The Daily Record won credit for scooping the off-field story of the week, multiple investigations into singing by Celtic fans, but others are beginning to ask who gave the newspaper details of a police investigation.
The stories broke in an unusual manner, with SFA referee and policeman, Eddie Smith, named as the person who reported Celtic fans to Uefa and the SPL. The officer made what looks like an inexplicable decision after some confrontations inside Celtic Park, without mentioning a word of his concerns to the Celtic security people during the game – the normal procedure for such incidents.
Smith, who has Celtic supporting credentials, was named, providing the perfect foil to deflect accusations that this was some sort of Masonic conspiracy, which it was not. The entire episode is a classic internecine dispute among Celtic supporters, but with the comments made to Uefa, the story was parcelled up for the Record by a Strathclyde Police spokesman.
The Daily Record reported, “A spokesman for Strathclyde Police said: “For Eddie [Smith] to speak to the delegate after the match is nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, it is standard practice””. This is completely irrelevant.
Celtic’s retort in the same article got to the heart of the issue – why the police are speaking to Uefa and the media but not speaking to the club: “This is quite unprecedented as no issues were raised to the club during the match and the police didn’t inform us directly about their concerns.”
Control over media communications from Strathclyde Police falls to Director of Communications, Rob Shorthouse, (pictured on the left). Shorthouse, whose own favourite team have taken a reputational battering from Uefa in recent seasons, despite silence from the police, should be concerned that the force have given newspapers material for three days of screaming headlines instead of addressing the key concern about departure from established procedure. This has only inflamed a volatile situation between Celtic fans and officers on the ground. Shorthouse, who held a similar position at the SFA until two years ago, will be familiar with the sensitivities of football issues.
Perhaps a Freedom of Information request will reveal who leaked a story that laid out details which reflected so badly on Celtic. All we want is equal treatment, as a former chairman once commented.
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Gordon_J said at 13:47
’17/10 is the price for a penalty in the huns’ match.
Given that the away team are unlikely to get one (!) the 10/3 on a hun penalty may be a better bet’
Them’s tasty odds: do you have a link to the 10/3 price?
Bye, Bye the cousins of william…
Hearts’ first-team squad have not been paid their monthly salaries.
It is the second month in succession that the Tynecastle players have been late in receiving their wages from the club, which is more than £30m in debt.
The players had to wait 19 days for last month’s pay but were persuaded not to complain to the Scottish Premier League by manager Paulo Sergio.
Hearts, who are refusing to comment on the reason for the latest delay, are looking to reduce operating costs.
When he moved to take up his role at Strathclyde Police, Mr Shorthouse was replaced as Head of SFA’s Communications Dept., by our old friend Darryl Broadfoot.
Nice to know that you can keep it in the family, so to speak.
I’m away to Venice for the day. (Venice, Florida that is)
HH
RWE CSC
Paul
Another article that get’s right to the centre of the issues.
I would be interested to know if any supporter groups have tried to get airtime to put across their side of the argument?
worriedcsc
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-15290685
Is Shorthouse Strathclyde Police director of whataboutery
“The members of the public who asked for the security staff to become involved have told us that they did so for reasons which had absolutely nothing to do with him taking photographs of his daughter.
“They had a very specific concern, which I am not in a position to discuss publicly, that they felt the need to report”
There is a 3.5 sigma level of certainty that a 0.8% violation has occured in the charge-parity of D mesons.
I think I’ve got that right, and thought you all should know.
Tum ti tum who’s the meson in the dark?
RalphWaldoEllison-is Neil Lennon Season 2011-12: 16 November, 2011 at 13:45
“Does anyone know why Shorthouse left the SFA?
“Was he pushed or did he jump?”
He didn’t have to jump and he was never going to be pushed. The SFA have never had any problem with types like Shorthouse – he ticks all the boxes in terms of career advancement at the SFA … and with his current employers.
bournesouprecipe – Tweeting isn’t very masculine behaviour.
There should be a version of Twitter for heterosexuals.
