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Celtic Diary Tuesday April 28: The Scottish Football Power Struggle

Maybe we’re looking in the wrong place to find the reasons behind the screaming from Ibrox, or maybe, which is more likely, we’re not looking in enough places.

The Ibrox club, backed by Hearts and Stranraer, have been granted their wish for an EGM of all forty two Scottish clubs. They have promised, with ample time, to provide the evidence they have of what they have termed “maladministration “, and let’s face it, anything to do with administration, and they’re the experts.

The BBC reported…

 

The SPFL has called an extraordinary general meeting for 12 May after requisitions by Rangers, Hearts and Stranraer.

Rangers have called for an independent inquiry into the ballot on ending the lower-league season.

The Ibrox club have also stated they will produce evidence supporting their stance “well in advance” of a meeting.

An SPFL-commissioned investigation into Dundee’s belatedly decisive vote found “no evidence of impropriety”.

After Dundee retracted their no vote and backed the SPFL proposal, it was passed by an 81% majority of clubs, prematurely ending the Championship and Leagues One and Two because of the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, Stranraer have been relegated from League One.

The resolution also provided a mandate for the Premiership to be cut short, which would relegate Hearts, but the top flight could yet be played to a conclusion. Separately, a task force is assessing possible league restructuring. 

 

It’s clear why Hearts and Stranraer are hitching their carts to the “rangers ” rant, but why would “rangers ” want to have a go at, and possibly destroy the organisation that represents the clubs, and has one of their own on the very board they are accusing of maladministration ?

 

One theory is that they are skint. Well, thats probably a little more than a theory, and there is an insolvency event looming that would render any application for Europe next season illegitimate should it happen now, or give Celtic a 15 or 25 point lead next season, depending on whether or not they admit to being a new club, should the event occur after the season is declared over.

The null and void option they shout about is merely to stop nine in a row and play to the gallery.

 

In that sense, all of this is a deflection away from their problems and a desire to create the siege mentality that would enable them to sell season books to a support that sooner or later will see through the scam that has led to quite a few pockets being lined at their expense.

 

A strategy neatly outlined by Chris Union Jack on twitter….

 

The Rangers* Covid strategy.
Claim @spfl  is corrupt
Get SMSM to promote narrative
Claim unfairness to apply administration punishment
Go into admin Claim “Force Majeur” See rule E8.3

@spfl Appeal panel are corrupt as always claimed if they deduct points.
Blame others
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However @spfl  appeal panel could request to see accounts (E30) which may demonstrate Rangers* were already heading to administration prior to the Pandemic. Question is whether they would ask?  

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 Overdue payables, of course, were what should have denied them a European licence when Craig Whyte was desperate to save the club. someone , somewhere lied about them in 2011, and someone covered up that lie.
  Claiming Force Majeur, the covid pandemic, would allow for leniancy when they reveal their troubled state, but as they haven’t produced any interim accounts yet, its difficult to see how bad things were before the health crisis, and they probably haven’t finished producing them yet, which by the time they do, might show that they were doing fine up until then….
 That way, they’d get a European licence and not face a huge handicap when next season starts, whenever that may be.
 So, we can see why they would do it, but what do they have to gain from destroying the reputation of the SPFL board, which contains one of their own ?
 Who would stand to gain from that-they already have a man in a position of influence ?
Ah….it’s obvious really….
The Front of the Bus: The Haters-Part 5
 There will be a narrative to follow which will claim that there is no need for two bodies to run Scottish football.
 The SFA will step in as mediators and as we know, they are fairly benevolent to anything that operates out of Ibrox, and the SPFL are not, as we saw when there were attempts to shoe horn the new club into the Premier League or the new second tier premier league.
 In England, the FA run the top league, and in Scotland, one can only assume that the SFA harbour similar ambitions.
 A successful coup against the other clubs in the league, who frankly will be sick of keeping their financial house in order whilst one club is allowed to breach each and every rule of financial fair play in the manner of their predecessors is the only way for this version of Rangers to survive their current plight.
 This is an attack by the Ibrox club on all the other clubs in the League set up because the other clubs are sick of their shenanigans.
 Should it succeed, and success will come of they cast enough doubt and there is enough public support-the media are already onside- if the credibility of the SPFL is shattered and that, of course, leaves the way open for the SFA to take over Scottish football and that way they can close the door on their previous associations with the original Ibrox entity and what they have done to ensure it’s continuity.
 With “rangers ” threatening to up sticks and move to England, will it be the SFA who “persuade ” them to stay ?
Even though there is no chance of that lot ever being admitted to an English set up, they have long memories down there….
The never-before-seen images from one of the 'worst nights of ...
 They do like a bit of battle fever on the other side of the river, and this one is gearing up to be the battle that decides the future of Scottish football.
 With the SPFL, as poor as they may be, we get representation for all of the clubs.
 With the SFA, it’s rolled up trouser legs, handshakes and representation for just the one…
 And, of course, succulent lamb all round.
 Alex Rae must be looking forward to his share of the luncheon vouchers…last night on Radio Clyde Superscorebard he advanced the theory that clubs shouldn’t be docked points for entering administration….
Season 1 GIF by mom - Find & Share on GIPHY
 Celtic fans have been distracted from this, and whilst there is no evidence that there is a link between Talkshite Radio and Ibrox, if you don’t count Ally McCoist, experience has taught us that we were once not paranoid enough, and so with that thought in mind, let’s examine the outburst from Mike Graham, a Talkshite host, a little more forensically…
 These are his tweets…
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 Celtic are looking into the matter, and there will be action taken.
 However, it would be far more efective for fans just to ignore this guy, and to ignore his station.
 There may be no connection to the Scottish media narrative, and it might not be a deflection.
In fact, Lee Clayton, the head of Talkshite, said , back on 2 April this year that running a sports station without sport meant he would have to do things differently…. (Press Gazette )

