Is it really possible that Charles Green made a genuine oversight and believed that monies due to Rangers FC (IA) could be paid by a debtor to selective creditors in order to let his Newco gain access to the Scottish Football League?
Back in May, while Rangers FC (IA) were adamant they would continue in business, the SPL agreed to pay money due to the club directly to creditors. The club subsequently failed to pay, or agree terms with, creditors and a creditor has asked BDO to liquidate them. The lawyers have earned enough from this saga in recent months, they would be scrambling for Gratuitous Alienation cast studies if the SPL was to selectively pay football clubs.
It looks like Mr Green is tying himself in knots over the Newco/Oldco routine. His attention to detail has the potential to become legendary, however, he is entitled to wonder why the SFA have allowed his Newco membership despite apparently not meeting agreed terms. I am sure the SFA president will be all over this issue like a rash, demanding clear and proper process is followed.
Or is the SFA president still the only man at Hampden who cannot participate in any of the important issues concerning Scottish football?
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yo a vast.
piratesCSC
Invercelt
12:34 on
16 August, 2012
Misunderstanding.
I was explaining to you my response to Zbyszek.
Kayal33
That is not going to happen unless supporters take action as supporters AND taxpayers. My correspondence with the Scottish Government follows but I reckon its all going to fizzle out unless the FTT and BDO findings raise questions politicians in Edinburgh cannot dodge.
Dear Margo
(Copied to First Minister, Alex Salmond)
I am writing to you in your capacity as Chairperson of Cross-Party Group on Sport at Hollyrood concerning the matter of the governance of Scottish football, where the unfolding saga at Glasgow Rangers FC suggests that whilst the SFA have made some reform inroads in response to the Henry McLeish recommendations in terms of transparency, much still needs to be done on accountability and other issues.
The SFA are the organisation charged with the care of a sport that does form a major part of the fabric of Scottish society and their lack of accountability and clarity of authority raises “fit for purpose” questions.
I appreciate that governments as a matter of policy do not get involved in football matters but note that in England in 2008 and 2009 an All Party Parliamentary Football Group
http://www.allpartyfootball.com/about.htm and
http://www.allpartyfootball.com/about.htm
looked at the governance of English Football and following their investigations produced a report in April 2009 “ English Football and its Governance”
http://www.allpartyfootball.com/APFG_Report_on_English_Football_&_Its_Governance_April_2009%5b1%5d.pdf
The integrity of the game in Scotland has all but been destroyed, not just by what has happened at Rangers, but by the handling of the consequential emerging issues by the SPL and SFA. Both seem ultimately unaccountable to anyone in Scotland and unclear on their respective responsibilities to each other and the game in general. I am therefore writing to suggest that the Scottish government could adopt a similar approach as in England and have an all party enquiry to look at:
The accountability of the SFA
clarity of roles and responsibilities between the various authorities (SFA/SPL etc)
If any of the recommendations in the English report are applicable here, particularly Chapter Three in terms of improved accountability.
There is no record of FIFA/UEFA objection to this approach; in fact they might welcome the input of a similar all party enquiry to restore confidence in the governance of the game in Scotland as would the Scottish Public.
I appreciate that the all party group in England consisted of volunteers but such is the passion for the game in this country I think there will be a cohort of the willing, including supporters trusts and associations to take part.
I await your views and the views of the First Minister to whom this is copied with interest.
The Reply
Dear Auldheid
Thank you for your email of 10 July on issues relating to Scottish Football. I have been asked to reply.
As I am sure you can appreciate there have been a number of developments since your correspondence. As our national game, the Scottish Government’s commitment to football and to its future is beyond doubt. Year on year we have invested record amounts in football development and facilities. We will deliver a world class National Performance Centre for Sport which will have football at its heart and the First Minister recently announced the Scottish Government would sponsor the 2012/13 Scottish Communities League Cup in recognition of the important role our clubs play in communities across Scotland.
Decisions around league membership and restructuring are entirely a matter for the football authorities and individual clubs. We respect the decisions by members of the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League and appreciate this will require a period of adjustment for both Rangers and many other football clubs. In order to ensure the continued development of Scottish football we recognise that the focus should now turn to the restructuring and reform required.
As you may know, Fifa rules strictly prohibit what they perceive as ‘political interference’ from Governments in their members’ affairs and there have been well known examples in recent years where members have been suspended or threatened with a suspension for what Fifa perceive as Government interference. As a result, the Scottish Government, like other governments, recognises the right of independent sports governing bodies such as the Scottish FA to structure themselves as they see fit without interference from Scottish Ministers.
Yours sincerely
My Response.
Dear Mr G
Any reader of my letter and your reply would conclude that you did not read the original and so failed to address the main thrust of how the government could find ways to use its expertise of government to make an unaccountable organisation accountable.
