Scottish football is posed for the most momentous stand-off in its history. The battle lines are clear:
Money v Morals, TV money v Season ticket money, Bank of Scotland v Fans
In 12 days the SPL clubs will vote on resolutions which will enable a new club to parachute straight into the SPL following the liquidation of Rangers without having to apply for entry to the Scottish Football league and rise through the pyramid. Five clubs can block their entry – for a few days anyway. Six, a majority if one member is liquidated, would be enough to ensure Rangers Newco SPL entry is blocked.
According to the SPL Fan Survey fans would overwhelmingly like to see any Newco football club enter the Scottish Football League, a position supported by a large number of Rangers fans, but the voices of fans are more easily discarded than that of the Bank of Scotland, who a large number of clubs depend upon to keep their own clubs out of administration.
In short, unless clubs can demonstrate to the Bank of Scotland that they will lose more money from disaffected fans by voting for Newco than they will by voting to retain the custom of Rangers fans, with accompanying television and sponsor money, Newco FC will be voted into the SPL.
Celtic will vote against Newco but fans from Hibs, Hearts, Aberdeen, Dundee United, Inverness, St Johnstone, Motherwell and St Mirren have to do more to make their case directly with their clubs. Irrespective of fan views, I reckon Dunfermline shareholders would rather relegate their own team than Rangers. Don’t even ask about Kilmarnock.
The Gang of 10 may speak as one. If they get rid of Rangers they will be able to out-vote Celtic and have a unique opportunity to change voting rights, allowing them to capture long-term money currently going to Celtic. This, together with overwhelming fan pressure, might be enough to persuade some, but this issue is more complex.
Despite initial opposition to changing the voting rights, Duff and Phelps may vote with the Gang of 10 on voting rights as part of a deal to allow them to sell a place in the SPL. Yes – trade votes in order to sell a place in the top league. Sporting integrity dismantled forever.
Since we first raised the alarm on this vote back in October I have been convinced Newco would be ushered into the SPL but the weight of opinion from fans from other clubs is stark. Over half of respondents to the Survey say they will not attend SPL games if Newco is voted straight into the league.
Even the Bank of Scotland would have to recognise the business sense in siding with the fans if this view is made firmly enough.
Truth is, no one knows which way this one will go, but this is a once in a century opportunity for fans to make a stand.
Bids for the original canvass painting of Neil Lennon by US based artist, Joseph Gormley, has topped £600! Keep an eye on the auction, which ends tomorrow, here.
Buy a hard copy of CQN Magazine, issue 7, by clicking on the button below. You can read online here.
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Sir Paul
Thanks fur the Nod.
Although, whether any of Those Predos come tae Pass or No..
It still is a loata Fun, making ’em!
And that is whit life should be aboot..
Hiving Fun!
Right?
Fur Ye ur a Lang Time.. DEID!
Kojo
Still Laughin’ .
RaRaRasputin
Agree with your take on the game. Thought they were easily playing well enough to win the game until the penalty took matters out of their hands.
One thing I will say – with that midfield, Ki must play in the middle. For a short time before Brown went off he did, and was able to control things better from there. Brown’s better on the right.
These so called Celtic supporters slating Lenny are the same ones who say we are as bad as the huns for singing a few rebel songs.
Simpletons who think we should all curl up and keep quiet- accept the status quo, no matter what.
They will never be Celtic fans in my eyes- real Celtic fans you will find in the bars and on the road following the Bhoys.
HH
Paul67
It was the money before morals from the same Edinburgh sources at HBoS and RBS that put the country into a mess and it was inevitable Rangers would be go in the same direction (HBoS subsumed by Lloyds and RBS much diminished .
What is not inevitable is that the sameEdinburgh based insanity should continue, and it will if money holds sway, but football as I’ve said often can be very very stupid.
The questrion is has banking learned anything from theirs?
Neil Francis Lennon most definitely does not speak for me – I am prone to doing that for myself. However I agree 100% with NL and he has my full support for what it is worth.
I cannot understand Celtic fans when they come on here supporting Neil Lennon and then go on to add that we should just put a strong team on the pitch, score loads of goals and take the referee out of the equation.
Why on earth should we have to to do that? No other team has that burden, so why should we have it? Why?
As regards his behaviour, even if Neil were to sit through a game bound and gagged, it still wouldn’t be good enough for some. I’m an easy going guy but even I would have been unable to restrain myself after that blatant cheating we saw on Sunday.
Some opposition fans hate him and always will. If it’s not his complaining, it’s his snarling, his tracksuit, his ginger hair or maybe that he’s Celtic manager, Irish and a Catholic.
Whatever Neil, keep strong and stand up to the cheats.
You speak for me too.
Championees btw.
Who is This Daly, Guy?
You Know.. the wan who Plays fur Dundee Jampots.
Hiv any of You Guys.. ever seen Him play?
His he evah Played Agin Us?
If he Did.. Ah hiv nevah Noticed!
Ah am. Serious!
Noo.. If Ah never hiv noticed his Presence,whenever We Played the Jampots..
How kin He be Any Guid?
Mak Sense Tae Me.
