There are a bunch of Norwegian journalists walking around Glasgow today asking, “What, they cheated all those years? What are the FA going to do with them?” So many titles, so many trophies. Then they ask about tonight’s crucial Europa League game between Celtic and Molde.
I have concerns for tonight. Jozo Simunovic looks unlikely to feature, a fresh injury on the back of a lengthy injury absence. Dedryck Boyata and Mikael Lustig are definite starters, but you can perm any two from four for the other two places. Uncertainty in defensive selection is seldom regarded as a positive.
What I’m really hoping for is a tight game. One where we protect our penalty box and allow Molde to make the mistakes. They did this when Kris Commons pounced two weeks ago, so there’s every expectation they are far from impregnable, but Molde will have examined the mountain of evidence which suggests you can sucker Celtic in and hit them on the break.
If we keep it tight, we’ll win. If we try to sweep Molde off the park, as Fenerbahce did in Istanbul, any result is possible.
Late yesterday we ran an article on the boundary Lord Nimmo Smith’s SPL Commission put on their ruling. It’s worth a reprise today:
The Commission wrote:
“The Tax Tribunal has held (subject to appeal) that Oldco was acting within the law in setting up and operating the EBT scheme.
“The SPL presented no argument to challenge the decision of the majority of the Tax Tribunal and Mr McKenzie (solicitor acting on behalf of the SPL) stated expressly that for all purposes of this Commission’s Inquiry and Determination the SPL accepted that decision as it stood, without regard to any possible appeal by HMRC.
“Accordingly we proceed on the basis that the EBT arrangements were lawful. What we are concerned with is the fact that the side letters issued to the Specified Players, in the course of the operation of the EBT scheme, were not disclosed to the SPL and the SFA as required by their respective rules”
Lord Nimmo Smith was clear: the possibility that Rangers operated an illegal tax scheme did not enter his consideration as to whether the sum total of their activities amounted to a sporting advantage.
The SFA’s Sandy Bryson, in evidence to the Commission, saw no sporting advantage in an administrative lapse over an otherwise legal tax arrangement, albeit a lapse which the Commission found to be deliberate.
The question of a deliberate falsification of submissions to the SFA and SPL over an illegal scheme designed to prevent the payment of tens of millions of pounds of tax, has not been considered.
Ignore the PR coming out of Hampden today that this matter has been dealt with. Former directors of Rangers brought the game into serious disrepute, and their friends still walk the corridors of Hampden, but it’s the clubs who will have the final say on what and who is investigated, not a PR man, or football body chief executive.
It is critically important that fans of all clubs let their custodians know their feelings on this matter. Celtic pushed themselves to the brink of what was financially responsible during the EBT years. This cost our club the opportunity of building a sustainable strategy (like we’ve been building since Rangers liquidation).
More than this, the division and recrimination amount the support as we pulled back from spending ever-more, while Sir David Murray’s splashed inordinate amounts of cash, never completely resolved.
Had Rangers been submitting legal tax returns, the entire landscape of what was possible for others in Scottish football would have changed. Hearts, not Celtic, were the biggest financial losers of this fiasco (figures next week), but dozens of others lost out on cup runs, trophies and higher prize money.
Right now those in power at Hampden have no idea what the clubs will demand of them, they do not even have plans to discipline those who brought the game into such complete disrepute. If the clubs want to put honesty and integrity at the heart of our game, they can do so. I know one club who will put this case very forcefully.
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BOTOB
Speculative. . . .
Hail Hail
Is there a time period for the appeal. This is sfa/spl get out clause on doing anything. Personally don’t think anything will come of it. Unless we went Kev-j on the board and refused to buy season book merchandise. Refused to go to away games. Won’t happen though. REBELS NEEDED
Maybe i should drink more.
H.H Mick
Oh, so close to Last and First on consecutive articles!
These chances don’t come around often either!
The same media who say we should win everything domestically and be beating teams like Molde & Malmo in Europe because we have a significant financial advantage, are now trying to tell us that the cheating club had no sporting advantage as a result of a financial advantage gained by illegal means.
Do they realise how stupid they look or just playing to their audience?
Good call to arms, Paul. This affects all Scottish clubs.
Who will play the Turnbull Hutton role and call for justice to be served?
Lennon’s Passion
This might help you –
https://www.gov.uk/tax-upper-tribunal/if-you-lose-your-case
Talking of EBT’s……………………Why did Graham Souness get one 10 years after he left Ibrox…………….Services rendered.
Tuguy….1.3 Million
Amoruso….1.4 Million
Ferguson….7.5 Million
The grand daddy of them all, which cracked the dam Boumsong…..£8.2 Million.
