Yesterday’s vote by the SPL members not to permit transfer of the SPL share held by Rangers Football Club PLC to Sevco Scotland Ltd resulted in Stewart Regan, CEO of the SFA, giving out some remarkable and bizarre quotes. He went into full Apocalypse Now mode, and is extensively quoted in many papers, including taking up much of the back page of the Scotsman.
I have taken his quotes below from that paper, and would suggest the whole article is worth a read.
My comments are in bold beneath those of Mr Regan.
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“Without Rangers, there is social unrest and a big problem for Scottish society. They have a huge fan base and to contemplate the situation where those fans don’t have a team to support, where those fans are effectively left without a game to follow, I just think that could lead to all sorts of issues, all sorts of problems for the game.
“Social unrest”? “A big problem for Scottish society”? Mr Regan cannot see a pudding without over-egging it! What does Mr Regan think will happen if there was not a team for Rangers fans to support? What will these displaced fans do which will cause “social unrest” and a “big problem for Scottish society”? Presumably the act of not going to watch football does not constitute what Mr Regan fears. What does he forecast then? If the situation is so bad, then surely Government intervention is required? After all, prevention of “social unrest” is one of the vital roles of Government.
By the end of the paragraph however he has calmed down a bit – “I just think that could lead to all sorts of issues, all sorts of problems for the game”. Huge problems for the game? That is a wee bit different from society as a whole, I think. As we shall see, Mr Regan comes across with what seems to be a remarkably low opinion of Rangers supporters.
“Tribalism in football is really important. It is part of the game. People follow their clubs with pride, it is passed down from generation to generation. There are thousands of Rangers fans whose fathers and parents and grandfathers have been Rangers fans. You can’t contemplate a situation without that and if Rangers weren’t to exist that could have real dire consequences.
“Dire consequences” if Rangers cease to exist? For society or for football? He says that a situation without Rangers cannot be contemplated. Well, it can, and it is. Indeed he is doing so himself. Does Mr Regan fear rioting on the streets of Rangers fans lose their club?
As the saga at Ibrox progressed over the last year there have been regular occasions when the rumours have spread that Strathclyde Police had cancelled all leave and were directing all spare officers to Ibrox, or that the security firm used by Rangers Football Club PLC was bussing in hundreds of stewards, in anticipation of a huge and potentially rowdy, if not actually violent, turn out by Rangers fans aggrieved at the latest disaster to befall their team. But these visions have not been true. Rangers fans have conducted themselves with restraint in their public gatherings. Fears of rioting in the streets have been wholly unfounded, and the protests organised by Rangers fans have passed peacefully, to the best of my knowledge.
However Mr Regan seems prepared to insinuate that Rangers fans cannot be trusted to behave themselves. In the context of them being left bereft by the possible disappearance of their team, that is entirely without any evidential basis, as far as I can see.
Rangers fans, like supporters of other clubs, have been criticised for many things and on many occasions, but Mr Regan’s thinly veiled fears of disorder are a calumny on the Rangers support.
What about the times, especially in the 1980’s, when Rangers’ fortunes were at a low ebb? Ibrox was almost empty on a number of occasions as the supporters, dis-satisfied with the product, voted with their feet. What happened? Was there “social unrest”? Did we have a “big problem for Scottish society”?
What about every second weekend, when Rangers play away? There are thousands of Rangers fans who do not go to away games. In fact it is a small minority of Ibrox attendees who go to away games. Whilst some go to watch reserve football or other teams entirely, most do not. Whilst this might make shopping malls busy with disgruntled husbands and fathers, it does not amount to “social unrest”.
“There is a lot of emotion around this subject because Rangers are a huge institution in Scottish football history and they are where they are. Their fans have been hurt, they don’t know what’s happening. There hasn’t been a great deal of leadership at the club and there hasn’t been a huge amount of communication from the football authorities.
One might ask Mr Regan what the SFA did about the lack of leadership at Rangers? One might ask, more pointedly, about the lack of communication from the football authorities. One might even ask Mr Regan if he realises that he is CEO of the body with overall responsibility for Scottish football? If there has been a lack of communication by the football authorities, who is responsible and what is being done to remedy that?
“The SPL have now decided that Rangers won’t be coming back into the SPL. From our perspective it’s important we set out the landscape because there is only one solution for the game now.
We should forgive Mr Regan his semantic error. The vote was not about “Rangers” coming back into the SPL. It was about the transfer of the SPL share. However, we can forgive him because neither he nor his organisation have any role in these matters which might require a certain exactitude of terminology and proper understanding of the issues…
Sorry. I must have been confusing this SFA with another one. Mr Regan’s SFA is involved in deciding what happens.
Mr Regan is one of the following:- careless as to terms he uses, ignorant of what the issues actually were, or fully aware of them but indulging in spin. I leave the reader to decide.
It is good to hear though that there is a solution, and the fact that there is only one makes things nice and easy, doesn’t it?
“The only solution for the game now is that Rangers come into the Scottish Football League and they come into it in the First Division. If Rangers were to go anywhere other than the First Division, then there would something in the region of £15.7 million worth of losses to the game.
