Wee Oscar’s dad, Knoxy, asked me to relay this message to you……
“The BIG cycle to Belfast… WOW! What an absolutely incredible effort by so so many people all to raise money for our wee hero, and a great night was had by all on Saturday night up at Donegal Celtic. It is very very humbling and I really felt that my thanks conveyed to them all on Saturday night was just not enough. I know they didn’t do it for thanks or for a pat on the back but I really hope they know that both me and Leona are deeply deeply moved by what they have done.
Over the last 9 months we have thanked many hundreds of people for all sorts of different things they have done for Oscar and I’m sure after a while the thanking almost comes across a bit ‘rehearsed’ and maybe a bit insincere but we just want to make sure they all know how thankful we are to them and to the amazing people who have donated to such a whopping total!”
Fantastic work by all, very well done.
Celtic have conceded 16 goals in the 9 games since Efe Ambrose’ much debated return to the team which faced Juventus last month, a period which saw them eliminated from the Champions League and the League Cup, while losing to Motherwell and Ross County.
They conceded 16 goals in the previous 24 games, including two Champions League games against Barcelona, one against Benfica and one against Spartak Moscow. A problem which initially appeared to be limited to Efe, has clearly affected others, including Kelvin Wilson and even the goalkeeper looks less assured than before.
More than any other facet of football, defending is dependent on confidence and teamwork. If communication is poor, you make mistakes. If you expect teammates to make mistakes, you’ll make decisions accordingly. If your decisions reflect a lack of confidence, you’re on a slippery slope to losing goals. Bad defenders look good in good teams but good defenders look hopeless once order is disturbed.
Only just catching up with the antics on Gallowgate on Saturday. Not read about the destruction of property or occasions of assault, which I assume preceded the mass arrests. Surely? I’m not sure if Alex Salmond has renewed the high levels of police funding for football-related activity, which was initially due to expire at the end of this month, but for someone who is usually so politically savvy, he seems to have set off on a road without checking consequences of the legal questions.
A bit like his major project…..
Where we are today is a consequence of the First Minister’s initiatives in 2011, and is why Celtic fans, the Club, and many others, opposed the initiative at the time. It’s playing out pretty much as everyone with an interest in football expected. Mr Salmond’s Scotland is looking a bit like Mrs Thatcher’s Yorkshire, circa 1984.
You’re as well blaming the inclement weather as blaming the police or anyone in the game, the police, like the weather, do what they do. This is the work of the Other Charlotte Square Bogeyman.
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I see Linfield are getting gubbed 3-0….
Tuesday 17th
Lá Pádraig inniú ‘s mar is gnách níor thárla aon rud suntasach, bhí mé ar aifreann agus mo chuid gruaige gearrtha agam níos gaire, agus é i bhfad níos fearr freisin. Sagart nach raibh ar mo aithne abhí ag rá ran aifreann.
Bhí na giollaí ag tabhairt an bhia amach do chách abhí ag teacht ar ais ón aifreann. Rinneadh iarracht chun tabhairt pláta bidh domhsa. Cuireadh ós cómhair m’aghaidh ach shiúl mé ar mo shlí mar is nach raibh aon duine ann.
Fuair mé cúpla nuachtán inniú agus mar shaghas malairt bhí an Nuacht na hEireann ann. Táim ag fáil pé an scéal atá le fáil óna buachaillí cibé ar bith.
Choniac mé ceann dona dochtúirí ar maidun agus é gan béasaí. Cuireann sé tuirse ormsa. Bhí mo chuid meachain 57.50 kgs. Ní raibh aon ghearán agam.
Bhí oifigcach isteach liom agus thug sé beagán íde béil domhsa. Arsa sé ‘tchim go bhfuil tú ag léigheadh leabhar gairid. Rudmaith nach leabhar fada é mar ní chrlochnóidh tú é’.
Sin an saghas daoine atá iontu. Ploid orthu. Is cuma liom. Lá fadálach ab ea é. Bhí mé ag smaoineamh inniú ar an chéalacán seo. Deireann daoine a lán faoin chorp ach ní chuireann muinín sa chorp ar bith. Measaim ceart go leor go bhfuil saghas troda.
