The Loving Cup sits
silently within Ibrox wondering if its next outing may have a new
recipient toasting Her Majesty come the new year. Perhaps it will be
the chairman of Montrose or East Stirling who drink her Majesty's
health from her.
Of course the very
existence of that trophy is in itself a testament. Testament to a
football club whose charitable credentials spread throughout not only
Scottish, but British Football. Just ask any Arsenal fan, though
sadly the evidence of Ranger's charitable contributions to the
Arsenal cause are not backed up with physical evidence in the way
that the Rangers contribution to the Holditch Colliery Disaster are.
The Arsenal Shares, part of our proud heritage, have been sold during
the 9 months of madness.
A 9 month reign which
was acquired by selling our future (Season ticket sales) Maintained
by selling our past (Arsenal shares) and our most prized assets
(Jelavic) for a fraction of their true worth.
Isn't history a funny
thing ?
139 years and 3 months
proud history, of achievements, of supporting Scottish and British
football, of supporting our communities and other Scottish football
clubs, of being the standard bearers for Scotland time and time again
throughout Europe, for our ongoing support of our ex-serviceman via
Erskine Hospital, as well as so many other numerous worthy causes
which I have failed to mention, are suddenly air brushed from
existence.
Instead the focus is
now firmly on a 9 month period where a charlatan has lied and
cheated, aided and abetted by a less than diligent previous owner,
and football governing body who apparently knew but did nothing, and
as a consequence Rangers FC, if some writers are too believed, have
prevented hospitals being built...our armed forces being
equipped...our schoolchildren having text books....the list goes on
and on.
Lets be clear about
this..in fact unequivocal - what Craig Whyte did was wrong. His tax
evasion was unforgivable and as a Rangers supporter I am ashamed that
our club's name and image has been so besmirched, and I know for a
fact that I am not alone in expressing such sentiment.
But what kind of new
history is taking shape here ? Are we now seeing a new platform for
the Rangers to be societies whipping boys ? Not satisfied with
holding us responsible for Scottish societies sectarian ills are we
now to be responsible for our lack of hospitals, schools and roads
etc ?
But we should not be
surprised. The hatred of our club has reached epidemic proportions.
The Arab Trust has set out quite clearly the financial projected
meltdown for clubs in an SPL which has no Rangers.
However that has in no
way tempered the demand and clamour to see Rangers literally hung
drawn and quartered, as fans of other clubs threaten to boycott, and
further damage their own clubs, should their chairmen vote to
re-admit a newco Rangers back into the SPL. Hurt yourself, perhaps
irreparably, just to have a kick at Rangers ? As Spock would
say...”Its hatred Jim but not as we know it”
Perhaps its ironic as I
write that today's newspapers are filled with a headline suggesting
that Sky TV are about to withdraw their TV offer should Rangers be
consigned to Scottish Division 3.
Of course as the rest
of Scottish football embarks to continue to further punish the
Rangers brand, the real victims in all of this have taken a far more
practical view. HMRC's rejection of Green's CVA allows those
individuals responsible to pursued personally and brought to account
for the damage and misery they have caused. It would appear at least
that HMRC have recognised that a few bad apples, given a short stay
in the applecart, do not affect the whole bunch. Of course HMRC are
not blinkered by an unadulterated hatred of all things Rangers.
Perhaps that helps.
I said earlier history
was a funny thing. Celtic Chairman Peter Lawell has been one of the
few chairmen who has stated his intention of not voting to re-admit
the Newco Rangers. Of course he might not have had a vote at all if
Rangers had not vetoed a vote all those years ago to have his club
thrown out the league for flying an Irish Tricolour above Parkhead.
But this Bear doesn't
want any favours from anyone. In fact I find the vision of our
“prospective owner” flashing his skirt like an auld whore at any
one who will vote for our re-election to the SPL, most unedifying.
You see he has made no bones about his reason for being here – the
dosh. And the quicker he makes it and gets the hell outta Dodge the
better. Sorry Charles but ours is a lifelong investment, and we
couldn't give a jot about money. Honour and integrity however, that
another matter entirely.
Because what he has
failed to factor into the equation is the hatred of our club. We will
always be the club who are “only there because of the financial
implications of an SPL without us”. And anything our newco achieves
under such circumstances will always be met with an accusation of
“taint”.
What I say is let our
haters have their cake and eat it. I suspect before long they will be
choking and spewing on what they have consumed.
Let us go quietly and
with whatever dignity we have remaining to Division 3. Let us work
our way back to the top with hard work and endeavour....the Rangers
Way. Let us have our period in sackcloth and ashes and our period of
reflection. And let them have their reflection in an SPL without
Rangers.
I hope come
January 2013, the chairman of Queens Park or one of the other Div 3
chairmen are toasting Her Majesty from the Loving Cup.
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