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.
Maryhill Foodbank
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).
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A poster writes…
Terry Relevant says:
November 12, 2015 at 4:49 pm
Wonderfully informative JJ. Thank you again for your continuing excellent coverage of all these matters.
It looks like Mr. Brown has struck the first major blow in this courtroom drama.
Am I reading this correctly?
If Doherty accepts Brown’s interpretation; the Sevco/Rangersdichotomy, not only does Green get his costs paid, but it would seem that the very foundations of the same club theory lie in smithereens?
I fear there is nothing good coming out of this for the majority of Rangers fans.
“Rangers was a basket of assets that could be sold, but these were not indivisible.The players went one way and the ground another, where is the “club” then?”
Jonathon Brown, representing Chas Green at court today.
Davidopoulos
I understand the treatment involves copious amounts of jelly and ice cream.
A year long course!
:o)
So if Mr Brown is correct – Rangers were a basket case club.
Do today’s events suggest that Charles is finally over his ‘Rngersitis’?
And wee Sepp is home from hospital.
Ain’t life fine and dandy?
‘ the players went one way, and the ground another’
– have they lost the proverbial dressing room?
Yet more threats from the gang,it’s always their default position
The ole floating pitch.
What is it with them and people with colours as a name ??? Is Lex Gold going to get involved next ?
Just in so don’t know if posted already
From Twitter
http://i.imgur.com/MBlS7Wr.gif
DK ‘s latest statement or the Scottish medias response to NEW CLUB confirmation :-))
DONTBRATTBAKKINANGER on 12TH NOVEMBER 2015 5:51 PM
‘ the players went one way, and the ground another’
================
Nae wonder the GASL has that perplexed look in his eyes………………….
I reckon he’s gone native!
I have to give Forsyth credit for inventing some of the best excuses I’ve read since the dog ate my homework.
Roddy Forsyth reminds me of Comical Ali during the First Iraq war, especially when he was telling the live news feed that there were no Americans in Bagdhad just as a convoy of American tanks passed by on the motorway behind him.
DK is like comical Ali
Doesn’t seem to realize what’s going on behind him
HH
‘ the players went one way, and the ground another’
Aye,but the GEF,Whyte,managed to keep an eye on each of them…
Incidentally,ITALIABHOY 450pm,I disagree with your OMG about the latest huns statement. WTF,more like.
Are they actually paying for morons to write this? No wonder they’re skint.
Anybody been on FF (Fuc*edFuc*ed) ?
Glibaldinho is really getting himself tied in knots.
They all know the truth re the same club myth. They are “at it” so they can relieve gullible Huns of some more cash.
I saw Paul Murray walking towards me on the steps leading down to Waverley train station in Edinburgh last year, I started laughing and humming zombie nation as I passed him.
He kept his head down. He knew that I knew.
Zombies then, zombies now, zombies forever.
Latest from E-Tims,complete with two photos of an orange knob(!)
http://etims.net/?p=8124
ITALIABHOY @ 4:50 PM,
That is quite a statement where to start….
Maybe with this…
“First, irrespective of the final outcome of the tax appeal (which might take several more years)…”
Quite a statement of intent, it looks like confirmation from Dave King that The Rangers FC Ltd are going to appeal the CoS decision on the BTC.
Of course it looks like, but it’s not the case. TRFC Ltd cannot appeal the case as it has nothing to do with them. The action taken by HMRC was against a different Football Club.
But the I’m sure DCK knows that. You’d think he’d be using up all his spare angst on what MA is going to do next. Maybe as that situation has become all too real, he’d rather deal with the same Club myth.
Reality doesn’t seem a place of comfort for David.
Hail Hail
I have a feeling a few ladies will b walking into doors tonight. U know what that mob r like.
Dave ‘Let us cheat’ King, wants the critics to move on for the good of Scottish Football.
How the feck is this moron getting away with this….it beggers belief.
I hope something really bad happens to that slime.
HH
“Scottish refs are amongst the best in Europe” who says so? Hugh Dallas , who else….. through the looking glass thinking.
STV fully onside with Dave Kings ” strong words” …the pantomime season gets off to a flying start,
What is the subsequent process if BDO appeal on Dec 2nd?
‘ the players went one way, and the ground another’
so Wullie Collum gave a pen.
eyesinthebackofhisheid csc
Dick Wilson frantically playing moshe with his Magic Beans,before dressing up The Lying King’s latest threats on Shortbread
So the GSL reckons all of this is nothing to do with his club – and he knows because he was on the board of the same club when it was different and all of this happened.
Or something like that.
Phils up.
Previously on Sevco…
The founder of Sevco Scotland Limited-through his lawyer-told the Court of Session today that he didn’t buy a club, rather he bought assets.
James Doleman (@jamesdoleman) live-tweeted the proceedings within the laid down reporting restrictions.
Here are some of them:
“Brown Sevco Scotland did not buy “the club” the bought the business and assets of the club”.
“The team are paid by Sevco, play at a ground owned by Sevco trained by a manager who is employed by Sevco, fans buy tickets from Sevco”.
Brown “What is the players went one way and the ground another, where is the “club” then?
Brown. “I realise that Rangers being the same club is a matter of life and death to some,”
Wouldn’t be a proper legal case without “the elephant in the room” getting mentioned
Whether or not Mr Charles Green is successful in his case to have Rangers International Football Club (RIFC) pay his legal costs this court case significant.
In lays bare for the Bears the opinion of the man who created the creature that they worship in the misguided notion that it is Rangers (1872).
This is brilliant scriptwriting and I’m hooked.