An dtús ní ghlacann leis an chorp an easpaidh bidh, is fulaingíonn sé ón chathú bith, is greithe airithe eile a bhíonn ag síorchlipeadh an choirp. Troideann an corp ar ais ceart go leor, ach deireadh an lae; téann achan rud ar ais chuig an phríomhrud, is é sin an mheabhair.
Is é an mheabhair an rud is tábhachtaí. Mura bhfuil meabhair láidir agat chun cur in aghaidh le achan rud, ní mhairfidh. Ní bheadh aon sprid troda agat. Is ansin cen áit as a dtigeann an mheabhair cheart seo. B’fhéidir as an fhonn saoirse.
Ní hé cinnte gurb é an áit as a dtigeann sé. Mura bhfuil siad in inmhe an fonn saoirse a scriosadh, ní bheadh siad in inmhe tú féin a bhriseadh. Ní bhrisfidh siad mé mar tá an fonn saoirse, agus saoirse mhuintir na hEireann i mo chroí.
Tiocfaidh lá éigin nuair a bheidh an fonn saoirse seo le taispeáint ag daoine go léir na hEireann ansin tchífidh muid éirí na gealaí.
(Translated, this reads as follows:)
St Patrick’s Day today and, as usual, nothing noticeable. I was at Mass, my hair cut shorter and much better also. I didn’t know the priest who said Mass.
The orderlies were giving out food to all who were returning from Mass. They tried to give me a plate of food. It was put in front of my face but I continued on my way as though nobody was there.
I got a couple of papers today, and as a kind of change the Irish News was there. I’m getting any news from the boys anyway.
I saw one of the doctors this morning, an ill-mannered sort. It tries me. My weight was 57.70 kgs. I had no complaints.
An official was in with me and gave me some lip. He said, ‘I see you’re reading a short book. It’s a good thing it isn’t a long one for you won’t finish it.’
That’s the sort of people they are. Curse them! I don’t care. It’s been a long day.
I was thinking today about the hunger-strike. People say a lot about the body, but don’t trust it. I consider that there is a kind of fight indeed. Firstly the body doesn’t accept the lack of food, and it suffers from the temptation of food, and from other aspects which gnaw at it perpetually.
The body fights back sure enough, but at the end of the day everything returns to the primary consideration, that is, the mind. The mind is the most important.
But then where does this proper mentality stem from? Perhaps from one’s desire for freedom. It isn’t certain that that’s where it comes from.
If they aren’t able to destroy the desire for freedom, they won’t break you. They won’t break me because the desire for freedom, and the freedom of the Irish people, is in my heart. The day will dawn when all the people of Ireland will have the desire for freedom to show.
It is then we’ll see the rising of the moon.
Bobby Sands
G M
They got iPads for free.
Amen!!
ItaliaBhoy
The board don’t want to lose the GB, simple answer. However, they are dealing with a Police force who if the club do not play by the letter of law, will leak like sieve and you will see MSM Headlines “Lawell challenges law enforcement – MSPs in outrage”, before you know it Peter would be sat in front of a bunch of twerps (i.e. our elected politicians) , cameras clicking whilst being reprimanded on the naughty step. Cue problem with sponsors.
Officialdom at all levels in Scotland will do anything to disrupt the club , particularly when the other lot will be in the grubber for a decade.
Doc is Neil Lennon
I believe the government did not lose the sectarian crime figures , they simply decided not to publish them. If they were indeed lost then all they need to do is ask the cops again to resend the original email with the appropriate attachments, if memory serves P67 ran a story on this , some time back, in between predicting every increasing financial doom for them.
Theymustthinkourheadsbuttonupthebackcfc
Ernie
Think what you like – but if the GB want to be “outlaws” and disregard Club policy – fair enough – be outlaws but don’t then complain that you are getting treated as outlaws!
