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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Superb stuff from Mark from Bristol on snyde.
Dawell reiterating the side letters to the hun players.
how could anyone replace the rangers ?
em the next team in the 1st division or the team to be relegated from the premier, there you go. simples.
em, em, em, em,
Good bhoy on there,wee Dawwell playing dumb,which he is particularly good at…
Well done Mark. You had Keevins an Dawell struggling..
Anyone know how things went for the prosecution on their first day?
Can’t believe none of you locals aren’t posting updates live from the public gallery…
James Forrest, surely you could spare a few days for this journalistic opportunity?
This is history being made people (hopefully)…
And the panel never ventured an opinion on the integrity issue, I wonder why that would e then……….
seriously though, listening to clyde, and we have all the debate , and they cut in the adverts and they are …….
HMRC Self Assessment with the tag line . rememebr to pay what you owe.
next
Debt Consolidation
next
the AAT Accountancy Qualification.
maybe there is one time over there with a sense of humour.
I don’t usually listen to radio Clyde, but I am listening for a while tonight.
A very calm, assured and articulate caller by the name of Mark just outlined the case against Govan FC being admitted directly into the SPL if the club formerly known as R*ngers is no longer in business.
Caught them by surprise me thinks.
Game set and match in the first call.
THE EXILED TIM:
If that is now being discussed openly in the media, they are gubbed well and truly.
Those letters confirm the illegal nature of the scheme. If they exist – and RTC has been saying for months that they do, and constitute the ‘smoking gun’ here – that’s all she wrote. Guilty as charged, and all that remains to be seen is how big the penalty will be.
Nice to know Clyde’s lawyers, who won’t let Flanders discuss the numbers involved, have allowed a hack journo to talk about a massive legal landmine such as this.
time = tim.
obviously.
Kojo
stats I give u Ryan donnelly of Airdrie utd. 20 league games 17 goals 1 sc 2 goals and a Celtic supporter.
My dear,dear,dear,friend.. The Singing Detective
Pal.. Ah hid tae dae a Double Take.. efter reading yer
Submission.
Is that Me or.. is it … 3M?
Pal.. Congratulations..
Ye hiv noo Goat Ma Style.. Taped..Boattled and Ready fur Prime Time
oan… The Griffin Show…
Oh Ah furgoat.. Merv ,is No wi us,anymair..
Anyway..
A am impressed wi yer writing style..pally.
Keep it coming.. fur…
Ye hiv noo goat the right Idea..
Always.. leave ’em … Scratchin’ Thur Heids
in Confusion and Puzzlement..
Kojo
yer pal…who likes ye mair and mairer.
James Forrest is Lennon says:
16 January, 2012 at 18:13
Excellent! I think I love you!!!
Starryhope
Good evening friends.
One of the best callers I’ve ever heard to Clyde there – Mark from Bristol I think. I’m convinced that he may well be one of our esteemed CQN-ers he was that good!
Jobo
P67
A couple of points:
1. Mark – well done, articulated perfectly
2. Daryll – well done, Mark kippered you, but nice that you repeated the side letter stuff
3. The daily record – read it on a flight south today. The biggest football story didn’t rate a mention…at all
Bolly still chilling
Hhplc
Jobo Baldie says:
16 January, 2012 at 18:27
Good evening friends.
One of the best callers I’ve ever heard to Clyde there – Mark from Bristol I think. I’m convinced that he may well be one of our esteemed CQN-ers he was that good!
Jobo
—————-
I am sure he started with
“its a mild 7 degrees tonight, with a light rain forecast ………..
JamesF
When Dawell said about the letters a month or so ago I was gobsmacked, and he confirmed them again tonight.
It’s been a long time coming, but coming it is, and this Tim will be over the moon.
The punishment is the next thing that will be on the agenda, and anything outwith the rules, will open the box so wide the carnage that will ensue will be catastrophic.
Hose in the mouth for me.
The Battered Bunnet says:
16 January, 2012 at 18:13
Yup TBB you first came out with the most likely outcome early doors and the more I have understood the processes at play the more sense it makes.
CW said there would always be a Rangers at Ibrox, he did not say the name would be exactly the same.
The main issue will be in which division a Newco would start and mainstream media is already in full flow for it being the SPL, although a Clyde caller just now questionned Keevins on the accuracy of his assertions.
He did not quite get the integrity point home but Keevins did concede that Rangers would face some sort of penalty.
They just have not thought through what is appropriate to the circumstances in which the game finds itself.
