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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Judas spent many subsequent years lining his pockets in Kansas and Toronto. What’s not to understand
Matt Damon has denied rumours of being a bourne again christian.
MM
So if we take that logic to its conclusion, the Maestro, Tom Boyd, KOK and Tommy Burns were simply what? Cr&p mercenaries?
Or Bhoys of integrity that got us (and in some cases were us) and loved Celtic?
The latter for me. Every time.
CelticIdealistsCSC
;-)
HH jamesgang
Margaret McGill
As my old man used to say to me and occassionally still does…
‘There’s things ye dae and there are things you don’t dae’
That was something you don’t dae.
It would be the same for any player in that sort of situation moving to a rival club. The way it was done was underhand and Rangers knew it and so did McMurdo.
It doesn;t even come close to a Wanyama or Hooper situation when we signed players for a certain fee and sold them for much more than that.
How you can compare the situations is beyond me.
LB
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2L_8sj6Wyc
t’n’t,
Enjoyed the clips of those three games, especially as I was at them.
What sticks out a mile, apart from the genius of BM and the over
all skill of those lads, is that back then, we were far better singers than what is served up by
the moronic drones in the stands today!
I blame the Punk Movement and Elvis Costello.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS ………Praying for our WEE HERO!
14:41 on
15 April, 2014
NATKNOW
Can you-or someone who knows you-make May 10?
If so,job done.
——————————–
What’s happening May 10th? And where?
jamesgang
16:59 on 15 April, 2014
Ok I’ll add those to the exception list :)
MM
;-)
Running out of FFin’ anti-psychotic medication:
“What’s Advocaat up to these days?
Imagine DA coming back in a ‘Head Coach’ type capacity….
He’s remembered for spending big which I’d say is rather unfair”
——
“Its a fair shout. If he is leaving at the end of the season then why not ask him? …. Hes the kind of guy we need – a no nonsense kind of guy”
——
“If King wanted an overhaul of coaching and youth operations he could do a lot worse than giving Dick a call.”
——
“Advocaat is a name that crossed my mind to replace Ally next season, we certainly need a more disciplined approached as oppose to the one of the lads Ally McCoist approach”
——
“I would gladly have Dick Advocaat back as manager. For a start, the football would be a lot more entertaining.”
——
“the thought of him coming in for a season or two and working with MacLeod, Aird or Crawford is exciting and it is what we (and the players) probably need.”
——
“He seems a bit like Van Gaal, he’s fine for a short period but eventually you grow to hate him and want him gone.”
——
“he’s too old now”
livibhoy – god bless wee oscar
I feel your pain Linda like a Celtic chief executive joining the SFA
Linda=kinda
BSR.. that joke is bourne me.. :)
Remember Heysel when you remember Hillsborough..
MM
But it does vex me a my 9 y/o idolises VVD and FF (the goalie not the website!) and I sit there knowing that it’ll likely be sooner than later that they’ll go.
Your general premise that the beautiful game is generally a debt and riches addled cesspit is tough to argue with.
All the more reason to celebrate the exceptions and cherish what remains. Us! The Fhamily.
HH jamesgang
Paul67
“As the overwhelmingly major creditor, Rangers International would control this administration and their agents will set about reducing costs.” ……. that’s it then…..the spivs plan is working beautifully
…… I hope Stokes’ comment is in the knowledge that the bhun is done…… If not, he should keep his very strange comment to himself…..VERY disappointed in him …… He obviously has no idea at all what it was like growing up in this Country….
sky done a runner before end of service
to cover incident in Ukraine
which they hope will become a war
followed by 10 minutes ads break
bbc stayed with service
Gerry Marsden sang YNWA
hail hail
LindaLiviBhoy?
Something you want to share there pal?
And just when it couldn’t get any more sublime and ridiculous in FOD-land, along comes Monaghan with some more!!!
HH jamesgang
Robcfc.
Sometimes posts appear on here that make me wonder about the thought process involved in typing the posts into the computer and the lack of thought that allows the post button to be pressed after the words are typed in.
Ally McCoist is a shameless tramp, if what has been exposed on the blog today is true.
God Bless the families of the 96 & guide them in their fight for Justice.
YNWA
the honest mistake loves being first
I lnow
My (worrying) reply to an email from Celtic today
“Who’s this team we’re playing in the Glasgow Cup ?……Rangers ?…..they were liquidated, were they not..!!?” ……. DO YOU WANT MY SB MONEY, CELTIC……What’s going on, BDO, WHERE ARE YOU HIDING..??
robcfc11
17:13 on 15 April, 2014
Remember Heysel when you remember Hillsborough..
—
Shocking comment. Hillsborough victims were innocent and should not be linked to Heysel in any shape or form. Heysel will always be a shameful mark against Liverpool but to link Hillsborough to Heysel isn’t on.
I have two train tickets from Glasgow to London (and on to Harwich) for 22nd of this month together with two ferry tickets Harwich to Hook of Holland going out on the night of 22nd and returning on the night of 1st May. I can’t use them and have discovered that I don’t get a refund. If you can use them (or any part of them) or know anyone that can, they’re yours.
