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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Paul67
I’m bought!!!
You know what…if, my beloved Celtic were run by fholk like you
I would renew KJ(junior)’s and my SB today!!!
God Bless and thanks
Off oot
Man Utd new stadium deal – Emirates Old Trafford
Mea Culpa@09:48
‘I am still highly suspicious of how Chuckles knew the date when the verdict would be published’
Said as much yesterday. A question that no one seems able to answer. He knew the verdict would be in at the end of February. He said so to the Sevconian hordes in Australia at the beginning of this month.
nope its cricket,
Steinreignedsupreme
If there is a guilty verdict today then there should be but a split second between the announcement and Ogilvie resigning.
I think the reason for the LNS commission was the unprecented nature of the charges. The SPL internal investigation held there was a prima facia case againsr oldco. Should oldco be found guilty and sanctions applied then they have a right to appeal to the SFA. Wether oldco would wish to appeal is another matter as they have no funds and are in liquidation. I don’t know if newco would have title to appeal as the case is concerned with oldco. Certainly no-one else would have title eg fans groups or individuals.
I think the Council for Arbitration in Sport might be getting a call later.
Just dropped back in to ask….
Jungle Jim
10:00 on 28 February, 2013
________________________________
Do you think that Neil should take a leaf from Michael Laudrup’s book and, play Beram at CH ala – Ki at Wembley on Sunday ?
Also…maybe this is just me but….I think that BK has cut a forlorn figure since – Neil played down Elbows disgraceful assault on BK as – “….nothing more than a 50-50 tackle. Just two committed players going for the ball.” said Neil.
HH
If titles disappear there will be meltdown on the various “Rangers” sites. Wonder who their ire will focus on – bound to be Peter Lawwell’s fault … unless LNS is a secret Celtic supporter.
istanbulcelt
09:58 on
28 February, 2013
Need a precedent look here…….
http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/latest-news/youth-football-club-thrown-out-of-cup-over-error-1-2811747
At every level of the game from youth to senior levels an error in registering players which results in an upheld appeal by the relevant body hearing such cases throws the errant club either out of the cup competition or removes any league points gained in which players play in without being properly registered
The above is and should be the least contentious aspect of the LNS commision
Mea Culpa
09:48 on 28 February, 2013
‘I am still highly suspicious of how Chuckles knew the date when the verdict would be published….’
I suspect, given the long strung out wait for the FTT tribunal decision, that LNS made it known confidentially to those involved in the hearing he would deliver his report by today, and that Chuckles has breached that confidence.
I doubt there’s any more to it than that.
Like a lot of people I have seen a red flag because the Yorkshire pudding knew when the verdict was coming.
That being said he has been unusually quiet of late. I don’t know quite how to read that.
It could be with the winding up order story, the boardroom problems and the Sectarian singing he has chosen to keep things more in house but if they get a slap on the wrist or the usual nothing done to them he’ll be back like a bad smell tonight, that is for sure.
Right never mind how CG knew today was verdict day. How come you lot knew there was a new article posted?
Excellent article Paul. It’s pure dripping with anticipation.
I booked today off work over a month ago….i demand to know how I knew something was gonna happen!:-D
I’m actually ripping the bathroom apart today. Do you think I should wait till high noon and invite some zombies to do it for me? Well, they’ll be wanting to smash something…..and they’ll do it for free.
HH
LNSCSC
Top of the morning to you all from a foggy Fife.
Good article Paul. Says much in few words.
There has been much progress by our tribe, no doubt about that but as recently as 1996 when the Dunbalne massacre happened there were huge questions about an establishment that had allowed a man of bad character to own guns and have the run of schools all over Scotland for his dubious boys clubs.
We now know from released secret files from the National Archives that the Secretary of State for Scotland had said in a memo to John Major at the time that to limit the extent of the inquiry they must make sure to have the “right judge”.
This appears to have been an indication that the judge needed to keep the lid on things and not look too closely at the establishment’s failures that led to the tragedy. A safe pair of hands for damage limitation was needed.
Let us hope that Nimmo-Smith has not been chosen for the same reason.
Tick tock, tick tock.
danso_1888 10:03 on 28 February, 2013
“nope its cricket”
Ah – that Old Trafford. Well, that’s just not cricket.
This is worse than a penalty shoot out all this waiting.
Kev Jungle
I believe BK would be terrible at CH 0:-)
If NL`s words affected him so much (which I don`t think is the case) then he is too mentally fragile.
