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. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Speaking to ESPN, Rangers manager Ally McCoist said: “I didn’t know anything about it until I came in after the game.

     

    “Our supporters have been nothing short of sensational home and away this season. If they were a little bit out of order today, I apologise.”

     

     

     

    So he has heard all the singing all season to know they have been “sensational”. But he HASN’T heard anything today? Strange……….

  2. Alasdair MacLean on

    No Movement 1 Celtic 27 41 59

     

    Moving up 2 Inverness CT 27 7 41

     

    Moving down 3 Motherwell 27 5 40

     

    Moving up 4 St Johnstone 28 1 40

     

    Moving up 5 Ross County 27 1 38

     

    No Movement 6 Kilmarnock 28 6 37

     

    Moving down 7 Hibernian 27 0 37

     

    Moving down 8 Aberdeen 28 -2 37

     

    Moving down 9 Dundee Utd 27 -5 36

     

    No Movement 10 Hearts 27 -10 30

     

    No Movement 11 St Mirren 27 -12 29

     

    No Movement 12 Dundee 26 -32

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

    Shupper Shally’s shpeech impediment hash kept me entertained for yonksh.

     

     

    I can picture him doing a passing imitation of Homer but instead of beer it’s…..

     

     

    Mmmm. Shteak Bakesh!

  4. Craigan unable to read the producers writing whilst summarising on shortbread. He could take over from Storm reading the travel news.

  5. Sevco create a new world record by going by going a straight 30 weeks without condemning sectarian singing.

  6. Been out for most of the day and not long back to discover that ‘Scotland’s shame’ lived up to their name today – and then some more.

     

     

    Expect shortbread and snyde to denounce what happened today in the strongest possible terms! As well as the rest of the msm.

     

     

    So ESPN issued an apology to their viewers at ht and said they were informing the polis – were no polis on duty today? Was Tommy McCrindle there?

     

     

    How many hun games have ESPN covered this season? First time I have heard of them doing this.

     

     

    Expect R C Ogilvie, Longmuir and Ballantyne to hand out heavy sanctions.

     

     

    Any statement from the Scottish Executive yet? Christine Grahame said anything?

     

     

    Bummer Brown appointed interim manager of Dundee?! Somebody havin’ a laugh surely?! Hope it’s true ‘tho! Bound to get a warm welcome tomorrow!

     

     

    Got stuck in a snowdrift today – but that’s another story!

     

     

    HH!!

  7. Gene's a Bhoys name on

    I find it difficult to understand how any RC can play for them. How can you give your best to a support that continiually abuses your faith. If it was anti muslim chanting then the full force of the law would be brought to bear.

  8. Ally McCoist statement..no words needed

     

     

    ““We also have to the Rangers thing and that’s the correct thing. We have to show the class the club has had for well over 140 years once again.”

  9. notthebus

     

    17:09 on

     

    23 February, 2013

     

     

    The Rangers thing? You mean, general bigotry Ally?

     

     

    He really is a horrible little man.

  10. With Bummer now the manager of Dundee the stakes for tomorrows game have just been raised big time, we absolutely have to pummel them now, c’mon Neil, strongest team possible please.

  11. Gene,

     

     

    I disagree. Irrespective of my religion I could not play for them.

     

     

    To play for a club who’s supports mantra is based on hatred of others, who’s songbook is 90% songs of hate and 10% songs about the club they support ( I am being generous there ), sorry not for me, irrespective of my religion or no religion at all.

     

     

    Hail! Hail!

  12. tallybhoy @ 17:06

     

     

    “Expect R C Ogilvie, Longmuir and Ballantyne to hand out heavy sanctions”

     

     

    Aye, ESPN will be banned from broadcasting SFL matches.

  13. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Anyone know when the outcome of the investigation into sectarian singing at the Kilmarnock game over a year ago is known?

  14. DJBEE

     

    Your right mate, there is loads on the net de-bunking the myth of climate change, so apologies from me. I had a wee look, the most lauded de-bunker has a most excellent book called ‘Energy Wars’ where he conclusively puts the idea to bed. He has another best seller called ‘Resurrecting Republican Capatilism’ so that might be a concern?

     

    Or you have the high profile ‘Friends of Science’ getting the message out that carbon is actually good seems to be their best asset. Being scientists is not too important to them, getting funded by big oil and gas companies does give you that luxury though.

     

    And of course I kept seeing Dr. Timothy Ball’s name popping up, the Doctor of Climateology is actually defending a law suit of some kind. Seems he actually has a degree in history.

     

    So it looks like climate change is only a myth because it affects capitalism. Which is fine, we just need to earn enough to buy another planet :)

  15. 6 wins will see us champions once again after today’s results.

     

     

    And that is if ICT win every single one of their remaining games.

     

     

    They have DU at home on Wednesday followed by Ross County away next Saturday.

  16. parkheadcumsalford

     

     

    17:14 on 23 February, 2013

     

    Gene’s a boy’s name,

     

     

    If their repetoire was anti-muslim, Ibrox probably would have been closed down already (if not burnt).

     

     

     

     

    Was in Tisos in Buchanan street yesterday and two Muslim ladies were over in the rucksack section of the shop.

     

     

    One of them took a rucksack off the rack and put it on and looking in the mirror asked the other,

     

     

    ” does my bomb look big in this? ”

     

     

    Aff oot. ( copyright KevJ )

  17. Parkheadcumsalford

     

    17:14 on

     

    ‘…. Ibrox probably would have been closed down already (if not burnt).’

     

     

    ========

     

    I thought asbestos was fire retardant.

  18. iki

     

     

    17:18 on

     

    23 February, 2013

     

    Parkheadcumsalford

     

    17:14 on

     

    ‘…. Ibrox probably would have been closed down already (if not burnt).’

     

     

    ========

     

    I thought asbestos was fire retardant.

     

     

     

     

    Funny I thought sh** didn’t burn?

  19. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    tallybhoy

     

     

    17:06 on

     

    23 February, 2013

     

     

    Very good point about the sanctions expected from the SFA……….should be VERY interesting

  20. estorilbhoy

     

    Just came home to this :))

     

    Sent:

     

    23 February 2013 16:10:04

     

    ——————

     

    Re: Sectarian singing from fans of The ra****s football club.

     

    Dear *******,

     

     

    Thank you for your e-mail.

     

     

    We appreciate you taking the time to write and share your thoughts with us. We have shared your comments with the appropriate personnel for their review and consideration.

     

     

    Sincerely,

     

     

    Kaitlin

     

    ESPN Viewer Response

  21. monteblanco

     

     

    How did you know I was on here?

     

     

    It’s interesting isn’t it, the more you read the clearer it becomes, enjoyed the wee debate last night.

     

     

    HH

  22. I’m confused

     

     

    They sang that crap at the cup final against us and it was ‘a great advert for Scottish football.’

     

     

    They do it at Berwck and it’s a disgrace

     

     

     

    You would think they were trying to trick us into a false sense of security, that it’s all in hand and TFOD aren’t like that anymore. LNS This is how they are ALL THE TIME!!

  23. DJBEE

     

     

    I have an app!

     

    Nah, just thought I would post now, hope you never saw it and avoid a debate clogging up the blog :))

     

     

    p.s. am right and you urny!

  24. Green Lantern (((((0))))) on

    Dundee fans in open revolt at the prospect of Ra Bummer taking over.

     

     

    There is talk of having an EGM tonigtht.

  25. Bhoys – it’s just a bit of character-could we not get distracted from the real threat to Scottish football and society – GB banners