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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for all those thinking of deserting the TIC – why didnt you do it years ago ?
the same cheating and fixing and self serving has gone on for years – or didnt you believe it ?
i can think of 11 other clubs and 1 in particular who would happy for celtic’s support to desert them next year.
where were your morals when the league was reconstructed to help aberdeen avoid relegation ?
SPIKEYSAULDMAN
I can’t disagree.
The nature of social websites is that it is easier to put down your “in vino veritas” feelings than to physically act them out.
I suppose in,erm,the old days,idiots like him would be told by a psychologist that any time they experienced these feelings of hatred,fear,paranoia,etc,to write them down and read them back in the morning.
Just to see how ridiculous they look in the cold light of day.
There are a fair few of us have been guilty of posting or texting while under the influence,even though it’s really no excuse,and no real harm has been done. Other than some well-deserved red-faces!
If he has learned his lesson,then great-job done! If not,then he has surely had his last chance.
However,I agree it may not have been a form of punishment afforded to all.
I stopped going to away games years ago. Your point just made me think of something. If Rangers were heading for relegation, would there be discussions on expanding the League to 14 teams?
SILVER CITY 0723
Most of the team were trying to do just that.
Then Anton,bless him,saw the ball going out for a throw.
In OUR half.
Even the ball-boy was trying to hold on to the ball,ffs!
It would have been hilarious,but instead it was just blinkin’ tragic.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 7 May, 2012 at 07:35
If he has learned his lesson,then great-job done! If not,then he has surely had his last chance.
In last nights drunken haze have I missed a rammy?
Alex Thomson
So now the dust has slightly settled and we
are on the eve of another Scottish Premier
League vote (barring another
postponement), let us strip away all the
froth and hype and see where we really are.
On Thursday, Ibrox was a deeply bizarre
place. Over the phone Rangers tried to
make out their “press conference” was for
“sports reporters only”. Even over the
phone they quickly realised from my
incredulity, this was a non-starter.
So we got a “press diktat” instead. It’s a
press conference where they read at you
from a prepared statement and you are not
allowed questions. A press conference
without the conference, if you like.
The charming Ba’athist thugs in Baghdad
used to do this in the 90s, I recall. Bosnian
Serb commanders likewise. Congolese child-
soldier commanders do it. Duff & Phelps did
themselves no favours. Of course, they’re
neither criminals nor mass murderers. But
questions were banned, the Rangers press
officer said, “Because we don’t want this
turning into a circus.”
So why do Rangers FC and Duff & Phelps
think the normal rules of a press conference
are a “circus”?
I suggest because of all the difficult
questions they cannot answer.
They cannot explain how the Old Rangers
company will somehow be “cleaned up”
when it is left, toxic, mired in debt and –
according to three insolvency experts I’ve
now spoken to – inevitably heading for
liquidation by the back door.
They cannot explain how a club banned from
European football for three years, and with a
one-year player-buying ban, is supposed to
retain its key players who can – and very
likely will – move elsewhere in the summer.
Nothing was said of the Sky/ESPN Premier
League TV deal. SPL boss Neil Doncaster
says it’s up for renegotiation this summer,
but four Old Firm fixtures are the lynchpin of
it.
So how does the shiny new, non-toxic
Rangers team fulfil that next season? They’d
have to stay up there with Celtic in the top
half of the league with their squad of well-
motivated 17-year-olds and has-beens.
So what will Sky/ESPN want? Equally, why
should anyone in Scottish football listen or
let them dictate the game?
Answer? Money. And if anything represents
Oscar Wilde’s definition of the cynic as a
man who knows the price of everything but
the value of nothing right now, it’s Scottish
football with its Glasgow media
cheerleaders.
Consider Michael Johnston, chairman of
Kilmarnock FC, who is quoted by the BBC
as saying : “Members (of the SPL) see the
commercial benefits of having Rangers, even
as a newco. The clubs are mindful of a
sporting integrity aspect but the commercial
benefits may outweigh that.”
