One Scotland - Zero Moral Bearings

“The moral compass of any nation can be judged, not just by the conduct and character of the accused, but the conduct and character of the accusers”

(Anonymous)

I despair. I truly despair. I feel powerless. Is no-one else seeing this ?  Is no-one else feeling this ?  Has our country become a nation where our opinion leaders, our politicians, our journalists have become afraid to speak out and reset a moral compass which is spinning out of control ? 

Let me re-phrase that – spinning dangerously out of control.

For I’m not alone in the feelings I’m experiencing. Anger, indignation, resentment, but most of all…… a complete lack of representation. Its ironic to think now that not so long ago 2 bears were ejected from Ibrox for displaying a banner “One Scotland – many cultures – except Rangers”  I don’t know about you but that’s certainly an accurate reflection of how I feel today.

The most fundamental of human rights – innocent until proven guilty – have been totally discarded where Rangers are concerned. It’s a sign of the times that its only recently that some journalists such as Traynor and Hannah broke cover to reveal they had seen the contents of a document which declared Rangers “guilty” without charge or trial. That in itself tells its own story.

But months ago I listened to Brian Taylor’s  Big Debate on BBC Scotland where the terms “dual contracts” “financial doping” and “cheats” were thrown about without censure in a debate about our club. Not once did Taylor, the facilitator, step in to remind the audience and the panel, that such allegations were as yet, unproven.

But of course the scene has already been set. Which appropriately, brings us back to my opening quotation.

Just who are the accusers of Rangers and how does their character and conduct stand up to the type of forensic examination being carried out in respect of our club ?

Let’s start with Phil Mac Giollbhain…also known  Phil Gillvan…also known as Phil McGillvan. A man who seems to have great difficulty not only remembering his surname, but also the age of his daughter, how many brothers and sisters he has, the licensed premises he frequents and also his occupation. 3 names will speak about a lot of things – surprising then that he never seems to mention his employment as a social worker in Glasgow and the reasons why he no longer holds such a position.

http://www.vanguardb...il-gillivan-qaa

Not for the first time, I find myself indebted to Vanguard Bears and their research.

Of course recently, the Sun newspaper were going to run serialise 3 names blog in their newspaper until an upswell of anger caused a change of direction. 3 names was accused by the newspaper of being “tarred with a sickening sectarian brush”. Its probably one of the few times in recent years that said newspaper had actually been accurate in its reporting.
I think for those of us who still aspire to some kind of moral compass the description of 3 names as a “tactical bigot” by a Southern Irish journalist probably carries a lot more weight and authority than a tabloid who sought to feed the bloodfest of hate against  Rangers by serialising his book.

But a theme is developing here. For its not only the Sun which seeks to feed that bloodfest. The editor of the Daily Record, Alan Rennie, has been begging the authors of The Rangers Tax case blog to contribute to the opinion forming columns of their publication. If anyone has any doubts please feel free to check the aforesaid Rennie’s tweets.

There has of course been considerable speculation, let alone evidence, that one of the Rangers Tax case authors is none other than Paul McConville. A quick search of google will acquaint you with both the conduct and character of Paul McConville.

In fact I wonder if the terms of his supervision order extend to his blog “Random Thoughts re Scots Law”. It seems Mr McConville has as much difficulty with the term “random” as he does with the term “justice for miners”. 291 articles about Rangers, 109 about Charles Green as well as numerous other “random thoughts” concerning our club and its employees. 

Its perhaps remarkable that a man who started a blog because his wife was sick to death of his waffle on legal matters, can attribute hundreds of random thoughts to Rangers FC and yet only one, (yes one) to the legal minefield which is Mr Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber whose conviction and subsequent release on compassionate grounds led to something of a diplomatic fall out with our closest ally.

It is worth asking the question why 2 of Scotland’s biggest selling tabloids sought to bring on board persons whose integrity, character and conduct is quite clearly flawed. Or does that not matter if they are bashing Rangers ?

But I’m not finished yet. In fact I’ve barely started.

But I will conclude this article with another of our accusers who have been something of a critical thorn in the side of our club for a long time – the BBC.  A publicly funded company whose conduct in the last few months has seen them banned from Ibrox due to a tasteless depiction of Ally McCoist falling to his death. A sketch which the Samaritans took time to criticise. And yet the BBC were unapologetic.

It came as no surprise to me. They were also unapologetic at the time of the Andrew Gilligan affair. When the Hutton report was published it showed considerable failings within the BBC ). So much so their director general Greg Dyke resigned.

