When you have a potential loss to the tax payer of £75m, allegations of tax irregularities, political interference, alleged sporting malfeasance and stand of the brink of the largest corporate failure in Scottish history (discounting the bailed-out RBS) the profile of the story rises above the blogs and regular Scottish media.
Alex Thomson, chief correspondent for Channel 4 News, a man who reports from war zones, interviews prime ministers and presidents, decided to look into how the SFA were handling the current crisis in Scottish football. Yesterday he blogged on the subject, raising many of the questions we have asked in recent months.
On Twitter this morning he reported his experience in trying to get some sense out of the SFA, this is what he said:
“SFA say President Campbell Ogilvie is ‘distancing himself from the current Rangers investigation’ but did not explain how.
“Campbell Ogilvie ‘did not know’ about EBT contract when he was Rangers FC secretary?
“When we asked why not – that was his job – SFA said they didn’t know.
“SFA say their President and fmr Ranger secretary Campbell Ogilvie will not be interviewed by c4news about what he knew…
“SFA say their President Campbell Ogilvie ‘has no plans to stand aside from his job pending current Rangers probes…
“Interesting SFA have just accused me of ‘lying’, ‘pig-headedness’ and then put the phone down mid-conversation….
“all because I put their own statement back to them that Campbell Ogilvie denied knowing about EBTs at Rangers…
“And suggested there might be a perceived conflict of interest in his current position until the investigations are complete”
Three weeks ago we suggested that Ogilvie’s position as SFA president was untenable, saying “The association cannot have a president embroiled in a tax evasion scam which, even before a verdict has been decided, has already caused untold harm to his former club and the reputation Scottish football.”
The SFA have been able to dismiss pleas for sporting integrity and ethical standards from the blogsphere while the mainstream media have either chased the hapless fall-guy, Craig Whyte, or refused to take the Improper Registration of Rangers players seriously.
SFA chief executive, Stewart Regan, was flushed out his slumber by Mr Thomson’s comments this morning, Tweeting to the reporter, “Please could you confirm who you have spoken to. thank you.”
Stewart, if you really need to ask that question, you’re in more trouble than I thought. There are several thousand CQN’ers who could help answer that one.
Campbell Ogilvie and the SFA cannot hide from the facts of this crisis. He is president of the SFA and both he and the association must acknowledge there is work to do. We can only hope Uefa finally decide to take a look.
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Kittoch,
It’s spelled “oversees”!
Get it right ;)
Kittoch,
Sorry. Should read all the posts before I jump in
TinyTim on 14 March, 2012 at 07:12 said:
I
sorry bud, didnt scroll back fast enough, thanks for thinking of me anyway.
Rieperman
I thought everyone had seen it.
Always the last to know…
I thought you were compounding the humour. o:)
What was the Alex Thomo tweet about Christian Aid?
alex thomson @alextomo
Reply RetweetedRetweet
Delete
FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details Christian Aid raise serious questions over the governance of Glasgow Rangers Football Club. Yes, Christian Aid.
From this doc;
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/images/blowing-the-whistle-caweek-report.pdf
.
When was the Last Cup Final Hat-Trick.. Get a Early one Celtic and its Doable..
Sammi to Score against them Taking the Ball from his Own Half again..
Big Big Weekend Hear in Sultry Melbourne..
Summa
Morning all from gay Paree, lovely morning (17C max today)
Anybody heard about the Red and Black scarves Thems are selling to boost the FightersFund?
“The Red and Black is the traditional colours of our home socks.”
Aye, we know…
SDM=Stupid Duped Murray.
HH
Margaret McGill on 14 March, 2012 at 05:22 said:
….not forgetting the BHoys and Ghirls depp undercover in Tajikistan. By the way, things are so bad here in Central Asia, Peggy, that yesterday all the water coolers were removed because of the “recession”. Not good unless you are a relative of President Rahkmon. Ho, hum
.
Latest from Phil Mac..
Game On..
In the digital media age the optics of a situation is everything.
So when Campbell Ogilvie did the draw for the semis of the Scottish cup it sent a message.
With the very serious allegations made against him by Hugh Adam the guy who drives the Scottish Football Association bus should have taken action.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2109018/Rangers-accused-misleading-SFA-secret-deals.html
He didn’t, and because of that, the SFA appears to me to be compromised as an organisation on these serious issues.
