I have two significant concerns about Walter Smith’s comments yesterday. He spoke about the events which followed Rangers liquidation in 2012:
“There was no necessity for Rangers to be put down into the Third Division.
“That will always stay in Scottish football. There will be a bitterness in the Rangers ranks. It will be a massive motivation for the club. It would certainly be for me.
“How can they forget what happened to them? Nobody could forget that.”
I’ve spoken to people at Celtic about security concerns ahead of the weekend. The game itself will almost certainly pass off without incident, but what happens on the streets of Glasgow and surrounding towns is anyone’s guess.
You will hear nothing even close to inflammatory from Celtic, senior fans groups, or anyone who cares about the club’s fans and wellbeing. Justifying bitterness due to (mis)perceived persecution ahead of this fixture is inciteful. I’m astonished Smith said this.
On his subject matter, let me give you an alternative scenario:
Newco Rangers are parachuted straight into the Premier League, hundreds of creditors are abandoned, they have a full squad of players and are not a penny in debt. They would have been out signing players within minutes of registration (they even tried to sign a player while still in administration).
With Oldco having won the league accumulating debts they would never pay in 2009, 2010 and 2011, Newco, free of legacy financial commitments, would have an excellent chance of winning again in 2013 and beyond.
This plan was one strand of Craig Whyte’s lunacy and it would have killed Scottish football. Celtic, and others, would have been left to consider, do we pay these millions of debts, or liquidate and spend the money on players instead? I had this very conversation with a senior figure in the game in October 2011, when the realisation of what Whyte was planning became evident. Utter mayhem would have ensued.
The damage done to the Rangers brand of clubs by allowing Newco access only to the bottom tier was huge. It’s consequences are yet to be appreciated by most fans. Newco may never win a top flight league.
But the question was not whether to impose a trauma on ‘Rangers’ or allow everyone to carry on as we had before, this was not an option. It was whether to allow the existing rules and processes to stand, allow responsibility for the enormous mismanagement of Rangers to be carried primarily by Newco, and have other clubs deal with the fallout, with or without a ‘Rangers’ club in the league.
Whyte’s plan replicated what he’d done in other industries, but it would have devastated Celtic in particular. We were beaten for years on the field by a team who could not pay their bills or correctly register their players, then we would be beaten again as they walked away from debts without consequence, which is why I wrote this article in October 2011 on the Prepack route for Rangers Newco.
Pretty much all of what I wrote about in that article came to pass, it had to be stopped (and you’ll never know the key movers in doing so). Smith should consider if the boot was on the other foot, if he would be happy to allow his club to be subverted in the manner he suggests would be good enough for others. It was simply never an option.
1,111 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- ...
- 30
- »
Fess 19 on 14TH APRIL 2016 4:26 PM
Fess. For you, when you wake up
Be careful what you pray for….
There is already a wealth of evidence, and more to come through the courts, to finally nail the SFA, the Huns pre 2012, and hopefully the many who colluded in the cover-up. The actions and character of the offenders, in this case Rangers pre 2012 and the SFA, will be held up to close scrutiny and their wrongdoing will be exposed. When that great day comes to pass, however, the self-imposed silence of the Scottish media will come to an end.
The media will then leave no stone unturned in order to ‘even things up’ and tar our side with the same brush. ‘Investigative journalists’ in the interests of ‘balance’, will home in on the past and present business affairs of the many individuals or organisations they deem to have helped bring the Hun/SFA to book.
That is why I have banged on so much about transparency and accountability on this blog. Hopefully my last word on the subject.
Bring back the recycle bin, that will stop all these girlie apologies, just go back and delete the bugger :-)
Timhorton
Apologies. Must go running late.
Mike in Toronto
Re Ben Harper
I’d consider you a very lucky person to have seen Mr Harper – I have long wanted to see one of his gigs. The one time that I did have a ticket to see him coincided with a bliddy family occasion.
I’m totally over it now though…
HT
I will vouch for you that in your opinion the only kiddy onny tims come from Cambuslang ( home of the oldest Rangers in Glasgow)
can you kid a kiddy onny ?
