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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The Scottish Premier League has
ruled charges against Rangers for
paying players outside of their
contracts will apply to Charles
Green’s newco if they are voted into
the top flight.
fanadpatriot on 18 June, 2012 at 17:21 said:
That and stunned incredulity.
I’ll make it upto the big man at thursday’s confessional
HH
Lhads,
A note of caution. This is a righ smelly parcel for the SPL board. There is still the distinct possibility of a fudge on the dual contracts issue.
I remember the old saying, when you owe the bank a grand and can’t pay it back, you’ve got a problem. When you owe the bank a million and can’t pay it back, the bank has a problem. It’s the same here.
If this was Ross County illegally playing one player in one match you could be sure that a 0-3 defeat would be recorded. But it isn’t, it’s Rangers doing it systematically for a decade or more. It undermines the entirety of what has been (by and large) a moderately successful, and visible, commercial enterprise (the SPL). Imagine the anger of commercial sponsors down the years who might sue the league on the basis of the lack of sporting principle? It might suit an awful lot of people to keep this under wraps. Vigilance is clearly still required.
Patrick27 on 18 June, 2012 at 17:24 said:
Someone also made a point about leaving the huns players with their winners medal as technically they just played football, sort of honestly and I think there’s some merit in this. Just take Novo’s.
…apparently when asked about “Club 12” Alan McGregor has said he’d rather sign up for Club 18-30.
Prima Facie Day = Mafia Decay Rip
and 54 titles becomes 49. 5 stars no more. Not that it matters since that club is dead…but if they try to use the same badge….can they……? anyway no 5 stars ha,ha ha
Bye bye Rangers! Ho Ho Ho and off we go, what do you know now 12 in a row!
What I don’t understand is why the currants aren’t questioning what they have been supporting for the past twenty years. There must be a few decent currants who now realise that rangers are a fraud. Most of their lives have been wasted.
Weeminger, your quote is interesting –
“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 thought we discussed this some time ago, isn’t it a conditions of holding a SPL/SFA license that you have a ground to play at?
ParkheadcumsalfordwhoisNeilLennonand PaulMcBrideandTrishGodman on 18 June, 2012 at 16:59 said:
ice cream is still second to none.
theres a web site, has a photo gallery from years gone by, sure the old yin will enjoy having a look.
SonsOfErin on 18 June, 2012 at 17:29 said:
Unless you can get a groundshare ok’d (like Gretna did).
Surely that’s RFC/Sevco finished, football license must be withdrawn.
Supporters of Airdrie Utd- be aware, Jim Bannatyne will sell his license for a song and he will take a place on the Board of his rebranded club.
It’s magic, you know, gonna be 13 in a row.
it gets better and better if the spl have indeed stated any charges against oldco (extinct, dead, gone) fc will transfer to a newco hun fc, if they get voted into the spl
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
hen1rik @ 17:11,
”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 ?”
You raise an interesting point, last week’s quote was a spokesman, today’s statement included….
”The investigation has now been completed and, in the view of the SPL, there is a prima facie case to answer in respect of its Rules. Disciplinary charges will be brought when the future status of Rangers FC is clarified and prior to the start of season 2012/13.”
Now the two quotes have similitude but clearly postponing an investigation is not the same as postponing disciplinary charges.
My main concern is the fact that last week’s quote stated that the SPL were delaying the investigation until their LAWYERS’ determined NewCo’s status.
The official quote doesn’t re-state this and is decidedly vague; what does ”future status” mean, what bearing does it have on the disciplinary charges?
SPL and wiggle room MMMmmmmm…..
Billy’s Bhoy on 18 June, 2012 at 16:18 said:
Bhoys
As far as I can see the new strip for the old huns comes sans five stars already.
Has someone done a bit of forward planning?
================
#understated pic.twitter.com/gQfh4wlt
You follow drugs, you get drug addicts and drug dealers. But you start to follow the money, and you don’t know where the f*ck it’s gonna take you.
Oh oh oh its magic ye know cause we’re happy with 12 in a row.
HH
dohhhhhhhhh
http://twitter.com/gersnetonline/status/195469020152078336/photo/1
Celtic surely can’t come out “all guns blazing” until such times as the hearing on the disciplinary charges is convened, that hearing has announced its determination and any appeal period has been allowed to run? Anything else potentially prejudices the disciplinary processes, particularly since Celtic are represented on numeorus SPL boards.
Just heard on radio vote on organisation without a team into the Spl is on July 4th.