At this stage this situation requires action by Sports minister Shona Robison.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/12
Given the nature of these allegations the Scottish Football association cannot, in my opinion, investigate itself.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2109233/Rangers-investigated-SFA-Hugh-Adam-claims.html
The cosy relationship that the SFA has had with the Scottish media is no longer defence either as serious journalists based in London are now on the case.
I was called yesterday by an award winning television reporter who told me that he wanted to get to the bottom of “Rangersgate” and he has the considerable resources of his organisation at his disposable.
He shared with me the content of a “conversation” he had just had with an SFA “press officer” and it was, quite frankly, risible.
I sent the journalist several detailed emails with links to various pieces and some previously unpublished material of my own.
The latter being particularly explosive.
Everything has a cost and the Scottish press pack, by being pals with the football establishment at Hampden and Ibrox, have made themselves largely irrelevant .
As I write this, the Scottish tabloids are illuminated by more moonbeams about a wonderful future for Rangers and how a new sugar daddy will soon kiss it better.
All of this is as evidence based as the churnalism that confidently stated that Mr Whyte was a “billionaire” and that he would finance the club from his own wealth.
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/when-journalists-forget-which-team-they-are-on/
The big boys from London are now digging and they appear to have no problem engaging professionally with a diligent worker in Donegal.
Game on.
Summa
tomtheleedstim
Thanks I’ll read that later, looks very interesting
File on Four – Tax Aviodance
Radio 4 Last night was a general look at tax aviodance and how much it costs the country, it’s on i-player and will be repeated on Sunday @ 17:00.
Near the beginning they discuss EBTs in general and the R@ngers case in particular – tax experts stating RFC abused the use of such Trusts. Worth listening to the whole thing as you discover HMRC’s intolerent attitude to the “properly” run Trusts, never mind the ones set up to evade tax.
On the same subject the SPL must not hide behind R@ngers Tax appeal, they must look at the payments (SDM admitted these payments were made) and ensure they were compliant with SPL rules.
It must be very straight forward either these payments were scheduled in a correct form of contract and lodged with the league or they breach SPL regulations and were prohibited payments.
Was just in Asda and a wee guy asked if he could pack ma bags for a donation to his football team …. Imagine my surprise when I looked up and saw it was Stevie Naismith….
macjay1 for Neil Lennon on 14 March, 2012 at 05:46 said:
Just turned on radio A.B.C. in Sydney for the drive home.
Broad Glasgow female accent talking about tenements and Carnwadric and Irvine and the cans thrown at her when she was wearing her First Communion dress. Crazy stuff. Lady called Eddi Reader who is currently appearing in Sydney. Must try and get tickets.
———
Go onto Amazon and puchase “Eddi Reader sings the Songs of Robert Burns”. Outsatnding album and will help you understand what Kojo is talking about in his Ullans vernacular, when is posting on CQN. :-)
Highly recommended. What a voice.
tomtheleedstim on 14 March, 2012 at 08:58 said:
From this doc;
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/images/blowing-the-whistle-caweek-report.pdf
___
An excellent read.
Dave (David Cunningham) King gets half a page to himself – Page 27
Fit and Proper???
Morning all from my warm office in Bath St. I see the latest firm to be linked with thems is a US investment firm. When will it all end? I am now bored with these horribles and just want the life support machine to be turned off now.
Bada Bing – LOL.
blantyretim on 14 March, 2012 at 07:56 said:
macjay1 for Neil Lennon on 14 March, 2012 at 05:46 said
Mate, re. Ms. Reader,I didn`t know that.
I do remember the song ” Perfect “,however.
In Oz,it`s called the tyranny of distance.Detachment from the rest of the world.
That`s pre-internet,of course.
Thanks a mill. for the info.
Hail Hail
tomtheleedstim on 14 March, 2012 at 08:58 said:
All through this document bells are going off – Dave King, ENIC, Joe Lewis, Jersey Tax haven. Would be great to see their take on the current situation!
So even charities are better at investigative journalism than the jokers we get in Scotland.
Live update from outside tickets office. Steward has estimated I’m roughly at the cut off point. I’m down at The main road. Only a couple of hundred tickets available. Not optimistic. Time to pray.
But in other news it’s dry and mild.
Jobo
Greenmaestro – dated May 2010.
