You can Read All About It in Scotland’s former top selling newspaper this morning. The SFA and SPL have told Bill Miller he’s welcome into the top league in the country and there will be no additional penalties added to the club. The Daily Record tells us:
“Miller has been given assurances by Scottish football’s governing bodies that even though his survival plan involves a newco, Rangers will not lose their place in the SPL or be hammered with additional penalties.
“Administrator David Whitehouse said: “It’s my belief that is one of the assurances he (Miller) has received.””
Three Twitter comments from BBC correspondent, James Cook, yesterday afternoon captured similar information from the men currently managing Rangers:
“The administrators say they understand Bill Miller has assurances that Rangers will continue in the SPL with no further points deductions.
“Administrators say they understand Rangers will retain all previous titles and continue in SPL with no points deductions.
“Rangers’ administrators say the taxman is supportive of Bill Miller’s deal. HMRC say they have agreed to nothing.”
Mr Cook’s third Tweet contained the inevitable rebuttal from HMRC to the notion put about by Duff and Phelps.
As we reported yesterday, the SFA and SPL have given absolutely no assurances to anyone about further penalties, points deductions, inquiries or the removal of trophies found to be won by cheating. Yesterday’s statements caused agitation as SFA and SPL executives sought to reassure stakeholders they were untrue.
The statements also caused distress among many football fans (who frankly should have known better) and brought the reputation of Scottish football into disrepute.
Allowing misleading comments to be issued on your behalf is unwise, especially if the SFA and SPL will soon have to decide a variety of punishments you will have to endure.
Let me spell this question out as clearly as possible:
WHO IS THE LIAR HERE?
Rangers have been banned from registering players for 12 months for failing to ensure the man who bought the club this time last year was Fit and Proper to own a football club. Are the same club now going to ‘sell’ the assets, including league share, to Mr Miller when the veracity of his claims to the club’s administrators has been unequivocally contradicted by the SFA and SPL?
If a 12 month ban is not stern enough to ensure a club finds an inscrutable new owner perhaps it should be doubled. If the SFA capitulate in the face of this evidence and reduce Rangers player registration ban they would be as well removing the pretence and accepting There Are No Fit and Proper Persons Criteria in Scottish Football.
Rangers are committing the same offence in full sight of the SFA – and they don’t care who knows it.
You can buy a hard copy of the new issue of CQN Magazine via Magcloud here.
The graphic below is just for a flick through, to read the magazine go here to it’s dedicated site.
158 Comments- Pages:
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”Graeme Cook tweets: Jim Leishman elected as councillor for Dunfermline Central. Will his powers extend to immediate SPL expansion to save the #Pars?”
Is there going to be an spl seen as how the sfa are talking about making the league their own?
For weeks now my moods have swung in a metronomic fashion on a daily basis often depending on Paul67’s article, the comments of posters and my own interpretation of events.
Last night something happened that has gone some way to re establish sanity and equalibrium. What was it?
I watched the Thai Tims. Simple.
Yes the story of the huns is THE biggest news story to hit Scotland, yes it has a massive impact on us as Celtic supporters and our club and by God do I want them to either die or suffer for decades for their greed and cheating.
However, last night I watched the wee Thai Bhoy in the front row bedecked resplendently in green and white hoops, his unadulterated joy and enthusiasm infectious and he made me smile and brought a tear to my eye simultaneously.
Now I know that in a few short weeks he will return home and may never have an opportunity to watch Celtic again. He doesn’t need to worry about anti Irish racism or anti Catholic sectarianism or tax avoidance or biased footballing authorities or corrupt officials.
That doesn’t matter for now because watching that child reminded me of why I was there last night and that was to watch Celtic. It wasn’t to worry about EBTs or newcos and it wasn’t because of a hatred of the huns.
Now I know that often my posts are high in emotion or opinion and low on fact and analysis and for that reason some will say that they’re no’ worth a button. That’s fine we all have posters on here that we chose to scroll past.
From my own perspective, last night in Parkhead, Glasgow a wean and his infectious dancing along to ‘Just can’t get Enough’ made me realise that it’s not worth being a moody, grumpy auld so n so because of what is happening to another club. As previously said I still want punishment and penury but I’m not going to allow it to determine whether I smile or scowl, laugh or cry.
