I enjoy Roddy Forsyth’s articles and broadcasts but I’m staggered at today’s article in The Telegraph. The initial headline read “Scottish clubs fear bankruptcy if Rangers are stripped of titles for tax avoidance”, but was amended to “SPL (sic.) clubs fear they will be hurt financially themselves if Rangers stripped of titles”.
Justification for this claim lies with the fact that clubs who lost a cup final to Rangers during their tax evasion (not avoidance) era, may have to pay a win bonus to players, which would be enough to tip them into bankruptcy.
These clubs would, we are told, prefer to sit tight as runners up, than be awarded a cup win. One chairman told Roddy, “Celtic might be able to afford that but nobody else could”.
Nobody else could afford a win bonus, so let’s not impose the unwelcome burden of winning on them! Consider what that makes supporters of these clubs!
Another chairman told Roddy, “my view is that the EBT scheme was questionable and maybe even reckless from the start but they were given expert advice and they acted on it”. “Questionable”, “reckless”, I think the word you’re looking for is illegal. Paul Baxendale-Walker’s expert advice was only one aspect of his flamboyant commercial undertakings.
Documentation was also hidden from HMRC, the SFA and SPL, and as ‘Mr Black’ told the Tax Tribunal, the ruse was designed to recruit better players. Who win more trophies.
Falkirk, Queen of the South, Dundee, St Mirren, Dundee United, Motherwell and Ayr United all lost finals to an EBT-fuelled Rangers, as well as Celtic, of course. Let’s hear from any of them who don’t want the matter formally examined. And let the door slam on their backside on the way out of competitive sport. Forget what’s happening in Russia, this is going on TODAY in Scotland!
If any of these clubs are campaigning for Rangers to keep their EBT trophies, it’s important their fans know about it. Roddy doesn’t suggest his two chairmen-sources come from any of these clubs, in fact, he describes them as “SPL” chairmen, the former name for our top flight.
So who are they?
Celtic, Aberdeen, Dundee United and Hearts can all be excluded from consideration. Think what you like about any of these clubs, but I cannot imagine any of their chairpersons considering this nonsense. Which leaves:
Kilmarnock. Michael Johnston is no longer chairmen, that role is fulfilled by Jim Mann.
Partick Thistle: David Beattie.
Motherwell: Brian McCafferty.
Inverness: Kenny Cameron.
Dundee: Bill Colvin.
Hamilton: Les Gray.
Ross County: Roy MacGregor.
St Johnstone: Steve Brown.
To the horror of Accies fans, in 2012 Les Gray said “SFL clubs should not be put in the position to vote on something which may destroy Scottish Football”. I wonder what Les is saying off the record now.
The Brown family have chaired St Johnstone through many issues, but their fans were off the mark quickly in 2012 to let Steve know their thoughts the last time Scottish football faced a decision to follow the rules, or not.
Roy MacGregor bristled with irritation when others tried to influence him in 2012. He has a reputation of knowing his own mind.
I don’t know anything about Bill Colvin, Kenny Cameron, Brian McCafferty, David Beattie or Jim Mann, but I suspect the names of both Roddy’s chairmen are on this page.
You’ll never read a better insight into why corruption was allowed to fester in our game than the glimpse available in today’s Telegraph, or that it remains endemic. Scottish football cannot be a comfortable haven for lawbreaking.
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Remember, there’s a Christmas toy collection for Maryhill Foodbank at Wild Cabaret, THIS Saturday, 14 November, from midday to 4:30. Families who don’t have money for food don’t have money for Christmas toys. If you have something you can donate, drop it in. There’s mulled wine and mince pies on the go.
You’ll find Wild Cabaret at 18 Candleriggs (0141 552 6165).
625 Comments- Pages:
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Davidopoulos on 12th November 2015 1:53 pm
Re previous post – Something like this, but less subtle:
===========================================
Don’t sweat it.
Somewhere on mars some alien lifeform is LOLing…
Sandman
Should bloody hope so!