It is good to see Mr Regan approaching the issues his body needs to determine with an open mind. The SFA has to decide, as he mentioned below, about membership. It is up to the SFL what to do about admission. There is no obligation I can see on the SFL to admit Sevco Rangers at all, although clearly that is the most likely outcome.
The impression given by Messrs Doncaster and Regan was that they were making frantic efforts to keep a “Rangers” in the SPL, on the basis that a vote against would ruin Scottish football.
Now we hear that anything less than “Rangers” in SFL 1 will cost Scottish football £15.7 million. I like the exactitude. Not “about £15 million” or “between £15 and £20 million” but instead “in the region of £15.7 million”. That suggests a team of SFA accountants working night and day through all the figures to calculate the potential losses. If so, let the public, who after all make up the customer base, see the projections. As matters stand there are many fans who would be unhappy to return to their clubs if they were seen to be over-accommodating to Sevco Rangers. If this is a matter of economic inevitability though, publicising the sums might persuade some fans that their teams, after all, had no choice.
Otherwise the assumption can be made that this is a figure from the back of a cigarette packet.
“For the bigger clubs at the top of the league, that’s half their annual distributions. For clubs at the bottom it is basically wiping out their entire distributions, for some of the smaller clubs it’s a huge proportion of their annual turnover.
If Scottish football had reached the stage where the loss of one team will cause such destruction, then perhaps the structure was unsustainable? Every bit of economic special pleading suggests that Rangers, like Celtic presumably, would be “too biog to fail” or would be “too big to be relegated”. As we have seen part of Rangers’ demise comes from the lack of European income last season. They missed the pot of gold and ended up bust (there were other factors of course).
Does Mr Regan realise that what he is saying suggest that Celtic and Rangers would have to be in the Champions League qualifiers, because without that money they could not survive? How could he contemplate teams finishing ahead of them, for all the economic disaster this would bring?
Football is a business. If a business suffers lost income, it needs to adjust. Some businesses adjust and survive and some fail. Why should football be different, especially where the business most acutely affected is where it is as a result of its own profligate and possibly illegal actions?
“The same will be true for most clubs. Perhaps clubs could survive for a short period of time but it’s not sustainable. Even if Rangers end up in the First Division, there is still going to be a £5 million loss of income to the SPL clubs. The game is not sustainable so there would be a slow lingering death for the game in Scotland. It would then trickle down to the SFL. From our perspective as the governing body and we cannot allow that to happen.
Is he talking of the SPL, or of all SFL clubs too? “Trickle down” is a good phrase to describe what makes it to SFL3 from the rich man’s table at the SPL.
The fact that Mr Regan sees the presence of “Rangers” for even one season in the SFL as leading to a “slow lingering death” for Scottish football is surely a recognition that he, and those at the top of the football governing bodies, should quit for so hopelessly having mismanaged the sport?
As the governing body, “we cannot allow that to happen”! What does that mean? What if one of Celtic or Rangers was relegated? What if one of them was found to have cheated so seriously that they had to be expelled from football, or suspended for a season or two…
Wait a minute. Mr Regan has managed to cause issues with the independent Appellate Tribunal. If it decides to expel “Rangers” on the assumption that it has a membership, then the Appellate Tribunal would kill Scottish football?
Dear Mr Regan, please engage your brain prior to speaking!
“If we allowed that to happen, it would simply be a dereliction of duty. Therefore, this whole decision-making process has been one of the most challenging and complex decisions that I have ever been involved in in 27 years of business as sport.
Tosh.
“Some clubs in the SFL are afraid of the implications of the decisions. There is the moral argument, the fear of a fans’ backlash and there are financial implications to consider. But when we look at the alternative, it is not possible to think about it without thinking of the game withering on the vine. We cannot contemplate that and the message has to be that Division One for Rangers is the only show in town as far as the future of Scottish football is concerned.”
So we will ignore the moral element, the fans’ backlash and the financial implications, because nothing else can be contemplated? What steps have the SFA taken to see if there might be increased TV interest in coverage of SFL3 if Sevco are admitted to there? What about the financial benefits to SFL3 and 2 and 1 teams as Sevco Rangers move up the league? What about the SFL agreeing a new way of distributing gate receipts so that away teams benefit financially from visiting Ibrox? What about suggesting some ideas Mr Regan?
“We have had dialogue with the broadcasters and we understand what the various stakeholders from Sky television, ESPN, Sport Five and a number of the SPL’s other commercial partners are likely to do in the event Rangers are not in either of the top two tiers. It’s not pretty. That’s why we cannot sit back and let that happen without trying to get all parties to accept this is the only solution which can keep the game afloat.
Tell the fans what these parties are saying so that they can make their own decisions. If Sky wants to pull out of Scottish football, then the fans should know so they can decide if they still want to subscribe. Sky have publicly said they do not want out. IS Mr Regan saying they are telling lies?
Why not try to sell the game to the sponsors on the basis that, in fact, this episode might create new interest and vibrancy in the sport. How on earth talking it down with mentions of social unrest and lingering death in any way fulfills his remit, I have no idea.