Cheers for that wee man.
Good day to one and all on a pleasant day in Fife.
I have no doubt that left to the SPL and SFA Rangers would get anything they want but the intervention of Alex Thomson (soon to be The Blessed Alex) has put this stinking affair in front of a bigger audience and the attempted interference by Alex Salmond will, IMHO, prevent HMRC doing a sweetheart deal.
I took up the question of Alex Salmond intervening on behalf of Rangers with my MP who assures me that he took this up with David Gauke Conservative MP for South West Hertfordshire, Exchequer Secretary, HM Treasury and the Treasury Minister assured him that the First Minister was merely given the general guidelines and no details regarding Rangers as HMRC do not comment on individual cases.
This still does not answer the question as to how Rangers were allowed to run up a £15 million bill since May 2011 for PAYE and VAT (Scottish Masonic Taxmen?). Any other business would have been shut down long before HMRC applied to the courts for administration, but it seems pretty clear that at the very highest level in London there are concerns about Rangers being treated as a special case.
I cannot see HMRC doing the deals that Salmond and the MSM would like nor can I see HMRC discussing Rangers’ situation with anyone far less Keith Jackson et. al.
Awe Naw
Was that the DLT/Paul Burnett version?
Kayal33 on 4 May, 2012 at 11:54 said:
Reading through my Season Ticket renewal this morning.
……………………………………………………………………..
having not had my renewal through as yet, is there an “opt out” for all ST’s or is it just the kids tickets. I’ve opted my wee fella out (U13 ticket) for the last 2 seasons, didn,t really want to subject him to the orcs. But, it’s interesting if the opt out is for all, this would certainly put dayells theory to the test.
When does the SPL investigation into false registrations conclude?
You know, the one where the SPL are investigating something that if proven, will hurt the SPL commercially.
You remember, the one where the SPL are investigating something that if proven may incriminate some who have been on the SPL board.
There is a fine line that separates a man of principle and a bigoted man; I’m sure those at Celtic are sensitive to the distinction.
It is nobler, more Celtic, to be reactive to restrictive practices as opposed to instigating them.
Brogan Rogan Trevino @BroganRoganTrev
The difference between a “Club” and its owners per the SPL,& why Windy Miller’s offer is a balloon full of hot air @rtc http://rangerstaxcase.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/rumours/comment-page-39/#comment-88434
Hun charm offensive against Channel 4’s chief correspondent Alex Thomson continues on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/alextomo (thumbsup)
Hoopedreams @ 11:53,
Thanks for the clarification.
Andrew Young @Hullbhoy
Fraser Wishart didn’t mislead RFC* players about contracts so as to favour Blue Knights bid, did he?
pedrocaravanachio67 on 4 May, 2012 at 12:01 said:
opt out for kids only
LiviBhoy,
I totally agree with you man. Mark Wilson was a fantastic servant for our club. He always gave 100% and was very unlucky with the injuries he got! A bit like Shaun Maloney in his second spell at Paradise.
I wish Mark all the best with his career. Hope he can find a good club. Like you said, he will be back as a supporter, like he was, before he joined the club.
I haven’t read cqn for a couple o days, but who do we reckon are the players that are going? I read yesterday that 6 players have been told. I’d guess fringe players like Rasmussen, (hopefully not the Derry Pele), maybe Loovens? loan players? Lenny said we might need to sell a big player to bring in a few. My guess wid definitely Ki. I know he has something in his play, that maybe no-one else brings, but how often do we actually require it playing in Scotland. Our midfield can quite easily cope without him. We could do with a no nonsense target man up front. All throughout Lenny’s playing days with us, we had that. I wouldnae be surprised when Blackburn go down, that we show interest in the big man Yakubu.
Hail Hail.
oglach on 4 May, 2012 at 11:56 said:
Agreed, Sammmy was a star on that interview, if anybody has a link would love to watch it again, only caught the forst couple of minutes of it.
