Your fathers, their fathers, and their fathers before them, have walked away from football grounds thinking the game in Scotland was skewed in favour of another team. As a club founded by immigrants, with our historical support drawn largely from some of the poorest sections of society, for decades Celtic-friendly people were underrepresented in the professional classes, the very classes those who administered and refereed our game were, and still are, drawn from.
No one believes more than me that times have changed. That immigrant community gained equal access to all professions years ago – yes, including referees. The prejudices which, perhaps not surprisingly, developed in Scotland when an incessant flood of around 800,000 immigrants poured into the country over a few short decades, have moved on. Our society is not without prejudice, but it’s others who are now targeted most.
Football decisions made by referees are difficult to prove to be deliberately unfair. I have no doubt that Celtic suffered unfairly in this regard for decades, but I see little evidence of it now, and even if there was, it is impossible to tell the difference between incompetence and bias.
Conclusive evidence of what we were up against was established in 1999 when an independent SFA Commission heard a complaint from Celtic that Jim Farry, the Association’s chief executive, deliberately delayed the registration of Jorge Cadete, meaning the player was unable to play for Celtic in a cup game against Rangers. The Commission upheld Celtic’s complaint and Farry was sacked for gross misconduct – even back then holding a torch for due process.
That incident came at the end of a difficult period to be a Celtic fan. Rangers had violated one of our cherished records, Nine-in-a-row, was matched, not by wonderful athletic achievement, as Celtic did, but by the might of the cheque book. Fergus built a stadium, left us a little over £2m in debt and taught the SFA a valuable lesson. In short, he put Celtic on a level playing field with everyone else in the country.
In August 2000 an almighty game of football reset all the dials. Celtic scored six against then champions Rangers. We won the league by 21 points, won the Scottish and League cups, our first treble in 32 years. On and off the park, we were better than a team who only a few years earlier seemed light-years ahead of a sorry looking Celtic.
Rangers responded by flooding more cash into their football squad, this time using Employee Benefit Trusts. In February last year Celtic Quick News was first to raise the question that these EBT payment might not have been registered with the SFA and SPL. Within three weeks the SPL commenced an investigation into the question, which found Rangers had a case to answer. The league set up the Commission which will report at noon today.
This is the most important decision in Scottish football history with implications for past and current directors of the organisations which run our game; people who were legally obliged to ensure rules were applied fairly, thoroughly and evenly.
It has implications for the Rangers group of clubs and for the international reputation of Scottish football, but none of this matters to you and me. We want to know if we were watching a level playing field for 11 years, or if the game was rigged. I can’t think of a more important decision in the history of British sport. There has never been and will never again be a decision which casts a shadow on 14 trophies, ‘won’ allegedly by a team playing by different rules to the rest.
The First Tier Tribunal decision last year and forthcoming Upper Tier Tribunal are sideshows. This is the main event, second only to Lisbon in importance to Scottish football. I am confident the decision will go against the group of clubs. If it doesn’t, we should not demean ourselves by slipping into paranoia. This is an independent commission, anyone who tells you otherwise is deluded.
My only concern is that the scale of punishments which would be appropriate for a guilty verdict are, frankly, so enormous, I expect every available opportunity to mitigate the sanctions to be exploited. This is a black cap verdict, but despite their impartiality, I don’t expect the Commission to dress sombrely when signing the decision.
A bottle of expensive fizzy stuff is in the fridge, in case we need to toast all those generations who, unlike us today, never had the opportunity to nail the truth.
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The Spin is in from Ibrox- less reticence being shown by Charles than by Celtic.
From their official site
“On behalf of the board of directors at Rangers, I note the findings of the Commission. It is abundantly clear from the ruling there was no attempt by Rangers Football Club secure any unfair advantage or to cheat, as so many people asserted without giving any regard to the actual evidence.
“I would re-iterate that at no stage have I, nor anyone now involved in the running of this club, questioned the integrity of the Commission members. What I did question was the creation of a process which some people had predetermined. Every Rangers fan will be delighted that the Commission refused to get carried away on this agenda.
“It is a matter of fact that people within the SPL wanted me, at first, to surrender titles as part of a deal to enable Rangers to play again as a member of the SFA. I rejected and resisted that suggestion and today’s decision vindicates the position of the Board and the supporters. In particular, I would like to thank the Rangers Fans Fighting Fund for their dedication and commitment on this matter.
“It is fair to say that there was, at one stage, a very unhealthy desire to press on with an investigation into this matter when cool heads and clear thinking was required. Instead, there was a frenzied atmosphere around Rangers caused by the Club’s insolvency situation.
