Prima facie day is here! Neil Doncaster spent weeks telling us that the SPL had yet to establish if Rangers had a prima facie case to answer in connection with the alleged illegal registration of players. Today he confirmed to the SPL board and the media that they do indeed have a case to answer.
Rangers Employee Benefit Trusts have been the source of considerable controversy since 2010 when it emerged that HMRC had taken action against the club, at the time claiming in the region of £24m. EBTs had been recorded on Rangers accounts for a decade without much comment, so there was no reason to assume the club had made payments to players out-with the oversight of the football authorities.
On 22 February this year Celtic Quick News asked the question, were these EBT payments recorded with the SFA, or did Rangers hide them? There was little reason for the club to hide them, unless, perhaps, they had something to else hide, which was beginning to look the case.
Today we have our answer. Whatever is left of what some regard to be Rangers FC will be subject to some of the most severe disciplinary procedures levelled in the history of football. Appropriate penalties for subverting the game for over a decade are impossible to define.
Celtic fans are not the only ones to lose from this illegal registration of players but they suffered significantly. Five league titles went to Rangers, in 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2011. All of these titles will be stripped from Rangers records and awarded to Celtic.
You can look forward to 12-in-a-row day soon, which is simply, CHAMPION!
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ernie lynch on 18 June, 2012 at 16:30 said:
On one view there is a perfect storm developing to finally kill of the hun.
The other view is that liquidation conveniently allows them to dump ALL the adverse stuff and start afresh.
Beware any suggestion of stripping of titles as a quid pro quo for entry into the SPL.
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You are right to keep us honest amidst all the gloating.
The problem they have is that those that would reconstitute “Rangers” in all its prior cultural splendour are tainted with the EBT scandal either as direct recipients (and Barcabhoy hints this make take the path of highly illegal activity) or as those charged with corporate oversight that should have prevented the problem in the first place. This investigation plus the FTT findings are crucial in framing how the historical record of the old “Rangers” directors and senior staff is viewed.
They are stuck between the soon-to-be-proven-crooked bigots and the asset strippers.
So whilst my natural predilection is to inspect the ashes for signs of life and even then to fear the worst, it doesn’t look good for them.
HH
TLK
Ole Johnny Clash- it will be like a Leo Sayer revival tour, but obviously not as good.
Club “12–in–a–row”
Big G on 18 June, 2012 at 16:38 said:
Rangers (IA) still exist and will do until they are officially liquidated. They currently have no ground or training facility but they do still hold the players’ contracts and registrations.
I think in theory somebody could walk into Duff & Phelps tomorrow and state “I have £150M to clear all of Rangers (IA) debt. I am proposing a rental of Hampden until such time as I can negotiate the purchase of Ibrox or building of another stadium.”
Even if that above scenario couldn’t play out they still exist and are entitled to the vote. As stupid as that seems to everybody here.
greenjedi on 18 June, 2012 at 16:55
Does that mean that D & D will vote on their behalf?
For their man Green?
When does BDO enter the fray? After the 4th July?
So many questions!?!
Doc
Don’t think we have any evidence for before the noughties, hopefully they’ll find some!
So we will not only be the most successful existing Scottish club, we will be the most successful Scottish club ever!!!!
Yo ho ho off we go, what do you know it’s 12-in-a-row, Bye Bye Rangers!
Walter Smith 9 in a row and precededing it with Advocaaat etc… is tainted. Smith is tainted.
The tainted 9 in a row and all that followed.
Watch HRMC investigate David Murray from when he first bought Rangers. 9 in a row no more. In the words of Mark Hately “Tainted”
Che,
I must try and get my auld Dad back there, maybe to celebrate thems’ demise.
It only became the ‘SPL’ in 1998 so there’s their get out clause for any investigation prior to this.
HH
Patrick27
Who knows what could have been achieved?!
HH
Are there procedures in place whereby the SPL can force a member club to abstain from voting? That would be the correct political move, I think.
Bom dia,
I’m not even going to begin to mention the pee poor tipping I managed in the Brasileirão this weekend ( 4 outta 10). Must try harder.
Anyway, regarding club 12 in the SFA fixture list. Surely, if it was going to be Sevco, surely they would have called it Club 666?
Personally, I think it’s an unlucky coincidence that they are not at home the same day as us. However, I don’t think the club the SFA (or is it the SPL who do the fixtures?) have in mind is Dundee, I reckon it could be Dunfermline.
Think about it, that way there’s no akward shuffle up thru the other leagues due to a subsequent numbers change.
No?
I think Rangers should keep their history.
The stain of 10 years plus of cheating along with the suspicion that will surround everything that club “acheived”.
Let them keep their history. It suits them.
Being stripped of those titles will be like a new signing- Mark Hateley
I wonder if Fergus McCann has a wee think that there might be something into asking for an investigation in the 90’s? Maybe Fergus might want a bit of the action now ?
