You and I have been in some dark places. While we remember winning nine-in-a-row by brilliant scouting, tactics and athletic endeavour, we also remember when that proud achievement was violated in 1997 by a considerably less wholesome achievement.
At the end of season 1995-96 Celtic finished second but lost only one game. I convinced myself that our world was about to be put right. Tommy Burns’ team would go one step further and win the league in 1997; it had to happen.
It didn’t.
Today I don’t want to talk about the reasons why we didn’t win the league in 1997, we will discuss that in the weeks ahead, but that season taught us the lesson that simply wanting something to happen doesn’t make it likely.
I thought of those dark days yesterday when I hear Ally McCoist’s rallying call:
“We’re going to march right through it
“I’m as positive today as I have been in a long time.
“This institution has been around for 140 years and I want it to be here for another 140 years.
“You’ll see what Rangers mean to so many people. We are really looking forward to the game.
“We have the best fans in the world.
McCoist loves his club the same way his good friend Tommy Burns loved his, but irrespective of the challenge he faces in the league from Neil Lennon’s awesome team, there is nothing McCoist can do to ensure his club survives until the end of the season.
When you’re on the wrong end of history there is nothing you can do about it.
Fancy writing something for CQN Magazine? Drop me an email and let me know what you would like to write about before you get started, just in case someone else has the same angle covered: celticquicknews@gmail.com.
I think we have all been blown away by the bidding on eBay action for the signed Celtic top in aid of the Vanessa Riddle Appeal. The auction ends today and currently sits at an incredible £5000. That’s three zeros, count them! I am very proud of you and your club.
Check out the events on eBay yourself by clicking here.
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philvis – Agree. Someone else made a very salient point some days ago, it appears it was whyte’s plan to bring all the tax liability to a head at the same time, which is why he was frustrated by the big tax case being drawn out and has always maintained he wouldn’t challenge the decision. The 9m tax liaibility could allegedly be a criminal matter, but he might have got away with it if the 50m had forced administration earlier.
HMRC have forced his hand early, and HMRC are keen to ensure that rangers survive _this_ round of administration, so there’s still a company around later to send the 50m bill to when the tibunal rules.
My intial reaction on the Rangers situation was I want them liquidated and gone even though I know they will reappear as newco.I am now not sure I am begining to think a HMRC plan for them to pay back all taxes owed with interest over say 15yre would severly damage them and keep them from being competitive for years to come would be a better outcome.I also want to see all honours they won during the period thet were cheating to be taken from them and given to the runners up they would suffer for years to come lovely jubbly.H.H.
Magnificentseven says:
19 February, 2012 at 12:08
Jobo Baldie says:
19 February, 2012 at 12:06
Don’t forget Bhoys we have Sky’s Super Sunday double bill today, Aberdeen v St Johnstone then Hibs v Celtic. A taster for things to come?
Jobo
Correct Jobo…………….a double bill and no Rankers involved……….who needs them
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We shall occasionally see the relegation battle between Rangers and Hamilton Accies or Rangers and Dunfermline or, ach, take yer pick, they’ll get shown when they are playing us in the David v Goliath game (only this time Goliath will be the good Ghuy) or when they are playing to keep their SPL status or maybe when they are playing a ‘Derby’ game against St Mirren or in other divisions Partick Thistle. We might also see them screened live in promotion head to heads in Division 3…………
And I will still be watching hoping they get humped!
Either way, the options available to Rangers are:
* Pay your bills, and be financially hamstrung for years to come
* Escape paying your bills, and kill the club that McBeath, Campbell, and the Moses brothers founded all the way back in 1872.
They’re both terrible options for the huns, and either way, they will pay for what they’ve done. (thumbsup)
—————-
Yes, This is the scenario they are left with..whatever path they chose it will be a dark cold road for years to come for them..There is no option C.
TNT
Same here, I hope the club manager and players are focussed with this game and Wednesday. I’d like to win the league by a record points margin, – nothing too greedy.
St joseph day is the 19th march the dayday after the cup final so we should refresh our minds with the words. teach oh teach us how to die. dear st joseph etc. lost week end starting with st patrick
The Honest Mistake loves being first says:
19 February, 2012 at 12:00
your absolutely right. The 9M from May 2011, the wee tax bill plus penalties (4M has it been paid?), the big bill (could be 49M), creditors from the Jambos to the pars…. A mess.
The icing on the cake may well be the ticketus deal. If rangers get their cva and pay out pennies in the pound, they will also be gettin pennies instead of pounds with regard to their income. If he used this money to directly/indirectly pay the Lloyds debt then the club may well be bank debt free but where are the revenue streams for the coming years?
Merchandising? Hived off and currently worth approx 3M per year.
Catering? Sold off.