“This issue could have and should have been dealt with by the board of the SPL rather than embarking on an unnecessarily grand and expensive process. At the end of the day I am left with the impression that this has been much ado about very little and a great waste of energy, time and money.
I think I speak for all Rangers fans in saying now, enough is enough. I have said before and will say again it is time everyone moved on. There are considerable challenges ahead for this club and Scottish football as a whole.
“That is where all efforts and energy should now be focused. We, as a club, will work with all parties who have the good of the game at heart. We are looking forward and I urge all Rangers fans to do likewise. We are rebuilding this Club and are making great strides. The dark days are over and it is time now for all to embrace our ambition for a brighter future.”
Manager Ally McCoist said: “I am delighted in many ways by the decision today. As a former player, I know how hard it is to achieve success on the pitch and the suggestion that somehow Rangers sought to gain unfair advantage was deeply insulting to me and others who had worn the Rangers jersey with immense pride.
“I found the whole approach to this matter by the SPL utterly bizarre and misguided.
“Our fans will take great heart from this and hopefully now – after all that we have been through – there will be a widespread realisation that it is time to move on. Rangers have a huge amount to offer Scottish football and we have always been more than willing to do our bit for the good of the game.”
Italiabhoy, agreed mate.
Although I wouldn’t be adverse to an sfa backlash/ boycott.
I am at work just now and thanks to CQN I have been able to find out just how corrupt our wee country is. We all understand the anger and sense of injustice in all of this, however to say we will turn our backs on our own club beggers belief.
Glasgow Celtic did not cheat us or anyone in Scottish football, therefore does not deserve any punishment whatsoever. Our Irish ancestors have been discriminated and abused since the day they arrived in Scotland, they did not say lets give up the struggle and go home every time they were unjustly on the wrong end of things. No they stayed and fought their corner and incidently it was a far more vicious fight than we have to endure thanks to them.
The only way we as fans can hit back at the establishment and by fans I mean all scottish fans excluding the dark side is to boycott every single SFA tournament and unfortunately that means the national team also and not a wishy washy boycott I mean not one brass ha’penny in to their corrupt coffers until we see a clear out of the whole rotten cabal.
Do not punish our club in any shape or form apart from boycotting Scottish cup and League cup games where we are involved.
TLWIO,
I am with you in sticking by my team.
I have had a ST since 1989, so next year will be my 25th anniversary as a ST holder, and I look forward to many more.
My support for the team is unconditional, and it really cheeses me off to hear people talking about boycotting the team because of , tribunals -investigations – sponsorships etc etc.
Whilst I always try to respect the opinions of others, I really struggle to understand them, and my support is unwavering.
PS you going to Turin ?
Italiabhoy
I am inclined to support your point.
However the sense of injustice will remain of Celtic do not make a strong statement on this.
We cannot behind an attitude that says “It’s none of our business.”
The rules we comply with have been bent and ignored for the benefit of a single club.
CFC need to outline a reason to retain our support and it does not include a Pontius Pilate attitude which condemns us all to second class status.
Celtic accept that their fans have been cheated and do something or release a statement saying that they have not.
HH
James Forrest is Neil Lennon! We are ALL Neil Lennon! – 13:03 on
28 February, 2013 .
“Our club should take a lead and give notice to resign.”
And go where?
Got to agree wholehearedly with Italiabhoy – it’s completely stupid to walk away from Celtic over this and hurt the thing we all hold dear.
I will say this, however – it is now incumbent on the Celtic board to find us a new league to play in. “The EPL don’t want us”, “we’re watching developments in eastern Europe closely” etc. etc. will no longer do. It should now be the publicly stated intention and number one prioroty of the Celtic Board/CEO to find us a new league within 3 years. If Peter Lawell can’t make it happen, he should be replaced by someone who can.
Nothing has changed in Scottish football throughout this whole debacle and today shows nothing will.
This sums up the SFA.
Hampden Experience @Hampden_Museum
The Rangers 140 year anniversary exhibition has been extended to stay with us till June. If you haven’t seen it yet, come on down #Rangers
thebhoywithMcGraininhisside:
“This gobbledegook means that in the eyes of the authorities you are not cheating until you are caught cheating”
Not quite, it means you are not cheating when you cheat, your player cannot be retrospectively unregistered so your fraudulent registration is fine for the period up until you are caught cheating and, magically, this means you gained no competitive advantage from making substantial, hidden payments to your players.
…sigh…
Sad day for every fan of scottish football, the whole thing has shown
how far the establishment will go to defend their own.
Charles de Ghoul and the zombie nation have now got the freedom
to do what they want without fear of facing any type of action
from authorities.