Paul67
I eagerly await the radio pundits and tabloid scribes trying to fit this square peg into the round hole that is Craig Whyte. I mean somehow, surely, this is all Craigy boy’s fault?
It couldn’t be that nice Mister Sir david Murray?
U
Paul67 – why is Donkey not giving a full press statement on this so some questions can be put to hom, such as “how long have you sat on this?”
Also (sorry if already answered) is there a precendent for titles given to the `true’ winners of a league after stripping them off the `cheats’ or do they not just get voided?
HH
PS AntrimKev – did you get an answer/conclusion after your talk with yourself?
Is regan now preparing ogilvies P45
weeminger on 18 June, 2012 at 16:58 said:
Jesus!! Only in the SPL could such a scenario happen. Absolute joke of a situation. So on a technicality of dates between administration & liquidation this lot of scum get to have a say?
It defies all logic, fairness and common sense.
speechlesscsc
HH
Just had a thought, and wouldn’t this be funny?
NewClub loses the SPL vote. They get relegated to Division 3. Thankfully, for them, they will now escape sanctions from the SPL contracts investigation, save for the stripping of some titles.
The EBT case comes out. Club can’t be chased for that debt. Fine.
But the sting in the tale is evidence that the EBT’s go back a lot longer than we knew of, and that they were operable during the Rangers 9 in a row ….
The SFL therefore has to open an investigation of its own …..
And we start the punishments anew …..
Am I being greedy here?
Paul and all bloggers help me out with this 1.
Did Neil Doncaster not make a statement last week saying that they were delaying this investigation unroll they get more clarity on the newco situation ?
So why the sudden change ?
Time for the SFL to investigate pre 99.
Something has to have happened to force Neil Doncaster’s hand here. I would suggest that either a journalist has the story or the BTC tribunal results are just about to be revealed. Dungcaster refusing to answer questions on the matter makes me suspicious.
Big G
Could you please refrain from using the Lords name in vain.
fanadpatriot on 18 June, 2012 at 17:14 said:
apologies
Evening everyone.
In view of the announcement by the SPL today do you think now is the time for Celtic to break their silence regarding Rangers years of cheating? I think now is the time for the club to come out with all guns blazing.
Dan
Excellent news Paul67, I hope they go back as far as they can but I have a feeling 1998 is as far as they can/will go.
Other good news for me is that DHL delivered my lanterns at lunch time from Amazon.de. If you do not hear from me again it means that I have been huckled by the Polizei.
Green Lantern
Whyte Lantern
Hail! Hail! PMTYH
Speaking to an insolvency expert, they have revealed that changing the name from Rangers Football Club to The Rangers Football Club will be unacceptable to Companies House, the company registration service. The newco will have to ensure that the new name cannot be mistaken by anyone from the oldco. This is often why companies end up with a date in their name.
Of the list of teams that should have finished second, only Livingston isn’t currently in the top flight.
So in terms of what they’ve lost financially why would St Johnstone, Hearts (x4), Hibs(x2 and a 3rd place), Aberdeen, Dundee Utd and Motherwell (x2) vote them in?
Hearts in particular may have actually been able to drive on if they’d had access to some of the money they’ve been denied. Hibs too, as a fairly well run club might have really felt the benefit.
Of all the misery they have suffered so far, as well as the greater misery to come, I actually think the hun mindset will be most deeply wounded & irrevocably damaged by the stripping of their tainted titles…this is a punishment that will burn deep into the triumphalist psyche of der hun…it will be pure unadulterated torture watching us overtake their title haul.
happydaysCSC.
Surely the next statement Angus Og makes will be under caution
James Forrest, 17:11
Saint Leo, 17:11
They can only go back to 98. However if and when they establish what they were up to with the EBTs I’d expect the SFA to left with no alternative but to go back to the start of Murray’s involvement. Expect a run on Jelly and Ice Cream on that day
Big G..
Accepted,I thought it would be a slip of the tongue/keyboard.HH.
James Forrest is Neil Lennon! We are ALL Neil Lennon! on 18 June, 2012 at 17:11 said:
Not to be a pedant James, but please don’t get sucked in to the MSM language of relegation. Sevco have never been in a league to be relegated.
OG..,
whens Tommo’s next broadcast on corruption of Scottish football
I picked the wrong day to go walking with wife and woofer. The question is does the punishment carry over to the team soon to be marketed as the new but same rangers ie same history equals same punishment.
Hang them high
HH
prima materia |ˌprīmə məˈti(ə)rēə, ˌprēmə|(also materia prima )
noun
primeval matter; fundamental substance.
the dictionary CSC
T88
It really could have marked another golden era for the club, we were witnessing potential legends, Marc Antoine Fortuné, Landrey N’Guemo, Danny Fox, Edson Braafheid the list can go on