Charles Green, owner of “The Rangers Football Club Limited“, formed in May this year, yesterday released a remarkable statement yesterday, ahead of the SPL Commission into How Rangers FC, formed in 1872, registered football players for over a decade.
“In short, what was decided by the SPL membership is that Rangers was finished as a member of the SPL. Despite this, the SPL now see the new owners of the company, and the new company itself, which owns all the assets of Rangers FC – including SPL championship titles – as fair game for punishment for matters that have nothing to do with us at all.”
We dealt with the purchasing of history on here some months ago. Once we realised it was possible, I snapped up ancient Egyptian history, the period from the pharaohs until Mark Antony. I AM responsible for the Pyramids of Giza but any slavery which may or may not have been used in their construction is NOTHING to do with me.
No one complained about the use of slaves at the time and I am sure each pyramid would have been constructed whether slaves were used of not. If slaves were so necessary for the construction I am sure “we” would have built many more.
Mr Green seems keen to protest against the SPL process, however, he, frankly, fails miserably. He doesn’t “question the impartiality of the individual panel members” but assets “whatever decision they reach is a decision of the SPL”.
So that will be independent members reaching a decision for the SPL! I think he doth protest too little.
There is also a threat: “”To make it crystal clear, the new owners purchased all the business and assets of Rangers, including titles and trophies. Any attempt to undermine or diminish the value of those assets will be met with the stiffest resistance, including legal recourse.”
Charles Green took steps to undermine his new company’s claim on Rangers titles in a BBC interview in June when he said that if his CVA proposal was to fail (which it did) and Rangers were to be liquidated (which they are), “the history, the tradition, everything that’s great about this club is swept aside”.
“Legal recourse”, which is prohibited by Fifa and which the SFA accommodated from Duff and Phelps, acting on behalf of Rangers, will provide Scottish football with a further drama. We mentioned at the time that the true cost of the SFA being so accommodating would be a repeat performance.
Mr Green asks why the “football authorities do nothing to address an issue that was public knowledge for at least two years, and was reported in the Club’s accounts for several years”? I think I can help here. Sir David Murray, who owned Rangers during the duration of its Employee Benefit Trust years, categorically denied that the club issued players with second contracts which were not submitted to the authorities. He reiterated this point most recently on a Sky News interview in March.
The football authorities have no issues whatsoever with Employee Benefit Trusts, it’s player contracts they insist are registered. Rangers insisted they had no case to answer until the SPL set a deadline on Duff and Phelps to fully disclose the nature of the alleged second contracts.
Charles claims during those lurid weeks when the SPL and SFA were negotiating with Green, that Neil Doncaster “repeatedly stated he was not interested in stripping titles from Rangers”. If he had evidence of this, ANY evidence, it would be fascinating.
If not, we should dismiss this claim.
A curious barb is made in other directions, “Rangers was not the only Club in Scotland to use EBTs yet nothing was done and little has been heard about it”.
One more time, for Mr Green’s benefit, EBTs are not against football regulations whatsoever. They are entirely legal and permitted by the SFA and SPL. The SPL Commission is not investigating whether Rangers used EBTs or not, it will investigate whether or not all player contracts were registered.
Mr Green goes on to make varied comments against “powerful representatives from Clubs within the SPL…. who appear hell bent on inflicting as much damage on Rangers as possible”, and that some “clubs were placed in an invidious position and we believe their interests were not best served by those in more powerful positions”.
Let’s have some context here. If we were to make a list of those who inflicted most damage on Rangers, representatives from other clubs would scarcely merit a mention. Those who allowed the club to spend more than it earned for so many years, who introduced the perilous tax avoidance system, those who failed to make accommodations for HMRC’s claim when it was first made, and those directors who personally benefited from the EBT scheme all carry primary responsibility.
Then would come the cheerleaders for the disastrous Craig Whyte regime – those who last year campaigned for the takeover, including putting pressure on Lloyds Banking Group to accept the terms.
Rangers opponents were spectators throughout this period. Any suggestion that our club were anything but opponents to Rangers, and alleged victims of trophies won by illegally registered players, when they should have been campaigning on behalf of their rivals, seriously misreads what was an established Glasgow rivalry. Of course it would be the same the other way – and rightly so.
Despite clearly feeling strongly about the Commission, Green didn’t address the key point….
There was no denial of the central charge that for a decade or more Rangers fielded improperly registered football players.
Yesterday some people suggested Green had offered the Lance Armstrong defence but Armstrong denied he was guilty while refusing to participate in the investigation into doping. This is a different matter altogether. Green has offered up something for every conceivable paranoid condition without actually claiming Rangers are wrongly accused.
The headlines today are all about titles being stripped but that is not the main topic in play. More importantly, after titles are stripped, what punishment will the SPL Commission levy on the Rangers membership, granted to Sevco in June?
The sheer scale of the charge makes this question incalculable. The toxicity attached to that membership is untenable and no bogeymen at other clubs, at the SPL or SFA are responsible for that.
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Half watching some of these internationals
Ireland playing a pub team – waste of time
Scotland struggling to string two passes together(just scored right enough). Don’t laugh but at least Adam can find a team mate. A Scotland reserve/u-21 select would beat the big team.
Can’t wait to get back to the real stuff this weekend. Hopefully a couple of the new Bhoys get some game time.
HH
Richie Jabba did,nt say that one of the callers did,noticeably Jabba did,nt comment. Hail Hail Hebcelt
Great – only 2 games in Europe with no goals and one of them’s on my tele!