A sad day indeed.
LNS has said aye they were cheating but we’re no doing anything about it, if you dont like it tough.
If the board dont make a statement condemning process and result by the weekend I will be looking for a returning my season ticket and demanding a refund.
Italiabhoy
” I cannot see how on earth abandoning Celtic is an appropriate response.”
Brilliant
It looks like no man is above the law but one club is beyond it.
C_1st : some of our lot will complain to UEFA and ask the same question as you. UEFA will check with the SFA, who will tell them there’s nothing to see/it’s all sorted.
Matter over!
T4
Italiabhoy
Because Celtic will be seem as the subservient acquiescent half of the Old Firm. Its that simple.
HH
Done with Scottish football lhads. Sorry to say. This site provided solace after many gut-wrenching defeats and so much pleasure after heroic wins. I’ll miss it and the joy of supporting Celtic. But this is not sport. Over and out.
Well paul67
how do you feel about it?
Sad day indeed.
Can you dig out your old season tickets and take them to Hampden demanding a refund?
If having a financial advantage isn’t important then they should be willing to reimburse everyone who feels that they were treated unfairly.
LB
Ernie
your position re the stewads statement is entirely correct
no corroboration is required for the aggravation …and …in any event the substantive charge of assalt was well truly proved …or at least thats how it appeared
nothing wrong with the crown approach …even the panel`s counsel accepted his guilt re the assault
As an aside, I would never abandon Celtic. Given that, any spare tickets for Saturday?
Celtic need to release a statement expressing their disgust at how one club has been able to cheat all Scottish football fans & clubs for a decade or more. It has cost the fans thousands of pounds and clubs millions in lost revenue not to mention the agony of false defeats. The punishment handed out today in noway fits the crime of today’s guilty verdict. The SFA chaired by a former Rangers Chairman has presided over a set of rules that has allowed prolific cheating to occur. At best it shows gross incompetence but more likely at worst is shows an obvious conflict of interest. While we all know what the truth is it makes no difference. Celtic should not want any part in a league that’s corrupt or as this report suggests, blatantly incompetent. We are a professional football club who need to be playing in a professional league. Lets leave Scottish Football to the Amateurs and have them corrupt themselves.
Please Celtic lets accelerate our departure.
Persistent demands for Paul67 or Celtic to react arouse suspicion in me.
Paul67 and Celtic are different entities.
Paul67 – “……the decision will go against the group of clubs. If it doesn’t, we should not demean ourselves by slipping into paranoia. This is an independent commission, anyone who tells you otherwise is deluded.”
Somehow, I think this pre-decision statement was meant for a wider audience than those on here or in the wider Celtic family. Are we to dismiss this statement, or do you need to steady the ship, Paul?
I’m at a loss re: the triumphalism on one hand and the doom & gloom on the other.
The fact is that, given the brotherly largesse shown by The men who stare at goats, the sale, administration, player exodus and liquidation need never have happened. Throw in the fact that they’re now stuck with the oldest young manager, play in a crumbling stadium and are still waiting to find out if BDO ‘ want a word’ re: the asset transfer.
They are only relevant in the past, We live in the present and look to the future!
If all the SPL clubs resign their membership of the SFA and SPL to begin a new league / league structure and invite other clubs to apply this would then create a new body which UEFA and FIFA would have to recognise as being the Football Authority of Scotland.
The SFA would be no more.
Only that sort of action will prevent Scottish football from losing its disaffected supporters of clubs which believe in sporting integrity.
Alright then lets look at things in context.
I’m trying very hard to put emotion to one side here.
There is barely a person among us who would claim that Scottish football has been a level playing field throughout its history. It hasn’t and there are multiple examples of this throughout our history alone to emphasize this. This one is the latest one. There will be more and you can bet your boots they will come along in more insidious ways – from administrators who with-hold registrations when it suits one club to this latest fiasco.
Quite honestly I feel not knowing about side letters would have done us all a favour and we could have sat laughing at them for where Craig Whyte left them – new club, no history, no titles etc but then we all forgot there is a media machine in Scotland who follow the lies about continuation of club and not company. There are enough Sevcophants out there to ensure the message stays. This makes things worse than ever but does that mean we just chuck it?
It seems it would not matter if you found evidence of any improper behaviour, they’d get away with it or get the paltry slap on the fingernail they received today. We’ve seen it all before but this time new media gave us all the evidence we needed and it raised our hopes to the point that we feel let down – they sat in the dark while we were informed, surely this time they’d get done. We saw it all and to us lay men it is guilty. The verdict IS guilty but only sort of. We COULD give them this punishment but we WON’T because that is not how things roll round here. Older and wiser or at least more cynical fans kept on saying it doesn’t matter they always find a way to slime their way out of it – and they sadly have been proven to be correct.
