Since Stewart Regan’s letter to the 93 SFA member clubs was uncovered by STV yesterday evening I’ve read what feels to me like unfounded concern at the news. Regan asked clubs to declare “any written agreement(s) falling within the scope of Article 12.3 which has/have not previously been lodged with the Scottish FA in the previous ten years, in respect of any current or former players of your club.”
The most pleasing point is that the letter was dated 9 March. A look at the chronology of events is perhaps useful.
Rangers troubles with HMRC have been public knowledge since 2010 but it was only on 22 February this year that questions were first raised (here, of course) as to whether the club registered the Employee Benefit Trust (EBT) payments with the SFA. Everyone knew Rangers players had EBTs, we knew HMRC were contesting that these should be taxed, but there was no reason to believe Rangers did not to declare them to the SFA (unless you count the “sniff test” on Sir David…).
The EBTs were noted in Rangers audited accounts so it appears clear that Rangers at least notionally believed they were both legal (which they were) and legally executed (which we will soon find out). When we took a shot in the dark on 22 February and posed the registration question, there was no reason to assume the SFA board had even considered the issue. I’m sure they hadn’t and like the rest of us, were caught cold by the question.
Earlier that day the SFA announced an inquiry into Rangers headed by Lord Nimmo Smith. His report was considered by the board on 8 March, when they presumably decided to send letters out to the member clubs the next day. In short, this issue has been active at the SFA every day since it was first raised.
Had we known this at the time I suspect our view of the (apparent) SFA inactivity would have been different. Maybe a PR lesson there.
Several friends and one brother have suggested that Stewart Regan’s letter is a prelude to an amnesty. I doubt this. The SFA chief exec does not have the authority to offer an amnesty and in his letter Regan says, “the Scottish FA reserves the right to refer any Club to the Compliance Officer, which might result in proceedings before the Judicial Panel”.
The letter is an attempt to establish if the problem is prevalent in one, or more than one club, a perfectly reasonable step at this stage. I’m guessing around 90 clubs will be able to respond within minutes.
As a result of this letter, the phoney war is over. Comments like “there were no double contracts” can no longer be reported as though they have some validity to questions over unregistered payments to players. Even those reporting from the back of the class will now have to recognise the validity of the questions we have been asking for weeks.
More on the nature of these questions later, specifically, is it cheating?
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Muppet commentator on Synde saying ‘prepare to be shocked by both sets of fans’ on Sunday, says it is guaranteed.
John on the phone saying chanting at Tannadice was shocking so he turns right away to say we are and will be as bad.
Shocking drivel.
SSB is sponsored by Douglas Parks. One of the Dark Knights.
Why, o why do you guys listen to it. Worse, why do you then dump it’s drivel on the rest of us.
Cop yersels on!!
thomthethim
I’m in the US now and just started tuning in on the odd occasion to keep my accent topped up!
It makes me chuckle more than anything else, shows what I’m not missing.
thomthethim on 21 March, 2012 at 18:39 said:
Apologies ,flowers in the post,feck off.
Anti Irish racism march this Saturday assemble 11:30am Tom Johnston house Kirkintilloch.
Whats that coming over the hill?
Is it the tax man?
Is it the tax man?
Collum the cheat
Proof Positive CSC
One positive thing about having a football governing body rancid with masonry, supported by a Rangers supporting media who will stoop so far as to invent negative stories about Celtic, would be that Celtic would make absolutely sure they followed every letter of the law.
Mr Quinn was a fine, honest man in his dealings at Celtic. He also had to be.
12th April
special meeting outwith Celtic and Orcs of other clubs to change voting structure of SPL..
as per BBC news..
Tevez on bench for City.
*yawns*
Boycott starting at Kilmarnock.
seventyxseven ‘gelee et glace’ on 21 March, 2012 at 18:49 said:
And when they tried to kill us it was for £4m. We carry that in our back pocket.. on the off chance we get a invited on a night out with some BBC journalists.
Man City v Chelsea or St.Mirren v Hearts…….hmmmm
CELTFISH
And any others off to the John Hartson do tomorrow night in Swindon.
I was speaking to Phil King yesterday-he’s the MC for the night,free of charge of course-and said that ticket sales have been reasonable,but not to worry,he’s rustled up another 120 or so as well.
So should be a fairly good night,canny make Wednesdays or Thursdays unfortunately.
I asked Phil to ask John just the one question on my behalf.
HOW GOOD A PLAYER WAS LUBO TO PLAY ALONGSIDE?
Hope it’s a smashing night!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope City stuff them Bourne, with Tevez staying on bench.
