Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson’s comments to yesterdays’ Herald are worthy of attention. During the summer, when United received a £1m bid from Rangers for David Goodwillie and Blackburn Rovers were hovering, Bank of Scotland, took an active part in the deliberations. Thompson told the Herald, “The bank wanted me to take £1.2m for him, but I said no to that. I had to stand up against the bank.”
Thompson more than doubled the money on offer for Goodwillie, allowing him to shave over £2m off their bank debt, but this exchange took place only a few months after the same bank told former Rangers chairman, Alastair Johnston, to accept the bid for the club from Motherwell born thousandaire Craig Whyte or the bank would demand same-day repayment of Rangers borrowings.
Bank of Scotland, part of Lloyds Banking Group (LBG), are significantly exposed to Scottish football and required a taxpayer bail-out two years ago, so although their interference in the running of clubs could seem overbearing, we shouldn’t be surprised at it. It’s business, and if you are employed at LBG with a responsibility to your taxpayer-shareholder, it’s necessary business.
Fortunately, Celtic are free from such interference, as are Rangers, thanks to their aforementioned benefactor, but if a liquidation event at a large club threatened income streams to the league I would be amazed if the Bank didn’t use the ‘Vote Newo FC into the SPL or repay your borrowings immediately’ line.
Stephen Thompson, who sits on the SPL board, might not have a choice on whether or not to vote a Newco FC into the SPL ahead of 30 Scottish Football League clubs, but he and his fellow board members will be able to set the tariff on any exceptional league entry to what would become a financially privileged football franchise.
12 seasons of cumulative benefit from financial mis-dealings should result in 12 seasons of penury at whatever points rate the league calculate benefit was accrued. For one scenario I have in mind, around 15 points per season sounds fair, with an expunging from the records of any trophies ‘won’ by Financial Doping.
This is measured, deliverable, is in the power of the SPL board to impose, and sets a minimum moral hazard to inhibit future mis-deeds.
You can order a hard copy of CQN Magazine, issue 5, with credit/debit card or Paypal and buy direct from the UK for only £3.50 + £1.50 postage and packing. Shipping costs £2 to ROI, £3 to Europe and £4 to elsewhere. Click on the link below to order.
Click here to view the new issue of CQN Magazine online for free. You can support the online edition by making a discretionary donation here.
[calameo code=000390171224afb293e4a lang=en page=50 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
955 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- »
who broke the blog i posted 3 in a row on page 17 only tobe usurped by a new article notification but the new article doesnt seem to reload
hamiltontim says:
13 January, 2012 at 10:25
The bottom line here is that Celtic could quite easily stop the situation arising.
If they don’t stop it it’s because they want it to happen.
They’d be complicit in the cheating.
That’s not worthy of anyone’s support.
greenjedi:
I know it is bent mate, it has always been bent, only to a varying degree. Other teams might well have a bit of thinking to do and a decision to make… do they want the bent hun coin in a bent league which they’ll never, ever get to win, or do they want honest Celtic coin in a league that is trying to reconcile it past bias and prejudices and striving to be a transperant sporting competion once again. (if ever).
I pay my dues mate and my only pleasure is I know somebody is going in my name, I hope if I continue to pay my dues somebody will always go in my name until, if I’m lucky, I can go myself.
I decided during the week, come what may, whether it is from within or from where ever, I will keep my integrity at least.
Leo Sayer –
Never mind “repent at leisure”.
I’m not talking about royalties.
I’m talking about you buggering off from the M6 service station with my 20 Embassy Regal ya son-of-a-bitch.
You owe me pal.
up_over_goal tried hard, but could only come up with a pretty lame Victor Wanyama scenario, when Victor himself appeared and begged him not to post it on CQN.
On the do we need the huns or not debate, I am very firmly in the “sporting integrity” camp, if the PLC allow the huns to circumvent the normal procedures then I would find it difficult to continue to financially support the club with those decision makers still in place. Our years of being prudent would suddenly have been for nothing.
Apologies in advance for the long winded post, but please stick with it.
When Neil Doncaster struck the latest TV deal he made a point of emphasising how we need a league where Celtic play the Huns 4 times a season. We think we need the Huns. Who will buy season tickets if we don’t have the Huns to play ? Do they really define our love for our club ?
If you look at the average attendance figures over the last season or so Celtic and the Huns bring an average of 3 to 4000 extra to each away game, on top of clubs average attendances.
With the current league structure only 4 teams get 4 home games against us and them, whilst the remaining 6 teams average 3 games. Even if we assume the demise of the huns loses each team in the league 2 home games against them, the cost in attendances is likely to be a maximum of around £320k, based on 2 x 4000 extra huns visiting at a max of £40 a ticket. Whilst this doesn’t take into account extra income from hospitality, it also doesn’t include costs, and is intended to be a rough figure, which I guess is on the high side.