Cheers Bobby E,
I’m just waiting on wits’ nag in the last before I get too happy.
HH
Tim Malone…,
I’d have though pigs in a blanket would have been a more apt awar for best coverup:)
Roddy must be at it, that excuse goes beyond straw clutching!
So bad it’ll have the opposite effect… Much like that infant school-level powerpoint that the pre-zombs used to convince the league they should be in the SPL.
Canamalar
Toadies in the hole?
@STVGrant: CG lawyer: What Sevco bought was a club, stadium, assets etc without right to play football in this country. That was a gamble.
New club!!!!!!!!!
Surely the redistribution of the prize money would more than cover the bonus payments? 8))
Wolffe is top man, Dean of the Faculty of Advocates but I’m surprised he quotes what Chaals says to the press as proof of the status of club/company.
Chaals can and did say anything he felt like it when selling season books to the punters but the legal status is defined by facts in law! End of.
from graham spiers today.
Was Scottish football ever in as much pain as this?
Was there ever before such a storm of anger, resentment, bile and bitterness? The decks are absolutely awash with the stuff.
In recent days social media outlets have been on fire with fans baiting and goading one another – and this has been nothing compared to the abuse and haranguing doled out to Scottish football journalists.
YES graham .just cast your mind back to 1962 versus SPURS at ibrox. I am sure your father must have told you ,him being a church of Scotland minister.oh what fun it was that night .a full 20 mins of the ENTIRE CROWD singing rangers F THE POPE..
I’M sure it was the subject of your father’s sermon the following sunday in church.
well i’m off to see the grandkids coming out of school,and the wee man who does the same every day with the HUNS STRIP on has suddenly started wearing a jumper.nae kiddin and it was 18 here yesterday and Tuesday.
P67
In the article reference is made to a “chairman” on two occasions.
It doesn’t say chairman of which club in either case.
Could be an amateur club for all we know.
While it’s reasonable to assume that the chairmen are of current SPFL clubs there’s nothing in the article
whatsoever to suggest that’s actually the case.
BT, Ha.
You took the thought from my head.
I don’t believe a single player would go looking for any cash from the wronged club.
http://youtu.be/8EE4alauiS4
HH
Still canny shake the feeling that…the huns will slither their way oot it.
BT
I would think it would be a nice little earner for the smaller clubs.
Unveiled at a home match-day sell-out with TV coverage (probably Alba) – additional trackside advertising, souvenir programmes (advertising), retro-shirts, scarves, DVDs and posters. Maybe throw-in a photo opportunity @£10 per head.
A positive goldmine! :-)
I’ll never forget the look on Spiers face when, in the Setanta “Press Box” studio with, Gerry McNee….Spiers was trying to spin the 2 goals that the hns got chalked off under Walters watch should have stood…the goals were when, Boyd kicked the ball into the net ‘after’ the mib had blown the whistle at Fir Park and, when Boyd ‘scored’ at Pittodrie from an off-side position.
McNee shot him down twice and, Spiers adjusted his seat so that, he wouldn’t have to look at McNee for the rest of the show.
Let’s ave a look at the old scoreboard…………….. oo err asterisk asterisk asterisk
Nice ta cheat ya ta cheat ya nice!
Good game good game not many points!
Or have I got the wrong Forsyth?
Delaneys Dunky
_______________
From earlier this morn – Hail Hail fella, thanks.
…..laters…..
Ray W-‘you get nothing for a pair of clubs,not in this game…..’
What’s more the Chairman quoted could be the bold GASL…
Afternoon all.
A big gail will be upon us soon.
I am writing this without knowing if a big gale has swept through Govan from Edinburgh. No matter really. Ijust wanted to inform you all of my Dad’s (92) reaction to my telling him this morning of some of the goings on in the unedifying pantomime that is the deid team. He said that his father, who died in 1950, would never have believed this day would come but would have loved it.
Timaloy you’d have to send dozens out
FAVOURITE UNCLE on 12TH NOVEMBER 2015 2:35 PM
from graham spiers today.
