Tom Rogic is well within his rights to take time to consider his next contract. He is thriving at Celtic, but with a year left on his current deal, the future is open. Front and centre of his mind, of all players’ minds, will be the dirty little subject. The money paid to lesser talents than Tom in England is incredible, Tom is well within his rights to ponder his position in the food chain.
Then there is his place in the Celtic squad. Brendan Rodgers is continually looking to improve the team. It doesn’t matter who you are, you cannot be sure of a place well into the future.
There are also reasons to consider why Celtic might be a good fit for him. He is not the archetypal English Premier League player, all physique and running. Tom is a throwback to not so long ago when craft on the ball got you into the team, not the ability to burst a lung for 90 minutes. All too often, he’s a 60 minute star.
Evidence is everywhere that he is a big game player and proven match winner, but he is not going to temp a title chasing team from England, instead it would be the bottom half battlers who are most likely to be interested in him. He’s not a natural fit. Better to stay with the champions.
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Can I also remind everyone what Imran Ahmed said below about the police and old Rangers.
mran Ahmad will not co-operate with Rangers fraud probe
14 September 2015
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Imran AhmadImage copyrightSNS
Image caption
Imran Ahmad is a former commercial director of Rangers
Former Rangers director Imran Ahmad has said he will remain overseas and not co-operate with an investigation into the sale of the club’s assets in 2012.
Mr Ahmad spoke out after four other men were charged over the deal.
He accused police of being “emotionally connected” to Rangers and described the club as “a religion built on religious bigotry”. He also said he would not get a fair trial anywhere in Scotland.
Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Rangers all declined to comment.
A Crown Office spokesman said: “As proceedings are live for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 it would be inappropriate to comment.”
A police spokeswoman also said that “it would be inappropriate to comment” and this was “a live inquiry”.
A spokesman for Rangers declined to comment.
Ahmad, the club’s former commercial director, left Rangers in controversial circumstances in 2013 and later reached an out-of-court settlement with the club.
Charles Green Craig WhyteImage copyrightPA
Image caption
Charles Green (left) and Craig Whyte have already been charged over their involvement with Rangers
He arrived with Charles Green, who led a consortium which purchased the club’s assets following administration and liquidation.
That asset purchase in 2012 has been the focus of a police investigation.
Earlier this month, four men appeared in court to face charges over the alleged fraudulent acquisition of the assets.
They were 62-year-old Mr Green and 44-year-old Craig Whyte, who had bought the club from former owner Sir David Murray in 2011 and was at the helm during its financial collapse the following year.
Two other insolvency practitioners were also charged over the deal.
They were David Whitehouse, 50, and Paul Clark, 51, who worked for Duff and Phelps and acted as joint administrators for Rangers during the 2012 insolvency.
Following the court appearances, Mr Ahmad emailed the BBC to say that his legal representatives had contacted the Crown Office in a bid to ascertain if he would face any charges.
He said he was initially prepared to return to the UK from overseas, where he has been working.
‘Safe passage’
Mr Ahmad said: “I was promised a letter by the Crown…by close of business 4 September 2015 which would also confirm that I would not be arrested at UK border control or by Police Scotland and could attend court on the 29 September 2015 to answer the warrant petition which I wanted to fully cooperate with.”
Mr Ahmad continued: “A few days ago, the Crown reneged on their promise to provide me with a safe passage letter.
“My legal team and I have grave concerns about a defendant in this case being able to receive a fair trial anywhere in Scotland let alone Glasgow.
“Every social media site in Scotland has presumed all the defendants to be guilty before a trial has even taken place or for that matter before individuals have even been indicted.”
Mr Ahmad said that he had recently “received death threats by phone and online”.
He described Rangers fans as “a tribe”, adding: “What the rest of the world will never understand unless they experience it first hand is that Rangers Football Club is a religion, in itself, built on centuries of religious bigotry.”
The former director also accused Police Scotland of being “an establishment institution which itself is deeply rooted and immersed in Rangers Football Club’s history for well over 140 years”.
Mr Ahmad said: “I firmly believe Police Scotland have their own agenda and are deeply emotionally connected to Rangers Football Club. In my view Police Scotland have a clear conflict of interest.”
He added: “I have decided not to attend the Crown’s ‘invite’ warrant on the 29 September 2015 and will remain overseas until the trial is over when I will return to the UK.”
HEN1RIK on 24TH MARCH 2018 9:08 AM
Count me in as a bigot then.