I am the Mark that was on Clyde. They cut me off before I got to make the point that I was building to (they must have smelled a rat), which was that the campaign to fast-track the newco to the SPL will be lead by the media because it is in fact They, and not Celtic or Scottish football who need a form of Rangers in the SPL. They are fighting for their careers which are built on Celtic – Rangers controversy. That is why they cannot be objective on this issue. They will continue to tell anyone who’ll listen that Celtic needs Rangers or Scottish football needs Rangers when it is really just the football hacks’ survival that depends on rangers continuing in the SPL.
Thanks for the kind comments.
Chums, any chance of posting up Mark’s arguments?
Thanks.
“Daryyl king just say that there was side letters given to ragers players”
Can someone explain to me what “side letters” are?
googybhoy
Fleckadino off to Blackpool on loan, freeing up wages for other Bosmans?
Gers set to swoop
I should add that Kevins and co steered the topic away from integrity, which tells us they know full well it is a killer of an argument.
My dear,dear,dear,friend… Billys Bhoy
Pally. How are ye??
Fine?
That’s Great tae Hear.
Ryan Donnelly?
Ye are correct ,pal.. His Stats are .. almost worth goin..
EC-STATIC Ower…
Howevahhhhh..
Ah read a quote in the Newsies..far this Youngster…
and ye are Right..
He says in it.the He is a Dyed in the Joisey Celtic Supporter.
But.and it is a Big But..
He goes oan tae say..the He Wants to Go the ENGLAND..as he
has noticed that all the Fine Young Scottish Guns who go there..
Have Met with great Success…so England is his Preferred
Destination.
Disappointing tae Hear,pal..That Young Ryan is Inclined tae
think that wey.
Eh?
So that is Why Ah hiv Obliterated His Name fae
my Persons o’ Interest, Compendium.
Kojo
yer Pal.. who likes ye aloater, already
Rieperman, take a bow son, take a bow!
In my teenage years, in the 80’s Scottish Football was an exciting place to be.
Aberdeen , United , Hibs and Hearts, would regulalrly get crowds against other provincial teams of 15,000 plus.
I read a report at the weekend of Dunfermline returning to the premier league the first time and drawing a crowd of 13,000 to play Hibs.
Daft flanders assertion there, that there is no chance is just plain wrong. its too costly.
all of these teams still average between 10,000 and 14,000 wthout a hope in hell of ever competing for a trophy.
Imagine, next season, we are out of sight for the league , but, a 2nd Champions league spot is available to the runners up.
I think any of these teams would enjoy increased crowds.
You need to be in it to win it.
I also think when Aberdeen get their new stadium they will kick on from there.
starryhope says:
16 January, 2012 at 17:55
James Forrest is Lennon says:
16 January, 2012 at 17:38
I reckon the new knight is already in place, ready to buy the club for a much reduced cost, Whyte being his patsy. Thugs & Thieves mate, Thugs & Thieves.
JD
Hiv tae Slope oot the Door.
Seeya..
Kojo
Rieperman says:
16 January, 2012 at 18:31
Did not here you mate but well done. Thank you for being so articulate.
Where are you in Bristol. Lived in Redland area for a few years.
Kojo
dangle the carrot and Ryan will come.
The Legend Johnny Doyle says:
16 January, 2012 at 18:36
I reckon the new knight is already in place
he is, whyte is a front to take them through administration
Kojo.
My High Heid Yin,even at an advanced age,Kevin Davis still has much to offer…
However,his style of play is viewed in an unfavourable light by the MIBs in the EPL….. Perhaps because he does not play for one of the grander clubs ?
I’m certain that the treatment of Brave Cyril by our own home-grown MIBs would be considerably more harsh..
The constant interruption of play by our whistle-happy MIBs would not lend itself to our high tempo,incisive passing style of play……..
However,we can always be thankful that the GA signed James Beattie,rather than Kevin Davis.
Was this a case of mistaken identity ?
Kevin Davis
Rieperman says:
16 January, 2012 at 18:31
Well done on an excellent call, brilliant laughing at you explaining to Dawwell the complex nature¬)))) of the team missing out id Newco go back in to the SPL
I wonder if the new knight is James Mortimer? he’s been mentioned a few times
bournesouprecipe says:
16 January, 2012 at 18:33
googybhoy
Fleckadino off to Blackpool on loan, freeing up wages for other Bosmans?
##########
Weir off to Blue Sky Residential Home freeing up another £10k.
Kojo. Immediately to loan him back. One for the future. A forward line of Watt, Keatings and Donnelly in years to come.
bankiebhoy1 says:
16 January, 2012 at 18:34
Rieperman, take a bow son, take a bow!
Thanks. I’m a bit disappointed though that they didn’t give me the chance to finish.
Googybhoy,
I’m actually in Weston-S-M
Rieperman says:
16 January, 2012 at 18:31
Didn’t hear your piece but well done…just going to look out the headphones and listen in for a bit, break the habit of a lifetime…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!