Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro’ the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;…..
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads
Tomorrow we will learn if the Supreme Court decide in favour of HMRC or Rangers’ liquidator, BDO, on the Big Tax Case, which saw the former club pay dozens of players, managers, other clubs’ managers, and executives, millions of pounds through Employee Benefit Trusts (EBTs) without paying Income Tax.
EBTs were designed to allow employers to assist staff with crisis loans. Most organisations do this at some point. If the sum is small enough (“Here’s £20 from petty cash to put fuel in the car”), the payback period brief enough (“Here’s £500 until payday”), or the organisational oversight not too onerous (“The boss says you can have this, pay it back when you get the insurance money through”), such agreements are often informal.
If the above conditions do not apply, the employer would need to setup a Trust, whereby it could pay the loan, which would then be repaid.
Employee Benefit Trusts were not introduced as a way to allow millionaires to avoid paying the Income Tax and National Insurance but they were exploited in exactly this manner by Rangers, whose liquidators continue to spend creditors’ money to in the hope of avoiding tax which will never fully be paid from the limited Rangers’ creditors’ pot.
If BDO are successful, tomorrow you will see many poor and disadvantaged celebrate the triumph of the rich, who have reduced money available for public services, welfare payments, health, education and even defence. The pitiful will toast the pitiless. You may despair at their lack of awareness.
I hope this doesn’t happen. I hope Income Tax hasn’t been optional for the rich all these years.
If HMRC are successful, those millionaires may find themselves with demands for the payment of Income Tax. The public purse may be in line for a small windfall.
It will not have escaped your attention that, in this circumstance, Rangers used unlawful tax arrangements for many years. Arrangements that were not legally available to other clubs. We will explore this in another blog later today.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Christmas doesn’t always come; you might be onto (sugar) plumbs. Tax may be optional.
NEW CQN PODCAST WITH SFA PRESIDENT ALAN RAE OUT NOW!
Episode 2 of ‘A Celtic State of Mind’ finds Paul John Dykes and Kevin Graham discussing a variety of topical subjects concerning Celtic Football Club, including:
* Callum McGregor: The Youth of Today;
* Death of the Cult Hero;
* Norwegian Wood – Ronnie Deila’s Exit Interview;
* Farewell to The Stone Roses;
* Hillsborough: The Truth.
Paul John Dykes also chats to SFA President, Alan McRae, to challenge him over recent comments made about Celtic’s domination of Scottish football.
Connect with A Celtic State of Mind @PaulDykes and @CQNMagazine or just listen using the link below…
293 Comments- Pages:
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TIMJIM on 4TH JULY 2017 2:19 PM
If SA was to go Southampton it would surely only be for more money.So has anybody got any idea what sort of figures are involved?
___
10 million fee for Celtic and 30 grand a week for SA
I think he will sign a new deal but if he doesn’t I’d be happy with that kind of money. We still have Rogic, McGregor & Kouassi in reserve.
Mike
For all that I would love Sevco to fail, lam to thight.
Timaloy
Are we talking 20 grand at Celtic
SA would be a fool to leave Celtic at this stage of his career. He’s had 1 good season, which is down to Brendan. He was struggling like F the previous year under Ronnie. Who knows how he’d perform with another manager.
To me its a confidence thing, some players just seem to gain a lot of it under BR, he’s very good at helping players reach their potential.
BTW, i dont think SA is a fool. He’ll stay.
Tierney Dembele and Armstrong are worth a combined £40m imo
It’s your opinion .
My opinion.
Tierney £20 million
Dembele £40/45 million
Armstrong£15/20 million.
On the short side £75 million.
On the other £85 million
Probably £75 million, imo.
Just been catching up on the blog…
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GlassTwoThirdsFull on 4th July 2017 12:52 pm
The MSM will have two headlines ready:
“Rangers win big tax case”.
“Murray Group lose big tax case”.
—————————————————————
Dunces cap for you GTTF. It will be:
“Rangers win big tax case” or….
“Free me from my Celtic hell says Armstrong”.
If Celtic offer SA £20,000 a week and Southampton offer £30,000, would he really turn down almost an extra half a million a year over three years?
I we can sort the SA issue out, keep the rest of last season’s main players and get wee Paddy on a permanent deal. That would do me for this window.
I equals If
TD67 – you’re underselling young Tierney big time.
Man United want him because he will walk into their first team and is a better player than Luke Shaw – who they paid £30M for.
We may rate SA at north of $10 million …. but, is anyone going to pay that for him? I cant see it.
Only reason that might happen is that the BPL throws around stupid money …. however, there are several reasons why I cant see that happening …
….. he is Scottish (which, .like it or not, means he is looked down upon in England) … he plays in the SPL (as above)… he has had one good season (not entirely untrue) … he has one year left on his contract …. if he was coming from Holland, or even if he was a foreigner playing is Scotland (like VVD), maybe we’d get that sort of money … but, otherwise, I dont see it …
if SA doesn’t want to sign a new contract, and we managed to get anything north of 10 million for him, EVEN I would say good job to PL for that one.
oops sorry – meant to add – in my opinion.
