Mike Ashley’s petition for a Judicial Review of the processes the SFA followed when finding Dave King fit and proper to run a football club is a lightbulb moment. The decision, taken by the SFA board, was not unanimous. I am sure some pointed to King’s enormously controversial past and alerted supportive voices of the potential for trouble ahead.
The dissenting voices were voted down, but just like Heidi Poon, their unwelcome guidance will ultimately be found to be assured.
What Ashley has demonstrated is that anyone can ask for a Judicial Review. CQN’ers could ask for one into the scope, probity and remit of the Lord Nimmo Smith Commission, for example. I discussed this some time back with an advocate who suggested we hold tight.
The SFA and SPFL must tread carefully, they are no longer in control of events. It would be wise for them to wait until the Supreme Court appeal notification deadline passes before choosing any path.
In the meantime, whoever decided to fan the flames by launching the “no appetite” blocking strategy should calm the waters. There is enormous appetite to look into what many within and outside of Scotland are calling the biggest cheating scam in British sport.
People are angry right now, not at the cheating they have suspected for years, but at the authorities attempt at whitewashing.
There are demonstrations and boycotts being discussed. Millions of words have been written.
Groups of Celtic and Hearts fans are becoming unnervingly cooperative, good grief! See what you’ve done, Mr “No Appetite” man? Supportive understanding is NOT how I usually relate to Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen, United or Dundee fans. Even Motherwell fans!
Before we get Labi Siffre records back in the charts…
Before the PPI industry start sending “Is there a Judicial Review you’d like to instruct” recorded messages to our phones….
A calming word from the SPFL, in the first instance, should be issued. All it needs to do is acknowledge the Court of Session verdict, and that the notification deadline for a subsequent appeal has not passed. This would commit to nothing, but it would also supersede the earlier attempt to whitewash, and perhaps allow some to get back to doing their day jobs.
For the record, a whitewash will simply not be possible. The fan-mechanisms, honed in 2012, are fired-up. We’re gonna do it anyway.
On Ashley, I’ve said this before about him, our enemy’s enemy is not our friend. Ashley has good reason to raise legal actions against those who subverted his interests at Newco, but he is not someone you or I would want associated with our football club. Those who campaign to remove his influence from their clubs (including Newcastle) do so with sound reason. Even if their tactics harm their club far more than Ashley.
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James Forrest on 11th November 2015 2:15 pm – See more at:
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Let them carry on :)))
Thank you for all your efforts and your input into this place.
Andy K
The way to get other fans groups onside is for someone to show them or give them some indication of how much they were cheated out of by Lance Armstrong FC. I’m sure that would not be beyond some of the bambots( given some of the well researched and excellent pieces produced).
Shameless repost end of last thread
Tom Boyd
Excellent article from James Forest. As you say well worth contributing to the site.
P’s I am not related to James.
It is only when sites such as his have to close through lack of funds that we will miss them while continuing to fund the risible SMSM.
HH
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/tommo-fraudulent-silverware-must-go-blazing-saddles-comes-to-scottish-football/comment-page-13/#comments
I read an article some time ago I cant remember where or when but it was very believable it said that HMRC were looking at the Glasgow Rangers case as a test case.The revenue believe in the UK many clubs are not paying the tax they should pay and the revenue cannot afford to lose this case as they want to go after other clubs. That makes sense to me and is why I think the Govan club are well and truly on the hook they can wriggle all they like but the more they wriggle the deeper the hook bytes. H.H.
Pps
For avoidance of doubt I do not fund the risible SMSM ( although I did contribute to our Herald Ad
Mea Culpa)
HH
James Forrest
Lol, shaking in your boots eh :)
Sheils is a filthy hun zombie,the guy was a expert when Celtic played Falkirk in the league cup semi ,when a falkirk player handled the ball on the line,he claimed it was accidental and the ref was totally right to not award a pen,just your usual orange scumbag
Virgil makes Guardian team of the season in the EPL – like to see him do well but not that well.
