Georgios, Fraser, the deeds and Whyte broadly true

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Enormous congratulations to Georgios Samaras, Celtic’s Player of the Year, 2012-13. Scoring in five consecutive Champions League away games this season was a remarkable feat.  His last minute winner in Moscow was a seismic moment in our progress in that tournament.  Georgios is a player who thrives on positive reinforcement but endures negative sentiment without hiding.  No wonder all his managers have valued him so highly.

I was also delighted Fraser Forster won the Players’ Player of the Year award.  His performances against Barcelona were nothing short of incredible.  It should surprise no one that Victor Wanyama and Kelvin Wilson received a large number of votes for the Players’ Player award.  Kelvin will play for England if he continues to perform at the level he has this year.  Victor was a genuine contender for all awards, including goal of the year, but was honoured only as the Young Player of the Year, reminding us all that his is gifted beyond his years.

I was referred in the direction of yesterday’s Sunday Mail online story about Rangers International FC’s finance director, Brian Stockbridge, showing a reporter the “deeds”, made eloquently famous by John Brown. Stockbridge used the deeds of Ibrox, Murray Park and the Albion car park to “prove Craig Whyte is on a loser”.

Craig Whyte’s current actions against the newco club and his report to the Serious Fraud Office are based on the belief that RIFC inappropriately took possession of Rangers assets, including Ibrox, when the club were liquidated last year.  Proving RIFC have the deeds is no defence against Whyte’s claims, in fact, this merely establishes the premise of his point.

Despite discussing these matters with a reporter Mr Stockbridge made no comment on how Sevco Scotland Ltd (since renamed as The Rangers Football Club Ltd), acquired the entitlement to the assets which Sevco 5088 Ltd had an irrevocable agreement to buy after paying an exclusivity fee.

This interview contrasted with Scotland on Sunday’s interview with former oldco Rangers director, Paul Murray, who without a whiff of irony said, “Whoever is involved going forward has to look after the club’s interests first and their own interests second.  You are a custodian of the assets and you’re passing it through the generations. That’s your role.”

Well done as a custodian, Mr Murray.  I wouldn’t let you be custodian to corner flag (memories of Dougal from Fr Ted on corner flag-watching duty).  He also suggests the club “should also get back to some of the values that were there under Bill Struth and William Wilton”.  “Some of the values”, do you think he means that most distinct value?  I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, but why on earth could he not chose an inspiring custodian from a period when oldco was not blighted by their controversial employment policy?  There must be someone.  Surely?

Murray does, however, nail several issues in his interview.  “You have Charles Green who said he had no involvement with Craig Whyte and that was patently not correct.

“The problem is that when you get found out on these things you then start to question other things. And one of the most important things in all of this is the SFA. The SFA sought very direct and specific assurances that Whyte was not involved and Charles Green gave them those assurances and I’m not sure that was actually correct.

“If Charles Green had a set of documents that proved that Whyte is lying then this thing would have been put to bed in two minutes, but it was then discovered that what Whyte was saying was broadly true.

“I’m not saying he does, but say Whyte owns the assets but on the other side he’s just lost a multi-million pound claim to Ticketus. Are we saying that Ticketus would then own the assets by default? And if they own the assets they’ll want to be paid in order to give the assets back to Rangers, but how will the club do that bearing in mind that it had an IPO [Initial Public Offering of shares] that is potentially not valid?

“It was then discovered that what Whyte was saying was broadly true” is perhaps the most significant understatement I’ve heard in years.  The moment Pinsent Masons report will be a watershed.
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  1. Also for those citing LNS and FTT as a reason not to expect anything from Pinsent Masons, it’s worth remembering that there’s a wee difference the former two panels and a corporate law firm.

     

     

    That’s not to say they’ll come up with anything but there you go.

  2. 50 shades of green on

    Seen lennys interview on ssn.

     

     

    He said that he had been asked into refs room after being asked by the reporter.Also said he had no idea if he was being reported to hamdump again.

  3. It not exactly rocket salad to work out that every ST holder will not get a Cup Final ticket.

     

     

    Equal split with Hibs.

     

     

    What’s the use of getting a ticket when you’ve only one mate, and he doesn’t get one, you don’t know who you could be sitting next to in Hamdump.

  4. Jimmy McGrory set the League record for most league goals in a match when he scored eight of Celtic’s goals in a 9-0 win over The pars

     

     

    @matchshirt_worn CSC

  5. The Battered Bunnet on

    Celtic fans’ final fears as prospect of sitting next to Bournesouprecipe looms large.

  6. Got tickets for 3 adults and three kids for final.

     

     

    Often dont take the kids option at final and pay more for Main stand or North Enclosure

     

    never given a choice today tickets allocated.

     

     

    All of us go to all home games and a couple of away games per season.

     

    Been at every Semi and final for last ?? 5 years as a group and never failed to get a tkt in the draw ALL of us.

     

     

    Maybe worked out over more than one year ?

