Thoroughly enjoying yesterday’s coordinated effort by Newco fans who have rushed to the coattails of Dave King. To be fair to the fans, the time for them to act was years ago, before Sir David Murray set Oldco on a path to destruction, there is little positive that can be done now. Still, that’s no reason to dive headlong into destruction.
After the debacle of 2012, when Oldco were liquidated, the assets were scooped up by people who wanted to make a lot of money. The moment Charles Green and his consortium owned the assets, this reality should have been acknowledged. No amount of 13th hour Blue Knight revisionism was going to change things.
Green made off with his money a year ago, but as a consequence of that, there are newer investors, with exactly the same objectives. There are also local investors in the form of the Easdale brothers. Neither of these groups will be bullied into submission.
King’s escrow plan, which hopes to gain security of the stadium and Murray Park, cannot be accommodated by the club. How many fans do you think they will convince to hand their season ticket money over, 1000? As many as 3000? Whatever your guess figure, this does not have the look of a high participation endeavour.
With many more fans likely to renew, and more still likely to be completely turned off by the nonsense, the The Rangers Football Club Ltd have a legal duty to their shareholders (Rangers International PLC) and creditors (coincidentally, also Rangers International PLC) to retain security of company assets. Placing them beyond the reach of creditors would be a remarkably brave and self-defeating act.
It now suits the club for King’s plan to appear to be effective, or at the very least, reduce season ticket renewals to a trickle. They can cite this as the action which tips The Rangers Football Club Ltd into administration. As the overwhelmingly major creditor, Rangers International would control this administration and their agents will set about reducing costs.
I would expect to see Newco to continue trading as a youth team for the foreseeable future, with Rangers International taking security of Ibrox and Murray Park, to satisfy their unresolved debt. This will be sold to the masses as ‘securing the stadium’, but it would be the key separation of club and stadium which King as sought to prevent.
Going forward, The Rangers Football Club Ltd will have no significant assets, no playing assets to speak of, and a substantial rental to pay to Rangers International, whose shareholders will still require their financial return. Don’t lose sight of this, the Piper Always Needs to be Paid. Always.
I haven’t revisited the RIPLC accounts which drew comment last week (might be worth an update later), but the important information to glean from them is the cost of running a football operation at a stadium which can occasionally host >40,000 people. You’re looking at circa £19m annually, before you employ a footballer.
I don’t see a way forward. This is a dead multi-club football franchise, killed by 1,000 reckless acts. Even the youth team scenario is unaffordable.
The hedge funds will know this already. Remember what John Brown claims Charles Green told him he would do to Ibrox if he was messed with? Raze it to the ground, apparently. After Newco Youth Team has spent a year-or-so bouncing around, we’ll hear that Ibrox is unsustainable as a football stadium (which I could believe). It will be razed and re-designated as an industrial area.
Celtic better have their plans in place now, as should the rest of Scottish football. There was a notion that there would be a three year hiatus before it was business as usual. This will not be the case.
We need to stand together, as a club, and with other clubs, wherever possible. We need to support the game, primarily through season ticket purchases, but we must find common ground with other clubs and fans.
Leppings Lane
Everything was wrong about football back then. Stadiums were not so much designed, they were built to fit the space and available materials. The lower Leppings Lane end of Hillsborough will be remembered as the worst terracing in football but, in truth, it was just where the next big disaster happened. It could have been anywhere.
After a decade or so of football hooliganism in England, fans were penned in, 8’ fences blocked entrance to the field, some topped with barbed wire. If you were at the fence, you were staying there until the thousands behind you headed home. Hampden Park had these fences, a legacy of the 1980 Cup Final, but they were absent from other grounds in Scotland. The Jungle had some high fencing but with regular breaks. If you wanted to get onto the field, you could do so.
Leppings Lane had further chronic safety violations. As well as a fence at the front the terrace was divided into four pens with fences running back to front. Once through the turnstile, fans were free to choose which pens to join; most would choose the central two. Of course they would.
The central two pens were accessed via a tunnel running under the upper stand. On That Day, fans entering at the rear of the tunnel had no inclination of the crush ahead. By the time they were part of the crush, others had gathered behind them. Space to retreat was quickly lost.
The outer pens were empty, the central two, death-traps. Fans piling into the tunnel knew nothing of the crisis ahead.
For some minutes it was possible for the police to burst open the pens and allow fans to flood free onto the pitch but they were still in crowd control mode. By the time they realised there was a disaster underway, it was too late.
There were lies and cover-ups. Fans were blamed, and accused of atrocious acts, all untrue. The government were complicit. The Sun were the worst media offenders but by no means the only one.