However on reflection based on the reply perhaps I over estimated the degree of government “expertise” that the Scottish Government is able to bring to bear or perhaps the Government simple has no political stomach to address the issue of proper checks and balances in governance at the SFA, for reasons that escape me as a lifelong taxpayer.
I find this even more surprising when you mention the taxpayers’ money that the SFA get from the Scottish Government, the same SFA who failed to police one of their members to ensure they met their tax obligations. I would have thought that in these days of financial constraint handing taxpayers money over to an organisation that are accountable to no one would be a matter for investigation and an opportunity to set standards of governance at the receiving organisation.
I do not accept that fear of what UEFA or FIFA might do if the Government decided to intervene (I prefer facilitate) as a justifiable excuse for Government inaction. I do not remember either Mr Blatter or Mr Platini standing for election as an MSP and am surprised our government allows itself to be governed by unelected and so unaccountable external bodies. Serious constitutional problems there methinks.
The SFA receive support from the Scottish taxpayer and that means they are accountable to the tax payer, Their failure to prevent a massive loss to the taxpayer cannot be ignored at times when every pound is precious and the Scottish Government’s reluctance to ask questions is a derelection of duty to the tax payer.
I am sure I will not be the only voter seeing the “do nothing” policy of the existing Government in this way and lets say it is a close run thing between the SFA and Scottish Government in a two horse race for the Banana Republic trophy.
macjay1 for Neil Lennon
12:35 on 16 August, 2012
You know Polish history better than I do.
Accepted.
Do you know Australian history?
We ,who live in Australia ,are entitled to feel insulted by your accusation that we live in a genocidal country.
Question: How many Aussies died in the cause of liberating Europe,including Poland, from the curse of Hitler?
Subsequently:How many Aussies died in combating the curse of communism?
Perhaps you owe them an apology.
+++++
I love this type of retort in an argument. I dare say that all of the above applies to the UK as well.
^^just saying
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
12:51 on 16 August, 2012
That for me is one of the problems with sport hacks in this country, they want to befriend people with influence instead of offering honest opinions on the individual.
They suck up to the likes of Green in the hope of getting the next story. The problem with this approach is that it then becomes impossible to be criticle
Invercelt
12:43 on
16 August, 2012
NegAnon @ 12.23,
Well at least you’re clear about your hatred. You’re wrong, tho’ about “unashamed”: hatred IS shameful.
========================
I found the following life changing.
” Feelings are neither right nor wrong
They just are.” for more read
http://www.poojaruprell.com/?p=2938
macjay1 for Neil Lennon
12:35 on
”Subsequently:How many Aussies died in combating the curse of communism?”
One.
Here’s his obituary.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/politics-obituaries/9462513/Brian-Crozier.html
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
Green will be another Legend on here in months to come. I know for a FACT huns like to troll on here to find out what is happening with their club. I keep moaning about Green and his ‘No Surrender’ for them, I want them to be hoodwinked by his bluster so they buy the season tickets and eventually the shares. Green is here to earn a fast buck for his investors, not some long term plan.
The huns are going to be left soon with season tickets and shares in a bankrupt club that owns NOTHING!
Glasgow’s Green & Whyte!!!!
macjay
“Question: How many Aussies died in the cause of liberating Europe,including Poland, from the curse of Hitler?”
I’ll bet more cursed commies died eh, in fact I expect the number of cursed commies makes the australian sacrafice look insignificant eh
ASonofDan – I suspect UEFA will ban them from their competitons until non-scottish football debt is paid.
This won’t be a problem for Green, he’ll be long gone before it becomes an issue.
Auld Neil Lennon heid
Thanks for that. Never for a second thought Salmond and his lackeys would do anything, it’d be filed in the ‘too difficult’ file.
Whilst some of us bemoan the lack of summer signings (me included) when I was a lad during our 9iar days signings where pretty rare and that was of course before the window.
BJ didnt sign many and his major signings were few – McBride Wallace Hood Deans Callaghan come to mind – signed loads of goalies though almost all of which were crap.
Invercelt
12:48 on
16 August, 2012
Don`t want to get picky,but fighting Nazi Germany contributed to the defeat of Hitler and the liberation of Poland.
ANYWAY,you get the point.
Surely.
Australian pilots serving with the R.A.F for one ?
UESDAY 14 AUGUST 2012 Spiers on Sport: Charles Green takes up the challenge
Graham Spiers
Sports Columnist
I’ll say this for Charles Green – he knows how to foment the masses.
The Rangers chief-executive knows exactly what “populism” is about and how it works. Green, an engaging character who once played up front for Goole Town, is slowly but surely creating a safe berth for himself in Glasgow.
