Former SFA president George Peat was asked by the BBC this week what regrets he had from his time at the SFA. There should be an abundance of items on that list, but there was only one – that a club asked him not to change competition rules to help Rangers with their fixtures in 2008.
In 2009, during Peat’s time as president, the SFA were subject to a Schedule 36 notice from HMRC demanding Rangers players’ contract details to be handed over. This was the time HMRC were building a case against Rangers, who disclosed one contract to the tax authority and the SFA, but decided against lodging a second contract, for EBT payments with either body.
The SFA were in a unique position to counsel Rangers on correct process. Had they done so, Rangers would have been advised that they were in breach of SFA and SPL player registration rules, which required them to submit all contracts to the sport’s governing bodies.
The SFA would subsequently be obliged to forward these contracts to HMRC and the tax crisis, which ultimately liquidated Rangers, would have occurred when the club benefited from the support of Champions League income.
As it happened, George Peat did nothing, Rangers continued to play improperly registered players for a further three years, and Rangers sold for £1 before being liquidated.
Peat, an accountant, made his way through the SFA as a director of Airdrieoneans. Despite his financial background, Airdrieoneans were liquidated in 2002 after a legendary period of mismanagement. He was SFA treasurer and vice-president, and would have had to resign his position at the Association, but managed to cling-on after becoming a director of Stenhousemuir.
A year after Peat retired as SFA president, but when he was still at Stenhousemuir, his team were the only club to vote to allow Newco Rangers direct access to the Scottish Football League Championship. Peat did not get his wish and Newco started life in the bottom tier of the SFL.
Peat also had the misfortune to lose his Head of Referees in an inappropriate email scandal connected with the visit of the Pope to Scotland. The existence of the email was denied by the SFA until evidence reached the BBC.
Perhaps most regretful of all during Peat’s SFA presidency was the handling of the lies told by referee Dougie McDonald after a Dundee United-Celtic game in 2010. McDonald lied to Celtic manager, Neil Lennon and asked his assistant referees to affirm the lie.
It became evident that linesman Steve Craven was not prepared to do so and McDonald came clean to the SFA. Despite this, the Association conspired to hold the line, as Craven claimed the Association twice asked him to stick to the lie.
All of this was reported openly but it was only the Celtic manager who was lied to, so Peat found no reason to consider his position, or anything regretful in the actions of the SFA.
He was replaced as president by a recipient and signatory of Rangers EBTs, Campbell Ogilvie. Despite Ogilvie’s acknowledged “heavily conflicted” status, it is telling that he was considered more even-handed than his predecessor.
As it happens, the subject of Peat’s one regret was ignored, the season was extended to accommodate Rangers fixture congestion, but in a twist of irony, they lost the title to Celtic and Uefa Cup final to Zenit.
George Peat is a perfect example of dysfunction at the SFA. An accountant at a liquidated club who rose from Association treasurer to president. He should be a national embarrassment, a salutary lesson on poor governance. But he’s not. In fact, he is not even that exceptional.
Foundation preparations for winter
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Thank you.
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And he was not intimidated in the slightest by M’Bappe…never hesitated and made good decisions…
GLENDALYSTONSILS
Good point.
WITS
Having been born in a hun street in Partick.
Neganon is bang on the money for me.
Try living in my shoes in Loyalist controlled Rosevale Street Partick, or Neganon’s in Loyalist controlled Drumchapel. You would change your tune D.
YNWA
Sipsini
In my weans quest for a step mum, they agree with you that I am too fussy. Maybe I should follow my priesthood vocation at last.
YNWA
PB
This was a Prestonpans born, now living in Glasgow lass. Despite her team she was a belter. ?
“ I’d love to be a fly on the wall in PSG’s changing room ”
Steve McManaman
like you’d have a single scooby about what they were saying?
Wits,
I, too, agree with Neganon. You have to have live among them to know how it feels!
HH
‘Young’ Andy Robertson is more than three years older than KT.
As a defender first, I know which one I prefer.
Hail hail
Was it just BT’s commentary team that missed Areola getting studded?
BecauseNobodyElseDid CSC
DELANEYS DUNKY @1034 SPOT ON.HH.
Wits so are you denying the racism?
Corkecelt I think it reveals more about you than me that you are still insinuating I don’t know the difference between morale and moral. Is that the best you can do?
So you want me to outline a plan to deal with Scotland’s racism so that I am allowed to post on CQN? Really?
Well I will give you a starter for 10.
The first thing you do is not accept it and protest against it. The main aim of stage one is to get the country to admit its problem. Scotland is in utter denial of this.
And the best place to start? Well the victims should start. And we have a so called powerful board at a football club which is the fulcrum if the hatred. Best thing would be for the leaders of that football club to actually show some leadership and not contribute to the racism.
Don’t you thin.
Drag it into the spotlight. Stop them having free reign. Start uncomfortable conversations.
Or corkecelt. Do what you say and shut up and accept it? Is that your plan?
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 18TH SEPTEMBER 2018 10:44 PM
I wish he was a fly on MY wall. I’d have the rolled up newspaper oot!
BSR
Wish I had a Scooby what McManaman was saying. Another like Gerrard and Carragher that hurts my ears and gives me a sair heid.
Scouse scallys though.
YNWA
Glendalys.
SteveMc – too funny
I’ve looked up Zombie
Short Answer ;
Yes, they would require to have a heartbeat
HH
Regards Robertson
When you have confidence and trust in those around you, the game becomes so much easier.
