Yesterday the Scottish Football Association announced an independent inquiry into Rangers FC which will report to the SFA board within two weeks.
While it is welcome that the enquiry is independent, it is gravely concerning that the SFA refused to state the scope of the inquiry or indicate if the final report will be made public. An inquiry into the Fit and Proper status of Craig Whyte is moot. An inquiry into last year’s takeover of the club, or how it has conducted its tax business before and after the takeover surely cannot report within three weeks of Rangers going into administration and before the outcome of the tax tribunal is known. So what are the objectives of the report?
The important question the SFA must address is whether Rangers FC improperly registered football players. Rules on the legal registration of football players are clear and well established. All financial compensation offered to players must be part of their contracts, copies of which must be lodged with the club’s national association.
This audio file contains information from Player’s Union representative, Fraser Wishart, who correctly tells Radio Clyde listeners that “in football you’re only allowed one contract, all your earnings from football have to be on that contract”.
The same audio file has excerpts of football journalist, Darrell King, repeatedly telling Radio Clyde listeners that Rangers players involved with EBTs “had two contracts”. This assertion has not been subject to challenge by Rangers.
The major question for the SFA is whether, as alleged by Mr King, Rangers FC played improperly registered players from around 2000 until the expiry of those contracts, some of which are likely to still be active. While they are doing so, it would be useful to extend the inquiry to examine recent contracts.
My primary concern regarding the inquiry is the role of the SFA president, Campbell Ogilvie, in framing the scope of the inquiry. As we reported yesterday, Ogilvie was general secretary and director of Rangers until 2005. He will be able to answer many of the key questions and, as president, will not only have been able to influence the scope of the inquiry, but will be one of the few who receives the report.
Any SFA inquiry into Rangers FC must report on the key matter in this whole business, the proper registration of football players. Any attempt to exclude matters which could involve Mr Ogilvie must be resisted and would show the entire activity up as nothing more than a sham.
The sporting penalty for playing improperly registered players is a 3-0 defeat in each game. Sion have already tested national and international authorities on this matter and are paying a heavy price for trying to gain an unfair advantage.
The stakes are high for Scottish football. The SFA must demonstrate transparency and the highest possible ethical standards when an inquiry into a member club involves past activities of its president. It also has a responsibility to fans and member clubs to establish and report any improper conduct at the earliest opportunity.
My Ogilvie should step aside as a matter of urgency in order to provide evidence to the inquiry.
In a gesture which tests the boundaries of the word magnificent, the Celtic fan who paid £5000 towards the Vanessa Riddle Appeal for the signed Celtic jersey we auctioned last week asked us to put it back up for auction again.
Auctions are a magnificent way to help get Vanessa the lifesaving treatment she needs but the cost of participating at the business end soon gets out of the reach of many fans. With this in mind, we have started an eBay raffle; you can win the jersey for the cost of a £1, or the entire purchase price of Rangers FC PLC.
There are no excuses to sit this one out, Vanessa needs your help, you would like to own a signed Celtic jersey, and you too can afford the kind of money Craig Whyte used to buy Rangers. Click here to participate.
Thank you for the dozens of response to the request for writers for CQN Magazine. I’m still working through them, will be in touch soon. Issue six, our Fit and Proper edition, is set to become a landmark collectors item. You can browse the magazine online here but you can buy your own hard copy by clicking on the link below. Fill your boots…..
You can support the online edition by making a discretionary donation here.
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Paul……………..You correctly target Campbell Ogilve.
He was RFC’s Secretary at the time EBT’s were born. He patently knew without any shadow of a doubt as to their (il)legality as far as they were operated, there is no way he should have sanctioned RFC’s UEFA licence last season.
I also do not ignore the fact he was on the RFC board when a Sectarian employment policy was maintained, how can we have any confidence in an SFA orchestrated “fit and proper person” investigation if the SFA selected him as theit CEO.
The SFA distribute taxpayers money, a full Public Inquiry is required.
I would aim at other targets, if I were you, other than Ogilvie.
Paul,
I thought that during the TV interview with Regan last night he looked rather nervous when announcing the investigation into TFOD.
