First of all, let’s deal with the two events which happened yesterday:
Initially, a letter Celtic sent to the SFA in 2012 was leaked to The Times. This letter called into question “the integrity of football results achieved” by Rangers during their dual contract years, when they failed to register contracts guaranteeing EBT payments.
In the letter Celtic “demand the SFA act decisively”, noted “damage to the reputation and integrity of Scottish football”. Adding “The roles of individuals (past and present) subject to the jurisdiction of the Association should also be examined”.
Later, the SFA issued a statement rejecting the request by the SPFL to review these matters, saying “The image of the game in Scotland can only be damaged further by ‘raking over the coals’”.
The first insight into what happened yesterday can be gleamed by the fact that Celtic were astonished their private correspondence with the SFA was leaked without their permission. This was not a Celtic leak and would not have been authorised by the club, if its permission was sought.
Whereas the SPFL’s statement in July called for an inquiry on behalf of all 42 league clubs, this leak painted the issue as a one-club crusade. It was an attempt to isolate Celtic, while making public their position that Rangers’ failure to register second contracts broke “the integrity of football results achieved”.
If Celtic wanted to make this position public, they would have done so, but instead they chose to do their talking privately with other SPFL member clubs. Whoever leaked this correspondence to The Times wants questions about the integrity of Scottish football caricatured as a Peter Lawwell obsession. The leak was a cynical hope that other SPFL clubs can be convinced to pinch their noses and move on.
Having met with SPFL chief executive, Neil Doncaster, and solicitor, Rod McKenzie, it is clear the League believe a thorough review of events and practices is needed. Their invitation to the SFA to participate has been rejected. Asking Uefa to participate instead is a logical step (for you and me), but will Hearts, will Aberdeen, will others care enough to do so?
The above is an explanation of the politics of what has happened in Scottish football in recent weeks.
Now let’s address what happened today.
Andrew Dickson is finance and administration director of Newco Rangers and held a similar position at Oldco. He sits on various SFA committees and works with all key decision makers at the Association.
This morning, award-winning blogger, Rangers Tax-Case, released Mr Dickson’s evidence and his correspondence given to Rangers’ First Tier Tribunal (FTT).
In the transcript (highlighted here, and in detail here), Mr Dickson informs Rangers chief exec Martin Bain (in 2003) that EBT payments were for contractual obligations.
In evidence to the FTT, Mr Dickson stated that from 2004 he drafted most of the undeclared side-letters.
Mr Dickson said under oath that he “probably” lied to players about their EBT payments.
Mr Dickson’s evidence to the FTT is only one of the entire 22 FTT transcripts Rangers Tax-Case holds. He informs us he will release all of it to illustrate the absurdity of Scottish football ignoring recent events, or will make it available to the an SFA or SPFL review. Either way, the information will out.
Let me also remind you, recent SFA president, Campbell Ogilvie, was Oldco Rangers director and company secretary, with chief responsibility for administration at the club. He was also an EBT beneficiary.
The SFA’s statement yesterday will not protect their current and recent SFA office-bearers from scrutiny. It will only further-contaminate those who choose to cover-up wrong-doing. We are in the early stages of a classic attempted corporate cover-up.
It is simply astonishing that the an SFA office-bearer’s evidence under oath confirms EBTs were contractual years before the club denied this, that he drafted the denied EBT side-letters, that he probably lied about EBTs, but he has managed to get the SFA to deny the League’s request for a review.
While football fights corruption in so many places across the globe, the Scottish FA attempt to draw a dark cover over such momentous events. They are not fit members of Uefa or Fifa.
Meetings have continued with counsel to discuss plans for a Judicial Review. The matter continues to progress. No updates will be issued until the appropriate time.
NEW CQN PODCAST OUT NOW – LISTEN BELOW
In this week’s Centenary Special, Paul John Dykes speaks to Republic of Ireland internationalist, Chris Morris, about his Celtic career, what the club means to him, and the part he played in introducing ‘The Fields of Athenry’ to the Celtic fans’ songbook.
Enjoy the new Podcast below…
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Is this part of the SFA plan?
https://yougov.co.uk/news/2017/09/08/one-ten-brits-have-zombie-plan/
Is this imaginary scenario really any different from the real position adopted by the SFA ?