MiT,
Ben Harper and the innocent criminals? With the big sit in your lap Eissenborn guitar,? Didn’t know they were still going. I always ended up thinking he sounded like Cat Stevens vocally, so that put me off him a bit. He did a good version of voodoo Chile.
Was it you who recommended wayfaring stranger?
WDH
No in Cambuslang ye canny
http://www.balls.ie/football/jack-byrnes-highlights-versus-ajax-are-unadulterated-midfielder-porn/330614
Highlights from Irish midfielder jack Byrne game in holland, he’s on loan from Man city and highly rated in the Irish set up. Looks like a good player.
Probably won’t get chance with man city so Celtic should keep an eye on him.
I hung off giving a reply to HamiltonTims earlier post, i’m glad i did now as he has explained what he meant.
Always a curtious poster as far as i’m concerned, and very helpfull to other fans looking for briefs.
TBJ
now that’s canny
Burgas
there’s an extra t in your post.
Proudbhoy
My wee mate Who drinks in St Vincent’s said they expect place to be jumping this weekend
Knows your man by Sunday name, hope his arthritic fingers hold out☘☘☘
BIG-CUP-WINNERS
T time here that’s why -))
Just back from a wee holiday and decided to watch the Barca replay on BT TV ….. How disappointed will Barca have been to be denied that stonewall penalty at the end of the game ……and what about the Athelico fans ….now THAT’s how to back your team…!!
ht. apology accepted.
SoT … Record Store Day?! Hadn’t heard of it… but I am intrigued! I just bought my first RECORD in years … Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue …. going home tonight, will put the fire on… and crank up the record player ….
I just bought a trumpet … and am learning to play … I am awful, but I”m having a blast! (scaring the dog, and I”m not sure the neighbours are enjoying it as much as I am, though)
Davidopolous … as I said, I didn’t know much of his stuff … but he gives you your money’s worth … definitely worth seeing if you get the chance.
Dharma … it wasn’t me … but I have learned of some many good musicians through CQN, I might have to go and look them up now myself! thanks!
BT
Looking at the line up I would expect so .. Surprised aul cruncher playing in there this weekend. Big man likes silence for certain songs.
The punters are in for a treat anyway.
‘Scaring the Dog’…. I think that is what I am going to call my first CD when it is released. :)
Just reading back,glutton for punishment at times.
I have to say,if a hun on FF had suggested that Res 12 was being funded by money-laundering proceeds of crime,we would be outraged. And rightly so.
But it was suggested by KILL ULTRA at 338pm,as follows…
“So it doesn’t matter if they are being funded from the proceeds of drugs, illegal sex industry trade, or God forbid, Celtic Plc. My money is on the latter.”
I hope that sticks in the memory of anyone defending his attacks on the resolutioners over the past few weeks.
No New Article
No podium
No First
No weather report
No KevJ
No Second
Honi soit que mal y pense!!
No light at the end of a long and dark tunnel!
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS that’s not what KU is saying and you really do know that. Poor post mate.
No Shania Twain for me…. :’-(
No more of Walters Myth?
Could someone say a good Mass…..
FatherTedCSC
HH jamesgang
Great post this, reminded me of some good times and great memories , and fecking Baltic
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/the-special-relationship/
Just saw Ruth Davidson smash a penalty past a ten year old
Get her signed
HH
EDDIEINKIRKMICHAEL
Disagree. He was using such a ludicrous supposition to justify hectoring the resolutioners.
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family, I was out giving out clothes to the homeless last night in Glasgow, most of the demand is for small or medium.
Anyway not long before we packed up a larger guy asked if we had any larger sizes, he had recently moved into a hostel after getting out of prison. That bag of gear you gave me was still in the back of the car as I have been unable to drive due to the operation I had on my hand.
He went away with a big smile on his face as he now had several changes.
Eddie
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the message ‘you’re a fat bassa with a big heart’ delivered quite so diplomatically as that!!!
HH jamesgang
Jamesgang, lol