So what now?
Talk of not watching football or Scottish football again is understandable but it is emotional, not rational.
We have watched Celtic be on the receiving end of this for all our lives and our children will as well. It is as inevitable as Death and taxes (well the first one anyway).
WE as Celtic fans need to wise up. They across the city have used their paranoia and it is genuine paranoia about Celtic’s lawyers going to do them – now they are the paragons of virtue, truth and justice – despite a technicality letting them away with it again- they always find technicalities though. Remember how Callum Murray’s “No I didn’t feel threatened” defence got two thugs let off with little fines? Same again. Their paranoia has been used to galvanize their support while some Celtic fans have slipped into apathy with the death of the club who were our rivals. We need the support united and back together more than ever now.
Put your money into Celtic if you want to – there is no obligation and Celtic need to come up with ways of making sure they make pricing more affordable to entice people back in for games which aren’t just European fixtures. They need us and crucially they did nothing wrong for 11 years and were punished for it. Should we punish our own club because they were cheating us? I don’t think so. It is our time to dominate Scottish football, so let’s do it.
We have the chance to build up at least 4iar by the time Sevco come to the top flight. Minus European football they could take at least 3 years to challenge properly for the title. Another 9iar would be wonderful or we can lay claim to the most in a row this Century and market that as a starting point. Get people interested and building to something. It may not be perfect but it is a start.
Win more cups starting this weekend. get past the Saints who have probably had their good game and make sure this season sees a cup double and a last 16 in the history books.
Use this time and use it wisely.
As for the other clubs in Scotland – why punish them? Their fans will be feeling as badly as we do today. They will claim it as OF bias but the facts don’t bear them out. They just hate the big two Glasgow teams. These fans stood up and told their chairmen no to newco as ours did. they need our support as well as we do theirs.
SFA cup competitions are another matter but we can come onto those later.
Now that was hard to write I can assure you but we should not lose sight of the fact that this injustice can be taken two ways – defeatist or as a way of galvanizing our fan base. After all, what would our forefathers have done? They knew the game was not kosher but they didn’t turn their backs, they stayed because they like we love Celtic.
So let’s forgive last night’s messy performance. We’ve had a few this season but we’ll still win the league. Let’s perform on Saturday (or Sunday) and remind Scotland why Celtic are and always will be the best team in Scotland.
Hail Hail
We we have won the league this year with Secvo in it?
Torino news ..
The Torino authorities have allocated a specified area to Celtic fans –
The Corso San Maurizio —- [ the stretch between Via Rossini and Rondo Rivella.]
” Hooliganism ” will not be tolerated .
Do not go the stadium unless you have a ticket for the Celtic section of the ground .
You must print your name and address on your ticket with indelible ink . Name /address must match your passport / ID Card details. .
All tickets / Passports will be checked . No match no admittance . No passport / no ID card = no admittance ..
PS —- film fans —-the nearby -Museo Nazionale del Cinema is real good.
The rotten mob will be fastracked into a new reconstructed (orchestrated) league as the peepel have no case to answer ! Guilty Guilty Guilty of cheating but no relevant punishment ! The media driven Punished Enough propaganda has worked a treat ! Plenty of Triumphalism tonight from the usual suspects !! Rotten little backwater !
We are rebuilding this Club and are making great strides.
Last time we got beat from Stirling Albion. This time we got a draw.
new article posted.
Ellboy – I am Neil Lennon, YNWA.,
they didnt cheat, were have you been it was an genuine error and the other error was it went on for years unoticed another error it happens it really does,
Summa of Sammi,
poor analogy.
My old man , rangers and adultery.
You can do better than that.
You might not want to draw any links between Rangers and ny Old Man within shouting distance.
Seville67
This decision today stinks to high heaven and that’s me finished with Scottish football,I will still forever love Celtic but until we can find a way out am finished, somebody put the light out HH
I don’t post much these days, however i’m totally disgusted with this cowards decision today.
To be honest not really surprised but was hopeful that honesty and justice would prevail.
Then again this is Scotland, now where do we go from here. I get that old feeling again, of what is the point anymore.
Sad day for Scottish football IMO.
Disgusted by this decision but not surprised. Can you imagine if this was Celtic?? I am completely deflated and the only return for me is a strong statement from Celtic , I’m fed up lying down. If it wasn’t for scots fans, rangers would be playing in SPL as if nothing happened. No integrity means this is not a fan sport.