`The Scottish Government has announced that a man arrested for a catalogue of murders since 2011 will not be tried as the image of Scotland can only be damaged further by ‘raking over the coals’ of everything that has happened in the last six years for a further lengthy period of time.`
JJ
Wonder how much money the SFA are spending on Broadfoots services, general PR and Legal costs in their attempts to cover this up. Money that could be invested in grass roots.
BMCUW @ 1255
HH mate!
Still a massive clean-up underway here. Gonnae take a while. We are fine where we are, minimal water ingress, easy fixed. Lots of folk have lost everything.
Hopefully no more this year, however, I have been here long enough not to get complacent. Hurricane season does not end until Nov 30.
Looking forward to game this afternoon, hope CTV stay up!!
TC45
Surely all agents with ibrox clients would know about this including
Supposed Celtic fan willie. McKay (ebt ‘s)
About a week ago, I was so disgusted by several of the regular poster and their anti-club views and promised myself not to read the forum as it was highjacked by a Falange of Malcontents.
I came back on today and was surprised and pleased to see a change in tone.
My Grandfather and my Father later and my several uncles knew that the SFA and the league were anti Celtic and pro Rangers. This has been the case since the end of the first World war.
Celtic Board members over the years have ben fighting with the SFA, League, Referees and the Press and later TV and Radio.
Issues like the Tricolour, countless biased refereeing, lack of selection of Celtic players for Scotland, excited commentators when a goal was scored against us and funeral tones when we scored were the norm.
We were called paranoid. Not a bit
In addition, I personally have spoken with Celtic directors who had sat on SFA and SL, SPL etc bodies. What they all had in common was that when Celtic spoke they failed to get support from other clubs.
I have spoken with current Directors who said that Celtic proposals failed to attract any support with the exception of Inverness. Kilmarnock and Hibs sometimes support Celtic but only on Financial matters.
This is the reality and I fear this is what at work here. Rangers and SFA cheating has been raised by Celtic and failed to gain support to the other clubs.
Celtic don’t support the Old Firm and would happily if it was placed in the bin.
Celtic Board do what they can to protect the club and have to be carefully on what battles they fight as support is difficult to get. It has to choose what battles to fight and when.
It’s incredible that the most successful club in Scotland currently trouncing all rivals on and off the park are given little credit and no influence on the decision making
Dr Joseph Venglos was astonished at the hostility to Celtic in the bodies and the media when he was here.
I hope that this change in tone will continue
CELTIC are delighted to announce that Irish goalkeeper Conor Hazard has signed a new four-year deal with the club.
The 19-year-old put pen to paper in Paradise this morning alongside Chief Executive, Peter Lawwell,
His proud family also watched on – parents Pauline and Gary and younger brother Jack, a fellow shot-stopper who is on the books of Glenavon.
Hazard’s latest new deal is testament to his excellent progress since joining the Celtic Youth Academy just over three years ago from Cliftonville.
Having consistently impressed for the Development Squad, he made his top-team bow earlier this summer in the pre-season friendly win over Linz.
And since the current campaign got underway, he has moved up the pecking order to become the current third-choice keeper for Brendan Rodgers’ side.
Speaking exclusively to Celtic TV, Hazard said: “It feels amazing and it’s a great honour for me. It’s a boyhood dream come true and it still has to sink in.
“It feels unreal and it’s special to have my family over to see me signing.
“They have obviously been with me from the beginning. My Mum and Dad drove me everywhere and there has always been that football competition between my brother and I in the back garden.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do without all the coaches I have worked with. I have had great help from Colin Meldrum and Stevie Woods who have really developed me over the past three years and hopefully there is more to come.
Hazard’s long-term ambition is to become Celtic’s No.1 and the talented teenager knows he in the perfect environment to fulfil his undoubted potential.
“I have four years now to work as hard as I can to get it done,” said the keeper.
“Craig (Gordon) and Dorus (de Vries) have helped me a lot along the way and I’m learning from them every day, along with Stevie Woods. It’s a great achievement but now I need to try and push on and do it.”
“The gaffer has shown he is bringing through young players and it’s a great opportunity for us all and it’s up to us to take it and prove we can do it.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Any chance we could get him to change to the Republic of Ireland squad?