Everyone and their wee brother knows what Salmond and the Polis are up to – so why play in to their hands?
HH
croppybhoy
20:58 on 18 March, 2013
Agree with most of your points……but there is no way the GB should be ‘going’ …… No matter what…..they just need to get ‘smarter’…… and continue to fight the fight as we have for decades
bamboo
Efe’s natural skills are interfering with his common sense!!
Two statements on this issue from Celtic, neither of which have even begun to address the matter, or seriousness of the situation, and both of which could have been written by an underling.
Celtic are sadly burying their heads in the sand, which isn’t surprising given they don’t appear to have a strategy to protect the support from the OBB, and prefer to make reference to complaints procedures, which clearly shows how out of sync they are with the evaporating support, they have resigned to seeing only on big Barca nights.
The time for bland statements without explanation of why “it’s ludicrous to suggest” is now over, and the sooner the club falls into line behind the Celtic support, by organising meetings with all relevant groups the better.
croppybhoy, I understand your point but ironically particularly given your poster name what you appear to be advocating is that faced with unreasonable Governance and Policing that the Celtic support “lie down”.
EKBhoy
http://scottishlaw.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/sectarian-scotland-cover-up-crown.html
The significant passage:
THE CROWN OFFICE has been forced to admit it destroyed key statistics & data on sectarian offences which Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond had promised would be released after a meeting with the Catholic Bishop Tartarglia over Church concerns about the SNP’s “thrown together” Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill
I was being kind when my memory told me lost, they destroyed the evidence.
PFAyr
Don’t think its just the personel in midfield affects the situation of goals conceded.
I think the real issue is more to do with poorly implemented playing systems.
Our coaches don’t seem to have the experience or ability to have a complete system.
The gaps in our formation leave to much space for opponents to exploit.
Our forwards are isolated most of th time and our centre mids preference for hanging around the middle third only leaves gaps front and behind especially as our central defenders tend to go deep at first sign of a threat.
It looks even worse when Kayal plays as his headless chicken style and silly fouling allows opponents opportunity.
Playing various systems is fine if they are implemented properly and the team plays as a complete unit.
At this point our inexperienced coaching staff lack the ability to implement their intentions fully.
Mickbhoy
Of all the nonsense you post that’s about the worst
You must be terribly conflicted ……it’s quite obvious
Really enjoyed BRT&H’s article on big Sammi (my fav) in this months
magazine,well done sir.
Ernie
maybe the GB should call the clubs bluff then.
The polis know every member of the GB, if they don’t, they are seriously failing then.
Complain to the club, call their bluff, then we will see who is who, and who is telling the truth.
Is it the club who are handling complaints or the independent working group?
” We should remind supporters that the Club has set up a working group, which is independently chaired, to establish a Complaints Review Panel to oversee the complaints’ process and improve transparency.”
I can understand mistrust of the Board but it would seem the Working Group was set up specifically to take the Board out of the equation in terms of being sole arbitrers. Who else is part of the working group and if it is drawn from official Celtic supporter groups is that not what supporters want?
The machinery to deal with complaints has been put in place so why not use it?
I have listened to the podcast links provided by Gebhoy and others. Stephen makes allegations that he Peter Lawwel, Ronnie Hawthorn and David Brannan are out to get the Green Brigade.
This allegation centres around a meeting held at Celtic Park. Stephen has said that he was at that meeting and that Peter Lawwel showed the atendees CCTV footage of the Green Brigade. Stephen did not state what the CCTV footage showed other than illustrate that the CCTV footage was powerful enough to focus on faces and even zoom in to show shirt buttons clearly. I did not hear anything from Stephen that would indicate what motive Peter Lawell would have to ‘get’ the Green Brigade.
Stephen then went on to say that Peter Lawell said he would give the Green Brigade enough rope to hang themselves with. Stephen as far as I could hear did not say what motive Mr Lawwel had to do this. Other atendees (representatives of the CSA I think) have since denied that this was said.
Stephen goes on to say that they probably want to deny this in order to keep their free seats and or biscuits from Peter Lawwel.
