Summary of Rangers situation

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In response to some of the more excitable comments from yesterday it might be worthwhile painting the possible scenarios for Rangers.

No Sale

If Bill Miller is unable to complete the sale (remember, he’s not even paid the deposit and has no intention of doing so), the club will reach the end of the season and run out of money.  It will then either expire completely or Duff and Phelps will try to cut a deal with Ticketus to allow Rangers to sell season tickets and retain more of the money than they are currently due.

Rangers could continue to operate in administration for a while to come; Motherwell were in administration for one week short of two years.  The club would be unable to afford player wages after they return to normal in 1 June so would be forced to pare the squad back, whether the ban on player registration remains or not.

Miller completes purchase and the SPL vote him into the league

If Miller completes his purchase, as it stands, the SPL board will have discretion to transfer an insolvent club’s share in the league to a Newco.  Neil Doncaster has pinned his colours to the mast on this issue, Steve Lomas explained St Johnstone’s willingness to also vote Newco in.  Celtic will vote against which means if either Motherwell or Dundee United vote in favour of Newco, they will be allowed into the league.

I have no doubt that both Motherwell and Dundee United will vote in favour of Newco.  The SPL will vote to introduce a new procedure for dealing with Newco on Monday but it’s far from clear this proposal will get enough support.

For Miller, there are complications with this issue.  He would inherit all football and financial penalties due for Rangers and would also be expected to pay Rangers football debts – around £3.5m.

You can largely ignore the £160k Fit and Proper fines from the SFA but the SPL inquiry into Improper Registration of Players for over a decade will be the biggest charge in the history of British sport.  We should be looking at fines commensurate with the financial benefits accrued and multi-year sporting punishments.

If the SPL rule amendments Newco are rejected on Monday (as I expect), there are some who are concerned SPL board will impose lighter penalties than those suggested by Neil Doncaster’s new rules.

Alternatively, Miller could tell the SPL to stuff it and apply to the Scottish Football League.  Ally McCoist has already threatened this in response to the already-imposed fines and the notion is popular among Rangers fans I know.  If the did this, Newco would not have to pay Rangers football debts and would be subject to no penalties or player registration bans.  They could budget for three years of lower-league football and then tool up for the summer of 2015.

You can expect some though talking from Rangers on going to the Third Division in an attempt to spook the SPL into offering limited, single-season penalties.

Among the many unknowns, we can be sure of a few things:

Rangers Football Club, established in 1872, is finished.

Some form of phoenix will happen, if not for next season, then probably by 2013.

The SPL will complete the inquiry into Improper Registration of players, whether Rangers exist or not.  If a Newco is granted Rangers SPL share, penalties will be punitive.

Notions that ‘Rangers’ are going to emerge debt-free, strong and able to compete as though nothing has happened is simply nonsense.  Their club is dead.  They will start a new club, it will either be back in the SPL unhindered in 2015 (or 16) or will be in the SPL next season, heavily burdened for many years to come.

My prediction is for the latter.

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  1. Clink\o/ by appointment to Mr Custards Jelly And Ice Cream Emporium on 5 May, 2012 at 12:50 said:

     

     

    Yeah, that’s going to happen

     

    —————–

     

    At least lets find out what the penalties are

     

    When we know the possible outcomes it can be decided if it is a

     

    feasible strategy

     

    Your favourite plan of the club playing Russian Roulette

     

    has the possible outcome of us becoming another Belfast Celtic.

     

    Just another fading memory

  2. did you see that murderwell miss – i demand an enquiry into match fixing!!!!!

  3. Did anyone just see Motherwell contrive to miss an absolute sitter at the less than full death star just now, obviously working to instructions.

  4. Ghuys

     

     

    I see the SPL board are looking for all the clubs to indicate their position re NewDignity, more parcel the parcel!

     

     

    All utterly irrelevant, as a FUNDAMENTAL football rule is to prevent the transfer of licenses, to avoid financial cheating. The SPL can have as many votes as they want but this FUNDAMENTAL football rule will hold sway.

     

     

    What we ate seeing is a Mexican stand-off between FTT judges, Duff£ Phelps, SFA , SPL, as to who will pull the plug …. thererfore they are all waiting for the cash to run out and for Duff £ Phelps to get the privilege of taking them down. They was their hands , blame Miller who in turn (having never seen soccer ball) will blame the football rules.

     

     

    Chill out time, CFC keep stum and let them get on with wrecking and disposing of their own club, and as for the us joining SFL3 in protest, breathtaking silliness … just watch and enjoy.

     

     

    Chillpillcfc

  5. Auld Neil Lennon heid on

    Tom McLaughlin on 5 May, 2012 at 12:43 said

     

     

    and miss my bon mots? :)

  6. Jobo Baldie on

    Tom McLaughlin on 5 May 2012 at 12:43 said

     

     

    and my uplifting weather reports? :)

  7. wonkyradar on 5 May, 2012 at 13:05 said:

     

    >>>>>>>

     

    I take it you’re not their biggest fan? HH!

  8. ernie lynch on

    Clink\o/ by appointment to Mr Custards Jelly And Ice Cream Emporium on 5 May, 2012 at 13:06 said:

     

     

    You think we’d be refused entry by the SFL?