“So it’s not been without its challenges, but I think we know what our responsibilities are to our listeners and right now that is to continue to inform, continue to entertain and also to give them some escape.

“Some of the feedback that we get is ‘don’t give us too much news. We know where to get that – we can go to Talkradio. We know where to go for our news. Give us something that allows us to escape from it and give us something to make us smile’.

“And that’s what we’ve been trying to do  

 

Maybe Graham..a surname which lends itself to many anti-Celtic minded people, was just following company policy.

 

How fortunate for him it coincides with his hobby of baiting Celtic fans to get him that wee but of publicity.

 

Turn Talkshite Off.

 

It makes BBC Scotland look positively fenian.

 

 

 

We didn’t do a caption competition yesterday, so we go back to Saturday for this…

 

 

 

R.St.Parsley

Caption:
Deranged orange man claims Sevco can still win league.

Today….
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3 years ago

CAPTION

World Flyweight Head-butting Champion meets his match.

Daviebhoy
3 years ago

Caption Picture illustration of how dense the Bluebottles heads are

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Caption…….

Fly by shooting.

Mike
3 years ago

Caption, I smell shite.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Hahaha, its nose is now in its arse.

Mike
3 years ago

😉

Monti
3 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Good start to the day, i had to win two & draw one to stay in the 1st division on FIFA 20.

Game 1: Celtic 6 PSV Eindhoven 2.
Game 2: Celtic 3 Everton 3

Game 3: ‘ rangers ‘ 0 Celtic 2

Stupid, stupid huns!

🙂

Pat Higney
3 years ago

Great article
One thing I respectfully disagree with, is the Mike Graham situation. By all means boycott the station, but this would be no more than a minuscule irritation to them, they are primarily interested in the English game…they have shown they have no respect for Celtic in the past, you need look no further than Adrian Durham to see what sort of anti Celtic propaganda has been spewed out in the past.
I would want to see Celtic’s response as savage as the despicable tweets that Graham thinks is acceptable to describe each and every one of us Celtic fans, players and officials.
Ignoring this only allows others to think it’s acceptable behaviour and opens the door for widespread vitriolic attacks on social media.
If Graham and his employer are both sued and Celtic win, this would send a shot across the bows of every so called pundit, who thinks we are fair game for their sordid accusations.
He needs a lesson and what better way than to remove him from his position of influence and hit him in the pocket. Also, the radio station might actually tighten down on pundits who take pot shots constantly.
If anyone said that to my face, I certainly wouldn’t be just ignoring them, they would regret their actions!
Sorry for the rant Ralph, but I feel that allowing this to go unchecked just gives them more bravado to carry on with their garbage.
HH

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  Ralph Malph

Wee boycott, big Sue.

Puggy67
3 years ago
Reply to  Pat Higney

Shove a polite complaint through their online feedback. They have to process it and it will keep a wean in a job.

Monti
3 years ago

The only thing that’s 20 stone is your nose bag ya walloper!

Puggy67
3 years ago

Caption: An orange bee spots a Catholic church located on his ‘traditional route.’

alzyerpal
3 years ago

Caption: With the rats already having baled out of Castle Greyskull, the flies are now absolutely desperate to escape as well.

