The Daily Record today report the contents of a document drawn up after a meeting between the SFA, the SPL, the SFL and Sevco suggesting “punishments for Rangers for the Employment Benefit Trust tax dodge used by Sir David Murray’s regime to pay players”.
The document details that Rangers would be stripped of titles and trophies ‘won’ by the club while they fielded illegally registered players, described by the Record as “the harshest ever seen in football”.
While Rangers EBTs had been in the news for close to two years, it was Celtic Quick News who first raised the question of Rangers players being illegally registered in an article on 22 February this year. Clubs are required to note all payments players receive in connection to football with both the SFA and SPL as part of the player registration process. Failure to register EBT payments is completely separate to the legality or otherwise of how the EBT was conducted, and until we raised the issue, there was no question over player registration, and no possibility of league titles being stripped.
Two weeks after Celtic Quick News brought the matter to public attention the SPL appointed solicitors Harper MacLeod to investigate the case. The subsequent report concluded Rangers had a case to answer.
There are a number of alarming aspects to today’s Daily Record report (the newspaper appears to have the main story but don’t notice its relevance):
Sevco should not be involved in any discussion around the guilt of Rangers or any subsequent consequences. Fan power in recent weeks had shown that we are not a Banana Republic. Disciplinary issues are subject to establish procedures. Any attempt to meet with a party acting on behalf of Rangers to agree an outcome with both the investigating body and the appeals body, before an independent inquiry takes place, contaminates all who participate.
Scottish football has independent judicial procedures for dealing with serious breaches of rules. Executives from the SFA and SPL have absolutely no authority to set-aside these procedures, nor are they appropriate people to act instead of the independent procedures.
Stripping Rangers of titles and trophies if they are found guilty of cheating is not a punishment; this simply reflects the legitimate winners of past trophies. When an athlete is found to have cheated to win a medal, his punishment is not the withdrawal of the medal, which is an obvious consequence of being caught, he will also face a sporting or financial penalty, often a ban.
There seems to be no end of attempts to subvert sport in Scottish football. There must be no backroom deals, not even if they bring a barrel load of trophies to Celtic, we cannot be bought-off by bling. Independent disciplinary procedures must take place.
Although Rangers failed to register players EBTs, this matter is separate from what the Record calls “punishments for Rangers for the Employment Benefit Trust tax dodge used by Sir David Murray’s regime to pay players”.
If the First Tier Tribunal (remember that?) rules that Rangers broke tax rules the club could yet face football disciplinary procedures for failing to pay social taxes.
Last month we reported that the SFA was set to remove independent judicial oversight from the game as its existence was getting in the way of their plans for ‘Rangers’. Although the Daily Record seem to be oblivious to the fact, they appear to have found documentary evidence that this is the case.
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Kerplunk?
Hit the post
No to bling..
Tap 5
As they [if they? ] perambulate round Div 3 for the foreseeable future they will come across many teams [incl Brechin] who have been dealt with very strictly by the SFA for much less serious and systematic malfeasance.
He logs in, shoots, scores!!
HH
Good morning CHAMPIONS
This retirement lark is brilliant, let’s me stay on CQN all day. Paul67, keep up the great work you’re doing.
Weefra HH
Bin the huns
Its hotting up, we will need to ensure we have fully prepared and planned our statements and actions when the time comes.
SSN………Sevco 2 Airdrie United 0
last night in the first ever Scottish Liquidated Clubs Cup Final.
Jumpers for goal posts CSC
WeefratheTim, I sure will, thanks.
Paul 67
If the hun 9iar was wiped then, the unhappiest time of my life would be exorcised.(I think ?)
Anyway – Magnificent stuff as usual – Oh Ghreat Ohne.
Hail Hail
Break the link – Sevco is not Rangers and has no claim to any of its tainted title sanyway
Paul67
Do you know if Celtic are lobbying other SPL clubs for a vote of no confidence in both Ogilvie + Reagan?
The dismantling of the SFA in its current form is the next step needed for Scottish football to move forward
Is the Scottish government backtracking or just disorganised?
Delay On Marriage Equality
Here is the situation as I see it today.
Sevco Scotland Ltd are currently a property company with a letter allowing them conditional entry to play professional football in an organised league.
Now the condition is that the governing body accepts them as a member. They have 2 ways to get membership. Request transfer of the old membership or get a new one.
They patently do not qualify for a new membership on their own. Any attempt to award them one would result in immediate, and successful, legal action from the likes of Spartans or Linlithgow Rose. Whilst that legal action is proceeding Sevco Scotland Ltd would be unable to play football and therefore unable to get any income. This is a non-starter that would result in the administration of Sevco Scotland pretty rapidly.
Requesting the OldCo’s membership is the same as requesting a continuation of “Rangers” from the SFA. We would have a team in blue, playing at the same stadium, calling themselves the same name with the same trademarked logo’s. If continuation is what is requested sanctions must also continue. If they want an unbroken line (in their minds) they must have precisely that. The issue I see is now that Sevco Scotland have an invitation into the bottom tier of Scottish Football this has taken somewhere in the region of 75% – 80% from the turnover of the previous company, putting their best effort, fair weather turnover below the basic requirement to run their operation. Accepting these sanctions, particularly the transfer embargo, makes an impossible financial situation, well what is worse than impossible?