  9. Fortunes Favour Mibbes on 5 May, 2012 at 13:01 said

     

     

    I didnt realise you where a leper?

     

     

    Is it true your girlfiend dumped you citing you were rotten in bed?

     

     

    :-)

  10. Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on

    EKBhoy, where do you get this SFL3 none sense ?

     

    I’ve seen and advocated SFL application as part of a strategy I laid out on a number of occasions, but as yet read no one advocate SFL3

  11. notafanofSoAL on

    What is on the front of the darkside’s jerseys? Another emblem against league rules?

  12. Jobo Baldie on

    Today’s CQN Coupon aka the ones to avoid…

     

     

    BT – Ross County

     

    Lennybhoy – Crewe

     

    GL2 – Stevenage

     

    TTT -Oxford

     

    EN – Man City

     

    Jobo – St. Mirren

     

    AWATR – Chelsea

     

     

    Bet responsibly. Celebrate with careless abandon.

  13. Auld Neil Lennon heid on

    EKBhoy on 5 May, 2012 at 13:07 said:

     

     

    the SPL will not vote top give Rangers a license, the will vote to transfer Oldco’s membership share in the SPL to Newco.

     

     

    The licence does NOT go with that transfer of share. A club licence is NOT transferrable and this rules comes from UEFA rules that the SFA apply to clubs seeking a licence to play in the SPL.

     

     

    This is a very important distinction as in theory it renders any SPL vote meaningless unless the SFA can find a way to ignore their own licensing process based on UEFA FFP.

     

     

    This should be unthinkable for any governing body but this is what passes for football in Scotland.

  14. Where are the famous Rangers fan when their club needs them? Fans like Sir Sean, after all he was 007 in You Only Live Twice ?

     

     

    “Carthago delenda est” 

  15. Remarkable. Motherwell have played 27 minutes and not committed even one foul. Says it all really. Disgusting lot.

  16. macanbheatha on

    The Rhythm Of Time

     

    There’s an inner thing in every man,

     

    Do you know this thing my friend?

     

    It has withstood the blows of a million years,

     

    And will do so to the end.

     

    It was born when time did not exist,

     

    And it grew up out of life,

     

    It cut down evil’s strangling vines,

     

    Like a slashing searing knife.

     

    It lit fires when fires were not,

     

    And burnt the mind of man,

     

    Tempering leadened hearts to steel,

     

    From the time that time began.

     

    It wept by the waters of Babylon,

     

    And when all men were a loss,

     

    It screeched in writhing agony,

     

    And it hung bleeding from the Cross.

     

    It died in Rome by lion and sword,

     

    And in defiant cruel array,

     

    When the deathly word was ‘Spartacus’

     

    Along the Appian Way.

     

    It marched with Wat the Tyler’s poor,

     

    And frightened lord and king,

     

    And it was emblazoned in their deathly stare,

     

    As e’er a living thing.

     

    It smiled in holy innocence,

     

    Before conquistadors of old,

     

    So meek and tame and unaware,

     

    Of the deathly power of gold.

     

    It burst forth through pitiful Paris streets,

     

    And stormed the old Bastille,

     

    And marched upon the serpent’s head,

     

    And crushed it ‘neath its heel.

     

    It died in blood on Buffalo Plains,

     

    And starved by moons of rain,

     

    Its heart was buried in Wounded Knee,

     

    But it will come to rise again.

     

    It screamed aloud by Kerry lakes,

     

    As it was knelt upon the ground,

     

    And it died in great defiance,

     

    As they coldly shot it down.

     

    It is found in every light of hope,

     

    It knows no bounds nor space

     

    It has risen in red and black and white,

     

    It is there in every race.

     

    It lies in the hearts of heroes dead,

     

    It screams in tyrants’ eyes,

     

    It has reached the peak of mountains high,

     

    It comes searing ‘cross the skies.

     

    It lights the dark of this prison cell,

     

    It thunders forth its might,

     

    It is ‘the undauntable thought’, my friend,

     

    That thought that says ‘I’m right!’

  17. Fortunes Favour Mibbes on

    theweegreenman

     

     

    I am indeed, a social one. Not sure if it’s my halitosis, excessive alcohol consumption, or gleekit coupon (or all three).

     

     

    As for rotting in bed, I’ve never had a burd for the reasons just given.

  18. Is that new stain on the Rankers shirt not something to do with the fans being given the number 12 jersey? I believe the shirts will be auctioned to raise a few pence for the creditors (yeah right!)

  19. James Forrest is Neil Lennon! We are ALL Neil Lennon! on

    On the off-chance I can end further discussion on the various scenarios being put forward regarding our club’s response, let me say this:

     

     

    I’ve spoke to some people who were at the rally last night and took the chance to ask Lawwell one on one where we are.

     

     

    Our club has already accepted Rangers SPL status as inevitable.

     

     

    No legal avenues are being explored. No resignation options are being considered.

     

     

    We have admitted defeat and are now hopelessly scrambling to make sure “proper” sanction are imposed.