RobinBhoy
Kayal33
cheers
philvisreturns_2, 12:02
Some comedy gold comments on there, indeed
Big Nan on 4 May, 2012 at 12:01 said:
”This still does not answer the question as to how Rangers were allowed to run up a £15 million bill since May 2011 for PAYE and VAT (Scottish Masonic Taxmen?). Any other business would have been shut down long before HMRC applied to the courts for administration, but it seems pretty clear that at the very highest level in London there are concerns about Rangers being treated as a special case.”
The RTC blog covered that issue as it was happening ie during the period of non payment.
The huns didn’t submit the annual return (I can’t remember the number of the form) that all employers are required to submit. It seems to be an old dodge used by dodgy geezers because it seems to put a stick in the wheel of HMRC’s systems and they can’t take the enforcement action they can take when payments are late. It’s like the company falls off their radar.
What this shows of course is that the non payment of PAYE and NIC was deliberate and planned in advance as part of Whyte’s cash flow projections. It wasn’t just that they found themselves suddenly and unexpectedly a bit embarrassed.
BeijingBhoysBrigade
Wilson
Rasmussen (Think he has a year to run on his contract) – Buyer required
Paddy – Looks like he wants game time. Can’t blame him
McGinn
O’Dea
Loovens – Out of contract.
Probably a few others will go too. Maybe Thompson who is on loan at Rochdale I think. I think we will loan out some players too.
Neil Lennon tweeted that all players know they are going.
Gutted Wilson is going. I would keep the Bhoy. I can understand he wants to play games tho.
LB
Hooped Dreams
that was the original C.W Mc Coy ??? version
Hail Hail
BT
A faither like you and an ability to do long division. That ghirl truly is blessed :-)
Awe Naw
I am wiping away tears of nostalgia as I am typing this.
Marrakesh Express ‘Their hatred of us is borne out of sheer envy.’
That my friend says EVERYTHING, great line and I doubt it will be bettered.
We have everything they want and not only do they not have it, but worse for them is that they KNOW they will never have it. So let’s stop being stressed about them, and most of all, don’t punish our team over what they did.
Celtic 1st, last, everything!
BigbazzaCSC
brimmer
nice match report
http://www.carlukeshamrock.com/blog/ninety-points-are-secured-by-celtics-90-minute-encore-herald?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
LiviBhoy
Cheers man, forgot about McGinn. Hope Paddy McCourt plays the last two games if he’s off in the summer.
Who would you sell, if you had to raise funds for 2-3 quality additions? Definitely Ki for me. If not then maybe Hooper (if we’re after Jordan Rhodes)!
Hail Hail
hamiltontim said at1200
Agree 100%. I am also an old duffer who has watched Celtic for 50 years and last nights entertainment by the Thai Tims was very emontional for me.
God bless each and every one of them and their guardians, and I also felt a pride in being a Celtic supporter thinking whilst watching the children, that this is what part of being part of the “Celtic Family” is all about.
May our Celtic Football Club always strive to do this type of thing, bring happiness and warm feelings to us the supporters and I am sure wonderful memories and happiness to the likes of those wonderful Thai Tims.
The game was pretty poor….but I enjoyed the night so very much.
Two Rangers Football Clubs eh …. Seems Andy Gorum was ahead of his time!
I just don’t get this whole bill miller deal. For example
My name is Stephen and I have a mortgage, bank loan and credit card. I also had a job with a steady salary. I’m going to legally change my name to Paul and sell my house and my car to myself for let’s say £100 ( this really could be anything, it’s however much ‘Paul’ wants to pay. I will put my salary into my new bank account under my new name, Paul.
The banks will need to fight it out between themselves who gets what share of ‘Stephens’ £100. I owe them about £150000 but I, sorry Stephen, will never be paying that back.
Once a deal has been agreed I’m changing my name back to Stephen.
Two Newcoes? There’ll be dozens of them, all claimin’ to be the true keepers of the Hillbilly flame, vying with each other in their outraged outrageous bampottery.
new article posted.
I would like to try a little experiment with the help of CQNers. Below is a letter (that I’ve posted here before) to Graham Speirs challenging him to come up with a statement about what Rangers stand for. The original was written in 2008 and no reply was received,possibly because he never got the letter.
