Before digesting news reports that Dave King is set to return to Scottish football as a director of Newco Rangers, it’s probably worth a caveat. Today’s ‘news’ has the same heritage as pretty much every false steer emanating from Ibrox over the past decade. Honest Dave King may well hope to take over at Ibrox but I could just as easily believe he has no intentions of getting involved.
Two months ago King accepted liability for 41 counts of contravening the South African Income Tax Act, while agreeing to pay the resultant bill, the equivalent of £46m. By act of sheer comic genius he is being heralded as the most appropriate person to take control of Newco Rangers, the club brought about by the disastrous income tax affairs of Oldco Rangers, while King was on the board.
Lord Nimmo Smith prevaricated on some issues in his report into Oldco but he was unequivocal in his condemnation of the directors, including King. South African judge, Brian Southwood, described King as a “glib and shameless liar” in 2011.
In every practical sense this man is a perfect fit for the Rangers group of clubs. Every scrap of information available on how he conducts his affairs screams ‘Rangers tradition’.
As for Fit and Proper? Don’t make me quote a second judge!
In the event the SFA have to make a Fit and Proper decision on King they will have to consider Nimmo Smith’s view. It is not even remotely credible that the SFA are competent to rule on King while their president was subject to the same criticism from Nimmo Smith (although Judge Southwood provides a convenient out).
The narrative being peddled today is a final throw of the dice by some, nothing more. ‘A guy will hunn’ers of millions is coming in to make everything OK’. Aye, sure thing.
Sean Fallon: Celtic’s Iron Man:
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TR
Aye
Thanks Neu. Unfortunately that story is not in my collection but I will try to source it. Zbysek, are you about? How about this Polish writer?
Gordon64
Totally agree. GS gets it, big time.
Tyrants talk enough about freedom, to put me back in chains
Very, very, very dark in ole EK. But decidedly dry (just been aff oot tae the bottle bin…)
With regards the boxing, (and thanks for the suggestions some tremendous bouts recommended), I have always been torn. Some relations want far in the amatuer game and a couple of mates very close to the pinnacle in the pro ranks, I never boxed myself but observed a lot of sparring and training.
To remain topical tonight, let me say my contrasting and ambivalent thoughts on boxing provide a strained link between my old da’, myself and Pat Nevin. If you have the perseverance, then please, persevere, if not roll on past this rambling and semi coherent post…
Whippersnapper as I am, my formative years coincided with Benn, Eubank, McLelland and Collins in one of the golden eras of middle weight boxing in the UK. Free to view on coonsel tv, prime time on a saturday night, I loved those days.
Me and my old man would go over how I had played for my boys club that day, what I needed to do next to develop and when the dust settled and my mum forcefully suggested that the debrief should adjourn for dinner, I got a bit irritated. No matter, the boxing or Sportscene or Match of the Day was on later so the sporting discussions would recommence.
On one such occassion, as alluded to earlier, by Petec I think, I recall my father visibly distressed and suggesting me and my siblings should be sent upstairs. It was the evening that McLelland was severely disabled and in danger of death after his fight with Eubank. I was enthralled in the spectacle, the violence, the nobility, the determination and the honour on display.
My old man vowed that if headguards were not introduced, he would never watch a professional boxing match again.
It wasn’t the first time he had walked away from something he loved.
He left Celtic for a time as well.
Growing up in the 40’s and 50’s, he was used to not only to being second best, but fifth or sixth best, but regardless, his support for the Hoops never wavered. Present at Hampden in ’57 he recalls every major game from ’50-’77 in clear and vivid detail. Something happened thereafter and he detached himself from the club he adored as a young man. I’m not sure why but as our relationship has developed as adults he has alluded to certain factors that I can now understand. Firstly he detests the influence the old Rangers supporters had on our club. They antagonised, discriminated and hated us, none of which is a reason to abandon your team, but my old man felt it brought out traits in him which he was not at all comfortable with, especially being the father of a young and fairly large family. Secondly, he grew uncomfortable with some of the more extreme songs glorifying Irish freedom fighters. He is at pains today to point out that there is nothing inherently wrong in the vast majority of these, but during some of the troubles and the atrocities of 70’s, 80’ and 90’s he felt uncomfortable at away matches and struggled to reconcile the club he had supported in the ‘40’s to the modern Celtic.