However, the jury is still out.
I do not believe for a minute that this panel will find anything untoward about TFOD in its dealings with the SFA. Or am I just being too cynical?
is jim delahunt a tim?
I seem to remember getting into a taxi driven by his brother at seamil hydro and he came across hunlike
just saying
Just received issue 6 of the CQN mag from the postie, then I come back to a new article.
Reposted from last topic
Keep up the good work Paul
Seven Fishes Four Steaks says:
22 February, 2012 at 11:24
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SFFS, they def know how to end a series, and how to get you even more hooked.
Done a 7 episode marathon yesterday, had to let the wife catch up before I watched the last 4, did’nt see any of the CL games.
Will try and get series 4 next week sometime.
HH
Richie says:
22 February, 2012 at 11:33
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Thanks, ahem, ahem…..
HH
Gordon J…
” How many religions have they avoided?”
erm…. well, off the top of my head, there one that I can think of … :-)
ASon … @ 13.09
One way to get the TFOD into the London / MSM is to find out who punted money into the Octopus / Ticketus EIS fund that covered the TFOD ticket sale.
Hopefully it includes widows / orphans / media folk / arms dealers / bankers …
Anything connected to Dave the Rave would be a bonus.
You have to ask would any of the people caught up in this want to own a football stadium or a CW corporate vehicle?
GORDON J 1310
Never mind the number of league titles won fraudulently. The number of cups won duplicitous. How many religions have they avoided
I THINK IT WAS JUST THE ONE,BUT FOR OVER A CENTURY
philvisreturns says:
22 February, 2012 at 12:27
Why are there so many songs about rainbows.
And what’s on the other side? (thumbsup)
philvis
£700 Million Casinos.
Paul, big ups for all the work you are doing for the Vanessa appeal. But a wee question. Went to buy a raffle ticket, no problem but I am already being charged for P&P. What am I doing wrong? Cheers
too slow Bobby :-)
From last thread
twists n turns says:
22 February, 2012 at 11:30
Oglach
if you are still around – I just mailed your dad. (I think!) Quite remarkable.
———————————————————————————
Mo Chara , mistaken identity methinks unless you can e mail the departed. The Oul Fenian Long kesh escapee has been dead this past 7 years. However i am sure that he is enjoying his celestial Ice cream and Jelly.
Paul67 et al
Incredible though it may seem, to the likes of Tom Devine or Alex Salmond, not one MP raised his or her head above the parapet during Prime Minister’s Questions to raise questions over the future of Rangers FC. Not one mention of “National Institutions” or “fabric of society”. Now it may be that the Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition have far more pressing matters to address, namely the future of a bone fide National Institution, the NHS, an institution with a genuine claim to be part of the fabric of society, than concern themselves unduly about an organisation which believes that forwarding Income Tax and National Insurance payments to the HMRC is a legitimate option.
I think the Euro extradition treaty might prove the most relevant soon…
STEVIE S 1317
Aye,bud.
You should see me ambling into a pub….
P G
Hope thers plenty of tax questions re the quiz. Im an “expert” now!!! lol
pigalle
Watched that prog but it was only jabba and a guy called Morrow who were on it.
I also think it’s important to keep harmony in the marital home. Hell hath no fury etc…
Paul67 I am sorry to say I dont think we will ever get to the bottom of what was going on at Ibrokes it appears bending the rules was an not an unusual occurence.I deliberately did not say cheating as we have to find out what the enquiry finds out but one thing strikes me the enquiry is over a two week period and will imo find that it is to short a period for one man to get to the bottom of all the goings on at the club .I also think Craig Whyte dare not show his face in Glasgow unless he has a bodyguard with him at all times.H.H.
Stewart Regan:
“The chief executive also revealed that a number of member clubs had been in contact with the SFA to express concern over monies that they were owed by Rangers. Regan said that the SFA and the SPL were in talks to determine what steps could be taken to help other clubs that were affected by Rangers’ appointment of administrators.
“We have received correspondence from a number of individuals, particularly clubs that haven’t been paid,” he confirmed”
Who are these clubs?