Anyway this is what they say –
“Virgil van Dijk (Southampton)
The centre-back might have made a calamitous start to his international career but his first steps in the Premier League have been immaculate. He has played every minute of every Southampton league match since arriving in September, almost effortlessly forming a solid partnership with the excellent José Fonte. Commanding in the air, tough in the tackle and composed on the ball, he has been both an effective blocker and able builder from the back. He has also been a menace at the other end from corners and can take a mean free-kick. Southampton bought Van Dijk from Celtic for about £11.5m, which is not much more than Tottenham Hotspur paid Atlético Madrid for Toby Alderweireld, who has made a big difference at White Hart Lane but who has not been missed at St Mary’s after his loan there last season, thanks to Van Dijk.”
Regarding the SMSM
I was going off on one about them one day and my friend smiled and said
” They led the deluded mob over the cliff edge before by keeping them ignorant of the facts,and denied them any chance to do anything,Just leave them alone , they are doing a great job with their spin in leading the new incarnation over the same cliff”
Tonydonnelly @2:19
Marvellous quotes from the latest Ibrox-based financial guru.
I especially liked the following wee gem, which, as I read it, I found myself transported back to listening to a recording of Jim Jones’ final oration, on the day of the Jamestown mass suicide:
‘Personally, I would rather not give these guys the airtime or the oxygen. Different people have different views, and we need to be careful – we only have so much time and there are a lot of things we are trying to improve.
“When these guys say things, you can disregard it, but there may come a time depending on what they actually say that we may need to act, but we’ll keep an eye on it, but we have much more important things to do than worry about online bloggers.”
VIP
Big daft arse.
Derek Johnstone Issues Warning To Fans!
Monday 9th November 2015, two outrageous things regarding the BTC appeal verdict happened here in the West of Scotland.
During the day, Rangers (IL) issued an official statement more or less telling the rest of Scottish football that they were keeping what trophies they won, legally or illegally, and for the benefit of Scottish football we should all just move on, as if nothing happened.
That statement followed only five days after their initial, big boy did it and ran away statement, where they refused to take any blame or responsibility for the debts owed to HMRC as a result of the misuse of EBT’s.
As far as they were concerned, it was the Oldco. Move on.
When you look at the statements, neither give any indication that there might be an appeal to the Supreme Court, as is their right to do. To me, it looks like they know they’ve been caught with their hands in the cookie jar and just want everyone to forget about. Move on.
For the good of our game, of course.
However, as the day wore on, things turned a bit more sinister.
CLICK TO TWEET
During the Clyde 1 Super Scoreboard show, resident pundit Derek Johnstone agreed with a caller that Rangers/Sevco fans should boycott certain away grounds if they were to be promoted to the Premiership.
The logic of the caller, which Johnstone, who is also employed by the Ibrox clubs media department, agreed with, was simply to bring the game to it’s knees, like they hoped to do in 2012.
Johnstone went even further when prompted to name Hibs, Dundee United and Aberdeen among the clubs who should suffer, because they voted against the Newco’s admission to the Premiership three years ago.
So, basically, we have a Clyde 1 pundit, and Sevco employee, on local radio issuing a threat to the games fans, the lifeblood of the sport, move on or take the consequences. He quite happily supports a boycott. This clown would happily see the game suffer and let cheats prosper.
Why Johnstone is a allowed such a platform to spout his anti-Celtic, pro-Sevco bile on this radio station is beyond me. I would hope that the only boycott taking place is that of Celtic fans switching off this blinkered and agenda driven crap.
tonydonnelly67:
Oooh yeah! But that might have more to do with them letting in the wet! :)
Rodger Mitchell duz’nt know anything about football now and Rodger Mitchell has never known anything about football ever. I attended Sacred Heart High in Paisley with Rodger in the seventies,we were’nt mates but I knew him. He never showed any interest in any sport let alone football. When it was lunchtime he would be indoors with the rest of the prefects playing the recorder or rehearsing the school play (yes Paisley Scotland)
Very clever pupil but if he showed any love of Celtic it was very well hidden.