Jobo – good luck.
DUSHANBE BHILLY BHOY on 14 March, 2012 at 09:13 said
Thanks for the recommendation.
See my reply to Blantyre 7.56
Seriously,it`s amazing how much ” stuff ” we miss,living in Oz.
It does,however, have compensations.
For the moment.
And,depending on the Chinese economy.
Good Morning,
I see some quotes coming from Sir David Murray which seem to suggest that the world is agin him. He denies that Hugh Adam can have any credence about the two contract issue. He swears that the EBT scheme was undertaken on sound legal and accounting advice and in good faith. He says Dave King never had the courtesy to come and meet him though his door was “open” and that King simply wrote a cheques for £20Million pounds without doing any dilligence at all and that the cheques arrived out of the blue!
Quite remarkable……… but to be considered another day.
What vexes me this morning is the scaredy cat position of the other ten SPL clubs who I understand are all of a mind to admit a Rangers New Co into the SPL should the phoenix company so apply. There is no doubt that some clubs feel that sporting integrity will be breached by so doing, but they cannot ignore the threatened financial consequences of a league without Rangers, and besides they are under threat to admit Rangers.
That threat seems to be coming from their bankers, who are whispering in their ear that facilities and the likes may well be under threat if revenue was lost as a result of Rangers not being able to bring their sizeable away support to home games each year.
The fact that in the majority of cases the bank concerned is Lloyds TSB ( formerly HBOS ) makes this all the more unpalatable. Under the HBOS badge, that bank effectively facilitated the now disgraced Rangers PLC business model to “Buy” Scottish Football for a decade and more. I am aware that such lending and absence of proper financial accountability would never have been sanctioned by the London based Lloyds, but at the relevent time, HBOS was a different beast and if you were Sir David Murray you could go to the bank with a shoestring, a comic, and some fresh air in a can, and come out with an overdraft facility of millions– whether that be for Rangers or MIH!
However, the ten clubs ( should they heed the words of their bankers and vote Rangers 2012 back in ) ignore three or four other factors.
1. The first is that they can expect an even Larger reduction in income as Celtic have a traditionally greater away support then Rangers and that income will be lost as Celtic fans will not buy tickets to any club who ignores the fair play credo. Of all the groups of football supporters, I think it fair to say that Celtic has a support which will act on principle in this regard.
2. Many fans of these same ten clubs are equally adamant that a new Rangers should not gain as a result of the past transgressions and bad faith shown by successive Directors and officials at Ibrox. What damage will any such vote do to the clubs’ own fan base?
3. Just as the clubs might come under pressure from their bank for doing the wrong thing, you can equally expect all of Scottish football to receive some severe scrutiny from HMRC if it appears to the tax man that the Football community have simply come together to effectively condone massive tax avoidance by one of their members, and that the governing body have effectively taken steps to ensure that the footballing community and the club in particular, are inconvenienced as little as possible. As we have seen with Hearts and others, HMRC have had enough of football, and are making it plain that they will Liquidate if they feel they are being mucked about.
Pausing there– If items 1 and 2 come to pass then you can expect a petition for Liquidation of one of the top ten clubs, per Item 3, for sure in 2013/14 at the latest– unless the clubs decide to radically reduce their on field capabilities like has happened down Govan way. Slash wages, reduce quality of player, and so weaken Scottish Football. That will be an inevitability.
4. Here we enter into altogether new territory because what is often forgotten is that the SPL is a Limited Company– governed by Company Law and the Companies acts.
Regard has to be given to the artciles of Association of the company which effectively sets out the contracts and agreements between the shareholders and members. We will all recall both Mr Regan ( SFA ) and Mr Doncaster ( SPL ) saying things like the whole interests of Scottish Football has to be considered etc.
That may be so, but at the same time, the interests and the obligations of shareholders have also to be considered.
It is simply not the case that the majority in number rules when it comes to company law. Every law Student does ( or should ) know the principles set out in Foss v Harbottle, and that The Companies ACT 2006 gives minority shareholders certain rights and remedies– irrespective of whether the majority vote this way or that.
Broadly speaking, a minor shareholder ( such as one club with a share ) can go to court even when everyone else votes to go down a certain route, under 4 main circumstances.
