Football Hospitality – More than Pies and Bovril? – Part 1

I have made it big time! No more being ignored by Darrell King – now I am moving to be ignored on a bigger stage

I am a “first reserve” to attend the Queen’s Park match on Saturday as a guest as part of a corporate hospitality package. I agreed to hold myself in reserve to attend and then thought I should check who the opponents were.

Imagine my surprise when I noticed that it was against the club owned by Rangers Football Club Ltd owned, in turn, by Rangers International Football Club PLC!

So, I might have great fun at the weekend, in amongst the pies and Bovril at Hampden. It might even give me the chance to have a chat with some of the Rangers fans, and maybe even Chico Verde himself!

It made me think of some of my past football visits as sponsor’s guest, or a recipient of the wonders of corporate hospitality. I hope that mick excuses me venturing into his area by writing about pies!

The first example taught me that coming to a football match in a suit is not always a good idea. My employer had booked a sponsorship package for an Albion Rovers match at sunny Cliftonhill. As was his wont, he managed to forget to tell anyone that he had done so, until around noon on the Saturday of the game. Needless to say, he himself found something better to do on a spring Saturday afternoon, but his minions were ordered to attend. Fortunately I did not have time to get home to change into a suit, although a couple of my colleagues did so. After all, they felt, it was right to be smart when being match sponsor.

The “Strong Leader” in Football – What Matters Most – The Role or the Achievements?

A new blog has recently emerged onto the field of Scottish football writing – The Rangers Standard.

As it says in its manifesto:-

“The Rangers Standard is a project aimed at promoting positive and innovative thinking about the club and its role in Scottish football and society.

This is an opportunity to examine the club’s history and development, re-claim neglected or forgotten parts of its heritage, and reflect on how the Rangers community develops from here and how that future might be shaped by the concerns, hopes and visions of committed supporters.

We will encourage debate on all aspects of the club and will not shirk from confronting the hard topics such as sectarianism, national identity, and misgovernment by the custodians of the club in the recent and not so recent past.

We welcome well-constructed arguments and spirited polemic: the contributions of non-Rangers fans will be accepted provided they are constructive.”

In its guidelines for those seeking to contribute it states:-

“4. In time we will accept articles from non Rangers fans but these must relate in some way to the club or issues surrounding it and must be constructive.”

The piece below was written for the Rangers Standard, but failed even to achieve the accolade of a rejection.  Whether it was too long, too short, too dull, too negative or insufficiently constructive I do not know. Nonetheless I wish the project well. You can never have too much good writing.

Sadly though I cannot add the Rangers Standard to Labour Hame, Scotzine, the Open Justice Project, the Helensburgh Advertiser (many years ago) and the Scottish Football Monitor amongst the places from where my words of wisdom have been inflicted on an unsuspecting world.

The Sevco Board Met The Rangers Fans Fighting Fund – What Happened?

In which I comment on the meeting of the Sevco Scotland Board and manager with the Rangers Fans Fighting Fund.

It is clear that the wagons are being circled at Ibrox. What is not clear is Mr Green’s funding and backers, but he has promised a reply to all questions only days from now!

It is not clear though how much money his company has just now and has access to, nor if the sums mentioned include the purchase price of the assets.

It is also unclear how the £30 million which would have been in the bank mid-July, if a CVA had succeeded has now vanished from the discussions unless it was to be the sale proceeds of the players.

And talking of the players, I wondered why Mr McCoist referred to only having six first team players. Maybe his definition of first team players differs from mine, and more importantly from the official Rangers website!

And finally, has there ever before been a league where a player for one team receives in wages almost 50% more than the entire turnover of a team in a higher division? (To which the answer is probably yes, but it will definitely happen should Sevco Scotland succeed in having a team in SFL3 in the coming season!)

One Stop Roofing v Tixway UK Ltd – Craig Whyte’s Company Wound Up – A Case for His “Public Examination”?

I have written at some length about this case. You can find all of my posts about Tixway UK Ltd here.

This company was formed in 2007 whilst Mr Whyte was a disqualified Director. His now estranged wife, Kim Whyte, was therefore the sole director until she resigned to be replaced by her husband in 2008.

Craig Whyte in happier times, as winner of Bow Tie Wearer of the Year

One Stop Roofing Supplies Ltd had the misfortune to become involved with Mr Whyte through a company run by a Mr Keatings, a friend of Mr Whyte. Mr Keatings’ company needed to buy roof materials but could not get an appropriate line of credit. Mr Whyte stepped up to the plate and agreed that his company, Tixway UK Ltd, would pay for the materials used by Snowcast, Mr Keatings’ company. The business was owed over £85,000, which was a serious sum to be due.