Campbell Ogilvie’s appointment as president of the SFA was always controversial. As general secretary and director of Rangers, Ogilvie was the club’s chief administrator during the final 11-year period they refused to employ Catholic footballers. In many other walks of life, this background would make him an embarrassing relic of a former era, but in Scottish football it was enough to see him promoted to the ultimate honour position.
He remained in position at Rangers long after the new regime of Sir David Murray arrived and set aside the decades-old sectarian employment policy but left the club in 2005, joining Hearts as operations director two months later. All of this puts the SFA president in central position regarding the on-going tax tribunal, which is charged with deciding if Rangers illegally evaded tax from a period starting in 2000 and going on well beyond Ogilvie’s departure.
If the First Tier Tribunal finds against Rangers the SFA must ask for Ogilvie’s immediate resignation. The association cannot have a president embroiled in a tax evasion scam which, even before a verdict has been decided, has already caused untold harm to his former club and the reputation Scottish football. The scale of the damage to public finances has yet to be definitively established but it will not make good reading.
The SFA has just embarked on its first proper investigation into whether directors of a football club, in this instance Rangers, are fit and proper persons to hold such a position. Office holders at the association cannot exercise power over the game if they are not subject to the same standards they demand from clubs. Pending this investigation, and the outcome of the tax tribunal, Ogilvie should temporarily step aside. Scotland is not yet a banana republic, public bodies must have robust ethics and must not allow the shadow of contagion to be cast over the body charged with ensuring legal and moral standards are adhered to.
The SFA has some enormously important months ahead. Its president is currently in a position to influence which course it takes and, if the tribunal verdict falls against Rangers, could be implicated in the scandal which precipitated the crisis. While I am sure Campbell Ogilvie will be shown to have acted with impeccable ethical standards, the SFA must quickly establish a structure clear of contagion.
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philvisreturns says:
21 February, 2012 at 13:04
Is it not the case though that the cycle of boom and bust is an integral part of capitalism and that there will therefore inevitably be periods when there aren’t enough jobs to go around?
If you were owed money, would you accept 10p in the £1 from these muppets?
Ally McCoist said on Saturday that he remained hopeful job losses will be kept to a minimum following the administrators’ review of staff.
“One of the things the administrators have said is that cuts, people losing their jobs, isn’t inevitable,” said the manager after the home reverse to Kilmarnock.
“They have said it’s a possibility, but it’s not inevitable. That in itself I would find encouraging.
“That’s not to say that it won’t happen, but I think it gives everybody hope.
“In the grand scheme of things, that is one of, if not the, most important things.”
One of the main reasons for McCoist’s optimism was the decision of the administrators to allow Rangers to attempt to conclude the signing of Daniel Cousin.
The club had confirmed the Gabon striker’s return to Ibrox – subject to international clearance – 24 hours before the club was forced into administration.
Cousin was not registered with the Scottish Premier League at that stage and, under its rules relating to insolvency events, it blocked the player’s registration on Friday.
Asked if Rangers will appeal the decision, McCoist said: “I don’t know, I haven’t spoken to the administrators, but we will definitely have a chat with the administrators.
“What I would say is, they totally backed us in attempts to get Daniel Cousin to the club.
“It was the board of the SPL who knocked it back.”
RobertTressell – To call it “slave labour” is an insult to the memory of people who suffered under slavery.
Being asked to work a maximum of 30 hours a week for 8 weeks in exchange for having your rent paid, your Council Tax waived, and JSA in your pocket is not “slave labour” or anything even remotely like it.
Sainsbury’s incidentally have retracted their interest in the scheme under pressure from Trade Unions opposed to people being exploited in this way.
Just as in the shameful days of closed shops and institutionalised anti-Catholic sectarian employment practices, the Trade Unions are the enemy of the unemployed, and any government effort to help the unemployed find jobs. (thumbsup)
Just got cramp in my foot there,shot up off the couch and tried to manipulate it back to normal.
As you do.
My mate says I’m the worst dancer he’s ever seen.
Did I mention my mate is a t..t?
Should they loose the big tax case, what’s the odds that Scottish Government planning laws will be changed in order that the Murray Park land can be sold off for house building, yielding the maximum financial return for a otherwise untennable company (If indeed they do own the land)?
RANGERS would become the highest profile fan- owned club in Britain should the Light Blue legions take control at Ibrox.
