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Time for SPL to take the trash out

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson gave what passes as an unusually honest and frank interview to BBC Radio Scotland before his team beat champions, Celtic, this afternoon.  Thompson represents one of the four SPL clubs on the league board who, unless the entire league agrees to change their constitution, will vote on whether a Newco will inherit the void when Rangers die next week.

I’m pretty sure Thompson’s mind was made up weeks ago, he clearly planned to vote Newco into the league, despite misplaced brinksmanship, but he’s been spooked by pressure from his own fans talking about boycotting games if he votes Newco in.

Here’s the dilemma.   Gang of 10 clubs have pushed a mantra for years that they have been exploited by a Glasgow duopoly (although clearly they use less accurate phraseology).  They complain about “the Glasgow media” and, don’t laugh, referee favouring the “Old Firm”.

Now, if he votes for Newco, he makes a lie of all of this. The power to change one of the key concerns for fans of provincial clubs lies in the collective hands of their chairmen. Can they really pass this up?

It’s decision time.  Since Celtic Quick News first raised the alarm on this issue in October last year we predicted that only Celtic would vote against Newco.  We are about to find out if we have 12 independent teams in the SPL or 11 Rangers supporters – and if they change the rules to give support to Rangers, this is exactly what they are.

I had a bit of sympathy for Thompson, a first for me.  He spoke about the money going into United causing issues in his family and the consequences of losing circa £1m per year in a league without Rangers.  Some harsh decisions ahead, if he does the right thing, but the alternative, voting for Newco and having Dundee United fans walk out on the club at the betrayal, gives him what he called a “lose-lose” situation.

I was delighted to hear this.  He claimed to be undecided, but at least he is a man who now understands there are huge consequences if he votes for Newco.  There are three potential financial hits if he does: some United fans will turn away from the game, Celtic fans will boycott next season and even Rangers fans have threatened to boycott if Newco is subject to penalties associated with their terminal football team.  The combined cost of this may be less than £1m but not by much.

There are two extra points for Mr Thompson to consider:

Without Newco in the SPL he and he the Gang of 10 can breeze through their future-revenue-changing plan to alter the voting structure, which should help fill any shortfall.  It would be humiliating if they had the chance to deliver what they wanted long-term but couldn’t pass up a chance to help the Rangers.

Also, this is not the end of the road for the terminal football club. Any Newco inheriting Rangers SPL share will also inherit the punishment for the alleged improper Registration of football players for a decade or more. The only appropriate penalty for this would be expulsion from the league.

It’s perhaps best to man up and take the trash out now.

You can buy a hard copy of the new issue of CQN Magazine via Magcloud here.

The graphic below is just for a flick through, to read the magazine go here to it’s dedicated site.

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  1. jimmibhoy on

    jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on 6 May, 2012 at 23:34 said:

     

    jimmibhoy

     

     

    Im sure he did. Who else wd get it??

     

     

    jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on 6 May, 2012 at 23:36 said:

     

    jimmibhoy

     

     

    Sounds like uv money on it!! lol

     

     

    No I’ve no money on it as I DON’T GAMBLE – just asked a simple question which NO ONE on this site seems to be able to answer.

     

    Sorry to have bothered everyone – it must be frustrating to be so obsessed with RFC (Newco or not).

  2. Bhodran Mhan on

    I think the sainted Paulo or mibbee his auld man has nicked ma bliddy posts……. no swear words in all :¬)

     

     

    anyway back to the party piece songs……

     

     

    1. coronation cup song

     

     

    2. Bannastrand

     

     

    3. Three little birds.

  5. RalphWaldoEllison-is Neil Lennon Season 2011-12 on

    Guess who drove a $2.7 million car this weekend?

     

     

    Bugatti Veyron,

     

    Top speed 253mph. Fastest production car in the world.

     

     

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Veyron

     

     

    No, it wasn’t me.

     

     

    My inspiring son.