Green has made a couple of possibly preposterous claims in recent weeks, both of which have resulted in him successfully ingratiating himself to a once-sceptical Rangers faithful.
First, in the unlikely setting of Glebe Park, Brechin, he claimed that “bigotry” had been a main reason for the liquidated Rangers being made to resume its football life in the Irn-Bru third division.
This legitimate soundbite proved the perfect antidote for large swathes of Rangers fans who had grown sick of being told for years that they were the bigoted poison in Scotland. In one quick sentence Green found himself being heartily slapped on the back.
This week this Yorkshireman in charge of Rangers, learning every day about the deep-seated grievance of his club’s support, has added a fresh wheeze. Green now claims there is ‘an agenda’ against the Ibrox club, seemingly referring to the two Scottish football governing bodies, the SPL and the SFA.
Cue further hearty applause from a colourful and energetic Rangers support in cyberspace. In his hyping of the sense of persecution around his club, many Rangers supporters have leapt from Green cynic to Green admirer in no time at all. This robust character was even filmed outside Ibrox ordering up tea and biscuits – strictly no green chocolate penguin for the admirable queueing Rangers punters , he is learning quickly – a high tea to go with his siege-mentality message.
One of many ironies in all this is inescapable. For decades it was popular around Ibrox to lampoon Celtic FC and its supporters for their ludicrous “world is against us” claims. It was a worldview that was openly ridiculed and lampooned. Now, in one startling U-turn, siege and persecution are suddenly deemed sane standpoints to hold around Ibrox, and who can argue ?
Might this persecution-complex be justified? Yes, of course unlike Celtics it might be. So let’s take a quick look.
The main evidence, claim some Rangers fans, for an ‘agenda’ against their club is in the SPL/SFL mandarins and clubs cooking up a scenario whereby the newco Rangers were made to start life again in Division Three. Added to this is the frequent suspicion that Stewart Regan, CEO of the SFA, and to a lesser extend Neil Doncaster, CEO of the SPL, have both “had it in for Rangers” to varying degrees.
When you speak to Regan and Doncaster in private, as many journalists do, it is hard to equate their views with any “anti-Rangers” stance. They are quite clearly pro Rangers and motivated by the finance that Rangers bring to their individual tables. Moreover, the Ibrox club are not in Division Three via any form of “punishment”.
Instead, the bottom tier is where any newco club should resume life. Scottish football could not possibly have allowed the charade of a reborn Rangers waltzing back in to the top-flight, as if no insolvency and liquidation had occurred. It will have to be a far more cunning plan to pass the moribund standards recently discovered by Scotland’s ever increasing whittering classes.
As for any “agenda” held by Stewart Regan? First, from whence this north-east of England man nursed his anti-Rangers ways would be anyone’s guess. Second, Regan privately wanted the following fate for the post-liquidation Ibrox club: first, if at all possible, Rangers to stay in the SPL; second (Regan’s worst-case scenario) Rangers to play in Division One for a season. In some other national assocations the man would have lost his job.
What the SFA boss did not want – and what he is aghast at – is the newco Rangers having to go down to Division Three. Given all this, if Regan does nurse an anti-Rangers agenda, then he has a weird way of showing it. He is now acclimatised to the weekly death threats that he is receiving and therefore cannot be considered influential in his thinking.
Whisper it gently – there is no agenda against Rangers but the death threats do continue.
All Celtic paranoia aside, and speaking personally, I can’t help but like and admire Charles Green greatly. His plan for Rangers has backfired to a very small degree, and his financial backers – many rightly still shrouded in mystery – will require greater transparency eventually. Give the man time I say, But Green has shown an amazing resilience to slowly turn things around at Ibrox, when on many occasions the cards looked stacked against him. He is an amazing character and possibly one day will return the club quickly to its former glories under Sir David Murray
It has helped him in Glasgow that he has quickly picked up the lingo in terms of “bigotry” and “agendas”. From a bleak starting-point, Green has sussed how to win many diehard Rangers fans over.
As I write, the place is jangling with a red, white and blue applause for Mr Green and his allegations of various anti-Rangers conspiracies.
ASonOfDan
Man Utd would do well to look at Rangers.
In pursuit of beating a rival city club they put themselves out of business.
The parallels are staring Man Utd in the face.
SonsOfErin
It will be interesting to see how Sevco defend the non-payment after telling the stupid huns their history is intact and they are the same ‘Football Club’.
Kayal33
“Thanks for that. Never for a second thought Salmond and his lackeys would do anything, it’d be filed in the ‘too difficult’ file.”
Never forget they did do something, they put pressure on HMRC to go easy.
There is still suspicion thatn they were involved in the conference call with uefa pleading and making promises as long as uefa did not get involved.
