Whitewashing in the age of Judicial Reviews, fans united, we’re gonna do it anyway

Mike Ashley’s petition for a Judicial Review of the processes the SFA followed when finding Dave King fit and proper to run a football club is a lightbulb moment. The decision, taken by the SFA board, was not unanimous. I am sure some pointed to King’s enormously controversial past and alerted supportive voices of the potential for trouble ahead.

The dissenting voices were voted down, but just like Heidi Poon, their unwelcome guidance will ultimately be found to be assured.

What Ashley has demonstrated is that anyone can ask for a Judicial Review. CQN’ers could ask for one into the scope, probity and remit of the Lord Nimmo Smith Commission, for example. I discussed this some time back with an advocate who suggested we hold tight.

The SFA and SPFL must tread carefully, they are no longer in control of events. It would be wise for them to wait until the Supreme Court appeal notification deadline passes before choosing any path.

In the meantime, whoever decided to fan the flames by launching the “no appetite” blocking strategy should calm the waters. There is enormous appetite to look into what many within and outside of Scotland are calling the biggest cheating scam in British sport.

People are angry right now, not at the cheating they have suspected for years, but at the authorities attempt at whitewashing.

There are demonstrations and boycotts being discussed. Millions of words have been written.

Groups of Celtic and Hearts fans are becoming unnervingly cooperative, good grief! See what you’ve done, Mr “No Appetite” man? Supportive understanding is NOT how I usually relate to Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen, United or Dundee fans. Even Motherwell fans!

Before we get Labi Siffre records back in the charts…

Before the PPI industry start sending “Is there a Judicial Review you’d like to instruct” recorded messages to our phones….

A calming word from the SPFL, in the first instance, should be issued. All it needs to do is acknowledge the Court of Session verdict, and that the notification deadline for a subsequent appeal has not passed. This would commit to nothing, but it would also supersede the earlier attempt to whitewash, and perhaps allow some to get back to doing their day jobs.

For the record, a whitewash will simply not be possible. The fan-mechanisms, honed in 2012, are fired-up. We’re gonna do it anyway.

On Ashley, I’ve said this before about him, our enemy’s enemy is not our friend. Ashley has good reason to raise legal actions against those who subverted his interests at Newco, but he is not someone you or I would want associated with our football club. Those who campaign to remove his influence from their clubs (including Newcastle) do so with sound reason. Even if their tactics harm their club far more than Ashley.