Which brings me to Nevin.
Travelling to train with Liverpool as an eleven year old, my dad suggested I write to a few Scotsmen on Merseyside, advising that I was coming down and asking for some words of support. As you can imagine in 1990 there were a few around. Pat Nevin, then of Everton, was the only one to respond, with a signed photograph and some detailed and hand written words of encouragement for me on the back. As a diminutive winger myself, I was overjoyed and took the player to my heart even when he moved to Tranmere, Motherwell, Kilmarnock .
Fast forward a couple of decades. I’ve retained my love for Celtic, my dad has long since rediscovered the essence of the club he withdrew from, and has been drawn back in. Pat Nevin on BBC denigrates the Celtic support on little more evidence than a malevolent whisper and appears in front of a parliamentary committee to support an ill informed and disastrous Offensive Singing at Football Bill.
What to say?
Well, firstly, I have had a very, very limited glimpse into Nevins sense of humanity. His notes on the back of the photograph were detailed, encouraging and certainly appreciated. In the days before PR players picked up their own mail and responded if they wished. That is what I personally remember him for.
His recent comments on the Cetic support have been misguided, innacurate and unworthy of how I view the guy. Only in the last ten years have a number of people been able to see clearly what a lot of people once knew, that Celtic and the Old Rangers are not two sides of the same coin, and the difference in values, beliefs, and spirit is beyond measure. History will preserve, reinforce and emphasise that difference. In recent times Pat has been unable to make the differentiation and remains blinded to the fact, for reasons only known to himself.
My old man is back in love with Celtic and still loves a bit of pugilism – continually drawn back to two of his first loves. If Pat ever had Celtic FC anywhere near the core of his being then the same will happen to him one day I suspect.
It’s never too late.
TJ
Gordon64, he does, he also has the courage of his convictions, and is quite happy to treat the MSM with the contempt they deserve.
Gordon64
23:48 on
12 October, 2013
It’s ironic that WGS who never supported the club
is now one of our best ambassadors.
I’ve never heard GS say a negative thing about Celtic.
Imo a true Celtic great.
Spot on mate. When you look at those who were paid by the club for years and now make a living in the media from sticking the boot in whenever they can, GS stands out as a genuine Celtic legend.
Resistance D at their finest.
haven’t seen theoriginalsadiesbhoy on the blog lately. i know he had a wee health scare recently. hope all is well with him
TCR – We ain’t concerned with those proxy huns mo chara.
We are Westies. :)
Petec,
Do ye know Jim Finnegan or Jim McGillen?
emmanuel
WG is a Twitter freak these days and missed his round tonight
LOve
Tricoloured Ribbon @ 23:37
Just read it.
“The discussions were, to my mind, very positive” – his mind
“There are also mandatory regulatory requirements that must be complied” – There lies the problem.
“The recent settlement of my litigation in South Africa removes any impediment to my appointment to the board.” – Nope. It doesn’t.
TIRFC need income quick. There wont be a rush of investors wanting to put money into that basket case but those in charge. Those with the penny shares. They need to keep things ticking over until they can sell those shares. Then admins two begins. The asset strippers can then cash in and a sugar daddy can come in to save the day but… it can’t be King. There are laws that prevent that. Or am I wrong?
GS knew what a privilege it was to be manager of Celtic.
Imo he is an absolute gentleman.
Will never forget that Thursday night in Dundee.
Tommy Joad,
Nice comment… It was Nigel Benn though and not that unique character Eubank, that fateful night for Gerald.
HH
Tricoloured Ribbon
00:00 on 13 October, 2013
Petec,
Do ye know Jim Finnegan or Jim McGillen?
________________________________
No Why?
SOAL, will try to catch the great man on twitter.
I take it missing his round is a rare occurrence?
I’ve just came across this sports editorial from the Daily Mail from today, Sunday 13th October. From a parallel universe where Celtic, not Rangers, had been liquidated following years of tax cheating . .