Maybe someone else has listened to the same and can share something I missed. Did Stephen repeat why Peter Lawwel would be handing the Green Brigade enough rope to hang themselves with?
What did the CCTV footage show?
Is there not the same CCTV throughout the stadium?
Why would the Deputy Safety Officer, Chief Security Officer and Chief Executive want to give the Green Brigade enough rope to hang themselves with?
As far as the March was concerned, I gather that an application was not made to Glasgow City Council To ask for permission to march thereby deeming it illegal. From the video footage shown of the incidents around the Gallowgate it looks to me that the Police were heavy handed and have made a total fool of themselves.
People are asking if the club supports the Green Brigade or even if the rest of the support supports the Green Brigade. I am confused. In what are we being asked to support them in? I support them in believing they have been victimised and that the Police are over the top. They seem to be asking the rest of the support to stand shoulder to shoulder with them in their crusade. I am confused as to what the crusade actually is.
If they want me to March from the Gallowgate to the park in a legal peacful demonstration against the piublicly funded evening up of the numbers then I am with them. If they want me to stand with them in demonstration against the heavy handed tactics of the law enforcement agency then so I will stand.
but
This subterfuge involving Lawwel is doing no one any good. There is no proof against him only the word of one man against that of at least 5 others.
yer man on the Home Bhoys podcast sticking to his guns.
Gents
Re undertakings…or police bail as they are commonly known
This is a facility open to the police to admit accused to bail pending their attendance at court at a future date
Police bail has standard conditions which mirror those that a court would impose when admitting someone to bail
In addition further specific conditions can be imposed …in the case of the GB bhoys arrested on Saturday I assume that one of the additional conditions will be that they do not attend any football matches
The bhoys could have refused to accept the additional conditions but this would have resulted in them being kept in custody ….
I see their fans are back threatening again with boycots without a peep in criticism from anyone in the media
This tactic has worked before so they will try it again, those leading them at the top their “loyal intelligentsia” know intimidating pressure works a few of them come from a place were it worked all the time
Not so long ago we had indirect agreement and acknowledgement about this intimidation from the boss of the SFA no less when he mentioned “social unrest” in relation to decisions about them
The authorities have already caved into their demands to keep the peace but this time it’s not their bag
This time will be more difficult because it depends solely on public opinion and not the diverse machinations of lawyer’s judges and panels
Public opinion is easily swayed by the media and boy are they doing their best now to grease the cheaters pole back to the big time
This is the new game Chuckles and his media stooges are engaged in
If they are successful the game here is bust
ekbhoy
21:18 on
18 March, 2013
Spot on….
Mullet
Do members of the CSA get free seats at CP?
Do they get biscuits?
Do the biscuits come fae oota the biscuit tin?
This is a very twisty story, indeed
pfayr
I don’t know if he’s a Hun on the wind-up but that doesn’t really matter. The rancid thought process is what I find alarming.
TET,
That is the part I do not understand.
Why won’t the GB complain officially??
Corkcelt
My apologies I would much rather the GB stay
However in my clumsy way. I was attempting to say that they need to be smarter and pick their ground better
I would never say that we should not protest and organise against the Government and the over zealous Plods but we need to make sure that we don’t give them easy targets like Saturday
Bottom line is that I support CFC first and GB second
If CFC have a code of conduct then the GB must adhere to that like every other fan or group
If they want to put loyalty to the GB ahead of loyalty to the club – then they are wrong and have to go
The decision remains theirs to take
They do not have to sanitise everything that they do but things like the lateral movement – have to go
It might be a laugh while your in it but it could cause injuries and give the authorities the chance to take action against the club
As I say – be smarter
HH
The Singing Detective
WAKE UP *Bournesouprecipe*….!!
Yep…Ye Still Live In Lower East Kilbride..
I think this was a reference to an earlier comments I made about my location, and because of my preference for Celtic to be in a league, far removed from our locale.