Last week via Radio Clyde to whom I e mailed it, I was told it would be handed to Speirs personally. The letter is below. I Tweeted Speirs earlier as follows. ” Any chance you will respond to challenge in my letter handed to you on R Clyde to define what Rangers stand for?”
My request is that you Tweet Speirs @Grahamspeirs and Simply ask
” Will you respond to Auldheid’s challenge to define what Rangers stand for? Letter delivered via R Clyde last week.” It fits the 140 character limit.
Either that or Retweet mine to Speirs above. If we must have a Rangers lets see what kind of beast a Newco will be.
Date: 17 Oct 2008
Dear Mr Spiers
In reading what Celtic Chairman John Reid said in his statement to the Celtic AGM on the singing of The Famine Song, where he defined who Celtic are and what they stand for (see in bold below), I thought his statement begged the question of Rangers:
Just exactly who are Rangers and what do they stand for?
As a Celtic supporter I have my own often biased and cynical views but I was seriously wondering could Rangers come up with a statement about themselves about who they are and what they stand for that would not suffer greatly when compared to Celtic’s?
I ask because whilst I agree with Dr Reid that we are NOT the same at this point in time, I see that not as something to crow over but as a matter of regret. Perhaps if Rangers could define themselves in the same positive terms, which might mean accepting and stating that past attitudes were mistaken, they might create a more solid foundation to move onwards and upwards from.
I have taken the time to write to you because I admire the courage and clarity with which you have dealt with the behavioural issue of the worst element in the Ranger’s support and hope that in asking the question you might be prompted to
a) Make an attempt at defining the ideal answer
b) Assess just how far short of that ideal Rangers are falling so that the gap can be positively closed.
c) Publish your views.
Yours faithfully
Auldheid (real name used)
John Reid’s Statement at Celtic AGM 2008
Why did you decide to speak out about ‘The Famine Song’ and is it important that the club make sure that our supporters protect the integrity of Celtic’s name?
I spoke out about it because this is a pretty vile song and I don’t think that any reasonable person who has read the words of this song can see it as anything other than a pretty vicious, racist song. It combines racism and sectarianism and goes beyond a lot of other things that we have seen in the past. That’s one of the reasons why I spoke out and I also come from Irish and Scottish descent myself, so that’s the main reason.
But there is a bigger and wider reason as well and that is, the nature of this club. We are proud of the fact that we have Scottish origins and Irish heritage and we are never going to deny that. We will defend that and that is not a cause for shame, it’s a cause for recognition and celebration. Indeed our very name ‘Celtic’ is about the unity of the Scottish and Irish people. It stands against those who would divide, discriminate and oppose those two entities. And because we start from that basis of the unity of peoples then we have always been open and inclusive as a club.
That’s why traditionally we have never discriminated. That’s why our board, our shareholders, our footballers and our footballing heroes come from all sorts of different backgrounds, religions, ethnic groups and do so internationally. That’s why I said last year that whatever differences we have when we come into this club we leave them at the door because we believe truly, in a Scotland that is one bit of many cultures and is way beyond now being Scots and Irish. That is our stance, therefore we have to speak out when we see racism or sectarianism being practised and of course, if we are going to do that we have to practise what we preach.
We have to be careful, from our own point of view and that’s why I am absolutely delighted that our fans in recent years have had accolades from the world football authorities, from the European football authorities and let me say when I point out that there may be a minority who are transgressing our own rules, that they are our own rules. I don’t know any Celtic fans who have been chanting racist slogans or anything of that nature, so I am not comparing like with like here. But I am saying that we have got to be whiter than white and that we have to explain to and educate everybody at this club, including that tiny minority which at away games sometimes leaves us exposed to those who would attempt to say that we are all the same. We aren’t all the same, but we have to make sure that that is evident to everybody. That’s the nature of Celtic Football Club.
BeijingBhoysBrigade
Always a tricky one on who to let go.
Depends who Neil wants to bring in and where he sees them playing. He can then make a decision on who he wants to let go.
I like the look of the boy Rhodes but the problem we have is that if Spurs or some other English club want him they can pay more in a fee and pay better wages for him to sit in the stand.