From Wiki
In July 2007, Newcastle United was raided by the City of London Police, who were investigating transfer deals involving Newcastle, Rangers and Portsmouth. Two Souness transfers, Jean-Alain Boumsong and Amdy Faye, were among a list of 17 transfers that were not cleared by Quest.[33] The Boumsong deal in particular was so odd that it was widely commented upon at the time.[34] Four months after succeeding Sir Bobby Robson as manager, Souness was in his first transfer window as Newcastle manager. At £8.2m, Boumsong was his first big signing and Souness said he would replace Jonathan Woodgate in the Newcastle defence,[35] which had conceded several leads earlier in the season.[36]
Newcastle were well aware of Boumsong prior to his move from Auxerre to Rangers on a free transfer.[37] Robson had travelled to France to watch him, but he declined the opportunity to sign Boumsong.[34] Liverpool were also interested in signing Boumsong.[38] Robson’s doubts were confirmed when Boumsong marked Alan Shearer in a pre-season game against Rangers.[34] Shearer came off to speak in dismissive terms about the Frenchman’s lack of physique,[34] and he later mentioned Boumsong’s previous availability on a free transfer on television.[34]
When Boumsong was given a torrid time by DJ Campbell during his Newcastle debut against Yeading in the FA Cup, doubts over the wisdom of the transfer mushroomed.[34] The agent in the Boumsong and Faye transfers was Willie McKay. On 7 November 2007, Quest issued the following statement about McKay’s dealings:
“ Further to the key findings from the final Quest report published on 15 June 2007 by the Premier League, Quest would like to emphasise that, in that report, it was clear that no evidence of irregular payments was found in the transfers in the inquiry period which involved the agent Willie McKay. Quest would also like to thank Mr McKay for his cooperation with the inquiry.[39]
Beatbhoy
Relax and pour another. lol
H.H Mick
Team sheet news very latest……………..Wee Jamesie.
“I know one club who will put this case very forcefully.”
What club Paul?
Feckin’ Oz Tims!!
Still, good advice should always be taken!
Ripper, mate!
Bournesouprecipe –
Tonight’s attire news very latest………………..Big Coat ;-)
P67- I hope you are hinting at Celtic taking the bull by the horms here……
Now firmly ensconced on the east coast of the USA.
Watch out you podium chasers, I now have a concievable shot at knocking you all off your Ivory Towers. Aye, I’m talking to you Melbourne Mick….
Speaking of getting knocked off your ivory tower, I wonder how the prez of the SFA banana republic is feeling any tension these days? :-)
Pity it looks like Jozo is oot. Would liked to have seen him against a better team.
I may make my way over to the Ft. Lauderdale CSC later, and see if any other Tims are avoiding work like myself.
Celtic 2 – Molde 1
That will do me nicely.
Is it not great talking about Celtic.
one word sums up a total and uninterrupted history since 1888.
Celtic.
There is only one Celtic.
one club,
not a company – just Celtic.
not a holding company-just Celtic
not a subsidiary of anything- just Celtic.
one club,indivisible and open to all
Today is the day after 3 law lords decided a ‘former club called Rangers’ cheated
They do not talk of holding companies
they do not talk of parent companies
They found the former club; Rangers 1872-2012,incorporated SCO 4276 cheated by using a tax AVOIDANCE scheme.
The meejah are trying different glitter on the turd today.
for 3 years Cheats international have had an easy ride,feeding their sycophants in the meejah the holding co/newco/subsidiaryco kack whilst they have sat back and watched our games honesty being shredded.
Yesterday the world found out sco 4276 cheated.They are laughing at our ‘comical ali’ meejah,awaiting to be told instead of investigating.its to late now lamb lovers.your behaviour with a few notable exceptions seen you standby and do nothing,
Titles will be stripped,it is only a case of when.it is to do with history.Their former club cheated.
Our squirming governing body like in Cycling will(eventually) do the right thing.
Personally i do not want any of their titles and i would ask any past player to politely decline with a ‘no comment’when asked.
i would like to see full implementation of financial fair play rules in this country.currently the MA internationals are cheating(nae law lords jistme) running whilst insolvent.
psychologically they are addicted to other peoples money,the watp*is deeply ingrained
*we avoid tax payments,
as the gardener would say time to cleanse
HH
Paul67
I know one club who have all the evidence necessary to insist the right thing gets done and I’m expecting them to use it.
It wasn’t just cheating, its the attempts at covering up since 2011 that demand justice but as important cultural reform of football governance.
This is the lady GASL fell in love with and led to his massive payment to SARS.
He purchased the picture for approx £80,000 while submitting a taxable income of approx £3000 to the South African Tax authorities (SARS).
The irregularity was spotted by an eagle eyed tax man Charlie Cripps (RIP – God bless his soul) and the rest is history.
A copy of the painting holds pride of place in my wee den – there is just something about the lady! Lol
http://artsalesindex.artinfo.com/asi/lots/2838069
Hail! Hail!