Dundee Utd, Dunfermline, Inverness, Arbroath??Hearts, although money not due yet. Anyone else?
How long have they been owed money?
Does it show on the Rangers accounts for the auditors to see? If not why not?
Does it show on these other clubs accounts? If not why not?
Why did they not come forward before now?
Are any for loan agreements when players were loaned out?
How would the SPL know this was an issue if no clubs ever reported it?
Would this have an affect on the license as at 31st March? YES
Is this part of the remit of the enquiry?
Is this what kicked the enquiry off?
How many more will not survivce if not fully paid??
Bobby
:-))
Paul67
I think youve wasted your time with this article as Gordon Dalziel of radio Clyde was asked about this matter this week and he said he had talked to somebody about it and the contracts were ok.
Today’s editorial about Whyte’s less than honest behaviour finished with this punchline
The joke doing the rounds at the start of the week was that Whyte had come up with a masterstroke.
He’d used the £24million administrators said was missing to bet on Kilmarnock beating Rangers.
Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/sun_says/1460642/The-Scottish-Sun-Says.html#ixzz1n7H1VrTk
As seen on CQN last thu/fri!
Pot & Kettle!
Thanks Paul.
On reflection, I don’t think this inquiry will touch on the EBT case, as the findings of the Tribunal have still to be released.
I reckon they will study the SFA’s Fit and Proper procedures and tell us, or not, where they fell down.
At a pinch, they MAY have a look at the Licence issue.
Plus, they might have a look at the contracts registered with the SFA, pending the FTTT result.
Ogilvie out Smith in?? Is that not the way it works?
Bawsman, I wondered about a wider inquiry. If the SFA do not carry out an appropriate inquiry into the correct issues we should demand it is taken out of their hands.
theweegreenman, we’ll see.
Palacio67, thanks.
HazeyJamie, only the winner will be charged postage – and then only on one ticket. If you don’t win, you will not be charged any postage. Thanks.
Celtic Mac, incredible, indeed.
Joe Filippis Haircut, perhaps.
Lennon n Mc….Mjallby, oh well then. Glad he cleared that up.
Any truth to the rumour that Rangers have put up for sale on eBay an old bike and a bottle of Lucozade? (thumbsup)
Can’t see anything other than another 4-0 or 5-0 result for the hoops this evening. We are playing great and the pars will not stand in our way. HH
Interesting development Paul67,
This “2 contract” business is what saw Derry City relegated to the 2nd (lowest) tier of League of Ireland.
This was a few years ago…but surfaced in the media again yesterday as they are STILL banned from European football…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17116759
Sky saying super swally and the two Hangman meeeting at this very moment.
wonder what the chat is,surely not about the weather.
StevieS says: 22 February, 2012 at 13:15
Gordon J…
” How many religions have they avoided?”
——
Wee spell check error there – it was supposed to read “How many relegations have they avoided?”
rosebud, ally, rosebud
whitecrook tim – I heard they were discussing McCoists tab at the Murray Park canteen. Now the Ticketus money has been traced it is now the 2nd largest outstanding sum at the club
Did a win the signed Hoops top then?
Cos they took the postage oot ma bank :O).
Whyte gives up as chairman. That didnae last long did it??
St Martin De Porres says:
22 February, 2012 at 13:14
is jim delahunt a tim?
I seem to remember getting into a taxi driven by his brother at seamil hydro and he came across hunlike
just saying
Doubtful if he is. I know that his father was head of the SVDP in his parish/diocese.
SPF
When they are found guilty and the titles are proven to be tainted, this would then mean that they had illegally obtained the £10 million a year (or whatever other crazy number the media made up) from the Champions League qualification. Say 4 titles where they actually made the group stages and that is £40 million pounds that should rightfully have gone to another club.
The team who came second in the league should then sue for loss of earnings.
ggh
emusanorphan – ha!
And all the girls say I’m pretty fly – for a Whyte guy. (thumbsup)
If money is the root of all evil…
Does that mean Rangers are now good? (thumbsup)