I was at primary school during the 1979 devolution referendum. It’s fair to say many in the Celtic community were suspicious of the SNP due to the hostile attitudes some of the party leadership had to the Irish diaspora in their midst.
Fresh blood brought change to the SNP in the 1980s, there were even overtures to Irish nationalism. Alex Salmond cemented these changes, broadened the appeal of the party towards new and multi-generation immigrants, and asserted the SNP’s multi-faith credentials. He also became close friends with disgraced Cardinal O’Brien (which is no reflection on Mr Salmond).
At the height of his political powers Salmond appears to have overreached. Something would be done about men shouting at football games. From now on only certain flavours of nationalism would be favoured, acceptable, perhaps even legal. MSP Christine Graham let the Scottish Parliament know, the problem was that Celtic fans were not acting illegally, so the law had to change.
The Axe the Act candidate in today’s Glasgow City Council, Govan, by-election, Thomas Rannachan has brought the consequences of Salmond’s largess to his door. The SNP are defending the seat but one year out from the battle Salmond really needs to win, his shoddy attack on football fans is set to undermine him. As an independent Rannachan may not win, but he has put the First Minister on the back foot.
George Ryan’s funeral will take place at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Glasgow, at 10:00 on Monday. All are welcome.
Sean’s book’s here, fill your boots:
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weeminger
Stopped to think it through perhaps?
From Paul Larkin
Posted On 11 Oct, 2013 – By lostbhoys – With 0 Comments
I thought, given it’s yet another boring international weekend, I’d give you an insight to my fabulous showbiz lifestyle this week because I know you’re desperate to find out about it all and the fact that I can’t ask you to vote for anyone today, have made my feelings clear on the Roll of Honour and that there is sod all else going on, is purely coincidental.
In the summer I was looking for something to do when I thought about doing a sort of journal of the season for no other reason than to keep me busy. Writers all over the world will tell you, you should always keep a journal but I only tried it once, back in 2005 and it lasted about three months. Primarily because I thought Gordon Strachan would drive me mad, but that’s another story.
The idea was that I’d follow him round everywhere in his first season as Celtic manager and do it as a sort of “One Edinburgh punter follows another” type thing (If you really want to get in depth, it was ‘One Muirhouse’ Edinburgh punter follows another) and it would be all Edinburgh gimmicky.
The first time I spoke to him was in the City West Hotel in Dublin in early July 2005. I queued up to get his autograph, get the photo that would, hopefully, adjourn the front cover of this book (The first I’d be seriously attempting to write in two years) and grab the first words that would lead me on this rollercoaster of Strachan. I should probably tell you at this point I’d even already secured a celebrity foreword.
You may remember at the time that, previous to becoming Celtic manager, Gordon had struck up a wee bromance with Adrian Chiles who, and it shows you how far back I am going now, was pretty popular at the time.
So through a contact at Radio 5 Live I was able to get a foreword from Adrian and I have to say, it was pretty good. He talked about how Gordon used to say to him “Do you ever smile?” and eventually this became a running joke with them.
One day they were sitting in the Match of the Day 2 studio when Gordon said it to Adrian, as his team West Bromwich Albion were one down at home to bitter rivals Aston Villa, and Adrian lost the head with him.
Gordon just looked at him incredulously and said “Don’t worry about it, you’ll score from this corner”. And West Brom did.
Adrian, after dancing about like a madman, asked Gordon how he knew that was going to happen and Gordon gave an in depth insight into how he had noticed that player A with West Brom kept losing player B from Aston Villa at corners and he knew it was about to pay dividends.
At that point Chiles, who freely admitted he was beginning to despise Strachan at this time, became a total Strachan convert.
So with that foreword under my arm, my geographical connection to Gordon Strachan and my greatest comeback since Lazarus about to unfold, I was all set.
That’s exactly what I was thinking when I queued up to meet Gordon Strachan in Dublin as well.
I could hear all the people in front of me wish him well, ask him who we were signing and there was even the odd dissenting voice to be heard from outside the queue “F*****g new John Barnes”.
So I thought right, I’ll get close, he will be thinking “here is another drunken fat b*****d coming” and then I’ll totally disarm him by telling him we both came from the same area.