Can someone tell me the name of the last hero owner of a club who sat in with their clubs singing section just before their club went bust?
Answers on a postage stamp to Charles Green.
MWD
SFA,MSM….continue to cosset and assist the fraudulent Huns
CFC …continue with their silence ..
CFC..still no new signings despite the managers wish for new players
CFC`s squad gets ever smaller …little in the way of CB cover and a poor forward line
our best chance in years to gain entry into the CL and still our board sits on its hands
What are Lawwell & co getting their handsome salaries and bonuses for …………
Scottish football is bent and CFC lack any ambition
It’s back!
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Enjoy :0)
‘Whisper it gently – there is no agenda against Rangers but the death threats do continue.’
That sentence there is why, at the first hint of Independence for this backward, bigoted wee keek hole of a Country, I will be off across the border with the family in tow.
So we cannot report death threats in this country in case it upsets the hun majority.
One Nation…
….PFayr
Whatever…
What’s the bets Clyde tonite will b sevco 5088 or whatever their called fans (use the term very loosely) up in arms about treatment off black last nt. remember ma dad takin me 2 a Scotland game when a was aboot 10 and Brian McClair came on and was booed every time he touched the ball can still picture ma dads face tryin to explain to a 10 year old that it was rangurs fans . Later on in life told me this was common practice when he was growin up and since that day has never set foot in Hampden refuses to pay anything to Sfa despite the numerous times we have played in cup finals.
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo
“I can’t help but like and admire Charles Green greatly.”
Did you Aw Naw that?
Admiration for a man playing to the bigot pound to line his pockets? Really?
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
13:03 on
16 August, 2012
macjay
“Question: How many Aussies died in the cause of liberating Europe,including Poland, from the curse of Hitler?”
I’ll bet more cursed commies died eh, in fact I expect the number of cursed commies makes the australian sacrafice look insignificant eh
share on F’book or Twitter
You talking about the commies whose boss ,Stalin, made a pact with
Hitler? Sure made those poor naive decent International brigaders look stupid.
auldheid,
I can confirm, that was not Awe_Naw’d, hence my gushing description earlier
Auldheid
he must have ..surely ?
ASonofDan
whatever yourself
ASonofDan – Problem for all concerned is that the relevant association, the SFA, appear to have ratified that view.
UEFA and FIFA have very strong views that all football business is kept and settled within football. The recognise a ‘club’ over a ‘company’ and therefore recognise footbaling rules over the law of the land.
Therefore if the SFA are saying “this is the same club” then UEFA will instruct the debt must be settled, at pain of any footballing sanctions they can and will impose in accordance with their footballing rules.
Auld Neil Lennon heid
I truly believe the bubble will burst all across Europe in the next year.
Spanish teams are on the brink, The Italians are not far behind and the likes of Liverpool starting to moan about their finances.
Read an interesting article the other day that Italy has lost something like 30 professional clubs in the last 10-20 years. That is like England losing the Conference League and half of League Two. A sobering thought as to were Football is headed in the future.
Auld Neil Lennon heid
No not guilty
HAil Hail
macjay
didnt the freely elected british government make a pact with hitler.
wow the hypocracy reeks
SonsOfErin
This actually bypasses UEFA and it is a special FIFA tribunal that will rule on it.
macjay1 for Neil Lennon
Of all the participants in WW2 the Soviet Union played the greatest part in defeating the axis powers. The USSR also suffered the greatest casualties.
The USSR was of course a totalitarian country that carried out its own share of atrocities.
No one seeks to excuse those atrocities on the grounds that the USSR fought against the nazis.
It follows therefore that the fact a number of Australians died in WW2 does not mean that aspects of that country’s history in relation to its aboriginal people should not be described as genocidal.
ernie lynch
13:01 on
16 August, 2012
macjay1 for Neil Lennon
12:35 on
”Subsequently:How many Aussies died in combating the curse of communism?”
Ernie:
The poor sods that went to Vietnam
Awe Naw
incredible
shocking piece of hun propaganda
Speirs seems to be going native in pursuit of work
I can see Man Utd joining this cry from Liverpool, Arsenal for FFP in the EPL.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2012/08/16/liverpool-fc-owner-john-henry-urges-uefa-to-enforce-financial-fair-play-rules-100252-31633807/#.UCzf6KTvqZg.twitter
ASonOfDan
The meltdown that Dermot Desmond has anticipated since he gave up on EPL entry 10 years ago has been circumvented by the SFA protection plan for themselves.
How can a meltdown happen if the clubs can decide not to pay their dues ?
What if Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Everton all do a Sevco Rangers next year ???
We will be applying to join English divsion 3
I think your faith blinds you …certainly not based on anything coherent that I have experienced these last 10 years
Hail Hail