“Without Old Firm games, the value drops, the overseas deals are almost exclusively about the Old Firm derby and that would go immediately. Then you look at the rest of the game and what it is worth. It is fair to say the broadcasters would live with a year without Rangers in the SPL, because it could be a fantastic story for them, which is why I think First Division rights will be an interest as people will want to see how this club is going to bounce back.”
Maybe, as I said before, the teams should have to live within their means? After all, Celtic have said that they have a business plan which is not dependent on any other team. If Celtic, who stand to lose most money from the disappearance of Rangers can budget for that, why can’t other teams? Or is it the case that the lack of communication from the football authorities has not left other teams time to do so?
“If Rangers don’t get promoted, then the game has got another year to suffer with the financial consequences that brings. I can’t predict what will happen, because Rangers at the moment are a weakened team because of everything that has gone on. They are a newco at the moment, they have got very few players on their books. They are going to be entering the SFL in whatever division with a weakened team and I don’t think it’s by any means certain they are going to come back in the way they or their fans might like them to recover.
So what if they do not get promotion in the first season? Death for Scottish football. As Mr Regan has already said, more than one season outside the SPL cannot be contemplated for “Rangers”. How does he propose to get round the need actually to play games and have a competition?
“It’s going to be a slow recovery to get back to the football fitness they have shown in the past. So we can’t look into the future and say ‘what if they don’t operate in a certain way?’. We can only look at building the foundations, to change the game for the better and provide an infrastructure that can bring financial certainty to the other 41 clubs.”
Why up to now, one might ask, have the football authorities been complicit in a structure where the fate of 41 clubs rests on 1? Is that not an admission of a dereliction of duty?
“The SFA have to transfer Rangers’ membership from oldco to newco. That can be done with any conditions attached to it that the SFA board deem fit. We would expect a newco to carry some of the sanctions which would have related to the club had it still been in the previous incarnation. The membership cannot be transferred on financial grounds alone. It has to have a degree of sporting integrity and that means sporting sanctions.”
A “degree of sporting integrity”. That could be Mr Regan’s epitaph. And why should a newco only carry “some” of the sanctions? If newco is taken as a continuation of oldco, then surely all sanctions should apply? Who decides what sanctions are and are not applicable? Will it be the Appellate Tribunal, Mr Regan or the SFA Board?
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Addendum – I had joked that undoubtedly Mr Regan would claim to have been misquoted. Imagine my surprise to find the following story on the BBC website – Rangers: SFA chief Stewart Regan clarifies “social unrest” concerns.
“It’s important to stress that the reference to social unrest was in the context of no Rangers being in existence. My discussions with a number of media outlets last night centred on what may or may not happen to Rangers in the future.
“In the event there wasn’t a Rangers, that’s got dire consequences of the game and for Scottish society, generally. The economic impact and social unrest are all things that could result as an impact of having no Rangers.
“However, I think the main focus last night was talking about what happens to Rangers in the immediate future after yesterday’s decision by the SPL and trying to focus on which division Rangers will play in next season.
“That matter will be considered next week by the Scottish Football League and, hopefully, there’ll be an outcome whereby Rangers will be accepted into Division One of the SFL; which would allow some financial stability for clubs in the country.”
It was to be expected that Mr Regan would seek to clarify matters. However his clarification makes little or no difference to what he said.
It is quite clear that his comments were in the context of there being no Rangers. However, it still takes us no further forward in understanding why there will be these dire consequences for the game and for Scottish society should a football team cease to be.
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Conclusion
Mr Regan holds a vital role in Scottish football. He heads the overall governing body and as such has a duty to act in the interests of his members and also in the interests of the game of football itself.
The economic welfare of Scottish football is part of his responsibility, but that is more the remit of the Leagues. The SFA is meant to be above these matters, looking to address the good of the game.
The whole situation with the administration of Rangers Football Club PLC however is totally distorting the fabric of Scottish football entirely. The structure and survival of the game seems to be predicated on the welfare of one team.
That team is in its present position not because of some force majeure. It is where it is, which involves all its assets having been sold out from the insolvent company which operated it, because of deliberate non-payment of taxes, which were then used to fund the team, and as a result of the weight of a huge and allegedly illegal tax reduction scheme which did not just break the rules regarding tax, but also is alleged to have done the same with those of football.
Mr Green and Sevco appeared in an effort to pick up the pieces. However the adamant insistence that his company is the old one, well, except for paying debts etc, means that any goodwill that might otherwise have come from neutrals is in short supply.
The frantic efforts of Mr Regan to maintain “Rangers” in the SPL, and now in SFL1, or in a newly created SPL2, do his organisation a dis-service. It looks as if Mr Regan is an advocate for “Rangers” and that one team controls the destiny of forty one.
Predictions of the collapse of society should there not be a Rangers, and the collapse of Scottish football unless they regain a place in the SPL in one year are nothing but nonsense. If Mr Regan believes them, then he is either deluded or has seen evidence so stark that he has been terrified to reveal it to anyone else. I would not want to suggest that he is engaging in deliberate scare-mongering to terrify his member clubs into compliance.