:)
From John James.
The Club 1872 Con : step right up Gullibillies and give us £2.7m.Kids break your piggy banks as the King fix is in!
The Club 1872 Con
“Club 1872 Meeting with Dave King
23 March, 2018
Club 1872 directors recently held a very positive meeting with Rangers Chairman, Dave King to discuss the possibility of Club 1872 taking up a position on the RIFC board. This was a preliminary discussion and various practical considerations were raised and examined.
The Club 1872 board wishes to draw members’ attention to two main points arising from the meeting:
1) The current one year term for Club 1872 board members is an issue that has been raised by a number of members over the past year. It is also something that was discussed in the meeting with the Chairman in connection with an RIFC board place. The current one year term creates challenges in progressing long term plans, and the annual election process causes a period of upheaval each year which disrupts crucial work in taking the organisation forward. It also impacts the aim of securing a place on the RIFC board as this position would not be available if it potentially had to be changed annually.
The Club 1872 board will shortly put a proposal to members to extend the term for Club 1872 board members and introduce staggered elections. The board believes this proposed change would help maintain stability and ensure the organisation continues to function properly through the election process. It would also solve one of the practical difficulties of securing an RIFC board place.
2) Despite being the second largest shareholder currently, members will be aware that a number of individuals have large loans in place with RIFC. These loans will shortly be converted to equity through share issues. This will mean that in order to maintain our position, Club 1872 will need to invest significant funds into Rangers over a number of share issues – most likely running into millions of pounds. Although we are very pleased with the reaction to our share issue campaign, at the current level of membership and contributions we are unlikely to be able to maintain that shareholding in the medium term.
If Club 1872 is to maintain its position we need thousands more Rangers supporters to join the organisation and invest in Rangers. If our shareholding position is not maintained then it becomes less likely that we will secure a place on the RIFC board. The organisation has to show that it can invest in the club on the same basis as the other major shareholders.
Club 1872 does not have an automatic right to an RIFC board place. However, following positive discussions we believe that we can secure one on behalf of our members if the organisation continues to grow and develop. We have added over 400 new members in 8 weeks. We have also raised over half a million pounds for the upcoming share issue. However, given the size of our support and the millions of pounds of investment being provided by other investors, the organisation needs to continue to develop if we are to meet our objectives. We would ask for every one of our members to help us in this regard by recruiting friends and family.
The opportunity in front of us has never existed for Rangers supporters. We have an RIFC board that is willing to work with us and the opportunity for supporters to become one of the major investors and voices in our club. That opportunity may not come again as the club continues to rebuild and gain strength. We would encourage all Rangers supporters to join us and ensure that collectively we are in a position to take advantage of this and ensure the support retains a big enough shareholding to protect the club for generations to come.
We will update our members on our discussions with RIFC as they continue and will shortly put a poll out to members on the subject of the Club 1872 board term.
We thank current members for their ongoing support.”
I have long accused Rangers Lite supporters of being stupid, but the level of stupidity being solicited by King and his lickspittles on the Club 1872 board takes the club orange biscuit. Much has been made of the Corrupt Consigliere relinquishing his position on the board of the lickspittle satellite but little has been published to inform the Gullibillies that he owns the £2 of issued share capital and is listed as their Guarantor at Companies House.
Club 1872 is owned, bought and paid for by the RIFC Secretary. Do these individuals think that we all came down in the last shower?
I added red typeface to highlight a number of takeaways, viz:
Club 1872 does not have an automatic right to an RIFC board place : How f***** disingenuous can one be? Dave King became chairman by calling an EGM and appointing himself. There is nothing to stop Club 1872 doing the same and proposing as many members as they wish on the board. If they have as claimed an RIFC board that is willing to work with us it follows that they would have no objection to the second largest stakeholder having representation on the board.
Alternatively if an EGM did not solicit the required backing, they could take a leaf out of King’s book and threaten to buy shares from non concert party stakeholder unless a board position was forthcoming. Have they forgotten how King planned to impose himself on the board by using supporters’ season ticket money?
If Club 1872 had cojones that were their own, a big if, they could drive a board bargain with the £500,000 that they have in their bank account.
Given that Club 1872 voted to allow the board to print shares and money they knew full well that they would have to spend more to stand still. From the back of a fag packet if the rogue board issue another 100 million shares, bringing the total in circulation to north of 181 million, Club 1872 will require another 10 million shares to maintain their current 10%. At 27p that’s £2.7m.