So every team in Scotland loses £320k – a significant figure in these cash-strapped times. But look at it the other way. The demise of the Huns will give all the other teams a chance of moving up, getting a European place, and history shows that when teams are doing well, then punters will come back.
If we take Murderwell as an example, their “success” this season, in being the best of the rest, has added an extra 400 average punters to their home games against the rest of the SPL. Spread this out over a season and thats an extra 7600 home fans, effectively a significant way towards cancelling out the negative effect of losing the huns fans.
OK, the TV deal may suffer, but this is a deal that has Celtic playing in Inverness and Aberdeen @ lunchtime. If we were back to playing at 3 on a Saturday the attendances would undoubtedly go up and the fans who attend games will become more important than ones like me who watch on TV. This can only benefit the game in the long run.
It is also worth noting that Celtic are needed just as much as the huns. A readmittance of the Huns, should see Celtic immediately resign. I for one would rather watch a Harlem Globetrotters type team playing friendlies and travelling the globe, than see them support a morally and financially corrupt league structure. They need us more than we need them.
It is important that we make our views felt on this, as this will be our only chance before the prepacked Huns appear back at the top table in this corrupt wee league we have.
ernie
How, in your opinion, could Celtic stop a newco reinstatement?
unew mike saying konbanwa from Japan and thanks to Paul for the password reset and to the CQNers who have passed on their good wishes for mybirthday today seems i have joined the DBBIA and AWNAW clique of January birthdays a good friend said think of your birthday as a year better not older next time i have CQN login problems perhaps I will change my moniker to Nakamura’s bus driver :-)
Well done to paul mcgowan, getting the player of the month…. has Neil been given his manager of the month yet?
I’m an optimist. Some will call me näive. I fully expect that the little horrors will get a positive decision on re-entering the league from the SPL board or whoever it is that needs to give it to them. I just can’t help thinking that there is a question of natural justice which will have fans of all clubs up in arms should it fail to be displayed. The real power in Scottish football lies with the fans, as in the case of government it lies with the electorate.
A failure to demonstrate justice for all against a cheating competitor in this instance should lead to an arab spring moment, of 1 million “eh hang on a minute”‘s from anyone who is not a fan of the dung. This should lead to a penalty in keeping with the crime. We will learn something about the football supporters of Scotland in this time.
I’m an optimist. Some will call me näive.
Swiss
pedrocaravanachio67 –
Obviously you missed it.
Looking forward to the game tomorrow. Expecting a tough match against a team who are not afraid to use the bully boy tactics.
Would go with this team,
Forster
Matthews Rogne Mulgrew Izzeguera
Wannyama
Forrest Brown Ledley Samaras/Commons
Stokes
Celtic 2 DU 0
KTF
hamiltontim says:
13 January, 2012 at 10:42
ernie
‘How, in your opinion, could Celtic stop a newco reinstatement?’
By threatening to resign with immediate effect.
The threat would be enough.
Hurricane Bawbag was actually a Victor Wanyama fart.
I’ve taken it too far.
Hail Hail bhoys glad to be able to post once more and thanks again to Paul67 for the password reset ail Hail bhoys glad to be able to post once more and thanks again to Paul67 for the password reset DBBIA and vhman modern weather forecasting is rubbish Blantyre Tim Battered Bunnet, Gordon J and Paul 67 thanks for your birthday wishers Belated happy new year to canamalar, CSIAL, bjmac, kitalba, mouldy, jinkyredstar, moonbeams wet dream, winning gemmell, SFTB and taggsybhoywho were missing from my CQN archive e-mail list
ernie lynch says:
13 January, 2012 at 10:14
I’ll tell you what worries me more (in some respects). It’s the number of people that will stop going because there’s no Rangers.
I worked in the ticket office during the rebuilding of the JS stand, and throughout the waiting list tickets being allocated. It was shocking to me how many guys were told that they’d come off the waiting list if they took a ‘special seat’ but refused, even though they had priority to be moved to normal seats the next season. In those times it was hard to get individual match day tickets so a season ticket was the only real way to get to the majority of games but they didn’t care about Celtic, they cared about Celtic v Rangers.
If it worries me, I’m sure it worries the board more. I really hope they have the resolve to do the right thing.
Tom McLaughlin says:
13 January, 2012 at 10:48
pedrocaravanachio67 –
Obviously you missed it.
Obviously did!!! who got it?
Apparently the Huns will settle for £1.2m for Edu from Sochaux but the player himself is unsure of the move
If he doesn’t move to France then there will be no new faces arriving at the Bigotdome, as there have been nada,zilch offers for Jellylegs or anyone else
Looking at the headlines from the LL, panic is beginning to set in
Would it make sense for the SPL to go cap in hand to the Scottish Government/UEFA and ask for them to make up the the shortfall for the Sky deal – the deal will still exist but will be reduced . The shortfall will be only approx £8m per year surely this can be found. SNP could claim to be the saviours of the Scottish game & UEFA made sure sporting integrity was returned to football – everyones a winner as Del would say.