Many years on the failings and arrogance of this organisation have come home to roost. The revelations surrounding Jimmy Saville have shocked a nation. Perhaps the failings of the BBC have shocked the nation even more. For those BBC apologists who are saying it was a long time ago and the culture etc was different blah blah blah….tell me then why did the BBC cancel a Newsnight documentary last year which sought to expose this perverts’s conduct ?

I hope this latest revelation will be the final nail in the coffin for this organisation. Its time they were relieved of the right to demand a licence fee, I hope the next government review remembers both their character and conduct.

For a Scotland whose moral compass seems to be in turmoil I will leave you with an observation and reflection from Freud.

“A civilization which leaves so large a number of its participants unsatisfied and drives them into revolt neither has nor deserves the prospect of a lasting existence.”

Scotland.....Brace Yourself

Imagine, just for a moment, the investigation into Rangers use of EBT's and the allegation of side payments, was not being undertaken by legal firm Harper MacLeod. Let us instead imagine that such investigation is being undertaken by a legal firm with a long standing favourable connection to Rangers.

Imagine further this legal firm saw fit to use the Rangers chief executive, and his personal testimony, to enhance the reputation of that company on their website.

I ask you to extend your imagination further to include a revelation that one of the partners undertaking the investigation had actually written the SFA articles and regulations, an alleged breach of which, was subject of that very investigation.

And then it was revealed that this said partner had stood up at a meeting in frustration and shouted at the other SPL members present that Rangers were innocent.

Furthermore that the list of sanctions or punishments being considered should Rangers be found guilty, were far less severe and less punitive than anything handed out to clubs before.

But now let your imagination run riot. With a revelation that the authorities undertaking this investigation had already declared Rangers not guilty without even charge or hearing.

And now the last bit of imagination. Can you imagine what the reaction would be to the foregoing ?

Let me help.

“Whitewash”. “Cover Up”. “Corrupt” “Conflict of Interests”.

And quite rightly too.

And yet, with a slight alteration to the characters, but not of course the facts, this is exactly the scenario faced by Rangers FC and their supporters.

It may come as a surprise to those outwith the Rangers support, that within our support there is a considerable desire and determination to see the truth come out. Rangers supporters, more than anyone else, want to know if one of our former owner's embarked on a course of action which showed utter disregard for the laws of the land, the laws of our game and the reputation of our club. The consequences which of course made our club virtually unsaleable, except to an individual whose stewardship brought it to its knees.

The problem is that the SPL hearing process is now so flawed its not only the Rangers support who have no confidence in it, but the club themselves who have refused to participate in the process. The smart money is on any result of Lord Nimmo's panel being challenged by Rangers via the courts of our land. I have little faith in this course of action furnishing us with the truth either however.

Once the Rangers legal team present the facts surrounding this whole investigation, I am of the firm opinion this will become a feeding frenzy for the press, but the spotlight will not be on our club but the many legal irregularities and questionable actions and conduct of the SFA and SPL throughout this process.

James Traynor's revelations this week have not helped matters either. His comments this week appear to suggest there were a whole host of payments to players in Scotland in “creative schemes” designed to avoid paying tax. All legal of course, but they appear not to have been declared to the Scottish Football Authorities as payments – the same charge levied against Rangers.

Rangers fans are seeking the truth, alas, it may be a long time coming. But we are also seeking justice. Equality before the law is a fundamental principle of both Scottish and European Law. If as Traynor alleges there are other instances of non-declared payments to players then the SFA and SPL are duty bound to investigate.

My fellow blogger Bill McMurdo recently described this scenario as being akin to the opening of Pandora's Box. Of course once Pandora opened the box there was no going back and despite her efforts to shut it, all manner of disease and pestilence had been released.

On closing it again the only thing Pandora managed to retain in the box was hope.

But Rangers fans will not hope the governing football authorities in Scotland administer justice with a full and thorough investigation into all undeclared payments to players.

We will demand it. And we will not stop demanding until we get it.

Scotland brace yourself.... a hurricane is coming.

Pot, Kettle, Black

 Daily Record - SFA Anger

I finish off the week with, surprise surprise, another story highlighting SFA hypocrisy. What is perhaps surprising about this story however is that it has not been greeted with the same media silence we have become accustomed to.

Daily Record - SFA Double Standards

For us as Rangers supporters there are striking similarities between the conduct of the SFA and our manager when he suggested the identities of the panel members imposing the transfer embargo on Rangers be revealed. Conduct I may add resulted in the latter finding himself on SFA charges, charges which were subsequently dismissed at his hearing.

