SPL Commission, where are we?

897

We’ve not really discussed the enormous political and disciplinary matters hanging over Scottish football since before our Champions League campaign got underway but it moves to the fore today, as the SPL Commission, headed by Lord Nimmo Smith, sits to consider charges levelled by the league against former member, Rangers FC.  The Commission is expected to conclude by the end of this week.

Rangers are charged with improperly registering players by allowing footballers to enter into contractually binding agreements to receive money in connection with the game, directly or indirectly, without registering these agreements with the SPL or the SFA.

Playing an improperly registering footballer voids the result of a match, no matter how innocuous the registration impropriety is, as Spartans discovered 14 months ago to their cost.  They saw their Scottish Cup win over Culter overturned because a player’s registration form was dated only once, not twice as required.

As well as being awarded a 0-3 defeat, the improper registration of players will cost the offending club any prize money ‘won’ and will result in a disciplinary measure being imposed.  Spartans were fined £4000, approximately 20% of their annual income, and were suspended from the competition for 12 months.  A steep tariff for leaving a box on a form empty and fielding a player in one game of football.

Lots of speculation has centred on the so-called ‘stripping of titles’ but in the event the Commission upholds the charge the voiding of results will happen as a matter of consequence; it should not subject to speculation.  What is more interesting is the size of prize money the league would seek to reclaim, and redistribute, and any penalty imposed by the Commission.

SPL teams receive prize money based on their final league position, funded by the league’s TV deal, which for teams finishing in the top two positions is well in excess of £1m each year.  Any ‘stripping of titles’ is likely to be a headline grabber, but the repayment of prize money and disciplinary measures will be far more significant, for some.

Sir David Murray, who owned Rangers throughout the period of alleged improper registration of players, insists the club registered all contractually binding payments players received in connection with playing football.  SFA president, Campbell Ogilvie, was an executive director of Rangers for some of the period under investigation and may have been responsible for some registrations.

Charles Green rejected an offer to limit the consequences of the charge being upheld in return for his company (then called Sevco 5088 Ltd) acquiring the SFA membership vacated by Rangers.  We will soon discover if he is master of the Cunning Plan or an over-ambitious gambler.

I expect calls for SPL and SFA rules to be upheld without fear or favour to be met.
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  1. Paul67 et al

     

     

    Bogus side contracts

     

    Unpaid taxes

     

    Unpaid taxis

     

    Unpaid suppliers

     

    Unpaid facepainters

     

    Unpaid loans to the Bank of Scotland

     

    Unpaid anybody

     

    Unpaid everybody

     

     

    “They can’t take that away from me”

  2. Valentine's Day on

    thomthethim

     

     

    Thank’s for your response

     

     

    Always thought the auld yin was exaggerating.

  3. AKBW1888

     

     

    Well, Mrs First is here as well, sorting out some washing. She may make me pay at least £5 later, but so far it’s been a free gig.

     

     

    She’s asking me about putting the bins out. You’ve jinxed this.

  4. More FF Hilarity & Denial

     

     

     

    Today, 18:59

     

    ian-rfc ian-rfc is online now

     

    1st Team Regular

     

     

     

    Hearts have unpaid council debt totalling £55,000

     

    Published on Tuesday 29 January 2013 12:00

     

     

    DEBT collectors are chasing Hearts over thousands of pounds of unpaid council bills, including rent for the stadium car park.

     

     

    The Tynecastle club owes the city nearly £55,000 for overdue business rates and rent on its McLeod Street grounds.

     

     

    The debt has forced finance chiefs to call in recovery agents and agree a repayment plan with collection firm Scott & Co.

     

     

    It is understood Hearts have agreed to repay the outstanding balance within five weeks.

     

     

     

    Failure to do so could result in the club being dragged to court and forced to pay.

     

     

    A city council source said: “If appropriate we [will] take steps under our debt recovery 
procedures.”

     

     

    The News can reveal the arrears owed to the council amounts to £18,069 in car park rent and £36,587 in 
business rates, according to figures released under Freedom of Information legislation.

     

     

    Today, an insider revealed how debts to the council have been accruing since the start of the financial year and relate to annual fees that must be paid upfront in full, or staggered as part of an agreed monthly plan.

     

     

    “There’s always bit of leeway to arrange a payment plan and you would get around half the year before inquiries start to find where the money is,” they said.

     

     

    “It works a little like council tax in that as soon as you are issued with a bill, you are effectively in debt to the council and have to agree a plan to pay it off over that financial year.”

