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Topping increasingly sounds like Blatter

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Retiring SPFL chairman Ralf Topping addressed the issue of Rangers EBTs in the light of the recent Supreme Court ruling in an interview today with The Scotsman.  It is clear he is well-briefed on what is ‘in the post’ for the football authorities in Scotland from “fans groups”:

“There are a lot of wealthy people who support football clubs who will fund certain activities around challenges. The authorities just have to accept it and be measured in their response.”

Topping told The Scotsman, their solicitor, “the finest in the land”, made sure they were “ready for any challenges subsequently”.

The SPFL would save themselves and everyone else a lot of time and money if, instead of briefing friendly journalists who would refrain from asking the pertinent questions, they would address the matter in hand.

 

Why did the SPL (now the SPFL) set the parameters for what became the Lord Nimmo Smith (LNS) Commission to examine from 1998, then, when it became clear Rangers would admit guilt for offenses between 1998 and 2000, change that date to run from 2000?

Why did the SPL not lead evidence to the LNS Commission on the five players Rangers admitted guilt to the First Tier Tribunal, for offenses committed during the period in question (after 2000)?

Why did the SPL not reserve the right to appeal the LNS decision, which was predicated on EBTs being executed legally, pending the HMRS appeal?

Other questions, like who made the above decisions and why, can be addressed later.

If only the SPFL would “be measured in their response”, if only they would respond at all!  There has been no response to these questions, only prevarication, misdirection and evasion.

The more those at the top of Scottish football speak, the more they sound like Sepp Blatter, who for years set inquiries and boasted about his robust legal advice on the running of Fifa.

Frankly, Topping and his cronies are not in Blatter’s league.  They are not career criminals, but their briefing of selected journalists while studiously avoiding the question every fan would like to see answered, increasingly looks like a cover-up.

Celtic’s call for action will be ignored by the SPFL and SFA, but that must not be the end of it.  Just do the right thing, Ralph; answer the questions.

 

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  1. Hamiltontim on

    AngelG

     

     

    Absolutely no apologies needed my friend it would have been great to see you but circumstances dictate. Thank you for your generosity amigo.

     

     

    Burnley

     

     

    Last season was probably the best I’ve experienced as a Tim. There were many things the board got right but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be criticised for the things they get wrong.

     

     

    Refusing tickets without consultation with supporters was a very poor decision. Today the Green Brigade were refused access to their drums etc and to display a banner so took up other seats in the stadium. In my opinion that’s wrong.

     

     

    It’s about balance.

  2. Hamiltontim on

    Lennybhoy

     

     

    Back from Dubai late last night and off to Portugal at 6:40am tomorrow we’ve been absolutely spoiled and blessed D. Thank you so much for your generosity and for sharing in our day.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  3. Gordon64 on

    The Green Brigade were not at CP today due to a ‘Communication issue’. Coolhandlukecsc hh

  4. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    Hamiltontim , i’m glad everything went well for the wedding and my best wishes to you both.

     

     

    When I got to my seat today , I noticed the front of 111 was partially occupied then those who were in place all left about 5 minutes before kick off .

     

     

    Let’s hope the Green Brigade and Board’s relationship is not as stained as it was.

  5. Hamiltontim on

    Dallas

     

     

    I’m unsure at the moment because I didn’t make it today but my understanding is that Celtic refused the GB access to the stuff kept in the stadium and a banner was refused access. I’m guessing it was a payback for the 67th minute display against Hearts.

     

     

    UTLR

  7. bankiebhoy1 on

    Thank goodness the vast majority of supporters took the sensible decision in line with the Club’s policy with regards to the Linfield game………..

     

     

    You’d have to love the passion and enthusiasm of those supporters who chose to ignore the good advice of the Club though.

  8. Up like a bird on

    I’ll be honest here as much as i can be

     

     

    The mrs wee bhoy is 11 years old and dying to get in next to the green brigade for a game, see trying to explain to the woman that i am on a 1 man protest it’s heart breaking.

     

     

    Do the right ffs , theres a generation depending on Celtic doing the right thing or atleast Scottish football going a step in the right direction.

     

     

    PAUL67 alluded to ages ago that there is a new breed of fans coming through but you cant be that ignorant of the fact that the old school is the ones who pass down the knowledge to the kids.

  10. An Tearmann on

    HT/Minx

     

     

    Thanks for a lovely evening amid the best of Timmery at your reception. It was a great night.hope Dubia was great and Portugal is too.

     

    Best wishes and god bless you both.

