Here’s the problem: this is a can of worms. If contagion was limited to Sir David Murray and other Murray Group executives, there may be more “appetite” to analyse what went wrong and what to do about it.
Rangers were a rogue football team, operating a tax scheme out with the law, failing to disclose appropriate documentation to HMRC, the SPL and SFA. Legal responsibility for the club’s actions lies with all directors, not just the majority owner. They have collective responsibility to ensure business is conducted appropriately. David King, Paul Murray, Alistair Johnston and former SFA president Campbell Ogilvie, were all Rangers directors during the EBT and DOS years.
The SPFL (formerly SPL) are also implicated. They set terms of reference for what became the Lord Nimmo Smith Commission, then amended those terms to only include matters which were, at that time, regarded as legal, explicitly excluding matters already confirmed as illegal.
They then failed to present evidence to Nimmo Smith of the five matters Rangers admitted guilt on during the First Tier Tribunal process, preferring only to present matters that were in dispute, but (temporarily) found in Rangers favour.
Having done this, they instructed their lawyer not to ask for an opportunity to appeal if the pending HMRC appeal was upheld. Instead, closing the book on a procedural appeal.
The SFA executives side just along the corridor from their SPFL counterparts. Yesterday they issued a remarkable statement:
“Specifically, Senior Counsel was asked to anticipate whether a determination in favour of HMRC, as announced today, could imply that there had been a breach of the Scottish FA’s Disciplinary Rules as they applied at the time of the EBT payments.
The clear opinion of Senior Counsel is that there is a very limited chance of the Scottish FA succeeding in relation to any complaint regarding this matter”.
I refer you to SFA Disciplinary Rule 71, Article 94.1:
“No recognised football body, club, official, Team Official or other member of Team Staff, player, match official, or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA shall bring the game into disrepute.”
They are asking you to believe that Senior Counsel told them no Rangers official brought the game into disrepute as a consequence of this matter. A matter which has left over £100m debt and hundreds of creditors unpaid, saw 55 players incorrectly registered, and one of the largest clubs in the country liquidated – the consequences of which will be permanent, no matter your view on Newco/same club.
All for an issue which Rangers directors gave evidence in court that the EBT scheme was undertaken to allow them to sign players they would otherwise be unable to pay. Ensuring an illegal sporting advantage.
Possible SFA sanctions for this include fines of up to £1m and/or expulsion from the game.
Sorry, but this is not a tenable position. The game was massively brought into disrepute; to issue a statement claiming otherwise just adds the stench of cover up to an already dreadful state. And bringing the game into disrepute is just scratching the surface, without going into consequences of the club’s actions on competitions.
I question the scope and remit given to Counsel, which was clearly limited in order to make it possible to deliver this statement. Who issued that scope and why it blinded Counsel to the clear matter of disrepute is another question to answer.
Executives at Hampden will have scoured news coverage this morning in the hope that this this will blow over. Scottish newspaper, TV and radio coverage is irrelevant. Instead, they should be looking to establish a recovery position for our game. This is not finished.
Those implicated by the contagion – the “heavily conflicted” do not get to decide that no action is to be taken; Scotland is not yet a Banana Republic.
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Turkeybhoy just stand up, go and have a look in the mirror and ask yourself why.
Turkeybhoy, I didn’t say Aberdeen were leading anything. As far as I’m aware Aberdeen have said nothing. If they continue to say nothing the strangle them, move on and see who else does not want our money.
As I said earlier, Id rather see the game die than still be sitting here in ten years time knowing we all just accepted (and I include Celtic in this) the SFA / SPFl / Hun status quo.
I’ can think of many other ways to spend the thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours I invest in Celtic on an annual basis.
Only joking fellas!
But let’s face facts.
The games a bogey if Celtic PLC accept this in silence
DELANEYS DUNKY on 7TH JULY 2017 12:49 AM
Turkey
Dear oh dear oh dear.
Breathe deep then exhale.
I dont need to.I will not let idiots like Neganon away with his constant bullshitting of Celtic,Paul 67.If you find his crap to your taste,eat your fill,but dont tell me to let him off with it.
His answer to everything is ruin our club,because he hates PL.Great idea.GTF.
Turkeybhoy
What is up with you.
relax, its all in hand.
Peter Lawwell is on the case:)
Im sure he will crack one of his hilarious quips, that will really make the huns take notice eh.
HH
ACGR
Weird Fishes Radiohead tonight in Glasgow Green. Canny wait.
We will get eaten by the worms and weird fishes in the end.
A CEILER GONOF RUST on 7TH JULY 2017 12:45 AM
Macjay, that makes no sense.
==================================
Thats what I said.