JJ
“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.”
So basically you are saying that
“No one believes more than me that times have changed.”
Still holds true and we should not question the judgement because its not our place to question, aye right
You might be happy to tug your locks in the interest of cozying up to the establishment but dont call me paranoid if in the face of all the evidence the cheats are found innocent, especially if its decided on an obscure technicallity.
BK was at least trying as well as being trying . The team last night had been over tinkered with and I felt sorry for some of our players as there was no recognisable system in place.
They have to be found guilty. And as a consequence they should automatically lose titles and cups won when these practices were in operation.
Let truth and justice prevail.
Tick tock tick tock
http://tinyurl.com/ckc849q
Hail Hail
Estadio
KevJungle
Try not to be stupid.
Ki played there because of his range of passing and it meant he had more time on the ball than any other player on the pitch.
Berams passing last night was woeful, when on song he is a good player, but does not have the same accuracy that Ki had/has.
Plus when he is in midfield we press more.
100 minutes…..
From the SPL site:
“The written decision of the Commission appointed in relation to RFC 2012 Plc (now in liquidation) and Rangers FC and chaired by Lord Nimmo Smith will be published on Thursday 28 February at 12.00 noon.”
Are we talking one entity or two entities here? Is it possible for LNS to come up with two rulings? One against RFC 2012 Plc ( now in liquidation, ie deid) and one against Rankers FC?
Do any of you Bhoys know the answer to this or are they one and the same?
Why does the Commission decide on the punishment? Why not the SPL or SFA?
Morning from a wet hun free mountain valley.
The SPL knew that the huns had improperly registered players.
The reason we are awaiting the high noon verdict from the [ respected ] LNS is that the spl/sfa needed a legal to get them off on some technicality.
OF COURSE THE GAME WAS RIGGED….IT STILL IS…..
HH
lionroars67
10:09 on 28 February, 2013
istanbulcelt
09:58 on
28 February, 2013
Need a precedent look here…….
http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/latest-news/youth-football-club-thrown-out-of-cup-over-error-1-2811747
At every level of the game from youth to senior levels an error in registering players which results in an upheld appeal by the relevant body hearing such cases throws the errant club either out of the cup competition or removes any league points gained in which players play in without being properly registered
The above is and should be the least contentious aspect of the LNS commision
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Agreed lionroars67 If such stiff punishment is given out for a clerical error, just think what SHOULD be given out for deliberate cheating.
Hope there’s no pesky DoS attacks on CQN today.
Let the people sing
If LNS and his two comrades decide der hun is innocent we have to abide by that – sickening though it may be.
Hi Paul, well done on another lovely piece of writing. You seem to have a knack of summing things up beautifully, and today’s was especially fitting. I hope you’re right with your predictions, and that titles are stripped, however, as I posted yesterday, I dont have faith in the punishment part being appropriately meted out.
Thanks once again Paul, and I hope to be able to post before the site goes into meltdown @ 12.01.
HH
whilst we’re waiting,here’s a tune my daughter did yesterday
http://youtu.be/iXpvQIGU6Cs
You know, I find myself wondering. If they had somehow managed to come out of administration and avoided liquidation, thereby still actually being the old rangers. Would this commission even have taken place?
bamboo
At this level, “trying” is not good enough. Anyone can “try”.
I do agree, though, that the team sent out last night had no obvious system. That`s the manager`s responsibility. It is also his responsibility to experiment and rotate in his selections. This is a good time to do that even although defeat against Motherwell hurts.
JJ
Beram wasn’t the worst last night by a long chalk, people are always complaining that this team can’t mix it and as soon as Beram did mix it people were complaining that he’s a hot head and a liability, make yer mind up!!
Celtic were rubbish last night but there is no way that Neil and his team can please all of the football managers on here all the time..
What happened to the “off oot” money??
Sack Kev Jungle and get some real Jungle Bhoys to post for him!!
Big Nan,
exactly, and P67 is telling us to accept an innocent verdict without question, labelling anyone who questions an innocent verdict as paranoid.
Thats how to curry favour with an biased society, lets hope it doesnt come to that eh
Dharma
Let the ‘wearrapeepul’ swing!
http://tinyurl.com/ckc849q
Hail Hail
Estadio
Jungle Jim
10:16 on 28 February, 2013
____________________________
Fair point M8
Jungle Brothers – CSC
Hail Hail
God Bless
Off oot