Ki is not a player I would instantly want to go but I guess if the money was right everyone has their price. I would keep Hooper at all costs. Best striker in Scotland. Still don’t think he gels with anyone better than Stokes but they are still not prolific. Would he benefit from a target man? Stokes and Hooper are good together but in the big games I feel they struggle slightly. Just my own opinion. Sami is the man for Europe and I would play Hooper up top with Sami in a free role.
Neil has always done pretty well in the transfer market but with Izzy looking at playing in the olympics I think we need to get some cover for defence in the summer. I would keep big Dan as well. The big man was coming onto a game when he got injured. I think we lost some key matches after that. The game at Ibrox was a great example of him not being there (under appreciated is Big Dan). I think FF likes Dan to be there for experience.
Cha can go for me. Own goal in Rennes (laughing), penalty and red card at Ibrox when he was out of position and outpaced (lauging). You wouldn’t catch Mark Wilson laughing at something like that he wouldn’t be out of position either.
I trust Lenny to get it right. I would like to see Watt get more games before the poor Bangura. Don’t know why he was brought in but I’m sure he will get better.
The Pole is going back to Turkey apparently. Brozek looked OK but not worth the cash for me. We should have got Sammon when he was at Killie. Cracking big player, cheap and good in the air. Would have done me for the SPL.
LB
Players out of contract at Celtic this summer
M. Wilson
G. Loovens
D. Majstorovic
Cha
Players under contract but who appear surplus to requirements:
Cervi
Juarez
Rasmussen
McGinn
Murphy
ODea (Celtic have the option of keeping him for another year – unlikely)
J.Thompson
P.McCourt
12 players – a blooming team. Surely all of them have to be moved on?
Rasmussen, Murphy and Juarez have another year on their deals and I think McGinn might have another year on his as well.
These players need moved on for their own good as well as for Celtic’s. How much in wages would be saved if they did?
The two loans – Forster and Brozek in my opinion are unlikely to be there which leaves Celtic short. Bangura is still very much a jury is out case.
Next year Celtic’s squad is looking like this:
Zaluszka GK
Mathews RB
Lustig RB
Blackman LB
Izzaguirre LB
Mulgrew LB/CH
Rogne CH
Fojut CH
K.Wilson CH
Brown MF
Commons MF
Ki MF
Kayal MF
Ledley MF
Ibrahim MF
Forrest MF
Wanyama MF
McGeoch MF
F. Twardzik MF
P. Twardzik MF
Hooper F
Stokes F
Samaras F
Bangura F
Watt F
Celtic need a keeper, a centre half, a striker and possibly another wide player should McCourt and McGinn leave as we’ll be left with Commons and Forrest as our only options in there.
Craig Gordon is free.
There is talk of a Nottingham Forrest Winger
This leaves Striker and defender and then Celtic will be good to go.
To hell with the cheats across the city. That is a squad which can win the lot next year if it is right and at the very least win the league.
Hail Hail
Sporting Integrity!
Its about time that someone SFA, SPL, Eufa, D & P, anyone? puts a stop to this charade.
It is blatantly obvious that Rangers are ducking and diving around (no pun intended) still trying to avoid paying their dues, trying every which way to get it all on their own terms through whatever means.
Actually its really shocking that they are being allowed to behave in this manner.
They should be forced to make a public apology for bringing the game into disrepute, apologise for their wrongdoings, undertake to make amends for their misdemeanours, and slink off to the 3rd division – without waiting till they are forced to. How they can blatantly flaunt the fact that they are still trying to bypass the rules, and not pay their creditors without someone in authority saying ‘wait a minute…………………
I think its a sad day for british football – what on earth impression is this giving to the rest of the world. Sadly, what does it say about scottish football.
Hi there y’all.
Ah was a pore hillbilly mountaineer until ah discovered oil on mah layund.
Ah am now a millionaire with interests in many sporting areas such as hog wrasslin, monster truck and stock car racin, dwarf a tossin, tractor pullin, banjo duellin and goat fiddlin.
I’m a thinkin of gittin up a team of good ole boys to play in your new Scaddish Soccerball league.