Two weeks ago a fresh inquiry into the events of that day opened in Warrington. At long last, the truth, which we’ve all known for years, will out. Too late for many campaigners and bereaved, who died fighting the combined weight of the establishment, but welcome nonetheless.
Tomorrow, CQN’er, Iain McGovern, sets off on a 232 mile walk from Celtic Park to Anfield, where he hopes to arrive 11 days later, in aid of the Lola Commons Fund for SiMBA. It’s his way of commemorating Hillsborough. Supporting him could be yours.
I’m delighted (actually excited) to confirm John Hughes will be on the blog on Thursday morning. John is Celtic’s seventh highest goal scorer in our 126 year history. He has remarkable insights into some of the great times and characters of our history. Tune in and ask him questions online.
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When it comes to breaking the law that is when UEFA steps in. They will allow an ECA affiliated club to perform overt criminal fraud via a company that holds the share in that club and migrate them to a lower league. Nothing anybody can do
Jungle Jim
Pal..
If the Rangers wur No Such.. a Bunch of ..
Dishonest. Conniving. Cheating Sons… of a Lady Dug..
Ah guess they wid NO Be oor Bitter Rivals..
See?
Ye canny hiv Wan Thing.. withoot. a Loat of Ither Things..
Kojo
Still,Laughin
Bayern Munich are fair struggling with a lack of competition…..
kikinthenakas
20:58 on 15 April, 2014
The 100 metres needs a strong Ben Johnson
The Tour de France needs a strong Lance Armstrong
Said no one ever
Kikinthenakas
————————————
Brilliant :-D
Kojo
You’re correct insofar as this season I wondered when, not if, we’d win the league.
So the domestic excitement quotient is diminished. But so too are the domestic cheatin’, tievin’, lying quotients and I’m loving that change.
Beating Barca felt as good as beating the FOD. Perhaps better cos we were beating a football team (albeit it transpires one with a ‘flexible’ interpretation of import duties!)
I know that CL football is far from guaranteed and will always be rare. But I get my kicks there. And watching us play decent young lads in honest Scottish teams.
Anyway When are you buying us and relocating us to Nevada?!!? ( or wherever Kojo HQ really is ;-)
HH jamesgang
And hot off Sevco media..
..’Did we throw the towel in when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbour?..did we f***!
What is to stop King doing a Charlie Whyte Green and who is to say that was not the plan all along ? The clubmany precedent has already been set, Dave King is free from court cases, administration does not.mean automatic relegation, Sevco are now a full member of the SPFL. The whole scenario cleaned up.
HH
jungle jim
21:18 on 15 April, 2014
“John Paul,
“If I see Celtic referring to “rangers” again, I will immediately sell my 7,500 Celtic Shares, I will not renew my Investor Club SB, and I will not renew my son / grandson’s SBs….
I have supported Celtic for 58 years, and I am disgusted at our Board’s decision…….do they not know how we Celtic Supporters feel about the years of Murray’s corrupt cheating ….. Get your act together, Celtic, or we will force you to.”
Galloway sinks to a new low in the Indy debate by using the death of 96 Liverpool fans to score points.
George Galloway @georgegalloway 5h
Listening to Hillsborough ceremony at Anfield. Why would any Scot want to make the people of Liverpool citizens of a foreign country?
Just in, long day in the garden. Just heard Stokes, Cheerio son, ye weren’t a bad player but……
Quick wee scroll on this page, Kikinthenakas, vey apt and spot on.
Why would anyone play with cheats.
Paul67 great lead article today, on both fronts.
Anything else happen? Are they no deed yet?
And I mean the zombie tribute version, I know the Oldco are already.
I will be renewing.
However, I don’t agree with Anthony Stokes. When he says, “We want as much competition as possible”, I hate to think what his goal tally would be if it came to pass.
He has scored 15 goals for us so far this season. He has scored in 11 matches but played in 41 games. In only 3 games has he scored where his goal made the difference between a loss and a draw, or between a draw and a win. He said he was on fire at the start of the season yet he didn’t score until the 4th match. By match 21 he had scored 5 goals. That is about average for him; 1 in 4.
21 goals is his best figure ever for us. On the plus side it is better than he managed with Sunderland. On the minus side it is less than he achieved with Hibs.
I think he should concentrate on his game rather than concerning himself with new teams.
Did the three P’s have a conference call today ? ;-)
HH
….pfayr supports weeoscar
20:51 on 15 April, 2014
I’m shocked ……going to sign off for tonight, just to calm down……see what JP comes back to us with….
It looks like Hugh Keevins has more time on his hands to try turning CQN into an online Daily Record.