MIT.
I saw your reply about Mavis.
I’m glad you enjoyed the concert. Considering she must be nearly 80 she’s doing brilliant.
From The Civil Rights movement to Dylan to Prince, I reckon just those 3 topics alone, she would be incredible company.
Hail Hail
Excerpt from a book on the Zombie Zombi reading list.
Do you like green boots and cleats?
I do not like them, Pedro-I-am.
I do not like green boots and cleats.
Would you like them here or there?
I would not like them here or there.
I would not like them anywhere.
JNP …
She is like Aretha … still in her 70’s … given everything they went through, I would have expected them to be older … but, like Aretha, she started singing when he was 7 or 8 …. she kept saying that she starting performing with the Family 69 years ago!
She is a good story teller, and told some good stories during the show … and hinted there is so much more she could tell us!
I read the Curtis Mayfield biography recently and enjoyed it … but I really wish she would write her autobiography , or someone would do a biography on the Family (I could be wrong, but I dont think there is one)… I bet it would be a fascinating read.
Apart from speculation, (kaka stirring more like) in the red white and blue tops, there appears to be no bidding war for Mr Teasy Weasy.
His value to Southampton or any other EPL club will be enhanced by previous Celts who made the move to St Mary’s.
VW, VVD and FF have all proven their worth in the EPL.
In the inflated EPL market they have all shown their worth and the signing club has made or is making a positive return on their investment.
Therefore I would place a value of 12 to 15 million at auction and it may go higher if the right bidders are in the room.
Antiques roadshow CSC.
Lest we forget
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AwIC5FIEVVc
TD67
My valuation takes account of the Scottish ceiling. I think I might be being conservative but unlikely teams will pay more than £15m for any player leaving our league but on the plus side Celtic are the only team who can afford to wait until their valuation is met…that gives us a negotiating edge. An extra £5m to top EPL teams is neither here nor there..
My main point though is BR is the guy to keep.. Players ( any of them are replaceable from existing squad) are expendable at the right price.
Gosh MIT.
You have came up with a money spinning idea.
I was unaware of any autobiography or biography.
The first person to publish a biography would probably be quids in.
I read a biography on Sam Cooke a few years back, it’s fascinating the 50/60s in the USA, major stars but still treated like second class citizens.
Of course not just musicians, Ali after winning his Gold medal in 1960 was served in a plastic tumbler whereas the whites had glass tumblers in the same bar.
The best read was Malcolm X. What a life.
Hail Hail
Most encouraging that Celtic is being seen as the go-to place for semi developed talent as well as a staging post for the development of top players…
That is a self perpetuating situation. Clubs in EPL will be constantly keeping an eye on our squad… Ambitious quality players will want to be watched and therefore keen to join us..
All in all a happy situation.
And today’s signing a Chelsea player rumour is………..
Celtic are trying to hijack Galatasaray’s move for Chelsea midfielder Mario Pasalic according to reports in Turkey.
Turkish sports outlet Sporx claim that Brendan Rodgers is keen on the 22-year-old midfielder.
Per the source, the Scottish giants have entered talks with the Blues over a summer move.
The report also claims that Real Betis are in the race for the Croatian international.
We are coming for you
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jxPZ5ExeAqY
JNP … I had thought about it at one point…. but I have a few others that I have to finish first (if I ever get round to them)…
I grew up obsessed with 60’s folk and civil rights and worked my way back from Dylan to old folk, blues and jazz, and then moved forward to soul music …. read everything written about MLK and Malcolm X … one of my favourite mornings was having brunch at Sylvia’s and walking around Harlem …. gospel churches and choirs on every corner! Magic! I could hear Langston Hughes poems in the wind! Loved it.
another one whose life story I liked (and is worth checking out) is Nat King Cole … one of my favourite all time singers.
….I hope one day to be able to sit down and meet you in person …. I think I would really enjoy that chat.
Chairbhoy on 4th July 2017 12:41 pm
Hi Paul67,
Interesting piece… unquietly confident are we:)
…It will not have escaped your attention that, in this circumstance, Rangers used unlawful tax arrangements for many years. Arrangements that were not legally available to other clubs.
This is a lie that has to be nailed…
HMRC have always stated that the way Rangers utilised EBT’S were illegal.
In what circumstance was it therefore open to other Clubs to recompense Players in this manner.
Sure, you can point to how illegal they really are is as yet to be established, none the less, their use was at best irresponsible, remember Rangers had to hide documentation from HMRC and The Scottish Football Authorities.
We saw that it was well established, in the Craig Whyte case, that many Professional Witnesses agreed with Donald Findley QC, that the implementation and failure to properly deal with the EBT’s and resulting Contingent Liability was a major factor in Rangers’ insolvency.