So step right up Gullibillies and give us £2.7m so that we can cover King’s lies to the auditors.
This is a confidence trick. A so-called CIC votes to allow a board that owns them to dilute their shares and solicit £2.7m. If the Economic Crime Unit were not in such a shambles facing perjury accusations they should be all over this.
The career criminal who is no stranger to ripping off orphanages is now going after kids pocket money:
We would ask for every one of our members to help us in this regard by recruiting friends and family.
There are some who suggest that the Gullibillies deserve King. Some of the former dressed up as ‘Rhats‘ to denigrate the former board. I warned them from the very beginning that he was a career criminal who would stop at nothing to pick their pockets
I was called ‘An Obsessed Taig.’ I am not obsessed. I am an atheist. I don’t need 20/20 vision to see this confidence trick as it’s staring everyone in the face.
DAVID66 on 24TH MARCH 2018 9:15 AM
Lol.
Horse racing is a fix, look at last nights winners…
Fix I tell you.
Well done Tom Laura and all who attended last night
HEN1RIK on 24TH MARCH 2018 9:32 AM
McLeish should not be anywhere near that job, it’s a total insult to every hard working tax paying citizen. As for McGregor in goal and Fergus-Hun in the studio, wtf.
These guys showed total disdain for their country.
An absolute disgrace.
:( :)
Anyone in town this afternoon for a beer, around 2.30?
NORRIEM on 24TH MARCH 2018 8:02 AM
CELTICROLLERCOASTER SUPPORTING @WALKWITHSHAY on 24TH MARCH 2018 8:35 AM
————————————————————————————————————————————–
Great night with great company (Norrie and H, Marc and K and 67Heaven) for a great cause.
My lucky winning streak was down to Laura and Stephen allocating me the number 1 horse.
Well done to them for their fundraising efforts.
Best wishes to Billy- Lionsroar67 on a speedy recovery post op.
HH
BtBGHF
I didn’t realise that about his family situation. Point remains that he was a desperate man when he made the comment
Hi Bhoys
Has anyone got the crowd for last night?
KEEP THE FAITH
Friesdorfer,
Aye….mibbe….;-))
H.H.
I also don’t know about Alex McLeish marital status but wtf has that got to do with anything. We all know good people who’s marriages did not work out. I played street fitba with the man as a kid. Our street was more Tim than blue nose. His family were very friendly with their neighbours. No hun, fact. EBT yep he took the money, the game is all about the money for most players and managers. Hate if you like. I don’t think he is the right appointment to the Scotland job, but trolling him tells me about you than him. Hail Hail
THELURKINTIM, I’ll be in the BV around 2.30 if you are able. HH
ITALIABHOY on 24TH MARCH 2018 8:14 AM
I agree; I have friends who are acquaintances of McLeish and they state that he is a decent guy and no hun.
I also agree with the remainder of your post ‘re his appointment as Scotland manager.
HH.
From Focus on Celtic.
Bertie Auld was a fantastic player, but he is second to none when it comes to personality. https://twitter.com/FocusOnCeltic/status/837793477782081536/video/1
Brilliant. Wee Bertie is a gem of a man.
From coco banjo.
@FrPaulStone @The_Tman10 Why should EBT’s recipients who are really tax dodgers be allowed media work from the BBC and get paid by the taxpayers who they shafted in the first place……..
Hmmmm. This “decent guy” McLeish.
Would that be the same one who turned up at a West Brom-Sunderland game when he was out of a job when Steve Clarke or Di Canio was going to get sacked if they lost?
Reckon we might see a lot more Celtic players involved in the next game, being that it’s closer to our next match.
Mcleish’s appointment just showed that nothing at all has changed. The sfa are an absolute shambles.
Favourite Uncle….
Surely there is no god…..;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
A wee update on LIONSROAR67…
I had arranged to go and see our King Billy today in the Hospital. However, I got a text from him to say everything went well and he is getting home later this afternoon… fantastic news…
Long live King Billy, well the one that is called Lionsroar67…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Neg2,
Shambles = disgrace
FTSFA
H.H.
Got to laugh at the daily records pathetic attempts to talk mcleish up
“There was no cry of emperor’s new clothing, however, about McLeish’s charges. The manager promised new faces and a new, positive outlook and ultimately he delivered despite his side’s failure to win.”
