My friends in Celtic, the day has come. Rangers are dead. The Old Firm existed for many years but we all now know that particular duopoly was terminated years ago – on the day Murray International Holdings bankers tried to put Celtic out of business, to be precise.
Today, we stand proud and alone.
“Celtic are in an exceptionally strong financial position. They can survive the vagaries of football fortune, or economic downturn, without the threat of cutback should income dip.
Conversely, Rangers are in dire trouble. This year will not be financially the worst Sir David Murray has bestowed on his club, but it will make for horrendous reading to any prospective buyer of the club and provide further evidence that they are hopelessly adrift of financial security.
Winning the league this season and qualifying for next season’s Champions League will not provide succour from their structural problems, it would only result in a temporary slowdown in decline.
Rangers debt has risen inextricably, and is set to continue to rise, at a time when bank facilities have become more difficult and expensive to acquire.
Should new HBOS owners, Lloyds TBS, take fright at the property-to-football conglomerate, Murray International Holdings, which includes Rangers, frankly, the consequences are so dramatic, I don’t think we should discuss them, as I have trouble sleeping when I get too excited.
We live in a time when things which simply cannot happen, happen. When some of last year’s most credit-worthy companies in the world have gone into receivership; when one of the centuries-old pillars of the Scottish business community crumbled in days.
No company dependent on a significant increase in its debt is safe.
Rangers Football Club, 1873 – 20??”
The years since 2008 have been hard for Celtic fans. We watched our team lose three consecutive league titles to a former club, who despite their self-evident mortal danger, continued to fund a league and Champions League challenges.
We stuck to budget and lost trophies. This was a hard decision but it was absolutely correct. Football regularly throws up clubs who will recklessly burn cash. You can indulge in their lunatic ways, or sit it out, tell your fans you cannot afford to spend more, and hope that in time your judgement is proven to be right. Today is vindication for all those hard years.
I’m not a financial analyst and never actually spend too much time reading Rangers accounts but the above synopsis was inescapably obvious – and this was years before I knew about the EBTs. Rangers directors would have known this at the same time, if not before. If they were blind to it, they were equally useless. Only God above will know why they didn’t rein the horses in, lose a few leagues, but kept their football clubs in business.
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…expect chic and ally to be ‘roused’ from their hidey-holes with much ‘bwavado’
I would not be too quick to ridicule the latest news about Watty wanting to buy Rangers.
Without the Big Tax bill to worry about they can become a going concern if prudently managed.
Green might have a claim on the assets physical but crucially he has no claim on Rangers main asset, now and into the future, which is their supporters.
Whoever has their support “owns” Rangers and Watty must be in that drivers seat.
So if they can meet Greens costs I can see him backing out.
My concern then is that Newco become a more credible entity in terms of representing a revenue stream for the game.
That does not give them an upperhand when it comes to a vote but given Smith’s pedigree as a spending manager conditions on entry to curtail the mindset that brought Rangers and our game to its knees are an absolute must if the div 3 sporting integrity solution is outvoted.
I expect Celtic to stand firm on this as the biggest victim of Rangers cheating if they wish to retain our support.
I’m getting too excited.
Malcolm Murray commented: “It is a great honour to be invited to become non-executive Chairman of an iconic football club.
ICONIC?! It’s only 4 hours old!
If Walter Wants the F.G.A. ..
He wull Find that Charles Green wull be a Willing Seller..
with soiten. Stipulations.. Of Course..
Heck…. Everything ,in this World.. but, NO .. in the NEXT, of Course.. (Don’t Be .. TOO Sure of That!…ed)
Is Up Fur Sale..
Fur A PRICE!!
Let’s see yer Money , Walter…
And ,mebbe. jist Mebbe..
Charles, WULL .. dae a Deal.
Maks Sense . Tae Me.
Kojo
Still, Laughin’
Sev Coe to buy Rangers?
Auld Neil Lennon heid on 14 June, 2012 at 17:06 said:
Without the Big Tax bill to worry about …
——
Is that right? I know they’re dead but can the taxman not pursue the Rearrangers FC?
Headtheball on 14 June, 2012 at 17:01 said:
”I wouldn’t laugh at Sir Walter’s bid. Now that he has shown an interest, expect the Rangers’ fans not to cooperate with Green thereby make it impossible to continue. Cue a swift sale to Walter while pocketing a mil or two. Then see the lovely SFA and SPL fawn and drool over his Walterness and ease a passage for their beloved ‘The Rangers FC’. ”
I suspect that’s how it will pan out.
Forget Wallie. He’s just the titular leader.
The man with the money is Jim McColl.
Wonkyradar 16:47
Yep, probably unfair on him right enough….
Donohoes & Donohues….
I prefer Amanda masel.
RobertTressell – :-))))
Henr1k
I think the issue needs real scrutiny.
Gattuso has signed for Galatasaray
Smith attempts to buy a Myth.
Sunnyboy
Nope. Liquidation was the ultimate tax dodge. HMRC will now pursue individuals not the dodo.
Sack the board!
Hey Dodo FC Has it been used already?
tomthelennytim on 14 June, 2012 at 17:04 said:
Don’t have your mobile, will have to do this the old fashioned way – place and time, and just be there.
HH
Paul
“The Rangers will hang”
I love you, your best quote ever.
On this day of days, can we reflect on the men who were most instrumental in the ultimate downfall of Rangers.
