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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Lionsroar67
Which songs sung at yesterdays game so disappointed you?
OR DONT YOU KNOW?
MWD
Is there such a thing as a Scottish sports journalist? I thought they were all Comical Ali’s or in this case Ally’s
From the record-I know,I know-but well said by this DANDY DON
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
Jason Brown has told Scotland’s top-flight clubs to be brave today and not give Rangers any special consideration.
The outspoken Aberdeen keeper waded into the Ibrox argument as 11 SPL members prepare to meet at Hampden to decide on the Light Blues’ potential readmission into the league as a newco and any
subsequent penalties.
Brown is the first high-profile player to have a serious say on the matter and insists clubs need to take a stance to revive the ailing SPL.
The Dons star believes the chance is there for his club and others to build a bright future with Rangers temporarily out of the way.
Motherwell have been the first to benefit and are guaranteed at least one lucrative home tie in both the Champions League and Europa League next term with Rangers not permitted to play on the continent.
Brown reckons the others could also cash-in over time and bring a constant stream of money in to begin the erosion of Old Firm dominance.
He said: “I don’t think they should be given any special dispensation. If they’ve broken the rules, they should be punished.
“They say you need the Old Firm for revenue but how long are you going to carry on?
“They are just getting bigger and the rest of the clubs are getting smaller. How long can it go on with the money always going to Celtic and Rangers for finishing in the top two?
“If you or me don’t pay taxes, what happens? If you don’t pay, you have to be punished. That’s life. Who cares who they are?
“If Rangers have a couple of years out the SPL it gives others an opportunity.
“It’s difficult for people to invest due to the global economy but this is an opportunity and a club of Aberdeen’s size needs to try to take it.
“The fans need it, the club needs it. It has to happen as you can’t keep making excuses.”
Brown also reckons a revamp of the SPL could be a way to pump serious cash into clubs. If Scotland keep a second Champions League spot, he suggests it should go to play-offs so clubs outside the Old Firm have a chance to follow in Motherwell’s footsteps.
He said: “They need to get rid of the split. They say it’s more exciting but in England, Wigan have beaten Man United, Arsenal and Newcastle in the past month.
“With play-offs for Europe, someone else might get in. Then the cash could get shared a bit.”
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
So a player shows he has a pair.
Now I want the chairmen to Royally Flush them down the pan.
Not that I want to add anything to the rumour but last week when I heard it the rumour stated four “Business Journalists” rather than “Sports Journalists”. That’s when I knew the rumour was a pile of Brains of the sphincter variety.
MWD
MWD
TBH,the only song I heard which disappointed me was The Celtic Symphony,a crime against music.
But then,I’m neither Eddie Smith nor Pat Nevin.
……..a moment of psychic clarity visited me last night…….
They’ll get off scot free…..
…………and the Shortbread Jeerleaders will hold a special phone in where the the ghost of Struth will will be invoked,
chic will atttempt the live segues and do the usual hagiographies…………..
The tainted trophhies will be reviewed with ‘special’ tinted bloo specs……
wee davie will broadcast directly to the shame o’ scoddddland and there will be a simul-live-broadcast of Windy Miller’s arrival at Abbotsinch cheered into arrivals by the funny handshake brigade……..
AND then………..after all is said and done –
……..the music will slowly stop, the trumpets will fall silent………….. the ‘balloons’ will deflate…….
And they will remember that they never won the Big Cup…..
and they never will.
HH
MWD
I have answered you at 9.01, if you dont like the answer fair enough
Im not starting a songs debate
Its a blog i gave an opinion
There are far more important issues
My parent and child ST renewal is sitting waiting to be sent. The meeting today and Celtics statement regarding the outcome will determin whether I post the renewal or put it in the bin.
I want you to know
He’s not coming back
Look into my eyes
I’m not coming back
So knives out
Catch the mouse
Don’t look down
Shove it in your mouth
If you’d been a dog
They would’ve drowned you at birth
Look into my eyes
It’s the only way you’ll know I’m telling the truth
So knives out
Cook him up
Squash his head
Put him in the pot
I want you to know
He’s not coming back
He’s bloated and frozen
Still there’s no point in letting it go to waste
So knives out
Catch the mouse
Squash his head
Put him in the pot
Oh deary deary me. Rather than concentrate on the possibility of the Hun being given a get out of jail card today and the ramifications for Celtic and the Celtic support it appears ‘alleged’ supporters would rather make comment on the Bhoys singing a couple of ‘reb’ tunes yesterday. Ouestion – Are you Nevin in disguise?
Season book renewed for next season, see no justifiable reason not to renew
Journalists in Scotland do not sit on stories about Celtic.