Hello there, Tom. Leo here
Your pack of fags were taken by a pack of beagles.
They even took the coupon.
I am guileless and guiltless
hail hail hail YAWN
hamiltontim says:
13 January, 2012 at 10:42
ernie
How, in your opinion, could Celtic stop a newco reinstatement?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
I’m sorry for butting-in my friend but…..when you ask, “How could Celtic stop a newco reinstatment ?”
I’m being led to believe that by saying, “Celtic”……do you mean the current hierarchy of, Desmond, Bankier Lawwell etc..?
If you do mean the gentlemen mentioned then I have to say that, imo, there isn’t a Celtic-man amomgst them! They don’t speak for me! Hugh Keevins is more of a Celtic-man than that lot! And I mean no disrespect to HK by saying that!
Celtic are the fans and, in a round-about way…all this brinksman-ship might actually show the dreamers amongst our support what the hierarchy are REALLY like!
I mean, during all the cheating of the Mowbray season…..a letter was sent to, the BBC(whit?) outlining complaints that Celtic had about cheating referee’s and, you know what…the sender of the letter didn’t even have the b##ls to put his name to it!
So, going by that type of form…be prepared to be sold down the river again!
Hail! Hail!
ernie lynch says:
13 January, 2012 at 10:50
‘How, in your opinion, could Celtic stop a newco reinstatement?’
By threatening to resign with immediate effect.
The threat would be enough.
——————————————————————-
I’m not convinced if I’m honest this is Scotland remember.
Some have said that this is our generation’s Bob Kelly moment but there is a difference.
When Sir Robert stated his intention to withdrwaw from the league it was a straight choice of – Celtic or no Celtic.
If Celtic are to express the same intentions this time around, those in power are faced with the choice of who do we keep, Celtic or Rangers.
We all know which way they’d jump.
Who would have thought that Edu would be the one they could sell?
Leo Sayer –
Ach well. It’s only fags.
Seriously, good to hear from you mate.
I loved your version of “Stairway to Heaven”.
Kev- Jungle
Yes I was referring to the Celtic board, they after all are the one’s who will make the decisions mate.
ernie lynch says:
13 January, 2012 at 09:23ernie lynch says:
13 January, 2012 at 10:50
hamiltontim says:
13 January, 2012 at 10:42
ernie
‘How, in your opinion, could Celtic stop a newco reinstatement?’
By threatening to resign with immediate effect.
The threat would be enough.
——————————————–
Ernie ,not to sure about that.
There hatred of us knows no bounds,the other
teams love the hun like a ned loves his devil dug.
hamiltontim says:
13 January, 2012 at 11:05
Kev- Jungle
Yes I was referring to the Celtic board, they after all are the one’s who will make the decisions mate.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Heaven help us!
Hail! Hail!
Gordon J not sure edu will fetch 1.2M if Sochaux are really interested they will be lucky to get 500k
weeminger says:
13 January, 2012 at 10:55
But maybe because they’re the only other big team in the league, the vast majority of supporters want to see us compete against other big teams.
Let’s shaft the huns, the sfa and the snp by having a BPL. I think it’d be the best way for us to grow and say cheerio.
HH
Good to see both UNEWMike and Leo Sayer back on the ole bhlog- clearly some kind of VW inspired clever cloggery.
I am a bit surprised that ole SofTUnis didn’t mention Glasgow’s premier rock venue in his list of hotspots.
DBBIA re Leo Sayer I am not the one who is perma challenged or perma raging
Leo –
My wife just told me I was confusing you with Rolf Harris.
Sorry mate.
Perhaps curly could be described as perm “’a” challenged BTW make sure ol Dick Byrne buys his round at BBs tomorrow :- ))
Who would win a fight between Leo Sayer and Rolf Harris?
My money’s on Rolf.
Kev Jungle –
Good to hear from you big man.
Hail Hail
Dontbrattbakkinanger –
Rolf would paint the room with him.
hamiltontim says:
13 January, 2012 at 11:01
‘If Celtic are to express the same intentions this time around, those in power are faced with the choice of who do we keep, Celtic or Rangers.
We all know which way they’d jump.’
The justification for allowing a newco huns straight into the SPL is that it would be to the financial benefit of the SPL.
We can kill that argument stone dead by removing it as an option.
And in a choice between having a finacially stable Celtic and at least a vestige of integrity or a lame duck huns, no integrity and the deprecation of UEFA, the rest of the SPL would chose us.
If however they were prepared in those circumstances to chose the newco huns rather than us then we’d be better off out of it.
We could then approach UEFA and ask for their assistance in helping us gain admission to another league, which I think they would do, if only to ensure that their FFP policy isn’t strangled at birth.