Imran Ahmad, one of the founding fathers of Newco Rangers, was yesterday awarded £600k damages for malicious prosecution. He was charged with fraud in 2015 in connection with the deal that secured ‘a basket of assets’ from Rangers administrators three years earlier.
This brings the total payout from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) for malicious prosecutions in connection with the administration of Rangers to over £52m. The club failed to make provisions for legal challenges by HMRC, which were eventually lost. Assets were sold off to a newco, Sevco Scotland Ltd, later renamed The Rangers Football Club Ltd, before the club was put into liquidation.
The events of 2012 were often theatrical. The initial asset purchase agreement was signed with Sevco 5088 Ltd, before Sevco Scotland assumed the right. Any dispute surrounding this matter was concluded behind closed doors.
Administrators then went through the public motions of trying to sell players’ employment contracts, signed with Rangers to the Newco. This innovative move failed, with Steven Davis, Kyle Lafferty, Steven Naismith, Allan McGregor and others walking away.
The administrators also renamed Rangers as RFC 2012 PLC and permitted the Newco to use the trading style “Rangers”. This was seen as crucial by Sevco in picking up business which had previously gone to Rangers. They were able to present a sense of continuity to football fans, although hopes of entering the same league Rangers had played in were thwarted by a Dashing Grassroots-to-Boardroom Manoeuvre across the country.
Within hours of the assets auction being won by Sevco, a consortium of ‘Rangers people’ were keen to buy them. A campaign then followed which was often unpleasant, the assets’ new owners had no business or emotional connections to Oldco.
During this time, police, then COPFS, investigated actions around the sale and purchase and authorised charges. Reputations, including that of Mr Ahmad’s were burned. If you are looking for ‘clean hands’ in this matter, however, you may be disappointed.
£52m is an enormous portion of Scotland’s judicial budget – approximately £10 for every man, woman and child. In paying out for a malicious act, you accept that there was an intent to do harm to the victim, not simply to act without due care.
That is quite an admission from COPFS, who as recently as 2019 declined an offer from Mr Ahmad to apologise and walk away without further consideration. They really, really, did not want to admit to being in the wrong, but were left with no option.
This is how Scotland operates in our times, at least when it comes to football. An inquiry will follow many years from now, when all the actors have left the stage and memories are unable to recall details. Forgive me for being cynical.
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Kuhn was a “Data and Metrics” find i believe.
Nothing to do with the manager.
Burnley 78
Employing 1 new man won’t solve our player recruitment success.
The whole strategy needs a fresh look .
I’m already hearing that injuries are the reason for our drop in standards .
I don’t agree .
Our recruitment is the issue .
If we had recruited the right standard of centre halves we wouldn’t have missed CCV and Starfeld.
If we had recruited the right standard of wingers ,we wouldn’t have missed Jota ,and Abada .
Full back’s we wouldn’t have missed Taylor and Juranovic .
Centre forward ,We wouldn’t have missed Giakomakis .
I do believe we tried to replace Anje,but again my point stands .
Recruiting the right people is incredibly difficult.
TT
Cast the net into the sea, wait and see who is interested, get the best we can aligned with what the manager thinks we need, these two need to work together on every signing.
Maybe even BR could be part of the interview panel
Mikey J does it again!
WBA 1-0
B78 – Making up things as usual.
I have never wanted Celtic to fail, as for your love affair with 2 guys who are inept and 1 a Liar and corrupt I do not know where to begin.
As I said I spoke to Mark and he wanted out, he now has his wish.
Now I hope you are OK, remember it’s what Mark wanted.
D. :)
G FEARON:
Hurt your wee feelings there, did I?
Too bad.
James Forrest on 1st March 2024 8:11 pm
Nope. :-)
(Thanks for keeping it short.)
By the way, I agree with almost everything else you’ve posted tonight.
The Mark Lawwell Appreciation Society are taking the piss.
Good riddance to Mark Lawwell. An unconscious incompetent, from Man City website content contributor to 4 disastrous transfer windows at Celtic burning £20M plus in the process. Opened the door for Sevco in the title race with his shambolic recruitment.
Of course, the toxic Chairman who put him there should have resigned first rather than throw his son under the bus. He will go to as he is against the ethos of developing Celtic, its all about him calling the shots.
Dermot has come calling and the Lawwell parasites are being cleared our as predicted.
I just wish I was privy to this amazing vision our, Chairmen, Board and off spring have.
Maybe the enlightened can share their wisdom, nah didn’t think so, smoke and mirrors.
More interested in protecting their perceived positions than the interests of the team.
Easy to see this as the Hand Of Desmond.
But we shouldn’t be too hasty. Sacrificial lamb to save the rest is what it could be.
