Administrators take gloves off. Motherwell face firepower

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I was at Fir Park on Saturday and spent the first half wondering how on earth Dundee United were bottom of the table against an abject home side. Then Motherwell scored with their only venture into the opposition final third, which told the recent story of both clubs. United, led by the evergreen Steven Fletcher, flipped the result in the second half, Motherwell were just too poor to earn a point, even at home to the team bottom of the table.

Oddly, they do better against teams above them in the league, having beaten Hearts, Hibs, St Mirren and Livingston in a recent run of form. The only points they have dropped since early February were to Kilmarnock, Newco and that loss to United.

It will all be about Celtic tomorrow. No one has left Celtic Park on domestic duty this season with as much as a point, even when the champions have an off day, they still retain the firepower and determination to win.

With several players nursing an injury, or on the path to recovery, Ange Postecoglou will have a plan to get his squad in peak condition for the Scottish Cup semi-final, a game that has towered over the fixture list for weeks. If we don’t see Reo Hatate at some point, I doubt he will have much to contribute next week.

I had some of my most confrontational issues in business as a creditor, in dispute with an administrator. An administrator’s duties is to release money for creditors. On occasion, professional fees dwarf funds raised for creditors. Creditors’ claims are dismissed, then disputed, then reluctantly accepted, before seeing pennies in the pound left over after fees are paid. The cynical creditor could be convinced he was being played.

In completely unrelated news, when administrators Tenon went bust in 2013, I shed no tears.

Elite Sports Group Ltd’s administrator, Kroll Advisory, seem like nice chaps by comparison. However, be in no doubt, the game they engaged in yesterday is to relieve Newco of millions of pounds. They have contracts between Elite and Newco, and expensive legal advice backs up their action. They have taken the decision to use creditors’ money to fund a court case against Newco, to a value initially estimated at £9.5m.

A judge yesterday ordered Newco to open their books to Kroll Advisory, allowing the administrators to fine-tune the sum they are suing for. This was a minor detail and may result in the sum being reduced. The confirmed news is that Kroll are in play (previously in doubt); Newco made no provision for this action in their accounts.

It could take months for the fine-tuning to take place, then many months for a court date. After that, parties will wait for a written decision (more months). And, of course, appeals could add another year. I reckon 2025 or 2026 before this is over. Until then, a cloud of financial doubt will hang over the club, affecting credit worthiness and investor appetite. If they were wise (I know!), they would start to make savings in order to pay a potential liability. We wouldn’t want them hit by a sudden and unaffordable bill!

All of this is unnecessary nonsense and harks back to the indecent haste Newco showed when attempting to extricate itself from deals with Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct. I regretted the day Dave King left town and will celebrate if he ever returns.

Good governance never features on a league table, but the consequence of bad governance eventually shows up on the Scottish Premiership table. On one truly fabulous occasion, it even showed up on the SFL League Two table!

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  1. BRRB,

     

     

    i had a touch of de ja vu there,

     

    did you not make it to the catholic club some other time you were down in englands equivalent of dhub linn

  2. Catholic Club

     

    30 Queen Street

     

    Blackpool FY1 1PU

     

    England

     

    CSC: Blackpool Shamrock CSC

     

     

    Shows Celtic games? Yes

  3. Just watching the main ITV news and the item on Wrexham FC showed young lad serving at their club shop wearing a Celtic top 😄

  4. bigrailroadblues on

    St Stivs

     

    I think I was in there many years ago. Been to the Catholic clubs in Doncaster and Hartlepool. I love exotic towns.

  5. i cannot imagine that Barry Robsons version of aberdeen is going to go into a game against 2nd rangers and be the passive participant.

  6. if anyone has dual access to here and sentinel celts, that is a great leader read today about maley and welsh , that story i was highlighting the other day,

     

     

    one correction someone can pass on please.

     

     

    brother walfrid was headmaster at sacred heart in Brigton (not the calton), the original church faced brigton cross from the south side, and the school was behind it on savoy street, the svdp kitchen was there first.

  7. bigrailroadblues on

    St Stivs

     

    Yes, I read Magua’s leader this morning. His Celtic book collection is impressive and is a real student of our club, like yourself. A very nice fellow as well.

  8. is there any chance that in an alternative aweniverse awenaw is setting up his on celticyoutubepodcasteverywherechannel with alternativefacts?

  9. BELMONTBRIAN

     

    Great post thanks for sharing on here , we met in McChuill’s but nobody that day knew what you had been through mhate , take care 💚

  10. Tom McLaughlin on

    GG

     

     

    We can’t win the title this weekend.

     

     

    If Celtic win and Sevco lose, we are 15 points ahead with 5 games to play. We would still need 1 point to clinch it officially.

  11. BELMONTBRIAN

     

     

    Inspiring post, gives me strength in my fight against the dreaded cancer.

     

     

    Thanks.

  12. RON BACARDI on 21ST APRIL 2023 8:25 PM

     

    BELMONTBRIAN

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Inspiring post, gives me strength in my fight against the dreaded cancer.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Thanks.

     

    =======================================================

     

     

    It was brilliant to meet you at the Shipwrecks convention.

     

     

    The day before I had just had an update on my positive status.

     

     

    I was extremely conscious of your on going struggle.

     

     

    I did not feel it was appropriate time to divulge my cancer status, as I was aware of your own on going struggles.

     

     

    As I mentioned earlier, I thank God every day, Ron, you are prayed for everyday.

     

     

    Brian

  13. PARKHEADCUMSALFORD on 21ST APRIL 2023 8:28 PM

     

     

     

    Br Walfrid was my granny’s heidy in the Sacred Heart, Brigton. She moved to St Michael’s when she got married.

     

     

    I remeber you saying that sometime ago and I posted some pics around the area.

     

     

    Did you know your gran , can you remember her, what would be the timelines for her knowing Brother Walfrid,

     

     

    it is something special to know someone who knew that special person back then, it is a fascinating connection.

  14. bigrailroadblues on

    Did Canamalar get banned or did he chuck it? I can’t remember. Terrible thing, the drink.

  15. Arsenal under p at home to Southampton. 2-1 down.

     

     

    Only a matter of time before the goals come for them.

     

     

    Alcaraz of Southampton been outstanding so far, great exciting game..

     

     

    His goal was similar to the goal man u have away lady night.

     

     

    Anyhoo looking forward to the second half, will it end with 11v 11

  16. who was the arsenal player who dived against us in recent times? – been looking for it on youtube but cannae find it

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