Bolloks.
Lennybhoy,
Great news for him, science, and the Celtic family…..so a brain transplant can be done…..;-))
H.H.
LENNYBHOY on 24TH MARCH 2018 11:28 AM
A wee update on LIONSROAR67…
I had arranged to go and see our King Billy today in the Hospital. However, I got a text from him to say everything went well and he is getting home later this afternoon… fantastic news…
Long live King Billy, well the one that is called Lionsroar67…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
—————————————
Getting oot this afternoon???
That wee bugger Lionsroar has had us all up to high dohhhhhh ,he’ll be sitting watching telly n drinkin beer shortly….hopefully :O) ,get well soon B .
Thanks to lennybhoy and ht for updates.hh ghuys
Interesting to hear Barry Gufferson saying he could have had 50 caps, but he was left out of 15-20 friendlies. Wonder why that was…..
There’s only one King Billy and that’s Cesar & Lionsroar67……mental arithmetic is my forte ;-))
H.H.
I’m currently reading ‘Argentina, a footballing history’
Some interesting stuff regarding the Racing Club 67 fiasco.
The victory over Celtic was a godsend for the troubled government of a country riven with political division and unrest. ‘only sport and in particular football can bring the people together in such a joyous way’
It was widely recognised even by El Grafico newspaper, that Racing played brutal anti-football. All was however pardoned in the meantime, such was the feel-good factor of being victorious over a team from Britain, ‘our quasi colonial masters’. They deliberately failed to distinguish between English and Scottish, while being fervently anti-Uruguayan, their close neighbours. Speaking of whom, fifty thousand turned up to support Celtic in the Montevideo play-off and fought running battles with the fifteen thousand celebrating Racing fans after the match.
It was reported that Ronnie Simpson was hit before the 2nd leg tie with a metal bar which could only have been launched from a catapult. Cover up by doctor and Police, ‘no evidence’. In hindsight Robert Kelly was wrongly overruled by Stein who wanted to play on.
Even Argentine press called the equalising goal in Buenes Aires yards offside., which it blatantly was.
The yearly intercontinental football war was finally dealt with by a now embarrassed Government who jailed three Estudiantes thugs for 30 days following their sendings-off against AC Milan in 69. ‘All too little too late for the treatment suffered by Celtic and Manchester United in previous years.’
Couple of other points..
I was at the first leg at Hampden and according to the book, ‘the Argentina anthem was loudly booed by the Glasgow Celtic crowd’. I cant remember the anthem being played at all, anybody?
And finally…’ Cardenas spoke the Sean Connery who was on the flight from Rio to London. Connery told Cardenas that he wanted Racing to win as he was a Rangers fan’…..and there was me thinking he only changed horses after our 9 in a row.
Great news about Billy.
Made my day already!
Understandable why some Celtic fans would be full of schadenfreude as McLeish’s dignified return went under the radar onwards to Hamdump an embarrassing ‘experimental’ side, and defeat.
McLeish has never did well anywhere outwith Fraudulent FC , its only another aspect of the EBT scandal that’s well and truly hidden by SMSM. McLeish’s appointment is another string to the national scandal that underpins our game. McLeish was a recipient, a manager and instrumental in offering EBT’s in all his 235 games at the Ibrokes.
Celtic players will now be selected by McLeish whose only success was through picking players he couldn’t ‘otherwise afford’ our players want to play for their country, but definately not the SFA benders that are still running our game.
The real villain of the story of course are , the old Bowler hats in the stand hooligan brigade . The SFA suited, and booted in the posh seats, hanging on to their blazers and brogues with bowling club tightness, turkeys never likely to vote for Christmas
Irony CSC
After a bite to eat in Nicks on Hyndland Road me and the MAOW (Mrs Art of War) popped into the Rock for a drink.
Game had 10 minutes gone. Hardly anybody watching it. The Rock is now a dive. Needs some serious money spent on it.
Unimpressed, we left and meandered down to Tennents bar. Much better, vibrant atmosphere. Game was on but again, not many taking an interest. No sign of BRTH . How do I know this? No cowboy boots on show.
Wife impressed by the double Bombay Gin for £4.50, result. However, I digress, the McLeish appointment was, is and will prove to be a shambles. With placement all over the shop it will unfortunately rumble on until Scotland fail to qualify for Euros.
