News that Harry Redknapp and Milan Mandaric, former manager and owner of Portsmouth FC respectively, will face trial in January over allegations they attempted to defraud HM Revenue and Customs will cast a long shadow within the football business in what is shaping up to be a landmark year for the game’s relationship with tax authorities.
Unlike Rangers on-going HMRC case, which is a mere tribunal that will decide if a liability demand is valid, Radknapp and Mandaric face criminal charges. Redknapp is one of England’s most popular sporting figures but no more so than former jockey, Lester Piggott, who received a three year jail sentence for tax evasion in 1987.
High profile wins, at Crown Court or a First Tier Tribunal, are likely to bring in more undeclared tax than a bus load of cartoon characters in bowler hats.
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The Police being used to aid a governments failing bill….
Yeah, that hasn’t happened before.
Why are we surprised?
Although to be honest I hope this means the GB knock PMFA on the head.
For the one and only reason that it is a rubbish song.
Are UEFA hearings conducted in English?
So it is the “Paddy” (better not repeat it less I get arrested ) chant they dont like.
They must be having a laff??
Illicit, according to Google:
“The UK’s Largest Married Dating Site. A discreet and confidential extra marital affairs dating service for women and men… Join Free Now!”
Gosh.
“an incident of an unsporting nature”.
This is getting surreal. Anyone remember the Not The Nine O’clock News sketch with a policeman making up bizarre reasons to arrest a black guy?
Speculation that it’s the word Fenian which has upset plod has called this to mind, I don’t know why
The Late John McGuffin
The obituary cliche that “He didn’t suffer fools gladly” was never more apt than for John McGuffin, which occasionally presented him with problems of an inter-personal nature, since McGuffin tended to regard a remarkably wide section of the earth’s population as fools. Anybody who voted in an election (“It’s wrong to choose your masters!”). All who had ever darkened the door of a church after reaching the age of reason. People opposed to cannabis. And that was just for starters.
One day in the late 1960s, when we thought we’d heard the chimes of freedom flashing, I drove to Dublin with McGuffin and the American anarchist Jerry Rubin. A mile or so out of Newry, McGuffin explained to the fabled member of the Chicago Seven that the town we were approaching was in the grip of revolution. The risen people had turned en masse to anarchism. We’d better barrel on through. If we stopped for a moment the fevered proletariat would surely engulf us…
Down were in the All-Ireland final that weekend. Every house, lamppost and telegraph pole was festooned with red-and-black flags. Rubin was agog, at risk of levitation when we passed under banners strung across the streets, reading, “Up Down!”
“These people really got the revolutionary ethic”, enthused the ecstatic Rubin.
“As much as yourself, comrade”, allowed the gracious McGuffin.
He turned up on the Burntollet march with an anarchist banner but couldn’t persuade anybody to carry the other pole. He marched all the way with the furled standard sloped on his shoulder, managing to convey that this was sure evidence of his singular revolutionary rectitude, the easy-oozy reformism of the rest of us.
McGuffin was interned in August 1971, as far as I know the only Protestant lifted in the initial swoop. He wrote a fine book on internment afterwards, “The Guineapigs”. He was later to publish “In Praise of Poteen”, “The Hairs of the Dog” and, recently, “Last Orders, Please!”. He was a gifted, utterly undisciplined writer, eschewing the pedantries of structure and all strictures of taste. Various newspapers agreed to give him regular space, but it never lasted. Editors physically winced at his ferocious philippics. He said to me of this column a few months back, “If it’s any good, why havn’t they sacked you?”
For a time, An Phoblacht published his scabrously brilliant “Brigadier” column. Frequently, the Provos wouldn’t print it because they thought their readers would find it offensive. They weren’t bad judges.
I first became aware of McGuffin within a week of arriving at Queen’s as a wide-eyed innocent from the Bogside. He erupted into a debate addressed by Sam Thompson, the former shipyard worker whose play, “Over The Bridge”, had convulsed the Unionist establishment with rage. Thompson was the hero of the hour for Northern liberals. But not for McGuffin. The only achievement of “Over The Bridge”, he raged, had been to enable a section of the useless middle class to feel good about themselves for having a night out at the theatre. “Meanwhile, Basil Brook is roaming the streets…”
He took off for California in the early ’80s, where he practiced as a lawyer for 15 years, advertising his services under the slogan, “Sean McGuffin, Attorney at Law, Irish-friendly – No crime too big, no crime too small”. He only did defences and preferred getting people off who he reckoned were guilty because that way it was more fun.