I fail to see what the SFA were “negotiating” with Sevco about for 5 hours yesterday. Sevco have absolutely no grounds for negotiation as they have absolutely no options. They must roll the dice on being able to survive Division 3 football, which from the numbers a few of us crunched earlier in the week seems utterly impossible, as the only alternative is pull the shutters down now.
The chances of Rangers playing at all next year in my mind are slim. The chances of Rangers ever playing football again grow by the day and unbelievably I would right now put it at evens. Flip a coin stuff. Who would ever have thought this would come to pass?
Whilst we once again look past the spin and lies, crunch the numbers and await our predictions once again being sage like in their accuracy, the Rangers fans are frothing at the mouth regarding stripping titles. Their ability as a group to be manipulated by sleight of hand is breathtaking. They have taken their eye off the ball. These matters are utterly insignificant as the club they love is as close today as it has ever been to being utterly and completely stone dead. Make no mistake Celtic were never this close in 1994.
In fairness to them though I suppose the past is all that matters when you have no future.
Hi Paul,
Keep fighting the good fight. I noticed yesterday that Rhebel Rhebel finally got a response from the SFA to his persistent twittering. That proves that if we shout long and hard enough either by email, twitter or blogs that we can change this corrupt system.
Good luck and keep on trucking!
The football authorities have more leaks than a cullender I certainly agree with Paul 67 newco should not be involved in any talks or decisions on the final punishment for Rangers.What is going on is meant to confuse imo in order to blur the difference between the TWO CLUBS in order that Rangers get the minimum punishment and newco get a helping ( masonic) hand.They are still trying to pull the wool over the eyes of all decent football supporters in Scotland Regan and Doncaster should be sacked.H.H.
Paul67, keep fighting the good fight! Your trojan efforts on our behalf are noted in this particular piece of Dublin.
HH
RogueLeader,
I’ve always been of the view that the only way Sevco should be able to apply is as a new club, and in the same manner as any other new club with no advantages.
The whole transfer of membership thing is a giant fiction to get around the fact that Sevco would not qualify for membership and to make them look lile Rangers. The negotiating sanctions bit is to make it all appear a little more palatable.
Still, if they do take five titles off them we will be going for 13 in a row this season!
RL
Declan was earier to understand….
Paul67
Timely reminder Paul.
MSM have for weeks failed to report the circumstances and the consequences of the
of the tax, and the appellate tribunals reconvening with outstanding business.
Ragers are party to discussions and involved in a process which MSM will not cover in the same manner as they have never covered their ‘troubles’, – they are still at it, and it’s partly why Ragers fans are ignorant of the lead up to the consequences for their old club.
jumpers for goal posts CSC
If Sevco want rfc(il)’s position in the sfa/sfl then Sevco must pay the price/penalty/debt.
If Sevco apply as new members then there should be no punishments or requirements to accept punishments for sins of rfc(il).
Bournes,
I think that the result was ‘feeshuly’ reported as Sevco 2 v 1 Airdire.
The discrepancy is explained by the big argument at the Airdire ‘goal’ as to whether the ball went inside the jersey or over it.
There was a bit of ‘handbags’ apparently and it could all have turned nasty – but it was finally settled in the age old way as to whos Da’ was the biggest mason.
Paul67
For an internet bampot, you sure know how to ask the awkward questions and put the boot into the establishment…
Hail! Hail!
Actually – this ‘behind closed doors’ lark could be the way forward for Sevco.
That way, they could publish the results in advance…
Can we not just have a British Football Association?
Sevco played their first and last game last night…
Paranoia FF style:
“How Peter Lawwell took over Scottish Football
I’ve said it many times before, and recent events have just furthered my belief; Peter Lawwell has been waiting for years to take control of Scottish Football.
Let me take you back to 2009. Celtic had lost their first title in 3 years and Lawwell’s antics of the previous season (O’Donnell, Tour of Japan etc) could not be recreated this time round. Walter Smith’s men overcame the obstacle of his scheming and campaigning. This hurt Celtic big time. That was their first chance to bury us. Had they won the league that year, our demise would have come far earlier. They would have benefited from Champions League money, we would have been crippled and Celtic would be the top togs in Scottish Football for years to come. As it turned out, we won the following two titles as well, bagging some much needed Champions League cash in the process and keeping Celtic from achieving their aim of running the game in Scotland.
This drove Lawwell crazy. He had lost control, matters on the park dictated that Rangers were on top. So his solution? Gain the control by any means possible.
But to do this he needed a vehicle and someone willing to front a campaign to gain this control. They needed a proper rabid that had completely adopted their mindset to be able to initiate this. After Strachan, who would not oversee something like this, they thought it was enough to bring in someone ‘Celtic minded’ but no doubt Tony Mowbray was simply not rabid enough to buy into Lawwell’s ways.