If a trenchant critic of the SFA wanted evidence for criticism, then these statements by Mr Regan hit the nail on the head. Lack of communication; lack of business acumen; lack of planning; over-reliance on one team to the potential dtriment of all others…the list goes on.
I posed a number of questions for the SFA earlier. Perhaps I missed the obvious ones – are there any lengths to which the SFA will not go in an effort to promote the interests of the entity now under the name of Sevco Scotland Ltd. And in that event, why?
Posted by Paul McConville
Random Thoughts Re Scots Law by Paul McConville 
Long even for you Paul! The conclusion was great 😉
I worked in education in Glasgow for 36 years. During that time I saw many school closures. When I started, there were 56 secondaries. Now there are 29 (30 if you include the Gaelic school). During the time when a school was under threat, there were all sorts of protests and sit-ins. There were appeals from politicians and even threats of civil disobedience. Remind you of anything?
However, after closure, pupils would turn up at their new school and just get on with it. Parents would soon adjust as there was no obvious detrimental effect on their offspring. Indeed many of these families soon discovered real benefits and many youngsters were very pleased to be sporting their new uniform!
Close the “Rangers”. There will be no social unrest. I predict many of their old fans will happily move to support other clubs – hopefully their local team.
Without Rangers I agree that there is no real risk of social unrest. However, I do not agree that their old fans will happily move to support their local local team, they will focus on improving their golf, fishing, bowls instead. The only benefit football may get is after a period of time some of them commencing to support the large English teams.
I take your point, Robert. Maybe I should say some fans will shift their support, whereas many, probably the majority will drift away. That might be the biggest benefit to football!
Well in that’s a well sound option m8y
There has been no mention of any social unrest from Rangers supporters during the months this has dragged on.Mr. Regan is not, therfore addressing a problem – it sounds more like he is attempting to create one. If there is any social unrest as a result of these matters I think Mr. Regan could be charged with inciting the criminal behaviour that ensues.
If he is arrested will the SFA get a new CEO?
I am worried about the social unrest of denazifying. Some Nazis have had Nazis in the family for generations. Can Stewart Regan help?
Paul,
Spot on analysis, as usual.
Mr Regan,
You are unfit for purpose. Please resign today and help us resolve this dereadful mess.
have sevco got a video of him in a uncompromised postion or something why all the sevco loving hes got to go ,a fantastic article agian paul now ave seen what he really ment al put my orange jucier away lol
regan must go now!
The phrase “something in the region of £15.7 million worth of losses to the game” lacks an important qualifier – over what term is this loss to be sustained?
If Scottish football were to lose it all before Christmas then yes indeed that could be nasty, but over five or even three years feels tractable. In fact any creative MD would see it as a marvelous opportunity to restructure, reposition and relaunch the product – go for it Stewie!!!
Paul its time that the footballing public and the member teams start to hold the footballing authorities to account.
For too long now we have known that they are complicit with exRFC and have had and still do have massive publicly known conflicts of interest.
Consider some other high-profile figures – like Mr Ogilvie. He remains president of the Scottish FA, despite that “heavily conflicted” comment from his chief exec (Mr Stewart Regan). In 2008 a Companies House report showed Mr Ogilvie held 3,505 Rangers shares whilst in senior management at Hearts. That year he became chief executive at Hearts and suddenly transferred his 3,505 Rangers shares to his wife Karolina, who already held 400 – thus giving her 3,905 shares. So to the one-time sectarian crooner Donald Findlay. Infamous for leading sectarian singing at an Ibrox function in 1999, he may have been forced out of Rangers over that unfortunate musical issue but he has not left Rangers in so many other ways. By 2010 Companies House records will tell you he held 9,900 Rangers shares whilst Chairman of Cowdenbeath FC. So to Donald Findlay. His case is perhaps the most curious of the lot. There is the perceived conflict of interest in running Cowdenbeath whilst owning almost 10,000 Rangers shares.
The management and executive borads of the SFA/SPL and SFL have failed the footballing public in every aspect. They are now as in the past found totally inept, corrupt, complicit, out of touch and need now to be replaced.
If the game in Scotland is failing or “withering on the vine” then it is them that caused this.
Why have the rules and regulations NOT been updated to provide concise exact terms of reference for the memebers and any actions/misdemeanours that may ensue?
Why have the authorities apparently allowed the whole of this ancient authority to allow its self to be reliant on one club?
Why have they not undertaken their responsibilities and carried out progressive reforms to ensure the stability of all clubs and conduct proper due diligence?
Why have the failed to promote the Scottish game at all levels, instead of relying on the member clubs?
Why do they continue to lie and speculate without providing any guidance?
Why have they been allowed to seek to bully clubs into their viewpoint?
Has anyone considered how we can as Scottish football fans and supporters rid ourselves of these idiot,(too good a term of reference for them).
I feel that we now have to take the actions in all legal forms and pressure the appropriate areas to remove these “people” from these posts.
They are obviously not willing to do the decent thing and resign so proactive action against them must now be taken.
In doing so collectively we will save and nurture our game with or without newco.
As a footnote, i predict now 05.07.12 that newco will not survive longer than 3 years and if they manage to somehow get into Dvi1/SPL2 then they will remain there for a minimum of 3 years.They have no playing staff to consider, no funding and already liabilities that they cannot manage so the future is not good for them.