Terrymac
What we have here is an open goal. One we have waited years for. Dear Peter, please drive the bus, horse, cart and everything else straight through. The entire system here is on the ropes. If this was England the media/press would leave no stone unturned.
I’d like to think Celtic would demand justice is seen to be done but past evidence does not fill me with any degree of confidence at all.
I see the sfa and spfl wont take any further action it seems, celtic are a corrupt toothless club if they are allowed to get away without any action from our club there is no point anymore.
Cheats, fraudsters and secret society shysters will always get their come uppance.
It’s a law of nature. That which is earned unlawfully is like a Hoose built on sand. Eventually the books must be balanced.
Nature just takes her own sweet time. Water dripping on a rock will crack it in half eventually.
Florida Bhoy
Thank you for recognising me as the blog champion tonight
its a great honour to be No 1 but i must admit if her who should
be obeyed had left out some liquid refreshments i would be in
noddy land now but as it is i will keep searching until i find the
golden liquid that will sustain me through another great episode
in my Celtic life.
H.H Mick
Well said.
It will be nice to get back to actual football tonight after the Sevco hilarity!
Speaking of which, here is the new blog. All about title-stripping….
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2015/11/05/the-unmistakable-smell-of-bullshit/
This is an issue that effects every Club in Scotland, from Shetland to Shangri La.
One Club thought they could cheat the rest of us with impunity, now the SFA and SPFL must act to bring them to book.
The titles must be stripped from them , as this was undoubtedly cheating on a scale that makes Lance Armstrong look like a Corinthian Casual.
I fit wasn’t being done to gain ‘sporting advantage’ then why do it at all?
Don’t know what all the fuss is about.
When all is said and done, THEY did cheat with DIGNITY .
Here’s a guy who knew they were cheating years ago. Note, some industrial language!
http://youtu.be/Z7XTBG7XFmQ
Gary,
Brilliant point.
HH
Bada Bing!!
“P67- I hope you are hinting at Celtic taking the bull by the horms here……”
Ouch! Sounds painful, big man!
Personally, I think it’s great that that we are where we are today with the huns imploding.
It’s happened entirely of their own accord. Apart from the fans blocking their entry back into the higher leagues, they have contrived through stupidity and ignorance to engineer their own demise.
Thank you M’lud.
My ribs can’t stand much more.
from the last thread.
i cannot understand why any celtic supporter does not want these trophies stripped and returned to their rightful owners.
as things stand we have been punished for playing by the rules. for doing things by the book.
rangers knowingly, deliberately and systematically broke the rules over a prolonged period of time and have yet to be punished.
the football authorities in this country would have let them stay in the premier league after liquidation but for the uprising by football supporters throughout this land. they would have been in the top division and they would have been debt free.
this odious organisation has corrupted and contaminated scottish society never mind scottish football for 100 years.
i have been a celtic supporter for over 50 years and this organisation has cheated and pockled, bullied and intimidated scottish football throughout this time.
i cannot remember a major domestic game that jock stein lost where there was not controversy.
today we have every angle covered by cameras at every game yet we are still being cheated. look at the decisions against inverness and motherwell. can you imagine what things were like when there was no television coverage. celtic were considered the enemy and were fair game no matter who we played.
i want these trophies. they belong to us and let there be no doubt.
tell all the huns you know its gonna be 16 in a row.
A message from ‘cloughie’ to rangers.
https://youtu.be/NRVaLs4cBlg
When likes the weather through in old glesga toon
AULDHEID on 5TH NOVEMBER 2015 12:43 PM
How I wish you had more influence up at paradise. Keep up the good work. I would love to help but unless your boiler breaks I would be useless.Can make a good cup of tea.
More good stuff, Paul.
Like a great many fellow supporters, I dearly hope Celtic (as the sole surviving ‘superpower’ in the SPFL) now push as hard as they can to make sure that justice is seen to be done on this.
As fans, we, too, need to apply what pressure we can on the club, to use this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get the Augean Stables that is the 6th floor at Hampden, cleaned out: lock, stock and stinking barrel.
I have a very strong feeling of foreboding, however, based on the lack of evidence to suggest that the club is either inclined or capable of making the Herculean effort required … including canvassing the other clubs to do what’s necessary.
Like many others, also, I can’t shake the notion that if dramatic consequences (including fundamental change in the way our game is governed) is not forthcoming, I will – after decades of following the Hoops – reluctantly find other outlets for my emotional energies.
First up, though, is a letter to the club, to let them know the strength of my feelings.
I encourage others of like mind to do the same …
VIP
Heidi Poon CSC
The verdict was yesterday and people today are already complaining about Celtic inaction
PL does not broadcast his every view. For all we know, PL has Doncaster hanging upside down above a fiery driveway.
Metaphorically speaking of course