DELANEYS
There’s 60,000 Celtic fans who’ll proudly sing the news ( that we’re scousist ? )
WITS
As someone who has never endured a second of discrimination because of my background (my perceived background, well that’s different!) I can attest that what Neg and DD say is All too true in many parts of Scotland, especially in previous years.
I don’t agree with Neg’s assessment of the extent of its prevalence now. But fekin prevalent it was and sometimes still is.
HH jg
BSR
We sing YNWA better than any amount of Scousers, with the possible exception Gerry Marsden ?
YNWA
Robertson v KT is now a no contest. Robertson is comfortably better and improving whilst KT is going backwards. Sad but true. I predicted as much during the Zenit game to accusations of ‘never a Celtic fan’.
Neg, I don’t have a plan to deal with racism. Obviously racism can be prevalent at any strata of society but normally it’s in the deprived areas where racism flourishes.
Improving living standards amongst the deprived and better education is usually the first port of call.
From a Scottish & Celtic perspective my first thoughts would be not to allow them to drag us down to their level.
They issue Statements like confetti, they pander to the base level of their support, with their Orange shirts and their level 5 propaganda. Do you want Celtic to replicate that type of behavior. ?
Be better then them, have a better stadium, better facilities, better Club, better team.
Let them spew in their hatred & ignorance,
Great news on the Video Celts site that Brendan Rodgers has invited Charlie Phelan, the fan attacked in Girvan, over for VIP treatment at a game.
DELANEYS
We sing it better when wee Gerry Marsden gets switched off
?
James
Miss oor inane blethers bro. Irie
BSR
Agree totally
Scousers look in awe at us.
YNWA
sftb
Should be a free seat for the rest of his life.
Corkcelt you are entirely missing the point.
It’s not about a football club it’s about a society.
I,proving living standards amongst poorer parts of society is always right for many reasons. But that’s not the start. The start is to force society to recognise its problem. Celtic have a big role in that. It’s about true leadership. Celtic haven’t just not done that but they have done the exact opposite they have betrayed us. That’s what hurts and that’s why I am angry.
That’s why paul67 deserves to be called out. Not because we disagree on so,e base level about one player being better than another. No. Because he is actively betraying the very people he proposed to avoid lazy journalism. He is doing far worse.
You try living here corkcelt. These days I am lucky because I have been fortunate in life. But it’s still there. Guys like peat think they can at what they like. They need to be held to account.
What exactly are your afraid of?
♪♫♬ This is what it is to be Celtic
Charlie Phelan here for 10 in a row ? ♪♫♬
NITOL CSC
DD
Facts is facts, n tings is tings.
But thems all a load of fekin bullshit
There’s only one truth, and dats the real truth ….RastaFari
https://youtu.be/pl0JpC7XO74
I and I will see you through. From creation.
HH jg ???????????
DD….
Re YNWA..Jan Mølby had a programme on Danish TV dedicated to Liverpool FC. When it finally came to the end of its run, he revealed that opening and closing YNWA were recordings from CP.
Anyway, I’ve raised my scarf, sung my self hoarse…but you know I’ve never really been a fan of it as a Celtic Song. I understand and empathise with the sentiments but give me a song that’s written FOR Celtic, by Celtic Fans and sung by Celtic supporters. And there’s a lot….but….perhaps we need another one…one to beat the the best football club anthem that meets the criteria of written for, by and sung by a club’s followers….surely “Sunshine on Leith”.
BUT …ONE DAY…ONE DAY….The world will hear what I’m off to do now….if I can learn how to write music that is….ffs if my hero Puccini could do it why can’t I? Time to finish my latest contribution to the Celtic musicology….a wee tale and romantic but tragic extravaganza called “The dancing lights of London Road”…trust me ….the final chorus is the key to magic…and an away ticket versus the jam tarts.
And no it’s not called “ooh aah OP-E-RA!”
Hail Hail
Matt
Lovely gesture by Brendan.
Any word on an arrest , although not football related and certainly not a sectarian attack.
Even in Ayrshire, only eedjits wear union jack shorts . Have they still not identified him ?
Corkcelt
Did racism begin during the Slave Trade. Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and Brits have built their societies around slavery.
Hopefully see you for a match soon T.
YNWA
I’m not afraid of anything Neg, I’ve witnessed it first hand in the North. I know how dangerous & threatening these situations can be and yes I’m glad to be living in a Hun Free society.
I’m not certain what leading role Celtic has in combating sectarianism and when you say Celtic has betrayed it’s support in Scotland, what exactly are you alluding to.
If you are saying that Celtic could have struck a major blow against racism by killing off the Huns after the liquidation then I simply don’t agree.
It was one Club one vote, Celtic never had it in their remit to kill off the Huns.
I realise we are arguing your agenda and I’m not going to win, my late Mother warned me many years ago about picking my battles so regardless of what you come back with I’ll leave you the last word.
Good Night & God Bless
James
Genesis to Revelations
Read da big book
YNWA
“Robertson v KT is now a no contest”.
David17 – I watched ‘young’ Andy’s contribution to the first PSG goal and agree wholeheartedly.
Great lad, terrific going forward, good crosser but a poor defender.
Defensively KT much better.
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 18TH SEPTEMBER 2018 11:54 PM
Could have done better at the goal but it happens. Thought Robertson was outstanding throughout. Btw Salah and Mbappe both made errors which lead to goals, it happens.
AG
I said before that we should crowd fund for a private detective. Get this bastard jailed and his union jack troosers burnt. Preferably him in his shorts on a funeral pyre.
YNWA
For Matt Stewart…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SIfazpqJfY