There’s an industry of deliberate misunderstanding in Scottish football (and on the pages of CQN). One of the last vestiges of this is the SFA’s fabled Fit and Proper Test. There is no test, never has been a test and in all likelihood, never will be a test. It was almost certainly a figment of some under-informed journalist, who provided the concept enough currency for it to endure in the imagination, despite many, many, people explaining reality.
To be a director of a football club you need to be Fit and Proper, you do not sit or pass a test.
It’s a bit like:
To do a job you need to speak English, you do not sit or pass an English language test.
If you accept the above job assuring your employer you can speak English, and you can’t, you are likely to be fired.
If you accept a job as a director of a football club, assuring the SFA you are Fit and Proper, and you aren’t, the SFA will ban you from football and discipline the club for failing to ensure a director was Fit and Proper before appointment.
This morning the incessant campaign continues to throw reputational damage on anyone who would be inclined to point out that Dave King contravenes the eligibility rules on becoming a football club director. This is different from being Fit and Proper, which is a subjective assessment, Mr King is simply ineligible.
The reasons for his ineligibility (he was a director of a football club which was liquidated within the last 5 years), and other matters, most notably, his 41 convictions for breaking the tax law in South Africa, and the blame laid at his door by the SPL’s Lord Nimmo-Smith report, make up material reason why the SFA may consider him not Fit and Proper to run a football club.
After targeting Peter Lawwell yesterday, the campaign today turns direct to the SFA, who are accused of allowing Craig Whyte to “bluff his way through the Hampden [non-existent] ‘test’ by simply filling out an official SFA form”.
As should be patently obvious to anyone with a dozen or more brain cells, the SFA form is neither a ‘test’ nor a certification of appropriateness from the SFA.
The obligation to ensure a football club appoints Fit and Proper directors lies with that club’s board. If the board fail in their duty to the game, the club is liable to sanction from the SFA.
So who was on the board which appointed Craig Whyte as a director of Rangers?
Our emerging heroes, the men who chased away the billionaire, Dave King and Paul Murray. As non-executive directors of Rangers they had a responsibility to the club’s stakeholders that their interests were being protected.
The Institute of Directors factsheet on the role of non-execs quotes the Cadbury Report, saying they “should bring an independent judgement to bear on issues of strategy, performance and resources including key appointments and standards of conduct.”
It was the Rangers board’s responsibility to instruct the necessary checks on Craig Whyte’s appropriateness to be a director of the club. They either failed to do this, or if they did, failed to act on the information, or withdraw their names from the club’s register of directors.
Sir David Murray may have controlled the majority of shares, but as recent boardroom events at newco demonstrate, there is a great deal non-execs, when in a majority on the board, can do to inhibit major shareholders if they believe the interests of other stakeholders are being jeopardised.
Non-execs are not there to wear the blazer and attend supporters’ events, they are the eyes and ears of the supporters, shareholders, employees and creditors who are not privy to the inner workings of the club. In this respect, Mr King and Mr P. Murray failed Rangers on a cataclysmic level.
They are, in every respect possible, perfect for the job of running newco. My prediction (no inside info) is the SFA will fold under sustained media pressure, set aside their ineligibility rules and allow Mr King and Mr P. Murray to work their magic one more time.
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connaire12-nothing here mate.
Jude
Keith Harris passed away this morning.
alasdair maclean
15:17 on 28 April, 2015
Buy yur aen phone
Not a happy camper….
Been to Perth twice this season along with Leaf Junior so was very surprised to log onto the tickets site and see I didn’t have the correct credentials for the St Johnstone match.
Phoned the ticket office and was told you had to have been to 13 games and I had only been to 11….now I never get offers for Sheep, Inverness, or Ross County but have taken every other ticket offered this season including multiple trips to Dundee.
I asked if our allocation had been cut as I don’t really recall both away ends being full in the recent past but the person on the phone didn’t know. I was told to call back once the deadline has passed which I’ll do but I’m not amused, especially given the fact that we could win the league against St Johnstone.
Does anyone know our allocation for St Johnstone? In my mind it’s about 7k and if so I’m struggling to understand why the need for 13 games!
Alasdair MacLean
What , has the Droothy opened up again -))))))))))))
Livibhoy 12:37
Spot on. Also he didn’t know any of the players, any of the opposition teams/players/tactics.
It was always going to take time to come together.