Season Books, a large percentage have already sold off.
Murray Park. Lots of questions over who owns it but very high running costs have been reported over the years.
The fabled car park. What is it really worth, what does it bring in.
That doesn’t look like a sustainable future. Maybe they’d be better off in the SFL until some of these deals expire.
EKBhoy
Game is on in the Farm
From Garangad……
interesting take by the Sunday Post
The Herald called them out for it on the front page
mind if out justice minister and chief constable can condone it what chance do we have
philvisreturns
“he’s liquidated more frequently than the food processor in an old folks’ home”
PMSL
:-)
Listening to Craig Brown, Aberdeen are one of the form teams. Only lost once in the last 13.
When Whyte took over he knew, obviously, that there was a potential tax liability hanging over the club with the tax man alleging they operated EBTs illegally over many years. Knowing that, why then would the new owner’s strategy, from the outset, be to further cheat/antagonise HMRC?
A deliberate ploy to get them liquidated?
Philvis:
By the way, if Rangers do go under then is there a chance that HMRC can go after the individuals who benefited from the EBT’s? Or is that entirely the responsibility of Rangers to make sure employees PAYE etc was paid?
Good question – one for the tax experts.
My understanding is that HMRC can pursue employees for unpaid income tax, albeit not for employers’ NI contributions. Whether that would be practical in this case is anybody’s guess. (thumbsup)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Practical probably not – hugely enjoyable to watch most definitely!!!
Just as enjoyable would be a reality show based on the day to day work of various recovery agencies going to homes of ex-rangers players for their medals and serving them writs from HMRC at the same time!
‘Hello Mr Barry Ferguson? Yes, we have reason to believe you are in unlawful possession of various Scottish Premier league, League cup and Scottish Cup medals as well as player of the month, year and young player awards……… can we come in?’
Who is the current owner of ibrox? if it remains part of rangers business then the HMRC should be looking to sieze it and sell it forthwith, suspect they will not do this until the big tax case is heard.
Removing their ‘big house’ would kill them off even if they got a newco off the ground.
This will end up in criminal court if the assets have been transferred out under the stewardship of MBB IMHO.
Vaultbhoy
philvis 12 01 —
Yes —– part of Whyte’s Vital scam saw him playing the Insolvency scam and diddling @ £300 K from HMRC.
I would be very surprised if HMRC allow him to perform the same trick again.
Whyte specializes in getting other people to give him money for no return . He has “mortgaged’ the Hun . He got the money , Octopus have an investment and they will want a return..
Years of being in hock beckon and no cash to get the goods back from the Pawn.
Lovely !
Mick11 – completely agree – both options are poisonous for them
If the MSM get their way and TFOD are allowed to stay in the SPL, bereft of funding they would eventually be relegated anyway or would the MIB look after them again for the good of Scottish football?
I mean if TFOD aren’t in the SPL we won’t get the TV money!!!
It goes against everything sport is about. If they are allowed to stay in the SPL in any form it will be business as usual(cheating). I hope the board are aware of this.
ghents
coming round to the notion that years of penury for The Hun may be my preferred option
it may teach those animals some humility
if they keep going and have to pay back HMRC from their limited revenue streams ..(taking account of Ticketus/JJB/outsourced catering )
they will be skint for years
I caught today’s Off the Ball programme at 12 o’clock.
Cosgrove & Cowan had Graham Spiers as guest.
Cosgrove praised the rangerstaxcaseblog and Cowan described last night’s Your Call programme (which I have not heard yet) as being outsourced by the Beeb to the Murray PR Department.
It really is Open Season now, though these guys were conspicuously quiet until the Beast was dead.
Interestingly, Graham Spiers sympathised with Traynor saying that “he had to keep David Murray sweet in order to get stories every day to fill the paper”. He never offered an opinion on why Fergus could be treated differently.
Jabba will just Lurv the patronising tones of Graham Spiers.
Could be some interesting Bear on Bear action to come for those of you with such niche interests.
Early goal today would be nice. Fans will be in party mode . Come to think of it, the next dozen games are going to be played out in party atmosphere.
I hope Hibs have been paying attention. If they have ice cream and jelly on sale at the food outlets today they will make a fortune! (oops, I’ve let myself down again by slipping back into’ laugh at them’ mode)
….PFayr says:
19 February, 2012 at 12:14
From Garangad……
interesting take by the Sunday Post
The Herald called them out for it on the front page
mind if out justice minister and chief constable can condone it what chance do we have
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Bhoys, you haven’t got it yet:
Rangers supporters singing racist and sectarian songs and chants for 90 minutes is a ‘great Atmosphere’
Celtic supporters singing about Ireland = illegal, sectarian and worthy of a new law to make sure as many Celtic supporters get arrested as Rangers supporters!