That man wasn’t murdered the knife was inserted ” inappropriately ”
Sandy brycencsc
Neganon2
Your question on Res12 is answered as part of the following copied from E Tims.
To the cynics:
Celtic are the other club who wrote independently to the SFA (about 8 weeks ago?)
That followed the SFA announcement on 5th July when the SC ruled on ebts.
The advice given to Celtic last December when Res12 was passed over to them was to wait for both court cases on ebts and Craig Whyte to end. The latter case was followed closely by a number of interested parties in football.
From then Celtic have made their current position clear and presented a case that has resulted in the UEFA licence of 2011 being put before the Compliance Officer and no one knows what that outcome will be based on the evidence that has clearly been given the once over by an SFA QC.
There is no doubt the status of the wtc liability was misrepresented by Rangers on 1st April which allowed the Licence to be granted on 19th April.
There is no doubt the status continued to be misrepresented in subsequent submissions under Art66 and Art 67 of UEFA FFP.
What is uncertain is the role those working at Hampden either as Commitee members or officials played to keep UEFA at bay.
E mails of Sept and the well known one of December from Regan, the day after he spoke to Andrew Dickson about the Licence issue, require questions to be answered, for example why did the Ramsay chap think publishing Regan’s statement might cause SFA problems?
Finally what was Regan and Ogilvie told in the meeting that did result from his e mail at the Hotel de Ville?
What was he told that satisfied him nothing should be published which dictated SFA policy on UEFA licence thereafter?
So Celtic took on board the advice to wait and have very much acted after 5th July on Res12. It was always going to be so. There is an AGM in a few months and the club are accountable to shareholders, but it must be obvious by now they are dealing with folk of no integrity whatsoever who are prepared to lie or conceal as a matter of course.
THECELT45
About four years ago,the much-missed THE BARCA MOLE was due to head back to The Philippines after a wee stay here.
Four days beforehand,bliddy cyclone. Ripped right through his area.
He phoned me when he got back and the first thing I asked was-“how’s the house?”
“Ah,it’s fine,but all the villages round here are matchwood. I was lucky I drained the pool. Took 80,000 litres out before it hit the house.”
His place backed onto The Pacific,I asked him why tf he needed a pool.
His reply?
“My doctor keeps telling me to avoid salt!”
Miss that fella,and always will.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 8TH SEPTEMBER 2017 12:34 PM
You know,I like the cut of his job,this RANGERSTAXCASE fella.
Foolishly I read the SMSM and believed him to be “discredited.”
Time for my famous Ferry Tuckwit impersonation,I think.
I am deffo over on the 11th,if I can be assured of seeing that.
From The Hootsmon:
Celtic’s market value has risen by almost £50million in the last six months thanks to continued success on the park.
The Ladbrokes Premiership champions also saw a significant rise in their share price following qualification to the Champions League group stages for the second season running. London Stock Exchange figures show the club to be worth over £173million, up from £125million, while the share price currently sits at £1.29.
Celtic will kick-off their 2017 Champions League group stage campaign with the visit of PSG on Tuesday.
KTF
I see the SMSM have switched their attention to Tony Ralston now.3,no less,EPL teams interested in him.
Seems there just are no limit to their attempts to undermine.
Taking Paul 67 s statemebt that Celtic did not put out a 5 year old letter and JJ posting it was Broadfoot and the purposec was to make it a Celtic v Rangers issue I’ve commented thus on JJ blog.
The SFA have always wanted to present any initiative on governance as a Celtic v Rangers issue.
So no surprise if Broadfoot is at it again.
Would he have been so quick to correct Grant Russell’s report on the Traverso new club/company letter or to produce the unpublished letter from HMRC to postpone collection of wtc liability he told David Conn of The Guardian that the SFA had in their possession (clearly not) he might be in a position to defend his integrity.
He is part of the problem and has a very personal interest in there being no enquiry.
Hi guys looking for a bit of help I’m on holiday in Torremelinos & looking for a bar thats showing tonight’s match. Anyone cqn got any idea were I can find a bar ,be much appreciated
Auldheid – so for the avoidance of doubt Celtic are now fully pursuing res12? Is that right?
