Ibrox shadows lengthen with word on Celtic Football & Athletic Co

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This evening’s statement from Gordon Smith, effectively claiming he was not in control of “recruitment, scouting [and]transfer negotiations” at Rangers confirms many rumours of power-struggles between him and manager, Ally McCoist, who, apparently, didn’t allow the director of football his way on recruitment matters.

Rangers made it known that wages for February were paid today and that Smith and, also now redundant, Ali Russell, will both continue to work until the end of the month.  This begs the question, who else will go before the end of the month?

The first responsibility of an administrator is to try to keep the company trading.  Duff and Phelps have been trying to do this.  While it was a surprise (to me) to see Rangers director, Dave King, at Ibrox meeting the administrators with McCoist yesterday, King, along with other directors, wealthy fans and perhaps even the former owner, will all have been asked if they would be prepared to put money into the club to keep it ticking over until the end of the season.  My information is that no one has put as much as the £1 Craig Whyte put on the table to buy the club last year.

I could break off here and tell you about the man that walked into a Bank of Scotland in 1994 and paid a huge sum of money into Celtic’s account to prevent the club going into administration.  He had no guarantees from the old board, who still owned the club, and future managing director Fergus McCann was in no position to guarantee anything either, but that’s a story for another day, I’ll wouldn’t bring his name into this sorry tale.  Suffice to say, in our hour of need, someone stepped forward.

It’s now a matter of cash.  With wages paid until the middle of next week there is no immediate danger, but the administrators will need a pretty good reason to believe they have wages for March before they retain staff until Thursday next week.

The loss of Russell and the general state of chaos that having to work with various government agencies, including police investigators, will make the business of running a football club technically difficult.  They have already missed an important action, but it’s not my job to point this out to them.  Until it’s too late.

The Celtic Football and Athletic Company Ltd

I think when you have been asked the same question about six times in a few days it’s worth explaining the issue here.  If a football club is liquidated it’s finished.  Continuity with its history and records ends.  This is not the same as a football company changing its name.

Celtic was established as a sporting club at a meeting in a church hall in November 1887, in many ways, no different than a million other football, karate and badminton clubs.  It subsequently registered with the SFA in 1888.  In April 1897 it incorporated as a private limited company, registering as The Celtic Football and Athletic Company Ltd at Companies House.  It was the 3487th company to register in Scotland and was given the incorporation number SC003487.

In 1994 the company became a public limited company and changed its name to Celtic PLC but, of course, remained the same company, with the same incorporation number and retained the same registration with the SFA.  You can check our corporate history, from incorporation in 1897, to name change in 1994 to our most recent annual return, dated 31 December 2011, at Companies House here.

On the same day Celtic changed its name to Celtic PLC, Fergus McCann changed the name of an off the shelf company, securing the old trading name ‘The Celtic Football and Athletic Company Ltd’, which is fully owned by Celtic PLC, but is not registered as a football club.  I assume this was to secure our old name for the club and to protect it from potential abuse.

Don’t let anyone tell you our history ‘started in 1994’.  We are very much the club of Maley, Quinn, Thomson, McGrory, Stein, Johnstone and Dalglish.

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  1. Is wiggy now tainted goods as shortbread realises that there may be another game in town?

     

     

    I think he is a step too far …already negotiating “ibrox the Craig whyte months ” with certain tabloid s ….dear oh dear oh how the mighty have fallen…between caring for parents ..how can he cope ?

  2. HECTOR - Moonbeams WD. Kano 1000 \o/ Supporting Neil Lennon 100%. Eating Jelly & Ice Cream. on

    That’s Bryan Mayormaynotpay pledged 2000 to the cause.

     

     

    MWD

  3. Is there no ticker at the top with how much they have “raised”… how long before the penny drops. The guy on clyde was so proud of his fellow gers as well… By the end of the night it will have raised more than the last children in need…

  4. BBC are still considering bringing Gordon Smith back but will only offer him the gig if first choice Franceso Schettino knocks it back.

  5. Pledged £500 to saveourdesperateskins.com

     

     

    my email address is johngreg@trophyinthetoilet.com

     

     

    accepted no probs

     

     

    Those goons on Clyde radio have yet to find out that a lot of the pledges are bogus

     

     

    If they were “internet bampots” they would know better

     

     

    Hail Hail

  6. Tricoloured Ribbon on

    Braff,

     

     

    If the Huns check what’s on BBC4 then more than a few telly screens will be going in..

  7. Paul67

     

    they couldn’t understand

     

     

    YOU OWE THE TAXMAN MOOLAH,

     

     

    how are they going to understand something as difficult as a name change ?

  8. Mindful of the banner on Sat at Ibrokes “We shall not atand idly by” I have just made a third pledge to the stricken institution which is “part of the fabric of Scotland”

     

    I have now observed at three different email addresses the following acknowledgement. I’m waiting for news of followup phonecalls from certain individuals

     

     

    Subscription Confirmed

     

     

     

    Your subscription to our list has been confirmed.