Mike
3 years ago

So the mighty Stranraer semi professional F.C. add their tuppence worth to Malcontent F.C. So you ask yourself “where is Dave” Cormack of the Dandy Dons? “Aberdeen’s move to Kingston is delayed thanks to Covid-19, and costing them a fortune. “This reconstruction thing has morphed into something else”. Sure has Dave, perhaps you should keep quiet until you learn the politics of Scottish football, with its blue tinted leanings.
Deloitte (auditors) LLP. carried out a thorough investigation, examining all phone records, mobile communications including texts and e-mails and they found NO evidence of improper behaviour. But that will not satisfy Malcontents F.C. No they have their own separate agenda, follow, following that well trodden path of bullying and intimidation. “Call My Bluff”- an EGM coming soon on May 2020, will result in one of two things- 1. Their bluff will be called.
or – 2. Once again the bullies will win. Res.12-the 5 Way, the past has a habit of reappearing.

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  Mike

The Media touting Aberdeen as a ‘nothing to gain’ i.e. therefore impartial malcontent turned out to be bollocks.

Even their earlier stalking horse from Inverness turned out to be lame and has been shot.

Mike
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

The FIFA. doctor wants the season finished now.
UEFA.- Suggests you can finish the season if you choose, (part one). The EPL. wants back by the end of June, so does UEFA. (part two), because of all the millions outstanding.
Meanwhile here in La-La-Land, the SFA says nothing, despite having called for meetings into a start up, that hasn’t even met yet.
The Huns want another inquiry despite proof of no irregularities at the first one and not providing the evidence that they say that they have. Inquiry two, on the 12th-May, the Huns need 32 clubs to agree to their motion. Budge and Gray’s league re-construction meetings is going round in circles. France say’s NON. Its not just the horse that’s needing shot.

3 years ago

Same fly different shite, hits the glass ceiling again.

Paul Lawson
3 years ago

Talk radio is owned by the same company that owns The Times.Witness the reporting over the last year in the Times re Celtic Boys Club together with their ‘scoop’ suggesting that HMRC were at fault for Rangers liquidation and I think you can see a pattern emerging.

greenmaestro
3 years ago

Isn’t it about time someone at the SFA/SPFL came out and said that football isn’t special when it comes to COVID-19, the virus doesn’t care, there will be no football played for the foreseeable. Everyone should follow the government’s advise on isolating and social distancing and we will see you all again in 2021.

That way we can forget this circus, and when we get to 2021 there will be no clumpany left at ibrox.

Bognorbhoy
3 years ago

Caption…

Lock down day 36…

My pet fly Houdini has ten seconds to escape ,or he gets the executioner …

jimmybee
3 years ago

Ralph good read again.
Of course clubs are going to say it’s due to covid admin is happening. The huns are allowed to make things up as they go along. To think that with Ashley’s men in charge they were only 6 months from breaking even. With him out of Newcastle now they could have had their sugar daddy in waiting.
Monti is right they are stupid huns.
There is an underhand reason to all of this. Why are sevco so insistent on malpractice at spfl when one of their own is on that board, why has he not resigned from his post, in protest at the treatment of his club from the fellow members.
It stinks. It is also attack Celtic time again throwing enough mud to stick and keeping us in the press for all the wrong reasons.
I’ve no idea why Celtic fans respond to the media of any description let them die. They never have nor never will give Celtic its credit.
Just remember only one manager from British football went to Lisbon to see history being made his name Bill Shankly.
Only 1 says it all really.

Pensionerbhoy
3 years ago
Reply to  jimmybee

jimmybee

“Only one manager”

And that at a time when Scottish football was supplying the cream of the crop in England and among the first to attract the attention of the European elite. But even then, we were a backwater to the Britannia rulers of the waves in spite of our successes. Think on the journalism around the time of the Leeds semi final. Celtic, a Scottish team, were wasting their time even showing up against England’s finest. When we defeated them, the return was only a formality that would prove it was men against boys. Oh, how it did! But the men and boys got a bit back to front and Celtic were so good, Billy Bremner stated it was like chasing shadows trying to play against them. I think one of the most pleasurable moments of my football life was after the game down in Leeds. We were returning to our car and I was with a wee pal (now very sadly dead) who spoke the odd English word in between swearing. We walked along a street where the houses had small front gardens. In one of the gardens and old bloke with a great big smile and a broad Yorkshire accent asked us what the score was. My wee pal, without a blink of an eye, said, “One nothin’. We fuckin’ tanked ye’s. Now get tae fuck back in ye’r dookit.” I am sure I saw sweat on the old guys trouser leg as he scurried indoors. Will never forget the wee man’s face, grinning ear to ear. So, there you are. The Scottish backwater was always in the English psyche even when it was gushing with success. No surprise whatsoever, then, that only one (and he was Scottish and a close friend of Jock’s) turned up.