Kojo
Still Laughin…
Neil Lennon’s mentor Martin O’Neill speaks out in defence of the Celtic manager
By ALISON McCONNELL and RONNIE CULLY
NEIL LENNON will have full Queen’s Counsel backing when he faces the SFA judicial hearing tomorrow.
.
And, as the Celtic manager and his legal team head to Hampden for his latest disciplinary showdown, he also has the full support of his former boss, Martin O’Neill.
“Neil has always been a passionate individual,” he said.
“I suppose it all comes down to a matter of personal preference, and whether or not you warm to that or not.
“I always thought he was driven and determined, and he had to put up with a lot when he was a player at the club.
“People’s behaviour on the touchline, or wherever, is not always going to necessarily be accepted by everyone. That is life.
“Neil might find as he grows into the job and goes along, that he learns one or two things, but these are decisions that only he could make. All you can be is yourself.”
Lennon has already rejected the offer of a two-game ban for comments made following the League Cup Final last month.
He will also vehemently defend the charge he was guilty of misconduct, and acted aggressively and used abusive and insulting language towards match official Calum Murray at half-time in the Old Firm game at Ibrox on March 25.
Compliance officer Vincent Lunny has also asked Lennon to explain his comments regarding the referee before a match against St Johnstone.
But, having responded in writing, he is not expected to face any punishment for this alleged breach of Clause 69 which prohibits comment on any officials before matches.
Busy Lunny will not turn his attention to the referee’s report from Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final until Friday at the earliest.
Lennon ran onto the field at the final whistle and confronted referee Euan Norris, who had awarded Hearts a late penalty after the ball struck the hand of Victor Wanyama.
The Celtic manager later posted comments on his Twitter page, as did Joe Ledley and Anthony Stokes, which could see Notices of Complaint issued.
Stokes has already been handed a one-match ban for offensive language towards Norris on Sunday, meaning he will miss the first Celtic’s first Scottish Cup game next term.
Would love to see these Statues on either side of Kerrydale Street leading up to the Main Entrance, Fergus McCann…Billy McNeill, Paul McStay, Henrik Larsson, Willie Maley, Craig Whyte, Jimmy McGrory, Neil Lennon.
Thanks.
P.S. We are all Neil Lennon
Serge – what about the statue of Craig Whyte?
Still sick after Sunday.Watched the game in The James Joyce pub in Madrid,mixed crowd ,different nationalities,none could believe the performance of the cheating referee,after listening to me for a few minutes they were left in no doubt about the cheating fraternity in Scotland.
if I had been Lenny I would be in jail the now,cheating scum.
Rogueleader
Look a bit closer ;-)
Serge on 18 April, 2012 at 14:22 said:
that was a sneaky wee one you slipped in there.
I dont think the guy Main Entrance was a tim, your at it.
;-)
The whole Neil Lennon thing is totally out of all proportion. Any other league in the world it is probably worthy of a slap on the wrist. End of. He sent a message to refs and to his players that he will not take it on the chin. I like that. Maybe he could be more thoughtful about it but hey ho.
He’ll get a ban. He’ll serve his time. He’ll be in the dugout at the start of next season.
Storm in a tea cup.
Serge – Doh!
Auld Neil Lennon heid . @14 12..
The UK tax payer bailed out a banking institution that lost huge money in consequence of having thrown money at the likes of Sir David Murray..
Truly scandalous.
Big up Operation Hornet
I just love the fact that Neil Lennon is the Glasgow Celtic manager,
My message to Neil-IS be all you can be
Saint Stivs
He will go down as a Celtic Legend ;-)
How intimidating would that be for any away team coming up Kerrydale street to that on either side. They would be trembling before they even took to the field. Make it happen DD, Please.
Andrew Young @Hullbhoy Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
SPL fans survey “No to Newco” A’deen97% Celtic98% D’deeUtd97% Dfmline97% Hearts97% Hibs98% ICT93% Killie95% M’well92% RFC*35% StJ96% StM96%
Seems other fans got the hump with the newco huns too…
fanadpatriot on 18 April, 2012 at 14:27 said:
Was sickening. Those who still claim Lenny can’t win a ‘big game’ need to examine their consciences a bit closer.
Glad you found a boozer in Madrid though! What did you think of the Vincci?
It’s not as if he had just won a derby and grabbed a Celtic flag and angrily stamped it into the ground at the centre spot, in a very aggressive manner…
… I mean no manager would be as pigheaded would they?
U
Starry Plough
That is magnificent, And a warning to all SPL chairman. HH
The players let Neil down twice at Hampden this season. How they can blow two teams away at their own ground and then not put a performance on for us at hampden is beyond me.
Neil needs to weed out the players who are not strong enough and be backed by the board for the CL campaign. Neil has bought wisely and spent very little. He deserves to be rewarded by getting proper money to be spent and bring in players of genuine quality and experience.
Certain players are not good enough for Celtic and we need to replace them with men who will play in the first team. We have plenty of potential in the ranks lets get some experienced Bhoys in.
