the SPL Survey, who the SPL chief was very dismissive off tonight, implying the organiser accepted his view after he explained “the facts”.
This is the bottom line for you and for Doncaster. Crystal Palace, Plymouth Argyle and Leeds United all convinced over 75% of creditors to support a CVA.
Here is a list of the teams in Scotland and England (in modern times) who failed to agree a CVA:
Chester City
Farsley Celtic
Rushden and Diamonds
Airdrieonians
Gretna
All of them dissolved. None emerged as a Newco retaining their league status (although Airdrieonians fans bought and moved Clydebank FC).
This man – Doncaster – has no right to present you or SPL clubs with a selected version of English clubs history which plays fast and loose with the most important fact of all – did 75% of creditors agree to a CVA?
Precedents are clear and 100% consistent. Get 75% of creditors on side or start supporting another football team.
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HH
Podium
O.G.Rafferty on 30 April, 2012 at 22:14 said:
JimmyQuinnsBits, 22:09
He can do nothing without information to back up his story. Many posts on here, and elsewhere, have been chased with emails and phone calls but to no effect. He knows what information is out there – but he has to have it to do something with it
thanks fro todat St JD
Podium WOOHOO
HH
Brilliant article Paul67
HH
funny thing happened at back of the hall..
standing talking to 2 bhoys from Burnbank when a few CQNers came in..
those bhoys where huddleboard lads and decidied to venture over to their part of the hall..
splitters…
judean peoples fronters…o))
highest up the ladder ive been
Snake Plissken on 30 April, 2012 at 18:57 said
Apologies for late reply
That’s fantastic mate cheers for that. Hope we get Shamrock Rovers in the draw :D
Any idea of possible playoff opponents?
JEM
Mr P
Fantastic
Corruption and deceit in clear view, they won’t get away with it.
Good Shout Paul
I thought Doncaster was factually and legally woeful tonight– totally and utterly useless as an executive on this showing and if that is an example of his business skill and executive capacity then I am afraid he shows potential for the position of tea boy– anything else would seem beyond him.
CVA = Canny Verify Anything.
Lubo.
CRC,
Thanks for getting in touch, look forward to meeting at the Hearts game and
collecting a much covetted CQN badge.
Woo hoo.
Our future is in the hands of crooks or fools.
JQB
I have posted a few things on AT’s blog not a bother, but when I have posted anything in the slightest contraversial, it’s been moderated, one post went up, it lasted all of 2 mins.
I feel the same as you, AT is a quality jurno, but I feel he is out of his depth here, where is the scoop headlines ???
They have been cheating and defrauding for years,, minty has scammed the taxpayer for years, in scotland they reward you with a gong for your efforts.
Mention the brotherhood, moderated, I wonder why ??????
Silver City Neil Lennon on 30 April, 2012 at 22:23 said
Or both
Paul67:
At last a measured response to Doncaster interview, one which puts it all into perspective.
A CVA, they are having a laugh as are HMRC.
I can still smell the liquid, can you?
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Missed the podium, but I’m a Celt.
Had to explain many of the banners for yesterdays game to my 74 year old Mother today. (she relies on a newspaper for TV crossword, etc…)
Her reply……….let me know when they’re dead, we can have a wee celebration
Mr Paul67 I have never posted to you directly and do not want to be sycoFanTic but we, and I think I can speak for all that lurk and post on here would like to say a huge thank you for your work. We need to out the cheats as they grow in their bombasity.
Again. I thank you.
Great article Paul… The fate of RFCiA will ultimately be determined by HMRC and well founded company insolvency law – Not what stitch up the twits at the SPL imagine up on the hoof
Paul 67,
excellent article.
My initial reaction when hearing the interview was that doncaster was laying the ground with rangers and their equally psychotic supporters for when they die. I.e. “Hey, don’t blame me, I was the guy on the radio trying to get you lot straight into the SPL – don’t kill me, I wasn’t the one to finish you off”.
However, if he is serious about this newco crap, and the huns do liquidate and cease to exist before the season ends and are allowed back in sans debt, then I think Celtic should to draw attention to this blatant act of cheating by refusing to play one of their remaining fixutres.
Now, I don’t mean not turning up, but say, going to Tannadice, kicking of and then stop playing. Let Dundee utd score, then take the resulting kick off, and stop playing and let Dundee utd score.