He was my friend for 40 years. The announcement of his end told that he died peacefully on the morning of April 28th after a long illness, and that two days before turning sideways to the sun had married his long-term collaborator, comrade and partner Christiane.
He was laid out in his coffin with a smile of final satisfaction on a face sculpted like a chieftain of old, in a black t-shirt with square red lettering, “Unrepentant Fenian Bastard”.
Way to go, McGuffin.
Eamonn McCann
(Belfast Telegraph)
A very good morning from a bright but crisp Southpark village. Mrs G taking me to Ikea, Braehead and Silverburn making the most of the fact we have the car. Loads of nice things happening on this trip and I am enjoying a real feel good time.
Estadio – brilliantly funny mate, even when sober :-))
KevJungle says – “We don’t care what the animals say…” says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:50
Yes. That’s why I’m suggesting to Cults that HMRC based topics are totally valid on here (without reminding him that it’s Paul67’s blog and he can write what he likes. Ooops).
Do I think that some articles about the board are needed to ‘balance’ things up? Not really. I’m fairly clear that the board plan is ‘spend what you earn’. I think it might be implemented better in terms of the markets we seek players from but I think Paul’s written about this in the past.
The Battered Bunnet
Do you have the link for that.
GORBALSTAM 0925
Well sais,bud.
It’s not our songs they find offensive-it’s US!
Some people need to think about that.
Just read that Eddie Smith is the culprit.
So much for my, “beautiful irony” theory!
I remember being caught in the, Janefield Street ‘riot’ in 1985 after a home midweek draw with the huns and, it was quite scary!
The police might engineer something similar in the near future, under pressure from those who would have anyone who is daft enough believe that, we are as bad as the huns ?
What part of ‘There’s only one john Wilson’ is sporting?
Is “P—y M-C—ts fenian army” an IRA chant?
One of my former colleagues moved out to KL to work. Posts on Facebook 30 mins ago “Just got my first Non UK payslip today. You’ve got to love not paying British Tax :)”.
With him being a hun, my comment was of course “Just like your team then . . . . . . . .”
Had to be done!
Lurcy
Looking forward to the reaction from Celtic to see precisely where we stand in relation to the ‘new charge’ whilst the Scottish Media will run amok with anti Celtic fuelled accusations, and innuendo about this horrendous alleged crime which has gotten worse by the minute, since The Sun printed.
This spurious report is of course timed to coincide with the SNP’s masterminded new legislation designed to drag Celtic, and our supporters down to the level of the common Ragers bigot, a problem a century old, and seemingly unchallengable, unless of course now you can bring a Taig to court, on a trumped up charge, just to even things up.
There is of course offensive singing every week at nearly every ground in Britain (some much more so than others) we’ll see how busy UEFA are, and how this report is developed, it reminds me of the recent Scottish Media campaign which almost single handedly sponsored Sion’s attempted reinstatement to the Europa Cup.
Much ado about nothing, let the malevolent media fill their vacant pages, from their poisoned minds.
We are squeaky clean with world wide status, and they hate us for it.
Paul67 et al
According to Radio 5 Celtic have been reported to UEFA, by Strathclyde Police for, alternatively, “offensive” or “illicit” singing on the night of our victory against Rennes on November 3. Apparently this relates to “pro IRA” chanting and will be addressed by UEFA on December 8 2011. Now, the term “illicit” suggests, to me at least, that something illegal has taken place, and yet I have not read of anyone being specifically charged by Strathclyde Police of such an offence. Could it be that Glasgow’s finest are a whole lot more familiar with UEFA’s statutes than it is with those in Scotland? It certainly seems that way.