Meanwhile, there is an interesting story line developing in South Africa.
In a future episode, Mr Jim White could return to the scene of the crime against journalism and this time try and really interview Mr David Cunningham King.
I realise that this would take some character development, but perhaps that is just pie in the Sky.
For dramatic effect, he could ask to see once more that impressive winery, just to check that all if those dignified bottles are still there.
The deftly nuanced PR strategy at RIFC continued tonight with this finely crafted statement.
For the avoidance of doubt Mr David Cunningham King has antagonised a billionaire.
Moreover, General Ashley is more than willing will to use his wealth to have a very public victory over the South African based entrepreneur.
Of course, the Sports Direct commander has also trained his discounted guns on the local allies of Mr King.
He would, for example, be delighted to find out that someone who attended the meeting that decided on the Fit and Properness of Mr David Cunningham King did not declare an interest in the matter.
However, I am sure that didn’t happen and would not be passed as, well fit and proper, by the script writing team.
It is just too fanciful to think that a senior football administrator would be so careless.
If this had happened, then it would take a substantial deus ex machina to reach a favourable dénouement.
However, I have to say that this series of Sevco has ignored severable jumpable sharks and has all the verve of the 2012 series.
If the Sevco scriptwriting team do not get an award for this, then it is a case of injustice Off the Radar.
Because they have provided such high grade entertainment since 2012.
Lessons in Tax from Dave King……..who said comedy was dead?
Have I or have I not just heard this most stupid comment of all in this EBT debacle? Dave King said ” Some players might not have come to Oldco if EBT’s were not available but if they didn’t come we’d have got players of similar ability.”
“” But King has now issued a warning that: “If the history of our club comes under attack, we will deal with it in the strongest manner possible and will hold to account those persons who have acted against their fiduciary responsibilities to their own clubs and to Scottish football.”
Without naming anyone in particular, he expressed surprise that representatives of other clubs might wish to re-open the matter even though they “admit the damage done to Scottish football by Rangers’ removal from the Premier League”.
“This is a misguided attempt (that will ultimately fail) to rewrite history and defeat Rangers off the park when their teams could not do so on the park at the time,” said King. “”
Still threatening, still lying, still the peepil. In his mind the damage to Scottish football is not rangers mega financial doping but removing “the same team” from the SPL??
They’re rattled.
JJ
My take (and happy to be corrected) was that the RIFC lawyer (Wolfe) arrived with the following argument.
Green was CEO of Sevco and that became the now TRFC Ltd. It gave him a contract that indemnifies his legal costs in the course of action he undertook for Sevco (which now houses the club). The club is basically an association football team and can be owned and operated by a company. The cover of that indemnity does not extend to the sale of the club from oldco as he was not the CEO of the club when it was sold and that is the transaction that he is looking for the legal expenses to defend.
There was a 2nd argument that criminality should not be covered anyway, that argument being accepted in the Andy Coulson/NoTW case.
He basically put the notion of club v company absolutely squarely at the forefront of the case. I don’t think anyone in the bampotosphere was expecting that!
Remarkably Mr Brown, acting for Chuckles, seemed to be very ready. He rubbished the notion that the club could have a legal personality of its own. It couldn’t issue contracts and so on (Lord Doherty had earlier piped in during Wolfe’s submissions that you can’t contact ‘a club’ separately of its legal entity) and that Sevco had issued contracts, Sevco bought the assets, Sevco paid players their wages, repeating ‘Sevco’ in all references to the current entity. Mr Brown quipped that he realised the same club argument was a matter of life or death to some but had submitted that it was patent nonsense, without a CVA a basket of assets had been bought and the right to trade. Had someone bough Woolworths they would not have bought the legal personality, only the assets and the trade that comes with having those assets. Full on legal case to block to the same club submission. Wolfe did not counter.
Lord Doherty will now take time to consider the submissions so totally unexpectedly (for me anyway) we are likely to get a legal decision on Green’s right to expenses that has to legally address the same club notion because Wolfe put if front and centre of the issue.
As a wise man who frequents these pages once said to me, when you make a case in court or ask a question you really need to be prepared for any answer. Did Wolfe have to address that question?
From that I then sit down with my coffee, thinking I’ve time to mull it over and boom, Dave King spews his bile. That was released tonight but must have been written over the last few days. It can be picked apart in may ways but what has struck me is the incredible timing.
“If the history of our club comes under attack we will deal with it in the strongest manner possible”
Are you reading Lord Doherty? That’s you and the legal system.
I feel with this sort of statement King is not only a liar and a criminal, but a rabble rouser and a danger to peaceful life in the West of Scotland.
Fit and proper. Shame, shame, shame on you SFA.
What a difference between these chancers and Fergus McCann.
Fergus never once deceived the fans with false hopes, never asked the fans to part with their money without knowing his overall intentions.
From the moment David Murray bought Rangers with the bank’s money right through to their liquidation and now Sevco’s arrival in Scottish football, the Rangers fans have heard nothing except false hopes and downright lies. Part of me almost sympathises with their plight but the other part has me laughing at the directors continued lack of humility which occurs without a second’s hesitation. Hell mend them!!!
Richard Wilson. Shockerooni…..
English nailing Glibby on another of his contradictions. Brilliant.
DK is speakin’ to the ole hillbillies.
he’s not keen on gettin’ the ole Kilwinnin’ alarm clock through the post.
Kings statement is a threat & he is rallying the halfwirs !
Wilson on RS…..dear oh dear
Shortbread makin ‘ up stuff on the one hand, and on the other hand sayin’ they have no evidence for what they’re makin’ up.