     

    :-)

     

    Hail Hail

  12. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    Hamiltontim, thanks for te reply .

     

     

    I’m frendly with one of the Green Brigade , he might divulge what happened.

     

     

    Enjoy Portugal

  13. Hamiltontim on

    Bankiebhoy

     

     

    In all honesty I’ve yet to meet a Tim face to face who agreed with Celtic’s decision.

  14. Burnley78 on

    Hamilton Tim

     

     

    Agree 100% re the board not always getting things right but getting a lot right.

     

     

    The examples you state could well be examples of the former I agree but don’t know enough about the Linfield scenario to be sure.

     

     

    Wider context is not always apparent to all, certainly not to me and probably can’t always be on some issues.

     

     

    The big big issue is one Celtic do seem to be alone in even intimating a stance on right now. This is a great shame as clearly an aligned position amongst all the clubs who were cheated would be a better start place. Unfortunately no other club has said anything. Clearly to most people a privately raised judicial review is the most likely way to force anyones hand. I am certain a full impartial review by an independent group into Scottish Football Governance is an outcome everyone would want.

     

     

    I can’t for he life of me see what end game some folk on here think Celtic can get by trying to take this on themselves alone ? Bonkers. My sense is our board know they need to be much cleverer than that. Maybe some folk want us to copy ‘ Club Statement FC across the city ? Management by raging press release…..

     

     

    Anyway great to be back with the football. Hope all went great with the wedding ?

  18. Burnley78 on

    Angel G

     

     

    My own hope is more clubs support our challenge and that more fans of other clubs show they care. Cutting our own throats is not my idea of a good strategy though if they don’t. A judicial review appeal or similar makes more sense for me. I am sure the club would welcome a group taking such a stance in so far as they could.

  19. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    HT, I,d like to add my thanks for being allowed to be part of you,re special day. It was a truly wonderful experience to be in such company.

     

     

    Enjoy Portugal and we,ll be seeing you and your lovely bride at CP soon enough.

     

     

    HH

  20. Up like a bird on

    BURNLEY78 on 16TH JULY 2017 12:07 AM

     

     

    It’s been said from the beginning that the biggest losers out of all this fiasco this will effectively be Celtic.

     

     

    BT CL money has now eradicated that as our clubs ambition is to make as much money as possible.

     

    the fans voice is now null and void ..simples

  23. setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on

    I found this online student review of William Golding’s “Lord of the (Different) Flies (Same Shit)”

     

     

    It reads remarkably similar to the SFA handling of the 2012 Liquidation. One part may have been Awe-Nawed :-

     

     

     

     

     

     

    When Lord of the Flies opens, a plane carrying a group of British boys has crashed on Liquidation Island. Oops. (Also, apparently the world is at war. This matters.) With no adults around, the boys are left to fend for and govern themselves. Things start out okay. The boys use a conch shell as a talking stick, and Ralph, one of the older boys, becomes “chief.”

     

    And then trouble begins. They’re afraid of a “beast” somewhere on the island, and then they decide to build a signal fire using the glasses of a boy named Piggy (who is a portly fellow, and also the most loyal friend to Ralph). But Jack, jealous of Ralph’s power, decides the boys should devote their energies to hunting food (namely pigs) instead of maintaining the fire. The longer they’re on the island, the more savage he becomes. Meanwhile our other key player, a wise and philosophical boy named Simon, works with Ralph to build shelters.

     

    Eventually these latent conflicts become not so latent, and the boys who are supposed to be tending the fire skip out on their duties to kill a pig. The blood and gore of the hunt is all very exciting until they realize that, while they were out being bloodthirsty boys, the fire went out and a ship passed by without noticing them. Jack has also managed to punch Piggy in the face and break one lens of his glasses. Not good.

     

    Right about this time a dead man attached to a parachute blows in Mary-Poppins-style to the island. The mysterious parachuting creature is mistaken for the beast, and the boys begin a massive hunt to kill it. Only Simon (and, let’s face it, the audience) is skeptical, believing instead they’re really just afraid of themselves. He goes off into the woods to contemplate the situation while Jack and Ralph ascend the mountain and find the beast—but don’t stick around long enough to see that it is in fact only a dead man.

     

    Back in the group, Jack decides Ralph shouldn’t be chief anymore. He secedes and invites whoever wants to come with him and kill things (like more pigs, and maybe some people if they feel like it). Most of the older kids go with him, and Simon, hiding, watches Jack and Co. hunt a pig. This time, they slaughter a fat mother pig (in a scene described somewhat as a rape), cut off her head, and jam it onto a stick in the ground. Nice.

