When I suggested back in March that the SPL's investigation in to Rangers useage of EBTs was a kangaroo court, it was a simple conclusion drawn from the fact that the law firm appointed to investigate were Harper Macleod, who had acted for both the SPL and Celtic.
http://williampoole.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/the-spls-kangaroo-court/
When I checked their website I was stunned to see testimonials from two individuals that immediately rang alarm bells.
Peter Lawwell is an obvious one given his role at Celtic, but the other testimonial from Manus Fullerton sent a shiver down my spine.
Fullerton, of course, was the founder member of the Celtic Trust, and the Lloyds Banking Group Director directly responsible for Rangers during the period that the club were being starved of cash.
Harper Macleod's lawyer Rod McKenzie had acted for Celtic on various occasions over a number if years.
At the time of writing, I believed that this conflict of interests would be picked up by the Rangers support and the tabloids, and would then be challenged.
We were however in such a unique situation with so much going on at the club, that this just didn't seem to register as it should have to any of us, despite the story also being covered by David Leggat and appearing on various Rangers messageboards.
The battle for ownership and our very existence distracted many of us.
Last Monday, when the SPL made a press release that they were to set up an "independent" panel to investigate Rangers use of EBTs it was clearly a message that the position taken by the SPL during negotiations over Rangers' SFA licence was going to be followed through to a conclusion.
The conclusion looked blatantly obvious, as those in the media and internet who apparently act as a conduit from Peter Lawwell to the public again started suggesting that Rangers could be stripped of titles.
What the SPL didn't bargain for this time though, in their haste to exert their strength over Rangers, that perhaps this time the wider Rangers support would take notice.
To my delight, they have.
Firstly, Vanguard Bears wrote a piece on it, and last night 3 other Rangers fans groups released a joint statement to the media, challenging why Harper Macleod are undertaking this investigation.
http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=259:neil-antony-doncaster-and-celtic-fc-corrupt-to-the-core
http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/
This is a welcome intervention, and the BBC picked up on it fairly quickly.
As I write this it has now been picked up by the Herald and Scotsman, and my information is that the groups are not for letting this go, and will, with the RFFF, seek to take this to their own conclusion.
I believe there are also further revelations about the aforementioned Rod McKenzie to appear.
Picky as ever, I was slightly disappointed in the subtle wording of the statement, which did not name specific individuals.
I'll be crystal clear.
The driving force is Peter Lawwell.
He is being backed up in the SPL by Neil Doncaster, Rod Petrie, Stephen Thompson and Stewart Milne.
Harper Macleod employ Manus Fullerton. It also became apparent last night due to the diligence of some Rangers supporters that Macleod also employed Peter Lawwell's daughter on a summer placement in 2010.
The choice of Harper Macleod was always suspect, but must now be untenable.
As fans we are entitled to fair treatment by a genuinely independent group, not a cabal with an incestious relationship to Peter Lawwell of Celtic.
If the questions raised regarding Manus Fullerton are not satisfactorily answered I'd suggest Rangers either take legal action, or call in the police, aswell as the law society.
Bill.
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