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.
803 Comments- Pages:
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DBBIA
Blantyre Monica is on babysitting duty…
have been ordered to get my hairy arms to bed..
Or just get our hairiest armed supporters in the bottom tier. Rangers would feel the loss of income and the players would feel the support.
cults
kindle reading snobbs on CQN..
Myleene Klass, nee Quinn.
Used to be on the Norwich #1 CSC bus.
SilverCity
An empty end and you’d have Rangers ‘fans’ singing their songs of hate at and towards nobody.
Steinreignedsupreme on 6 May, 2012 at 19:18 said:
For you….
http://jonathanturley.org/2008/03/19/easter-health-guidelines-issued-for-catholic-self-flagellists/
voguepunter on 6 May, 2012 at 19:03 said:
The analogy was a serious one hence the outrage
bunburybhoy on 6 May, 2012 at 18:23 said:
Why is that? Is that because you are the peepil?
Caviar on toast for moi
now that i’m middle class.
.
BT..
After 5 Days in Dubai with EN..2x 90 Mins with The Green Brigade..And a Sub Club night on a Boat down the Clyde last Night..OldTim is the Only Show in Town Next week..:O(
Summa
silver city..
u now my email…
why wait
The only way you could have a successful boycott is if Celtic refused to handle away tickets,anything else would collapse due to differing opinions.
Just noticed that the second one hour showing of todays game is now being shown on sky. When I finally arrived home after the recent Glasgow derby slighty inebriated the only repeat was a bout 15 mins between adverts wtf?
And another thing why didnt we play in the hoops today? I always believe that the hoops provide a fear factor for the opposition imo
Hoops always
No to Newco
HH
Patrick 27…. btw that Lustig was rubbish.
Not nearly as bad as Adam Mathews who I thought was absolutely woeful.
B/Tim- we’ll book you a bed in St Clabberts
SFTB 20:28:
Superb. Its easy to say things that are a tad hyperbolic, considering the importance and emotion the subject of newco engenders- I know my passions are running high. I would never question a fellow Tims commitment. So many give so much more than I do. Of that I have no doubt. Just think some people- ie an uncle of mine who will go to Paradise until hell freezes over, mainly because he wants away from the wife & brat.
Danso 21:29:
Brilliant overview on the football landscape as it stands.
Just think no matter how bad things get the powers that be will always be able to rely on the malleable consent of people like my uncle.
.
Norwich was the Team l Supported as a Bhoy..
Summa of KlassCSC
DBBIA
I’ve been booked a room in the spare one tonight… o))
Not one of you gave a May Day greeting.
That’s all I’m saying…
imperialistpapertigersCSC
BT
I take it you have the May day off tomorrow.
Summa -and did the rest of your family support Ipswich ;/)
Bill Miller will move like sh1t off a shovel when he does his due dilligence. £11.2m goes nowhere near their current debts, there is no way BM is going to sink his hard earned into ranjurz. Liquidation and pay day for the MBB is the only outcome. Wimbledon and Man Utd fans did what they thought was right in the face of potentially morally questionable decisions by the owners of their clubs.
The fact is that they can either liquidate or someone can invest north of £140M in ranjurz, without seeing a return.
They’re done, gone, bust.
.
Wayne Rooney Used to Have Hairy Arms..Now he has a Hairy Baldy Patch..
Summa
WWC
That’s because we’re middle class these days.Down with the Internationale!!
BT
‘Its not where you’ve been – it’s where you’re at’ :-)
Just on as had recorded game and did want to know the result.
Up front we were poor, but if Tony Watt had been on 90 minutes reckon we would have got a goal.
Cracking article as always. The guy who organised the spl survey should be applauded. If Yorkston and Thompson are changing their minds all but that nugget at Killie will be the same.
Bhoycott Killie next season no matter how the vote goes.
If Newco do get in the spl, any Celtic fan who goes to ibrox next season should burn their colours after and go find somewhere quiet to die in shame.
We Dont Need No Stinkin Rangers!
G64
indeed..
summa
like me, he isn’t as lucky as me though coz I’ve got Mrs and mini ..
West Wales Celt on 6 May, 2012 at 22:13 said:
On CQN that’s Stalinist talk
Board ah BREED, an a PAIL ah TEA, my daily consumption.
Awerabest PJ
.
DBBIA..
The Rest of My Family Support Ugly Teams..
Oh Wait..John Wark..:O)
Summa
setting free the bears on 6 May, 2012 at 20:38 said:
thank you for this contribution. I had posted last last night that I could equally accept the arguments made right across the spectrum. Virtually everybody is correct. The problem is that SDM and Govans finest have ( with a bit of passing help from our hero Craigy, Craigy White ) totally gubbed Scottish Football. The analogy that fits for me is like a family with two breadwinners – one of them, unknown to the other is a betting addict and has also been betting with the wrong type of bookie. Eventually of course evrything comes crashing down and the bad one ends up in jail ( hopefully? ). However, although the family may be better without the destructive member, it will undoubtedly be worse off and the other partner and children end up punished for something they didn’t do and are not responsible for. If the law were to allow the family the choice that they could keep the partner and keep them out of jail and be better off ( at least in the short term ), or do the right thing and get rid of the problem, what do you think would happen?
Who knows? Its a Lose, Lose.
There is a right thing to do here. But it comes at a great cost and requires great faith that it will in fact prove in the long run to have been the right thing. Because businesses tend to always consider short term more important than long term ( decision makers may not be there to see the results ), it is even harder to persuade these decision makers of the need to take the long view.
We can always hope.
Another victory SDM has had though, and one I am sure he would be proud of, is the way that people with differing views on Celtic websites are aggressive, rude and dismissive of each other and accusing each other as not being truly celtic supporters. I wish it wasn’t so but a trawl through these pages over the last week certainly shows it is.
Bashi
BT
spare room? ….very bourgeoise!
Robbo
where are you?
Maggie:
That’s what this site needs a right good purge, ain’t that right the poster soon to be formally known as ‘theglasgowcelticway’?
tankieandproudCSC
:-)))
Cults
its blantir…..
my spare room is the gang hut…
Paul67,
You say…
“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.”
Jim Spence (after being prompted by Richard Gordon) asked Stephen Thompson today if the vote goes to all club representatives, how will it be judged 11-1 majority needed or 8-4 or what?
And, Thompson said, “I don’t know, BECAUSE THAT’S CURRENTLY NOT IN THE ARTICLES… 11-1, 8-4… I HAVE NO IDEA.”
The day before the most important and observed vote in the history of Scottish sport and one of the debaters and voters does not know the procedure!
The day before!
Breathtaking, incredible, dumfounding, stupefying!
We didn’t play like Celtic today but we didn’t look like Celtic in that strip either.
How exactly does ourgreen and white hoops clash with an all orange strip?
The second division manager won manager of the year….. Well you do not expect them to vote for Lenny do ya!
Charlie did win and Dundee it’d had 5 in team of the year Celtic 4 well they did beat us today and we only won the league by 20 points!!!!!
.
BT..
Correct Buddi..Mrs BT and Mini..That is All Ye Need..
Summa