That is, Scottish football clubs know there’s
a thing called integrity out there but it’s
money that matters. What a world you are
in, Mr Johnston.
Of course, it’s turkeys and Christmas and all
that, and if club chairmen see an escape
route for Rangers after their catastrophic
lack of financial fair play (yes, financial fair
play, Mr Platini and Uefa), then such kid-
glove treatment will also come their way
when they’re in trouble (as several clubs
are).
And what of Craig Whyte? We speak
frequently, though as yet off the record.
In all our dealings he has remained
adamant that, as the major shareholder, he
wants a return. Clearly, Bill Miller is openly
antagonistic to Craig Whyte personally and
financially – the Miller plan is designed to
squeeze Whyte out. Put two and two
together and you can quickly work out how
all this is playing chez Whyte.
So be in no doubt, huge obstacles are being
ignored in public by the administrators of
Rangers, Duff & Phelps, who never
mentioned by name either Craig Whyte or
the major creditors, Ticketus or (incredibly)
the taxman, in their press-diktat on
Thursday at Ibrox. Funny, that.
So here, with apologies to Jonathan Swift, is
A Modest Proposal. Crazy, I know, but I’m
going to imagine a world where Scottish
football is about sport, sporting values –
integrity, morality, justice – all the kinds of
things people care so much about in
Scotland but see so little debated in their
media.
The Scottish media, many clubs and all kinds
of powerful voices seem to want Rangers
kept in the Premier League at all costs. Life
itself appears untenable without this. To any
outsider, looking beyond money, this is
ludicrous. Why?
If Rangers lost the (currently unmentioned)
Big Tax Case, what’s the point of staying,
without European football, with a wrecked
squad in the SPL?
Why not (assuming by some miracle the
Miller idea even works) opt to start with the
new Rangers (Newco) at the bottom of the
Scottish football league and work your way
back?
Thus Rangers would be morally
unimpeachable. They’d send a memorable
message that Scottish football has, after all,
got integrity. Newco and Oldco “cleaned
up” at a stroke. Uefa proud, delighted and
trumpeting the Rangers stance to Fifa and
beyond.
Moreover, if my Scottish football-watchers
are right, they’d be back at or near SPL
status around the expiry of the Uefa ban.
They’d attract new, affordable young talent
whose agents would sniff European
competition just around the corner.
So what if the TV deal goes into the ground?
Either Scottish football runs Scottish football
or the toxic hand of Rupert Murdoch does?
Time to decide.
Were I a Rangers fan, were this my beloved
Newcastle United, I’d be actively
campaigning for this. The way to cleanse
Rangers, cleanse Scottish football and
cleanse big sporting governance in this
country. The way for fans who don’t walk
away to stay with a club they – and all of us
– would be rightly proud of.
Or fight on, toxic, tainted and hated in the
SPL – a club without an ounce of sporting
integrity, helped back in by others who see
only money and the short-term.
And likely the cause of significant fan protest
and boycotts as well.
The choice for Rangers, football governance,
sport and – yes – politics in Scotland is
obvious. If Rangers really is “part of the
fabric of Scottish life” as First Minister Alex
Salmond says, let that fabric be about
values supremely, not money.
Sport celebrates competition – business
seeks to eliminate it.
This is the time for leadership, from Scottish
football’s governing bodies, from the
chairmen of the SPL clubs – but above all
from Rangers Football Club.
As yet, I see little sign of leadership
emerging, of men who see values, not just
figures.
I want to offer a philsophical thought for a Bank Holiday Monday morning. What is the SPL for?
This is not the start of a joke, as in 101 Uses for a Dead Cat (one for the nostalgia buffs there) but a genuine question. If you look at what the SPL says it is for, then its behaviour so far, and what many expect to happen today, is entirely consistent.