Take a bow………
Ronnie Simpson
Jim Craig
Tommy Gemmell
Bobby Murdoch
Billy McNeill
John Clark
Jimmy Johnstone
Willie Wallace
Stevie Chalmers
Bertie Auld
Bobby Lennox
And of course, Jock Stein – it must be colder than ever in his shadow today for supporters of former club Rangers.
These men welcomed the chase, and David Murray obliged. Big time. He chased the dream – and destroyed his club.
I will give my replica Big Cup an extra polish tonight, and think about Jock, and the Lions. I’ll pour a wee dram of Tyrconnell Irish Whiskey and salute these men.
And I’ll also salute our forefathers, the many Celtic fans who were on the wrong end of Establishment decisions, both football & socially orientated – caused purely by anti-Irish and anti-Catholic prejudice, by a Scottish Establishment in which Rangers Football Club (LIQUIDATED) played a crucial part.
These men and women are with us in spirit as we rejoice today.
Sláinte!
Jim McColl has the money but he is not in it for the long haul. He is not that stupid
He will be lending the money to purchase the assets. You can rest assured he will get every penny back and more, before departing the scene within a couple of years
He is not in any way like Dodgy Dave
Paul
In a football way.
Just in from SSN – the new club will be called – the deid huns football club.
SwanseaBhoy on 14 June, 2012 at 13:11 said:
Crackpot Leggat reads your fine blog Paul67.
“applying the ancient precepts of one of the oldest and most respected legal systems in the world, Scots Law.”
Help me out here, please. Is this the Scots Law that found a self confessed assailant who in full view of millions of TV watchers, attacked Neil Lennon at Swynecastle? Surely it just cannot be, surely?
HAIL HAIL
Right lads now is the time to concentrate on no huns in the SPL, they can’t be allowed to re emerge as a newco and wipe every bit of debt to walk back in again.
So did Myth get EBTs from the huns while at Everton and Scotland ?
Jelly & Ice Cream on drip feed, that sounds good.
Mer Films:
Farewell My Ugly.
All Quiet on the Ibrox Front.
Some Film Titles that might describe the hun saga:
The Usual Suspects.
Secrets & Lies.
The Departed.
Braindead.
The Big Sleep.
Monsters, Inc.
PAUL67
Only God above will know why they didn’t rein the horses in, lose a few leagues, but kept their football clubs in business.
Nice wee sign-off there,bud.
I dunno either,but heyho,I won’t lose too much sleep about it.
Time now for the Scottish football version of The Treaty of Versailles,the big question being-
HOW SEVERELY DO WE PUNISH THE TRANSGRESSOR?
Controversially,I am at odds with those who say it was too harsh on Germany,and resulted in resentment,hardship,and WWII.
We should have annihilated them while we had the chance-no comeback after that,is there?
And that’s what we need to do to Rangers-make bloody sure they are never in a position to cause such problems for everyone ever again.
(Normally I’m quite a forgiving person,but they bring out the worst in me at times…)
Grant Russell @STVGrant
Charles Green has asked the SFA and SPL to transfer Rangers’ memberships to his new company. Here are the processes: http://bit.ly/OJcQvT
Alasdair Lamont @BBCAlLamont
Ian Hart says he hasn’t put any money in to Charles Green’s consortium. In fact he’s backing the Walter Smith-led consortium.
Jim Spence @bbcjimspence
The ArabTrust say 100 per cent of Utd fans polled online will cancel satellite subscription if broadcaster pulls out of SPL coverage
TheGreenManalishi(WithTheTwoProngedCrown) on 14 June, 2012 at 17:15 said:
7pm ok? You choose the venue.
Guess why I missed the first 15 mins of the Italy game. Go on, just guess.
Well I’ll tell you anyway. I just had my annual meeting with the spanish Hector and it turns out he owes me quite a bit of money. That this should happen today of all days just makes it all the sweeter :) SHOULDHAE PAID YER TAXES YA BAMS!!!!! (But I’m really glad you didn’t)
Is this McColl.a Scion o’
Auld .R.S. McColl.. ??
He o’ the Sweetie Shoap Chain???… And Who WIz a Former .. F.G.A..(Pardon. Ma French!).. Fitba’ Player?
Kojo
Still, Laugin’
NEWS It’s reported Aberdeen are planning to vote against letting a newco Rangers into the SPL.
tomthelennytim on 14 June, 2012 at 17:19 said:
Fancy the Harp ? or is that too far for you.
Thinking there may be a few of the lads in for the ireland game. If City Centre is better, the you pick.
HH
I Said on here a while back , why does celtic football club use parks buses knowing full well that they are big rangers fans.somebody came back on here and told me that celtic get it for free, i not buying that,no we should have our own bus ,no i think its time to put a bit of pressure on the celtic board to the right things ,and may i add there are plenty of things needing done inside and outside celtic park. but knowing them they will want the supporters cough up the money for this work to done,
Make it the Harp then – i might be a bit late but you know the locals already so I won’t feel guilty.
Regarding the date for LC and the Appellate panel, there was a tweet by BBCchrismclaug earlier today to the effect that Rankers have reserved the right to appeal the court ruling (which was actually in their favour), so new date can’t be set yet.
Anybody heard anything about this, or possible date for the panel?
Another red face for Green. Names Hart in the consortium and Hart has defected to the Cardigan Gang…..