Of course Ally was severely criticised by a considerable number of Scottish journalists for his conduct as it was felt he was merely doing the bidding on behalf of the the “internet lunatic fringe”. It will be interesting to see whether those same moral guardians in the press are equally as critical of the SFA and their demands that who ever is responsible be identified. Furthermore will we see SFA compliance officer Vince Lunny as resolute and tenacious on this case as he was in respect of McCoist ? At least in terms of cost cutting he will only have to nip along the corridor at Hampden to serve his papers.

However whilst the double-standards discussion rages it perhaps deflects from a more serious and fundamental issue at hand here. The Scottish Football Association are charged with the responsibility of governance of our game and the following is a verbatim quote from their website..

The Scottish FA is responsible for administering disciplinary procedures for its member clubs. This is essential in protecting the integrity and reputation of the game at all levels, while also providing guidelines of acceptable behaviour for clubs.

FIFA have informed the SFA that they are probing the conduct of one of Scotland's players. The SFA's response is to demand the identity of who “grassed” their player up and why it has taken FIFA so long to act. The words pot kettle and black spring to mind.

And whatever happened to protecting the reputation and integrity of the game ? Surely all people, but in particular those with a remit of governance of the game, should be concerned about ensuring that a player involved in a violent off the ball incident is brought to justice irrespective of the colour of top he is wearing ?

It would be a great pity if the double-standards issue, of which the SFA are clearly guilty, overshadowed sensible discussion over this matter because there is a more serious issue at play here. Once again those in charge at the SFA have made our country a laughing stock by their action only this time it is on a world rather than just a domestic stage.

Their conduct in this matter is quite simply an affront to any principle or notion that they uphold fair play.

I was going to finish by saying the only surprise in all of this is that someone has not tried to put the blame for this on the Rangers support. But then I was reminded from a scene from the film City Slickers and a conversation between Billy Crystal and bad guy Jack Palance.

“Killed anyone today Curly ?”

“Nope....................but the day's not over yet”

HEARTFELT THANKS TO CELTIC & THE GREEN BRIGADE

It would be considerably remiss of me, in what has been a remarkable week, not to mention the considerable support for our club from Celtic FC and their fans, in particular The Green Brigade, by way of their zombie related banners.

A zombie of course by definition is undead or not dead depending on your preference.

Considering some have depicted the Green Brigade as the hardcore element of the Celtic support, only adds to my appreciation. That they have taken the time for such a public display of solidarity with the Rangers support is quite simply staggering.

Their banner which depicts Rangers as zombies, and thus not dead, finally puts to bed once and for all any accusation that our clubs history and heritage has died. In fact I've been so impressed with it it may well be the basis for a future article “Rangers - the club who would not die” so on a personal note I must thank them for their inspiration.

But I would not be doing our friends in the Green Brigade justice if I was to stop there. For the banner depicts a lone gunman, which I presume is Stewart Regan, forlornly trying to kill of these zombies to no avail. How good of them to acknowledge that despite the best attempts of the SFA Rangers will not die.

But it would even more remiss of me not to mention the contribution of Celtic FC and their stewards with regard to these banners. For not only did they ensure that these banners were displayed on more than one occasion they allowed them to remain on display. To such an extent in fact that they have incurred the wrath of the SFA. What an honourable sacrifice.

But special mention must be reserved for the Parkhead stewards, whose syncronised turning of the backs as the banner was unfurled was quite simply drilling of the highest order. I’m sure they wont be offended if I say such a synchronised display of drill was on a par with anything I have seen from the best Royal Marines or Guards drill squads.  In fact it would come as no surprise to me if an invitation to the Edinburgh Military tattoo was not forthcoming.

But the support from our friends in the east does not end there. For a further banner demanded "Justice for zombies".  Even the supporters of our greatest sporting rivals are acknowledging that there is a lack of fairness and balance by those in authority towards our club. Amazing.

But it would appear this may not be the end of it. For the plethora of empty seats at Parkhead last night perhaps suggests some are busy making further banners.

In these difficult times for us as Rangers supporters it is particularly heart warming that rather than support your own team you would spend your time making banners displaying your support for ours.

My sincere thanks to all who have shown their support for our club by way of these banners.

Columbo comes to town

I'm probably showing my age by revealing my admiration for TV Detective series Columbo. A Columbo episode had no “whodunnit” element, but the case was constructed slowly but surely around circumstantial evidence.

Circumstantial or Indirect evidence is inferior to direct evidence – the latter being an eye witness account for example. Nonetheless in the absence of direct evidence, indirect evidence can be sufficient. Perhaps its best summed up by the following definition....

