This week is shaping up to be one of the most important in Rangers history.
I’ve stated before that I’m not a daily blogger, and don’t intend to be, but there really is enough material at the moment to keep any Rangers blogger busy enough to do quality daily blogs if they have the time available to do so.
The obvious story this week, which could run and run, is the SPL agenda to strip Rangers of titles for the period that they were using EBTs from 2001 to 2010.
Rangers unofficial blogger Chris Graham, and Rangers head of media James Traynor have both exposed the agenda this week as an absolute sham, with the specific EBTs that the SPL wish to exploit for their agenda laid bare, and proven to be within the SPL rules.
Now, history will tell us that both the SPL and the SFA do not have a great track record at being fair towards Rangers. It is also notable that some apologists in the media wish to dismiss the FTT ruling in favour of some of the evidence submitted as part of the ruling. Clearly, “judgement” means little to these apologists, with some citing the John Terry case, where legally Terry was found not guilty of racism, but found guilty by the FA at their own kangaroo court.
The very fact they wish to use this injustice to strengthen the SPLs case to do as they wish is not surprising but very representative of the agenda of those who hate Rangers above all else.
So, despite the “case” made by Traynor and Graham, I sadly expect that the commission will not back down at this late stage and will indeed strip Rangers titles, and set Scottish Football down a road that it may never recover from.
Make no mistake, despite one newspaper misquoting Ally McCoist saying Rangers would just have to accept any decision made, any decision to strip Rangers of titles will begin a legal war between Rangers and the SPL, and enrage even the loyal supporters who just now are agonising over missing the Dundee United cup tie.
Some of the statements I’ve seen from some supporters on Rangers sites, and on Twitter, has been absolutely clear that the scenes of Belfast post the flag issue, may well be on its way here to Glasgow. I share this fear, particularly as I feel there are those out there who are delighted at the PUL Community’s displays of anger and consequently their vulnerability to negative propaganda.
Unfortunately, I expect that anger levels may not recognise this risk, and that this city could indeed experience some ugly scenes in the coming weeks.
Of course, the sheer hatred towards Rangers doesn’t just come from the SPL, with one such hater, MP George Galloway, recently taking time out from serving his Bradford constituents, to request that the Government pursue Rangers for the PAYE liabilities of Rangers Oldco former corporate shell.
In an astonishing rant, Galloway states
“That this House notes that the owners of the club now playing in the Scottish Third Division called Rangers claim that it is the same club with the same history as the liquidated club also known as Rangers; further notes that 14 million in VAT and PAYE was withheld in the run-up to administration by the previous Rangers; further notes that the club is now cash-rich through a share issue which raised in excess of 20 million; condemns the use of insolvency laws to avoid paying tax owed; and calls on the Government to take steps to reclaim the outstanding monies from Rangers and to bring forward legislative proposals to prevent clubs and companies sidestepping their liabilities through liquidation and then carrying on trading with effectively the same name and in exactly the same business.”
Of course, Galloway’s words look written in the kind of anger one would expect of a Rangers hater, but they also show a distinct lack of understanding of business, and raise several questions. Why for instance, is Galloway concerned about such a sum owing, when High Street retailers and firms who have recovered from Administration via the Newco route haven’t attracted his attention? Why the sudden interest?
What about “GAME”?
The High Street Shop, was rescued from Administration by OpCapita through a Newco route, owing over £180M to creditors, and created under a firm created for acquisitions by OpCapita in 2011
If Galloway is that concerned about public money, why no mention of Game? Why not pay all of his expenses out of his own salary, or gift his £1.4M flat to Shelter?
He could also question why HMRC’s pursuit of Rangers forced the Oldco corporate entity in to Liquidation, with the “Big Tax Case” that hung over the club nullifying their ability to raise the kind of sums that could put them on an even keel, or how the corporate governance of Rangers, the SPL and the SFA wasn’t strong enough to stop the club being raped by Craig Whyte.
Galloway has ensured that he has far more freedoms than many public figures through his various libel actions, which have afforded him a licence to silence many political commentators through fear of legal action.
The problem with his creating such a persona though, and such a reputation for being litigious, is when his own claims or rejections of allegations are not backed up by legal action, people start believing the allegations.
One might wonder if it is at all possible that an MP can be assaulted in an international airport by a baying “sectarian” mob, under the most comprehensive CCTV system in the country, yet no one can be arrested?
Are the Police really so incompetent that they cannot protect public servants, are they part of some conspiracy, or has Galloway got a vivid imagination?
One should also note, that the litigious Mr Galloway also has not sued Jemima Khan over her claims of him converting to Islam at a ceremony more than 10 years ago.
If someone isn’t telling the truth, then why hasn’t that been clarified in a court of law?
The irony here is that the current consensus of thought on the management of Rangers EBT’s was that there were administrative errors and oversights, but that their operation was both legal, and fully declared to the authorities, while Galloway is apparently no stranger to Administrative errors of his own. Surely of all people, Galloway should sympathise?
Lastly for today, the Sunday Mail’s report yesterday about the Forces reeked of a complete stitch up.
It seems that whoever was offended by Rangers support for the Forces, has such strong morals that they will write a complaint, then leak the answer to a tabloid rag in an attempt to give Rangers negative publicity.
If the complaint was a genuine one, they would not have sold their story to a tabloid.
Luckily, Rangers responded with a statement, but the shame is that the naïve service head allowed himself to be stitched up in such a fashion
One can only hope that the decision makers within the forces are not so naïve when they throw our hero soldiers and sailors in to battle.
Bill
I can only see this unfolding in an even bigger mess than last summer. They have had the opportunity to come to their senses, Bill, but they simply wont back down now.
ReplyDeleteThey will lose in a proper court, who are completely accountable, and independent of any outside sources.
The prob;em with the SPL, is the more truths you tell them, the more belligerent they become.
They wont realise how deep a hole they are in, until the sunlight becomes obscured. Still, if they keep digging, I'm sure they'll reach Australia
Only today, they reinforced their stupidity by voting for 12-12-18, despite their fans telling them they don't want it.This is not only a demonstration of their entrenchment, but of their hypocrisy. Why not listen now, as they did in the summer?
It will take the collective organisation and will of the Rangers fans, to see this lot off The reconstruction is simply about getting the Sky contract, by gerrymandering the Rangers pound under their control, and denying the club their media rights.
This only works, if Rangers fans buy into the Sky product, that will feed the SPL, and if we go to their grounds when we inevitably return to the top tier.
They wont listen to Charles Green, or Jim Traynor, as has been demonstrated today, but they may get the shits if the Rangers support get together, and make a united statement, through the club, that there will be a BIG SWITCH OFF, unless they sit with us around the negotiating table.
Threats and coercion, are the only language they seem to understand, so it's time to tell them our position.