Yesterday, the SFA’s Professional Game Board met to discuss the SPFL’s request that they hold an inquiry into the goings-on in Scottish football, following The Supreme Court’s ruling last month on the legality of Rangers EBT use. The League, which represents all 42 senior clubs in the game, wants the national association to investigate the most serious governance events in the sport’s history.
You would think the SFA would be obliged to investigate, right?
Instead, the SFA are getting the band back together. They will sit down with Darryl Broadfoot, now the Association’s external PR, to calculate whether they can carry enough media support to get away with doing nothing at all.
Apparently, the SFA would rather solicit backing for inaction than carry out the wishes of their professional league. This is Scottish football in 2017. It is actually happening, right now.
Governance standards are non-negotiable. No national association can ignore the will of its professional clubs, on an issue as serious as governance, without major repercussions. If the acute situation we have witnessed in recent years is not bad enough, this lack of action puts the SFA on the verge of complicity and cover-up.
Some of the recent most senior office-holders of the Association itself are implicated in the scandal, both as administrators and financial beneficiaries. The question before members of the Professional Game Board isn’t just, ‘Do we do the right thing?’, it’s ‘Do we expose some of our friends and colleges to scrutiny? And if so, how far does the contamination spread?’ Those watching from within the game know, once Pandora’s Box is open, the actions of many others could be open to scrutiny. Don’t think evidence presented to Lord Nimmo Smith was not thoroughly rehearsed and approved by ‘the band’ before being put to the SPL Commission.
The SFA will instruct a cover-up in the coming days to protect their cronies, and in doing so will become complicit in the subversion of the level playing field in Scottish football.
The stink goes as high as the recent past-president of the SFA, Campbell Ogilvie, who worked with those on the Professional Game Board, and had administrative responsibility for contracts and licensing at Rangers during their EBT period. He was also a financial beneficiary of an EBT. The SFA will refuse the request of the SPFL to investigate these matters and attempt a cover-up.
When you have prima facie evidence of a governance issue, presented by your own league, involving your own past-president, you are obliged to open up to independent analysis. Failure to “promote and protect ethical standards and good governance” put the Scottish Football Association in breach of their duty as a member association of Uefa.
Fans will not accept anything less; clubs will not accept anything less. The matter will go to Uefa. It will go to government. It will go to media in England and beyond. It will go to court; those turning their heads today will be called to account. It cannot and will not be accepted. It will not go away.
There will be no cover-up to protect the guilty.
Listen to the new CQN Podcast below…
299 Comments- Pages:
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COYBIG
Hail hail
Griff hat trick tonight HH
Isn’t it a concern that they’ve had the evidence presented to them and think they can get away with it? How damning is the evidence and could CQN just blow it open as has been suggested?
HH
My family tree is easy my granda n my uncles drank in the big tree in Coatbridge HH
Sounds like one of the new member of the Professional Game Board is getting ready for war…
Rip it up and start again
Strip the titles and remove the Blazers
Well said Pau67l coverupgate SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN Impeachment NOW
Glad to hear it is going further, the sooner the better, however this SFA mob would rather be suspended from UEFA competitions than face the consequences of an investigation, that of course will effect Celtic but we must hold to the line of transparency accountability, the game is a sham without this if it is not already, who knows what is going on in there to reach accomodations, I do not for one minute think corrupt decision making has ceased.
Strong words Paul.
But all it would take would be Celtic to say this openly and publicly. The house of cards would fall under the inevitable scrutiny.
But instead Celtic allowed ogilvie to be reelected unopposed.
I have zero confidence in these matters being dealt with and the cronyism goes well beyond hampden.
No more squirrels. No more nonsense. Call the Celtic board out for their complicity.
Crooks the lot of them hang em high HH
11th nearest yet.
HH
Great stuff Paul
#applytherules
11TH WAS NEVER AT GOOD A SUMS ;)
Paul, I hope you post that article to every supports club throughout the country, and I don’t just mean Scotland.
This scandal has to end and EVERY corrupt official needs to be sacked, immediately.
These same officials have the audacity to point the finger at others and accuse them of bringing the game into disrepute. HYPOCRITS!!
Scottish football will never recover until every single one of these officials are gone and a full, truly independent investigation, driven by a desire to expose the wrongs, not cover them up, has been conducted and justice is seen to be done.
Corruption requires a bi partisan consensus . The corrupt and those who are happy to be corrupted ( for whatevever reason ). Clean out the stables –.!!!!!
Work done for the day . 44 at 11 45 . Hot , very hot .Beach time – large no alcohol Mohito in my mind’s eye . Too hot for booze .
