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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Sanna
It is an experience I have yet to have. I intend to do one day with my wife and son.
I was watching the Real/Villareal game last night and noticed the big Villarreal Celtic banner to the right of one of the goals.
Fair made my night to see our club being honoured in such a way.
seventyxseven ‘gelee et glace’ on 22 March, 2012 at 08:25:
Vintage stuff!
Post of the day (well: so far).
FF
Sun still beating down as my train crawls through shettleston station. Should have car back in half an hour. nomorepublictransportCSC
Folly Folly
Cheers mate. I blame Catholic schools.
Absolutely beautiful morning here in North Ayrshire.
Jobo
Sorry to hear about your car mate. I was having a wee bit of an on going problem with some the local neds until I caught one of them last year at about 5 in the morning attacking my car.
Took great satisfaction in “Re-educating” him. :-)
Billy’s Bhoy on 22 March, 2012 at 07:08 said:
Tom McLaughlin
Can I point you in the direction of Gorzecki’s Symphony No.3 “The Symphony of Sorrowful Songs” sends shivers running down your spine. Quite simply a stunning piece of classical music. Our Polish correspondent may be able to provide testimony to it as well.
—————————————–
hello guys, just reading back some of the posts from this morning and came across the thread above.
I remember watching the south bank show about Henryk Gorecki, telling the story of how the piece of music came together. ( i remember crying ) From memory I believe he lost alot of his family in Auschwitz. It is truly a great piece of music because of the emotion it stirs within. Although it makes me feel sad, there is joy and hope in there aswell.
Although i have never been to Auschwitz, i have visited Dachau and i can only agree with sannabhoy with regards to the emotions and memories that these places leave us with.
I think Henryk Gorecki passed away a couple of years ago, but he left us with a fantastic piece of music.
re whether it would be more enjoyable to win the Title at Ibrox or at Home v St Johnstone.
I am very much on the side of winning it at Ibrox. I can see the argument against because of potential injury to our fans but that potential is there anyway. Also, if we are already Champions when we play St Johnstone, the team can put on a treat for fans who will celebrate as though we had just won the Title on that day. Remember the atmosphere last year when we had just LOST the Title?
JJ
Bhoys,
a vitriolic personal attack against P67, Phil Mac, RTC plus one has just appeared on the newsnow feed from re-arrangersmedia.
It is also riddled with inaccuracies re current shenanigans.
It is a concerted effort to obfuscate, and maybe one that will be trundled out a lot in the near future.
KnowThyEnemyCSC
Jungle Jim on 22 March, 2012 at 09:28 said:
re whether it would be more enjoyable to win the Title at Ibrox or at Home v St Johnstone.
I’m with you on this one-don’t forget the cheats play m’well next Saturday and we could easily win the league in absentia!Sure we would still celebrate at Celtic Park the next day but not the same as winning at the event.
Still suspect it will be academic as I think m’well will beat Killie quite easily.
Would rather win it at Ibrokes if possible especially seeing that if we don’t we could win it before we even play the following week.
Plus, winning it at Ibrokes is the least we deserve given all that has gone on.
Party time!
HH
Winning the league at Ibrox would be great but I would take it at home against St J the next week, no bother.
What I want the most is an old firm win, anything else is added bonus.
theweegreenman on 22 March, 2012 at 09:07 said:
==============
The old Celtic/Submari flag can be seen at all the home games, good on em. I enjoyed the trip over there, I’m sure our fans have left many a good memory for the towns folk.
HH
TootingTim on 22 March, 2012 at 09:31 said:
That piece is so obviously libellous it makes you wonder if they are just trying to drag those named into a messy fight.
celtic40me
It is the flailings of a cornered animal.
Gotta feeling it will be trotted out a lot in the near future.
I agree Auschwitz being an emotional experience,I did it 3 years ago and it still upsets me thinking about it,the two camps,Lubenau and Birkenau look very different and was reckoned you were lucky to stay in the first because the latter is just wooden huts in an open field whose conditions were terribly overcrowded and lacking in basic facilities,its this camp that has the infamous arch with the train tracks running in,when you went there you weren’t coming out but in the other camp lays my most horrible memory of what we were told on the tour,the torture dormitory and the horrific things they did to people, I will never forget,from starvation cells,24 hour standing rooms,brothels for workers/slaves to pouring kettles of boiling water down peoples noses as torture,btw if anybody feels this post should be deleted then fair enough,I only really mention it because I saw an article which argued against the accusation by a guy from Nil By Mouth that reckoned he heard Celtic fans sing about the holocaust,like many I’ve heard the most distasteful chants over the years but never have we stooped that low.
Everybody should go to Auschwitz,everybody.
Lads is it 4pts we need for the title ?
Exclusive by Dead Wrong Doll
CELTIC have threatened to withdraw all co-operation with Sky over plans to change SPL voting.