All I ask is that you torch the offices of Stena Line and hole the boat when it docks at Hook of Holland.
My 82 year old da earlier today asked me for a Sevco update, which I gave him based on p67’s piece.
‘Gonny no use that word ‘Hun’, it makes you sound like a bigot’ he said.
Couple hours later the Red Road flats subject came up.
Ol man…’ I wish they wid just demolish that sectarian midden Ibrox insteed, and gie us aw f**##×n peace’
:0)
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS ………Praying for our WEE HERO!
13:06 on
15 April, 2014
TONY DONNELLY
How you feeling these days?
___________________-
No need to ask TD how he feeling, for until you hear the words “Ken Ye Fight” echoing around the blog you can be assured that he still below 50% : )
GetDrunkSoonTD
An Dun
Is not a shocking comment . The italian fans who died at Heysel were also innocent football fans.
I don’t think any of us will forget Heysel, Bradford, Ibrox or Hillsborough.
Raymac ———–last thread
Bars in Palermo..
You will struggle to find anything that could be classed as a pub in Palermo .Most places function as bars , cafes and food joints ..
I like Au Domino on Via Principe di Belmonte .
I like the Bar Fiera Vecchia in Piazza della Rivoluzione ..
There are lots of lively places in the area known as La Kalsa — NB —street crime is fairly common in La Kalsa .
Trendy young things tend to cluster in the area surrounding Teatro Massimo .
Bars near the train station / bus station are rough . –dealers / pimps / whores ..
Lots of the streets in central Palermo dont have streetlights. .Many places are dead before 10pm .. .
Palermo is not for the faint hearted / take care .
No shortage of shoe shops in Palermo.!
An dun, honest mistake etc
There’s no intent to demean Hillsborough here. I was too young to know about Ibrox but in my lifetime the 2 biggest football disasters involving fans from the UK have been Heysel and Hillsborough. 39 Juve fans went to a football match and never came home. Aren’t they just as important ?
Roy Croppi
You are spot on. Remember Bradford too.
I’ll bet you 120 days seemed a long time away for that Wallace fella when he spouted it at the sevco agm.
I imagine him for the last week or so hunched over his keyboard trying to come up with something ‘bear’ friendly to report whilst looking more and more like Jack Nicholson in The Shining.
Stokesy…SHUT IT!
All cuts and no warchests make Billy an angry bear.
All cuts and no warchests make Billy an angry bear.
All cuts and no warchests make Billy an angry bear.
All cuts and no warchests make Billy an angry bear.
All cuts and no warchests make Billy an angry bear.
All cuts and no warchests make Billy an angry bear.
All cuts and no warchests make Billy an angry bear.
All cuts and no warchests make Billy an angry bear.
All cuts and no warchests make Billy an angry bear.
All cuts and no warchests make Billy an angry bear.
All cuts and no warchests make Billy an angry bear.
All cuts and no warchests make Billy an angry bear.
All cuts and no warchests make Billy an angry bear.
Can’t see Sevco getting away with a move to Hampden. Would need to be approved by the SPFL clubs and – threatened by another fan boycott – there’s no way they could agree.
I read some posts about the rights or wrongs of Judas going to oldco. It was wrong the way he chose to defect for want of a better word.
I recall standing in my Parents’s Living Room listening to the 07:00 Radio News when they announced he was returning to Celtic. My late Dad burst into the room wondering what was wrong with, the amount of noise I made. To say I was over the Moon is an understatement.
In the days after I recall watching him on T.V. with a Black, Red and White Jumper with the Hoops over it and pictured at Celtic Park with Big Billy. Then of course I was at Love Street, just like livibhoy and sung his praises as he sat in the Stand.
Stop press…rumours abound that he was off to oldco, some said allegedly that they agreed to pay his Tax, wonder why as they got good at not paying any, perhaps that was the start of their downfall.
He was named then as Judas and a few other names, quite rightly in my Book. However, had he not announced his return to Celtic, dawned the Hoops and sat in the Stand at Love Street and he went straight to oldco, it would have been different. What I mean is he would not necessarily have been called Judas, Le Petite Merde maybe.
There was the likes of Alfie Conn, Tan Man but they or others did not do what Judas did. For that reason I will never ever forgive him, he did indeed take his thirty pieces of silver.
I accept that Players will be mercenaries and can opt to join the Club of your choice, Conn, Tan Man etc…but in Judas’s case, he had committed himself publicly to be rejoining Celtic until Souness got jealous and saw an opportunity and probably knew he, Judas had no morals.
Sorry for the long winded post but just had to stick my tuppence in.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Heysel
Chris Rowland ———–From Where I Was Standing
Andrea Lorentini ————The Truths of Heysel ..
Headcase Ultras are fond of chanting about Heysel when their team are playing Juve .
Just heard Stoke’s comments.
Celtic should tell their staff to shut it, no comment, don’t answer or refuse to accept any questions about R. Why give them any oxygen and encouragment
the shame of celtic plc is confirmed, they will pay for this.