Dazzled by that, Gordon would open up about how he had been on a lifelong journey in football and Celtic were his summit. As kindred spirits, we would form a bond that night and I’d become a face that he would welcome at press conferences and gatherings. Plus of course, I’d have the opening for my new book.
I got to the front of the queue, had a mate from Armagh primed with a camera, handed him my bit of paper to sign, which he duly did, and said “I actually come from the same area in Edinburgh as you”
I could tell right away that something in his brain clicked and I was ready, in fact proud, at the way I’d opened up this new character in the annals of Celtic so soon in his Celtic managerial career. He opened his mouth and said:
“Did ye?”
And handed me the bit of paper the same way a checkout girl hands you a receipt on a busy day in the supermarket.
Crestfallen, I went to move away and had one, forlorn, look back at Gordon Strachan who was busy signing a bit paper when suddenly he looked up at me and said “I was born in Muirhouse Grove” and I stopped dead in my tracks and mumbled where I was born and he replied “Oh I know it aye”
I smiled and moved away.
The two guys from Armagh were pretty taken aback about the fact that what I had planned had actually, almost, worked. My problem was I thought he had blanked me and so wasn’t ready to question him after he started a second conversation. Or continued one I’d long since thought was over.
Why I am telling you this? I don’t know, well I do, as outlined in the introduction.
Normal service will be resumed next week.
You can follow Paul on twitter (@paullarkin74)
hen1k. The Daily Record with Lazy journalism nothing unusual about that when the Huns are involved. H.H.
From FRJeb
DR shamefully lying about King’s tax fraud to put pressure on SFA to pass him as fit and proper person #DailyRecordLoyal
Somebody called Mark Smith in the Herald has written an article about why the saltire makes him cringe. He also says
“My emotional relationship with the Union flag is different. When I see it at some national event – the Olympics, for example, or The Proms – I feel warmly positive towards it because I feel positive towards the modern United Kingdom.”
Hands up all those who immediately think of The Proms as a symbol of the modern United Kingdom?
Morning all. Bit cloudy down here.
Wonder if Masterton is a big member of the fabled masonic cabal. After propping up his ole pal Sir David’s empire, including the deid team, to the detriment of his Bank, he now seems intent on destroying Dunfermline, in order to recoup some of the monies he squandered elsewhere.
FACT! time – just to counter any of the horde you have to speak to.
The fraud charges against King were not pursued, he was found guilty of 41 breaches of SA income tax laws, and paid a fine rather than have 2 years pokey.
It’s all in here
Morning all from gay Paree, where it is cold, wet n windy.
Encore une journée… and another day that Ally and Co will shed 40 000 pounds.
That’s sterling (not flab), making it 200 000 since Monday.
Coming soon:
Walt Disnae – The Return of the Lying King.
cadizzy,
I am all for the waving of the Saltire at football matches and especially Celtic ones. I remember at the Last Night of the Proms, when they focused on Belfast during YNWA there was little or no Union Flag waving but when Land of Hope and Glory came on, they were to the last man, woman and child waving their flags with gusto. So, to thems, I guess the Last Night of the Proms symbolises the UK as it was, as it is and it always will be. Thanks be to Ghod, that world is crumbling and they cannot cope.
cadizzy
09:22 on 11 October, 2013
Could be the guy from The Fall.
Then again, probably not
Just to let everyone know yes I do go on a bit about the cheats and thieves but I’m a great believer in rules and they should be applied to every member and individual no matter how big.
We have a governing body who are there to protect every individual or member abusing these rules because any rule breaking will give others the mentality they think they can do whatever they like.
Will you be happy when the corrupt blazers try to apply the rules to our club or manager after the rule breaking they have got away with to suit Sevco ?
Parkheadcumsalford
I am with you on that one……though I suppose Union Flags waving during YNWA would somehow not look right anyway@
King has been touted for the role of chairman at Rangers, a role which would see the governing body judge whether he will be eligible to take up a role in football.
The Scottish FA does not administer a fit and proper person test but does follow illustrative guidelines against which potential office bearers are measured.
King would potentially fall down on two counts. Firstly, the fit and proper person guidelines state consideration would be given as to whether an office bearer is fit and proper if “he has been convicted within the last 10 years of (i) an offence liable to imprisonment of two years or over, (ii) corruption or (iii) fraud”.