As pointed out before Peter Grant is the token Tim, like Tommy Burns (RIP) before him. McFaddens credentials are unproven other than he was a top pro (really Ed) who thinks the players just need to be gallus.
I predict we will see a similar number of caps given out in the qualifiers as was done under the Vogts shambolic reign.
Off pot to put a security light at my folks house.
I see lots of comment from another site about a court action being brought against the Police and others.
That may, or may not, be without merit.
However, lest anyone be distratced by the numerous sideshows that have been set in motion ovre the last five years, simply consider this:
The SFA received a visit from HMRC officers in 2009 regarding side letters and “unofficial” or “undisclosed contracts” contracts.
The SFA were made aware of the nature of the enquiries being made by HMRC and told what the tax investigators were looking for and suspected.
The SPFL (Then the SPL) were also made aware – although some time later a Mr Eric Riley of Celtic Football Club made it plain that he was unaware, had not been present when any of this was discussed and was surprised that it had not been raised since or brought to his attention.
On 15th March 2012, Rod McKenzie, on behalf of the SPL, wrote to the pursuer in the court case mentioned elsewhere and his fellow administrator and asked for copies of all side letters, correspondence and documentation relative to RFC PLC (In adminisitration) and their dealings and disputes with HMRC.
For whatever reason, Mr Whitehouse and his colleagues chose quite deliberately to omit all and any correspondence and information about The Wee Tax Case — an admitted and established debt the existence of which would have jeopardised the right of RFC PLC to trade at all at that time and to continue playing football under the rules.
The failiure to disclose the WTC documentation was one of the reasons, but only one, why the LNS commission was half cocked from the start and ultimately worthless and useless.
Never forget that Mr Whitehouse and his colleague continued to trade RFC PLC in adminisitration and ran up further losses including huge fees for themselves – much to the astonishment of many professionals especially those engaged in insolvency practice.
Once BDO were appointed as liquidators they raised a claim against Mr Whitehouse and his colleague for gross negligence and alleged that they failed to run the adminsitration to a proper professional standard.
Mr Whitehouse is not a friend of Scottish Football and never has been.
BRTH,
The police,…sorry…..craft….sorry…..establishment…..were hell bent on showing that their death was someone else’s fault…..fuds…..SDM is my hero in all this ;-))
H.H.
THELURKINTIM
U are indeed correct
If ragers 1872 were only in debt to the tune of £18m as we have all been told by the LL
then CW must have went on some spending spree to rack up £169m of debt in just 1 year
Then again maybe he bought Neymar but the lad never showed enough to get into the first team
HH
AOW
I wasn’t in the west end last night. I haven’t been in The Rock for years – more likely to be in Cottiers across the road or Nic’s or Epicures or as you say Tennents.
Or elsewhere on Byres Road — or down in Dumbarton Road.
OK I could be anywhere.
Last night I ended up in Browns in George Square but I was driving.
The Rock is a dump but has so much potential to be better.
As long as the corrupt SFA is run in the way it is, with blazer chaser like McCrae and Petrie in positions of power as a reward for serving their time as part of the committee system that stops the progression and development of football in this country, then we will continue to fail. Jobs for the boys rather than getting the best candidate, whether that’s in the managers seat or on the board.
No coincidence that the 20 years since we have qualified for a major tournament coincides with the two decades of corruption within our game which has went, and continues to be, unpunished.
Looking for a quick wee favour does anyone have a link to the planet of the apes rangers are p*** video?
Might not be able to reply for a wee while so thanks in advance!
As it’s a wee bit quiet on here, I give you a wee update on the ole Lowland League.
IT’s a 30-game campaign and whilst my own home team aren’t playing today, here’s the state of play –
1st – EKFC having played 27 and amassed 65 points (and have won their last 5 games)
2nd – Spartans who’ve only played 25 and are on 62 points and have also won their last 5 games; today they are away to 12th placed Whitehill Welfare and are very likely to win and move to equal on points with EKFC but with a game in hand.
Next we have East Stirling, played 26 and points 56, and then BSC Glasgow who’ve played 25 and have 55 points. But both teams probably too adrift now to have a chance.
What remains in EKFCs favour is their goal difference of 51 compared to Spartans’ 39.
Spartans currently favourites for the title (and the chance of getting into Scottish League 2). But jut 1 loss and EKFC would be back in the driving seat.
Haven’t seen the Scottish team from last night,how many sevco or ex Sevco players did McLeish manage to squeeze in?