Quick blast of this 45 and I’m off oot —https://youtu.be/Kizs5JgdtsI
https://youtu.be/pNZwCNSSWlI
SCANIEL
Delighted you have a ticket,bud. I hope you have a night to remember.
Not sure if my family are hitting Crown Creighton first,but recommended for a pre-match pint.
HH
DESSYBHOY on 11TH AUGUST 2017 10:36 AM
Glad to hear it is going further, the sooner the better, however this SFA mob would rather be suspended from UEFA competitions than face the consequences of an investigation, that of course will effect Celtic but we must hold to the line of transparency accountability, the game is a sham without this if it is not already, who knows what is going on in there to reach accomodations, I do not for one minute think corrupt decision making has ceased.
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Good shout – but any suspension from Euro competition would affect ALL clubs – even the SFA’s favourite club who are far more desperate for cash than we are. That’s not to say they wouldn’t still do whatever it takes to save their own skins but they would be seriously pissing off a number of clubs and not just us.
Bhoy oh bhoy. Did I enjoy reading that, Paul67. Blow them away once and for all for the good of Scottish football.
I wish the Celtic board had the same passion as the fans.
The only way this will get media traction is if Lawwell speaks out strongly. Inaction is the SFA’s best friend here. They will try to make it go away through lack of press coverage. The phrase “No Appetite” will get dragged out over and over again.
Bloggers and Social Media can only go so far. We need to hear from the main players in this play. I know it’s not all Celtic’s responsibility but this is such a shocking and indefensible state of affairs that if Celtic speak out other clubs will have to and absolutely nobody can defend the SFA’s position here. Even Rangers, in a sane world, would struggle to give a good reason why the SFA should completely ignore the SPFL’s wishes and it will be amusing to read the twisted off your rocker logic they slever out.
Aye Paul one of the biggest stinks in this whole putrid affair is Ogilvie standing unopposed for re-election as SFA President.
Not a peep from Celtic!
…or maybe I missed it?!
HH!!
Exposing friends and colleges to scrutiny? Well, I suppose there’s enough material in this to create a full-time study course in “Constructing an Omnishambles”.
PAUL67
As I said to JIMTIM last night,it’s down to the fans.
The media have been a bliddy disgrace from start to finish on this.
Pravda could have taken their correspondence course-to paraphrase Wodehouse.
Modern equivalent is China refusing their citizens access to Google. No-one thinks that is right,do they?
Paul 67
It’s hard to believe that the SFA are going to try and ride this out, that’s a failed strategy before it begins but I’m happy they’re choosing that way to play it, it’s doomed and I’m always happy to see the name of Campbell Ogilvie mentioned in dispatches.
The thought of him getting off “Scot Free” really really makes me choke…
” The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice”
HH
Darryl.
The original horrible, hurtin’ hun………..
shameful.
Neganon
Predicable as ever, toss in the squirrel, take away the story all together and go for the Celtic board, spoil the great effort people are doing night and day, 7/24 , it’s nothing to do with the CFC board, it’s the SFA/SPFL concentrate on the story at hand, your ramblings only hold things up in my opinion, a stance has been taken by others, back it, or back off.
“Mr ‘I am the SFA’ Broadfoot opined that the future would show whether Scottish Football supporters were really concerned about the old club/new club debate, if huge numbers turned their backs on the game.”
Not really a surprise given that the sfa came out first with the legal advice line. Both spfl and sfa are member organisations. It’s up to the members to hold officers to account.
As Turnbull showed it needs leadership. Currently there is none. Celtic FCC need to show some
Hail hail
Strategic Patience comes to an end.
Well said P67
Disband the Sfa
Embarras the cheats at all levels
Starry P from last night New Seekers ? Back in the late 80s I was more of a Pet Shop Bhoy (not a pun for our animal lovers)
The last thing Celtic should do is come out and make a statement, without the backing of at least some other clubs. Those who are proposing that Celtic do that are helping those who want to promote this a Celtic v Rangers thing. That’s what the SFA want! They want this to be narrowed down to that por cierto
The board might have the same passion as the fans if there was more tims on it
Have Celtic objected to their being another review?!! Por cierto
FrannyB67
I have intentionally avoided betting the Griff hat trick in last two games if we get two up (Griff or any other scorer) Brendan will hook the wee mhan for Astana game but best of luck if you do back him
Why do so many want to make it a Celtic FC thing? It’s the supporters of all clubs pushing this, last time I looked? CelticFc made a statement after the HMRC case, not one other club has, so why?
Some just can’t see the trees for the Forrest. Yes, leave it to the malcontents they’ll blow it for everyone, just so that the CFC board get it in the neck, relentless toxic people hell bent on an agenda.
Heartening words………so good I read it twice…………..lets see it being acted on
theBHOY…