Nimmo Smith’s Black Cap

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I see a bit of debate on the blog this morning on Lord Nimmo Smith’s SPL Commission, which has retired to prepare its report.  In March last year former Rangers owner, Sir David Murray, insisted no Rangers players had “side contracts”, inferring there was no case to answer.  This line has not been peddled since.  Instead, various excuses are offered in mitigation.

BBC’s award winning The Men Who Sold the Jerseys documentary established that a large number of players received money in connection with playing football which was not recorded with the SPL and SFA.  Even Rangers counsel at the First Tier Tribunal conceded tax should have been paid on five of these players.

The real issue for Nimmo Smith is how to impose an appropriate punishment for illegal registration on this scale, which is consistent with punishments recently handed out to Spartans, Dunfermline and others, all of whom were kicked out of competitions, and fined up to a quarter of their annual income, for offences relating to single games.

For a couple of years now we have discussed the toxicity of matters surrounding the Rangers group of clubs.  Actions carried out during the Murray and Whyte eras put Rangers into liquidation with vast governance issues plaguing the game and the new club which inherited their player registrations.

On the assumption the SPL Commission concludes Rangers were guilty of fielding illegally registered players in hundreds of games, what would an appropriate punishment be?  Forget about stripping titles, or reclaiming prize money, both of which are merely consequences of the facts being established, not punishments.

I have total confidence Nimmo Smith will submit a report beyond reproach on whether Rangers broke the rules, but would he send for a Black Cap before handing out a sentence?  I’m not so sure.  Spartans and the rest might feel their 25% annual income fine for a single-match offence might become an embarrassment to some of the game’s administrators.

“Without fear or favour” was what we were promised last year.  Let’s see.
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1,213 Comments

  1. Brilliant comment from Tom English on Sportsound.

     

     

    “Appointing John Brown to Dundee interim manager rivals the ridiculous appointment of Mike Bassett to the post of England manager – and that was a film”

     

     

    Hail hail

     

     

    Estadio

  2. lucky cody

     

     

    Don’t want to get into an argument with you – but can assure you he let his guard down when would up by some humorous Tims enjoying the sevco situation.

  3. Green Lantern (((((0))))) on

    Now that Ra Bummer has taken over at the northern huns, I wonder if there will be a run on ra pies at Celtic Park tomorrow?

  4. I do not believe that this has ever been said on CQN before but just this once let me say….. ‘Well done ESPN’.

  5. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    A few more tickets will now be sold for the Dundee game….

  6. .

     

     

    gene’s a bhoys name

     

     

    14:11 on 23 February, 2013

     

    Can see the msm headlines

     

    OF team in sectarian singing claim..

     

     

    ..

     

     

    The Singing and Apology was Pre-Planned..

     

     

    From what I have Heard this is Better than ‘Operation Tango’..

     

     

    Summa

  7. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    iki

     

     

    14:31 on 23 February, 2013

     

    I do not believe that this has ever been said on CQN before but just this once let me say….. ‘Well done ESPN’.

     

     

    agree……..

  8. Tim Malone Will Tell on

    Ironically, the Sevco saga could mirror the plot of the aptly named Lost’ – where they actually discover that they are all already deid at the end…

  9. SSB tonight will have someone insisting that Sevco have shown the way when dealing with inappropriate singing and that others should learn from the example set today.

     

     

    In fact, the caller will demand that Celtic issue a statement before the game because we all know what they are like.

  10. Maybe the action taken by ESPN is an act of self preservation,as they are now seeing the drop in their subscriptions to their channel.Keep cancelling and more action will be taken.

  11. The FA are saying that Paul Elliot’s resignation comes after “a conversation in which discriminatory abusive comments were made to Richard Rufus.”

     

     

    All seems strange given Paul’s long campaigning against racism.

  12. One of the most embarrassing things about the Sevco Choir Boys is that they really don’t see their actions as embarrassing. They are actually proud of what they do.

     

    They see it as their duty. Their “No Surrender” policy actually goes beyond the club.

     

    If Sevco insisted that they stop singing their “little ditties”, they would attack the club representatives as abandoning the clubs traditions etc….

     

     

    That is the depths of their bigotry. Their hatred of Catholics goes much deeper than their love for the club.

  13. Kucky Cody

     

    Would that friend of Ian Mc Coll ( the Tim ), happen to come from Kirkie,jist asken like.

     

    Awerabest PJ

  14. Nortumberland polis say two in custody, video evidence being booked at and says sectarian chanting not an issue in England.

  15. Goodness me have they all had their ears cleaned out today and actually heard what we can hear every week with them.

     

     

    New club same bigoted fans. I wonder if Chuckles will claim a world record for the most bigoted fans.

  16. •-:¦:-•** -:¦:- sparkleghirl :¦:-.•**• -:¦:-• on

    “sectarian chanting not an issue in England.”

     

     

    What does this mean? Does it mean they don’t have this problem in England or does it mean they don’t consider it a problem?

  17. And I have a sneeky feeling this is covered by the scottish legislation because its a scottish match…

  18. Valentine's Day on

    Inappropriate singing…………wait for the backlash.

     

     

     

    The GB better watch themselves the morra!!!!!!!

  19. now we shall hear the “soup takers” in the MSM , choking on their words as they try to ignore this. It`s not as if it only happened today, Annan , Montrose, Peterhead have all been shown how the Orcs make friends amongst the SFL fans.