1. Where the majority vote to carry out an act which is illegal or ultra vires. If the act is unlawful then the minority shareholder can ask the court to set it aside. Is the ignoring of the contractually agreed rules on fair play unlawful? Or the admitting of a wholly new member with no history unlawful? Don’t know but a case can be argued.
2. Where the planned course of action can only be achieved in direct violation of existing articles. In other words if you do somthing in breach of the agreed articles, then you are invading the rights of the individual shareholder– because he signed up to become a member of the company on the basis that everyone would be bound by the said same artciles.
If you abandon that, then you trasngress on the minority shareholders rights and he can sue.
3.The third position is if you have trasngressed an individual shareholders own rights– very similar to two above, but basically a company cannot just change it’s rules and transgress on the rights of a member.
In this instance, a competition was played repeatedly, with financial rewrd going to the winners. Each entrant expected the others to play by an agreed set of rules and conditions. It now appears that to secure the financial reward concerned one particpant and fellow company member did not. The rules and artciles allow for the expulsion of that member.
If the company does not act then it may, under this head, be liable in damages.
By admitting a completely new company– one with more than a tennuous link to the old company ( Rangers PLC ) there is no doubt that the company ( SPL ) is looking after the fianancial interests of the other 10 SPL members– at the expence of implementing and ensuring sporting integrity and fair competition. Yet the principal purpose of SPL Ltd is to govern the operation of the league, ensure the playing of football under the rules of the game and the fair and proper administration of the game. It is not a company whose sole or even principal purpose is to make a profit for the shareholders– otherwise they would simply all pool their money and divide it equally!
4. The fourth and last ground for going to court is where a fraud has been committed by the majority on the minority. That is simply trite law. You cannot unlawfully deceive yyour investors, stakeholders and business partners.
This ground makes for very interesting reading because whilst it is undoubtedly true that Rangers PLC have been the cause and core of this financial mess, the situation is that what we are now being told is that the rules of sporting integrity will not be applied in the case of Rangers because it will financially harm the majority.
Well was that the basis upon which Celtic PLC were invited into the league and agreed to join the SPL? If Celtic, over the years were lead to believe that sporting intergrity and financial fair play was a paramount condition of league participation— then were they mislead? Were they further mislead when proper sanctions were applied in Scotland against Livingstone, Dundee, Gretna and so on?
Given that Scottish Football is also governed by UEFA, were they mislead when they saw sanctions being applied in other leagues across Europe who were affiliated to UEFA and which had signed up to the rules of UEFA– in exactly the same way as SPL Ltd– of which Celtic PLC is a minority shareholder.
In short, a wrong move by the ten clubs– considering only their own financial position in the narrow sense– could lead to a storm the likes of which European and World football has never seen. There is no doubt at all in my mind that there are legal cases and precedents to be argued here— all of which will cost money.
If Celtic– or anyone else feel that they are due substantial damages– and let’s face it Celtic would be due more than anyone else— they could arrest income due to the SPL and tie it up for a long time– which would be a disaster for the 10 clubs.
After all there is another ground of complaint in existence– which is that at certain points SPL Directors and officials were party to the whole unlawful scheme and for the actions of those officials the SPL may be held accountable.
Now, like all good scenarios, there may well be a way out of this and it is this.
Offer Rangers New Co entry to the SPL or Entry to the Scottish League. The choice would be theirs. However, Entry to the SPL would be on the grounds that all Rangers home games are to be played behind closed doors for a three year period. Playing behind closed doors is a long established and widely accepted footballing sanction.
This would result in a suitable financial penalty and ensure maximum attendane at away grounds thus swelling the precious coffers of the ten. It covers any TV deal.
Of course if Rangers New Co prefer income over morals– then they will choose Divison 3.
The SPL cannot be blamed by Sky or anyone else should New Rangers choose not to particpate .
JCGE playing on Fly Be to Belfast.
#wrysmiletomyself
A mild, grey and pleasant morning here in North Ayrshire.
Lennon n Mc….Mjallby on 14 March, 2012 at 08:24 said:
Just seen the link last night on p13 to whom Alex Thomson of Channel 4 is following on Twitter.
Not that he can be replaced but I think we may have found a figure who is going to be as important to Celtic as Paul McBride someone who is not part of the scene.
His influence is for ‘the good of Scottish football.’
=====
Agreed mate!
Phil Mac should definitely make himself known to Mr Thomson.