     

     

    Thank you for subscribing!

     

    saveRangers.com

  9. Paddy Gallagher on

    Three way fight for the TV rights on the rangers demise, Jeremy Kyle and Jerry Springer are being left in the wake of Crimedesk UK according to latest reports.

  10. Rangers, or whatever they are called this week or next week, are the equivalent of a heavy weight boxer who is now being pummeled on the ropes. That heavy weight has been doped up most of his career and folk are openly talking about him cheating. That heavyweight is almost dead from the thrashing. Would it not be better to call a halt to the competition and declare the young champion elect his moment.

     

     

    Nah this is too much fun. Let the pummeling continue.

  11. I’m sure the controversial former SFA, and now former head huncho at ranjurs will waltz back into his auld stint at Shortbread…..

     

     

    Jobs (not) for the bhoys.

  12. Is Mise Neil Lennon on

    braff24 says:

     

    23 February, 2012 at 21:20

     

    Is there no ticker at the top with how much they have “raised”…

     

     

     

    The ‘pledges’ are only accepted if you have set up a real e-mail address first

  13. it seems they maybe have learned from mr whyte then…

     

     

    i know we will set up a webpage and use kid on money to get our club back…

     

     

    great idea !

  14. The Spirit of Arthur Lee on

    Is Mise Neil Lennon

     

     

    Craigy whyte has even stole the pledges a shinning example to all conmen

     

     

    Catch me if you can 2

  15. Could everyone please start using their name correctly please !!!!!!!

     

     

    It’s…..

     

     

    Rangers fc in administration

     

     

    Thank you

     

     

    Jelly and ice cream anyone?

  16. Tricoloured Ribbon on

    Braff,

     

     

    Trust me mate,the programme title is enough to have them foaming at the mouth.

  17. Paul67,

     

     

    “With wages paid until the middle of next week there is no immediate danger, but the administrators will need a pretty good reason to believe they have wages for March before they retain staff until Thursday next week.”

     

     

    Monthly payrolls are sooooo yesterday.

     

     

    Keep up the good work!

     

    HH

  18. bournesouprecipe on

    That awkward moment when you’ve just did three in a row on an old thread, and discovered there was a new article.

     

     

    *tiptoes away*

  19. Some daft lassie phoned Radio Clyde last night spouting this tosh about the Athletic club. Ignorance knows no bounds.

     

    There is now hope that Whyte gets the slammer and the creditors get nowt as a result of this being a crime.

     

    For some the penny has dropped and they are in the process of buying golf clubs or bowls. I fear for them in the dark of winter.

  20. I know you’ve done some brilliant articles Paul, and this one is right up there.

     

     

    Hail Hail!

  21. Glendalystonsils likes a mr whippy with his lime green jelly on

    Anyone got any idea what the R@ngers monthly wage bill is?

  22. Paul67:

     

     

    As looks likely and their well dries up in the near future, what do you think the chances of the SPL giving them the cash to see the through until the end of the season to fulfil their fixtures?

     

     

    I am so looking forward to my end of the institution party on 25th March…:)

     

     

    I still smell liquid…

     

     

    Keep the Faith!

     

     

    Hail Hail!

  23. email for ‘pledges’ anything you want, just end it with @hotmail.co.uk and it works.

     

     

    skintloyal@hotmail.co.uk should get you in

     

     

    another thing, I never knew/thought there was so many rangers fans called ‘Hector’

  24. am enjoying today’s Mark Daly piece

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1P2IBMCkfI

     

     

    my fovourite part (and generally this is true also) in it is the use of the phrase…

     

     

    “THE SO-CALLED”

     

     

    the so-called WEE tax case

     

     

    the so-called BIG tax case

     

     

    haha

     

     

    absolutely love that !

     

     

    i bet they are all just wishin the didn’t have to say that but cos that is now the established name and so on and so on, then they MUST use this phrase

     

     

    the so-called !

     

     

    haha

     

     

    excellent

     

     

    makes me feel all happy inside every time i hear it, haha ….one more time….

     

     

    “the so-called” !

     

     

    ahh

     

     

    JCGE :)

  25. The Comfortable Collective on

    saverangers have now raised over £60 billion, thanks in no small part to generous donations from those gentlemen listed below;

     

     

    A Eichmann

     

    William Fish

     

    Reginald Dwight

     

    Findlay Presbyterian Crawford

     

    Ted Crilley

     

    James Hoffa

     

    Robert Maxwell

     

    Francis Carson

     

    Hector Windsor

     

    Adolph Shickelgruber

     

    Elizabeth Saxe-Coburg

     

    Isa Kreem

     

    J Ratzinger

     

    Attila Dahun

     

    Amin Admin

     

    Bernie Madoff

     

    Roberto Calvi

     

    T. Icketus

     

    Jude Iligence

     

    T Axdodger

     

    Hector Tacksman

     

    Juergen Bankruppt

     

    Scott Landshame

     

    William Carrot

     

    Neimer Orks

     

    Mister Whippy

     

    Ashwed Nesday

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