So what do we know?
Need for clarification
Rangers’ potential new owner has asked for clarification on what he is buying, a franchise with a place in the SPL or the middle of a doughnut, with the ability to apply for membership to the Scottish Football League.
That clarification has not been delivered, which must undermine Rangers sale.
Rangers want an extension
Despite needing clarification, Rangers administrators, Duff and Phelps, failed to attend the meeting and asked for a further extension (it’s like the 2007-08 league season all over again). Curious, to say the least. Clearly they were not in a position to offer the SPL information that would assist their case.
To be revealed before 30 May
The next meeting is on 30 May, by then the First Tier Tribunal on Rangers Employee Benefit Trust will have reported. There will also be a considerable amount of information in the public domain on how Rangers operated under Sir David Murray. With all this information available, it will be impossible for the SPL to further delay publishing the findings of their inquiry into Improper Registration of Players by Rangers. In disciplinary terms, this is the big one.
What about Craig Whyte?
Bill Miller was appointed preferred bidder on Thursday but, as floating charge holder, Craig Whyte can ask the court to block stop Duff and Phelps disposing of Ibrox. We don’t know Craig Whyte’s mind, or if he has a deal with Miller, but if they are not working in partnership, you can expect a late and effective legal block put in place to stop the disposal of Ibrox.
So what does it mean?
The chance of a Newco being in place, in the SPL or SFL, for the start of next season has never been more remote. On 7 May they don’t have a buyer, after 10 weeks they don’t have the stadium and the moral outrage over what looked likely to be voted through today is beginning to gain traction.
Today was the best chance Rangers had to cut a quick deal with the SPL. Further delay only means more time for the other clubs to work on contingency plans and to be lobbied by their own supporters.
We are six days away from the end of the season and Duff and Phelps have to put enough of a confirmed deal in place to convince someone to part with £11.2m. They don’t have passage into the league and they don’t have a stadium to sell.
If Bill Miller stays in the game until the end of the week and submits a formal offer for the stadium and other assets, we can expect Craig Whyte to go to court to halt the process. I cannot see how or why Miller, who doesn’t even have a passport and has made no moved to come over and negotiate in person, would put £11.2m on the table when he doesn’t know what he is buying, or what sporting and financial penalties are coming his way.
Rangers will have to overcome all these obstacles long before 30 May if they are to stay in the game long enough for Newco to inherit their place in the SPL but their chances of surviving that long is dependent on a positive outcome from the meeting that has now been postponed.
They look marooned; I don’t think they are going to make it.
You can buy a hard copy of the new issue of CQN Magazine via Magcloud here.
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hen1rik on 7 May, 2012 at 20:39 said:
For those who claim Scottish football needs a competitive Rangers to survive, consider this: From ’78 to’87 Rangers won 1 Scottish title…
+++++
Extend that a little further…
From 64/65 to 85/86, Rangers won 3 titles from 22.
In that time, Scottish teams won 3 European trophies, contested another couple of finals and almost every team from Scotland entering European competition during that period made it to at least one semi-final.
ernie lynch on 7 May, 2012 at 16:57 said:
If someone were to write to Celtic and say they won’t renew their season ticket until they know for sure that it will iclude old firm games what do you think Celtic would say?
Ernie
I’ll tell you if Peter decides to reply to my earlier letter.
HH
Is it just me or is anyone else completely hacked off with all this.
Sorry guys as much as I oppose any Newco in the SPL next year my season ticket and the bhoys have been renewed for next season, alsmost 40 years of travelling far and wide as part of the Celtic family is difficult to stop.
I don’t believe our club will vote in favour of letting in newco but I do believe their stance is in the minority and sporting integrity will not win the day. However until a decision is made one way or the other see no point is making hasty decisions and falling out with fellow Tims based on supposition.
Can’t wait till all there is to discuss is the game and the team I love.
Hail Hail
Hen1Rik – If celtic had served notice I can’t believe it would not have been leaked by now. The Union Jack bunting would be out as we speak.
Good to see Hibs stay up but was ther not a Mr Swan from Hibs involved in trying to get the Tricolour removed from Celtic Park years ago??
James
sadly, there is a fair degree of truth in your last sentence
.
Ton Che Dan..
You up for Hearts Game trying to Book Hotels Tomoz..
Summa
Kojo,
Good luck in hospital tomorrow.
I hope you like the surgeon…..aloater.
praecepta
Thanks for getting back to me. Just noticed. Think I might need specs ;-(
HH
paddy gallacher, SPILL!!!! lol. Ok You dont need to say what you may know , but do you know something !!