     

     

    Fight ALS and MND.

     

     

    HH

  7. THE EXILED TIM on

    Morning bhoys and ghirls, blootered on the hun free mountain.

     

     

    Game was a bit flat today, most of them seem to have gone on holiday already.

     

     

    Personally I would have played the young ones who were hungry, but what do I know.

     

     

    Delighted for Muldini and young James, Lenny was never going to win his, but we all know he is the MOTY.

     

     

    Met a bloke from Boro today, mad Boro fan, goes by the name of Sean Gallagher, a wee bit scathing of WGS and big Tony, and he dislikes Jeff Winter with a passion.

     

     

    Going to be a very interesting week me thinks.

  9. brucecassavetes on

    The game’s a bogey – Peter Lawell, Dermot Desmond – these f**ckers are going to do nothing. Supine, acquiescent cowards to a man – THE BOARD OF CELTIC FC WILL SELL THEIR SOULS TO THE DEVIL. How much power do you seriously think Willie Haughey, et al hold sway over the powers that be?

  11. O.G.Rafferty on

    paulsatim, 23:42

     

    I wanted to find out myself (and to see if it is what I think it is)

  12. hotshot on

    From the BZ

     

    Big losses for the establishement parties PASOK (Socs) and New Democracy (Cons) in Greek elections. Big swings to Communists and Right Wing parties.

     

    Very anti German and anti European statements from these parties, “we beat them in the war and we will beat them in the Fourth Reich they are trying to build now”, and “not one cent to be paid to creditors” Looks like very tough times ahead.

  13. Gordon64 on

    TeT

     

    How are you pal ?

     

    We’ve had sun, rain and snow !

     

    Feeling homesick ?

  16. RalphWaldoEllison-is Neil Lennon Season 2011-12 on

    BABASONICOS71 on 7 May, 2012 at 00:01 said:

     

     

    Just remind him that if he’s driving away from Lennoxtown in his Bugatti Veyron to watch for the polis trying to pull him.

     

     

    Gary Hooper got done this week for having his car windows too tinted.

     

     

    Meanwhile, knife crime is rampant and old women can’t walk down the street in safety.

     

    Never mind, you’re all safe from those vile tinted windaes.

     

    Phew, that’s a relief.

     

     

    52 and counting. Keep us posted on his count as he grows older.

     

     

    HH

  19. THE EXILED TIM on

    Gordon64

     

     

    Not at all, the young fella phoned after the game today, as he always does, snow in Aberdeen, no rainhere today, warm, will have a few days of rain next week, tis the rainny season after all, but the temps will be mid 30’s by the weekend, need to protect the plants or they will fry, hard work, but well worth it, melons and strawbs soon :>)

  21. hotshot on

    Yesterday 1FC Koln got relegated from the Bundesliga, went down 1-4 to Bayern.

     

    Fans tried to invade the pitch, massive smoke bombs let off, police “intervened” players abused and fans turned up outside the team captain’s house at night to lambast him. It was Podolski’s last game and his number was retired.

     

    Koln are a club with great tradition but have been having troubles all season. In fact they have had “kein Bock”

  22. JimmyQuinnsBits on

    OG,

     

     

    nothin else on here since it was first posted… four glasgow journos? Doesn’t exactly warm your heart

  25. long haired yins man on

    O.G, ’twas me that put that up….

     

    Is it to do with the Tennessee Towtruck “Trillionaire”?

  26. BABASONICOS71 on

    RWE,

     

     

    I’ll keep the updates coming,cheers fhella.

     

    I saw the (non) story about Hoops.Priorities eh???

  27. Gordon64 on

    TeT

     

    Lucky if it we get 10 degrees tomorrow.

     

    Beechgrove garden eat your heart out.

     

    Party time next Sunday.

  29. THE EXILED TIM on

    JQB

     

     

    Phil was on beyond the waves earlier, he didn’t know anything about it, but said he would inquire, he took it to be about dusty millar, but no doubt we will find out.