Supporters could soon have a key say in how their club is run, and by who, if Paul Murray the disgraced former Ibrox director is successful in his takeover attempt, which would see fans invest in his ‘Blue Knights’ scheme and given shares and voting rights. The most famous examples of fan ownership are found in Spain, with La Liga leaders Real Madrid and reigning European champions Barcelona both run by their supporters, who buy stakes in the clubs and are given the power to make key appointments to the respective boards, including the role of president. It is to Germany where Rangers are likely to look for inspiration as always, however, with Hamburg, whose fans enjoy a friendly relationship with their Ibrox counterparts, the model many Gers supporters would like to see followed. Each club in Germany has at least 51% fan ownership, with Hamburg, the oldest club in the country, the highest profile not-for-profit organisation in the Bundesliga. In Scotland, there are six clubs that are run by their supporters, including Irn-Bru First Division side Dundee, who emerged from their second administration last season after a series of severe cutbacks. South of the border, AFC Wimbledon, AFC Liverpool, AFC Telford United and Chester FC are fan-owned. It is looking increasingly likely that a fan ran club will emerge in Scottish division three next year playing at Ibrox stadium and training at Convict No. 17321 park
The Honest Mistake loves being first says:
21 February, 2012 at 13:18
+++++
He was replying to BontyBhoy
Luckily I’m not in a position to claim housing benefit and jsa,it should be remembered though,the rigmarole of applying and constantly justifying your entitlement to these benefits whilst considering the logistics of being sent out to work at the same time,I also believe that such benefits have not risen with inflation at a level where you are better off claiming,try visiting a job centre to see just what is available,the coalition would be better focusing on that.
jock steins celtic @ 12:55,
“what exactly is the point of this SFA investigation ?
simple really, its a smoke screen to protect the sfa from being questioned on any related matters, such as todays topic.
They are trying to focus on the hun insolvency whilst denying any responsibility.
Good thing is, the rest of the meeja will only catch up with todays topic in about a fortnight, so as te results are being published (if they are published), the crack scottish meeja will be ready to question the sfa’s involvement :oD))))
ha ha stupid huns (I like that, thanks, very homeresque)
gerryguk7 says:
21 February, 2012 at 13:23
great post
lets not rewrite the past
Hail Hail
Bonty Bhoy
If you leave aside all you have said after your “not too fussed”
I am fussed because 3rd Party ownership is against FIFA rules and as the SFA/SPL are encompassed within that scope
I want them punished and brutally punished at that. Relegation will do as a start.
Going back to the rest of your post; I want them punished again as brutally as possible for all those allegded acts of wrongdoing, whatever
form that takes. Liquidation and NewCo into SFL 3 for starters
Kinda like two helpings of jelly and ice cream with 100’s and 1000’s
Hail Hail
Stephen with a “ph”
Bhoys and Ghirls.
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, traditionally a day for self mortification and acts of penance.
In the current circumstances this could be interpreted as being a jelly and ice cream free day accompanied by a, temporary at least, abstinence from gloating.
When lawyers come along to these situations they always remember the maxim that justice must not only be done, it must also be SEEN to be done . When the great and the good from the legal world have been co opted to sort out football’s messes recently, they haven’t done a bad job on the whole.
Remember Jim Farry versus Wee Fergus?
Jim Farry’s Fall From Grace
And what about even more recent history, Neil versus Everyone?
George Peat Criticized for lack of fair play
So, I don’t think Lord Nimmo Smith will be quite the fifth columnist the Hun is hoping for.
What you get when the SFA keep things in house and the lawyers out is the type of thing the well known case of Ally versus His Bestest Pals throws up .
Super Ally Boogy Diuoufy were ‘misunderstood’
‘Mon the lawyers.
Half Time Tombola says:
21 February, 2012 at 12:32
Cheers for posting the link!
ernie lynch – Is it not the case though that the cycle of boom and bust is an integral part of capitalism and that there will therefore inevitably be periods when there aren’t enough jobs to go around?
Ernie, there is such a thing as the business cycle but the cycles of boom and bust we’ve seen in the Western world since the 20th century have been largely the product of government control over the money supply creating artificial credit booms which inevitably go bust with ugly consequences.
Also, any graph charting supply and demand tells us that the supply of jobs is dictated by the price of labour. Lower the cost of hiring people and more jobs get created. (thumbsup)
Philvis,
There’s a good chance the Unions are against the scheme because of the obvious effect it will have on suppressing wage inflation; are they not only protecting the interests of their members?