Let Dundee UTD run up a score of 60 or 70 to nil.
Let doncaster come out then and complain about sporting integrity.
(Aye I know my idea is a load of pish, but sometimes I think such an exaggerated responce is what is needed to draw attention to such a deception if newco is allowed).
Excellent article Paul
Goncise, factual and to the point
You provide our troops with first rate ammunition to destroy these MSM tax cheat myths!
HH
Bundoran Bhoy, thank you.
DJBEE, you are very welcome, thank you.
BRTH, when the best they can come up with is clubs who have achieved CVAs, things must be bad. The real worry is that it’s not a Raving Sandy Jardine this week, it’s a Raving Neil Doncaster.
What hope fairness now?
Lennybhoy, sure can.
Concise even DOH
HH
I wrote to Doncaster in the autumn regarding newco in SPL, after Paul had alerted us to the possibility.
He wrote back quite promptly, vaguely citing Leeds as an example, which a quick google search told me was a false comparison. At that moment I realised this man was not going to be our friend, and was going to twist facts and obfuscate in order to get what he wanted.
He is a liar, he will tell any lie and eject any moral standard to improve his bank balance. He is a venal individual, and he must be removed from his position as NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE.
Apart from anything, even if the hun shed their debts, there then comes the tidal wave of the double contracts, which the SPL are currently ‘investigating’. This alone should result in Rangers’ expulsion. The idea of the hun shedding their debt AND receiving no meaningful punishment for years of cheating is beyong countenancing.
How on earth are the SPL going to make the double contracts – and the collosal level of subsequent punishment – go away?
Paul67
The last time I heard a broadcast like Doncaster’s Dallas was the man misleading his audience by witholding information he knew to be true.
How can we expect integrity when thosr expected to show it do not comprehend it?
At what point does the SFA step in and use their licensing powers to say a Newco cannot get a license without a case being made to UEFA and if such a case will be made?
JQB – after everything we’ve witnessed in the past, I fully understand your cynicism, but I remain hopeful that AT will be able to back up his claims of the biggest scandal in the history of British sport.
If the dual-contract allegations are proven and UEFA & the SFA let them off with it, then we can all walk away as the game is truly a bogey!
HH
TTTT
wow! Heaveee Paul!
As you have stated many times, Doncaster is judged by the success i.e. money generated thru TV deals etc… of the SPL product.
How he can jump to his current (bun) position based on it being `normality’ or `precedent’ is staggering.
He knows about their cheating. He knows about the BTC. He knows about the EBT’s (I presume).
When you can be bought for a performance related bonus then you have no right to hold ANY position of office.
Shame on you Doncaster or should that be donkey?
HH
Paul what happened to my refresh button at the bottom of the screen lol.
The biggest problem in all of this has been mis-information. But the problem is thems’s.
As long as we keep on listening to P67 et al, we’ll be awright!
Tom McLaughlin on 30 April, 2012 at 22:24 said:
”ernie lynch –
So what is the SPL vote all about then?”
It’s about trying to introduce a football creditors rule by the back door.
ABZMike, after tonight’s performance we have reason to worry.
The Comfortable Collective, the inappropriate use of “facts” is almost as bad as inappropriate registration of players, in this respect.
croppybhoy, cheers.
Auldheid, it’s time for him to step aside.
Art of War, I hear you.
Paul, in your opinion, why is Neil Doncaster is taking this approach? If he goes live on national radio and paints this false picture, is it because he has convinced himself that this is a coherent argument to justify his desired outcome (an SPL with the biggest turnover possible), or does he think our heads button up the back?
The stitch up is nearly complete.
Horrible country, corrupt at every level.
Paul,
I wouldn’t be suprised if there is a motion at the next SPL meeting just to rename the damn thing to CPL
Cheats Premier League
I have lost all faith in the governming bodies of our game. Not that I had much.
Top man Paul,
I heard Doncaster on the TV earlier and thought this is not right, but did not know enough to be clear. Once again you tell it as it should be told, great article.
I will await Doncaster’s apology along with the others from rfcia……..hell will freeze over first.
Hell mend them all.
HH
Thank you paul
I will sleep better this waiting is getting to me ,i’m even falling for spin,
Spoke to my pal the night about deviant Doncasters interview ,he listened loooked at me, shook his head and said watch my lips”THEY ARE DEID”
HAIL HAIL