What do ah have to do to prove mah bona fides to y’all and what are the minimum requirements ah will have to meet?
jay rodriguez no thanks.surely we can get better a mor pyhsical centre forward is what we need ,no more lightweights please,
Hen1 and ernie, make a statement about what?
Until details are formally announced from those in authority all we are hearing and reading just now is hearsay. When and if formal announcements are made that amount to them gaining entry into a league with no accountability for past misdeeds, then is the time to act.
Criticism of our board at this time is unjustified IMO.
Good Afternoon,
Over on RTC and on Twitter i have vexed my spleen re the shenannigans at Ibrox and all that goes on with yon other club.
This post has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with any of that mince.
Many of you will have seen the Thai Tims at first hand last night at Celtic Park.
I was not there as I had to attend my eldest son’s leaving do from High School- an event which I originally saw as a bit of a bind and definitely an inconvenience as it kept me away from Celtic Park.
However, I was really glad I was there.
There is something gloriously satisfying in seeing a whole host of young people, dressed to the nines, celebrating and reflecting on the end of their school career. To see them go from primary school kids to young adults, on the verge of University, college, a trade and a job is just brilliant. To be able to listen to them stand and make a speech, tell you about what they are going on to do and what they hope to achieve, to share a joke with them, chat about boyfriends,girlfriends and everything else– is just– well… magic!
Children are not Children for nearly long enough these days, and there is huge pressure on them to grow up and delve into the crassness of the adult world all to quickly. And that world is full of many things that they should never face.
For that reason alone, but also for many others, I have an overwhelming feeling to shout from the rooftops “WE ARE CELTIC SUPPORTERS……….”.
Celtic Football Club from the very inception had the interests of Children at its heart. Childern who had no meals, who lived in hellish social conditions, poor housing, no education and so on and so forth.
Last night many will have seen the sheer unbridled and innocent joy that a group of kids from the Thai Rubber planations can bring with their singing. The fact that they have an affinity and real bond to a football club in Scotland is remarkable.
However, to listen to Paul Lennon speak about how he wanted to start a school in the face of reservation and potentially opposition in Thailand is something else. At the city Chambers on Monday he said that he told the Thai Authorities that in seeking support for this school he could rely on “the love and support” of Celtic Football Club.
Imagine that. An Englishman in the country formerly known as Siam telling the authorities that he will get support for a school for a group of kids from Walfrid’s football team—– and its supporters! From all around the globe!
That school now has 1500 Pupils– bigger than my sons High School where I was last night.
Kids taught the right way to do the right things go on to be adults who teach kids to do the right things by example and by experience.
No matter what happens in Govan, no matter who or what dictates what happens at Hampden in relation to football in this country, is of really no consequence to Celtic. They can ban football for all I care, as there will still be a Celtic to support and a Celtic that will provide support– just as Walfrid envisaged. Of course we want our football team to win and to play the “Celtic way”,and in a football league that is fair but the Celtic vision is far more than just the following of a football team. It is that feeling of belonging to a club, a club that does far more than turn up for a football match for 90 minutes at a time.
Celtic is an ethos , a belief, a dream, a goal , a hope, for some a job, and for everyone a recreation, an entertainment and even an education. It is a noble club with noble aims and ideals.
As I mixed with all these young folk last night I genuinely looked forward to hearing of their future and their ideals and ambitions. When I saw the Thai Tims on Monday at the City Chambers I remarked that they would bring a tear to a glass eye but that it was great that we played a part in helping them get an education and chance to shape their futures and their ambitions.
Paul Lennon told me that they are oversubscribed with applications from fully qualified teachers to go out and teach in Thailand, and that there is huge interest in the school and Celtic now from the Thai Authorities.THEY are Celtic Supporters…………
I am sorry I wasn’t at the park to see them again last night, but as I say I was delighted to see the kids from my village graduate and go forth, laughing, joking, confident and having fun. You can ask for nothing more from life.
Except as we left, the graduating son did have one question to which his school could not provide the answer.
” What was the score at Celtic park?” he asked.
Doesn’t really matter what the score was—- we won anyway!
Celtic Football Club— reaching parts and hearts other football clubs just can’t reach!