How then could anyone, let alone a Law Lord, suggest Clubs could implement such a dubious scheme.
If the Supreme Court comes down in favour of HMRC, then supposition of LNS, that EBTs afforded no sporting advantage, which was always highly controversial, becomes totally unsupported.
With the other factors that have since become known, such as the original frame of reference and witnesses being less than wholesome with the truth.
The LNS Inquiry needs to be revisited and a proper root and branch review of the Rangers insolvency and Sevco Scotland deal(s) MUST be set-up. This time really “Without Fear Or Favour”.
Hail Hail
==================
Absolutely on the need to revisit LNS, regardless of the outcome of SC deliberations.
Those responsible for establishing the framework of the LNS commission at the SFA (as appellants (in spite of it being the SFA man Bryson he gave decisive evidence) and at the then SPL, had information now in public that was not known to the public at the time of commissioning in 2012.
In my opinion both organisations, knowing what is now a known, acted dishonestly and whilst an appeal being upheld would reduce the title stripping impetus argument, nevertheless the Lord Nimmo Smith Commission used non disclosure to produce a result that lessened the crime of RFC from fraud to administrative error, despite HMRC stating fraud or negligence, and those responsible, for whatever reasons, cannot be allowed to remain in position.
Should the appeal be dismissed LNS must be washed away as if it never happened.
Celtic team v Slavia Prague
CELTIC Gordon; Lustig, Simunonvic, Boyata, Tierney; Brown, Rogic, McGregor; Forrest, Griffiths, Sinclair.
http://scottishlaw.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/questions-over-nimmo-smith-inquiry-as.html?m=1
Just a query or 2
HH
CultsBhoy – Believes in Brendan on 4th July 2017 2:13 pm
Good post, but have we lost the point of the game. Is it about making a profit or turning out a team that entertains the fans?
” What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ” Matthew 16:26 stuff.
I blame Football Manager :)
Id sign Armstrong on a better contract with a release clause that suits him and encourages him to play to an even higher standard that will make someone come in for him at the release clause level.
Embramike
What time k.o?
Hh
Subs: De Vries, Hazard, Izaguirre, Hayes, Bitton, Dembele, Armstrong, MacKay-Stevens,Sviatchenko, Izaguirre, Miller, Hayes, Bitton, Henderson, Aitchison, McCart, Ralston
Turkey Bhoy,ie Dorrans tell us a bit more about him,I worked with a guy yrs ago in Livingston,name was Dorrans,dark side supporter,is that the same boy,not bad player,
KO 5pm (CP time)
MIT 3.34.
That’s very kind thank you.
It’s something I would very much look forward to also.
I was at one of those brain numbing meetings once, where the facilitator goes around the room, like a creeping death,asking people who their hero is. The answers being given were very safe, in my opinion, things like Princess Diana,Jesus, Gandhi, someone said their Mum, the facilitator asked them all why, it came to my turn, so to be controversial I said Malcolm X, the facilitator couldn’t move on quick enough, she never asked me why, in fact she never asked me anything the rest of the day!!!
Hail Hail
An Tearmann on 4th July 2017 3:47 pm
http://scottishlaw.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/questions-over-nimmo-smith-inquiry-as.html?m=1
Just a query or 2
HH
===============
I expect that story to go mains stream if appeal dismissed and Doncaster/SPFL tries to stonewall.
It should go mainstream any way, but it gives more leverage to the case for setting LNS aside if BDO appeal dismissed.
AULDHEID @ 3:34 PM,
Yes, you have done sterling work on this…
This Tax Case has been used to “kick the can down the road” on so many important factors. A positive result for BDO must not be allowed to be seen as a Victory and absolve, Rangers, The SPL, The SFA and their agents of the wrong doing, which is supported by proven facts in the public domain.
On the upholding of HMRC’s Case, you are correct, I stated wrongly that the LNS Inquiry should be revisited. It must, of course, be set aside, and an independent all encompassing inquiry set up.
Keep up the great work in this regard.
Hail Hail
Auldheid
LNS will only be set aside should supporters tell their own club that until this is pursued in an open transparent way with the terms of reference that are acceptable and leave no room for dirty washing to be hidden, until it is they will not be buying tickets to watch the club, if this doesn’t happen i.e. supporters demanding this in enough numbers then it will remain as is, I clearly remeber Celtic plc’s response of surprise nothing else said or done.
It was an affront then and leads you to think that the SPLs lawyers intended it to be so and blew the case, we are being taken for mugs
Hugh Adams former RANGERS director says categorically that Rangers cheated……..and more
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cuJdifESaP8
GlassTwoThirdsFull on 4th July 2017 12:52 pm
The MSM will have two headlines ready:
“Rangers win big tax case”.
“Murray Group lose big tax case”.
=======
Old Firm Tax Dodgers
10m for Stuart Armstrong?
Has anybody posted ‘ I’d drive him to the airport myself ‘
They always do CSC