This morning the Daily Record led with a front page headline “Celtic and the tax dodge firm”. They went on, “Celtic supremo Peter Lawwell and other club figures have been linked to a £434million tax dodge”, linking Martin O’Neill, Neil Lennon and a number of players from the O’Neill era.
Let’s be clear on the facts of this case:
Celtic employees (they did speak to each other) took advice from one of the big four accountancy firms and made arrangements accordingly.
Each of these employees declared these arrangements to HMRC.
HMRC informed them that these ‘investments’ were not offset-able against tax.
All Celtic and former Celtic staff settled this issue with HMRC years ago.
This was reported in 2012 (a cursory internet search will confirm). Nothing new has happened to any Celtic or former Celtic employee since. No Celtic or former Celtic employee is involved in any on-going related issues.
Celtic pay employees through income declared to HMRC. Tax was and is deducted at source and paid to HMRC – including the matter referred to today. They even asked HMRC if tax was due on Juninho’s EBT and paid by return when told it was.
There are no hidden tax schemes at Celtic. There are no side-letter arrangements at Celtic nor has there ever been. There are no disputes with HMRC.
The newspaper headline is misleading; “Celtic and the fax dodge firm”. There is not once piece of correspondence between Celtic and HMRC or any other body on this matter. Celtic deducted and paid tax to HMRC which their employees subsequently applied for relief against. HMRC have not demanded any connected payment from Celtic, nor is any due.
They can pick on Peter Lawwell, Martin O’Neill and Neil Lennon if that is their motivation (their hostility to each of them has been clear for years), but headlines putting the words “Celtic” and “tax dodge” are designed to damage your club. This is unacceptable.
The bigger question is “Why?”
It’s a tax issue reported years ago which nothing will subsequently happen about because nothing is in dispute by any of the parties concerned. So why make it a front page story now?
That remains a mystery for the time being, but know how ‘news’ works in Scotland, and more importantly, know who instructs what makes the news. This has all the hallmarks of a deflection piece before something bigger hits the fan. Someone is panicking.
The issue remains what do Celtic do about this kind of media distortion. Some newspapers are under so much financial pressure they live for tomorrow’s headline, accountability is a luxury they cannot afford to think about. They do not appear concerned at biting the hand that feeds them.
One (good) news journalist I know told me the football guys keep his ‘paper afloat, as no one would buy to read his (worthy) submissions. Football is the last gig in town for the old media. As a consequence, your club will be savaged at any opportune moment, with or without just cause.
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TONYDONNELLY67 on 12TH OCTOBER 2016 1:09 PM
PHILBHOY on 12TH OCTOBER 2016 12:54 PM
TONYDONNELLY
You come on here and insult you host, yet continue to post.
You are indeed a keyboard clown.
If you had any honour you would not post again.
Heavens to Betsy I do declare he’s off on one again, oh! I need to go toilet, he’s a bad man, disrupting this blog, and attacking old pensioners, some times you wonder if it’s worthwhile taking the abuse on her
I’m an old man and live on my own I love CFC and come in here for companionship, and I get called a clown, and being told in my senior years that I have no honour,! Is a thing I thought I’d never hear at this stage in my life, some days it’s not good being a Celtic supporter as others make it difficult, and have no concern for the elderly, it’s very sad.
………………..
Crocodile tears.
Cliquety Claquety Cliquety Claquety
Tony Donnelly 67. I know many elderly Celtic Fans who live on their own, and one or two post here, who do not come on here with the same aggression and hatred for fellow Celtic fans that you do. This is not a turn of phrase i normally use for a fellow Celtic support, which I have no doubt in my mind that you are, but ‘You bring it on yourself’.
I stopped feeling sorry for you when it became apparent you were a liar (not an attack but a fact) and a physically abusive individual of a fellow Celtic supporter.
This however be my last ever comment to you and I will scroll past every comment you post from here on in. let’s make life easy eh?
MWD I just heard the smallest violin ever played?
Back to the blog and serious things.
At what stage does the club decide-“Enough is enough!”-and disengage from the DR?
They have form as long as your arm for anti-Celtic stories,some on even more spurious grounds than their latest.