Regan sounds utterly desperate and it makes me suspicious he may have more to lose than just his job.
It appears to me that both Mr Regan and Mr Doncaster are more interested in the contents of their respective CVs in the future, than serving as chief operating officers to their current employers.
The much heralded £80 million record Sky deal would, I venture, have taken a prominent place in each gentleman’s résumé, bolstered by phrases such as “revitalised the Scottish game”, “added significant value to Scottish football”. They then would have moved onwards and upwards, over the next year, or so, perhaps into more lucrative jobs in the say the EPL, or EUFA.
What they want is a short-term fix in order that they can get out with their reputations intact. This is the real reason why they need Sevco Rangers in the SFL First division next season – forget about “social unrest” and in its place substitute “career progress”.
Others, in reply to this piece by Paul, have quite rightly ‘flagged-up’ the possibility that Sevco Rangers may not achieve promotion in one season and ask, “what happens then?” – Regan and Doncaster are unconcerned on this front because they will be long gone when, and, if, that situation develops.
its 5 more to say no and the div 1 dreams over ,then its resturcture the sfa spl and sfl chairmens after that we can get on with the new season !am amazed at how much the msm are attacking the bloggers they know they are fighting for there lifes now ,not only is the chairmens getting ousted a feel its time to out the msm and sack most of them
jim traynor must go ,slags to many people constantly refers to taken the piss with saying you taken the michael ,thats the main reason a want him out.
For goodness sake, if there is social unrest it is up to the police and the judiciary to sort it out. It is not up to the football authorities to gerrymander a vote and leave behind all elements of natural in trying to appease a group who have a track record of intinidation, even violence.
Despite what you say I do not believe there is a real risk of social unrest.
I always wonder how we have this them and us attitude sometimes. the SFA, SPL and SFL chief executives are surely established, controlled and employed by their various members. we seem to discuss them as if they have a job separate from the members they represent. I am the chief executive of a charity and i have the same policy as my trustees (and if i dont like it i can leave anytime i wish). obviously i can advise the board on best practice or possible outcomes from decisions they make (“bold decision boss”) but at the end of the end when all is said and done the members are in charge. surely this persons employers should reign them in a bit.
I rather suspect that are tails (chief executives – and employees) wagging the dogs (the Boards of Directors – and their employers!) I think that certain chief executives (and not only football-related ones) should be reminded of their status – as EMPLOYEES!
I’m pretty sure the A&E departments in Glasgow will welcome the respite of no old firm games for a year or four.
Social unrest? my arse.
Regan et al should all just walk away, but hang on Rangers don’t do that…
Well said Brian lets as a unit get last year statistics. For August then well judge it worth this 1coming ,the women’s aids loving it
Paul take a bow mate, you have outdone yourself with this piece, All fans should send this URL to their chairmen…
With great power comes responsibiity so Mr Reagan and Mr Doncaster do the responsible , honourable thing and resign, you are not presenting either organisation you are paid to represent in an appropriate manner. The SPL and SFA Boards should look at removing both of these people as soon as possible……………………………. aye right !
His Remarks are derogatory to the existing SFL1 clubs and to Rangers fans in general not to mention ALL other clubs and fanbases as he shows his bias in trying to plaster over the cracks in Scottish football. He has never impressed me in what he has said in the past and I have often thought he misses the point in a lot of his replies. Mind you his mate Doncaster should be employed by D&P as he is a master of vagueness and likes to move deadlines a lot..
The appellate findings and the dual contracts thing should have been stepped up before any vote as either of these should have the severest of consequences. Having the outcome of these after the various votes is inept and could be conceived as corrupt in that it would bias any penalties. In fact it strongly suggests that once the cracks are papered over the whitewash will come out.
If they put sevco in ANY league with a huge chance of having to remove them at some point… Is it just me…? A double whammy to Scottish football….
Lastly a big assumption on sevco fan numbers imo. I would say a lot have had enough, some are following Bummer Broon and not renewing season books and Bungle, zippy and george will scunner others. Here is my prediction there will be a lot of pay at the gate at Ibrox for the foreseeable. I would be surprised if we see crowds close to 20k at Ibrox every other week for the foreseeable. Administration thru the season.
I am puzzled as to the wordings in Mr. Regan statement. A threat to the existence of “Rangers” (I presume he means Sevco) didn’t seem to be eminent to me thus far. Does he refer to a possible decision by the Appelate Tribunal and were his surreal warnings directed towards Lord Carloway and the othe tribunal members? I might also point out that the liquidation (i.e. the ceasing of the existence) of Rangers plc has to my knowledge not let to any incidents of sozial unrest. If he hadn’t had a holliday already I would suggest he should take a break from it all. The man is showing signs of distress.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18727333
Date change from the 12th to 13th July…. I wonder how many sevco supporters complaints it took to get the morally corrupt ones to change that date?.
This shows how petty this whole farce is.
Though choice. “The Twelfth” or “Friday the Thirteenth”. Sounds like it’s going to be scary either way.