Hopefully not.
James Forrest on 1st March 2024 8:15 pm
At least we agree on something.
Time Lawwell Sr. was shown to the door and told if he wants back in he can go on the waiting list for a season book.
Absolutely. He should never have come back. His return was never going to be popular, and quite the opposite. But the second we had a winning team on the park again with high value assets to flog he couldn’t resist stepping back into the limelight to claim the credit.
Chairbhoy @ 7.54 👍
On first name terms I imagine…but then again I’m really thick and don’t have a clue what goes on in the board-room.
Regards recruitment
One thing I do know………every players agent is always looking for more money for himself. When Neil Lennon was interim manager, and likely to be appointed full time, I played a round of golf with him. It was a Tuesday at the tail end of the season. In that one round, which lasted around 4 hours, I watched him field about 30 phone calls. I asked him what was going on. It’s all players agents looking for deals.
That was only 4 hours in one day of a rapidly approaching close season. Players not within a “top” club will go to any team that will offer better money/success.
When it’s supposed to be much harder to get players in the January transfer window, just judging by what I seen on the golf course that day, I think 95% of players (ie, not those of the top clubs) would be open to moving if the terms were right. Winter window shminter window. “If you pay them they will come”
I don’t feel happy or sad about Mark Lawwell’s departure. I don’t think it changes our prospects for either better or worse but some people seem to think they’ve won a watch.
There’s plenty of people with scouting and data experience, who can replace Mark Lawwell. Our system should survive the departure of any fly by night servant.
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS @ 8:22 PM,
Yes, “arrogance based on ignorance”
If you hear something more ironical than that this week it’s going to be a doozy…
Hail Hail
f sake celtic mac – I’m delighted for him but jesus
B78, I was going to respond to your childish posts but really it’s a waste of time. You come across as the wee bhoy taking his ball home because his “team” is losing.
You claim many good tims on here want Celtic to fail, utter guff.
Good evening all from the Shipbank. A wonderful day with great Tims.
The Roll of Honour;
SFTB, Big Jimmy, Majestic Hartson, Fred Colon, Carpe Diem, Brian McLaughlin, Saltires en Sevilla, Mrs Saltires en Sevilla, The Lurkin Tim, Leggy.
Just one comment on the Mark Lawell departure.
If anyone thinks this is part of a greater strategic plan by the board you’re kidding yourself on. It’s no more planned than his appointment.
Looks to me like Mikey J was just too comfortable up here…sort of treading water. He has to show he’s 1st team calibre down there…so working harder is paying off
The usual suspects defending the name Lawwell, who would rather see the manager leave,rather than anyone with the surname Lawwell, it’s so laughable it’s unreal. Mark will obviously go to a top club and excel, meanwhile we should get a record fee for Daddy ,who has amassed more honours than 99% ,of anyone in Scottish Football. PL will be gone within a month,but he must be due a Testimonial for his service and achievements.
BRRB, I hope you’re all having a cracking night.
Timmy7
Thanks mate. We are. Allegedly. 🤣
Here comes….have you ever ran a company blah blah blah….name a new Head Scout ….blah blah blah….name a player we need to sign blah blah blah…..
You are an absolute shower. So there now
BIGRAILROADBLUES on 1ST MARCH 2024 8:51 PM
Good evening all from the Shipbank. A wonderful day with great Tims.
The Roll of Honour;
SFTB, Big Jimmy, Majestic Hartson, Fred Colon, Carpe Diem, Brian McLaughlin, Saltires en Sevilla, Mrs Saltires en Sevilla, The Lurkin Tim, Leggy.
no mad mitch or ernie ?
If you ever play golf with me, your mobile stays in your car!
I don’t care who you are!
FACT!
Bada, maybe time would be best spent asking some of the management team at Celtic those same questions. I’d be supportive of that rather than obfuscation central on a Celtic blog.
SS- Hopefully next time,….would be interesting, and enjoyable
Well that’s better than Our manager getting his daily comeuppance 😉
A heartfelt thank you for all your prayers and thoughts regarding my brother Michael..
Sadly he lost his brave battle for life at 2.50 am on the 29th February.💔.
I honestly can’t imagine life without him..
Brave to the end..
Now in the arms of his Mammy and Da..
HH Mick..
YNWA..
💚🙏.
Don’t feel sorry for Mark, I’m sure he’s destined for bigger things. 🤔
My only worry is that the sacrificial offering at the Masonic temple has been made too early …we shall see …full deflection for orchestrated failure (co vid style ) in operation
Fair hill bhoy …outed ..no credibility henceforth 🤔🤣🤣
Bye Bye Junior. Don’t let the door hit your arse on the way out. And please take daddy with you.