They have lost libel cases brought by our employees,and are lucky there weren’t more.
Spend a day or two trawling through their lies and negativity over the last three decades. Present it to their MD and also that of their “holding company”,an expression that they are inordinately fond of,and tell them that as a result they are no longer welcome.
Their stance will be monitored thereafter,as will that of other publications.
We have the upper hand here. We don’t need them,they need us. Equally,we don’t lie or dissemble about them in The Celtic View.
Our hands are clean. Or will be when we wash them of the filth we allow through our front door,hospitality anaw.
I don`t find personal vendettas being acted out on here particularly interesting but at least Tony and Philbhoy are exchanging ` pleasantries` with a touch of humour. That is a step forward.
JJ
Auldheid – John James has suggested a VAT issue. However, I think it’s not one big thing but perhaps a series of smaller issues which are snowballing. There was tell last week of invoices for work in May and June that were struggling to get paid
The only thing that seems concrete is that today’s DR story is a great, big squirrel.
PHILBHOY
Proud of you,mate. Take a bow.
Two smashing girls yer knocking yer pan out for,btw!
‘The brouhaha in today’s Daily Rectum is not an exclusive. It is not, as many are being led to believe, a triumph for investigative journalism. BS Cooney and Jackass have difficulty investigating their desks for a pack of Fisherman’s Friends to disguise a fly lunchtime half.’
From JJ today….. ;-))))
I don’t think TD’ s looking for sympathy.
There are no disputes with hmrc,so I suggest Celtic FC start answering back or is it silence is golden’?Staff that are employed by this rag should not be allowed access anywhere owned by Celtic FC.Advertising by the rag should be prohibited until the club deems them suitable for work.It is about time that OUR club sourced the enemies that are trying their best to destroy us and treat them in a fashion that they are barred from the environs of Celtic Park and other Celtic FC property.If it is not ‘silence is golden’ as I suggested then it is time a public relations officer is brought on board and tackle these ‘pub scribes’ head on.Meet fire with fire!!!!
“You bring it on yourself”
Hahahahaha, me and Lenny eh, ah well am in good company then,
MSW you take drama at Uni? Bet you never ended up in RADA?
That was one corny armature night post hahaha. Unreal.
BMCUWP
Thank you!
They are in Edinburgh today climbing Arthur’s Seat, then some shopping.
The wee yin has been studying hard and deserves a break.
Then Stonehaven on Friday for the weekend, canny wait!
Regards to all!
Are we no due another Hoot soon?
I side with those who would ban the DR but there must be a reason why Celtic do not (seem) to share this view.
Until we know why OUR Club doesn`t , I , for one, will comment no further on the matter.
More importantly, what about team selection for Saturday with BMG in mind?
I think I would rest some of our more vulnerable players so as to avoid injuries. That being so, here is the JJ selection:
Gordon
Gamboa Simunovic Svietchenko Izaguirre
Roberts Brown Armstrong Bitton Sinclair
Griffiths.
That team should be strong enough to collect three points.
JJ
Sympathy Moi? In a blog? Cmmmoooon get real.
PHILBHOY
I was lucky to make the last one!
Hopefully fighting fit next time. No excuses.
No way I could have climbed Arthur’s Seat two weeks ago. Health aside,I’m just not that way inclined(!)
Celtic preparing a statement on this morning’s Daily Record story.
Seemingly the tax demands for EBT huns have started dropping through letter boxes in the leafy postcodes of Scotland and beyond, hence the garbage in the Daily Rag
You can’t ban the DR for a headline, and the story mentioned others involved apart from anyone connected with CFC,, other clubs and names where used, tsk tsk tsk, knee jerk reactions are a sevco thing, not CFC.
Stop grabbing the moral high ground when there’s no need to, IMO.
Let’s hope the oul’ nightshift get posting again,it was far more pleasant than the discord being sown by one attention-seeking old git in the afternoon.
Yes Auld Tam I see a statement, but not a ban, IMO.
BMCUWP
I’m sorry, I didn’t get the chance to talk to you about that!
My blood group is “o” negative so I may be of assistance next time.
Mind you, I hope there’s nae next time.