When i heard he had reached the heights in the Scottish football league i was astonished. Couldn’t believe it. . . . . . . not him surely !
A bit like hearing Paul Gascoigne had completed a degree in dentistry or Nigel Farage had went his holidays to Jamaica.
ONE OF THE 70 %- BMCUWP is up at the bar
Courtesy of the John James site.
https://johnjamessite.wordpress.com/
Are the SFA Fit & Proper?
December could have been a busy month for our career criminal King administration. Charles Green and five others will resume their High Court trial’s preliminary hearing on December 8th. King will face Contempt of Court charges on December 9th. The SFA were due to defend an action by Mike Ashley in regard to King on December 11, but this has now been postponed until 4 February 2016.
Dave King would be delighted if he could postpone his Contempt charges at The High Courts of Justice until a later date in February, some time after the 22nd, as he is currently serving a suspended sentence on a three month prison term for contempt of court.
Since common sense has recently been one of the parameters for legal directives, how will the High Courts of Justice judge view the fact of King’s suspended conviction for contempt of court in South Africa on 22 February, 2013? Will he come to the conclusion that he is an incorrigible career criminal who should be imprisoned for 30 days? Will the judge take a withering view of his 41 convictions for tax evasion? How will the judge view Mr King’s admitted perjury and the view, expressed by three distinguished judges that King is a glib and shameless who will not hesitate to lie if it serves his best interests and should not be believed on any matter unless supported by objective evidence.
There can be no justification whatsoever for the SFA coming to the conclusion that Dave King was ‘fit and proper.’ He contravenes the SFA’s article 10.2, which excludes any individual sentenced to a prison sentence of two years or more. Each of King’s tax convictions carry a sentence of two years, and he is currently serving a suspended sentence of three months. Then there is his stewardship as non-executive director on a board who abnegated on their fiduciary duties to the shareholders when allowing a tax evasion conspiracy to be perpetrated. The latter is hardly surprising as King bought his shares to evade tax.
It is hard to imagine anyone less fit to be a director of football company/club than Dave King. Massimo Cellino has been banned by the English Football Association for not paying VAT on an imported Range Rover. Dave King was charged with evading £120m of tax with an £120m penalty. He eventually paid £44m in tax and a £650,000 fine, having spent 13 years and £50m lying to each and every court he entered. He even had the audacity to apply for the South African equivalent of legal aid in his guise as a golf caddie.
The SFA claimed that they instructed a solicitor to give them legal advice. We will find out if this is true, or a lie by Stewart Regan in an attempt to save face in a scandalous decision that circumvents the SFA’s articles of association. What will the SFA’s case be? Will they revert to The Bryson Defence by claiming that King was ‘imperfectly deemed fit and proper?‘
I posit that this was yet another SFA stitch-up in their unrelenting quest to restore Rangers to the Scottish Premiership. The decision was predicated on one single choice. If King has money, as he claims, to invest in Rangers, then we cannot refuse him as another insolvency event might exclude Rangers from next year’s Scottish Premiership.
The fact that King was barely credible was overlooked by Regan as he sold his decision to an eight man board. Not the full eleven members of The Professional Gaming Board, where Regan would require at least five other members to support his ridiculous assertion. SFA Board Protocols section 3.15 (iv) state that responsibility for ‘approving persons to hold position within Association Football’ lies with the Professional Gaming Board. They broke their own rules to arrive at their highly flawed conclusion. The PGB voted that Paul Murray was fit and proper. They were expecting to be convened for the vote on King. Stewart Regan went against established SFA precepts to force King through.