The former Rangers investor recently settled an income tax dispute in South Africa which saw him plead guilty and convicted of breaching 41 counts of the country’s Income Tax Act. He agreed to pay £45m as a settlement.
King also had to pay a fine of just under £210,000 or else face 82 years in jail.
Secondly, King was still on the board of directors at Rangers when the old company which operated the club went into administration in February 2012. The company subsequently entered liquidation and sold its assets to a newco
http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/rangers/242803-dave-kings-rangers-move-could-be-blocked-by-scottish-fa/
So Dave King potentially faced 82 years in the nick
King makes Craig Whyte look like a saint with that charge sheet
sixtaeseven
The Lying King you say!!!!
@Arsene_Parcelie: Hakuna Matata, or something like that. http://t.co/htRtkyboGU (RT)
HH
southside
If you saw a photo of him and then one of Mark E, you’d know that they are not remotely related.
cadizzy,
30% is good for Council elections in Glasgow when there is a full set. 20% for a by election isn’t low by any means.
Personally I don’t think there should be by elections where there are multi member constituencies. The party with the seat should just nominate another member to keep the balance the same – as they do when a new list MSP is needed in the Scottish Parliament.
Just aff oot but before I go….. this could be interesting
Big News for Celtic???
Dave King’s tax bill of 706m rand is about £44m. If he had paid that to HMRC and others on behalf of them before they died, he would now be in a South African prison and Rangers would have been able to hold on to Kyle Lafferty and wee John Fleck.
hen1rik
Even our national broadcaster is on the positive King spin roller-coaster
—
King recently agreed to pay almost £44m to the Revenue Service as criminal charges against him were dropped.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24434323
Hoopslegend Mark Smith?
I tell ye now-independence is a bad idea-the masons and institutions like em-will have a stranglehold over scotia and therel be no one to stop em-its like turkeys voting for xmas
-just look at salmonds silences when you really needed to hear him speak up-wake up
Gordon_J
If 20% is not low in comparison, that is not good. Something needs to be done.
How about you get a vote for each house you own or each servant you have? (but only if you’re a man). Like The Proms, it could become a symbol of the modern UK@
Thindimebhoy
09:47 on
11 October, 2013
I don’t have time to check the nuances of SA law just now, but if the Income Tax charges he was found guilty of were civil, then that headline is correct.
verdantvic – I’m not bothered one way or another about independence but I have made this point before and will repeat it for you here – what makes you think that a UK Govt that has done nothing, nada, zilch over the years to tackle sectarianism in scotland, anti-irish racism in scotland etc a Govt that itself is riddled with Masons, a house of Lords that is stuffed with them, a Royal family that contains the top Dodgy hand shaker in the UK, will now suddenly, so long as Scotland remains in the Union, step in to protect Scotlands minority communities?
It is not an argument that holds water for me.
It’s all about the economy.
Dave King?
I don’t care if they drag Don King over from the USA
There’s only one King in Glasgow
King Billy McNeill
Interesting posts re Independence vote over the past few days. I’m in the undecided camp, stick or twist, who knows.
If it’s Yes, a CQN Party may be required to sort out the issues discussed over the past few days. Some nominations for the Cabinet:
Justice Minister- brogan rogan trevino and hogan
Foreign Minister – the exiled tim
Environment Minister – Jobo Baldie
Agricultural Minister – weefrathetim
Homeland Security – the singing dick
Culture and Arts – bournesouprecipe
Feel free to add, maybe start of a list…….
Cadizzy,
If it is the same Mark Smith then he used to be my neighbor!!!
He does a fair version of Wish you were Here by Pink Floyd at a party…. though I think he moved to Canada ( Is he not Canadian? ).
Then again it might be another Mark Smith but he did write for the Herald
——————————————————————————————————————
On other matters, over on TSFM I had this to say:
I see that Dave King seems to think he will pass the fit and proper person test as set out by the SFA — at least according to bot the Daily Record and the BBC.
Regrettably, these statements simply prove that many in the media have just not been paying attention, as , regrettably, there is no such test at all.
If my memory serves me correctly, Stewart Regan no less has pointed out that the club declares any Director to be fit and proper. submits their details to the SFA who then accept them, and only if subsequent information comes to light that makes it plain that the person cannot be a fit and proper person will the SFA declare them so.
