No complaints yet with Uefa over Ashley multi-ownership

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Press stories yesterday that Newcastle United and newco Rangers would not be able to play in Uefa competitions in the same season have caused Mike Ashley considerable angst.  While it would appear few things are untenable for Ashley, having one of his clubs bow out of Europe to allow the other to compete is beyond what even he believes to be acceptable.

Newcastle issued a statement early today challenging the reports, which initially appeared in the Daily Telegraph, a newspaper Newcastle have banned from their premises.  The Telegraph reported that Uefa confirmed newco Rangers and Newcastle would be prevented from competing in Europe in the same season due to Article 3 of their competition regulations, which relate to multi-ownership.

I contacted Uefa this morning, who confirmed that the report in the Telegraph is incorrect; Uefa have made no such ruling.  However, this is because they have received no complaint and no investigation has taken place.  Uefa do not trawl looking for administrative breaches and will not investigate such matters unless asked to do so.  This issue, it appears, has not gone beyond the Uefa Media Office, and will only be passed to Compliance if a complaint is made.

I reckon Ashley will be comfortable dealing with the SFA, who he can delay and confuse until after newco’s next funding round, which will take place before Christmas, but he doesn’t want Uefa, or the FA in England, on his case, as either could jeopardise plans.

It’s incredible that months after Ashley bought into newco no one has complained to the one body who have the power to dissuade him.

The scenes outside Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday were predictable.  Craig Whyte stands accused by the court of public opinion of liquidating Rangers Football Club.  I know some of the bile directed towards him went well beyond what is acceptable, but you can’t liquidate a football club and not expect some push-back at the fringes.

The court of public opinion, isn’t making sense, though.  Rangers fans are angry at Craig Whyte, who, apparently, played hardball with the evil HMRC, then was cheated out of his rightful place in the Premier League by a combination of the SFA, the SPL, Celtic, the BBC and bigotry.

If it wasn’t for these dark forces, Craig would have used the [cough]perfectly legitimate business tactic of liquidation, to carry the same club through the crippling debt Sir David Murray had lumbered it with and back to its rightful place in Scottish football.

So if it’s all someone else’s fault, why are they so angry at Craig?  Genuine question.  He either released the club from Murray’s excesses, and was victimised, or he brazenly killed the club and tried to flog them a newco as though nothing had changed.

The only reason I can think they are angry at Craig is because our old pal Cognitive Dissonance is gnawing away in the background.  Whyte’s plan was to liquidate Rangers, present the SPL and SFA with a fait accompli midseason, and have the newco pick up the vacant league position the following week.

This was a horrible plan.  Rangers fans’ ‘No to liquidation’ campaign was correct.  Everyone else’s opposition to this aberration was also correct.

The fait accompli didn’t work.  The rest of Scottish football chose to step off the cliff into the unknown, although many Rangers fans quickly adopted Whyte’s – liquidation means nothing – logic, however they couldn’t bring themselves to accept the man himself.

The 2015 CQN Annual is churning through the system and will be ready to ship week commencing 8 December.  You can order yours here today.

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  1. mike in toronto

     

     

    happy birthday mate :-)

     

    hh

     

    ============

     

    Corkcelt.

     

     

    sounds like you had a busy few days.good meeting you mhate :-)

     

    hh

     

     

    hail hail one and all.

     

     

    SpanielneedinwalkedCsc

  2. Weefra

     

     

    Self imposed nae bevvy in the house till Christmas. At least.

     

     

    I’m rasping furra beer soamur!

     

     

    :-(**** yes I am drooling!

     

     

    HH jamesgang

  3. acgr

     

     

    I hope your not trying to get me roped into a hootenanny. (Hopefully). Hahaha. See ya wed young yin. :-)))

     

     

    Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.

  4. bigshuggy

     

     

    21:24 on 29 November, 2014

     

     

    McGinn and Hayes hahaha no bother mate, wouldn’t get on our bench HH

  5. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Hoi Doc, I canny believe you made that wee lassie put that picture up herself. Shame on you.

     

     

    Good to see you and miss doc the other night. Even better that she had chips wi her.

     

     

    I’ll drop you and the drammers another mail re the cask. I got some more info yesterday.

     

     

     

    HH

  6. Would anyone dispute that we play a more open ‘toe to toe’ style of play under Ronnie than we did under Lenny and WGS?

     

     

    Now, at present, our players do not have the belief (and possibly the skill) to take on teams like Red Bull.

     

     

    However, if the choice is to return to the previous conservative style or charge headlong into a more adventurous approach then I am all for it.

  7. doc

     

     

    I think every dwarf is taller than me, so stoap boasting. :-))

     

     

    Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.

  8. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Weefra, whit did I say to you last night. Prepare to be boarded:-)

     

     

    If you canny come to the hootenanny then the hootenanny will need to come to you. Get a big top cos it’s like a circus.

  9. An Tearmann, likewise.

     

    DD, of course he is.

     

    ACGR, cheers, would like a contrast to our current cask, was there an Island Maly on the list?

  10. jamesgang

     

     

    Good on you. The new drink driving limits come out next week, and I thank God I am retired and don’t have to drive am. So maybe not a bad thing with a guy in your position. :-)) KTF kiddo. :-)

     

     

    Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.

  11. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    DD, no bother. I’ll get it at the next home game. Wont be hanging about after the game, I’m all glasgow’d out. Three nights in the last week battering the swally like there was no tomorrow has taken it’s toll.

  12. acgr

     

     

    I widnae put anything past you. Roll on wednesday till we meet up again. Class. :-)))

     

     

    Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.

  13. Gene's a Bhoy's name on

    Doc

     

     

    When asked “who made love to snow white” doc said it was me but dopey put me up to it

  14. doc

     

     

    Stoap agreeing wi me ya rassa. Hahahaha. See you wed doc wi yer wee lassie. KTF.

     

     

    Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.

  15. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Doc, no, they’re all highland and speyside. Check the mail I sent you 25th Nov.

     

     

    She’s some girl if she can stick a screw in a wall to hang a picture. I wouldny trust my missus to do that. No siree, I wouldn’t.

  16. CorkCelt, Canamalar is from Ayr is he?

     

     

    :-)

     

     

    WeeFra, stop telling truths and I’ll stop agreeing with you, shortie:-)

  17. Gene's a Bhoy's name on

    Son in law taking me for a round of golf in the morning – not played for 18 months – as bashful said hope i remember what end of the stick to hold

     

     

    Be back in time to see the bhoys

     

     

    night all

  18. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Corkcelt, very pleased to meet you on Thursday and see whit a sensible CQN’r looks like.

     

     

    You should meet Mike in Toronto. Well you can meet him where you like. Ach ye know whit I mean.

     

     

    I hope your trip home went as well as could be expected.

     

     

     

    HH bruv

  19. doc

     

     

    PMSL there. Hahahaha. Cannie wait to see you on wed when I bring my 7’7″ world champion heavyweight boxing champion bro. :-)))) See ya kiddo. :-))

     

     

    Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.

  20. ACGR, Felt a bit over awed stuck between yourself and Angel Gabriel, ye’re combined handicaps being less than mine. Enjoyed the meeting, great to meet fellow Celts at any time. HH.

  21. gordybhoy

     

     

    If your over 5’6″ tall, shut TF up. Hahahaha How you doing kiddo? Hope you are well.

     

     

    Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.

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