Morning, disappointed in further negative reporting of our club and fans. I think I am a reasonable person who knows the difference between offensive and not. Having been at the game I cannot re-call any songs or chants that could be classed as offensive. If the police have decided what is or is not offensive then surely it would help everyone at the game if they could hand out a list of songs they deem offensive and their reasons why. Then we can all have a proper debate, this constant circle of one side calling a song offensive based on their prejudices is going nowhere.
On the police reporting to UEFA but NOT Celtic this is a strange one and looks politically motivated to provide support for the offensive behaviour bill that only the SNP and police are in favour off. If it was Eddie Smith ex-ref and man with Celtic leanings who reported this issue then it is even stranger, something not quite right with this. The board at Celtic better stand up for Celtic and draw a line in the sand, this is looking like a set-up.
Lennon n Mjallby
Unfortunatly scotland has thousands of John Wilsons
South of Tunis 9.38
Hear Hear!
Hail Hail!
It was inevitable that Celtic would be reported for singing. I suspect that Eddie Smith was actinbg on behalf of someone else and as match commander he speaks for his team on the evening in question. It could have been any copper in his ranks.
If it was Eddie Smith however I think we need to have him as match commander for the Glasgow derby on the 28th December.
I think he may have a few complaints to the SFA that day from the Celtic supporters about offensive, rascist and sectarian singing and chanting from the away section.
LB
Eddie Smith has obviously been chosen because of his background ,to bring the complaint.
No let-up in HMRC football pursuits
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News that Harry Redknapp and Milan Mandaric, former manager and owner of Portsmouth FC respectively, will face trial in January over allegations they attempted to defraud HM Revenue and Customs will cast a long shadow within the football business in what is shaping up to be a landmark year for the game’s relationship with tax authorities.
Unlike Rangers on-going HMRC case, which is a mere tribunal that will decide if a liability demand is valid, Radknapp and Mandaric face criminal charges. Redknapp is one of England’s most popular sporting figures but no more so than former jockey, Lester Piggott, who received a three year jail sentence for tax evasion in 1987.
High profile wins, at Crown Court or a First Tier Tribunal, are likely to bring in more undeclared tax than a bus load of cartoon characters in bowler hats.
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KevJungle says – “We don’t care what the animals say…” says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:36
Eddie Smith is still being worked from the back by Dallas! IMO!
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South Of Tunis says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:38
Kojo @ 23 .59
Patrick J Buchanan ? .
Note your praise of ” The Palaeo- Conservative ” –
As a bit of balance ——
He is a Racist.
He is a White Supremacist.
He is an Anti — Semite.
He does that Holocaust Denial thing .
He is a proto — fascist.
No thanks !
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Estadio says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:38
Anthony Armstrong on HIGNFY on the day that Gadaffi was summarily executed
“This is the the third time I have hosted HIGNFY. On the first occasion they captured Saddam Hussain; the second…they shot Osama Bin Laden, and stone me on the third, yep you’ve got it, Westlife broke up’.
Well TBB and Paddy G thought it was funny as well (after a gadzillion pints on Saturday).
Hail Hail
Estadio
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ernie lynch says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:39
KevJungle says – “We don’t care what the animals say…” says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:36
You wouldn’t rule out that possibility.
I wish I could be more confident in the board’s determination to face down the charges.
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CultsBhoy hates being 2nd says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:40
Not been posting lately..getting increasingly weary of HMRC leaders on CQN..is that really all we have to build our season around.
I really think more discussion on why we are 12 points behind a bunch of bankrupted diddies would be more interesting.
HMRC might not be a smokescreen but it is a convenient distraction for some.
LAWWELL MUST GO!
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Westim. says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:41
Iki @ 09:23
The second paragraph of this bbc report for starters http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15706740.stm
I agree there’s something fishy about the way these allegations have come about (why didn’t we hear about an investigation the day after the game?) but I don’t believe that every news agency is out to get us!
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weeminger says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:46
CultsBhoy hates being 2nd says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:40
Do you accept that the outcome of that tax case has a bearing on the future of Celtic?
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KevJungle says – “We don’t care what the animals say…” says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:46
CultsBhoy hates being 2nd says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:40
…………………………………………………………………..
Hear, Hear!
