‘Loan’ recipient Souness gets everything wrong, including Hillsborough

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Graeme Souness was in town to promote a book yesterday with some incredible statements for those of you who “rejoiced at Rangers’ problems”, saying:

“Scottish football needs a strong Rangers and a strong Celtic to create interest outside of Scotland.

“If that’s not the case, Scottish football would die.

“As much as Celtic supporters and other supporters of clubs in Scotland have enjoyed the moment, [Rangers’ liquidation] has damaged football in Scotland beyond belief.

“My luck was that, at the time, the English clubs were having to rebuild their stadiums post-Hillsborough.”

Set aside for a moment the fact that the 97 fans of Souness’ former club, Liverpool, died at Hillsborough three years after he took over at Ibrox.

Ignore, for a moment that we, according to Souness’ former Scotland team-mate Willie Miller, are as good a Celtic team as he has seen, that our income has reached new heights and will go higher still this season, that we are packing stadiums wherever we go, and that all of this is the product of a long-term, sustainable strategy.

Disregard that Hearts are nearing completion of their stadium expansion, or that Aberdeen are set to build an impressive new stadium, or that Hibs are packing out Easter Road at a rate not seen since the 60s.

Pay no attention to the fact that Motherwell have found an ownership model, a manger and players to have them sitting third in the table and in the League Cup final.

Instead, remind yourself why Rangers got into trouble. They introduced an aggressive tax avoidance scheme which they knew would be challenged by HMRC, and they made no provisions for this challenge.

The paid over 55 football players through this tax scheme, ‘loans’ which were never to be repaid and which were eventually ruled as disguised remuneration.

Most strikingly, while manager of Blackburn Rovers, Graeme Souness received such a loan from Rangers. When asked to explain by the Daily Record, Souness even claimed the loan was remuneration – for scouting services. More flagrant remuneration than disguised.

Souness went on to say, “I live in England and there was always an interest in Scottish football from football fans in England. That’s no longer the case.” Maybe if he spent more time with BT Sport, than Sky his impression of interest in the Scottish game would be different.

If Graeme Souness wants to offer advice on Scottish football, perhaps he should be magnanimous and write a cheque for repayment of that loan.  Hillsborough matters way more than any book promotion.  If you are a former Liverpool captain and want to reference Hillsborough as an aid, get it right.

Souness and the other ‘loan’ recipients should be chased out of town for the carnage they caused at Rangers. Instead, he gets a platform to spout nonsense about Hillsborough and Scottish football, despite appearing to know little about either.

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453 Comments

  1. TET

     

    Best game for Nir at CH last night, big Kolo doing his magic there ?

     

     

    BT, does Minx get to share the £25m TT spoke abooot

     

    Only kiddin TT

     

    Very hoooopy birthday TT, the Kirkcaldy pool shark :-))))

  2. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan on

    mike in Toronto on 26th October 2017 8:08 pm

     

     

    If you didn’t catch BBC Sportsound you will have missed Richard Wilson demonstrating all the business analysis abilities of your average stick.

     

     

    Apparently, the Rangers accounts show that their business has plenty of money to back any new manager!

  3. prestonpans bhoys on

    Those listening to shortbread, I only caught the last 5 minutes when English suggested that we didn’t need a strong Rangers. At that point someone started howling at the moon. As that Wilson?

  4. BRTH

     

    You being facetious:-))

     

     

    Big Packy – how about KT being valued at a whopping £1.8m on transfermarket.com ?

  5. mike in toronto on

    BRTH …. how ya doing, pal?

     

     

    You aren’t suggesting that (gasp) (i) the media may not be telling the truth, and/or (ii) the zombies are skint, are you? That would just be shocking!

     

     

    :)

  6. mike in toronto on

    Had a quick lurk on zombiemedia …

     

     

    This iswho they want to replace Pedro

     

     

    Allardyce (26%)

     

     

    Van Bronkhurst (13%)

     

     

    McInness (12%)

     

     

    This is who they think they will get

     

     

    McLeish (42%)

     

     

    Billy Davies (17%)

     

     

    Tommy Wright (10%)

     

     

    Actually, I think Tommy Wright would do a good job for them.

