Great Football Swindle reaches court

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So the day has come. Several of the alleged conspirators in the Great Football Swindle have arrived at the High Court in Edinburgh to face their charges.

It will be four years next week since I first asserted that Rangers would be liquidated, with all of the consequences that would entail. For the last two years I’ve tried to stay away from the subject and to concentrate on the matters which brought us together in the first place, but this issue deserves coverage.

In 2012 the illegal Discounted Options Scheme and Employee Benefit Trusts (only some of which are still subject to appeal) put HMRC in a position to demand payment, and subsequently reject administrators’ attempts to agree a CVA.  Thank you, Sir David.

Charles Green must be a great poker player. He raised enough seed capital to buy the rights to pay £5.5 for Rangers assets in liquidation. From that moment, we thought one of two things would happen:

Green would pull Newco together and within a few years things would look like the old days.

Or, Green would be undermined by those he out-manoeuvred, leading to a likely insolvency for Newco.

There were suggestions early on that Green and Whyte were acting in concert, but, as someone with more experience than I have on matters like this pointed out to me, to be convicted for this type of crime you need to take a billboard advert out explaining your misdemeanours, it’s so difficult to prosecute. Or you need to be very stupid and fall out with your co-conspirators.

Stupidity is alive and well.

Green’s claim for legal fees against RIFC will have a profound impact on the club’s finances within weeks, but the bigger issue at hand is what happens at the outcome of the various criminal charges relating to the disposal and acquisition of the assets of Rangers Football Club, now in liquidation.

If it is proven that the assets were acquired criminally, the transaction is likely to be struck down, meaning the club currently trading as Rangers would lose ownership of whatever assets they have, including stadium and the name “Rangers”, irrespective of who actually controls those assets.

I’ve discussed this matter with many well-informed people and no one actually knows how it will play out, or what the consequences of guilty verdicts would be. The only thing that is known for sure is that outcomes are currently indeterminate, cannot be planned for, and contingencies cannot be made.

The club itself has to get on with business as best it can until whatever happens, happens, but no one should believe that a Duff and Phelps-type liquidation-bounce is normal, or remotely possible again. Assets could be hamstrung for years and left derelict.

Back in 2012 I said the only way forward with any certainty is to start with a clean sheet. Find a tiny club on the brink (there are enough of them), change their name, give them blue shirts, ask St Mirren or Partick Thistle to ground-share, and build your way up the leagues. Let the courts take their course and bid for the assets you want when the dust settles.

But that’s not going to happen. It would require more strategic thinking than is possible right now.  My guess is they’re finished.  Finished.

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701 Comments

  1. Sftb I have no scientific evidence to support my argument that we are a poor team other than my own subjective view. You will just have to take my word as I took the word of supporters much older than I who have watched Celtic much longer than I.

  2. Gerryfaethebrig on

    CRC

     

     

    Is that polite for keep talking shoite ?

     

     

    By the way my good lady (& daughter) are obsessed with the badges and want to know if any of the earlier editions are available, I thought last Saturday I would have got the “WTF are they” May God strike me down dead she said “pity you didn’t have those cuff links in April you would have loved Cqn at the wedding” her words not mine

  3. Our stand out player is LG who are manager didn’t deem fit to play for most last season.likewise KC. Out with those two who is setting the Heather on fire at CP. Nir looks the part. But playing as a defensive mf player is not his game.

  4. Gerryfaethebrig

     

     

    Good to meet you last week and thanks for the beer cant remember giving one back.

     

     

    But your love for the Celtic family is in infectious.

     

     

    HH

  5. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Butaybhoy you and Clogher were a pair of gents……. I quite like the fact the two of you were “arguing” about this place or another place and I just appeared in the conversation, anyway hope you had a good time and hopefully have a Bulmwra with you in Dublin

  6. Imo the Celtic we are watching looks like nothing like a real Celtic team should. A team that stands assured with the balls to have a go against all comers.

  7. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Buttybhoy obviously is Butsybhoy the podium champion !

     

     

    Delighted to meet your good self and many others last weekend

  8. Celticrollercoaster supporting Shay,our bhoy wonder along the way on

    GFTB

     

     

    Defo got some of the 3rd Editions available, was going to say you have had it on the earlier versions but decided to have a rake and found 1 of the second edition and indeed 1 of the first edition ,wee circular one. These are gold dust! Incredible.

     

     

    BTW today marks the 6th Anniversary of the bucket collection for the Bringing Martin Home Campaign and indeed Happy 15th Birthday to Caityrollercoaster who gave up her birthday that day 6 years ago, to collect for Kano

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  9. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Gordon64

     

     

    Your Celtic, my Celtic is different from my young nephews Celtic…..