If I was, God fobid, unlucky enough to be unemployed, I would be very nervous about working in a low paid, unskilled environment for what amounts to far less than what my fellow employees were earning, and thereby preventing them from getting more hours (many workers are on zero hour contracts remember). The potential for resentment is obvious.
Don’t forget many low paid workers also receive Housing Benefit or CT benefit as well. I don’t buy the argument that sainsbury’s, Tesco, couldn’t afford to take these people on as paid members of their workforce. The DWP under the previous government had a scheme which guaranteed funding to employers to take on employees as trainees for 6 months. The Tory government scrapped it. I’m not sure, looking at their alternative, that that decision now seems to make much sense.
Stephen with a “ph” KANO 1000 Supports the Green Brigade and is standing up for NEIL LENNON says:
‘I want them punished again as brutally as possible for all those allegded acts of wrongdoing, whatever’
I wouldn’t describe it as punishment.
If they’re insolvent they should be wound up.
If a newco starts, it should start in the third division.
That’s not punishment. It’s just applying the rules fairly and not doing them any favours.
gerryguk7 says:
21 February, 2012 at 13:23
“paradigmatic”…I had to look that up! :-)
I suppose my point is that we are not all privvy to the workings of our club, especially around transfer windows, were some secrecy is required.
I have no idea if the club were negligent in January 2009 wrt Fletcher, but I know for sure that the information forthcoming from the media was not slanted towards CFC.
Bandwagons and all that.
HH
The Honest Mistake
It was me who made that claim, not Stephen.
Dirtymac.
I’m in favour of that position. I’d heard different. I guess it may depend how you define 3rd party ownership, but, it’s fair to say that we have a much more straightforward view of this in the UK than you will find in a number of other countries. For what it’s worth, I had heard that on the back of the Tevez scenario the FA were re-considering their position to bring them into line with other countries who may be seen to take advantage of 3rd party ownership more easily.
From memory Portugal and Italy were two countries where such ‘arrangements’ were commonplace.
philvisreturns says:
21 February, 2012 at 13:30
Lower the cost of hiring people and more jobs get created.
+++++
Agreed – everyone currently in employment should get a couple of grand or so below the current average wage thus allowing the difference to be utilised for additional employment.
Or were you meaning something else?
Richie says:
21 February, 2012 at 13:12
=========
Richie, I am more than happy to admit that I was firmly in the “Speculate to accumulate” camp and I am equally happy to admit that, not only was I wrong, but I’m also happy to express my gratitude to PL, Brian Quinn and Dermot Desmond for holding their nerve when the pressure to give in to the support must, at times have been unbearable.
Both these points I readily concede.
However, on the subject of the Steven Fletcher transfer window, I think that the decision over whether to go and get him must have been marginal. In the end, they didn’t and the league was lost and who knows if the outcome would have been different had we signed him, but I think, in hindsight, they might concede that this was an error of judgement.
If we had signed him we MIGHT have won the league that season and it MIGHT have brought Rangers to their current plight a year or two earlier.
That said, I’m not going to let such speculation spoil my enjoyment of the situation they find themselves in.
Hail, hail
gerryguk7 – Yes, the Unions are there to lobby for their members.
Therefore they are inevitably on the opposite side to the interests of the unemployed.
I think it’s a good thing if unemployed people are given work experience and the chance of getting a job out of this scheme. It’s better than paying people to be idle. (thumbsup)
dirtymac \o/ – Agreed – everyone currently in employment should get a couple of grand or so below the current average wage thus allowing the difference to be utilised for additional employment.
That would be one way of doing it. (thumbsup)
philvisreturns says:
21 February, 2012 at 13:25
Big kahuna’s
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo says:
21 February, 2012 at 13:04
Rangers midfielder Matt McKay is set to seal a permanent transfer out of Rangers to North Korean side Busan I’Park, STV understands.
Well that is news I mean it’s not every day one of your star players moves to North Korea. How good must you be to get a move there?
just a wee reminder about lawwell
he’s the man that labelled the Celtic support as bad as the huns by refusing to appeal the UEFA fine, an appeal a first year secondary pupil would have won, ffs.
fair enough on his financial stuff, but then again his bonus is dependent on the financial stuff is it not.
voguepunter – My favourite burger joint. (thumbsup)
Ernie,
A strange day when we agree.
Sorry aboot that stephen with a ph.
I should really try to keep up.
Ernie
I know what you mean but looking at previous wrongdoings by RFC (In Administration) the punishments don’t usually fit the crime.