They don’t check the facts of their “exclusives” before going to print.
If they are sitting on a story it is not about Celtic.
“4 journalists in Scotland”
hahahahahahaha
sides splittin’
Anyone else think that if we are going to boycott anyone it should be zombie Rangers? I know it’s easy for me to say when I live abroad.
The fans for all other SPL clubs have made their feelings known and looks like they will be badly let down by their boards.
SPL fans unite and refuse to attend games at Ibrox and more importantly home games when zombie Rangers visit. Okay, the financial impact would be minimal given season tickets, but if every televised game involving them had 3 quarters of the ground empty, as fans told the authorities we refuse to recognise them as a SPL team, they do not deserve to be here and we will not watch them. It’s just a thought, could send a powerful message to the authorities, would not look great from a sponsors point of view. It would require a lot of discipline and coordination between SPL fans.
roy croppie on 7 May, 2012 at 09:20 said:
If there were 4 journalists in scotland
they’d be tourists.
CELTIC fans’ chief Joe O’Rourke has vowed that the Hoops’ travelling support will stay away from the grounds of clubs who fail to vote for sanctions on Rangers when the SPL members meet to discuss possible penalties for newcos.
Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston claimed on Saturday that cash would come before sporting integrity for most clubs.
However the general secretary of the Celtic Supporters Association warned of a backlash from the champions.
“So Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston thinks that Rangers staying in the SPL is more important than sporting integrity?” said O’Rourke. “Well, he better be prepared for doing without the Celtic support because I’m certain they will boycott Rugby Park next season.
“Johnston has been the driving force behind the Gang of 10’s new proposals for changing the rules in the SPL.
“I’m not surprised he backs a Rangers newco getting an easy ride back into the SPL and he won’t be alone – there will be a few chairmen thinking the same way.”
I wonder if Joe and the CSA’s boycott would extend to Celtic Park should the Celtic Board vote for Newco in SPL??
I have written to Neil Doncaster regarding comments attributed to him
Joe O’Rourke
O’Rourke also turned his guns on SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster, who has claimed that there would be no problem in ushering a Rangers newco straight into the top flight.
“I have written to Neil Doncaster regarding comments attributed to him,” he said. “I have also made him aware that we would have a problem supporting a league that doesn’t uphold sporting integrity.
“I am almost certain that if a Rangers newco is not treated appropriately then the Celtic support will take appropriate action,” he warned.
Lionsroar67
So you don’t know.
You think you heard a song sung that may or may not have been one you don’t like sung. But you don’t know. Did the tune sound like an IRA tune?
I stood in the Jerry Kerr stand and I honestly don’t remember hearing any songs about the IRA.
I also didn’t hear any from the fans behind the goal but I couldn’t hear them anyway for the singing in the Jerry Kerr stand.
I’m just interested to know what song/s you heard.
You see. I get this from Huns in my work who hear a tune that sounds Irish or Rebelious and assume its an IRA song. They neither know the song names nor the words so it’s difficult to pin down the songs. So generally they are just looking out and listening for offends that they think exists but they cannot pinpoint.
Please note:- I am not insinuating your a Hun as I know your not from what I’ve read in the past.
MWD
Not to pre-empt the ole Hampden circle jerk but according to Wiki [[SIMBT] today is ‘National Mast#rbati#n Day’; so all hands on the pumps, I guess.
Che
Exactly.
The country where they sit on stories for years because they haven’t been told they can print them. No wonder they are a laughing stock.
Good morning from a cold Clayton Caravan Park in Fife
Is this the day they die
Up the long ladder down the short rope
To hell with trucker Billy and god bless the Pope
God Bless Lenny
God bless Celtic
God bless all of you
Keep the faith
Hail Hail
should have read
Something that offends
DOH!
MWD ruddy ibones
lionroars67 on 7 May, 2012 at 09:17 said:
Season book renewed for next season, see no justifiable reason not to renew
I do mate.
We have been cheated for years by refs and sfa/spl and treated like second class citizens by media and politicos.
However if the buns cheating, fraud and theft is legally and socially sanctioned as perfectly ok then the charade is over.
What next? Buns facing relegation, so rules are changed?
Buns skint but need a player, spl will then tax other clubs to give buns money?
Buns have some injuries, spl postpones games until buns team is injury free?
The game is in danger.
But I have faith in Our club to do the right thing.
Integrity before finances.
Message management, takes………………… management and orchestration…………..
or should that be……. “Orcestration”?
So far,
the obfuscation, the feigned ignorance, the red herring hawkers, the boul’ BS shippers…….
amounts to collusion…………..
