I received a text early evening on 18th August last year: “Gongalves starts”. Former Hearts player, Jose Gongalves, was one of a handful of players FC Sion signed illegally in the summer 2011 transfer window and he had been named to start against Celtic in the Europa League qualifier, first leg.
As a contest, the tie was over. There followed two matches with considerable effort and drama from both teams but the eventual outcome was, literally, never in doubt, the courts would have their way. Sion would be expelled from the competition and Celtic would progress to the group stage.
Today Celtic’s only remaining competitor from the chasing pack for the SPL title is up in court to face the HM Revenue and Customs. The courts will have their way again but although you may feel the outcome of Rangers tax case is inevitable (I do), the impact on this season’s league championship is less assured. Should they lose, Rangers have the option to appeal, postponing any negative impact on the company until next season at the earliest.
If Rangers have, or can generate, enough cash to keep the lights on this season the league will be nip and tuck until the end of the season. The tax case will attract most attention but if you are looking for indications of how the season is likely to go, keep an eye open for cash related incidents.
Well done to Rangers’ broadcast partner, STV, for their story this morning on SPL discipline. They report the Ibrox club have the worst disciplinary record in the league, having accumulated a total of 41 bookings, contrasting starkly with the cool class at Celtic Park who are best behaved in the league with only 20 bookings.
With Beram Kayal out for the season Ki Sung-Yeung is the Celtic player closest to a suspension, a further three yellow cards would put the Korean over the threshold. Rangers have Lafferty one booking, Edu and Bocanegra two, with Goian, Broadfoot, Bartley and Whittaker all three away from a suspension. Lee McCulloch has only been booked twice this season but shows enormous potential.
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AWE NAW
Sir David ——?
Considered ” dodgy ” by the Directors of a struggling for cash Ayr United when they rejected his bid to buy the club
Ally McLeod threatened to resign as Manager if Sir David’s bid was accepted.
Quintessentially British FC had no such qualms —
RogueLeader says:
17 January, 2012 at 11:44
I’ll take 2003 and 2005 not to be churlish. The others fall more under the overspending category, but that is maybe more an argument for no leniency in whatever punishment is handed out.
Serge – author is G.Kimball.
Auld Neil Lennon heid says:
17 January, 2012 at 12:08
I’ll take 2009 and 2010 as well.
10iar :-)
dirtymac says:
17 January, 2012 at 12:11
And that, sadly, is why they’ll never be stripped of titles from the EBT period :-(
Kitalba, BobbyMurdochs.., Auldheid,
Thanks for your support. I would prefer the opportunity to take him to task on-air than to go down the legal route, although I will be exploring that avenue if I don’t get satisfaction.
This is much better when you hear it together with the 9 piece band and the gorgeous backing gospel singers and the string section ……
t’s hitting home that I´ll do time,
Now I’ve got to know what´s happenings genuine
If you received my letter,
Tellin’ you about the EBT
Then you’ll know just what to do,
If I´ll still be free . . .
If I´ll still be free . . .
Tie a blue ribbon ’round the cheatin referee,
It’s been ten long years,
We´ve abused EBT´s ? ( abused EBT`s ? )
If I don’t see a ribbon ’round the cheatin referee,
I’ll kick up a fuss, ignore mistrusts,
Put the blame on CFC . . .
If I don’t see a blue ribbon around the cheatin referee . . .
Trust employee please look for me,
‘Cause I couldn’t bear to see what I might see,
I’m really still in prison,
And my love, she holds the key,
Simple masonic handshake, what I need to set me free . . .
I wrote and told her please . . .
Tie a blue ribbon ’round the cheatin referee,
It’s been ten long years,
our misuse of EBT´s ? ( misuse of EBT´s ? )
If I don’t see a ribbon ’round the cheatin referee,
I’ll kick up a fuss, ignore mistrusts,
Put the blame on CFC . . .
If I don’t see a blue ribbon ’round the cheatin referee . . .
Tie a blue ribbon ’round the cheatin referee,
. . . ten long years,
. . . still be free ?
And now the whole damn bus is cheerin’
And I can’t believe I see . . .
A hundred blue ribbons ’round the ole . . .
The cheatin referee!
Tie a ribbon ’round the cheatin referee,
Tie a ribbon ’round the cheatin referee,
Tie a ribbon ’round the cheatin referee . . .
Hail Hail
Reiperman…
…sounds like you’d prefer pistols at 10 paces!
philvis is waiting
The fat jannie says :
Where Are The Pies
PC67
New article o’clock yet?
AULDHEID 1136
You are far better versed in this tha I,but I doubt there is any precedent for points deduction relating to earlier seasons.
I will be delighted if you prove otherwise.
The way to hammer them,IMO,is by recourse to the Stock Exchange,WRT CL income.
A publicly-quoted company has committed a wilful fraud against another publicly-quoted company.
Instead of company A receiving upwards of £20m a year,company B stole it.
For at least 3 years and probably more..
Do the maths,give them a call.
THAT is the way to circumvent any jiggery-pokery from Scotland,you don’t get mad,you get clever.
It’s all gone quiet.
‘Too quiet’, said Custard.
I would appreciate if excellent CQNers would confirm that the ‘Sir David’ being discussed is not the great naturalist and broadcaster.