:- evidence that establishes immediately collateral facts from which the main fact may be inferred .

What am I inferring ? That the SFA and SPL are guilty of breaching Scottish and European Law, of gross negligence and gross malpractice, of conduct unbecoming of their positions of governors of the Scottish game and acting with both malice and prejudice towards Rangers Football Club.

Lieutenant Columbo's first clue surrounds the events following Rangers going into administration and the conduct of the Scottish Football Association and SPL. Contrary to obeying not only the timeless Scottish principle of law, or more recently the European Human Rights Legislation, rather than presume Rangers innocent until proven guilty, without even being charged let alone tried, the SFA presume Rangers guilty and attempt to impose upon them a package of sanctions which will see the club stripped of honours in return for a place in the Scottish First Division.

A second clue is to be found in the fact that this package of sanctions is far in excess of any sanctions imposed on a football club, even those who have been tried and convicted for far more serious crimes such as match fixing. A quick check of the punishments imposed during the 2006 Italian football scandal serves to underline this.

A third clue reveals that when the Scottish Football League became aware of what the SFA were doing they quickly distanced themselves from any involvement, their spokesperson later telling the press “We were given a first draft of proposed sanctions on June 25 — and we sent it back the same day saying we wanted no part of it. That was the unequivocal SFL stance for a very simple reason — in this country you’re innocent until proven guilty.”

Columbo's fourth clue lies in the conduct of the accused. During a series of meetings with the chairmen of Scottish Football League, Stewart Regan of the SFA conducted himself in a manner which the aforesaid chairmen later described was characterised by bullying, threatening and intimidating behaviour. Furthermore these chairmen later provided documentary evidence in the form of an e-mail which demonstrated that Regan lied during this series of meetings.

A further clue surfaces when the SFA try to impose a transfer embargo upon Rangers. A Scottish Court subsequently rules such an embargo as outwith their remit of sanctions and thus unlawfully imposed.

But the trail of circumstantial evidence does not end there. The team appointed to carry out the investigation into Rangers, Harper MacLeod legal firm, enjoy a favourable business relationship with the club who would be the sole benefactors from the excessive stripping of Rangers titles – Celtic FC. Of course its also entirely circumstantial that a personal testimony on the Harper MacLeod website, from the Celtic Chief Executive praising the firm for their stalwart service to Celtic FC, was mysteriously removed around the time questions were being asked about this firms suitability.

But even then the trail does not go cold for our Lieutenant. Because the SFA then seem to get confused about the role of Harper MacLeod – in one newspaper article they claim the company is leading the investigation, but as questions are raised as to this company's suitability their role seems to change, according to the SFA, to one of “low level” information gathering.

But alas, no coffee and doughnuts for our intrepid detective yet.

For the legal expert appointed by the SPL, Lord Nimmo, then attempts to clarify why the SFA and SPL have a legitimacy to bring Rangers to account as a non SPL club, when their articles and regulations seem to indicate otherwise. In doing so the very learned Lord Nimmo inadvertently confirms that the conduct of his paymasters, the SFA & SPL was wrong in how they treated Rangers membership of the SPL.

While many of us will forever associate the late Peter Falk with the role of Columbo it was actually an actor called Bert Freed who first appeared in the role.

And it's purely circumstantial that one of Freed's first appearances as Columbo was in a teleplay entitled “Enough Rope”

A mushroom of corruption

“In all institutions from which the cold wind of open criticism is excluded, an innocent corruption begins to grow like a mushroom - for example, in senates and learned societies”
(Friedrich Nietzsche)

One could be forgiven for believing the above quote by, German Philosopher Nietzsche, was written with the current Rangers situation in mind, excluding the fact that he died in 1900 of course.

For a matter of months now Rangers internet bloggers have been suggesting that there is a powerful stench of corruption emanating from the football governing offices of Scottish football, with both the SFA and SPL the recipients of such accusations.

In fact setting aside their corrupt practices for a moment, their glaring incompetence and negligence, their failure to engage in a diplomatic manner with other organisations, but most of all their lies, threatening and intimidating behaviour towards the SFL chairmen, should have had our press in Scotland asking some probing and uncomfortable questions for Messrs Regan and Doncaster at the very least.

Instead, despite SFL chairmen providing documentary evidence which proved that Stewart Regan was lying, our Scottish press, rather than pursue him over his absence of integrity, gave him column space to attack Rangers as “unjustified”.