Is it right? That is a different matter entirely.
http://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/what-is-the-spl-for-shock-news-a-business-which-wants-to-make-money/
Bad day at the office yesterday for Celtic, team lacked the technical expertise to unlock the United defence
Songbook sang in the stands could have been better selected
Will the SPL dodge the decision making today, look out for the compromise decision, a decision which attempts to please all parties but fails miserably
Good morning all from a dry but cloudy East Kilbride.A cheeky wee bank holiday game of golf for Jobo later so no doubt the heavens will then open.
CHE
A reference to the post by SPIKEYSAULDMAN at 0658
PAUL McC
I can vaguely remember the shooting stick,pencil sharpener and umbrella stand,but the other 98 escape me………
I wonder how many Rangers players were awarded Player Of The Year awards whilst playing illegally?
Why do we expect a reasonable decision today? This whole furore is about the longest running sporting cheat in the history of football. It was able to run so long because of the cosy relationship between the SFA and them, with the SFA hierarchy even benefitting from EBT’s while supposedly being charged with monitoring for such wrongdoing, and all of this was covered up by a media with an Ibroke bias- some of those reporting on Scottish football even had the double, and maybe even treble, contracts themselves. The only thing that has changed is that a light has been shone on them and outsiders made aware of their involvement. The only compromise that they will make in their decision today will be influenced by what they think they can get away with without attracting punishment or criticism from outwith this country. if it was kept in house as they would have liked then there would have been no investigation to begin with.
Morning all. It looks like we’re back to normal with the weather in a dreich North Ayrshire.
Will it be the same old nonsense from the SPL today? Every rule bent and/or ignored to benefit the corrupt bankrupts of Govan?
THE EXILED TIM on 7 May, 2012 at 00:25 said:
I love this song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXdaEihEyUc
share on F’book or Twitter
Thanks for posting that song mate , heard it before but didnt know its title . makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck .
.many thanks
jimtim.
Yet again we read of the hatred focused on Lenny.
I despair I really do. Why do these clowns hate so much? A Baptist ministers son ffs.
On the meeting at Hampden, Everything is coming home to roost for TFOD/SFA.
Paul McC on 7 May, 2012 at 07:57 said:
Your perspective is far to narrow, concentrating on the articles of the SPL will not rescue a broken league, nor will it provide answers it is a badly written constitution
Sally hit the nail on the head regarding clarity and transparency
SFA to publish ALL the documents from the Lord Nimmo enquiry
SPL enquiry into dual contracts, what is happening and do we have a time-scale for completion
HMRC to announce the verdict on the BTC, then publish all documents
Am I right in thinking that Spiers has had a rant against our manager?
parkhead….
different baptist minister’s son
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2012/05/06/prison-officer-who-made-death-threats-to-celtic-boss-neil-lennon-escapes-charges-86908-23849725/
McCurry was a Baptist minister….
Lionroars67
Which song/s sang at Tannadice do you disapprove of?
To the ghuy who frequently asked last night re. Who took the captains arm band off \o/? It was indeed Charlie Mulgrew.
MWD
I am not sure if this was posted yesterday, however the Sunday Herald interviewed some business experts. One particular paragraph caught my attention, from Prof David Hillier, Vice-Dean of Strathclyde Business School. This answers clearly the question of whether Wild Bill wil be able to preserve their history…………..
“What the Rangers fans don’t really realise is that in this merger scenario Bill Miller is talking about, if the CVA is successful, the only likely way that is going to happen is if the new company buys the old company.
“In corporate finance, if you are bought over, your history is gone because you cease to exist. So in actual fact the whole thing about history is just semantics.”
BLANTYRETIM 0834
McCurry was either a cheat or incompetent.
If the former,he had no right performing as a minister,regardless of his religion.
If the latter,he should never have been allowed near a whistle.
I hope Mr Thompson remembers how his dying father was robbed of the trophy he deserved by an establishment which favours the huns,and votes accordingly.