I think it would be good for him to get a true view of things over at Ibrokes. ;o)
HH
/Bishop B
sixtaeseven: No NewCo in SPL and it’s Non-Negotiable! on 14 March, 2012 at 09:01 said:
Morning all from gay Paree, lovely morning (17C max today)
Anybody heard about the Red and Black scarves Thems are selling to boost the FightersFund?
“The Red and Black is the traditional colours of our home socks.”
Aye, we know…
There is “sinister” right there for you Keevins.
Celtic Football Club@celticfc
Celtic & Kilmarnock to wear change kits in League Cup Final. Celtic in grey & white hooped top with green sleeves. Killie in all-yellow.(PC)
Why? Hoops easy to confuse with stripes? Both second tops are yellow. I’d rather we tossed a coin.
boab1888
the Fluke Inn which is by Raigmore roundabout is the place to go.
HH
beechbhoy
macjay:
Google her name and ‘How Great Thou art’
Silver City Neil Lennon on 14 March, 2012 at 09:36 said:
Celtic Football Club@celticfc
Celtic & Kilmarnock to wear change kits in League Cup Final. Celtic in grey & white hooped top with green sleeves. Killie in all-yellow.(PC)
Why? Hoops easy to confuse with stripes? Both second tops are yellow. I’d rather we tossed a coin.
————————————-
I know I am turning into an old moaning git, because nothing annoys me more than not wearing the Hoops in cup finals.
There is no clash of colours, it does my head in.
Ciao—-
Lovely sunny day –way down south.
Guess I’ll have to wait until Quaresma is over before I can read DBBIA’s memories of the time he saw Minty and The Dupes at the ole Burns Howff.
Some of the behaviour of some of the participants in the Hun pantomime suggests that they are relaxed about the EBT thing. Hurry up Hector !.
Busy day ahead– 42 big fat Mammillaria cacti to plant / 16 Agave to plant/ 16 Aloe to plant..[ big thick gloves on ]
The tulips are out —-lovely -spring is coming !.
Any news re Gary Withey ?
Having read much of what has been printed re. minty and his minnions’ meeting,I would make the following comments (one is especially for auldheid as it’s on one of his and mine pet subjects)
1.Confirmation from M.McGill (MIH Finance Director) that the “wee” tax bill remains unpaid…UEFA licence for this season invalid?Article 66?
2.M.McGill at least implied that rangers did,indeed,pay players moneys not included in docs submitted to authorities (spl/sfa)
3.minty was outraged by sale of Arsenal shares.Look at rtc blog on this,the rangers board alerted whyte to the existence of the shares and rtc doc suggests their sale was already in the pipeline BEFORE the sale to whyte.If that is the case,why is minty now feigning outrage,final straw etc (see traynor’s article) when he already had the wheels in motion to sell them himself?
Morning bhoys
Just read the news article on stv online with Minty.
Where he confirms players received payments not on their contract from a second party.
Is this a breach of sfa rules ?
Wether it was a contract or not as he disputes,it was still a payment from a second party IMHO.
He also says he asked grant Thornton and mike McGill at MIH.
Did he not think to ask the sfa or spl for guidance ,as I am quite sure if you asked them now if this was done right now it would be a breach of the rules.
The more info that comes out the more it gets like a scam and avoidance through ignorance.
Jam67
We had that great football movie the Great Escape are we now seeing the script being written for a new movie from Ibrokes called The Great Cover up ? H.H.
Auld Neil Lennon heid on 14 March, 2012 at 00:53 said:
Had to go to bed last night
In order for contrition and apology you need to believe and admit you have done wrong.
There is a strong ‘business practice’ line in here which does not believe that any wrongdoing has occurred. All’s fair in love and war…….. well business anyway. Both Murray and Whyte (and I suspect many more including King et al) operate business on the basis of win at all costs, not on mutual benefit. Whilst I am no expert in this, it does seem to be a strong moral and ethical approach to private business that this is entirely acceptable. It’s all part of the ‘game’.
Mix that with a self perception of superiority and entitlement and you get the mix which is able to produce cheating, wriggling, ducking and diving, facing down, threatening and abusing.
I’m not sure much of that is derived from or driven by any religious compass or consideration at all?
I suspect that’s why individuals who do appear to have some moral compass such as Hunter wouldn’t touch this with a barge pole.
HH