     

    Simon stares at the head, which he calls “the Lord of the Flies” as it tells him (he’s hallucinating, by the way) that it is the beast and that it is part of him (Simon). Simon passes out, gets a bloody nose, and wakes up covered in sweat, blood, and other generally disgusting things. Despite all this, he decides to continue up the mountain to face the beast, i.e. dead guy. Then he vomits and staggers down the mountain.

     

    By now, Ralph and Piggy (both rather ravenous) are attending (with all the other boys) a big feast/party that Jack (decorated like an idol) is throwing. It’s all a frenzied reenactment of the pig hunt until Simon, still bloody, sweaty, and covered in puke, stumbles down into the center of the crazed boys. He tries to tell them about the beast, but he is unrecognizable and the boys jab at him with their spears until he’s dead. Oops. Simon’s body is washed out to sea that night, and the wind carries off the body of the dead parachuting man, while Ralph and Piggy convince themselves they didn’t take part in murdering Simon.

     

    It’s all downhill from here. Jack’s crew attacks Ralph and Piggy and steals Piggy’s eyeglasses to make fire on their own. When Ralph and Piggy decide to calmly talk it out with the “savages,” Roger pushes a huge boulder off a cliff, killing Piggy. Ralph ends up running for his life, finds out that there’s a head-on-stick future planned for him, and at last makes it to the shore of the island where he runs into… an officer of the British Navy. The boys are rescued from their mock war, but we’re left with the image of the Navy’s “trim cruiser” from the real war of the adults.

  24. Auldheid on

    Burnley 78

     

     

    Nothing will be achieved by statements. They are water on a ducks back to the SFA/SPFL and we do not know the latter’s formal position.

     

     

    However as the club most affected in terms of supporters ire, if nothing is done Celtic have to indicate if they are accepting that position and why or that they intend to pursue without necessarily saying how.

     

     

    To ensure its not seen as a way to allow further drift, they need only appoint a few trusted supporters like yourself to give the cynics some form of regular assurance of progress. A kind of project board.

  32. petec on

    Delighted with the new seats. Leg Room City…. Not so much an issue for the wee guy, for me it was.

     

     

    Celtic is Looking Superb.

     

     

    Moussa Dembele is just warming up. :))

     

     

    He was Incredible yesterday.

     

     

    Aidan said “It’s just a pity Moussa and Leigh can’t play together”.

     

     

    Moussa is a Monster of a player. Yesterday he showed so much.

     

     

    Brendan isnae a Daft Punk.

     

     

    It is a pity that Leigh and Moussa cannae play together because of Brendans System.

     

     

    I’m very excited about this Seasons midfield. It’s gonnae be very Good.

     

     

    Big Kris @ the Back. Excellent tackles. Good reading of the game also.

     

     

    This Season is going to be MASSIVE.

  35. Sionnach Abu on

    AULDHEID on 15TH JULY 2017 12:51 PM

     

    So what we have here are a group of people who hatched what was a cunning plan to save Rangers because of the financial cost to Scottish football, but had to lie in the process. Had the SFA and then SPL done their registration jobs properly in the first place dishonesty would never have got past the start gate and further dishonesty would not have been needed to cover up the original sin.

     

    ————————————————————

     

    Tell us something we dont know.

     

    Practically speaking, what do we do about it?

  36. petec on

    When I seen Mark Hill @ Fullback…. I thought he was a winger.. I went for over 3.5 goals in the first half.

     

     

    The Young dude played well, he played safe passes most of the Time but he done them perfectly. Impressed.

     

     

    Kouassi again looked nervous initially starting for the Celts. He Grew into the game very quickly.

     

     

    Moussa D was just Mega Mega Mega Atomic.

     

     

     

    Bomb da Bass…..

     

     

    Don’t even try to Beat Dis

     

     

     

    Dig Deeper… There is indeed a Mega Blast…

     

     

    1988

  37. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    A Stor Mha Chroi, how you doing bruv? Tried to tell barney67 he was barking up the wrong tree but he was not havingit.

     

     

    Tried call you last night but couldn’t get through.

     

     

     

    HH

  40. petec on

    Yeah petec is excited.

     

     

     

    The Celtic Support clapping Good goals is Always Good, I never clapped because the Seagull RSC had just taken my attention away.

     

     

    Celtic Hen Harrier needed. The gulls are running amok.

     

     

    Celtic are Sensational right here and right now.

     

     

    Read the New Testament….. I prefer listening to it.

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