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.
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TRADITIONALIST88 on 13TH APRIL 2016 3:02 PM
Yer right. Those games will sell out.
EDDIEINKIRKMICHAEL on13TH APRIL 2016 1:44 PM
As well as a week old pitch, with not enough time to bed in, remember as well that it will have had the first semi final played on it the day before. 90 minutes ( or 120 minutes) of the cart horses of Dundee United and Hibernian mashing it up.
Hope it doesn’t rain much next weekend as well.
The one plus point for Sevco is that those couple of career ending tackles their defenders will put in on Leigh Griffiths and Patrick Roberts in the first 10 minutes will go unpunished by the referee.
I can almost here the hun co-commentator already
“In many respects it Griffiths fault that Wilson has broken his leg. Griffiths was too quick on the turn there and on this surface you have to have sympathy for defenders who are a little bit late with the tackle”.
Along with this classic after the 5th or 6th scythe from the Sevco cluggers “Fair play to the referee for keeping the cards in his pockets”.
James
I wouldn’t agree that tripping on grass was in any way dangerous.
I find it very therapeutic. ;)
I’m astonished Smith said this.
Why are you astonished Paul?
Canamalar
It had occurred to that the Pit team may have been the strongest and most willing guide of the buses route.
MWD
BobMarleyCSC
;-)
HH jamesgang
James
One Love. ;)
Interesting, in 2013 when Peter Lawwell had a jokey through away comment about Sevco,he was admonished by the then SFA President.
What will the SFA do about Walter Smith’s far more conentious and inflammatory comments regarding Sevco Football Club?
Hail Hail
MWD and Canamalar
I enjoyed the extended bus/Formula1 analogies. Well done to both of you.
JJ
weeminger on 13th April 2016 3:17 pm
There’ll be initial intrigue, but going forward Aberdeen and Hearts could be our ‘big’ games – impressive strides made at both clubs.
chairbhoy,
two things on that,
1 there are only one set of supporters in Scotland who are not allowed to be baited.
2 waldo has no position in football he is regarded as nothing more than a paranoid gobshite supporter with a chip on his shoulder.
Chairbhoy
But Walter wasn’t joking…….
All the chat about the polis chapping his door…..the meedja calling him to account, etc……so few of either group would think he’d done anything wrong….
Sadly.
HH jamesgang
Canamalar
Don’t agree on point 2
I think for many he’s an elder statesman of Scottish football.
Strange but true
HH jamesgang
what happened to patsy ?
must be waiting for a clear run at declaring his ignorance as FACT again eh
HebCelt
Depending on my mood – I’d go to Pittodrie Bar- traditional AFC bar on King St or Bobbin Mill further up
Close to University so more student focussed.
Both will be showing game and within easy walk back to his base.
There was talk earlier about parallel worlds.
If you want to test yourself on how much our game against Sevco really means to you, imagine this scenario:
Universe 1:Celtic V Aberdeen with Aberdeen a point behind us;
Universe 2: Celtic V Sevco, Cup Semi-Final.
You can only go to one game.Which one and how easy was it to make the ` decision` ?
JJ
Chairbhoy
The SFA nomination of the Myth for a knighthood, will be on it’s way to Buckie palace as we speak.
JJ
Universe 1 every day of the week.
Universe 2 I have no interest in what so ever ever ever
MWD
JG,
aye, for many but we know he isny and shouldn’t be expected to, he is a tax cheat and anything he can do to obfuscate that if fair game to him, including stirring up hatred, in fact if there is enough trouble he might try and use it as an excuse to tell everyone to shut up or it will happen again but worse next time.
He is an insignificant paranoid gobshite supporter with a chip on his shoulder and that’s how the tax man will treat him :)
Canamalar
Shift change? :)
TRADITIONALIST88 on 13TH APRIL 2016 3:32 PM
That sort of all depends on TRFC living within their means.
When I 1st moved back to Glasgow in 2003, I had a job that allowed access to Co accts for the purposes of credit checks etc. I got hold of RFCs and had a more financial savvy friend look over them. His view was that they simply couldn’t go on and were in an administration position. As we all know it took close to 10yrs to happen and nobody could understand during that time how they managed it.
Will that happen again? I doubt it but you never know. I do think we might occasionally see a team outside Glasgow sneak a title from now on though. I’m not against that by any means, and it may actually benefit us in the long run. Who knows?
JJHS,
Universe 1 for me, every time. I have no interest in the NewClub.
MWD
I think that will be true of most CQNers. Not so sure about the wide world of MSSM readers, though.
JJ
PS Did you see my compliment earlier?
I think Smith should try jazz cigarettes, as opposed to drinking bitter.
and Belfast Tonic wine
JJ,
Universe 1.
Post clear out at the sfa, universe 2. Every time.
HH
DD,
not at all, I’m reviewing stuff from the digs, just finishing up US standards comparison to Euro/UK standards and there’s a lot of contractors in for a big nasty surprise :)
They’ve been using the differences for years to get away with compliance requirements, no after this, no on my jobs :)
Canamalar
I agree. I hope history proves you right. Soon!
HH jamesgang
JJ
I would be very surprised if anyone here would go for Universe 2.
In the real world, there are thousands of Celtic old firm fans, sadly.
Geordie
If we had a clear out at the SFA, I don`t think the Universe 2 Scenario would ever happen.
JJ
JJ,
league competition always, no interest in filling the pockets of the SFA and sevco.
DD
I agree ( see my 3:43 post).
JJ
Canamalar
Haha. No meant shift change for Pasty. Back shift starts soon. :)
weeminger on 13th April 2016 3:41 pm
Yep, they are living in cloud cuckoo land if they expect to challenge us in the medium term.
Hearts and Aberdeen have big potential but it is an issue for them how they realise that potential.
Aberdeen can bring 40k to Glasgow for a cup final but average around 13/14k for league games, at least Hearts are selling their stadium out.
Both clubs though have far more stable infrastructure than Sevco which is a sound base for improving. If either could push us until the end of April then feck off that’ll do me:)
Canamalar
…..and you got a compliment earlier as well 0:-)
oh and no on the hospital design I’m reviewing
JJ,
I noticed it, MWD just lines them up and I’ll bat away all day :)
DD,
oops, sorry, was reaching for my hard hat and boots when I finished that post :)
Hot usually into team selection, but, I would have GMS on the left wing, if fit.
He has pace and in goal scoring form and will keep the Innkeeper on the back foot.
Keep him busy and stay on top of Mc.Kay, then we only have Thompson to beat.