SFA chief executive, Stewart Regan, clearly sees opportunity among the carnage that is Scottish football at the moment as he leaked plans to ambush clubs into a radical overhaul of the league structures to the media yesterday.
Henry McLeish made several recommendations in his paper on the future of our game, one of which was for a smaller professional setup of two leagues (SPL 1 and SPL 2), sitting on top of a grass-roots pyramid of community based clubs, as well as a 10-team top division. I agreed with both recommendations but relegation-dodgers in the SPL refused to countenance such a deal.
While it seems a 10-club top division is as far away as ever, the SFA are keen to push through a SPL 2 proposal before the start of the new season, something which borders on ultra-ambitious.
An unattributed SFA source (surely Regan himself) briefed BBC’s Jim Spence on their plans but the language was curious:
“Someone has to take a lead and sort out the internal bickering and point scoring and also to ensure that the Rangers situation never happens again.
“We need to use the mood for change among supporters in the country to tackle the current inertia and do what is right for the game.
“Change has to be democratic, but the time for talking has passed. We need action now to save the game.
“The fans are demanding fundamental change. The Rangers situation has intensified the need for a resolution and, over the next few weeks, we will meet with the SPL and SFL to find a solution.”
In order to “ensure the Rangers situation never happens again”, why don’t the SFA start by ensuring former directors of Rangers, who participated in the controversial EBT scheme which precipitated the crisis, are removed from the SFA board?
The SFA president received loans from Rangers EBT which he did not repay despite the club going bust last week. There is a belief that those loans were never meant to be repaid and that many of Rangers EBT loans were accompanied by written confirmation that they were never to be repaid, making these ‘loans’ an illegal tax scam.
The SFA chief executive claimed to have investigated and cleared the president of any wrong-doing. No one else is aware of this investigation. There is a suspicion that all he did was listen to the president’s version of events, compounding an already dreadful situation for the SFA.
We would love to hear how Mr Ogilvie explained why he didn’t repay his loan.
Two weeks ago we spoke about the SFAs inadequate corporate governance on these matters. If only corporate governance was the extent of the problem, they appear quite shameless.
“Someone has to take the lead…. tackle the current inertia and do what is right for the game”.
Sack the clown before you start to preach to the rest of the game.
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Is Paulo Bento wearing one of those pencil thin piano keyboard ties?
Paddy G – who’s to judge what makes a good son or even a good father? Remember the good times and toast yer old bhoy!
Visited the old man’s grave today and raising a glass tonight as well.
HH
TTTT
Bleacher Report article:
On Thursday 14th June 2012, one hundred and forty years of Scottish sporting history ended with the liquidation of Rangers Football Club, following the rejection of the Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) which Rangers’ administrators, Duff & Phelps, had presented to the club’s creditors.
Rangers Football Club no longer exists. It follows Third Lanark, Airdieonians and Gretna as Scottish clubs who have gone out of business in the past 50 years.
With the death of Rangers, one controversial issue in Scottish soccer is rendered irrelevant – how to punish a club who had systematically cheated their way to dozens of league titles and cup wins? A dead club cannot be punished.
However, this being Scottish soccer, and this involving Rangers FC, the story does not end there.
As I reported in a previous article for Bleacher Report, Scottish soccer’s governing bodies will now be asked to admit a successor club to Rangers FC into the Scottish soccer pyramid. This being a successor club to Rangers FC though, it’s not quite as simple as that – this club wants to be readmitted at the top, not the bottom of the pyramid, and things are gonna get messy.
First off, following the rejection of the CVA by UK tax authority HMRC, Rangers’ administrators sold Ibrox Stadium and Murray Park to Sevco Ltd, the corporate vehicle for a consortium led by Yorkshire businessman and former Sheffield United FC Chief Executive, Charles Green.
Sevco have since announced that they will henceforth be called, “The Rangers FC,” and have applied to join the SPL.
It’s like me buying a set of golf clubs that once belonged to Jack Nicklaus, changing my name to The Jack Nicklaus, and claiming Jack Nicklaus’ place on the PGA Tour.
On the basis that they now own Ibrox Stadium and Murray Park, The Rangers Football Club now claim that they should be allowed to join Scottish soccer not in the Scottish Football League Division 3, but in the SPL.
This gives Scottish soccer’s governing bodies a decision to make. Several long-established Junior clubs have previously applied to join the Scottish Football League when vacancies have arisen, and many would argue that they are far more deserving of a place than The Rangers FC, which not only has never played a match, at the moment they have no players and have never been a member of any soccer league.
Either the SFL will treat The Rangers FC like any other club, or they will treat them as a special case. If they choose the latter course, professional soccer in Scotland can no longer make any claim to be a sporting competition.