I’d call it “Woofer” and you could send people “woofs”. (thumbsup)
Chief Constable Steve House has formally asked his ruling board, Strathclyde Police Authority, for permission to sack support staff if he cannot convince enough people to leave under a programme of voluntary redundancies and early retirements launched in August. Unions have previously signalled that they will not tolerate compulsory redundancies, raising the prospect of serious industrial action. Gerry Crawley of Unison, which represents most civilian workers at the force, last night said: “We believe this move is extremely premature. “The chief constable is not in a position to address staff on how he is going to restructure the organisation – and the deadline for voluntary redundancies has been extended to November. Many people simply don’t know yet whether they want to accept voluntary redundancy or not. “This is just another demoralising blow to a loyal workforce.” As The Herald revealed earlier this autumn, Strathclyde is looking to shed 1000 workers by April 2012, including 600 support staff through redundancy and 400 police officers through natural wastage. Some workers this week have been learning about some of the huge organisational changes that the force hopes to make in order to enable it to cut jobs. A first round of proposed restructuring has identified some 92 jobs for “deletion”. These posts will go in support functions such as human resources, finance and communications, which are to be centralised with local divisional departments to shut. The Herald also understands that the force will slash its corporate public relations department from 39 staff to just 19, on the basis that, as one source said, it needs “police officers not press officers”. Strathclyde is also set to scrap its newspaper, Upbeat, and end glossy leaflets in favour of internet publications. The force is trying to develop a new structure to make the jobs cuts it needs because of an expected 25% drop in its budget over the next four years. Rob Shorthouse, the force’s director of communications, last night said: “As part of our ongoing efforts to meet the financial challenge that lies ahead, we have looked across the force to see where we can apply certain principles in terms of standardising and centralising roles, cutting out layers of management and giving people the skills to work across a number of areas. “These proposed changes are now subject to consultation with staff and trades unions.”
Bye, Bye SPL and hello European League…
Clydesdale Bank’s title sponsorship of the Scottish Premier League will come to a close at the end of the 2012/13 season, it has been announced.
The bank have sponsored the league since 2007, after the Bank of Scotland’s deal expired. An option to extend the deal for an additional year has not been taken up.
Clydesdale Bank’s original deal was worth £8 million per season to the SPL, with no figure given upon the contract’s extension in 2010.
The SPL’s current television deal with Sky Sports and ESPN, which is worth £13 million per season, is due to expire at the end of the current 2011/12 season. Sky and ESPN have the option to extend the deal for another two seasons at the same rate.
Barcelona president Sandro Rosell insists a breakaway European league will start in 2014 unless UEFA gives in to demands from the major clubs.
Time for the Lenny Bruce approach.
You can all go and BLANK yourselves.
And then let them contest intent.
U
The 10/3 on a hun penalty is on Paddy Power.
That’s the only site I looked at, so no idea if this is the best price or not.
How much public money is wasted on Rob Shorthouses first love ?
paddy power
Team To Score a Penalty? Hide
Rangers to score a penalty 10/3
St Johnstone to score a penalty 13/1
Stevie O’Reilly the ref at Inverness on Saturday
A last GIRUY Timmy?
Steinreignedsupreme says:
16 November, 2011 at 13:58
He got promoted within ?
Hail HAil
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo – Clearly, the cuts at Strathclyde Police haven’t been anywhere deep enough.
They’ve got plenty of time to get involved in malicious football intrigue and persecuting people who photograph their kids at shopping centres. (thumbsup)
Paul67,
Why is the fact that Rob Shorthouse supports Rangers (if he does) emphasised in your post? Why is his pictrue up on the screen? How does this strengthen your point? The rest of the article raises issues which are salient and require investigation; these silly indulgences detract from those issues entirely, they don’t seem to add any value whatsoever.
Is it worth asking yourself whether it is responsible to be blazoning anyone’s face up on the internet given the acknoweldged “volatility” of the situation? It is, let’s not forget, football we are dealing with here.
Disappointing.
COP BOSS: I WAS DEAD WRONG; BLUNDERING POLICE CHIEF SAYS SORRY: pounds 85k spin doctor told officers to get info from late colleague.
Link to this page
Byline: NORMAN SILVESTER
A POLICE boss has had to apologise for telling retired cops to contact a dead officer for information.