Most of the CEOs could be across the water exercising to music so they maybe would not have enough for a vote!!! You have to laugh at the extent to which they are willing to go to save Rangers. My dad told me years ago there was corruption and I was always a bit cynical. God rest him he was more correct than even he realised.
An announcement on Rangers on orangmen’s day, you couldn’t make it up! One wonders why on earth they moved it!?!
Yeah, they’ll be dancing in the streets of Portadown…
Pensionerbhoy
July 5, 2012 at 4:25 pm
I posted this in response to Paul’s earlier article but feel it may be a more appropriate comment on this one.
I have suspected for a long time that the governing bodies of Scottish football were steeped in corruptive shenanigans of every sort. Recent events and the statements of some club chairmen have not only confirmed this but have been a glint of light from normally dark and secretive corridors of power. Could there be hope of new brooms? What the current football association and league chaos have proved is that the people in charge of Scottish football are so incompetent and so dishonest that, in their maniacal rush to protect their prize pig and their own unstable power bases, they have been incapable of providing their usual covert protection for their deviousness. Unwittingly they have mouthed their threats and nonsense from outside the bunker and failed to shoot some chairmen before they could give the game away. Yes, come the end game they have shown themselves to be totally useless little Nazis. However, they have not as yet mutually agreed to blow each others corporate brains to smithereens, so we need to be prepared for further egotistical and autocratic pronouncements. There will be more warnings about the rape and pillage about to descend on Scottish football structures if the ‘red’ army of sensible clubs and supporters should win the day in their fight for justice and integrity. In fact, declarations will be made by mien fuhrers with the connivance of their Gurings, Geobbels, Himlers, Hesses etc., etc. that will demand obedience even if contradicting their own shambolic regulations and the advice and votes of their generals. Perhaps then will be the opportune time for the allies to show a united front and take the war to the European theatre. If not, the invasion may drag out far beyond a practical and warranted time- scale. The present Hampden pill boxes need to be demolished so that the fans’ army can remove the dictators from office. The power of the ground troops must now focus upon ridding Scottish football of its incumbent tyrannical leadership. The war is now against manipulation for the sake of one favoured entity and the commercial interests besotting the authorities. A united front must act swiftly to clear football at all levels of the destructive forces that currently control it. Only then can Scottish football breath pure, clean air once again and start to regain some of the pride that has been sucked from its heart by the most flagrant abuse of power and position. By August 4th. we should expect a V for victory and not a return to the ignominy of the status quo.
H H
how revealing of the principles by which some people live. ” I dont care what this club has done, their existence must be ensured for monetary reasons”. what shallow and appalling behaviour from someone in such a senior position. regan is off his trolley with this inflammatory stuff. time to send round the men in white coats for him…
Don’t you think they. Have stole bomber hobbits glue and are sniffing it lol
Paul, I wrote this for another site several weeks ago. I wanted to express my concerns that there could be a backlash from the nasty element that is a not an insignificant part of the Rangers support. It was certainly not my intention to scaremonger as a certain Mr. Regan seems to wish to do. It was a plea to be cautious rather than paranoid (there’s a great word). I take your points to heart and as I say in the article, I have no actual grounds for my fears. However, I do believe there is just that possibility that Celtic and other supporters may face additional challenges especially on match days, if certain elements are free to roam and decide to turn the venom of their blogs into vindictive actions. Anyhow, I hope it makes some sense but, more importantly, that I am completely wrong.
Raging Bulls
http://followfollowfail.blogspot.com/2012/06/is-situation-affecting-your-personal.html
It would appear from the above that perhaps with the potential for a large number of raging bulls running amok, all china shops in and around Glasgow might be under serious threat. I guess there are none so hateful as those who rankle and none so murderous as those who seek vengeance. Fans of the now-extinct-Rangers F.C. have certainly been hateful towards the rest of Scottish football over the years and have been known on not a few occasions to take it to the extremes of death threats and even murder. In their psychotic narcissism, they have been intolerant to the extent of violence towards anything or anyone that does not adhere to their egotistical righteousness. Like spoiled brats, who have been unfortunately pandered to for a hundred years or more, they react to animosity in the manner of bulls on heat rampaging in search of targets for their vengeful lust.
Such vicious bullying (forgive the pun) has been witnessed far beyond their own borders resulting in condemnation from countries, cities and football clubs throughout Europe and beyond. The venomous language of their web sites and blogs has a terrifyingly threatening ring to it. The so called uncontrolled dominant minority is so vicious, it justifies any need to use it as a distinct deterrent to any potential acceptance of the genuine few, far less the whole.
It is a worrying thought that the violent behaviour of the now-extinct-Rangers F.C. fans would probably continue even if a new team, whatever it may be called, is devoid of its greatest rival and playing in a lower division. It would appear to be so ingrained in their psyche that it is nigh impossible to imagine any significant change in spite of a relocation. In fact, being demoted would very possibly result in a retaliation that has not seen its like in Scottish football ever. If their team ends up in the S.F.L., it would be expected that clubs in the lower divisions would bear the brunt of their wrath.