Marrakesh express
What actually happened was that the Pearl Harbour Glasgow Celtic supporters club lit beacons to guide the Germans to their target. Hope this clears everything up for posterity.
whit dae you guys want..??
Every Game . n.. Every Competition …in which we play or Enter..
Tae be
A Walk-Over,fur us?
A Foregone Conclusion?
Ah certainly do not wish for that kinda scenario.
n neethur dae any of Ma Readers. .Ah do Declare~
It’s the Little matter of facing Defeat.. instead of Victory..
that Captures oor Interest…n.. Holds It, Steadfast!
N..
It is a Lead Pipe Cinch..
that if n when theRangers do make their Return tae the Big time
That that..similar
State of High Anxiety n Circumstance.. wull be very much tae the Fore
in the Minds of All Celtic fans.
We need the Competition which the Rangers..
Ur..
GUARANTEED .. tae Bring.
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
marrakesh express
21:33 on 15 April, 2014
And hot off Sevco media..
..’Did we throw the towel in when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbour?..did we f***!
This is tooooo much mhate. You’re making this up to compete with Monaghan 1900’s wee snippets of mirth!
Pesky flamin jerries. Flying their fuel efficient BMW car plane things all the way to Hawaii!
LMFFAO!
HH jamesgang
Kojo
Rivalry puts bums on seats, no doubt about it.
I don’t see TRIFC delivering any serious competition over the next decade, if they returned in any shape or form in the next few years they will be mid-table at best and on the wrong end of a regular 4 or 5-0
I would buy a ticket for that.
Kojo
You are the victim of a dangerous fallacy. You think because things are thus they will always be thus. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that Aberdeen could provide a real challenge. It is also possible that an Edinburgh club emerges once more. Remember too that, minus their EBTs, RFC never really managed a sustained challenge for twenty years before 1985.
The upcoming Glasgow Cup final which is being billed as Celtic v Rangers, is a re-run of last year’s final which was ALSO billed as Celtic v Rangers – by the CFC hierarchy.
What did we expect?
After all, DD tells us that they are à great club with a proud history who will soon be back where they belong.
Makes me feckin sick!
HH!!
Kojo, I want a level playing field free from cheats, that’s is all.
Rangers were overspending( other people’s money) Sevco are doing the same.
That is cheating, financial doping.
The SFA are allowing it. I want to see them change, personnel and structure.
They can’t afford Ipox, no matter how much Stokes and yourself want it doesn’t mean it will or can happen. They are many years away from competing with anyone at our level, if they survive the next few months.
They are guaranteed to survive never mind compete.
The question we should be asking is how can we make the environment we are in better going forward, waiting for a strong Sevco isn’t the answer.
Email to John Paul duly sent, get typing bhoys HH
Adi dasler, I was wrong about Murray contributing or at least I can find no reference to it. However, he did back Salmond back in 2011. Apologies to Nats and David Murray and well anyone else for casting aspertions with no foundation.
TALLYBHOY
What was the score in last year’s match?
I treated it the same way as I intend to treat any future occasion where we have to play them-with complete disinterest.
If we have to play them because of the rules of a competition which we have both entered,then so be it. But,honestly,I have no plans to be involved.
Tweet and email sent to JPT , let’s get some answers .
Time to stand up and be counted Celtic
Jamesgang..
Nice one.. Pal…
Ah wid Luv tae be able tae dae as ye Ask…
But, if Ah did..
Where wid that Leave YOU?
Look..
Celtic, are Ma team..
the Rangers is Not..
n.. that’s the way Ah like It tae be..
Sure, the Rangers are the Vice Badyins.. n.. Celtic Ur the Good Yins..
Let’s mak that..
the Rangers ur the Yin.n Celtic ur the Yang..or .. vice versa.
Then again..
if
Ye prefer.. Rangers ur the Devils.. n Celtic ur the Angels..
eethur Way..
that is Jist how things Work.. in the world.
Ye must hiv the Guys in the White Hats facing doon the Guys in the Black Hats..
Like Ah said..
Several times… afore.
Celtic Need the Competition that the Rangers wull Soitenly bring tae the Table.
Nice Chatting,pal
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
Anthony a Stokes ” I have always felt that I have had to rise to a challenge when a striker comes in ”
Perhaps if he rose to the challenge more frequently, we wouldn’t have to bring in new strikers
Peter Principles ,
So what’s your opinion on what Rangers International will do with Ibrox, what Dave King should do? Why Dave King didn’t buy back in 2012?
Your opinion that he was too busy with his tax court case doesn’t hold any water for me. You may think that’s nonesense but you have given no further explanation as to why.