Neil’s tank top is called dirtymac \o/ on 7 May, 2012 at 21:35 said:
That’s another unreal stat matey.
There’s only 1 reason why the media are pushing for huns to be in the SPL and that’s to save their jobs and because most of them are hurting huns.
James Forrest
Like you I am concerned as to Celtic acting behind the scenes and like you it has been said to me that they have given up the ghost.
I hope that when the time is right they provide evidence and full transparency with regards exactly what it is they did or are doing.
I disagree however that every or any action they are taking at this time requires communication if they are still acting on the side of honesty and integrity of football in this sectarian bigoted backwater.
When the time comes and a “Strong Worded” statement is all we get then that will not suffice. Until the end game is played out I believe their silence while working in the background is the correct direction to take for now.
MWD watching & waiting patiently..
hen1rik
Thanks for the earlier link to the Airdrie Trumpet. One quote from Jim Ballantyne did register, in a language that he used kind of way;
“There has been widespread gloating from many non-Rangers fans….”
That says it all for me.
Hibs crowd = 15,281
Note to chairmen of SPL clubs – when your team has something to play for your support will turn out!
Roddybhoy
Blind faith, got myself a Labrador out of it though…..:-)
Off for a pint.
why should Celtic comment on the numbnuttery going on over ibrox way? It’s got eff all to do with us, they are going down faster than a whale’s jobby, there is no way back.
15 000 at Easter Rd tonight, after their SECOND home win of the season, eff all to do with the paris buns, they now have a Cup final to look forward to.
If it wasn’t for the ‘Orribles more teams would have cup finals and european places to look forward to, thereby increasing their supporter base. As Mr Stein used to say ‘…it’s not just about beating ranjurz…’
James F
If I was so inclined, I could look back for some of your posts that totally contradict what you are saying just now, but what’s the point, you will probably change your mind again tomorrow.
Giving up STs? Kidding surely!
Waited the best part of 35 years to become a ST holder & shareholder and there is NO WAY I’d give it up.
Unless….. Celtic argued in favour of a Newco in the SPL simples.
There is NO WAY Celtic will argue or vote for that.
Celtic have done no wrong there is no way I will punish them.
Im sure despite the tensions on here tonight nobody wants to punish Celtic.
We are on the same side. Celtic FC & PLC will stand our corner AND for the integrity of football in Scotland. If they don’t get the support it is a game changer for all of us.
Missed a lot of comments from an excellent header
Is it true as vote is delayed to 30th may that one defo no vote ( dunfermline ) will not be at the 30th may meeting and they will be replaced by Ross county , who are more Likely to vote yes ??
Off topic.
Anyone know were I can get cheap/reasonably priced skip hire?
MWD
Dunfermline Athletic @Dunfermline_Ath
As we’re leaving the SPL, I demand that our last dying action is to bring Rangers with us.
Please hold out Wigan
Time for a song……this is Betihs favourite song
˙sʇɹɐʍ ǝɥʇ ǝɹoubı ˙suoıdɯɐɥɔ ǝɥʇ ǝɹɐ ǝʍ ˙ɔɟ ɔıʇןǝɔ ןıǝu /o\ ouɐʞ ˙pʍ sɯɐǝquooɯ on 7 May, 2012 at 21:48 said:
Off topic.
Anyone know were I can get cheap/reasonably priced skip hire?
MWD
+++++
Dunno, but Agent Whyte got one for a year for a measly quid.
SwanseaBhoy
Good that you are home. One thing that saddens me a little is the number of supporters cast to the four corners.
Hail Hail
No reason to think it will make any difference but I thought I would keep nagging M Platini………
Dear Mr Platini,
For longer than 20 years Rangers football club has operated illegally to enhance its playing squad and thereby increase the numbers of games and trophies they have won both in Scotland and in Equrope. This is now becoming accepted as a matter of fact and will be further emphasised over the coming weeks when the First Tier Tribuneral (Tax) and other investigations report. Fundamentally they have done this to seek to deliver on-field success at the exhortation of their supporters.
As the scale of their misdemeanours has emerged, Rangers are now unable to continue this “financial doping”. However the troubling prospect of them being reincarnated as a “Newco” in the Scottish SPL without debt or punishment seems to be gaining popularity with Scottish Football administrators and SPL club chairmen, abetted by the mainstream media in Scotland.
As well as the gross intimidation Rangers are subjecting Scottish decision makers to, their argument seems to be the income generated by Rangers through fans, sponsorship and TV is essential for the survival of other clubs in the league.