Let’s consider what the Green consortium is attempting to do.
It is taking advantage of a situation whereby a soccer club with a huge support has recklessly spent other peoples’ money, fielded ineligible players, and defrauded the UK tax authorities and numerous other creditors over almost two decades.
The Green consortium is now trying to persuade the supporters of this club that their club somehow lives on in The Rangers FC.
What Green is in effect saying to Rangers FC creditors is, “Tax bill? Unpaid transfer fees? Unpaid debts? Sorry buddy, that was RANGERS FC – nothing to do with us, we’re THE Rangers FC.”
On the other hand, he is telling the Scottish soccer authorities and former fans of the now defunct Rangers FC, “54 titles? 33 Scottish Cups? 27 Scottish League Cups? 1972 European Cup Winners’ Cup? YEAH! That’s us! We’re still alive!”
Green is no Rangers fan. He is an outsider chasing a quick buck from the desire of legions of Rangers fans to believe their club lives on.
He is attempting to cash in on the desire of the Scottish soccer authorities to keep some form of Rangers FC alive, partly out of pro-Rangers sentiment (SFA President RC Ogilvie is a former Rangers FC director who received cash payments from Rangers FC’s EBT scheme), and partly out of purely financial considerations.
There IS NO SPORTING ARGUMENT for allowing Green’s The Rangers FC into the SPL. It is based purely on greed and would establish the principle that Scottish soccer clubs can dump any amount of debt they run up chasing silverware, then promptly phoenix and rejoin the SPL with no meaningful consequences at all.
The story doesn’t end there. AFTER Rangers FC were liquidated on Thursday, former Rangers manager Walter Smith rode in on a white charger proclaiming his desire to, “save,” the club, making a last-ditch attempt to but the assets from under Green’s nose.
If this was an attempt to save Rangers, it would be like (as one Celtic fan put it so memorably on twitter) trying to stop JFK’s assassination by travelling to Dallas today and shouting, “Duck, Mr President!”
Smith claims to have the financial backing of a group of prominent Scottish businessmen, with impeccable Rangers-supporting credentials, and it would appear that they retain an interest in buying Ibrox Stadium and Murray Park from Sevco.
Like Green, Smith and his consortium had no intention of paying Rangers FC’s debts, and hoped to buy the assets at a knock-down price and start a new club to take Rangers’ place in the SPL.
It now appears likely that there will be a battle for the hearts and minds of the former fans of the now defunct Rangers FC, with Green holding the assets of the liquidated club, while Smith and his backers very definitely have the fans on their side.
It is thought likely that at some point in the not-too-distant future, Green will sell to Smith’s consortium for a healthy profit.
One final consideration.
Rangers FC, the now defunct football club with 140 years’ worth of history behind them, had a deadline to meet on Friday 15th June (the day after they were liquidated). They had until then to lodge audited accounts for the financial year with the SPL. This was required so that they could be granted a license to play in the SPL next season.
Now The Rangers FC, if they wish to be granted a license to play next season, must submit THREE YEARS’ worth of audited accounts to obtain a license to play in the SPL. As a brand new club, it would be impossible for The Rangers FC to submit even one weeks’ worth of audited accounts.
It now falls to the SPL clubs themselves to decide whether to allow The Rangers FC membership of the SPL. They require the support of eight of the twelve. At this moment, it is thought that Celtic FC, Aberdeen FC and Hibernian FC intend to vote against, while Dundee United FC, Heart of Midlothian FC and Motherwell FC are undecided, but not looking favourably upon the application.
This being Scotland, the BBC reports that the now defunct Rangers FC will actually be allowed to cast a vote on allowing The Rangers FC to join…
Two things are clear today:
1) The Rangers FC are NOT Rangers FC, which has been liquidated and no longer exists. The Rangers FC merely own some bricks and mortar which once belonged to the now defunct club. There is no sporting argument for allowing The Rangers FC into the SPL.
2) The Rangers FC, Scotland’s newest football club, have never played a game and have no players. The governing bodies of Scottish soccer must decide whether money, or sporting integrity is the most important consideration when they come to decide what to do with the sporting equivalent of Frankenstein’s monster.
Follow Daniel O’Connell on twitter @DanielOConnel18
KevinBhoy on 17 June, 2012 at 20:20:
Excellent post, agree with everything you say. Especially with the point of Celtic FC 1888 keeping their powder dry for the time being.
I have went everywhere to watch my team when I have wanted and have been able to, my choice. To those that are not like minded I respect that, will never fall out with them or ridicule their decision.
I am though at the stage where I will predominately go to see them at CP, domestically speaking. I will choose wisely but I certainly will not cross the threshold into the arena that was once of the club that existed between 1872-2012.