Unlike clubs in the S.P.L., whose supporters may have sufficient numbers to proffer some defence, S.F.L. clubs on the whole will have, at most, only a few thousand to confront the rampaging hordes. For the majority these defences would most probably be so limited as to create a ‘Three Hundred Spartans’ scenario. This to me would be the death-knell of that particular S.F. league as supporters drift away club by club rather than try to confront the onslaught each would face at least every fortnight.
Moreover, I contend that following a new club in the S.F.L. would only be a very short lived temporary distraction for that large number of fans who would most likely revert to type. I am certain there are those among them that would choose violent disruption at local S.P.L. matches as preferred entertainment to watching their adopted club playing, as they would see it, an insignificant game against what they would regard in footballing terms as a “nobody”. Once again they would place football hooliganism at the pinnacle of Scottish shameful behaviour and, as is their wont, would find someone else to blame, dragging all of us into the same cesspit, deserving or not. Once more the iron fist of a knee-jerk government would pound the innocent while ignoring the guilty. Some might argue that the calamity could be averted if the new club were not allowed a place in any Scottish league and this looks more and more to be a possibility. However, I seriously doubt this would eliminate the potential mayhem that could ensue no matter what the outcome from the present now-extinct-Rangers F.C. crisis.
These type of supporters would only have more time and excuse to direct their venom at any football club in their sights. It is not beyond the realms of possibility for this to mean non-league football too. It seems a bleak picture but it is one painted to warn rather than to frighten. Preparation is at least half the battle.
I am sure there are many who would question my depressing negativity. I have no physical evidence to support my theories. The proof for me lies in a gut instinct that tells me to be wary. My deductions are founded on the total lack of remorse, the blatant absence of an admission of guilt and the determination to lay the blame on others. Most threatening of all is the rallying calls to arms in tweets and blogs in pursuit of what these supporters see as warranted retribution. Not a single person from the now-extinct-Rangers F.C. has made the slightest attempt to seek reconciliation, neither director, member of staff nor supporter. On the contrary, still steeped in self-centred expectancy, they bleat cries of self pity. They practically demand leniency, clemency or mercy depending on their mood, all the attributes that their ex-club failed to display when requested in its time of power-broking, as witnessed by the now-extinct-Airdrieonians F.C.
When the crocodile tears trigger no response, they are most certainly not averse to using threats. Furthermore, they have demonstrated they have lost none of their disdain for Scottish football, whether towards the authorities, other clubs and above all other supporters. Their superiority complex is the very antithesis of the reaction expected from those who have been humbled and defeated. For me, this very complex is what will instigate the need for revenge. Those who appear, in their eyes at least, to have contributed to their downfall, will be firmly in their sights, as alluded to in the verbal threats of their resurrected “hero”, Mr. S. Jardine. It is not inconceivable that in the melee there could well be “civilian casualties”.
It would seem that almost all now-extinct-Rangers F.C. fans are, one suspects deliberately, blinded to the wrongdoing of their club. Nor do they recognise their own part in it through wallowing in and accepting the benefits of its misdeeds, not dissimilar to handling stolen goods, one might say. Increasingly they perceive themselves as the victims as others are portrayed more and more as the perpetrators for laying upon them the hand of justice. Justice is a virtue for which they have displayed very little respect throughout their ex-club’s history resulting in a perception that for them, special treatment is merited. It is this narrow-minded interpretation that has seen them unblushingly accept favours, lord it over all rivals, have their destructive way with numerous people and places offering them hospitality. Above all, embedded in their minds is the belief that gaining undue advantage or reaping undeserved rewards is absolutely acceptable provided it is not exposed or, even worse, condemned. Can anyone truly deny the potential of such a mindset to act ad extremis when trapped.
The entangled current affairs of both their ex-club and the new entity has undoubtedly ensnared these supporters in fear, fury and hatred. Warped by a disingenuous Scottish media and a succession of shifty rescuers and their cohorts, they at least imagine if not believe, that all other fans are but crazed hunters. As can only be expected from cornered prey, rather than reason a feasible and bloodless escape plan, they are apt to rush headlong into a fight. I believe that when they finally retaliate, they will resemble more the raging bull than the cunning fox.
Not content with threatening Scottish Premier League clubs with the “Doomsday” scenario of life without RFC(IL), and then issuing SFL clubs with the same threat when that appeared fruitless, is Stewart Regan actually threatening the whole of Scottish society with repurcussions by way of “social unrest” if newco fails to be admitted into the first divison? What kind of “social unrest” might occur, does he think? Will Rangers fans march through the streets of Glasgow singing provocative and seditious songs on a selected number of Saturday mornings? Will they hang around various city centre subway stations en route to the “Big Hoose” acting particularly anti-socially whilst swigging fom Buckfast bottles? Will they travel to other large UK cities vandalising and terrorising the locals? As far as I can tell that’s what happens when Rangers are allowed to participate. There is no place in Scottish football for Stewart Regan and his ludcicrous threats and apocolyptic predictions. He has proved himself to be singularly incompetent and laughably inept. For the good of the game in this country he must be made to resign.
Mr McCoist feels hard done by:
ALLY McCOIST has called for an end to the punishments being meted out to Rangers as he tries to contemplate life with just SIX first team players.