     

     

    But I think it will be either McLeish or my dark horse bet would be Bawwy Ferguson … both seem to be wanting the job.

  7. Big Packy

     

     

    Got a laugh at Huns last night and today but aye more interested in us. Grand display last night with a fully fit Moussa being the catalyst for our best display since 5-1 at Ibrox 6 months ago. Kieran T looking our best left back since Tommy Gemmell. Sinky, Griff, wee Paddy all on the bench surely itching for a runout. No saying everthing in garden is lovely but more interesting than whatever dud does a turn on the revolving doors at Scotland’s fourth best team I would say

     

     

    Jimbo67

  8. CB

     

    It was, domesticly having a ballplaying middy as a CB is great, we should get away with it nearly every game, he defended well last night and some of his passing out of the back was superb.

     

    HH

  9. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan on

    Mike In Toronto

     

     

    I am grand chief — still got knackered legs and arthritis in my hands but beyond that I am fit for the first team!

     

     

    However, I am going to wish one and all a goodnight and head to the land of Nod.

     

     

    Cheers

     

     

    BRTH

  10. Last night someone on C Q N said they spotted Billy Davies and Bomber together at Pittodrie wouldn’t that make the dream team lol

  11. mike in toronto on

    Cowie…

     

     

    thanks, pal.

     

     

    Still waiting on the biopsy report (hopefully today or tomorrow), but the drugs have worked wonders the last few days. I have to put all her food through the blender, but at least she is now able to eat again, and seems more like herself.

  12. MINX1888 PRAYING TO WEE OSCAR on 26TH OCTOBER 2017 7:55 PM

     

    Thanks for all the birthday wishes had a great day until HT came home with a caravan for me!

     

     

    ——–

     

    Happy Birthday Minx!

     

     

    Ps. hope that’s not the same caravan he tows at 5’s every week :)))

  13. Cosy Corner Bhoy on

    Happy birthday to Minx1888 and Tiny Tim. Same date but no the same years!

     

    Thought last night’s performance was the best I have seen in a long long time.Sandman said it all though happy clapper me would have given a 10 to them all! Only reservation was the ‘passes’ Gordon gave Broonie sometimes.The old heart can do without them!

     

    Onwards to a record even older than me!!!!!

     

    DONT FOGET YOUR CAIRRY-IN ON SATURDAY FOR THE LESS FORTUNATE AMONG US. AND I DONT MEAN SEVCO FOLLOW-FOLLOWERS :).

  14. My favourite moment last night was when KT made the liar Logan look like a clown in the build up to Moussa’s goal.

     

    He always seems like a hun with an agenda and plays like Aberdeens version of Tavsie.Lot’s of hype and no talent.

     

    Last night the running off the ball was superb and the quick interchanges had them bamboozled.

     

    Hopefully other Scottish coaches will take note of what modern football looks like and try to join us in this century as the huns make one last desperate effort to return the game to 1690.

  15. THETIMREAPER on 26TH OCTOBER 2017 8:22 PM

     

    MINX1888 PRAYING TO WEE OSCAR on 26TH OCTOBER 2017 7:55 PM

     

     

    Thanks for all the birthday wishes had a great day until HT came home with a caravan for me!

     

     

     

    ——–

     

     

    Happy Birthday Minx!

     

     

     

    Ps. hope that’s not the same caravan he tows at 5’s every week :)))

     

     

    ———-

     

     

    Bit harsh referring to yersel as a caravan mate :-)

  16. Big Packy

     

     

    Beautiful football – certainly best Celtic team to watch since early 80s at least IMHO

     

     

    H x 2

     

     

    Jim

  17. FAN-A-TIC

     

     

    Logan’s tweets when we were losing to Bayern Munich highlighted his obvious hatred for us.

     

     

    KT made him look like the real prick he is.

     

     

    And if Logan see’s the replay, he will know that too!

     

     

    Scumbag.

  18. Thought big Sutty played a blinder as well last night :-)))))

     

    Did you see that new clubs first manager and potential new managers face when he commented on a 95th minute equaliser not being a surprise :-)))))

  19. Billy Davies? Please God let that be true!!!

     

     

    i think they will go for McLeish till end of season, then it’ll depend on how much of his fortune Park is prepared to thrown down the drain.