H H

jimmybee
3 years ago

Oi wee fly over there Help me I’ve been stuck here for fuckin years
What’s that yer in buzzbomb replies fly
It said the ibrox trophy cabinet when I flew in
But am the only fuckin thing in here.

Tam the tim
3 years ago

You couldn’t buy the hallowed strip in 67 because it wasn’t on sale in those days. The guy’s just talking shite.

jimmybee
3 years ago
Reply to  Tam the tim

You could Tam umbro made child kits from the early 60s of all teams as they could do in those days. They used to have a catalogue for orders of 12 or more for teans but seen a market for child kits. Man Utd in particular were to the fore of their advertising campaign but Celtics iconic hoops was available Admiral I believe were the first branded sportswear firm to sponsor a team in return for kit sale revenues.
Leeds Utd in the early 70s I believe.

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  jimmybee

There was a programme on ITV recently about it, “Get Shirty”.

itv{.}com/hub/get-shirty/2a4732a0001

From my hazy memory, you could get non-team specific shirts eg red, blue etc but this was fine as no one else wore the Hoops and we didn’t have a badge or anything else on ours.

jimmybee
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

I have a pic of me in my hoops
Kit at the age of 7 or 8 this was in the 60s.My uncle got me it for my birthday.

jimmybee
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Denis Law umbro set for boys available in Celtic 9/12/1966
There was only 4 sizes I remember mines drowned me but didn’t matter I had the hoops on.

dingbat
3 years ago

“sell season books to a support that sooner or later will see through the scam”…

what a mischievous scamp.

Patrick O Hara
3 years ago
Reply to  dingbat

CAPTION.
Fly rangers advocate finds cracks in SPFL’s “togetherness. “

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  dingbat

You can fool all of The People all of the time, despite what Abraham Lincoln said although, to be fair, he’d never have met any of The People.

George Lazenbhoy
3 years ago

Caption : not even the flies can stomach the stench of shite emanating out of Ibrox.

Cartvale88
3 years ago

Caption

I demand an investigation, as this glass does not exist.

The issue with all things Rankers, is that there is clear hatred for all things Irish in Greater Engerlund. If you reverse the situation with the dung heap in the soothside, Celtic would be dead and buried.
The polis have become involved at various stages of the Rankers death, the SMSM sell anything anti-Celtic, as for the UK media Talkshite radio, the DM, the Times and Sky any half truth is turned into reality, credence is given to untruths like the a Buffalo translation.
Remember in the fifties ‘ no blacks or Irish’ it is racism but no one in this little island sees that. The Rankers and their minions (SFA) just like Grue do everything in their power to damage Celtic, half truths and lies appear in comment pages of papers, ex huns pop up in the media to scream about integrity and unfairness, DUP bigots are allowed to speak on the Billy a Boys Club, it is an orchestrated campaign to rewrite history, Goebbels could not do a better job.

They will do everything to survive

Uibh fhaili
3 years ago

Servo windows repairs carried out by fly man

Patrick O Hara
3 years ago
Reply to  Uibh fhaili

After eating humble pie last night I have have loined my girders with this attempt.
CAPTION.
Queendom of govania sends out Kamikaze flycraft in last desperate attack before final surrender.

Whitearra
3 years ago

Caption : Fly on the Ibrox boardroom wall says ‘Am oot o’ here. Ah cannae take any mair o’ this shite”.

Auldheid
3 years ago

A few points on consequences of insolvency I made on Sentinel Celts the other week.

1 A 15pt deduction for this season makes Celtic uncatchable even allowing for their unplayed game v St Johnstone getting a pools panel type verdict and reducing gap to 10 with 24pts left to play for. 10+15 =25 so Celtic win by observing full sporting integrity which quoted rules are an attempt to preserve. Use that to counter their argument that a title earned in an unfinished season goes against sporting integrity.

On same SC comment I linked to a UEFA article that covered clubs who otherwise would have been refused a licence being given one under a global relaxation of UEFA FFP. It was clear UEFA saw that as unfair.

On the accounts Phil Mac Giolla Bhain reported in March that SFA told “Rangers” there were problems with their accounts.

Those accounts had to be with the SFA by 31st March and I have it on an authority I trust that the accounts are indeed at Hampden but no public declaration under Company Law type rules has been made.

Taking 2011 process as example the licence was granted on 19 April 2011 and UEFA informed of clubs granted on 26 May 2011 so there may be a licensing issue that SFA are aware of and possibly UEFA.

Finally on an SFA power grab: dont forget they are sitting on the JPDT relating to Res12 so are hardly in a position to accuse SPFL of skullduggery especially as a party to the 5 Way Agreement that allowed “Rangers” to use the CAS clause in the 5 Way to swerve the SFA JPDT proceedings that SFA knew about when going the JPDT route.