A non starter.
:-)
I don’t see boycotting as a realistic option in this era with Brendan here. At this point the ball is in the SPFL’s court. Let’s see what they do or don’t do in the first instance. In the meantime the only option we have is to lobby Celtic. We’ve come a long way already and lets not forget we got the result we wanted on Wednesday.
DELANEYS DUNKY on 7TH JULY 2017 12:36 AM
ACGR
The Dandy Dons are leading the way.
We are in their slipstream just now.
Eh,excuse me.
Turkeybhoy
Is this a GTF world record attempt?
Guinness Book of Records on standby:)
HH
Mr Angry fae Turkey
Gonnae calm doon pal. We are all Tims here having a grown up discussion. I value your thoughts equally with Neganon’s.
Turkeybhoy, I ask again. Why would we boycott all away games if some of those clubs come round and support action. Where is the incentive for them to support if we were capable of applying a blanket ban as per your suggestion.
SFA and Kilmarnock would be a good starting point and see how it grows from there.
This is all pie in the sky shit anyway. There will be no boycott. If the Celtic support were united on this it could be done but just look at the clamour for ibrox away tickets and the cup games we’ve played the hew huns in the last couple of years.
Sadly, many on here who profess to hate the huns, hate what they have done to our game and call for them to be sanctioned are first in the line to get their tickets for Ibrox when we play the DOBS.
I’ll pass on seeing them again even though I still have the DOB games on my SB.
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 7TH JULY 2017 12:53 AM
Turkeybhoy
What is up with you.
relax, its all in hand.
Peter Lawwell is on the case:)
Im sure he will crack one of his hilarious quips, that will really make the huns take notice eh.
I have no idea what the outcome will be,like everyone on here.PL,will get his ASS on a plate if he does nothing.I will not have idiots like Neganon coming on,when their is a debate on,getting in his kicks at the board before anything is said or done.He is never on at any time when things are good.
You agree with the clown if you like.I wont.
Put it this way
If their titles are rescinded I’ll go back to buying 3 ST’s a year which I haven’t done since Noah’s Flood.
Noah=Willo
Obv
A CEILER GONOF RUST on 7TH JULY 2017 1:01 AM
Turkeybhoy, I ask again. Why would we boycott all away games if some of those clubs come round and support action. Where is the incentive for them to support if we were capable of applying a blanket ban as per your suggestion.
Not reading the post correctly.I said,all those clubs that said nothing should be boycotted.Its not hard to read.
Or would you rather ,like Neganon,boycott Celtic.I dont know.Whats your answer.
Turkeybhoy
Just think you are going a bit over the score.
Neganon has the right to say what he likes, he is only saying what he thinks, like you are.
HH
MARGARET MCGILL on 7TH JULY 2017 1:05 AM
Put it this way
If their titles are rescinded I’ll go back to buying 3 ST’s a year which I haven’t done since Noah’s Flood.
Hiv ye.Aye
LOL
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 7TH JULY 2017 1:07 AM
Turkeybhoy
Just think you are going a bit over the score.
Neganon has the right to say what he likes, he is only saying what he thinks, like you are.
Of course he does.And I have the right to say,”Neganon,GTF”.Free speech ,I think they call it,as you pointed out.
Turkeybhoy
roll something and smoke it, or jump in the shower and cool off:)
This aint like you at all:)
LLF
HH
Turkeybhoy
Cmon man.
We are all pals here.
HH
Ok Tukeybhoy, I missed that.
DD, as far as I can see the Dandy Dons are leading feck all. Some of their support are calling for their club to make a statement but so far they are leading nothing. Unless they do they should be strangled by the Celtic support as should every other club.
Enjoy yer gig tomorrow bud. I’m off to see the Janny get his wings clipped by ra minx………………:_)
HH
M McGill
Just go the whole hog and come hame to Bonny Caledonia :)
Late night CQN
http://rs127.pbsrc.com/albums/p155/daaznarmo/Blog%20Pics/crotchkick.gif~c200
TGM
Turkish smoke is dynamite.
Wish Turkeybhoy would sook a hookah of some polm. Different poster :)
DELANEYS DUNKY on 7TH JULY 2017 1:00 AM
Mr Angry fae Turkey
Gonnae calm doon pal. We are all Tims here having a grown up discussion. I value your thoughts equally with Neganon’s.
No sorry,I wont calm down,but thanks for your concern.
I dont arse about.What you see is what you get.No soft soap.You dont like it,sorry.You actually think that closet Neganon gives a “Grown up discussion”.I dont call repetitive crap “Grown up discussion”,its just repetitive crap.