Be gone with them, be gone…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
tommytwiststommyturns
Glass raised to your father mate!
TTTT
Keep your head up big fella!!
Get the idea that the SFA’s sudden ‘need’ to reform Scottish football might just have been influenced by the increasing likelihood of the SPL clubs rejecting the parachute of NewCo and the SFL making their position abundantly clear: http://www.scotzine.com/2012/06/sfl-chief-executive-david-longmuir-states-that-rangers-newco-must-start-in-division-three/
So stinky you need a clothes peg on your nose…
Paddy G
…..and you keep yer hied up anaw!! :-)
SonsOfErin on 17 June, 2012 at 20:31
Nope, it’s a UEFA barcode.
West Wales Celt on 17 June, 2012 at 20:37 said:
due to a lack of real leadership and integrity in the Scottish game there is a power vacuum – everything is up for grabs
SFA and SPL want to melt into the background before the investigations, too late.
To all our fathers who missed the end!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKtgNv8vYPI
I ‘new’ you were going to say that! :-)
I bought a carton of tropicana orange juice today – 2 whole orangemen in a carton – i got Ogilvie and Dallas – who did you get
Test drive on the lantern — fantastic
Just need darkness now.
ML3 All stations go .
Wind direction – towards Larkhall.
Hh
EC67
Paddy G
Go easy ,he’s teaching weans ,they don’t know
any better…………………..or maybe they do.
EC67
We set off 4 last evening from Larkhall mate…
VP and Paddy
Like buses, 2 smart arses come along at once :-))
voguepunter
Ha Ha – hope you are well big pal?
Eurochamps67 on 17 June, 2012 at 20:44 said:
If you put up a post at launch time I’ll look out for it.
hamiltontim
Better two buses than one fat coach! :-)
On fathers’ day i remember my dad taking me to my first Celtic game at hampden in 1961 – SC replay with Dunfermline – we lost – but “what the heck do we care” – god bless you dad
Ian Rush is a shocking dutch boss, don’t know what they were thinking
TTTT
My dad brought me up right proper an that, gave me chapter and verse on how we were cheated in the late 20’s/30’s (yes, I’m that mature). When I started going to paradise I started seeing for myself what they (MIBs) did to us/for THEM and I’ve passed the same on to my sons.
Last week I thought long and lovingly of how my dad would never have believed that they could have actually gone, gone, gone. I mean really GONE yet of course they have. I certainly raised a glass or two to him and toasted his memory. I just hope and pray that his faith and mine is rewarded and that in some way he saw and heard all that went on last week and enjoyed every minute of it.
I’ll raise another glass tonight, seeing it’s father’s day.
All the best to you and yours and all the faithers in CQN, especially Paul.
Paddy G
A fat couch??
That’s what VP sits on :-))
Paddy G ,I’m good going to get a bit of sun Tuesday with my good lady,just a week but really
looking forward to it.
HT ,your the Mhan ………….no disrespect :o)
say hello to my l’il friend.
sang de la chèvre
5 Irish fans would make better atmosphere at Portugal vs Holland than this lot who bought tickets.
HT … Ya wee bass I totally disrespect you..
………………………..feckin runnin a creche pah
VP
Never take offence when it’s the good guys mocking me :-))
Where you off to on hols?
EmeraldBee\o/ proud to be an internet bampot on 17 June, 2012 at 20:51 said:
I too am a witness of the Tiny Wharton etc days
RIP Cheating FC 1872 -2012
HT
Algarve mate,wee place near Faro.
VP have a great time mate..
ht – I’m fine mate, it’s well over a year now and I spent a nice afternoon with my mother, sister and wife. That first year is always the worst for people with birthdays, Christmas, NY and Fathers/Mothers Day. Life goes on!
Really felt for poor TTT who posted on FB that he was 7,000 miles away from his young family, but would get to talk to them on Skype.
Paddy G – ditto! :-)
T4
Phil MacGiollaBhain @Pmacgiollabhain
From planet footie agent: “At least FIVE RFC players and their agents have agreed deals with new clubs. SFA need to complete some forms.”
I hear the sound of walking away
Paddy
Cheers, don’t worry I will be on blog every day
competing with BRTH JF and oor Paul,for
best post of the day:O)
Sky Help Team @SkyHelpTeam
@scotzine We have no plans to pull out of covering the Scottish Premier League. Jane
daily Record stories about sky pulling out were what we all thought – propaganda
Zbyszek on 17 June, 2012 at 20:52 said:
5 Irish fans would make better atmosphere at Portugal vs Holland than this lot who bought tickets.
+++++
Aye – and you could probably count them on one hand, unless you support the ‘Newco’. :-))
VP
Have a great time mate.
TTTT
Poor guy. I have his mobile no. if I text would he get it do you know?