The Ibrox manager says Rangers simply could not cope with a transfer embargo, for example, which he describes as ‘madness’,
He is working with just a handful of recognised first team players right now and insists he needs to BRING IN over 10 new faces.
Speaking exclusively to RangersTV, McCoist points out that Rangers have already been hammered with:
·A 10-point deduction for going into administration
·Removal from the Champions League because accounts were not lodged
·A fine of £160,000 by the SFA for the miss-management and deeds of Craig Whyte
·A three-year ban from European football for becoming a newco
·Relegation from Scotland’s top flight.
On top of that, of course, 11 players have quit the club.
http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/football-news/article/2833474
How many of these are actual punishments, and how many of these are inevitable consequences of the circumstance in which you find yourself? And you were NOT relegated. You were not admitted. If you went in to the meeting with that sort of attitude of ever the victim then it is no wonder that they didn’t want you in, Mr McCoist.
Paul, Stenhousemuir FC have come out in support of Sevco Scotland ( I refuse to use Rangers or Newco )joining at the level of the 1st division, while that is their boards decison based on what they believe to best for them, one thing stands out to me.
The claim that the Settlement Agreement payment would not be paid if Sevco Scotland go into any other division, surely this agreement would be a written agreement.
Could the SPL tear up this agreement because of the fault of one of their members ? If it was torn up could the SFL pursue the SPL through the courts and what would be the possible outcomes if a case happened.
Time for the diddy teams to stand firm against the SPL, their dirt washing, let them launder it and hang it out to dry.
Tribalism in football is really important! Is this guy for real. What a stupid thing to say. I’m really angry. Has anyone got Regan’s proper email address as I want to give him a piece of my mind!
Yes Joseph. Living in N. Ireland, where we know all about tribalism I found it hard to credit that a man in Regan’s position would come out with such a statement. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I decided that the word must mean something different to him, than it does here. Still an incredibly stupid thing to say. I don’t see how he can hold onto his position much longer.
No, but he has a twiiter account.
He also has a twitter account – Ha!
linfield v rangers on the 7th of May 2012 in Belfast- billed as going to represent the epic scope of support and affection for the dying Glasgow club. In reality one of the most symbolic landmarks in rangers death. 7,000 turned up, Windsor park at most an hour and and a half from all the “heartlands” of true blueism could barley half fill itself. This was the day the theory of backlash and the great horde waiting to be unleashed was exposed as the bag of wind it was and is.
To put this pitiful attendance in perspective, four years ago the Cork county Hurling team brought 10,000 people onto the streets of that city to support the players in a dispute with the countys administrators over relatively small player welfare issues
I sincerely hope the chairman of HFC has a handle on all of the corruption going on inside the offices of the SFA. Disgusting
It’s revealing that the CEOs of the SFA,the SPL and the SRU are all from down south.Don’t we produce sports administrators anymore?Mr.Regan has obviously been captured by the Glasgow press-many of whom are still trying to get over the mastery of Aberdeen 30 years ago.
Hmmm? Any chance of a couple of years to digest this. fenominal!!!
What in the great name of King Edward is all this piffle paffle about Her Majesty’s Rangers Footie club, it’s not as if they’ve stolen the crown jewels. Go on that young Ronald Regan, get on your horse and whip those wee Rangers guys to the top of the tree again, where they belong. Yours sincerely, Bammy Bampot.
It makes as much sense as Regan.
What is behind the late campaign by the Football authorities that they come out fighting for SEVCO?
The amount of spin, threats and outright lies coupled with one of the poorest drafted documents to enter the public domain suggests absolute desperation. Somebody has a lot to gain from them getting into Div1 or a lot to lose by them going to Div3.
Regan has assumed the role of chief agitator for SEVCO. In case there is any doubt he is Chief Executive of the SFA and is not employed by Rangers or SEVCO.
Having seen all the “social unrest” headlines before reading the original Scotsman piece, two things struck me.
1) In my, admittedly basic, journalism training, if I was tasked with turning Regan’s quotes into a story, I would certainly expect to have been told to lead with the “social unrest” line. I am surprised that an editorial decision was taken to tuck it away in about para 3 of the amended story. And I wonder what “influenced” that decision.
2) The next line to leap out at me was “a year withour Rangers in the SPL…would be a fantastic story for (broadcasters), which is why I think first division rights will be of interest as people would want to see how this club is going to bounce back.”
I think Regan is right about that. But surely, surely, SURELY broadcasters would commission a second series, or even a third, if “people would want to see” it. So this strikes me as an argument for Sevco starting in division three and giving broadcasters three years worth of this drama. They’d pay good money for it. And at least 29 of the “innocent” 41 clubs would see some of that money.
Three years of Sevco in the SFL would be of enorm ous benefit TO the SFL, unless outside sources of money were deliberately dried up. And surely the SFA, as the guardians of the entire game in Scotland, would never be a party to that.
If we agree that Rangers are necessary for the survival of our game, we should also recognise that their own survival has been through receiving special treatment, cheating and not paying tax. Thus for the survival of our game Sevco must also have the same special treatment, allowed to cheat and not pay tax otherwise it’s armageddon, social unrest etc……