TURKEYBHOY 151
Aw,that’s a guarantee,and not just on 11/11!
Mail me on
bmcuwp@gmail.com
but basically it’s just meet early afternoon at McChuills,stay till falling down time and have fun.
Works for me.
You’d be surprised,even the guys we argue with all the time on here are just smashin’
And,eventually,smashed…
Murdoch, Not too far from where you are, in Benalmadena, just off Bonanza Square there is a pub called the John Lemon Bar.
Tis a great Celtic House , all Celtic Games are shown and there are normally dozens of Hooped Jerseys there.
BIGBHOY
Yeah the place is now full of Sigmoid Corner dwellers racing to be first to touch Peters small intestine first.
:-)))
MWD
Auldheid
Talking of The Guardian, we never did find out why the decided against publishing the Res12 ad and actually thought it was a better option to hand us back the money. Or indeed why the Herald, seemingly desperate for the advertising revenue, decided they wouldn’t after all print an ad about Res12.
Think the same person was at manipulating the press for his own ends then and again this week.
The odd one on here bought it too.
MURDOCHAULDANDHAY on 8TH SEPTEMBER 2017 2:12 PM
Hi guys looking for a bit of help I’m on holiday in Torremelinos & looking for a bar thats showing tonight’s match. Anyone cqn got any idea were I can find a bar ,be much appreciated
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Don`t know if Benalmadena is within travel distance, mate, but if so then there is a bar called John Lemons, Glasgow couple Paul n Angie run it, Celtic mad pub. They will definitely be showing it. Good luck.
ah, Corkcelt, you beat me to it. (John Lemons) Paul and Angie are good friends of mine.
BMCUW,
Are you sure you have the date of the hoot correct. Are you not out by a month or two, ? Mod Life Crisis are on McChuills tomorrow .
HH . COYBIG.
WC, really strange at the time re the Gruniad Ad. I got into an e-mail conversation with Roy Greenslade and questioned him why he was not all over the biggest sporting fraud case that’s ever likely to happen in Scotland. He gave me some crap and frankly insulting platitudes then sulked, really weird.
Great Pub, BillyBear, I’ll be watching the away game against Anderlecht there, Please God.
Many thanks Corkcelt B BillyBear looks likes game on :)
Man walks into a bar.
Bar Owner immediately confronts said Man.
Owner ” You are barred from here…get out ” !
Man ” What for” ?
Owner ” SIX years ago, you murdered 3 people in here, two of which were my staff, and the other a valid customer and friend in cold blood”, so you are Barred get out now” !
Man ” But that was over SIX years ago, there is No Point in Raking the Coals” ?
Owner ” Aye okay, what are you drinking” ?
Life does NOT work that way.
i was sacked from my last job for ” Failure to Disclose a Medical Condition”.
I never said to my employers..” No point in Raking Coals from 5 years ago” !!!!!
Regans statement about ” No point in Raking over Coals etc”…..is NOT a legal defence in any ones book.
IF Celtic did NOT hand over letters to The Times, and the ONLY other office that had said letters was the SFA , surely Celtic can DEMAND an investigation as to who or what dept of the SFA made those letters available to the Times ?
Surely this is only the beginning of the end for some Chumps at the SFA ?
HH
Good article by James Forrest.
https://thecelticblog.com/2017/09/blogs/an-open-letter-to-scotlands-sporting-press/
Maybe someone at the SFA could explain why having a review which would surely clear themselves and Rangers of any wrongdoing would be “damaging to the image of the game in Scotland”?
Answers on the back of a shredded side-letter…..
James Forrest
I do not think that will cause any of the people you mentioned to develop a conscience, and, do the right thing as you have asked of them. The SFA think they can sit this out, they have the media control and it is not being mentioned or written about anywhere, if in the future the SFA appear to be losing, smears and attacks on people and clubs will appear courtesy of the on page media in their control, they care nothing about the game or honesty only about their own self preservation, but it is good manners to ask as you have done.
new article posted.
Conor Hazard, here for 10IAR!, 10IAR! So are we young’un. Work hard and see you in the first team soon. I don’t think three weeks without a game ahead of PSG shows elite level planning from the development squad management team
All the best to the Celts tonight at Hamilton. Another step on the road.