You;ll know what I mean.
BMCW
Ehhhh we’ve moved on, why keep throwing petrol on it? Smartin up, it was a laugh, get real.
Maybe GB banner makers could do a daily record front page.
Headlines to consider:
WE PRINT LIES EXCLUSIVE
Or
……… I am sure that there are better, more creative suggestions.
Did I hear a CRANK?
MWD :@-)
I wouldn’t ban them just follow the Klopp method. “Are you from the Daily Record? I’m not answering your questions because……”. Take your pick from any number of reasons.
2 excellent articles from JJ and JF today
Daily Record running a story that will be music to the ears of ‘ra peepul’
This is the kind of nonsense that keeps them stupid. Ultimately, this is good for Celtic.
If somebody repeatedly, and publicly, derided my family, and tried to falsely denounce them in ignominy… regardless of the perhaps value of the befouled gifts they offered, in mock remorse, in exchange of my forgiveness of their calculated and stratigised evils… I could not accept their pay-offs, nor would I ever let them enter my home ever again.
To do otherwise would be to prostitute my greed as greater than my principles and the indelible and eternal shame and stigma would be more mine than theirs.
But that is just me.
BHOYJOEBELFAST on 12TH OCTOBER 2016 1:36 PM
I agree with much of what you say, but in principle I don’t believe in bans.
But there is more than one way to skin a cat. For too long our PR and legal teams have been inept in dealing with attacks on our club, our supporters and our employees. I totally agree with your sentiment ” Meet Fire With Fire”
We can start this via Press Conferences at our time , our invitations, Our subject matter and our agenda. It should be quite simple to set the media against each other.
Many of us have been calling for this approach for some time. We really need to go on the offensive or these attacks will continue unabated.
We should have set our stall out after the Tonev incident
Silence is definitely not always golden. Enough is enough.
But presently the big question is why. ?
HH
Wonder what the impending story is?
I mean, admin and liquidation are old hat.
What else could it be?
What about the former players and manager taking legal action against the rag?
Has anyone’s feelings been so hurt they can sue for millions?
Mibbe Big Sutty could do with a few bob.
Mind you, he won’t read the record.
Can someone inform him please.
I read TD67’s 1.47 post in my best Yoda voice. It was pretty funny but still didnay make much sense. Harder try I must:_)
JJ, table booked for Sat and Wed pre match.
Celtic should have banned the record years ago. “Thugs and thieves”!!!
If you put up with a 4 year old club claiming to have won more titles and trophies than you in your 128 years, and then with the League in which you play publicly endorsing the absurd claim, thus rendering the Competition a farce, it seems to me you’ll put up with anything.
ACGR
Sense I don’t make? Then offf you must ….
Banning journalists does not sit easy with me. However sending them and their employers letters from legal representatives highlighting the consequences of reputational damage and the likelihood of future legal action occurring if it continues I would wholeheartedly welcome. That and the demand for a retraction as a minimum.
On the plus side once the fog has cleared I look forward to imminent real news of actual tax problems, liquidity issues and an insolvency event at a young Glasgow football club south of the Clyde.
auldheid
The appeal against the Court of Session decision in favour of HMRC re the EBT case (04 November 2015) is being carried out by BDO (‘Joint Liqidators) and was given leave on 08 March 2016, the costs of which will be met by BDO. Nothing to do with the new Club. See ‘Report to Creditors 7 June 2016’ (online) for most recent update on assets and liabilities re the case. BDO has some £16 million for creditors, down from £24 million a year or two back. And counting.
BMCUW
“We have the upper hand here. We don’t need them,they need us. Equally,we don’t lie or dissemble about them in The Celtic View.”
I think it’s Trinity Newspapers who print The Celtic View! por cierto
ROBERTTRESSELL:
Journalists work for the Daily Record… really!!!
I hope this isn’t being done to distract from Bobby Murdoch being honoured at Ruglen town hall this week (is it Friday)
BMCUW blog name reminded me of that!
I have a great affection for the great Bobby Murdoch, the Heartbeat of the Lions with the heart of a Lion.
That and a Celtic legend honoured in Rutherglen Town Hall has to be a sign of progress.