     

     

    Hearts have so far failed to pay any of the debt owed on business rates or car park rental, it is believed.

     

     

    Councillor Steve Cardownie, right, a Hearts fan and deputy council leader, said: “I’m sure the council would treat Hearts as they would any business in a similar situation and act according to policy.

     

     

    “Officials will take appropriate action with no influence from elected members, and nor should there be.”

     

     

    Former club chairman Lord George Foulkes described the late payment of rates and rent as “bad practice”, but said Hearts’ recent on-field success would allow the club to pay the outstanding council debt.

     

     

    He said: “I think this is part of a policy of leaving everything to the last minute but it’s not just Hearts that do it, many businesses do it.

     

     

    “There shouldn’t be a problem with the club now given the succession of home games coming up and now the League Cup Final at Hampden.”

     

     

    The latest saga comes after months of financial turmoil at Tynecastle that took the club to be brink of extinction.

     

     

    Late payment of wages in September and October resulted in a 60-day transfer embargo. Hearts then admitted they were short of money to see out the season and fans rallied round to raise 
£1 million in a share issue.

     

     

    In November, HMRC issued a winding-up order over £450,000 of unpaid tax. Hearts later settled the PAYE and VAT bill before striking a deal to stagger payments over a separate claim for £1.5 million which stemmed from players on loan from Lithuanian side FBK Kaunas. The SPL lifted the transfer embargo this month, but the club is restricted to signing under-21s and can only to replace players who leave.

     

     

    A Hearts spokesman said: “There is a payment plan that has been arranged for the remaining balance to be paid and has been agreed by both parties.”

     

     

    A council spokesperson said: “We’re committed to collecting outstanding amounts. The council has been in contact with Hearts to resolve this issue.”

     

     

    Edinburgh Evening News

     

     

    ……

     

     

    Today, 19:02

     

    wacaktb wacaktb is online now

     

    We welcome the chase-54 and counting!

     

     

    Default Re: Hearts have unpaid council debt totalling £55,000

     

     

    close them down, I hate them

     

     

    …..

     

     

    Today, 19:05

     

    Larkie_Deek Larkie_Deek is online now

     

    120 sacked at BBC Scotland. Many more to go!

     

     

    Default Re: Hearts have unpaid council debt totalling £55,000

     

     

    I though you had to have your Tax all paid up to date before you were allowed to sign a player?

     

     

    …..

     

     

    Captain Jock Captain Jock is online now

     

    The Man From Utopia

     

     

    Default Re: Hearts have unpaid council debt totalling £55,000

     

     

    Quote:

     

    Originally Posted by Sam_English View Post

     

     

    They seem to be getting chased for one debt after another – just wonder how long they can withstand this

     

     

    This is a pattern of activity that almost always ends up with the company in question going…pop!

     

     

    …..

     

     

    QueensferryCR3Bear QueensferryCR3Bear is online now

     

    …would score for fun up here

     

     

    Default Re: Hearts have unpaid council debt totalling £55,000

     

     

    Nothing short of financial doping is it not ?

     

     

    Signing players instead of paying bills ?

     

     

    Cheats cheats cheats cheats cheats etc etc.

     

     

    ……

  5. channelislandcelt on

    WeeOscar4Life

     

     

    Is there any way I could sponsor the cycle ride by cheque ? We seem to have difficulty here with the 5 number text message system.

     

     

    HH

  6. Celtic Football Club ‏@celticfc

     

    29. Goal for Celtic! Paul George slides in to hammer home Miku’s cross. The Hoops take the lead. 2-1.

  7. oldtim67

     

     

    19:13 on

     

    29 January, 2013

     

    Remember this is only a dream.

     

    …………….

     

    Ha ha brilliant oldtim67, when can we expect the next part o your dream, looking forward to it already

     

  8. AKBW1888

     

     

    following a return to fitness izzy has suffered most from not having commons in front of him, commons would hold ball well, head towards centre of pitch allowing izzy to bomb down the flank. look at izzy’s first season, he rarely took a player own via dribbling, others slipped him in. the team worked better as a whole. imho izzy remains our best lb, but system we are playing right now does not suit his style.

     

     

    kayal’s ability to control tempo of games has been lost, imho he is the best cm at our club, out with vic who has everything needed to be a massive player.

  9. Celtic_First

     

    19:25 on

     

    29 January, 2013

     

    AKBW1888

     

     

    Well, Mrs First is here as well, sorting out some washing. She may make me pay at least £5 later, but so far it’s been a free gig.