Civilian Rob Shorthouse, the pounds 85,000-a-year head of communications for Strathclyde Police, had written to hundreds of members of the retired Police Officers Association (Scotland).
The letter told them they would no longer get free copies of the in-house force magazine Newsbeat by post in a bid to save money on mail costs.
The letter contained names of branch representatives who could give retired cops a copy, including former Chief Superintendent Hugh Ferry – even though he died three years ago.
Mr Ferry, a former aide to Chief Constable Sir Pat Hamill. represented retired officers from the Lanarkshire area and left the force around 12 years ago. He died in January 2007.
Mr Ferry had since been replaced by retired officer Peter Chalmers.
It is understood that the Ferry family have been told of the bungle.
Yesterday, Shorthouse, who was formerly communications head at the Scottish Football Association, told the Sunday Mail he was very embarassed by his mistake.
He said: “I have offered a full apology and regret any offence that may have been caused to the Ferry family.
“There are no excuses and I take full responsibility. This was a mistake that should not have happened. We will be sending out another letter with the correct details and an apology.”
Yesterday a former police chief also criticised the error.
Retired Superintendent Fred McManus, a former president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents, said: “Hugh Ferry was a highly regarded and extremely popular officer and was well known in Strathclyde Police.
“Had someone checked with any Strathclyde officer of a few years’ service, this unfortunate event would not have occurred.
“It seems to be a consequence of an increasingly impersonal culture in the force caused by ever greater civilianisation and bureaucracy.”
SUNDAY EMAIL n.silvester@sundaymail.co.uk
gerryguk7 – Don’t you have work to do Rob? (thumbsup)
philvisreturns says:
16 November, 2011 at 13:58
bournesouprecipe – Tweeting isn’t very masculine behaviour.
There should be a version of Twitter for heterosexuals.
I’d call it “Woofer” and you could send people “woofs”. (thumbsup)
—————————————————————————–
made me spit my tea there. woofer sounds to much like wofter, which is one of the least hetrosexual terms i have ever heard. :D
AWE NAW 1356
Is the way that his response-deliberatey-worded not slanderous?
It certainly raised doubts in MY mind about his actions,ye no allegations were mentioned. Also no charges were brought.
Yet the father has his reputation thoroughly TRASHED!
Never mind slanderous,I think it’s downright offensive!
gerryguk7
You are a hun!!!
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo – Civilian Rob Shorthouse, the pounds 85,000-a-year head of communications for Strathclyde Police
Taxpayers’ money at work. Or not, as in this case.
Time to slash salaries and sack staff at Strathclyde Police. (thumbsup)
http://unisonbl.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html
I make no apologies for posting this story for you to read. Honestly you couldn’t make it up could you! It’s like Strathclyde Police are a sitcom! Made me smile…..
This is my old pal Rob Shorthouse, the very guy I keep complaining about because he has not yet set up a regular communication to staff keeping you informed about what’s going on. However it would appear he likes to communicate via Facebook!! I suggest we all send him a friend request, what do you think?
There is a much more serious side to this though. Strathclyde Police does not approve of staff using Facebook. With Rob being a Director do you think he might get a wee talking too about this? I doubt it somehow do you?
enmac75 stands shoulder to shoulder with Neil Lennon – I’m sending you a big manly woof. (thumbsup)
philvisreturns says:
16 November, 2011 at 13:58
There is an equivalent service for ducks. Bet you can’t guess what it’s called.
PHILVISRETURNS 1358
As long as you don’t call it woofter.
That WOULD be offensive,though Archie McPherson would sign up-he’s famous for his woofts.
bankiebhoy1,
If I may…………….
Buzzzzzzzzz, buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, buzzzzzzzzzzzzz
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
philvis
85,000 pounds a year and he´s involved in cutting back vital services while he´s face booking away. I wonder if he visited the Lenny websites. Would be very easy to find out technically. I hope he is as daft as Hugh Dallas.
Hail Hail
gerryguk7: 16 November, 2011 at 14:02
“It is, let’s not forget, football we are dealing with here.”
I think it is innuendo about Celtic supporters we are dealing with – and an individual, who not for the first time, is abusing his position.