LB
Kojo, sir
thanks for your nice comments
very kind of you :)
re the team selection…
i am with you all the way
but you n me both know it aint gonna happen
loads of reasons for that, i suppose
Gary’s goals, Mo’s game-time, Izzy, Pawel etc etc
also, one thing…i’d have Robbie in goal
rather than big Lukasz
gotta get back to work here now in UAE
let’s see what happens
will be fun i expect
would love to see u19s v rfc…
not fussed if we win or lose
in fact, now that it comes to mind, i actually wanted to win the league by a goal difference of 1 solitary goal !
(or even by a corner, throw-in, fair-play award, or whatever)
just so long as it is won, which it is now, of course
not in any way fussed about what the other teams say
thanks again, TC
Stefferano del Bhoyo 14.38.
Vincci66 was ideal ,no faults,location was good,bars,restaurants etc.,Madrid is a nice city to walk about in,though a bit chilly at this time of the year,I didn’t expect that,still the vino and company kept my spirits up.Slan
On leaving Hampden on Sunday my !8 year old nephew stated that Lennie was letting himself and celtic down by going on to the pitch after the final whistle to confront that excuse for a ref.
I told him That in my fifty something opinion that a man had to do what he felt in his heart and soul and every fibre of his being, otherwise he is not his own man, I went on to say that every day you have to look yourself in the face and decide if you are true to yourself or living your life to some one else’s ideals.
For me!!! if I had been one of NL’s backroom guys I would have beat him over to that excuse for a ref nae bother.
H.H. N.L.
Serge on 18 April, 2012 at 14:40 said:
Whether chairmen from certain clubs care about their fans opinion or not is a whole other question.
When you’ve been so long on the gravy train eating succulent lamb it might not be that easy to step off!!
Ask Hugh Keevins..
fanadpatriot
did you manage a visit to Finbars, home of the Madrid Emerald CSC? (Unless they’ve moved and not informed me!)
HH
Starry Plough
We might get a suprise yet. I can’t see them voting in favour against their own fans. Apart from that clown at Dunfermline
When wull the Five Hundred TON Gorilla … Stir?
It his bin .. dozin’.. fur too long.
Time fur it tae Awaken..
Tae pit it in mair Transparent. Language..
“When ..Oh! When!.. Wull the First Tier Tribunal (Tax)
Publish it’s Findings??”
Diz anybuddy,oot There.. Know???
If they dae..
Then… Share the Noos..ye hiv naetin’ tae Lose!
Ah am fed up waiting fur that verdict.. fur ..
That Verdict wull Answer a Whole Loata Questions, regarding
the Future o’ the G.A.
Kojo
Still Laughin’
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on 18 April, 2012 at 12:47 said:
I have no problem with how Lenny reacted on Sunday I was metaphorically on the park myself and in the refs face.
My point is that there must be a better way of achieving the desired results of a more level playing field and offering the manager a reasoned conduit for making his point is one the club should be exploring to protect the manager and the club. Its called pragmatism – what works, what does’nt.
All the weekend highlights is that until the issue of referee performances and ways of improving them are looked at we only await the next unbelievable decision for it all to kick off again.
To stop that happening we need to look beyond the effects and focus on the cause and there is much that can be done to reduce the effects if the causes are looked at.
Probably the biggest source of anger is the refusal of the referee community to accept that in many instances THEY are the cause.
The best way to support Lenny is to campaign to change the attitude of refereeing in Scotland. That is the cause of much of the anger more than any other factor.
Forexample has Norris apologised yet?
What punishment does he get for breaking the rules? If refereeing were a game Norris commtted a serious foul on Sunday but no red card for him.
One idea I would introduce is performance related payments so that fees were withheld or reduced if an observer acting on behalf of the clubs and NOT the SFA did the referee performance report.
Make no mistake the person with the greatest ability to influence performances of referees is the one who decides how much they get paid. That is too much power and influence to place in one person where absolutley no checks and balances exist.
No checks and balonces exist because it has suited certain parties for years to have none. Their defense was “yer paranoid”, How do you think Rangers got into a mess? No checks and balances in governance. Same applies to refereeing.
I think MON stated my view on Sunday, I’m talking about how to prevent other days like that happening again and that is supporting Neil Lennon who I an sure would prefer the referee was competent than railing against their incompetency.
.
Serge on 18 April, 2012 at 14:52 said:
We’ll see, there might be a few folks voting from the real Big Hoose!!
Starry
Traditionalist88@14.49
No didn’t get to Finbars,I was on strict orders that we were celebrating my daughters birthday,so I could watch the game,but no Celtic pub crawl.
It was a struggle to put on a smiley face but I think i managed.Slan
Kojo
Kojak here
hiya palomine.
I wonder if you have any idea why the fine gentleman, The Singing Detective never returns my calls.
Is the sleuth a shy guy?
Kojak
yer pal who thinks ye ur swell as can be.
Right.
Darn Right.
BMCUW – No apologies required & pay no heed to DBBIA’s attempts to spread discord & strife – he’s more to be pitied than scorned.
SannaBhoy,
I’m on route for the Kano gig. Speak with TTT.
Mr Ng is Singapores Craig Whyte.
Hail Hail
SPC