Anyway, discussions of this nature can cause weeping and much mouth frothing amongst Celtic supporters who see Celtic as Glasgow, and playing in Glasgow and Scotland full stop.
And those of us with a vision to remove ourselves from 125 years of bias and bent, onto a bigger better level playing field befitting of a club with our Irish/Scottish heritage.
It’s snowing in Lower East Kilbride, and the winds of change are blowing I for one still harbour a life long hope that Celtic and multi national sponsors such as Magners see Celtic
in a better league, free from the fraud that has brought the game here to it’s current level.
TotallyHunFree CSC
thindimebhoy
21:31 on 18 March, 2013
They’re starting to realise that sevco is on a shaky peg now, and they panicking, with confrontation / threats being their only weapon……they are not ver smart / organised…
bournesouprecipe @ 2120,
Spot on, the statements on this issue absolutely stink, Saturday will be a watershed moment for a lot of supporters, the policing of children, teenagers, and young people in 21st century Scotland has been a wake up call for a lot of people, myself included.
It is symptomatic of the current break down between the club and the fans, why are Celtic not looking after these young fans? These ghuys whether you like/agree with them or not are the passionate life blood of our support.
The big question for me is why, why and what do Celtic gain by breaking the Green Brigade? And make absolutely no mistake the actions of the club behind closed doors make it patently obvious that is what their agenda is!
gebhoy
ernie lynch:
“If the accusation is that the Club are colluding with plod in an anti GB agenda it’s unlikely the GB will report anything to the Club”
===================================================
And there you have it. As Abe Lincoln believed a house divided against itself cannot stand so I believe.
A year which should be one of our happiest turns out to be unpleasant for surprisingly many.
The GB as a means of creating atmosphere – great. Everything else seems selfish posturing while working an agenda.
I said a year ago, despite some obvious positives,I feared the GB could be the equivalent of Militant Tendancy and just as pernicious.
Hopefully I can be proved wrong but my prediction seems just as valid today.
Anybody post a link to Greengo’s latest effort
The VERY good news is that the media agenda to get sevco into the SPL is not working…..
Wonder how many bhuns will be buying Welsh strips this week..?….hehe
And what ARE they going to do when Scotland plays the ROI….?
gebhoy is the taxmans tick tocking clock, tick…tock
21:36 on 18 March, 2013
‘The big question for me is why, why and what do Celtic gain by breaking the Green Brigade?’
It might be nothing more than Peter Lawwell being affected by big swinging dick syndrome.
p8ddy,
Why would the club choose to reopen an investigation into supporters they have chosen to ban? If They chose to ban them and they were not the subject of a banning order then They must have decided they were guilty of something.
PF Ayr
“The continuing debate on reconstruction of Scottish football is leaving football fans up and down the country bewildered and thoroughly exasperated – and who can blame them?
“They feel their voice is being ignored by their own clubs let alone the football authorities and fear the current proposals will not herald meaningful change.
“I would like to make Rangers’ position on this issue crystal clear so there can be no ambiguity when clubs within the SFL and the SPL come to vote on a reconstruction model.
“First, we obviously support the creation of a single league body as anything that can be done to streamline the byzantine structures of Scottish football should be welcomed.
“Secondly, I am disappointed that the notion of a league structure of three leagues comprising 14 teams each was not pursued more vigorously as this would have gone some way to addressing the concerns of many football fans regarding small leagues.
“Given we are where we are, I am putting forward the following league structure proposals which I firmly believe to be in the interests not only of Rangers but also Scottish football as a whole. It is essential that any proposals address satisfactorily the issue of sporting integrity and I believe our proposals do that.
“All things being well, Rangers should win the Division 3 title and, that being the case, we should be promoted. That should happen regardless of what league structure the powers that be put in place.
“It would be manifestly wrong to deny any team promotion having won the competition they have entered into at the start of the season. Equally, teams which have been relegated should not benefit unfairly from any a restructuring of leagues.
“The principle of promotion and relegation for the clubs which fall into these categories at the end of this season should be enshrined in any new league set up. So, if, as widely predicted, we end up with a 12-12-18 set up, Rangers should be promoted and this promotion should be to the middle tier.