Shameful.
Champion Bank Holiday Monday Morning from the chilled and pleasant Chilterns…
Well done to the bhoys for their PFA awards.
Didn’t catch the game yesterday but the the sounds of it we have seen this several times this season, infact the last time we went to Tannadice until we scored.
I’m hoping we can get in some real quality to help take this talented young squad to the next level.
A good European run would be a Tonic and a half.
Well we will see how the cheats charter works out, The SPL Chairmen should think long and hard today, the fact is there maybe no OldCo or NewCo ready for SPL Football next season and a vote to destroy the remnants of Scottish Football’s intergrity, will deliver the worst of options.
For once I urge the movers and shakers of our National Sport to bring their top negotiating skills to the table and postulate, protract then procrastinate.
The two main opposing responses to the ‘what to do about the huns?’ question neatly reflects the historical conflict in ethical theory.
The (albeit dubious) perspective which suggests the parachuting of a (un, minimally or swingeingly ‘punished’) NewCo into the SPL is founded on consequentialist lines; the greatest good of the greatest number.
The perspective that any NewCo cannot reasonably be propelled into the highest level of Scottish football and that a club exposed as flouting the rules of football must receive just punishment is a deontological understanding whereby morality is framed by adherence to moral laws.
For me it serves as a classic indication of the absurdity of a moral theory, consequentialism, which allows for appalling methods in reaching morally dubious ends.
In short, Kant would say ‘we don’t need no stinkin huns’…
:-)
Dontbrattbakkinanger on 7 May, 2012 at 09:26 said:
Being a doctor can you confirm if such an act does affect ones eye sight. I think the referees practice often.
MWD
Modren deontological understanding whereby morality is framed by adherence to moral laws is rubbish.
MWD -going by your amazing ability to type upside down it clearly hasn’t affected yours.
Get yourself down to Park Gardens for next season, they’ll show you the ropes.
In short, Kant would say ‘we don’t need no stinkin huns’…
:-)
That Kant knew the score.
Great Kant.
DBBIA
You are SOOOO dutifully scientific today.
MWD
MWD- Peter Lawwell and Eric Riley were sitting a mere 5 yards from the edge of the Jerry Kerr stand yesterday I’m surprised none of the more vocal among the support didn’t take the opportunity to vent their views on a Newco to them.
On a spiritually more elevated note today is the feast of St Agathius, one of the ole Fourteen Holy Helpers.
Paul67
If you are saying Celtic will vote against a newco into the SPL, come what may…
er…
Why is your secondary argument that Rangers in the SPL is the better option for Celtic (rather than demotion to the SFL)?
I hope all of the diddy teams have pulled a fast one on Lawwell and the Admin FC administrators. If Doncaster’s proposition is for newco to be admitted into the SPL and he asks for the No vote first…
I wonder if Lawwell will put his hand up first (=8
BANKIEBHOY1 0901
AND then………..after all is said and done –
……..the music will slowly stop, the trumpets will fall silent………….. the ‘balloons’ will deflate…….
And they will remember that they never won the Big Cup…..
and they never will.
~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Is that what it will take for them to stop their lying cheating dishonest ways?
A big cup?
Why don’t we just tell them they can have a retro-award of the one Marseille won in 92 if it will stop all this pash from them.
After all,Marseille knocked the mighty ranjurz oot in the semi,donchaknow-even though a semi it wasn’t-and besides,it’s only fair as everyone knows Marseilles were cheating,and fiddling their taxes to boot.
Oh,wait…….
That Kant is overrated……………….
.s1ɐıɔıɟɟo ɐɟs ɹoɟ ʞsɐʇ ǝ1qıssodɯı uɐ ǝq 11ıʍ sıɥʇ ɹoɟǝɹǝɥʇ puɐɥ ǝuo ʎ1uo buısn uʍop ǝpısdn ǝdʎʇ oʇ ǝ1qıssod ʇou sı ʇı ʇɐɥʇ ɹɐǝɟ ı
.ɟ1ǝsɯıɥ ɐpoʎ ɯoɹɟ ǝɔuɐpınb puɐ sʇɥbıuʞ ıpǝظ ɯoɹɟ uoıʇınʇ puɐ ǝɔıʇɔɐɹd sɹɐǝʎ ʎuɐɯ sǝʞɐʇ uʍop ǝpısdn buıdʎʇ
ɐıqqp
DBB:
I’ve never heard of Modren. Is he one of them there virtue ethicists; sanctimonious bunch them…
universalisationCSC
MWD- maks sense tae me, and it maks sense tae Mo.