But, I think we should be aiming our arrows at the guy who planted Lawwell in to do what, he has done!
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bamboo says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:48
Westim
Which part of the media do you think gives Celtic a fair crack of the whip?
I cant see them anywhere .
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KevJungle says – “We don’t care what the animals say…” says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:50
weeminger says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:46
Would you accept that, the non-payment of tax helped the huns to, supersede us in the trophy-haul ?
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Steinreignedsupreme says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:51
KevJungle says – “We don’t care what the animals say…”: 14 November, 2011 at 09:33
“I would conclude that, no publicity is better than the publicity from, the LL ?
“So, why don’t we grow a pair and, BAN them ?”
Don’t buy the trash or listen to their phone-ins. That is a far better way of dealing with them.
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jhilday says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:51
Beautiful morning here in North Ayrshire.
What’s also beautiful is the irony in the fact that the policeman who “reported” us to UEFA, was probably prompted to do so by his own anti-Catholic bigotry.
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Silver City Neil Lennon says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:52
Illicit and unsporting chanting? That’s even weaker than offensive.
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bamboo says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:53
Chanting v singing.
There was certainly no offensive chanting at the match .
Maybe a couple of the songs would upset an orange extremist but celtic just being here upsets them anyway.
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KevJungle says – “We don’t care what the animals say…” says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:53
Westim. says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:41
What news agency do you have in mind ?
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The Battered Bunnet says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:56
“…a Uefa spokesman has confirmed that the organisation’s control and disciplinary body will examine a charge of “an incident of an unsporting nature, namely illicit chanting”.
So there we have it. Illicit chanting.
That clears that one up then.
Whit?
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KevJungle says – “We don’t care what the animals say…” says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:56
Steinreignedsupreme says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:51
Don’t buy the trash or listen to their phone-ins. That is a far better way of dealing with them.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
I still think an official stance would carry more clout ?
Only saying like.
Hail! Hail!
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bamboo says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:56
Silver City
Yeah -show any group of football fans that dont try and offend their opponents .
The surreal world that is scottish football. It just gets crazier by the day.
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RogueLeader says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:56
The Police being used to aid a governments failing bill….
Yeah, that hasn’t happened before.
Why are we surprised?
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RogueLeader says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:57
Although to be honest I hope this means the GB knock PMFA on the head.
For the one and only reason that it is a rubbish song.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yer ‘avin’ a larf,aincha?
My seat is in 111-when I get home for it-and PMFA is the first time I had the hairs up on the back of my neck since the Centenary Season.
And EVERY time since!
Check the young kids round about you-they LOVE it.
Check the volume in the stadium-EVERYONE ELSE LOVES IT TOO…………
Strathclyde police will now have to come down on every instance of anything sectarian that comes from the ranglers. Wont they??
KevJungle says – “We don’t care what the animals say…” says:
14 November, 2011 at 09:10
I have to say that, I’m a little bit concerned as to Eddie Smith’s allegation’s ?
Bearing in mind that, Eddie hadn’t been too evident on the SPL games after, his namesake, Walter complained about him, is it any surprise that, in his efforts to carve a niche in the establishment’s funny-farm, the bold Eddie who, was two years above my wife at the secondary school that, produced the likes of, the McStay family, Paul Cooney, Barry Fergusons kids as well as, some of my own…that ES will be reduced to, colluding with the dark-arts department of the hun-establishment to hold-on to his career in the force ?
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
2010 Never Again
Did someone mention Willie Collum!
There is NO statement on the official UEFA news site – however it’s being touted that Celtic F.C. is being investigated for Illicit Chanting (not sectarian) on media sources.
For everyone’s information – I have reproduced an extract from UEFA’s verdict on RFC and the findings with reference to Articles 5 & 6.
Social and historical context
Given this social and historical context, the Control & Disciplinary Body said it considered that UEFA cannot demand an end to behavior which has been tolerated for years. In view of the above, the Control & Disciplinary Body ruled that, despite the behavior of its supporters, Rangers FC had not infringed Article 5 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (click here) and cannot be punished according to Article 6.