Record Sport understands the champions-elect may refuse to work with the TV giant ahead of this weekend’s Old Firm match, barring the bare minimum required under SPL rules.
The threat is in response to the resolution presented last Friday by the 10 clubs outwith the Old Firm aimed at ripping up the league voting structure.
With Rangers plunged in administration, the SPL 10 want change but Celtic disagree.
And yesterday they told SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster they will continue their stance until the 10 ditch the proposals.
The SPL recently agreed a five-year, £80million extension to their TV contract which will kick in this August and run until the summer of 2017.
Ironically, Celtic boss Neil Lennon was a pundit for Sky at last night’s St Mirren v Hearts clash but the threat to withhold access ahead of Sunday’s Old Firm derby is real and sources inside the SPL fear for the future of the new deal.
It is understood Celtic have spoken with Sky but the move has outraged the non-Old Firm chairmen.
The 10 signed up to a document put before the SPL board asking for a resolution to be discussed at next month’s meeting of all clubs.
The SPL clubs believe the 11-1 majority required for any kind of structural change is undemocratic, allowing the Old Firm a stranglehold on the game.
A source within the 10 said: “We have 10 clubs trying to make the league more democratic and one trying to dictate their agenda to everyone.
“But Celtic know without Sky money, every club in the league is up the creek.”
A Celtic spokesperson said: “We are sure all supporters would regard these attempts to create division and uncertainty as very concerning, particularly given the current state of the game in Scotland.
Palacio67 on 22 March, 2012 at 09:45 said:
Funny how we are tarred with the same brush as TFOD at home and yet we make such an impression wherever we go………..
By Bill Leckie
Published: Today at 01:26
HIBS skipper Ian Murray was branded a “fenian b******d” in a vile sectarian Twitter slur.
The ex-Rangers ace was targeted by a sick poster, who added: “Hope you and all your family die.”
Murray, 31, then tweeted his 800 followers: “Warning to all. Sectarianism is an offence even on Twitter. Be careful what you say. That last guy is in a spot of bother. Feel for him.”
The message was from an account in the name of Chris Graham who writes fro Rangersmedia which was deleted soon after the rant on Friday.
Murray did not involve police, who said no action would be taken unless he complains.
Murray said “I will snoop about the internet and see whether a complaint is justified and whether it will stand up in court”
Hibs fans chief Mike Riley said: “We are absolutely disgusted.”
Matthew Lindsay, not for the first time, seems a bit upset with the Channel 4 report.
Why would that be?
That’s weird Awe Naw…
Chris Graham wrote the piece full of ad hominems I was just referring to.
One to watch (out for).
Awe_Naw
Just another attempt by the daily ranger to stir things up – just before a derby game. So predictable.
Re winning the league at Ibrox: if we win by (at least) two goals TFOD will ‘do walking away’. Poundstretchers will be deserted – except for happy Tims who can enjoy the day. Seriously, it’s the pubs / clubs that might see the brunt of their violence.
Bobby
Water aff a ducker arse
Hail Hail
By Tom English
Published on Thursday 22 March 2012 00:00
THE days tick by and the madness continues, the hype and the hoopla, the facts and the fiction. Just what is going on with the SPL investigation into double contracts, side letters and all the rest of the tax schemes at Rangers going back to the 1990s?
We have said in this space many times before that there is only one way to get to the heart of all that went on at Ibrox in the disputed “wee” and “not so wee” tax case years of 1999-2010 and that is through an independent inquiry, a commission with all the clout and respect of the SFA’s own recent inquiry that did for Craig Whyte, headed by Lord Nimmo Smith.
So clouded are the issues that full disclosure is required.
All Rangers directors in this period need to be interviewed, all Rangers managers if required and some Rangers players and agents, too. At the end of it there needs to be clarity – or as much clarity that satisfies most sane people.
Some, of course, will never be convinced of the findings even if God himself chaired the investigation and the four apostles sat on the board.
The feeling is that nothing is happening in the SPL and that breeds suspicion. You hear talk that Neil Doncaster, the chief executive, is on holiday and that provokes fury among groups of Celtic people who want this investigation completed yesterday. Judging by correspondence, many of them are sold on Rangers’ guilt already. They interpret Rangers’ concession in the “wee tax case” as proof that they broke the SFA’s own rules and want them punished. They are utterly convinced that Rangers, for many years, cheated the taxman, the footballing authorities and the game as a whole. People are having their reputations challenged.
The flipside is that Rangers, through Sir David Murray and various players from that era, say that no double contracts were ever issued. They are utterly categorical. One side is as convinced as the other in their own position, so where do you go?
To Iain Blair, operations director of the SPL. Is the league dragging its feet? Are they going to bottle the investigation? Who is orchestrating it and what have they found? “Under the rules of the SPL, Rangers are duty bound to supply us with the information we are looking for,” he says.