Signs definitely looking good. How many times recently have we scored early in the second half of a game? Is he seeing things and making tweaks at half-time?
Good times ahead!
I get the feeling that Regan has now seen the SFA for what it is. I think he was blinded at the start but now gets it. King will fail this and the SFA will reform
“especially given the fact that we could win the league against St Johnstone.”
Scottish leaf.
Not sure Tbh but if the league isn’t wrapped up by then I’ll be a wreck!!!
HH
f67
Ta rip K H
Luved that duck!!!
CONNAIRE12 1459
Are you in The Green Brigade?
Ha Geordie I know what you mean but it is a possibility! To be honest I hope the league is won this weekend even if it mean not being at a game. Earlier the better :)
So north and south stand hold 2k so that would give us 4k plus we get some of the west stand, probably around 500-1k so more like a 5k allocation but even still…
Jude,
I hate that duck.
Cuddles csc
When rich people fall out….
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/apr/28/kensington-chelsea-council-house-stripes-west-london
Scottishleaf,
I think it’ll just be a case of ‘business end of the season’. Many fans thinking the same way as you and desperate for an away ticket to the party.
HH and good luck
themaestro72
15:15 on 28 April, 2015
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Well said.
Our squad is looking good and players seem to be getting fitter and better each month.
However if we lose both centre halfs we are in deep trouble..i feel we should have (maybe we did) signed a good young centre half in january .. even if we did manage to keep our current 2 we do need back up.
If we had of lost denayer or virgil for a couple of months like we did with lustig we would have struggled more.
Stokes,matthews,ambrose, pukki,derk,tonev,wakaso, mulgrew and forrest is the bhoys i wouldnt be too upset to see move on.
I see the funeral of the man who invented the Hokey Kokey was held up. Cos every time they put his left leg in his right leg came out!!
I believe the decision regarding the hun board is a relatively simple and straightforward one but as usual our media insist on Murray-king the waters.
GM
Its a time for love not hate!!
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
15:29 on 28 April, 2015
CONNAIRE12 1459
Are you in The Green Brigade?
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That made me smile….
Siesta time zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Scottishleaf – probably a lot of supporters clubs requesting maximum allocation, when perhaps they haven’t earlier in the season. All kinds of reasons really. The allocation of away/cup tickets is a thorny issue every season and it’s simply impossible to keep everybody happy.
Random ballot for every game is the closest to a fair way really.
Isn’t it a strange world where very black and White rules can now be ignored or put aside. The case for both Murray and king is very very straightforward. They fail red flag tests. Clearly and unambiguously.
Yet we are being told that it is not black and white. That it’s not a really a test.
We are being softened for more rule breaking.
And I wonder. What will celtic do or say?
Nothing? Again?
scottishleaf
I’m just on and saw your post about our allocation for St Johnstone. I believe that the two ends behind the goal (North and South stands) hold around 2,000 each. We also get a section of the West (Main stand) and I’d hazard a guess that that’s an extra 1,000. Sooooo going by my calculations our allocation will be closer to 5,000.
I’d imagine that you’ll get tickets no bother but if you’re stuck give me a shout and I’ll see if I can help.
hun skelper
13:27 on
28 April, 2015
If the SFA weren’t stricked enough with whyte during his F+P test you would think the huns would welcome them being more on the ball when the next chancer came calling seeing how whyte turned out for them :-)
Let him in he’s not the lying king for nothing HH
I really dont care if King gets in or not.Same clusterf— awaits.What I said earlier,is I think Regan has all the info,and he will not want to come out of this looking even stupider.
Make no mistake,he values his job.This Hun saga is going to go bad.A blind man can see it.Will Regan want to be involved in it?.
There are many Huns out there who are already cursing King.You only have to read Hun Media to see his initial wee spell of euphoria has dissipated.
Nothing I like better than disappointed Huns.And it will happen,either way.
Weeminger and Gordie,
Yup that makes sense I guess. The annoying thing is I have been to Perth twice this season already so just assumed it wouldn’t be an issue.
Ah well I’ll be phoning the ticket office next Thursday and hopefully there will be some tickets left over as I don’t want to miss the game even if the league – hopefully – has been won.
weeminger
Random ballot for every game is the closest to a fair way really.
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I disagree in the strongest terms. For years I’ve taken tickets for every away game often when many Celtic supporters weren’t interested in going. The way that tickets are allocated currently for away games is the fairest way. Yes, on occasions, that will result in some being disappointed but at least the tickets are being given to those who’ve attended most games.