I am not really bothered about the Celtic v rangers description on the web site. What I would hope the board do is use the match programme and the big screen to welcome the new rangers to Celtic Park for their first competitive visit.
It could of course be their only competitive visit!
Did the Germans no bomb Pearl Harbour about the same time as the RAF gubbed the Japs in the Battle of Britain?
kojo
got to disagree with you wrt us needing “Rangers Rev 2”. We certainly need strong opponents but Scottish football does not need what they bring to the table in all its entirety. I try to follow your posts, until I get a sair heid, and I agree with many of your previous posts over the ages but buddy your off the mark here, mibbees you’ve been out of the Scottish loop too long. They and everything and everyone they represent is rank rotten. It’s a section of Scottish society they represent and not just a football team.
Like you I say NO this time to the Big Question.
HH
On a lighter note. 1st listen to wee Paolo’s new album.
Wee Mhan’s a genius. 2nd best singer ever to come out of Paisley…..
HH jamesgang
KOJO
I despise everything that Rangers bring to the table.
I disagree that we need them for any reason.
I fear a lot of us are going to be massively disappointed.
Thanks to everyone who has ordered the new John Hughes book today. If you email david@CQNMagazine.com with a personal message you’d like Yogi to add to your book, he’ll be delighted to sort this on Thursday when he is coming onto CQN from around 10am (Doc if you are around, that’s the time!)
Anyway thought I’d post a little piece from John’s book, which is called Yogi Bare. Does this remind anyone of Samaras?
‘Fifty per cent of the supporters swore by him and other fifty per cent swore at him.’ That’s the sort of criticism I have had to endure for decades as people have given their verdicts on my performances for Celtic. Apparently, I was either wonderful or woeful with nothing in between. Let me tell you right now that the observation is a load of nonsense. Utter rubbish. I don’t accept the inconsistency theory and I’ve got the facts to back me up.
For a start, Jock Stein would never have chosen a player who was unpredictable. Jock agonised over selecting his line-ups and took everything into consideration before he pinned up his team sheet. He would dissect the opposition, where they were weakest and most vulnerable, he would take into account the weather and the underfoot conditions and he was a big fan of horses for courses. If he thought a player performed outstandingly well at, say, Tannadice, Tynecastle, Pittodrie or wherever, then there was every chance he would get the nod to play in those games on those particular grounds. He left nothing to chance.
So, does anyone really believe for a second Jock Stein would have chosen me as a regular in his team for six years when I couldn’t guarantee a reasonable performance?
Trust me, there was no chance of that happening. It didn’t take Jock too long to make up his mind about a player’s capabilities. For instance, look at Hugh Maxwell, an inside-right the club bought from Falkirk for £15,000 in November 1964, just four months before Jock returned to the club. The boss put Hugh into the team for two league games and, unfortunately for the player, the club lost them both – 4-2 to Hibs at home and 5-1 to Dunfermline away. That was the end of Maxwell’s career as a Celt. Jock wasn’t impressed and packed him off to St.Johnstone at the end of the campaign.
Even before Jock arrived, I think I was more than paying my way in a fairly average Celtic team. I scored eighty-eight goals in my first four years with absolutely no coaching from my team-mates or the backroom staff. I have to say I am fairly satisfied with that record. I’m no big head, but that’s an average of twenty-two goals per campaign for a rookie brought into the team from Shotts Bon Accord, so I must have been doing something right even in my early days.
My total in eleven seasons was 189 to put me in seventh top place in Celtic’s all-time top goalscorers’ list. What’s inconsistent about that? In fact, I might even have taken second or third highest position if Jock hadn’t sold me to Crystal Palace in 1971. I was twenty-eight at the time and people consider a player hits his peak between twenty-eight and thirty-two. So, working on averages, if I had remained at the club for another four years and scored seventeen goals-per-season, I would have ended with a tally of 257 and that would have beaten third top Henrik Larsson’s haul of 242.
It would have been sixteen short of Bobby Lennox in second place. It’s worth pointing out that I scored my 189 goals from 416 appearances while my old team-mate took 571 games to reach his total. I’ll concede I would never have caught Jimmy McGrory’s 472 strikes from 445 appearances.
I would have given it a good try, though!
FourGreenFeilds, what’s happening with the tweets and emails?
Is it the Stokes interview?
He said it was only his personal opinion, not the Clubs position, or have I missed something?
LatetotheshowCSC.
Tallybhoy
The Myth and Minty played the old press game for years, “put downs” without playing the bigot card.
Celtic have entered a new era, it’s gonna get better and better, allow our club to engage in some gamesmanship without taking it too seriously, don’t you know how bad they feel when we say we’re looking forward to the competition and they know their isn’t gonna be one?