So next time round they would not make the same mistake. They needed a serious Celtic figure to represent them. Someone who represents their club better than anyone; a paranoid, catholic, IRA supporter, bigot, and every other trait you associate with that club. Of course there was only one man for the job. Step forward Mr Lennon.
With Lennon at helm their campaign quickly took full force. It started with Intimidation. This campaign was Lawwell’s first mission delivered to Lennon, and Lennon succeeded. Evidence of this fact was vast. Initially, there was the referees strike. That’s unprecedented in world football, referees striking due to the actions of one man. It was clear this was no ordinary campaign. Celtic meant business. Suddenly, they were getting every decision. Referees were scared into punishing other teams whilst letting Celtic notch up the record number of penalties in one season for a British club.
Another obvious recent example was the treatement of Sone Aluko who was retrospectively banned for two matches for simulation, whilst Gary Hooper was let off for a blatant elbow to the face of an opponent. It seemed retrospective punishment was only available to Rangers players.
Intimidation also came in the form of the Green Brigade. Given Celtic’s media comments, you’d be forgiven for thinking Celtic could be somewhat opposed to the Green Brigade and the shame they bring upon the club. Make no mistake about it, this is not the case. These fans are given prioritized seating at Celtic Park. Their views represent the views of Celtic Football Club, Neil Lennon and Peter Lawwell perfectly well. That’s what they are there to do. They are the ‘rogues’ in the support who will take the bullet whenever a certain Lawwell view is heavily criticized, but for the main part they are plants by Lawwell to represent what he thinks. They do a lot of his dirty work.
Not content with only dictating matters on the park in the form of referees decisions and punishments, Lawwell’s next target was the European money that his club had been starved of for so long. To get a clear shot at this, he needed Rangers to be crippled, a goal he had back in 2009. Our own financial situation aided him in this case, but he did his best to ensure we stay down.
Not content with us missing three years of European football, he demanded an illegal transfer embargo. Yet again, this was unprecedented, completely unheard of and not written in the rules. But yet again, he was succesful, and he was one stop closer to ensuring we stay down for as long as possible.
But still, Lawwell was not content. he demanded our relegation. Make no mistake about it, he was the puppet master behind the SPL vote. He planted the seeds and sat back and watched Scottish Football grow into a monster who would tear into Rangers, ensuring we won’t play top flight football next year. But not only that, he didn’t want Rangers suddenly springing back to life and upsetting his monopoly in the next year or so. So what did he demand next? The bottom tier of Scottish Football. Now he’s achieved this, his final mission is a spiteful one, not money driven, just purely born out of hatred for our football club. That mission is the removal of previously won league titles, and that final campaign is now underway. With the way things have turned out up until this point, you have to assume Lawwell will get his way. Because after all, we now know that Celtic run Scottish Football.
The lunatics have truly taken over the asylum.”
From the DR
‘The document also contains an ultra-strict confidentiality agreement. It states: “Neither RFC nor Sevco may make any disclosure to a third party, press release or public announcement whatsoever about, concerning or relating to this agreement … except with the express prior written consent of each of the SFA, the SPL and the SFL.”’
Who leaked the document that now makes it almost inevitable that Cee Lo will have to ponce the assets?
Foooooooooooooooooollow the muuuuney!
Monaghan1900
lol!
Nothing to do with Sir Minty and Craig Whyte then, it is all Neil Lennon’s fault. Did nacho novo write that article?
Hi Paul,
Great piece again, this “backroom deal” has all the hallmarks of the Gers cabal that have from day one being trying to minimise sanctions on RFC even if it means subverting the whole of Scottish Football.
Thanks to campaigners like your good self and the integrity of Scottish Football in general they have mostly failed – although they have caused huge credibility damage in the meantime.
Now the last throw of the dice to keep RFC alive, they negotiate the minimum sanctions, let Mr Green take the hit, then leveraging the Season Ticket revenue the real R@ngers men regain control, a few rough years then it’s business as usual
You are correct the established procedures should be followed and punishment must be applied without fear or favour.
the spl are due to rule on the 2 contract investigation by the10th august
charlie has10 days to get eveything in place
sevco to play their first game on the 28 th july
and RFC(ia) are to be liquidated on the 31july
either way a couple of carlsberg fridays could be on the cards
hope the 3 stooges have been told to get their act together and if not, have been warned of the outcome if they do not.
jam67
Neil Lennon has an official website, with a blog
neillennon.com
play
A clever man that Perter Lawwell to manage to see off the huns im glad hes on our side lol.H.H.
Hi Paul any truth in what Neil Said in Press this week about having no money to spend ,and if true do you think it’s risky going into Europe with our central half pairing and only one 1st pick goal scorer
I understand Season tickets are up and we are virtually garanteed CL qualifiers over next few years
ST
Monaghan1900 on 18 July, 2012 at 11:07 said:
Paranoia FF style:
——————————————————————————
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTmXHvGZiSY
Ye’ve been rumbled Pete!!
MONAGHAN 1900 1107
Blinkin’ flip.
The secret’s out.
Thankfully the plot was so unbelievable that no-one will believe it,so we should be OK.