As you might say … ‘Disappointing’.
gerryguk7 says:
16 November, 2011 at 14:02
Not you again. In the best Chewin The Fat – “I smell Rafael”
Bobby Murdoch ——–
The line in the sand is that The Scottish Government appears to be determined to turn Scotland into some kind of Francis Gaye Sunday Post land where ever so nice people get to decide what can be said and where it can be said .
It is the thin end of a very thick wedge . Tolerate it and you are heading for authoritarianism and demagoguery. The right of free speech should not only be for people who agree with you–otherwise you are living in a dictatorship where certain thoughts and ideas are bad /illegal etc
The Pantaloon Duck – There is an equivalent service for ducks. Bet you can’t guess what it’s called.
Orville? (thumbsup)
Good Afternoon,
WAY TO GO CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB!!!!!!!
As I mentioned yesterday, no one– and I do mean no one— can get away from the fact that in all judicial, investigatory,disciplinary and other formal matters there are rules of procedure. These are there so that there cannot be what used to be known as trial by ambush and to ensure that fair notice is given to someone who is the subject of a charge or acomplaint.
I suggested yesterday that the first thing that Celtic should do is to write to the Chief Constables office and simply enquire in writing for clarification of the proper police proedures to be followed in relation to matters arising at a match, their intimation to Celtic, their intimation to any official body and the release of information about an investigation or complaint to the press.
The tone of Paul’s leader suggest that Celtic are on this track and I predict that yet again proper,dilligent,intelligent enquiry will throw up some laxity ( at the very least ) in following the proper procedures, and send out a marker from Celtic which says that the club will expect professionalism and the following of proper proceedures in dealing with any club business. Such a position will undoubtedly annoy some folk who would prefer to wage war by innuendo,implication and through trial by press.
The great thing about the Freedom of Information act is that it is designed to ensure clarity,transparency and fairness in formal,official and judicial proceedings. It leaves the so called authorities open to scrutiny and question where before the enquirer could be faced with the closed shop mentality.
Interesting also to note paul’s reference to the former chairman. I have wondered if he was the author of the guile that was displayed in the course of dealing with the SFA failings over Dougie Dougie and all that followed. If so, then I sincerely hope that that guile is still on tap!
I have said before that an education is a terrible thing when it is used against you, and it brains that are required here. Brains and experience in dealing with rumbumptious officials. There are many rumbumptious officials in Scotland, and there are many who know how to deal with them— expertly!!!
A news blackout requested by Strathclyde Police over the reporting of letter bombs to, among others, the manager of Celtic football club lasted as long as could be expected – according to the police’s director of communications.
Says Strathclyde Police’s Rob Shorthouse, a series of phones calls were held on Saturday with various media outlets, all of which had got wind that Lennon – along with lawyer, Paul McBride QC, and former MSP, Trish Godman – had been the target of devices that were capable of maiming, if not killing.
Last month, it was reported that two parcels containing bullets had been sent to Lennon.
Shorthouse told allmediascotland: “On Saturday, the media agreed to a news blackout when we explained we required time to continue our investigations.”
A similar conversation – this time in a face-to-face meeting involving some of the country’s most senior journalists – then took place on Monday morning.
He continued: “At that meeting, we asked if the blackout could be extended to today; that it lasted until last night is something we are still grateful for. In my view, there was broad agreement at the meeting that the blackout should be reviewed today, but since it was a story lots of people in the media knew about, with every passing hour it was becoming more and more difficult for it to be kept under wraps. I am grateful the news blackout was adhered to for as long as it was. The extra time allowed important investigations to proceed.”
Reports The Drum media website, the media outlets represented at the Monday meeting “held a conference call [yesterday] when it was decided that they were unable to hold off on the story any longer and that the agreed embargo was likely to fall.”
I think Hearts will find that not paying players is an excellent way of reducing operating costs.
Árd Macha
CELTIC *O* LENNON 1350
I went to George Square,about 1215,with my Dad. He’s 72,and reckoned right away that the cops had an agenda.
Later,sat three seats away from The Green Brigade,I could see what he was talking about.
The behaviour of the police that day was NOT what is to be expected in a democracy.