In other words, the club decides who is deemed to be fit and proper….. not the SFA.
Now., there is nothing whatsoever to stop Mr King investing in Rangers without being a Director….. in fact he can invest and nominate someone of his choice to be his eyes and ears on the board if he so chooses. That happens in business all of the time, so if Dave King wishes to invest then he can…. and indeed will.
However, in any decision to invest, the make up of the board and who has control of the company will no doubt be a significant factor, as if the company is being directed and steered in a way the potential director does not like then he or she is likely to keep their money in their pocket.
The question is will King wish to do business with those in charge at Ibrox by buying them out or will he wish to do business separately from those in charge at Ibrox by investing in some other way?
Again, he may be able to do both.
He can invest in the company by lending it money … working capital in effect…… but I am willing to bet that he will not do that unless he is given some sort of security in return. That security would be of the type that if there is any prospect that he cannot get his money back through the company, then he will be able to shove the company out of the road and take control himself.
By the way, I am not convinced that the recent judgement re King proves that he received money back from Rangers PLC after he made his initial investment of £20M.
The Judgement clearly says that he invested £20M in ” Murray Sports” which was the company that “owned” Rangers — this is presumably a reference to the Murray Group who owned the controlling interest in Rangers PLC. However, as I read the judgement, the assessment re Tax includes a benefit from Rangers amounting to roughly the same amount he invested……. the benefit being the then perceived value of the shares.
King had never declared the income which he used to effectively buy the shares in the first place and so that money was untaxed when he used it to buy the shares in Rangers. Accordingly, on the assessment the sum concerned just shows an untaxed sum ( or benefit ) from Rangers equating to the value of the shares.
However, a detailed reading of that judgement should, in my opinion, terrify shareholders as the judges are absolutely scathing in their assessment of King’s character setting out that he clearly deceived the tax authorities, his own lawyers, the trustees he appointed to his off shore trusts, and everyone else involved in the court case. He eventually refused to co-operate with the officials of his own off shore trusts.
The judges stated that he was a most unimpressive witness who would say whatever suited him to get his own way and was addicted to making money wherever possible— buying on opportunity and selling on market certainty.
The judges described him as mendacious and accused him of complete fabrication of evidence, an opportunist who will never miss a chance to make money, who misrepresents the truth and who has no respect for the truth or Authority.
Eventually, he accepted his guilt and paid very substantial sums in back taxes and fines in return for his liberty.
The issue here is not about Dave King or indeed Rangers, it is about the SFA and their procedures and whether or not they have a duty to look after the interests of football fans of all clubs.
I have friends who have lost fortunes at Ibrox. Families who have had connections to Ibrox going back decades, where previous generations invested not only money– big money— but a lot of time and effort. I have further friends who do not go back that far, but who bought debentures, season tickets, shares and supported the club financially in every way that they could.
I spoke to one yesterday who reminded me that after a meeting of around 20 supporters who had an audience with David Murray and Alex McLeish at Ibrox at which he was present, he told me at that time that he felt that David Murray simply said anything… absolutely anything…. that he thought you wanted to hear in return for getting your money in. He further told me that many at that meeting agreed with him.
Having sat in the same seat for 19 consecutive years he walked away from Rangers altogether as he was simply disgusted.
Similarly, one of my own relatives who has had a season ticket for years along with his two daughters decided to spend the money on holidays instead. The girls are grown now and would rather spend family time with their dad in Spain rather than be fed yet more rubbish from those in charge of the boardroom.
The most damning example comes from the Grandson of a former Director who told me he will never ever return despite the fact that he holds some very valuable and treasured Rangers memorabilia going back to his Grandfather’s time — stuff which previous Ibrox regimes– and indeed others in Scottish Football– would pay fortunes for.
Saturdays are now for golf with his son, and football is the EPL.
By the way he used to ask awkward questions of David Murray at the AGM until it was clear he was not welcome despite being a shareholder.
The point is how much of a roll should the SFA play, after all both they and the media told us all that a strong Rangers was essential to the future of Scottish Football as a whole.
If that is so, then surely to God, given all that has gone on over the past 2 years, it cannot continue to be the case that a club, or a board, can simply self certify that someone is fit to hold an exalted position in football without the regulating body making detailed and clear enquiry of their own? Yet that is what we are told is the procedure.