B4 I hit the 4 poster . Res 12 suffered through lack of awareness from both Celtic fans & others . The Supreme court verdict is on a different scale . It’s out there . Big difference .
The suggestions by Auldheid and Bankiebhoy would be a start . Stand up in silence .
The Liverpool fans brought a huge wave of publicity by walking out for a minute before returning to the match , when protesting against a hike in ticket prices .
Small steps start a long journey .
Cracking article from P67 . The fight back and deflection from the SMSM must be underway ,as I’ve been sent a link from a blue nose with a law background . The DR blogger has put up a podcast about EBT’S . It lasts 10 minutes . Only the first couple of minutes touch on side letters , surprisingly ;-))) . No mention of denial from RFC that they existed .
Some top posts on here tonight . Our grandchildren will talk about this if we bring about change . Its worth the fight . Time for the 4poster. Sleep well.
FTSFA .
ACGR
Dons fans groups I meant. Not AFC.
Radiohead in Glasgow Green high as a kite on good Glasgow green should be wonderful. :)
DD
Bet you his missus would give him a clip round the ear if she knew he was behaving like that:)
Im glad nobody mentioned that too much sunshine can sometimes be a bad thing:)
HH
Turkeybhoy, no I would not advocate a boycott on Celtic unless Celtic choose to do nothing. No idea what gave you that idea to the contrary.
My stance on this has been consistent that in the event of an outcome where Celtic choose to do nothing with or without support from other clubs then I’ll walk away quite happily. See my previous post. I give a lot of money and time to my support of Celtic.
What do you give if you don’t mind me asking?
14th minute silence with or without your back turned would have a limited effect by remaining at the game afterwards. It would be shrugged off IMO.
It reminds me of a line in a song- ‘ the needle returns to the start of the song and we all singalong like before ‘
With the danger of sounding like a broken record myself, I think a walkout would have a much bigger impact. A glimpse of how untenable the game is without us. The power brokers would have to listen for it is only our co-operation and financial input that makes the game viable .
It also echoes the words of big Jock Stein ‘ Without fans who pay at the turnstile, football is nothing ‘
HH
GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 7TH JULY 2017 1:10 AM
Turkeybhoy
roll something and smoke it, or jump in the shower and cool off:)
This aint like you at all:)
LLF
HH
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 7TH JULY 2017 1:12 AM
Turkeybhoy
Cmon man.
We are all pals here.
Yep,it is like me,and yes,I hope I am pals with most on here who want to talk about Celtic.I will not listen to that closet Neganon.When was the last time you heard that clown on here?.Think.
Only tries to sow seeds of discord.too many fall for it.Not me.
Anyway,i”m still here,any Neganon supporters,come right ahead.
Remember when the huns were in division 3 (maybe 2) ) and got drawn against DUFC in the SC. Charles Green as the owner of the huns called for their support to boycott that game. For the most part they did.
Was there any sanction from the SFA for bringing the game into disrepute? No, there wasn’t.
Celtic have the same if not more clout than the huns had then. If Celtic are serious then they can ask the same from their support as the huns did back then.
Give the SFA nothing…………………………….And kill off Kilmarnock just for fun.
Turkeybhoy
I remember many a time ive been ranting and raving and out of order.
Posters were telling me to calm down, i did eventually.
And i wouldnt be surprised if you were one of those posters:)
Neganon has his say, lots dont agree, not just you.
Still…we all have an opinion, nobody has to agree.
HH
Ha Ha, Turkeybhoy taking all comers.
I’ve no interest in your spat with Neg. I’ve been there myself before you arrived on here.
I’m simply interested on what you will be bringing to the party should no action from Scottish football, including Celtic be eventual the outcome here?
Blind support regardless is not an option for me.
A CEILER GONOF RUST on 7TH JULY 2017 1:20 AM
Turkeybhoy, no I would not advocate a boycott on Celtic unless Celtic choose to do nothing. No idea what gave you that idea to the contrary.
My stance on this has been consistent that in the event of an outcome where Celtic choose to do nothing with or without support from other clubs then I’ll walk away quite happily. See my previous post. I give a lot of money and time to my support of Celtic.
What do you give if you don’t mind me asking?
Once again you reply to me without reading my post correctl,but I cant really be bothered correcting you.
What I give has really nothing to do with you,but since you ask ,i will tell you.
55 years of watching Celtic,at home,and all over Europe.In Lisbon,in Milan,had a season ticket when most people never knew they existed.Worked abroad for a very long time but I have 2 season tickets which I pay for every year,which my kids use,GB area,and i have celtic TV here.
Is that OK.
TGM, are you in the green wi my bampot pal tomorrow. If you are look after him:_)
HH