The decision taken today (if one is taken) by the SPL Clubs is one that will have ramifications for all member Clubs, it is an emotive issue for many, a sporting integrity one for some and for most if not all its one of finance and survival, i am not convinced today will bring us a conclusion or close to a conclusion on this matter, like many posters on here ive had my say, admittedly sometimes written through beer tinted specs, many many people have had their say on this, the veiled threats by high profile representatives of the club at the centre of the debacle, the usual outpouring from certain parts of the media, inaccurate information by mr doncaster, political interference by the first minister and other MPs none of which have been helpful and only served to increase the tensons, particularly amongst the quintessentially british clubs support who now see themselves as victims, they just dont do irony over there, in much the same sense as they dont pay bills,
My worry is what effect this will have on My Club, im torn, honestly torn with this whole issue, if rangers are parachuted into the SPL as a newco should I on second thoughts make that could I continue to financially support a product (the SPL) which is in my opinion tainted?
I honestly don’t know,my renewal form sits on my oul fellas fireplace itll probably sit there until the smoke and mirrors clear a bit, by that time renewal deadline may well have passed, it may therefore in my case be unfortunately too late.
ill take that chance.
I dont envy anyone on here making the decision whether to renew or not, but ill respect whichever decision they take, so before we start to implode as the day wears on, remember no one will make their decision lightly.
Todays the day that scottish football dies a death . Todays the day that the whole world will see how a governing body changes the rule book to defend and protect an organisation that has been caught cheating the whole of scottish football .not only the sport of football , but cheating the whole country of taxes. If eufa dont get involved in this then they are no better than the shower who are today about to administer the final blow to the integrity of football in scotland, rendering it a non entity . Not sure about the 4 journalists rumour either , it cant be more bad news for them or they would have binned the story instead of sitting on it .
jimtim
Whats the 4 journalists rumour?
That they are sitting on a gigantic story.
4 Glasgow Journo’s apparently sitting on something?
That’ll be their Brains and their hands.
MWD
MWD at 08:37 said
The songs which Neil Lennon would prefer not to be sung
MWD 08.52- Ha ha, liked that one.
Todays vote is sport v money. Fairness v cheating.
It’s the same situation that David Murray faced all those years ago as he saw the recovery of Celtic gather real momentum.
He chose money and to cheat and Rangers FC are finished as a result only a few years later. The importnace of fairness in sport must win the argument today. It must.
So will it be shown finally for all to see that there is no integrity in Scottish football and will the fans of (almost) all the teams be ignored again?
“He who closes his ears to the views of others shows little confidence in the integrity of his own views.”
– William Congreve
Top of the morning to you all on what is a pleasant May day in the Kingdom of Fife.
Good letter in the Scotsman which mirrors my feelings that if Rangers are allowed to state quite openly that they are going to shaft the tax-man what is to stop everyone doing it?
Creditor blues
Published on Monday 7 May 2012 00:00
Proposals for Glasgow Rangers to form a new “incubator” company by transferring all the valued assets to the new company while leaving the debts behind, doesn’t sound legal under Scottish company law.
I imagine the creditors, including HM Revenue would be resisting fiercely, as it would leave them with nothing, apparently with the blessing of the current administrators.
Dennis Grattan
Bucksburn
Aberdeen
Che
A season ticket deadline is like a Duff & Phelps deadline.
It doesn’t exist.
If you want to watch the hoops you’ll be able to buy a season ticket on the morning of 4/8/2012. Your might not get the same seat you have but if like me your attachment is not to your seat but Celtic then a seat will be there for you.
Like you I am waiting.
I want to know what our PLC did/didn’t do before I decide.
MWD
paul . Have they got something on us i wonder. if the four are traynor , jackson, king and chico . then its good news for the bears .
jimtim
Lionroars67
Which songs would that be?
MWD
Celtic were reported to the Scottish Premier League over IRA chants heard during a goalless draw against Hibernian days earlier.
Lennon urged fans to stop the chants in May, a call repeated by chief executive Peter Lawwell last month, and he again pleaded with them to stop embarrassing the club.
Anyone know where this 4 journos rumour has originated from?