NegAnon2 – But it isn’t black and white rules, if it was there would be no doubt in the verdict…Go read it again, plenty of scope for a discretionary verdict….
Hamiltontim – thanks, I’ll let you know if I need your help, appreciate the offer.
If King fails,PL will get the blame,look at the propaganda the Laptop Loyal are cobbling together.
!!Bada Bing!! the SFA have already briefed the MSM.. Hence the Peter vitriol being built up. Its a no and its an easier no to stomach if you can blame the pesky Tims.
Looks like the DR has been skimming CQN for content. They have a new article up about Ronny’s football philosophy with the video posted here last night.
They couldn’t help but have a dig at Ronny for his choice of knitwear.
HH
EnnisBhoy
!!Bada Bing!! 15:48 on 28 April, 2015
I’m sure Peter Lawwell’s not losing sleep over that.
Besides, he’s too busy working on the next plague, planning another banking crisis and eating babies (new born are currently in season) for lunch.
HT
I know you will think you are just being a typical Celtic supporter but you deserve great credit for procuring tickets for so many people on here. Well done that mhan,
JJ
PS ….and I agree that those who attend most away games should have first refusal.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
Burgh Bhoy
Agree on your points. I don;t want to talk about it everyday. Personal choice. I want us to move forward. I was hoping for a positive post today on our gaffer’s philosophy and get one about Dodgy Dave. That is Paul’s call and he has earned it but personally I would rather look at what is positive about Celtic.
I am not going to concentrate my efforts on that other Glasgow club.
It’s been literally been done to death for a number of years. If people want to carry it on and I have said already people will then fair play to them and I will congratulate them when the time comes if LNS decision is overturned.
We have made our point as a group via a statement in the Herald.
The club are skint, corrupt and hopeless.
Their fans are now obssessed with Celtic.
I would say it is job done and we concentrate on Celtic.
You take your eye off the Celtic ball things slip. Personally I am going to focus on the fitba and the Scottish game and not what the deed/zombie club are doing.
It’s a personal call.
Scottishleaf
Not happy hearing that. Get briefs for the St Johnstone main stand. Been in there before myself and had no issues.
Not ideal but better than nothing.
LB
proudbhoy
Can’t disagree with any of them moving on. Could be an interesting summer especially with zig and zag doing so well. Maybe a change in the signing policy?
EnnisBhoy
We should all wear those Ronny jumpers at our last Home game!
! Bada! and MK
It does look that way, doesn`t it?
DR Headline: Pistol Pete kills the King`s plans for resurgent `Gers !!
JJ
Hamiltontim 08:37 on 28 April, 2015
RWE
Apologies for not replying last night but I had an early night and I’ve been in work since early O’clock! :-)
The fact that there were no Motherwell fans in the vicinity is indeed significant. The law says that the behaviour should be ‘deemed’ offensive. If there were no Motherwell fans to hear the chant, who exactly was being offended?
Yes in the past this may have been a simple case of a Breach of the Peace and in my opinion that should still be the case. Why is there a need to label it as something different simply because the perpetrator was a football supporter?
………………
HT
Tardy response from me for the same reason ZZZzzzzz
Does the act have any contingency in the alleged offences? Such phrases as “likely to be” “if the officer suspects” etc.
Also, shouting it out outside a pub (open presumably) in those circumstances means that those inside would be likely to be offended by the shouts. The polis don’t need to go inside and chat to everyone to find out if anyone was angered or upset by the behavior. They are allowed to act based on what they see, and justify their actions HONESTLY in their statement. Had these guys shouted out “feck your ‘Well.” in a field at midnight then no one would have given a for instance. they didn’t, they likely had a pint or two, and thought they’d wind up the locals in the boozer.
All conjecture on my part because I am out of the loop but my main point was really, that we/you waste your energies on cases such as this. This is just plain old BoP/with a few drinks thrown in. Regular weekend fare in every town in Scotland. On the back of beating Well back to the Playoffs, they were stupid and could easily have provoked a reaction from those in the pub. No wonder their brief said go Guilty.
Kill the Bill really means having to focus (sorry) on the insidious part of it, not the parts that have been conflated into it from old Public Order laws. IMHO
BabyandBathwater CSC
LB-you making it to the game on Friday?