Is there another episode on Ch4 tonight…..if so, what time, please.?
Good evening friends and I hope we are all in fine fettle.
Tonight I’ll be mainly Man City, Spurs and St Mirren.
Jobo
voguepunter on 21 March, 2012 at 18:41 said:
thomthethim on 21 March, 2012 at 18:39 said:
Apologies ,flowers in the post,feck off.
****
I don’t need no stinkin’ flowers!
Aipple on 21 March, 2012 at 18:26 said:
henr1k
Great shot,tackle from behind, clearly tripped him and was no where near the ball.
Never a pen.
share
LoL.
Timabhouy at 18:32
I read that “joke” few years back. I think it’s very stupid joke.
thomthethim on 21 March, 2012 at 19:00 said:
They’re paid for ,you’re taking them.
Did you send them via a Interpol.
.
For Voguepatron
BobbyRussell at 18:13
Ha, interesting answer!
I have not been on CQN for a few weeks now and I’m not very familiar with few names and situations from your post but I see what you mean.
Read Paul’s article from yesterday. I was really going to post few controversies from Polish League and was expecting the answers. Polish referees still do honest mistakes but they are under huge pressure when do them. Never mind.
Short story.
When I watched one of the last Legia Warsaw games I noticed the referee was Tomasz Musial. Musial is not popular name in Poland but it sounded familiar to me. I remembered Adam Musial. Adam Musial was great left defender, Olympic Champion with Poland in 1972 and won 4th place with Poland in WC Germany 1974. Adam Musial was born in Cracow. He was Wisla Cracow player and that team coach in later years. His son Maciej Musial is coach assistant at Wisla now (first team).
Who is Tomasz Musial? Tomasz Musial is another son of Adam Musial.
Legia Warsaw, Wisla Cracow and Lech Poznan are every year natural candidates for the titles here.
I checked the games Tomasz Musial was named the referee for this season. Of course I could not find Wisla Cracow and Cracovia Cracow games he was involved but Legia, Gornik, Lech and many others are on the list.
I have not heard people complying, telling that Musial had too strong connections with Wisla to judge the games.
Wisla Cracow?
I don’t like them but Tomasz Musial is good referee. Give him next Legia game.
Chris McLauglin on reporting scotland tonight said Celtic and Rangers.
Not Rangers and Celtic.
Not old firm.
Celtic and Rangers.
6 times he said it.
Good on ya Chris!
sunday imho will be very tough for us on and off the park
dont listen to the chorus of poor wee dobs i reckon this will be there team against us
mcgregor
batley goian bocca wallace
whittaker edu davis papac
aluko
mcculloch
circa £16mill 9 x 6 footers only 2 relatively talented players
so dont expect them to play too much football they will kick everything that moves and be allowed too
im not afraid but i do fear for our supporters and i genuinely have big fears for our manager if we were winning by a couple
thomthethim on 21 March, 2012 at 19:07 said:
That reminds me forgot to get them for my precious
for Mothers day,need to get this weekend.
soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooook
Just popped in to say, this is not the usual type of image of our manager we have become accustomed to seeing in the meeejar:
http://www.teamtalk.com/celtic/7615626/Wanyama-keen-to-move-on
Fair play Teamtalk…
there is a brilliant picture of kinky celebrating at ibrox at final whistle in 67 in the daily mail. its a cracker i have never seen before.
smart phone. doh
jinky
Stivs
who is Kinky? o))
Me
Saint Stivs on 21 March, 2012 at 19:13 said:
I was going to bring that up this morn,but was afraid the
Che Guevara mob would be up oot their pits early.
Free with daily Mail this week, Swaztika armband.
Was a beaut of a photo though.
I’m kinky…
(whoops!)
bournesouprecipe on 21 March, 2012 at 17:50 said:
I’m Ticketus!
________________________
Inspired !
Saint Stivs
Knew you were speaking of the legend,unlike
BT with his Metro and Morning Star.
Hi bhoys and girls…a bit off topic but for those who enjoy a wee flutter ..have a look at Justin rose for a place at the US masters..sitting at 33/1 just now hh
don’t read the Metro..
do you know how many germs are passed via the metro…?
St Stivs
Was the picture taken at the final whistle? Wee Jinky scored an absolute belter to draw 2-2. I remember being at that game, I was about 3, honest (!), when my mate said to me, ” could do with a wee goal to warm us up”, just as Wee Jinky let rip. Bhoy did we use that line again and again after that brilliant moment. Didn`t happen too often, though….