Throw in that Celtic accepted the 5 Way in July 2012 (and they did) and you can see why Scottish football’s symbol should be Ouroboros – the snake that eats itself.

RonaldoMcC
3 years ago

CAPTION
Hilary Bee Clinton: Damn this glass ceiling.

jimmybee
3 years ago

Oi help over here am stuck
Whats that your stuck in buzz
asks a passing fly.
It’s the rangers trophy room not a fucker has come near my pal was over at Celtic and they had polish out every day moving big trophies in and out jelly and ice cream it was amazing he said so I saw this thought give it a go, fuck all a bike fell and cracked the glass that’s it nothing,zilch, nobody comes near. Due you know why that is fly? Aye your clubs deid m8.
Cherrio

Una
3 years ago

Caption

Police confirm it was a fly by shooting

Patrick O Hara
3 years ago
Reply to  Una
Puggy67
3 years ago

Caption: Stand down lads Captain Tom’s just nodded off.

jimmybee
3 years ago

Fuck him had his chance more than most get.

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago

The Fly on the wall of Trumps office has had enough….

The Cha
3 years ago

The English FA doesn’t run the English PL, which is separate from both the FA and the EFL.

I cannot see where the Huns are going to get votes from to effect change, unless they’ve gone for the bare minimum, 3, to call a meeting and later on they’ll be joined by others.

I can understand other losers eg Partick, Falkirk etc may join them but why would others who’ve nothing to gain, jeopardise so much?

I’d imagine that most clubs want to make the best of potential dire circumstances and jettisoning that to satisfy Hun kite flying doesn’t make sense.

Mike
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Nothing in Scottish football makes sense, greed and self interest from Hearts @ Huns.
They need 32 votes in their favour to force the probe, I know where the probe should be forced. Les Gray- Hamilton, pushes one way, against league reconstruction and Budge pushes the other way, for. The Huns still think that they are THE force, they still havent grasped the big power shift in Scottish football, is towards the East End.

Yoker Bhoy
3 years ago

Very sad to hear the news of Michael Robinson, who has passed away today as a result of an incurable cancer. He was only 61 and active in his profession before the COVID crisis. The ex-Liverpool and Ireland striker really endeared himself to the Spanish public over a period of more than 30 years with his excellent football commentary skills. Although he never lost his English accent, he possessed an impressive mastery of the Spanish language and it was fascinating to listen to his expert analysis during high profile Liga games. Always highly descriptive with his choice of words, his non-stop wit and sincere warmth as a person will be hugely missed over here. RIP Michael and thanks for all those years of entertainment and fun you have given us.

Funkyy
3 years ago

If Celtic F.C. is supposed to be “legally responsible” for what happened to the poor kids at Celtic Boys Club based on them being allowed to use Celtic’s name and colours, then that would mean that every pop group, film star, TV personality etc who gave permission for their name and image to be associated with Fan Clubs and who sent photos, autographs, messages, and made appearances in the offices of their fan clubs would be “legally responsible” if some of the staff in their fan clubs abused the young boys or girls working there.

jimmybee
3 years ago
Reply to  Funkyy

Doesnt matter what happens elsewhere we have to do what’s right for those who were abused under our name. No point scoring no whataboutery.
Just do what’s right for the poor lads who started out dreaming like we all do to play for Celtic, only to be subjected to the scum of the earth perpetrating to be football coaches to commit their evil deeds.

highseastim
3 years ago
Reply to  jimmybee

Well, so much for an apology for Gregory Campbell appearing on Sportsound, it seems that the BBC have sent out a mass reply to all complaints, no apology, what a bloody disgrace.

Funkyy
3 years ago
Reply to  jimmybee

Absolutely jimmybee, I totally agree and I believe Celtic at the end of the day will try to help the victims.. My point is that scum like Graham are just using this as an excuse to have Celtic hit with a multi-million pound compensation pay-out and tarred with his “paedo” brush. He’s not interested in the victims or justice, if he was he’d look closer to home. It’s just another excuse for these hate-driven reptiles to damage Celtic.

Monti
3 years ago

Caption: Pizza Express, Wuhan.

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Not very woke.

Funkyy
3 years ago

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz wit’s awe that shiny stu….

Mark67!
3 years ago

Quote – Sevco’s fly support hit a glass ceiling

Mark67!
3 years ago

Good of you to add the rules, but the snapshot shows your battery needs a recharge, bit like the sevco board after the rats left a sinking ship, or mayhap drowned if it has already sunk!

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