(Hmm, just thought – if they do end up in Div 3 or are forced to pay punitive rates of tax for the next 10 years and their ‘loyal’ crowd disappears this will end up in Celtic supporters having worse arrest stats than them due to sheer weight of numbers. So at least their press might have something to crow about! Having said that I imagine it could be a close run thing even if there are only 3,000 of them turning up at home for the first few years…..)
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Matthews::::Rogne::::::Wilson:::::::Mulgrew
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Forrest::::::::Brown::::::Wanyama::::::Ledley
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:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Samaras::::::::
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Stokes and Commons for later in the game.
RobertTressell says:
19 February, 2012 at 12:08
I hope so. But I can’t help thinking the SFA investigation is just a ploy to allow them to blame Whyte and Whyte alone so that with him out of the picture they can insist that no further sanctions are necessary.
Oh Whitey Fellah.
O’ the Bulgin’ Ees,
Hark tae this, Warning,
Ah Entreat ye…
Please!
He who Spends,
Whit isnae…Hisn,
Must Pey it back,
or,
Go, tae .. Prisn!
collie
Tail’s Awaggin’, Tail’s Awaggin’
Does anyone have an email address for Alex Salmond, I think He needs to receive a few links to today’s papers.
The very fabric of Scottish society.
A fabric Scotland wont miss First Minister.
theweegreenman says:
19 February, 2012 at 12:20
If the MSM get their way and TFOD are allowed to stay in the SPL, bereft of funding they would eventually be relegated anyway or would the MIB look after them again for the good of Scottish football?
I mean if TFOD aren’t in the SPL we won’t get the TV money!!!
Says who? the compliant media, they would just show us more often, and get the same viewing figures as they do just now for Celtic games, they may negotiate the deal down a bit but don’t be fooled into thinking they will walk away…
Big Bad John ……true Celtic man and ghent
….PFayr says:
19 February, 2012 at 12:20
The only issue with keeping them on life support is that they will eventually become an ‘attractive’ investment for someone with X millions in their back pocket.
Income streams will eventually open up again for them and they will return as odious, if not more so, than they are at the moment.
Vaultbhoy
I listened to Jabba being interviewed before the game yesterday and he was quite clearly laying blame at Murray’s door. However, on his radio programme after the game, he was defending Murray to the hilt. What happened in between I wonder?
philvisreturns says:
19 February, 2012 at 11:18
I trust Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will continue in their vital mission to recover taxpayers’ money from dodgy businessmen and deadbeat institutions. (thumbsup)
share
What a very confused libertarian you are!
setting free the bears–
The bear on bear action is just beginning —-
Minty / Whyte / Beeb Shortbread / Beeb Sportscone / The Lap Top Loyal and at least 1 Edinburgh Banker are all going to be doing the ——
It wasn’t me -it was you thing .
Sit back and enjoy !
Thanks again Setanta!
To all OZ Tims…is there ANY way of watching today’s game on a decent feed? The best I can find is bet365 at two in the morning WST…I wanna watch the party!
G’day Celts……. that was a night in a half, not had a sore heid like this for a looooong time, any suggestions for a cure? …….
Glorious sunny day in the NW of engerlund……………….
headnippingCSC
Away to read back, are the rags still attemting the lie about how much we need rankers to survive ha! I’ve not met a single Celtic supporter who wants them to survive, it looks like there other Scottish fitba fans who agree……. killie pies when rankers die :¬)
V
Headtheball
A Murray henchman obviously showed him the pictures of him and the Gorilla in the room in compromising positions. The things those two will do for a banana??
twisty
did you watch the boxing last night
despite being an irritating twat Chisora did very well
G’day all from a Sunny but cold N East Scotland.’ Heid is nippin something awful’ due in main to copious amounts of booze consumed last night at birthday bash.
Hoping for the party atmosphere to continue at Easter road today with the SPL’s 2 Emerald green teams giving it large in their combined joy at the forces of darkness plight. “Scotland’s green ‘n’ white – havin’ a party whilst Rangers die”
Oh and 2 -0 to the Celts
Team
FF
Matthews Rogne Chas Izzy
Broonie Vic Ledley Sammi
Hoops Stokes
Subs, Zul, Commons, Dan, JF ???
david murray once famously said that he would never sell rangers to anyone who he felt didn’t have the best interests of the club at heart. Wasn’t there a famous reported meeting when he was close to selling rangers, and he sat across the negotiating table with the prospective buyer, he gazed deep into their eyes, and didn’t like what he saw there and so pulled out of the sale.
It makes you wonder what he saw when he gazed deep into craig whyte’s eyes. I reckon he must have been distracted cos he couldn’t get the Muppets theme tune out of his head.
Kittoch
Thanks