“There is already a precedent for this situation, established by the SFL at the end of the 1993-94 season when Stranraer, winners of the lowest of three divisions, were promoted to the new second tier on the basis they were champions of their division and merited promotion.
“Indeed, recently the chairman of Stranraer FC referred to the matter and supported the prospect of Rangers being promoted in the event of a 12-12-18 outcome. There has been no shortage of voices banging on about sporting integrity over the last year but sporting integrity must cut both ways. Should that be observed during reconstruction discussions then significant benefits would delivered, particularly to clubs in the middle tier who have yet to reap any financial benefit from Rangers playing in lower divisions.
“As we have seen recently many clubs are struggling and the likes of Dunfermline would be given a much-needed financial boost by Rangers playing in their division.
“Clubs in Division 3 are already enjoying a season where their home matches against Rangers are generating 10 times the revenue they would expect from any other home game. In the exceptional case of Queen’s Park, their home matches against us at Hampden will generate several seasons’ worth of gate receipts.
“We are genuinely pleased to have done our bit to assist these clubs financially and have been warmly welcome by SFL clubs. We would like to continue helping the game in Scotland and that’s why I am proposing that a Rangers’ Colts team be admitted to the SFL, and I hope Celtic would also consider doing the same.
“The SFL has shown real leadership in proposing this initiative although it should be pointed out that this was not the result of lobbying from this Club. This is an SFL initiative and is genuinely practical in that it would result in bringing much needed additional income to the game.
“My rationale is that when Rangers are promoted, the lowest league will return to where it was in terms of revenue generation. A Rangers Colts team would add value to the league and other clubs would see their home gates enhanced significantly by Rangers fans, particularly those who lived locally.
“I would also be prepared to guarantee other clubs the ticket revenue equivalent of 300 Rangers fans turning up for matches.
“This initiative would help smaller clubs who have no choice but to generate revenue any way that they can. I should point out that such a proposal would often double the gate at in the lowest division. In fact, such a scheme would have virtually doubled the attendance at the weekend at one Division 1 fixture.
“If the 12-12-18 structure is to be the chosen one then I would propose that two additional teams, one a Rangers Colts team, are added to the lowest league. Of course, as chief executive of Rangers, I have a duty to pursue the interests of this club. I have talked openly in the past about exploring other playing environments and change may well happen at some time in the future but no-one knows when.
“As things stand, we all have a duty to do the best for the game as well as our clubs and that is why I think these proposals would be good for Scottish football. All I ask is that these proposals are discussed and considered in a fair and balanced manner
mickbhoy1888
20:49 on 18 March, 2013
I don’t post too often these days, guess I’m too busy supporting Celtic, however you make some great points.
mullet and co
21:28 on
RE cctv at Celtic Park. I know from a good source that Celtic have a state of the art camera that was installed within the last year or so. This camera covers only part of the stadium, mainly where the away support are located and up to the north east corner. The rest of the stadium is covered by bog standard cctv.
Doesn,t add anything to the debate but useful to know.
ernie lynch,
He may well be but he may also soon be impacted by no bonus syndrome.
Is he daft? Not so far
I hear you croppybhoy and yes I too support CFC 1st and the GB 2nd. and if the GB for their own reasons and without being forced to, simply decided to disband, I would still be supporting The Celtic. In fact if the Board just went out and banned the Green Brigade, I would still support The Celtic but not the Board nor would I attend or contribute in any way until things were changed.
….pfayr
21:39 on
18 March, 2013
The two league bodies and Scottish Football Association have declared that the leagues would be reconstructed on sporting merit alone, should the votes go through, but Green has claimed moving Rangers up beyond most of the current Second Division clubs would be in line with “sporting integrity”.
Green also threw his weight behind proposals for a Rangers colt team to join the league and made an offer to guarantee other clubs ticket revenue for 300 away fans should such a deal come into force.