Ten Men Won The League
20:44 on
11 September, 2012
Miller equalises with an identikit goal to Macedonia’s
No mention of offside from Provan
The Scotland goal was well onside, Macedonias was well off, to be fair.
Wales losing 4-1 with 30mins to go.
philvisreturns
20:15 on
11 September, 2012
ernie lynch – I wouldn’t have taken you for a Daily Mail reader.
I saw some people selling the Morning Star today, they looked wild-eyed and unkempt. (thumbsup)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Dear,Dear Philvis….
You Fail To Take Credit For Your Selfless ‘Missionary’ Work On This Blog….
First….You Entice Kitalba Over From The ‘Dark Side’…
Now You Have Ernie Making ‘Tentative Approaches’….
Is It Time To Bring In The Fatted Calf From Pasture…?
C’Mon The Whitecaps….
Hebcelt….cheers for that, must have been the beer lugs!!
hamiltontim
20:26 on
11 September, 2012
lionroares67
I’ve got you down for one ticket for the quiz is that right mate?
Correct bud wasnt sure you got email seems you did thanks
praecepta
20:47 on 11 September, 2012
Great – only 2 games in Europe with no goals and one of them’s on my tele!
which of the 2 games are you watching?? Greece, France or Portugal
traditionalist88
20:46 on
11 September, 2012
What channel are Ireland on…?
A strange old game. Pandev is immense. Kris Commons-esque ;-)
Dixon having a shocker after his promising debut.
Hutton having a good game after his shocker.
Caldwell having a shocker….shocker!
James F final,ball is rubbish.
Miller is ….well, rubbish.
Mackie looks frustrated by the crap around him.
Maloney in central midfield? Que?
Levein still toast. We will get hammered by a half decent team. Croatia home and away could be painful.
Well IMO the heid is Scotlands top player 1st half
ItaliaBhoy
i don`t imagine that Belgium will be much better
67Heaven
Its on Setanta Ireland if you can pick it up – wouldn’t advise it though;)
HH
lionroars67
20:53 on
11 September, 2012
Well IMO the heid is Scotlands top player 1st half
Mine too, and easily motm on Saturday.
Do you need an ebt to get on the sky panel tonight?
Magnificentseven
France – live in-betting not showing Portugal as having kicked-off (probably due to the fact that they were 1/50) – mind you they’re not listing the Ireland game either. :-)
as Walter said
Wee Oscar 4 Life Celtic Quiz Night will be held on Saturday the 29th of September in The Phoenix Bar (X Eastenders Bar) Gallowgate Glasgow. Tickets cost £5. (Over 18’s only). Teams 4/5 but we are happy to take individual bookings and place you in a team if you do not have the numbers to make up a team of 4/5. (7pm til late).
To book your ticket for above event please send an email to weeoscar4life@gmail.com quoting ‘Quiz’ in the subject field.
Wee Oscar 4 Life Race & Auction night will be held on the Saturday the 17th of November in the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park. (7pm till late). Tickets cost£5. (Over 18’s only).
To book your ticket for above event please send an email to weeoscar4life@gmail.com quoting ‘Race’ in the subject field.
We are also planning a cycle from Glasgow to Belfast for St Patrick’s weekend in March 2013 and will be looking for cyclist to take part in this event to raise funds for the Wee Oscar 4 Life appeal. If you are not from Glasgow there is no reason to stop you organising/participating in a cycle (or maybe even a run or walk) from your local town to Belfast on the same weekend.
If you are interested in taking part in this event please send an email to weeoscar4life@gmail.com quoting ‘Quiz’ in the subject field and we will get back to you with further details soon.
Just Cant Get Enough……
…….of those morons over Ipox way
long may the idiots continue to keep us entertained
HH
praecepta
20:56 on 11 September, 2012
Magnificentseven
France –
only winding you up….I assume it’s not up to much then!!
wait!
did I just offend idiots everywhere?
is there no shame in scotland about some of their players? in the space of 3 days to acts
of thuggery on the pitch and hardly a word of condemnation, its the sign of cheats and
their inability to better their more skilful opponents.
to=two
I felt criticism of Scotland players on Saturday was over the top. Serbia were a very ordinary outfit on the day and should have been beaten by a slightly better Scotland. But tonight, there is no dubiety; Macedonia were the better team even though their goal was offside. We really do not have a central midfield balance and Pandev, on his own, is dominating all the Scots there. Lots of effort from Mackie and Dixon but precious little quality.
We are lucky to be at 1:1.
Ogilvie in pre match presentation and Walter and McCann in the studio.
Is it EBT night?
just incase anyone needs reminding two former soon to be liquidated club players involved
in both acts of thuggery.
It’s time like these, when Walter Nosurname & Neil McCannt are in the Sky studio that I’m glad I cancelled my Sky subscription.
HH
If your interested in cycle detailed above please put ‘cycle’ in subject field of your email. Not ‘quiz’.
DOH!
England losing to Ukwaine. Twouble for Woy…
big nan, you have just given the reason why scottish football is still in the dark ages.
sftbs
Yet Serbia re pumping Wales 4-1.
Funny old game
…I think Craig is seeing things thru tinted glasses if he thinks this is good enough!
Haaaaaaaaaaruuumphhhhhhhhhhhhh!
“Scotland need to be more positive ” says the most negative manager in our history
Magnificentseven
I know!
The old -1 coupon not looking good. Any 3 from 4 + all 4: Germany, France, England and Greece (who have just scored) – hope yet. :-)
ItaliaBhoy
Dont you mean
Engwand?
McCann admits MacGregor should have conceded a penalty. And he should have been red-carded.