The PGB at that time consisted of Rod Petrie (Hibs), Neil Doncaster (SPFL), Ralph Topping (SPFL), Peter Lawwell (Celtic), Duncan Fraser (Aberdeen), Mike Mulraney (Alloa), Sandy Stables (Highland League), Andrew Waddell (Lowland League), Stewart Regan (SFA chief executive), Campbell Ogilvie (SFA President) and Alan McRae (first vice-president of the SFA).
The main SFA board at that time consisted of Regan, Ogilvie, McRae, Petrie, Barrie Jackson, Peter Lawwell, Ralph Topping and Tom Johnston of the Junior FA.
As a non-executive director, Barrie Jackson did not have a vote. He had an advisory remit on this board. The vote was 5-2 in favour of King. There were no abstentions.
Let’s have a look at the motivation of the seven men who voted.Given all we know about Campbell Ogilvie, there is no question he would back Regan. There is no question McRae would back Regan as he needed his support to be elevated from Vice President to President, when Mr Ogilvie subsequently did not seek re-election. Ralph Topping, who is chairman of the SPFL backed Regan. To not do so would create a schism in the relationship between both governing bodies. I have little doubt that the ambitious Tom Johnston backed Regan. The two dissenting voices were those of Petrie and Lawwell.
Regan went into this meeting in the full knowledge that he was guaranteed a majority. If he had convened the Professional Gaming Board, Regan would have been guaranteed the backing of Doncaster, Topping, Ogilvie and McRae. Lawwell, Petrie, Fraser and Mulraney might have voted against with the votes of Stables and Waddell deciding the majority vote.
I posit that Regan was not confident of gaining the five votes he required to impose his position on the PGB.
The last thing the SFA wanted was to be challenged in court. The SFA are not fit for purpose and they cannot justify why the PGB was not convened. There has never been any question that Dave King was unfit and improper. Those who backed King will have to justify their decision in court. If Ashley is successful King’s position as chairman will be suspended subject to review by the full PGB. This time minus the insidious influence of Ogilvie, and with any luck, the compromised Stewart Regan.
Those hoping for further consideration of the LNS decision by the SPFL board will be disappointed. Doncaster. Topping, Regan and McRae are now circling their wagons to defend their risible decision to back King.
If King is imprisoned for thirty days on December 9, the folly of their decision will be in sharp relief.
Maybe someone could also e-mail big Peter and ask him to switch off the digital advertising hoardings which have Radio Clydes logo emblazoned on them at every home game
Some good news.
Ronny Deila has told the Glasgow Evening Times that Celtic defender Jozo Simunovic should be available for selection again after the international break.
Simunovic was carried off in the early stages of Celtic’s Europa League defeat against Molde, and he has not played since.
However, the Croatian’s injury is not thought to be a serious one, and Deila is hoping to welcome him back into contention for the Bhoys’ next match against Kilmarnock.
“A proper look at the injury showed that it was nothing too big which was good news for us,” said Deila. “Jozo will be back after the time away with the national team.
“He has shown leadership and character when he has played with us and I think we need leaders in this environment. Of course, it has been disappointing that we have not been able to see more of him because we would like to have been able to develop a strong partnership with his and Dedryck Boyata, and that takes time.
View image | gettyimages.com
Simunovic was brought to Celtic during the summer transfer window, as Deila looked to reinforce his side’s backline following the departures of Jason Denayer and Virgil van Dijk.
However, his start at Parkhead has been disrupted by his inability to stay off the treatment table.
SEE ALSO: Download the brand new HITC Sport Live App: An essential live scores and news companion
Simunovic has picked up a series of injuries since joining Celtic, but he will be hoping to get a prolonged run in the side when he does return to fitness.
Simunovic’s inclusion should improve Celtic’s defence, as Deila’s side have still not settled upon their first-choice back-four this term.
Would you start Jozo Simunovic against Kilmarnock?
List page image © BrianHargadon
I think you will agree that John James has just holed the good ship SFASPL and left it in rough seas.
I think Ronny has Boyata and Simo as his first choice pairing.
To be honest, I’d bring back Charlie when fit.