     

     

    For me as a 45yr old Celtic fan participating in Europe after Christmas rarely happened, you might be about 6yrs older than me so your memories cannot be that much longer, if we win our next two games there is a good chance we will be in Europe in 2016 and top of the league but I suppose don’t let facts get in the way of opinions….. Ronny must stay !

  10. Celticrollercoaster supporting Shay,our bhoy wonder along the way on

    GFTB

     

     

    PS The cufflinks are quality and based on the original CQN badge design by Pablo, DBBIA, Old Tim and Aldo ( Hope I have not missed anyone from the list).

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  11. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Happy birthday CaityRollerCoaster you are a credit to your mum & dad,,,,,,

     

     

    CRC before I joined LMS and plucked up the courage last week too attend BMCUWP day opt, it was a Kano day I missed, think you were all meeting in the Bon Accord ? Or something, told my good lady hopefully I will be at the rest of them, she quite fancies popping in, I blame that Philbhoy and Frantic67 for bringing their wummim…… Hope your wee ghirl has a smashing day

  12. Gerryfaethebrig on

    CRC

     

     

    Just saw previous post, if possible put them away and if/when Man City don’t win I will deposit the cash, the wee yin wants the full set so if that’s ok with you put my name on them, don’t need the full set set but the more the better

     

     

    Thanks again

  13. Celticrollercoaster supporting Shay,our bhoy wonder along the way on

    GTFB

     

     

    I have them put away already.

     

     

    Each badge edition has a charity story or two behind them which we will publish into an article one day! Your wee yin should be told the stories as well. This is what CQN does well!

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  14. How good does it feel that we can contemplate meaningful football.

     

    We have a hectic 7 game schedule in the next three weeks.

     

    Three week where we could overtake Aberdeen to surge to the top of the SPL and then dispose of the improving Ross County.

     

    Three weeks which could see us strengthen our place in the Europa.

     

    Three weeks where we should advance to the semi finals of the League Cup.

     

    Isn’t it great being a Celtic fan?

  15. Gerryfaethebrig on

    CRC

     

     

    Thank you…..

     

     

    I still think wee Oscars birthday was 10th September not October, it doesn’t matter but I am sure that wee Celtic hero was actually born on the same day as my wee princess, (10/9/2008) not even the same birthday the same day,….. He is always in my thoughts but even before I joined Cqn I think they shared the same birthda some want to pick holes in the blog for every not so good post there are hundreds better !

     

     

    CQN

     

     

    oíche mhaith agus dia

  16. Gerry

     

     

    good laugh last week,how many wife’s are that accommodating the fact that you are going to a pub in town to meet a load of guys that you met on the internet …

     

     

    Fist one is always the worst, then its a walk in the park ?

     

     

    HH

  17. Need my kip

     

     

    Big game the morra

     

     

    Boots polished just in case Ronnie needs me

     

     

    Good night and god bless

     

     

    HH

  18. GuyFawkesaforeverhero on

    Early jump tomorrow, will be good to get a brief. Never a shoo-in. I’m old fashioned. I’ve a season ticket on the home cup-ties racket.

     

     

    Wouldn’t dream of giving name and address details to anyone for an away ticket. I travel to where Celtic play and try to pick up a ticket after I arrive. Usually pans out at this time of the season, anywhere.

     

     

    As you may conclude, the faithful posters here boycotting Celtic games means an easier time for wasters like me.

     

     

    Celtic forever.

  19. GuyFawkesaforeverhero on 17th October 2015 2:10 am

     

     

    Thank feck for that thought i was the only rocket on here.

     

     

    HeHe

  20. GuyFawkesaforeverhero on

    butsybhoy 2:14 am

     

     

    You do very well with your posts. You replied to my third post tonight, thanks.

  21. Alasdair MacLean on

    Just in from the game.

     

    Armageddon eh?

     

    Mixed feelings, but 1700 Dons fans in Dingwall to watch their team getting beat 2 – 0…..

     

    Scottish football needs a strong Rangers. My erse!

  22. Careful With That Tax, Moonbeams on

    Buttheid and Bawheid .. Sorry to piss on your parade .. But when have the SNP ever decried they’re socialist’s ?

     

     

    Centre left civic nationalists .. Aye … But, come on .. They’re hardly the champagne socialist type that used to call themselves .. Scottish Labour.