I know, I was there. A meeting was called to mollify restless Celtic fans, on the last Sunday of 1962, in a church or Labour Party hall in Dalmarnock Road.
Like an entrapped animal, never once admitting his own culpability in Celtic’s parlous state, Bob Kelly lashed out at all and sundry. The media, the SFA etc Even the the old Glasgow Corporation was not spared. Apparently having nothing to do with traffic flow, the Corporation had built a dual carriageway outside Ibrox, purely for THEIR convenience. As part of his tirade, he claimed that in the aftermath of the THEM v Spurs match you refer to, the Chief Constable of Glasgow was contacted by his London counterpart and advised in no uncertain terms that the residents of the Home Counties were less than pleased at what theey had been forced to listen to in their living rooms.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/scottish-football-cannot-be-haven-for-lawbreaking/comment-page-3/#comments
The Bookie’s Runner telling me…………………..
The olde contract (not the deeds) now getting scrutinised by M’lud!
BOABYEVANS on 12TH NOVEMBER 2015 1:44 PM
No need to thank me lads I am just glad it. won don’t like the pressure of good Tim’s losing their hard earned cash through me
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/scottish-football-cannot-be-haven-for-lawbreaking/comment-page-2/#comments
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Put my last morsels from my betting account on it. £11.00 on the nose at 11/4. Nice.
Thanks.
Following the tweets on CG vs Sevco/Rangers court case: treading on hot water on club vs.company debate – it may unwittingly put a nail in the coffin to the debate
Tom Boyd Really glad it won now , you might fancy a wee punt on WITS nag , runs today 4.10 taunton boudry @ 3/1 he’s the man
Hope I haven’t jinxed it
A wee bit of the old paranoia.
It would appear that the knives are out for Davy Moyes.
Twice in as many days, we have been told how Moyes and his assistant Billy McKinley, made no attempt to learn Spanish, assimilate into the culture. Indeed all the did was swan about in the most luxurious hotel in town.
Change the names to Eck and Sally and we find two braw Scots loddies under virtual house arrest in a rather seedy hotel, confined there by a conspiracy of Frogs, Wogs and and Dirty Dagoes (excuse the political incorrectness) determined to shut them out of Spanish society.
Roddy made the whole thing up. I’d love to tell you how I know this, but I simply cannot divilge my sources.
Paul67
The most likely outcome of title stripping would be the winner would be recorded as “stripped”. They probably wouldn’t replace winners. If they did they’d need to pay competition bonuses (the difference between 2nd and 1st) to the clubs at the very least. Which would I would imagine cover player win bonuses at these clubs.
BoabyEvans.
Nothing ventured nothing gained. Stuck the same back on. Even if it doesn’t come in I’ve got the winnings from your nag to play with.
The few scheckles I put on for football games will last a while.
This Charles Green lawyer is saying Sevco a lot. Obsessed courtroom bampot…
CG lawyer: What Sevco bought was a club, stadium, assets etc without right to play football in this country. That was a gamble.
But
“Sevco Scotland did not buy the club. It bought the business assets of the club,” says Charles Green’s lawyer.
———————
Is this a contradiction? Is it just the perils of following something so messy on twitter? Or is it the distinction between Sevco and Sevco scotland?
Boabyevans
You are allowed to jinx it 0:-)
JJ
quonno
Old Jock Wallace had problems with the oranges in Seville. :-)
KEVJUNGLE on 12TH NOVEMBER 2015 2:39 PM
Still canny shake the feeling that…the huns will slither their way oot it.
Of course THEY will. But meanwhile let’s enjoy THEIR pain.
As I have posted often. Never miss the chance to remind THEM that in feckless Timmy fashion, THEY sloped
the Packman big time.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/scottish-football-cannot-be-haven-for-lawbreaking/comment-page-3/#comments
OUCH!
CG lawyer: I accept matter of whether it is same club or not is a matter of life or death for some people