John James’ recent blog also makes it clear to everyone her if you want an accountable game where rules apply to all you will not get it with the SFA/SPFL. Gut both or this will be repeated
My question has to be that if King is NOT fit and Proper and
Murray the Minor isn’t fit and proper, and
Charls wasn’t fit and proper, and
Craigy wasn’t fit and proper and
AND the SFA had grounds to justify these findings
isn’t John James pretty much spot on?
Bring back Muldini?
Aye, just as long as he’s no up against Aluko.
Also, Mr Stein didn’t have to play with two CH’s so, why does Ronny?
Roger Mitchell’s comments that Oldco are actually 2-1 up on verdicts made me think.Does this mean Mr Mitchell thinks miscarriages of justice like the Birmingham six should still be seen as guilty verdicts due to the number of appeals lost after the initial verdict ?
Because Ronny doesn’t have ONE centre half who could lace Big Billy’s boots.
WGS – yuk!
I wonder if WGS will be pushed out by the SMSM to spin his – “Let’s restructure the leagues and get, Hibs and Rangers back up were they should be.”
John James swinging a broad sword there, in his last post, Mr Robertson be on his tail, lol.
Will Ryan Christie still be able to kick a ball when he comes to us?
The reason that I ask is, that he’s been booted up and down the pitch since he signed for us.
It often seems to me that the SFA responses and reactions to events are like watching a child answering reasonable questions about some misdemeanour with more and more nonsensical excuses tacked onto their original denial of any wrongdoing.
When I was a wee bhoy I loved ( and still do) pieces on jam.
Our family were skint most of the time and one pot of apple and rhubarb jam was intended to last a week.
I had other ideas and would scoop the jam out of the middle of the pot, leaving the jam sticking to the sides. This gave the appearance to the casual observer (my Mum and Dad) that the jam pot integrity was intact.
Naturally, I was busted when my Dad opened the jar.
I was virtually standing in front of him with jam on my face declaring my innocence of all charges.
Regan, you have jam on your face and there is no jam pot integrity.
Jam Pot CSC
Internet Jam Pots rool ya bass!
RWE re John James,
Looks like JJ has discovered their cunning plan. Have the SFA and the SPFL ever done anything good for the game itself. I cant think of one damn thing.
Hail Hail.
The thing is, is we bring Muldini in and suddenly the defence will have an experienced leader in there.
Jozo and Tierney are still young. We should allow them to thrive with Craig, Charlie and Mikel providing stability.
Expecting Janko, Tierney, Blackett and Boyata all to do the job together is crazy. They were all reserve players last year!
I think our defence is crying out for experience and leadership, good old row Z is fine when your under pressure
The huns have been cheating for so long….that they actually believe, they are entitled to cheat.
They used to brag about it quite a lot.
Referees in their social club before the game….etc, etc
SFA handshakers and their fellow handshakers at Ipox.
Its about time they were stopped.
This might just be that time.
We cannot left these cheating huns away with this.
They have subverted football in Scotland for a hundred years.
Time to pay.
HH
I have no proof or evidence but I have a nagging feeling that Ashley/Sports Direct are connected to the Johnjames site/blog. The ghuy knows too much,assuming it is all true, anyone else think this? H H Hebcelt
It’s squeaky bum time at Hampden … and at Ibrox.
http://thecelticblog.com/2015/11/blogs/sevco-resorts-to-threats-as-ashley-strikes-over-sfa-double-standards
hebcelt
He is probably being fed stories by them.
They are certainly giving PhilMac plenty of stuff
Was Sicknoteovic ‘carried off’?
I thought he limped off , a bit gingerly, but under his own steam.
Ive no idea who john james is…..but he is right on the money.
Some serious disclosure going on at the minute.
But….ask our fine poster Big Nan his take on it.
I’m sure you all know who holds the bigotry together in this country.
Strange goings on.
From a wee historical glance at Scotland,….It is as clear as day.
1701 Act of Settlement.
Say no more.
HH