  30. Art of War on

    Gary Hooper got done this week for having his car windows too tinted.

     

    ————————-

     

    In Hoops defence he needs the tinted windows so that he doesn’t blind oncoming traffic with his dazzling champions smile! ;-)

     

     

    HH

     

    Ps did that sound a bit camp? Ah well, who cares :-))))

  34. Gordon64 on

    Bill ‘rubber duck’ Miller quoted as saying

     

    ‘We don’t do towing away’.

  35. THE EXILED TIM on

    Gordon64

     

    Aye, the one thing I miss is going to the games, apart from that, I miss nothing at all.

     

    I watch the local team, superb football, but just no the same, been to see Granada a couple of times, again it was good but……….

     

     

    I have so much admiration for the farmers around here, no rain from end of May to the end of October, seering heat,and yey they grow stuff to beat the band, they get water from the seca[open sewer] for 10 mins twice a week, flood their land and let nature take it’s course.

  37. THE EXILED TIM on

    Bhodran Mhan

     

     

    Lost me there.

     

    In saying that, I could have been pashter than I am now, but nothing in the recesses I’m afraid, you have intrigued me tho, bus stop,mmmm

  38. JimmyQuinnsBits on

    TETE,

     

     

    aye… I think OG’s got a richer seam ;)

     

     

    anyway, watch out for that hangover mi hermano ;))

     

     

    night all

  40. Auld Neil Lennon heid on

    Anyone given any thought to the impact that allowing a Newco into the SPL would have on the blog as well as the match going support? Sort of thinking out loud here.

     

     

    Whilst unlikely, if a Newco were our main competitor and continued to get the benefit of referee decisions, what would be the point of complaining then? It would simply be a question of this is how it is, like it or lump it. After taking a few lumps and arguing over what should be done and then realising it would make no difference, interest would fall away because the realisation would be there is no point on trying to stick anything on Teflon Rangers .

     

     

    Allowing Newco to continue relatively undamaged simply takes away the whole point of playing the game, which is to win on sporting merit. All arguments on players, performances tactics, Celtic’s spending policy etc would be undermined by what difference does getting these things right make if Rangers are always going to win?

     

     

    However a weakened Newco, with an obviously weaker less experienced squad who were being beat or drawing with other competitors on a more regular basis than has been so since Smith arrived and put them on financial steroids, would in fact become a source of enjoyment and their supporters’reaction a source of entertainment, jelly and ice cream until we got sick of it. our GoS (Generation of Schadenfreude)

     

     

    The key thing would be that they returned financially weaker and that punishments make this so.

     

     

    The right answer is still DIv3, even for Rangers, but a lot will depend on who goes, who stays and how they are able to fill the gaps from departures.

     

     

    It may be that the end of the day reality would render any vote to allow Newco a place in the SPL an irrelevance. No UEFA money for three years, football debt still to be paid, Ticketus arguing that what is owed them to watch football is the same as football debt and taking their slice after court action, no bank limitless credit line and falling gates because the squad is weakened and they are playinf for a top six place or even better battling relegation (even though we know it will not be allowed we would be popcorn spectators enjoying the spectacle)

     

     

    It might be we are all getting our knickers in a twist because we fear the first scenario and cannot believe the second will be allowed to happen.

     

     

    It all went pear shaped in the pursuit of CL money, and with that out of their reach the ones complaining about referee decisions will not be Celtic supporters, it will be the teams lower down perhaps vieing with Rangers for a place in the top six. It will be their supporters who will know what being cheated is really like, but will know they are powerless to stop it.They should be more concerned than we are.

     

     

    The first scenario could kill the blog, the second envigour the whole Celtic support enjoying Europe. Hmmmmm the right conditions for a Membership Scheme?

  41. Gordon64 on

    TeT

     

    Read unemployment rates in Andalucia

     

    now around 25 %.

     

    Hard times all round.

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