HH
leftclicktic
tailored by umbro
cheated by rankers.
or
stolen by rankers
Patrick27
The list does indeed go on, however since we’re in agreement we’ll leave it there;)
HH
…some fun from Canada…
Was out on Saturday running some errands…a car in front of me had a RFCIL sticker and a license plate “Wisna Me”…pulled up along side and gave them my best Broonie…it felt great, and I think they got it…
Hail Hail!
lovineveryminuteofitcsc
James Forrest
Strip the old huns fo their ill gotten gains and titles and cups transfered to the appropriate clubs.
No punishment on the newco. It should be allowed to join the lowest tier of professional football in Scotland as per the rules.(If they are preferred over Gala Fairydean).
I do not seek revenge only justice!
This is the news many of us have been waiting for.
The cheats will pay for their crimes in the way they should and thats the stripping of honours
To be honest I dont know what to say, this means so much to so many of us who have been called paranoid over the decades.
Hail Hail Prima Facia Day
Neil canamalar, 17:23
He’ll have a blog up very soon and will be aiming to be in Glasgow on July 4th
Ghuys,
The noose has just tightened around the Shame ……. this announcement whilst expected, must start to place doubts on 2 fronts:
– Will Charlie Endell / Green follow through with his asset purchase or will he take refuge in one of the many CVA caveats relating to the purchase (i.e. I’m out of here, as there are too many football sanctions)?
– Voting the Shame back into the SPL after the SPL lawyers have stated that there is a prima facie case would beggar belief and will not happen.
The punishment for decades worth of cheating MUST be proportionate, when you review the potential sanctions then any reasonable person would have to conclude that the following is fair:
– Removal of all titles and cups won
– Return of all medals issued
– Re-engraving of all trophies to remove reference to the tainted wins
– Sin die ban of every director and all managers in receipt of EBTs
– Sin die ban of any agent (acting on behalf of either the Shame or the player)
– Football license removed and expelled from the league
Furthermore, I believe that due to the lack of contrition and remorse from the Directors, Managers, Supporters Reps, Supporters and their booze-soaked media apologists of the Shame also needs to be considered when finalsing punishments.
With the above in mind, it would be reasonable for the SFA to expel the Shame with the following ditti ringing in their ears ‘like a dodgy flute band’ :
– No club called Rangers will be allowed back into any Scottish professional league.
– No professional football to be played at Ipox.
This may seem a touch draconian but they have brought the Scottish game to the brink with breathtaking contempt and they cannot be allowed to participate in the sport ever again.
If the FTT lands between now and the 4 July 2012 then this will shed further light on Murray’s use of EBTs, which stretches beyond directors and players. Hopefully, this will stiffen the resolve of the decison-makers dishing out the sanctions. It is not unreasonable to assume (given recent internet revelations) that the EBTs’ were used allegedly :
– as a method of paying-off players, managers & directors to buy silence
– as a transfer bung fund
– as a method of supplementing salaries for ex-Shame employees who moved on to other clubs and football authorities.
– as a slush fund , payable to a director / manager or to a go-between to ensure that the Shame got their way ……….
The SFA are heavily implicated in this and the 2 biggest dummies (no longer with them) are bound to get dragged into the wreckage. CO will be walking soon and a root and branch modernisation of the SFA will be required, alongwith charges for the leading lights and middle ranking officials who participated in the Shame cover-up.
HopingfortheFTTsooncfc
LIFTED FROM RTC
That’s my guess too.
NewCo voted in.
NewCo stripped of titles during the dual-contracts years.
NewCo awarded 3-0 defeats for all last season’s games resulting in relegation.
NewCo thrown out the Scottish cup for bringing game into disrepute last season.
Dunfermline stay up.
End result is that NewRFC spend one years in 1st division and are then back in the SPL.
I SINCERELY HOPE NOT
Laird – nice pics.
Question – do you think they’ll disappear over the horizon or crash and burn? ;-)
Billy’s Bhoy @ 17:37,
Totally agree!
even if the oldco is stripped of titles and cups I don’t think the SFA and SPL will transfer them to any other club
The secret of Spain’s World & Euro Cup success
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18492493
Motherwell Statement released today makes interesting reading here is an extract
“By any measure the events at Rangers are having and will continue to have a huge impact on Scottish football. It is our hope that the tax authorities and liquidator will investigate these events fully and are able to take appropriate action against those responsible for causing lasting damage to our national game.
Bourne
Motherwell FC or supporters?
Apologies if previously posted
Sounds like ” we’re voting for Zombie Rangers….please don’t desert us!
http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2012/06/18/club-statement-%E2%80%93-spl-and-%E2%80%98newco%E2%80%99/
Joost think the day they get stripped of their titles the old rangers world record will disappear and Celtic will have gained a new world record of 12 titles overtaking some team from Lebanon who hold the current 11 in a row.
That will do for starters, then maybe we will sue the sfa for lost champions league revenue,if its found any of its office bearers turned a blind eye to a decade long of improper registration,Celtic will have a case.