IMHO if they are liquidated and the NEWCO ends up in SFL 3 I will be delighted as the rules are being followed. Not sure what punishment would
apply thereafter. If HMRC saddled NEWCO with the £49million tax liability then I would assume that as punishment but not sure how enforcable
that would be.
In all honesty my ultimate wish is RFC to fold and not reform but that’s unlikely and we all know that.
Would be interested in your thoughts on a fitting punishment?
HH
Stephen with a “ph”
Richie says:
21 February, 2012 at 13:33
“I have no idea if the club were negligent in January 2009 wrt Fletcher, but I know for sure that the information forthcoming from the media was not slanted towards CFC.”
It rarely is! I also agree that it is difficult to identify whether PL or WGS, or somebody else was responsible for the decision not to sign Fletcher. Certainly, at a corporate level, not signing him for the figures quoted around that time now looks like a poor investment decision. Measured criticism of the board can flag that up without slating the signing policy in the round. Certainly since NL took over the signings have been far better, with almost all of them increasing in value and contirbuting to onfield success (fingers crossed) over the course of their time with the club. However, wrt the signing policy generally (buy cheap-ish and young, or develop ourselves, then sell high) PL deserves some praise for implementing it and retaining the disccipline to stick to it, even when certain others were printing money and spending it, burning creditors and ruining their club in the process.
Clutching @ straws time over Rangers media way :
http://forum.rangersmedia.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=211762
Former Rangers Captain retreats to safety
philvisreturns says:
21 February, 2012 at 13:30
‘Ernie, there is such a thing as the business cycle but the cycles of boom and bust we’ve seen in the Western world since the 20th century have been largely the product of government control over the money supply creating artificial credit booms which inevitably go bust with ugly consequences.’
You know perfectly well that’s nonsense.
‘Also, any graph charting supply and demand tells us that the supply of jobs is dictated by the price of labour. Lower the cost of hiring people and more jobs get created.’
That’s a given. The market rights itself. A bit difficult though for us in the UK when capital can source labour from the third world. And obviously impossible when you have a minimum wage. Hence maybe the real reason why people are having to work for no cost to the employer. Though obviously that’s just a state subsidy by any other means and should therefore be anathema to you.
To be honest a part of me would like a completely free market. I suspect most free marketeers wouldn’t be so keen. They know what the consequences would be.
On a micro level I don’t know if you’ve ever had to employ anyone. If you have you’ll know that the last thing any employer wants is a workforce that’s there on sufferance. The logic of cracking down on the workshy in the middle of a recession escapes me.
The Honest Mistake loves being first
No problem
HH
Stephen with a “ph”
Rangers interest from rugby club millionaire Brian Kennedy
The owner of Sale Sharks rugby club has become the latest business figure to express interest in buying Rangers.
Multi-millionaire home improvement entrepreneur Brian Kennedy has indicated his “tentative interest” in acquiring the Ibrox club.
Rangers went into administration with HMRC pursuing an unpaid £9m tax bill accrued since May 2011.
Sources close to Mr Kennedy said he was just one of hundreds of people who were looking at Rangers.
Rugby is the way forward for Rangers.
Kennedy born in Edinburgh is a Jehovah’s Witness
BontyBhoy says:
21 February, 2012 at 13:33
The Honest Mistake
It was me who made that claim, not Stephen.
Dirtymac.
I’m in favour of that position. I’d heard different. I guess it may depend how you define 3rd party ownership, but, it’s fair to say that we have a much more straightforward view of this in the UK than you will find in a number of other countries. For what it’s worth, I had heard that on the back of the Tevez scenario the FA were re-considering their position to bring them into line with other countries who may be seen to take advantage of 3rd party ownership more easily.
From memory Portugal and Italy were two countries where such ‘arrangements’ were commonplace.
+++++
The FA are very much against TP-ownership of players and are/were one of the key players in applying pressure on Uefa to end their usage, citing the instability they provide re asset value retention and external pressure to sell (Neymar has 5% of him permanently ‘owned’ by one company entitling them to a cut of all transfers in his career – can you imagine the pressure such investors apply on players to move?).
mearns 2 milton says:
21 February, 2012 at 13:42
That just shows you how the huns are, their club is at the edge of folding and what do they do, organize themselves, protest, no they simply see what they can do to hurt us, same as it ever was…
When the huns finally go bust their fans have no one to blame but themselves for their shameful behaviour and their complete lack of gumption…
It can’t come soon enough..
SP
mearns 2 milton says:
21 February, 2012 at 13:42,
Bless their little hearts, they’re determined to keep the mirth and merriment alive.