  7. tommysbhoy

     

     

    Commons has hit form, and we do look devoid of ideas without him. He’s a creative player, but one who fits Lenny’s mould of dynamic, one-touch play. A team needs different styles, though, and I’d like to see more time given to McCourt – giving players 10 or 20 minutes here and there doesn’t do them any favours, and isn’t enough to get a proper idea what they’re capable of, how they combine with teammates etc.

     

     

    The problem may have been that we had too many ‘on holiday’ minds in yesterday’s team. There was a game this season – Inverness away, which is normally tough for us – where Lenny practically fielded an entire B team (Fraser, Rogne and Gershon in defence, for example) and they won comfortably and with a bit of style.

  8. Just wondering, does daryl broadfoot actually do anything anymore? perhaps he is holed up somewhere with jabba. On another note , have any of the oldco players who left in the summer had a successful season?

  9. Phyllis Dietrichson on

    weeminger – surely they will want to produce audited accounts though? Otherwise their 3 year wait for European football (I know) gets even longer.

  10. jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on

    Lenny shld ask to see the refs supervisors report of yesterdays game being that he didnt the best revue in the D R.

  11. Logged into my CTV account ……………NADDA on tonights game against the beast.

  12. The Battered Bunnet on

    Celtic’s Consommé Gentleman opens the can on his lonely Cup Final recipe for one

  13. Probably been said before, but Green and Whyte, strange but true. Better than an Oor Wullie story.

     

     

    KINGLubO

     

     

    ps Have we signed Marc Crosas yet!!!!

  14. In response to weather the Celtic v The Ranges game is on t.v tonight. Celtic TV have the next game listed as the Celtic v Dunfermline youth cup final 3rd of May.

     

     

    However, viponlinesports.eu have the game in their football menu. With the words not confirmed next to it.

  15. Steinreignedsupreme on

    ernie lynch 13:46 on 29 April, 2013

     

     

    “The narrative is that although the holding company was liquidated the club survived. It’s said that that’s what the SFA have told UEFA.”

     

     

    ———–

     

     

    You are surely not stupid enough to fall for that? Did you believe the narrative about Craig Whyte being a ‘billionaire’ as well? I’d be disappointed if I’ve I overestimated your intelligence.

     

     

    Rangers are not allowed to play in European competition for three years because they are a new club. Did you miss UEFA’s confirmation of that?

     

     

    Sadly, you are starting to sound like Kev Jungle when it comes to needing reassurances from the board. Are you not confident enough to make your own judgement on the matter?

  16. Mountblow tim on

    Good afternoon CQN

     

    Looking for some help I keep getting this message

     

    When sending an e-mail

     

    postmaster@mail.hotmail.com

     

     

    Also anyone having problems trying to renew

     

    Season book on line

     

     

    Thanks for any help

     

     

    MT

     

     

    Hail Hail

  17. weet weet weet on

    parkheadcumsalford

     

     

    was reading back and saw your post.

     

     

    62 was about the time i left st micheals,at the same time the family moved to easterhouse so

     

     

    i lost touch with pals and schoolmates.

     

     

    lived in dunbar street,played for the school and remember miss O’hara and just recently

     

     

    found out that a very young father O’rourke at the time is now the parish priest

     

     

    hope your well mate,we surely must have met.

     

     

    HH

  18. BT – 13:49 I think we should be told! :-) How is the recovery going pal, hope you are taking it easy

  19. Steinreignedsupreme

     

     

    14:12 on 29 April, 2013

     

     

    Tom English claims to have seen emails from the SFA to UEFA stating that so far as they, the governing association are concerned, the club continues with the history since 18 whatever it is intact.

     

     

    Now English might be telling an outright lie, but I doubt it.

     

     

    This matters to them. It matters big time.

     

     

    Your determined efforts to defend the board’s laodician approach make me wonder what your agenda is.

     

     

    Celtic should put on record, unequivocally, that as far as we are concerned whatever anyone else, including The Great Desmondo, might say it’s a new club

  20. up over goal

     

    i thot for a sec when mageoch came on he would have went into that roll instead of right back..we had no pace and linkup from mid to front..tony watt tried hard but would have been better changing with sammy even just to cause confusion in their defence..hoops can be very effective when he drops back to pick up play and encourage attacks.he didnt do that much yesterday..just thot we lacked passion aswell as guile..we’re champions and it realy didnt show

     

    h.h

  21. THE EXILED TIM

     

     

     

    14:22 on 29 April, 2013

     

     

     

    istanbulcelt

     

     

    Beat me to it, making a cup of T is my excuse >}

     

     

     

     

    Thats nae bother exiled tim, think of me as the internet, and yersel as a Redtop (thumbs up)

  22. Try getting a first team player to attend a Player of the Year dance and you’ll be onto plums.

     

     

    However, you could have paid £125 last night to sit in the company of our over inflated egos.

     

     

    I don’t remember a time when the Celtic support have felt so disenfranchised from the club and the players in particular.

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