Serge 12.05
Interesting item about James Forrest,I think we may have a superstar in the making.There is a young lad,Zaha,playing for Crystal Palace,that Manchester United and Liverpool are reported to be ready to compete for his signature,Celtic should be looking closely at the transfer fee involved,if it happens,because IMO young James is a far better prospect.Slan.
Philbhoy,
that wouldn’t be painful enough and would be over way too quickly :)
fanadpatriot says:
17 January, 2012 at 12:20
This poses a couple of questions:
Should we be giving him a golden handcuffs contract?
Would you rather some ratbag agent handle the negotiations or Fraser Wishart of the SPFA?
DBBIA
I just got it from Amazon for 7.69 & The Tao of Muhammed Ali for 2.74. Thanks again looking forward to reading them both. HH
Fanadpatriot
It’s remarkable how well he has done, He got his chance & took it & hasnt looked back.
We have a good few players now worth alot of cash & that hasn’t been the case for a long time. Long may it continue.
Hope we build from this position of strength & don’t sell. HH
Echo-o-o-o-o-o-o!!!!
Happy Birthday Tony G
Not posted for ages.
On Mr Keevins,
I definately heard him say “We(the press) need Rangers to survive this” This was in early Dec.They are brickin it bigtime!
Rather than printing the facts or at least how they see them,they continue to either avoid writing about it or use the usual smokesceen tactics.Surely it’s such a massive story that any sports journo with any credibility should be trying to get the facts out there??
Has everyone gone on a lunch-break,or are you all trying to out-f5 Philvisreturns?
Waste of time,lads,that guid Catholic education has got us all beat.
PS,it must be better,cos it was expensive,so fair play to his parents. Who are obviously delighted that he has put said education to such good use…
“On your marks.”
And the starter calls them forward…………
A hungry feeling
Came o’er me stealing
And the mice were squeeling
In my prison cell
And that auld triangle went jingle-jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal
Oh! To start the morning
The warden bawling
“Get up out of bed, you! And Clean out your cell!”
And that auld triangle went jingle-jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal
Oh! the screw was peeping
And the lag was sleeping
As he lay weeping
For his girl Sal
And that auld triangle went jingle-jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal
On a fine Spring evening
The lag lay dreaming
And the sea-gulls were wheeling
High above the wall
And that auld triangle went jingle-jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal
Oh! the wind was sighing
And the day was dying
As the lag lay crying
In his prison cell
And that auld triangle went jingle-bloody-jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal
In the women’s prison
There are seventy women
And I wish it was with them
That I did dwell
Then that auld triangle could go jingle-jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal
Podium chase Quietness
New particle roasted.
Chesterfield are leading the race to land Celtic defender Josh Thompson, Sky Sports understands.
Thompson is currently on loan at Peterborough but he is yet to feature this term for Darren Ferguson’s side.
Now Sky Sports understands that Thompson is set to depart London Road for another club.
A number of Championship and League One clubs are looking at taking on Thompson.
But Sky Sports understands that Chesterfield are favourites to claim his signature.
I really don’t know why this boy was never given a chance under Lennon. I thought he done superb when thrown into the team under Mowbray.
HH
Thanks Paul67,
that´s me won the podium thanks to a head up from paul67 .. expect a new article post any moment now
Tank U
Hail Hail
In the new issue of NTV one of the bhoys has done a report card for the squad, halfway through the season.
He says J.Forrest is in danger of being ‘the new Ross Wallace’; I’m paraphrasing but that is far too harsh a judgement.
J.Forrest has been our best player this season, keeping the team going while waiting for the rest to rediscover form and/or fitness.
Many happy returns to excellent CQNer Setting Free the Bears.
SFTB
happy Birthday fellow Steinbocker
HAil Hail
Congratulations to young James Forrest on the recognition of his talents by FIFA. I hope he stays with us for a good number of years and that we get to see him blossom from promising youngster to the player he will become
new article posted.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS says:
17 January, 2012 at 12:19
There has never been a precedent of tax evasion either. The principle is unfair sporting advantage gained and without EBTs the two wins in 2003 and 2005 benefitted would arguably never have happened in 2003 and 2005 when EBT usage was at its highest..
With regards to keevins.
I am amazed ( or am i? ) at how shallow this cretin is. He has called Bangura a FLOP quite freely, but takes great offence at dawwyl being called a “lazy jornalist”……when he clearly is. He was asked a question last night that had a political slant to it and his reply was : ” is this question time? ” well aye it is ya fud, we’re talking about the biggest story to hit Scottish / British fotball for years!
PC67
‘Sons of Erin’
Yesterday ‘Sons of Erin’ raised the issue of Rangers using ‘an inflated valuation of Ibrox’. I have it on very good authority that,in the late ’90’s, in the reign of David Murray, Rangers used the auspices of a friendly assessor/chartered surveyor to provide them with ‘an inflated valuation of Ibrox’ in their Annual Report, thus enabling them to avoid administration.
Don’t know if it’s important but the time-line from last night’s call and Shug
having his tantrum about hatred, internet etc is interesting.
6.05pm(ish) Mark makes call
630(ish) caller posts on CQN
7pm (ish) Shug goes nuts.
So now we know that Clyde pundits read CQN live on air.