“A convicted taxcheat, who has not lived in Scotland for almost 40 years has surfaced as the latest in a long line of people who believes he can bend and twist the 140 year old rules of the SFA to restart the lie that the football club Celtic 2012 are in some way related to the separate club Celtic 1888 who were liquidated last year.
Celtic 2012, who the SFA bent over backwards at the expence of many of our established clubs, like Spartans, last year to allow them to begin life in the lowest tier of the professional league, are now struggling on a daily basis to pay the most basic of bills.
Many of the supporters of the Celtic 1888 team which died last year in such embarrassing ignominy have decided to follow the new club, which was established by Charles Blue in early 2012.
In its only year of existence, this new club has managed to win the 4th tier title and as a new club has been recognised by the SFA as having this single trophy in its history.
In the last two years there has been one billionaire saviour after another for this toxic brand. But we have spent weeks after weeks investigating each one to ensure their full history and business dealings have been poured over on a daily basis in this and our sister newspaper.
However, the re-emergegence of the man described as a glib and shamless by tax authorities must now be the final straw.
The farce that is Celtic, in all it’s twisted reincarnations must be killed once and for all.
For Scottish football to thrive, we must get rid of this team who have been proven to be cheats for almost 20 years. We say this not to help Rangers but to help the other 40 clubs who will thrive with the chance to finish higher up the league and have more opportunity to qualify for Europe.
For the avoidance of doubt I say this as Chief sports writer from an objective, neutral standpoint”
Is it definite that shower of pond life marched down that road in Airdrie after that fella was killed in that accident today?
Tommy Joad
23:57 on
12 October, 2013
………………………………..great post …perception is a tricky business…as to best fights me and my 5 brothers did a braw go for it on bath night ….and it wisnae for the cold water ma dad the coalman left us …it wis fur that towel ….talk aboot throwing the towel in ….Braw!
Gordon64
00:01 on 13 October, 2013
GS knew what a privilege it was to be manager of Celtic.
Imo he is an absolute gentleman.
Will never forget that Thursday night in Dundee.
__________________
The TB game is above that IMO.
WGS is a legend, even though he annoyed my Dad when he played Shaun instead of Aiden at Greyskull when he had just got back frae injury.
Every day is a lesson. When we try to shut up people, no matter what they say, well, we are in serious trouble.
Paul67 has made a Blog that is, IMO, second to none.
Petec,
No,nothing sinister mate two great friends of mine from Silverton I haven’t seen in years.Thought you might have known them.
Petec, of course, Benn it was.
Neustadt-Braw – sounds like a decent rammy !!
TJ
Petec – you’re wrong – Tommy J is right – it was Eubank.
Phyllis, Petec, now I’m confused !!
TJ
Did Pat Nevin change his relationship with Celtic after he returned to Scotland? Perhaps Ernie Lynch is right after all about Scotland. The counter argument is that Pat was naive(unlikely) in his understanding of Celtic and Rangers tensions. Therefore he was genuinely appalled at the the nature of certain songs. Only Pat knows.
Is King just preparing the masses for Paul Murray to be his proxy?
The last Train to Trancentral.
The justified ancients of Mu Mu…..KLF
A special Thursday night in Dundee.
The tension was beyond unbearable.
Big Jan scores.
We fall head over heals.
Then we see the light in the distance.
A big black helicopter coming towards us.
The bus back to Ruglen was bouncing
What a great night.
Thanks to GS.
Petec wrang ..shurely shome mishtake …..
Apologies Petec – I was thinking of Michael Watson – I was wrong.
Ernie,
A Revolutionary Life…. great book, nutter tho huh? Still, it was a life
The Celtic Warrior,
Steve Collins, the scourge of Benn and Eubanks.
They couldn’t handle him
Phyllis Dietrichson
00:10 on 13 October, 2013
Petec – you’re wrong – Tommy J is right – it was Eubank.
_______________________________________
You totally Sure?
Is King just preparing the masses to blame authorities for Sevco’s problems?
Mad dastard he was TCR,loved the Celtic all the same though.
pat nevin once told a story about taking his son to celtic park. apparantly his son was so upset at the songs being sung that it had him crying. as i recall thus was the straw that broke the camels back and his attatchment to celtic ended that day. happy to be corrected if i’ve got this wrong