     

     

    She’s asking me about putting the bins out. You’ve jinxed this.

     

     

    Good I hope the young hoops score a barrel load

     

    Your Mrs is asking you to put the Bins out piece

     

    of cake don’t be lazy now

  10. channelislandcelt

     

    Exellent. I will make sure you feature on the WeeOscar4Life Roll of Honour on here!

     

     

    JJ

  11. I certainly wouldn’t take it for granted that old Rangers will get stripped of Titles – yes, they should be, will the men in power have the guts to do it ? I have doubts.

     

     

    If they are stripped, imo, that’s it. Move on. Rangers are dead, it’s not fair to impose a financial penalty on Green’s Rangers, the decade of cheating had nothing to do with them.

  12. Vhman.

     

     

    That was a dream.Vivid at times, but I dreamt it last night.I had to add wee bits but it’s as near as damb.

     

     

     

    I would have had a few glasses to night, but the games on tomorrow and I’m on the road around 10.00am.

     

    I don’t think you have dreams in chapters,so If I write any more it would be a lie.

  13. wellcome back swiss tony,

     

     

    couple of observations –

     

     

    bbc reporting scotland and the report on LNS readying to punish them zombies , just funny so it was

     

     

    point 2 ,

     

    whatever happened to we are all neil lennon,

     

    we lost a league cup semi, so whit.

     

    a couple of weeks from now we will beat Juventus.

  14. thomthethim

     

     

    I’m way too young to have seen Bobby Evans *as you know* but could you have been the Celtic fan that Billy Connolly reminices of stood at the back of the Jungle shouting;

     

    B……………O………………B……………B…………………Y

     

    E………………V…………………..A……………….N……………………..S

     

    *Say very loud and slowly*

     

     

    Hail Hail

  15. Miku and Watt playing tonight in U20’s match.

     

     

    I assume Miku staying till end of season. Coaching staff really rate him. Family have found it very hard to settle.

  16. I expect the spl to strip the titles as they awarded them and therefore only they can remove them. Additionally as The Rangers are a SFL club any appeal they have will have no jurisdiction on any spl decisions.

  17. Celtic TV question.

     

    In a marina with a wifi Hotspot connection typically 1 Mbps speed.

     

    Is the Premium UK at £80 per year with it’s “Premium quality” likely to work/be

     

    better with this connection speed?

     

    fed up of dodgy streams, the laptop almost went over the side on Sunday, should be able to avoid the result here in Engerlund to watch games ‘live’ at midnight…

  18. GourockEmeraldBhoy on

    Oops not long in from work to a letter from Celtic… Need to purchase my bhoys ticket for the Dundee game as his book doesn’t cover it… Forgot all about that :-)

     

     

    HH

  19. stephbhoy

     

    19:35 on

     

    29 January, 2013

     

    AKBW1888

     

     

    following a return to fitness izzy has suffered most from not having commons in front of him, commons would hold ball well, head towards centre of pitch allowing izzy to bomb down the flank. look at izzy’s first season, he rarely took a player own via dribbling, others slipped him in. the team worked better as a whole. imho izzy remains our best lb, but system we are playing right now does not suit his style.

     

     

    kayal’s ability to control tempo of games has been lost, imho he is the best cm at our club, out with vic who has everything needed to be a massive player.

     

     

    Izy had a tremendous first Season with the hoops but since his injury a

     

    while back and this Season he has not been the same player

     

    Adam Matthews proved against Flats-Flats that he can put in decent

     

    crosses and pick out his fellow team players and so can Mikael Lustig

     

    so there is competition for said LB berth which is good for the Team

     

    in general as for Beram Kayal he was also a better player before he

     

    got injured by that big ugly thug who plays for we all know who Beram

     

    is more of a holding type midfield player which @ present the Club is

     

    overloaded with said type of players what we need is a few play makers

     

    in the mix like Paul McStay in his prime days players who can make

     

    telling passes that splits defenses and read the games well that’s

     

    what we desperately need and something the hoops should be seriously

     

    working on not loads of holding midfielders but a fine balance along

     

    with play-makers like Paul McStay & Wee Lubo to take the Club more

     

    forward

  20. Juve resting quite a few of their first team

     

     

    Line up

     

     

    Storari, Barzagli, Marrone, Bonucci, Isla, Giaccherini, Padoin, Peluso, Vidal, Giovinco, Vucinic

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