However Roger Hannah's expose` in the Sun newspaper, which corroborates an earlier Daily Record claim, that he has seen documentary evidence that the SPL wished to strip Rangers of a number of domestic honours as far back as the summer, at least, changes everything. Perhaps now some of those journalists who have been quick to criticise Rangers bloggers as “deranged” , “deluded” or “paranoid” will chose their words more carefully in the future.

It beggars belief that there has been such an exclusion of the cold wind of open criticism towards these governing bodies given their dreadful handling of the Rangers crisis, should the silence of our media continue then a number of editors should be re-considering some journalists contracts. Should such an exclusion continue I would be forced to apologise to my fellow Rangers supporters who claim there is a widespread media conspiracy against our club.

This is no mere “smoking gun”. This is a full bloodied atomic bomb seeking a detonator.

What Regan and Doncaster have done, assisted by their SPL cohorts is breached a fundamental rule of Scottish Law, and of European Human Rights - they have declared a defendant guilty before the case against them is proven. If “Sporting Integrity” was a sham then the investigation by Harper & MacLeod and the subsequent hearing scheduled for November 13th is quite simply off the planet.

I was reminded of a story told me by an old Policeman many years ago about the practices of a rural Sheriff Court “in the sticks” for want of a better term. When the accused was to appear for trial the Sheriff Clerk would summon him/her with the shout “March the guilty bastard in”.

But that's where the humour ends.

The conduct of Regan, Doncaster and the SPL is so serious, that it now requires external examination. Does it not say it all that when the SFL got a whiff of what was happening they quickly excused themselves from any further participation.

The politicians in Scotland who have backed off from this crisis for so long can no longer be permitted to. There is absolutely no confidence in the Scottish footballing authorities, other than the SFL, and this latest revelation must serve as the last nail in the coffin for Messrs Regan and Co.

Their conduct has usurped and invalidated a bona fide investigation. Yes for us as Rangers supporters it's the mother of all “own goals” but it should serve notice to everyone interested in Scottish football that the the governing authorities are not only unfit for purpose, but their professional conduct makes their positions totally untenable.

The mushroom of corruption at the SFA & SPL has now been exposed, it has to be stopped before it does further damage not only to our game, but our credibility as a sporting nation, one which in only a couple years time will host the Commonwealth Games.

Once we have rooted out the mushroom of corruption our next logical step should be to expose those who cultivated it.

Just how far can we push "remarkable" ?

On Tuesday the 13th November, 2012, the SPL hearing into Rangers use of EBT's will commence.

The first “remarkable” is that such a hearing is being carried out in respect of a football club over which the SPL, as a result of their own actions, have absolutely no authority whatsoever. A quick review of their statutes and articles of regulation confirms that.

A second “remarkable” occurs when one considers that such a formal hearing is taking place at all.

For this is the same SPL who had structured a package of sanctions in respect of Rangers, and which had been agreed by our owner, would deal with Rangers EBT's in an informal manner. The fact that such a package of sanctions never came to fruition had nothing to do with Rangers, but everything to do with a group of SFL chairmen who refused to be bullied or intimidated by the SPL and their “master plan” for Scottish football.

“Remarkable” that something which the SPL feels only justifies an informal hearing can somehow take on such a formal and punitive nature when their Machiavellian schemes don’t go as planned.

A further “remarkable” occurs however, when we consider that Rangers, the club being subjected to this hearing, are the club which fully disclosed their dealings via EBT's in their annual submissions, whilst Celtic (a club who forgot to) warrant no such hearing or investigation from the SPL.

But if we haven't already, we now really push the bounds of “remarkable”.

For the investigation into Rangers and EBT's is carried out by a company who enjoy a favourable business relationship with the aforementioned Celtic FC - Harper and MacLeod solicitors. Such is the favourable relationship, that Celtic Chief executive Peter Lawell was recently featured on their website praising their company for their stalwart service to Celtic FC. I say “recently” because Lawell's testimony has, surprise surprise, very recently been removed from their website.

Remarkable ?

“Remarkable” however, now becomes untenable. It seems the SPL have become somewhat “confused” with the role of Harper & MacLeod.

On one hand they suggest that the company is carrying out the investigation...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19137624

whilst on the other they claim that there involvement is purely “low level”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...c-verdict.html

Remarkable ?

But for a tired and overburdened “remarkable” I'm afraid to say its plight does not end there.

For who do the SPL appoint to chair this investigation ?

Lord Nimmo. A law expert whose judgement was ruled to be flawed when Rangers appealed his judgement over his ruling on the legality of an SFA transfer embargo.

At this point you may ask what are media are saying about this “remarkable” set of events. ….the words food and drink spring to mind.

Alas, the answer is nothing.

And that in itself is “remarkable”