     

     

    I’m done with it. No season ticket next season or again.

  20. Sorry for repost

     

    but you are the man in the know

     

     

    Auldheid

     

    as you are about

     

    Maybe you might know the answer to this

     

    Assuming that a Newco might be playing in the Spl next season,

     

    what would be the repercussions for Celtic if they forfeited all

     

    their matches against the Newhun other than offical 3-0 defeats.

     

     

    share on F’book or Twitter

  21. Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on

    Ernie l…,

     

    Again, are you a shareholder of CFC Plc ?

  22. Fortunes Favour Mibbes on 5 May, 2012 at 13:17 said:

     

     

     

    theweegreenman

     

     

    I am indeed, a social one. Not sure if it’s my halitosis, excessive alcohol consumption, or gleekit coupon (or all three).

     

    ————————————————————————————————-

     

     

    Are you a hun? :-)

  23. gebhoy

     

     

    How can Celtic possibly react to hypothesis/conjecture? They cannot act before the fact.

     

     

    I would hope that they would act accordingly if corporate cheating is sanctioned and embraced.

  24. Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on

    JFK,

     

    As expected the old firm fc it is, sickening.

  25. Fortunes Favour Mibbes on

    I honestly believe the huns have sewn the badge of Satan to their tops – this is a known ritual for those seeking to zombify themselves when they are staring death in the face.

  26. Clink\o/ by appointment to Mr Custards Jelly And Ice Cream Emporium on 5 May, 2012 at 13:18 said:

     

     

     

    Sorry for repost

     

    but you are the man in the know

     

     

    Auldheid

     

    as you are about

     

    Maybe you might know the answer to this

     

    Assuming that a Newco might be playing in the Spl next season,

     

    what would be the repercussions for Celtic if they forfeited all

     

    their matches against the Newhun other than offical 3-0 defeats.

     

    —————————————————————————————–

     

     

    I think we would hae a 12 point deficit compared to TFOD’s 10?

  27. Fortunes Favour Mibbes on

    theweegreenman

     

     

    You would think ! But my evident sense of humour should disprove that theory. If my IQ drops dramatically and I lose my sense of humour I may indeed need to re-assess my footballing loyalties and accept that I am just a hun :)

  28. Powerless

     

     

    The three man panel made a decision

     

    Fat Sally wanted them exposed

     

    The SFA is powerless

     

    As discrimination soared

     

     

    The five man panel predicted a backlash

     

    In this new world of football fear

     

    The SPL is powerless

     

    As the victimisation goes up a gear

     

     

    The eleven man panel will sit

     

    Deep in debt to the one bank

     

    Scottish Football is powerless

     

    The smell becoming rank

  29. Auld Neil Lennon heid on

    gebhoy is the taxmans tick tocking clock, tick…tock on 5 May, 2012 at 13:02 said:

     

     

    A Newco without sanctions is untenable, it is not going to happen. The mechanism that would enable it is covered by UEFA’s policy that says clubs being created in such a way cannot get a UEFA license.

     

     

    An SPL club license allows it to play in the SPL or UEFA competition if they qualify. There is no separate process for awarding an SPL a club a different kind of license, there is only one licensing process that uses UEFA FFP rules.

     

    From Randalstown blog

     

     

    The Uefa Stance Is Clear – Please Read Mr Miller

     

    by

     

    The Voice of champions

     

     

    Published on 04-5-2012 10:53 AM

     

     

    Bill Miller promised to end the culture of overspending at Rangers after being confirmed as the preferred bidder by the club’s administrators.

     

     

    Miller is seeking to buy the assets of the club, which could have debts of up to £135 million (A$213 million), and form a new company while bidding to take the current club out of administration.

     

     

    The Uefa Stance

     

     

    Uefa have made the following statement pertaining to newcos: “Clubs are not allowed to change their legal form or structure in order to obtain a licence, simply by ‘cleaning up’ their balance sheet while offloading debts – thus harming creditors (including employees and social/tax authorities) as well as threatening the integrity of sporting competition.

     

     

    Any such alteration of a club’s legal form or structure is deemed to be an interruption to its membership of a UEFA member association and, consequently, three years must pass before a club can apply again for a UEFA licence. In other words, the three-year rule is designed basically to avoid circumvention of the club licensing system.”

     

     

    The Uefa stance is clear and unequivocal on how it treats any newco created to shield a football team from any financial or regulatory ills experienced by the organisation from which it sprang.

     

     

    “If a club sets up a new company simply to avoid paying its debts or obligations then they would almost certainly fail the three-year rule [for obtaining the required Uefa licence],” a spokesperson for Uefa told The Scotsman.

     

     

    “This is to ensure clubs do not simply create a ‘newco’ and leave the previous entity in charge of dealing with debts.”

  30. Auld Neil Lennon heid on

    MWD (if you are looking in)

     

     

    Looks like old Doncaster is having to apply your interpretation of the rules?

     

     

    Wonder what he will tell Keevins?

  31. The strong reason for Rangers to stay in the SPL is social. If they don’t play, their supporters families will have no quiet days. When Rangers supporters are out for the game, the families have few ours freedom. Let them stay.