     

     

    China dumping cheap steal on ole Brittania .. Jesus .. What next … Gideon, begging them to build some nuclear power stations ? And to hell with green subsidies for Scotland .. Can’t be having the hills full of wind farms when we venture north for their Jolly Holl’s .. Dan Trump won’t give our English posh boy masters free rounds on his courses ..

     

     

    Nice to see you have an old school North Brit socialist in charge of GCC .. You know .. The kind that makes particular remarks about how attractive he finds 15 year old kids ..

     

     

    Frank McAveety .. Your teas oot! Just like steamy windows, Matheson before you!!!

     

     

    Anyway .. Sheep explode .. Sevco continue to erode .. And the Hoops keeping marching on!!

     

     

    :)

  23. Careful With That Tax, Moonbeams on

    Steel ..

     

     

    Spell check or predictive text or whatever :)

     

     

    Am no intoxicated ..

     

     

    Mon the hoops!!

     

     

    Disappointed with the sheep .. McInnes was the North East’s Guardiola only a few weeks back ..

     

     

    Menial, boring, repeditive crap .. Winning this league at a canter ..

  24. Neil Lennon & McCartney on

    Makes sense to me………………!

     

     

    Después de la baja de Emilio Izaguirre tras salir lesionado en su último juego con el Celtic, Jorge Luis Pinto se vio obligado en llamar al jugador del Olimpia Ever Alvarado.

     

     

    El ex del Real España y que ahora milita para el campeón nacional (Olimpia) regresa a la selección en donde tendrá una nueva oportunidad en la ‘bicolor’.

     

     

    Emilio Izaguirre salió lesionado en el último juego del Celtic y es por eso que su equipo mandó los exámenes para comprobar su lesión, debido a eso ‘Milo’ no estará en estos amistosos.

     

     

    Honduras jugará contra Guatemala el próximo jueves, en donde tampoco podrá contar con Jona Mejía, este ya que la Fenafuth cometió un error en su convocatoria.

  25. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Neil Lennon & McCartney… I will translate

     

     

    Emilio Izzaguirre “I love the hoops and Ronny will make me a better player, I might never be as good as Tavaneeeeer or Wallacio but I want to spend the rest of my career winning trophies and playing against teams like Ajax, Fenerbache, Molde and whoever we face in the knockout stages on the way to Switzerland, but first I need to set wee Leigh up with at least a goal or two on his way to his hattrick today….and p.s. the Huns are deid” am away back to ma kip, needed to get my Fleagle pick in before that CoseyCornerBhoy jinxes my nap like last week

  26. saltires en sevilla on

    Good morning fellow Celts

     

     

    Does anyone know where I can watch the game in Pardubice, Czech Republic?

     

     

    I’ve already checked( see what i did..) Celtic Bars but only in Prague and i need to be back in Pardubice for 5pm.

     

     

    HH

  27. Jim McIntyre ar la.

     

    That’s…Jim Mac, Mac, Mac. Mac. McIntyre….ar la.

     

    Big Mark McGhee ar la.

     

    That’s…Big Mark Mac, Mac, Mac, Mac, McGhee…ar la.

     

    Big Ronny MacDeila ar la.

     

    That’s….nah, scratch that….

     

    Jim McIntyre….the leader of the future…oh yes he is.

  28. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Ronny is the future (for now)

     

     

    Kev still think it was a poor post yday but anyway moving on how do you think the Hamburg legend will get on today against Ronny & the buoys ? Are you secretly rooting for Mark and your hometown(ish) team ?

  29. Jungle Jim Hot Smoked on

    N L & M

     

    The Google translation:

     

     

    “After the decline of Emilio Izaguirre after leaving injured in his last game with Celtic, Jorge Luis Pinto was forced to call the player from Olimpia Ever Alvarado. The former of the Real Spain and that it is now campaigning for the national champion (Olimpia) returns to the selection where you will have a new opportunity in the ‘bicolor’. Emilio Izaguirre left injured in the last game for Celtic and that is why his team ordered the tests to check his injury, because of that ‘Milo’ will not be in these friendlies. Honduras will play against Guatemala on Thursday, where neither can count with Jona Mejía, this since the Fenafuth made a mistake in his call.”

     

     

    JJ

     

     

    PS How is Broony?

  30. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Jungle Jim your Hondurian is far better than mine ! Although I think mines is what Emilio would have said

  31. Jungle Jim Hot Smoked on

    GFTB

     

    Like I said, that was the Google Spanish to English translation. I preferred yours 0:-) Off to the golf now. Hoping Broony is fit to play.

     

    Cheerio,

     

     

    JJ