UEFA reasoning behind its disciplinary decision against RFC
Article 5 – Principles of Conduct
1- Member Associations, clubs, as well as their players, officials and members, shall conduct themselves according to the principals of loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship.
2- For example, a breach of these principles is committed by anyone:
b) whose conduct is insulting or otherwise violates the basic rules of decent conduct;
c) who uses sporting events for manifestations of a non sporting nature;
d) whose conduct brings the sport of football, and UEFA in particular, into disrepute;
Article 6 – Responsibility
1- Member associations and clubs are responsible for the conduct of their players, officials, members, supporters and any other persons exercising a function at a match on behalf of the association or club.
2- The host association or club is responsible for order and security both inside and around the stadium before, during and after the match. It is liable for incidents of any kind, and can be rendered subject to disciplinary measures and bound to observe directives.
UEFA are duty bound to investigate something that’s been brought to their attention – however having sifted through 312 cases in their archive I cannot find one where a club has been punished for this type of ‘alleged’ offence.
Paul67 et al
It is getting clearer, “illicit” is something which is not quite illicit in Scotland, but don’t worry bhoys, it soon will be!
So much wringing of hands !
You Graham Spiers is right in at least one respect – the complacency that thought we wouldn’t get hauled into the songs mire. There are so many internet whingers and complainers – you know, ‘Dear Mr Platini, Rankers fans were singing such and such, blah, blah, blah’ – that eventually something had to give. Unfortunately, none of these moaning trailblazers had the foresight to see that we would be lumped with them. Outside Scotland, Celtic and ‘the’m go hand and hand. French football magazines continue to refer to the clubs as one ‘catholic’ and the other ‘protestant’. Its wrong, I know, but a wee dose of reality would have told you that they and their media supporters wouldn’t sit on their hands while their club was being trodden on. And the irony is that we simply continue the myth of the OF in the eyes of the outside world – one gets done for songs sung and so does the other.
The other valid point made was the precedent that UEFA sets – as an organisation, it will do well to prosecute the multitude of clubs whose fans sing offensive songs – Man U, Liverpool, Spurs…the list is never-ending. Perhaps Eddie Smith can become Interpol offensive footballing chants commander.
Damn that Eddie Smith, if only he had been wearing the earphones he wears every 12th July march he escorts…
Imatim and so is Neil Lennon says:
14 November, 2011 at 10:17
—————————————————–
Exactly!
Hail! Hail!
just checked the meaning of the word
il·lic·it (-lst)
adj.
1. Not sanctioned by custom or law; unlawful.
2. Linguistics Improperly formed; ungrammatical
maybe we were just being ungrammatical? i blame the schools
hh
Much like Pat Nevin has been chosen because of his background.
Arriving at UEFA Headquarters
ERNIE LYNCH 1002
Sounds like some bloke!
A wee check on wiki and Amazon to see if there’s anything more on him.
eirecamper,
I once saw it written on Facebook as Paddy McCourts’ Fenian Army.
Perhaps UEFA are charging us with singing a song with a wrongly places apostrophe? After all, we all know that there’s only one Paddy McCourt.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS says:
14 November, 2011 at 10:15
I’d say the “Come On You Boys In Green!” chant is mroe universally adopted than “Paddy McCourt’s Fenian Army”. It’s the one that really gets the hairs on the back of the neck up.
Good Morning to the Celtic family from a dry but overcast Central Scotland. Well I guess it was bound to happen when you bring in to your club footballers for a trial period.These guys can come with baggage and biggar egos than Donald Trump and as sure as night follows day if they dont get offered a contract it will be every one elses fault other than theres.The Zenden story has grown arms and legs and now according to the gutter press Lennie is considering his future at the club as he had wanted to sign Zenden but was overuled by the Board.I would think Lennie has been considering his future at Celtic for at least a couple of months now as the start to the season has been poor to say the least so to suggest this is a situation forced by Zenden is nonsense.I have already said I am glad we didnt sign Zenden I would much rather the money he would have been paid went to a couple of up and coming youngsters than an older player at he end of his carreer.H.H.
MY VERY GOOD SELF 1015
Sorry,folks.
This post has proven once again that my computer skills suffer from delusions of adequacy.