Equally the press have got to ask questions.
One veteran newspaper man said long ago that a reporter was someone who asked awkward, almost childlike questions, which may actually be embarrassing in the asking and in the answer, with the result that what they “report” are the facts and the truth no matter how they fall.
A Columnist, on the other hand, merely spouts opinion, and as such does not need to be as pedantic about the facts or indeed the truth as he or she is merely giving an opinion.
However, the more the columnist uses the tools of a good reporter, the more respect their opinion will carry over a period of time, and obviously over the same period of time, the lazy columnist will lose more and more respect and more importantly their readership.
To just simply avoid the awkward questions does nobody any good at all — especially those who have invested their money at Ibrox in the past.
——————————————————————————————————————–
RobertTressell
i know im making a fool of myself with my airy views-
all i can go on is my own intelligence
and daily experiences(im surrounded by FMs)
i hope i never get the chance
to say -i told you so
weeminger
The beeb used the word “dropped” which by implication usually means in any type of case there was no case to answer, lack of evidence etc
I believe in Kings case there was a settlement nothing was dropped
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Oscar Knox, MacKenzie Furniss and anyone else who fights Neuroblastoma
his wee photie is on the article.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/columnists/why-the-saltire-makes-me-cringe.22381101
ernie lynch
23:26 on
10 October, 2013
greendreamz
23:16 on
10 October, 2013
So any assurances Salmond or the SNP give us about what will happen in a separate Scotland are meaningless then?
=================================================================
EL…..its just an opinion?
roberttressell
10:03 on 11 October, 2013
I’m as yet undecided as to how I’ll vote however I’m in agreement with your post.
All this scaremongering about how rabidly anti Celtic and anti Catholic Scotland is missing the point that it’s successive Labour governments that have us where we are today.
The vegan tandoori steak bake is a symbol of the modern UK.
Hamiltontim is praying for Oscar
10:22 on 11 October, 2013
roberttressell
10:03 on 11 October, 2013
‘All this scaremongering about how rabidly anti Celtic and anti Catholic Scotland is missing the point that it’s successive Labour governments that have us where we are today.’
###
Scotland’s attitude towards Catholicism stretches back to the Reformation. It’s in with the bricks. It’s part of what Scotland is all about, what it is that defines Scotland and differentiates it from the rest of the world.
The different political parties in Scotland simply reflect that reality to a greater or lesser extent.
The point is that it isn’t the political parties that are the problem, it’s the nature of Scotland and Scottish society. It’s not in your face, it’s not immediately apparent, but it’s there below the surface and boils up from time to time.
The Red Telephone
10:13 on 11 October, 2013
Interesting posts re Independence vote over the past few days. I’m in the undecided camp, stick or twist, who knows.
If it’s Yes, a CQN Party may be required to sort out the issues discussed over the past few days. Some nominations for the Cabinet:
Justice Minister- brogan rogan trevino and hogan
Foreign Minister – the exiled tim
Environment Minister – Jobo Baldie
Agricultural Minister – weefrathetim
Homeland Security – the singing dick
Culture and Arts – bournesouprecipe
Chancellor of the Exchequer – Philvisreturns (Miss you mate!)
Cadizzy
Different fella.
Don’t agree with a word he says either.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie
06:49 on 11 October, 2013
GERRYBHOY
Well done,mate-I’m envious.
Bet yer wife is envious too,haha!
Enjoy it. You’ve earned it.
TBJ Praying for Oscar Knox
06:52 on 11 October, 2013
Gerrybhoy
My brother took early retirement at 55… his mrs cracks up at his laid back lifestyle as she still gets up for work at 7am.
#####
Thanks Lhads! Had to make do with the front 9 this morning due to weather but had fun just the same. Mrs has to get up at 6 and has another 10 years to go for her retirement. I make her breakfast though. Have to contribute something ;-))
Thindimebhoy
10:19 on
11 October, 2013
I posted an article from a SA paper earlier, it stated that fraud charges “were not pursued” – I think it’s fair to read that as dropped.
He was found guilty of 41 breaches of income tax law. My point was that these charges may be civil rather than criminal.
I agree they’ve put +ve spin on it, but the headline may not have been factually incorrect.