In a lengthy statement on the club’s official website, Green said: �The continuing debate on reconstruction of Scottish football is leaving football fans up and down the country bewildered and thoroughly exasperated � and who can blame them?
�They feel their voice is being ignored by their own clubs let alone the football authorities and fear the current proposals will not herald meaningful change.
�I would like to make Rangers� position on this issue crystal clear so there can be no ambiguity when clubs within the SFL and the SPL come to vote on a reconstruction model.
�First, we obviously support the creation of a single league body as anything that can be done to streamline the byzantine structures of Scottish football should be welcomed.
�Secondly, I am disappointed that the notion of a league structure of three leagues comprising 14 teams each was not pursued more vigorously as this would have gone some way to addressing the concerns of many football fans regarding small leagues.
�Given we are where we are, I am putting forward the following league structure proposals which I firmly believe to be in the interests not only of Rangers but also Scottish football as a whole. It is essential that any proposals address satisfactorily the issue of sporting integrity and I believe our proposals do that.
�All things being well, Rangers should win the Division 3 title and, that being the case, we should be promoted. That should happen regardless of what league structure the powers that be put in place.
�It would be manifestly wrong to deny any team promotion having won the competition they have entered into at the start of the season. Equally, teams which have been relegated should not benefit unfairly from any a restructuring of leagues.
�The principle of promotion and relegation for the clubs which fall into these categories at the end of this season should be enshrined in any new league set up. So, if, as widely predicted, we end up with a 12-12-18 set up, Rangers should be promoted and this promotion should be to the middle tier.
“There is already a precedent for this situation, established by the SFL at the end of the 1993-94 season when Stranraer, winners of the lowest of three divisions, were promoted to the new second tier on the basis they were champions of their division and merited promotion.
�Indeed, recently the chairman of Stranraer FC referred to the matter and supported the prospect of Rangers being promoted in the event of a 12-12-18 outcome. There has been no shortage of voices banging on about sporting integrity over the last year but sporting integrity must cut both ways. Should that be observed during reconstruction discussions then significant benefits would delivered, particularly to clubs in the middle tier who have yet to reap any financial benefit from Rangers playing in lower divisions.
�As we have seen recently many clubs are struggling and the likes of Dunfermline would be given a much-needed financial boost by Rangers playing in their division.
�Clubs in Division 3 are already enjoying a season where their home matches against Rangers are generating 10 times the revenue they would expect from any other home game. In the exceptional case of Queen�s Park, their home matches against us at Hampden will generate several seasons� worth of gate receipts.
�We are genuinely pleased to have done our bit to assist these clubs financially and have been warmly welcome by SFL clubs. We would like to continue helping the game in Scotland and that�s why I am proposing that a Rangers� Colts team be admitted to the SFL, and I hope Celtic would also consider doing the same.
�The SFL has shown real leadership in proposing this initiative although it should be pointed out that this was not the result of lobbying from this Club. This is an SFL initiative and is genuinely practical in that it would result in bringing much needed additional income to the game.
�My rationale is that when Rangers are promoted, the lowest league will return to where it was in terms of revenue generation. A Rangers Colts team would add value to the league and other clubs would see their home gates enhanced significantly by Rangers fans, particularly those who lived locally.
�I would also be prepared to guarantee other clubs the ticket revenue equivalent of 300 Rangers fans turning up for matches.
�This initiative would help smaller clubs who have no choice but to generate revenue any way that they can. I should point out that such a proposal would often double the gate at in the lowest division. In fact, such a scheme would have virtually doubled the attendance at the weekend at one Division 1 fixture.
�If the 12-12-18 structure is to be the chosen one then I would propose that two additional teams, one a Rangers Colts team, are added to the lowest league. Of course, as chief executive of Rangers, I have a duty to pursue the interests of this club. I have talked openly in the past about exploring other playing environments and change may well happen at some time in the future but no-one knows when.
�As things stand, we all have a duty to do the best for the game as well as our clubs and that is why I think these proposals would be good for Scottish football. All I ask is that these proposals are discussed and considered in a fair and balanced manner.