“Rangers have a responsibility to act in the utmost good faith, so I do fully expect them to give us the information, but we haven’t had it so far. In all fairness, with the administrators being there they have other priorities at the moment with court appearances and talks with potential purchasers and the rest of it, but they are working with us and there has been no lack of co-operation. We do expect the information shortly.”
Glasgow solicitors Harper Macleod are acting for the SPL in the first instance. They are dealing with Rangers and asking for documents, putting things together to bring before the SPL board. It’s a reasonable start, but the independence of the investigation needs to continue. There is a tremendous amount of noise out there about rules breaches surrounding the “wee” and the “big” tax cases and it’s not all coming from crackpots and conspiracy theorists on the internet. These allegations demand a proper investigation. It needs to get to the heart of what went on, no matter how long it takes. It needs to have the authority of a Lord Nimmo Smith heading it, a man whose word carries weight across all divides.
“I think there is an understanding of the potential seriousness of the situation,” says Blair, when asked about the perception of a whitewash. “One of the options available to us is to deal with any disciplinary process through an independent commission. I’m not prejudging what the board would do but it wouldn’t surprise if they did go down that route.
“The board will determine whether the information supplied represents a prima facie case of rules breach and if they do come to that decision then they have three choices how to prosecute. They can deal with it themselves in a board hearing, they can delegate it to a sub-committee of the board or the third option is to establish an independent commission.”
The board, of course, is a six-man deal including four clubs (Celtic, Dundee United, Motherwell and St Johnstone) as well as Ralph Topping as chairman and Doncaster as chief executive. A simple majority will turn an internal SPL investigation into a fully independent inquiry.
“We’re asking for a lot of comprehensive information to be pulled together by Rangers over an extended period of time going to back to 1998 (the foundation of the SPL),” says Blair. “That’s not an insignificant task and it can’t be done lightly.
“The administrators, who are effectively the executive at Rangers, have a number of priorities at the moment and we understand that. If there was a continuing delay that that is something our board might be concerned about, but I don’t think we’re at that point at this stage.”
At least it appears to be moving forward, under many, many watchful eyes.
succulence on 22 March, 2012 at 10:02 said:
Apologies for my ignorance, but
who is Matthew Lyndsey?
Billy’s Bhoy on 22 March, 2012 at 07:08 said:
”Tom McLaughlin
Can I point you in the direction of Gorzecki’s Symphony No.3 “The Symphony of Sorrowful Songs”’
I’ve actually got the link to the 2nd movement that on my desktop in case I ever get too cheerful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvXjo9x0xtg&feature=related
I have to say though that it reminds me a wee bit of Bailero from the Songs of the Auvergne.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_LUu45cHPc
ducker=ducks
Well done Celtic. Guys like Thomson and the Kilamrnock chairman etc.. have ruined our game with decisions.
They know without Celtic there will be no cash at all.
Would the 10 clubs accept the current voting structure if there were no huns to worry about? Another example of Scottish football being better off without them surely.
theweegreenman
He´s a wee boy that writes for the Evening News .. Rangers 9 in a row was the biggest event in the guys life without any shadow of a doubt. He has made a good career writing soppy biased drivel that appeals to the hun masses
You can see why they are angry .. Alex Thompson is helping to destroy their industry and readership base.
Hail Hail
Just dropped in to say….
TootingTim on 22 March, 2012 at 10:03 said:
//////////
Chris Graham ???
Might that be the son of – Chris(tine) Graham ?mmmm
God Bless
Hail Hail
Off oot
laters…
hen1rik on 22 March, 2012 at 09:50
Better to look at the points required from the games to play. Top three teams have played 30 games – 8 remaining. So potentially each has 24 points more points to play for. The league table stands at:
Celtic 75 points (other two must surpass this total)
Rangers 54 points (+24 = 78 potential)
Motherwell 54 points (+24 = 78 potential)
If we beat TFOD on Sunday we move to 78 points. The gap is then 24 with 21 points to play for.
If Motherwell win on Saturday, they move to 57. The gap is 21 points with 21 points to play for so they (mathematically) could still win the league.
The irony is Well host TFOD next Saturday, so the league could be decided before our game on Sunday (if we don’t win it at Poundstretchers)
Awe naw
…and that’s waterproof
Cheers Awe Naw
In this case, ignorance is bliss after all. :-)
Can’t link to it on my phone but anyone who’s interested in a more contemporary slant on Gorecki’s music should YouTube “Gorecki” by Lamb.
seventyxseven ‘gelee et glace’ on 22 March, 2012 at 08:25 said:
Good, in fact very good. You just tore a new one for English.
It has to be said that this blog seems to have an authority on every subject discussed, whether it be Tax Law, IT, Politics or the Gospel. There is no hiding place for the msm. They printed what they liked for years, with little or no scope for contradiction. Not any more. English’s latest haverings are a good example of another lazy journo being exposed by an internet ‘bampot’.
hh