It would appear possible that the Scottish football establishment might accept this view, claiming “commercial interests” outweigh “sporting integrity”. This is not a view accepted by many fans in Scotland who fundamentally enjoy supporting their teams competing in a “fair sporting contest”. It potentially had disastrous consequences for Scottish football and possibly much wider.
It would propel us further down the slippery slope where it was absolutely accepted that ticket sales to large numbers of Rangers away support was essential to the existence of Scottish Football. I have no doubt, look at historic attendances during slumps, that support would only continue to attend matches in large numbers if Rangers were being successful on the pitch. Therefore for “commercial interests” there can be no sanctions applied to Rangers which would reduce their success on the field. Equally those “commercial interests” would justify turning a blind eye to any bending or breaking of the rules. That would still be quite rational as it would be “good for Scottish Football”. Equally Rangers could never be relegated, no matter what the results on the pitch were.
Anyone who stood up for sporting integrity would be subject to the same condemnation and intimidation that we see happening at present. The Rangers juggernaut would thunder on picking up speed until it crashed off the tracks again, as it inevitably would. You cannot deliver financial sustainability at the same time as being driven to win at any cost. Anyway financial sustainability doesn’t matter as the Phoenix can be endlessly reborn from the ashes and fly away unburdened by any responsibility.
The next “rebirth” would then leave Scottish Football in an even worse predicament than now. The same “commercial interest” would be even more important to even weaker clubs, by definition they can’t be successful when Rangers must win to maintain the income from their support. So the same justifications would be recycled about why we just had to accept the accommodation of a “NewNewCo” Rangers again……….and again…..and again.
It would appear that the Scottish Football authorities and Scottish Club Chairmen are too conflicted or don’t have the “sporting integrity” to break this cycle. I would urge UEFA to discharge their role of custodians for European Football to ensure that proper action is taken. If Scottish Football is taken down this dead-end it will be a precedent for many others to follow.
Regards.
Alcaraz gets Wigan out of jail.
neveralone on 7 May, 2012 at 21:47 said:
Good man….I’m off to renew tomorrow
Celtic Mac on 7 May, 2012 at 21:41 said:
No problem matey.
starry plough on 7 May, 2012 at 21:00:
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on 7 May, 2012 at 21:02:
“I’m a Lanarkshire Bhoy, went once to Airdrie for a 21st, that was enough!!
“Needless to say I held my own!!”
As a 15-year-old I, along with six others, was chased out of Airdrie by a bunch of grown men screaming obscenities, raging at the sight of our green school blazers after we had thrashed their local Academy at football.
I assume they were grown men because of the gruff voices, facial hair and big bellies – but thinking about it now, it’s Airdrie we are talking about here so they could easily have been female teenagers…
Skutanoust on 7 May, 2012 at 21:51 said:
Excellent. Can it go as an open letter somewhere for publication?
ude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on 7 May, 2012 at 21:37 said:
Good to see Hibs stay up but was ther not a Mr Swan from Hibs involved in trying to get the Tricolour removed from Celtic Park years ago??
—————————————————————————————————
Yes he was. He also removed the large Harp that was above the turnstiles. He and his board also discussed changing the colour of the strips from green. That is what happens when you let people in charge of your club that have no respect from its roots. So Celtic beware!
I would add that the owner of Hibs now is a dyed in the wool Hibbee who knows well that it’s roots were in the Cowgate in Edinburgh (Little Ireland) in St Patrick’s Church were it was founded.
Let’s buy Yakubu now….
In which I look at how the adjournment of the meeting suited everyone and in fact has delayed decisions by the SPL even further than 30th May. And, in a theme now as recurrent as Craig Whyte’s misfortune with forms, Duff & Phelps get wrong to whom their duties lie!
http://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/todays-abortive-spl-meeting-at-which-rangers-were-absent-plus-scathing-observations/
When Dundee Utd vote, will they remember Rangers tried to ‘buy’ Goodwillie whilst having no intention of actually paying for him.
@Celts4Democracy
Paul McConville @Paulmcc12
Today’s Abortive SPL Meeting At Which Rangers Were Absent (Plus Scathing Observations) http://wp.me/p1Adbc-ie
Steinreignedsupreme on 7 May, 2012 at 21:54 said:
Mrs Starry is asking me why I am laughing so much, impossible to explain a Lanarkshire upbringing to one from foreign shores.
I remember scoring late on once at Larkhall Academy cue pitch invasion from parents and teachers of the little orcs to abuse the referee!!
Ah the glory days…
Super Sally wants to know who are the peepil that voted no to a Newco in the SPL fan survey?