BrahimHemdani

Ok you can still vote till someone scores, no extra charge!

In theory you are correct, they don't have the right but.... I'll answer that by quoting form my reply to BD on the "Reconstruction" thread:

The answer to my own question came to me when I was cutting the grass! If the players report back for training and/or accept the full wage on the 28th almost certainly they would be held to have accepted the transfer to newco. By making it abundantly clear through lawyers' letters etc that they are not doing so; they greatly strengthen their own positions. Whilst I think it is clear that they ARE leaving; it is possible that they are only setting out negotiating positions with newco. For example, let's say that newco was to offer to compensate them for their recent losses say by increasing their wages over the remainder of their contracts, would they still leave?

It would be interesting to know if it is a secret ballot at the meeting never mind will we be told. Either way no officially I don't think; but it will be leaked, of course.

Can't see past England, solid at the back and apart from Pirlo better from middle to front. Balotelli to last 90 mins? Half an hour to vote; votes cast after 7.45pm will be charged for but won't count!

SDM once said that very few players have ever left Ibrox and gone on to improve themselves/their football career: van Bronkhurst is the main example and Gattuso is another although he was only really farmed out to us for the season. Perhaps Jelavic will be one, time will tell. Naismith perhaps, Whittaker no chance.

I don't think so BD, a bit cynical of you if I may say! Such an outcome wouldn't benefit any of the participants. There are three reasons: The SFA have been pushing their 5-point plan including: one league, play-offs, more even distribution of the monies etc for a year but hadn't made any siginificant progress. The SPL were the stumbling block, as I can attest from discussions with Mr Doncaster on behalf of Supporters Direct* own similar Fans' Plan. The need to be seen to "punish" Rangers rightly or wrongly for "perceived" wrongdoings. The need not to lose the TV money in the process. I think most people now concede that the "right" answer is that we apply and are accepted to SFL3 but this is by no means guaranteed and at the same time knocks out the TV deal and doesn't advance the reconstruction process. Hence the "negotiated" settlement. Frankly if we get away with Division 1, we'll have won a watch. * from which I resigned at the end of April.

I am disappointed but not surprised at these decisions and bear the players no ill will. In that scenario I would be as sorry for Naismith as I was for Mols. The only difference, and it is a small one is that Mols was injured by an opponent, Naismith injured himself fouling an opponent. Ultimately, both were injured in the service of Rangers FC and that is unfortunate, but it happens in football.

I don't see that the two things are related. Whether the EBT scheme is/was is not relevant to Newco Rangers. The simple fact is that the SPL Clubs have the right to accept or reject an application for the transfer of a share to a newco and the only REAL consideration in that regard should be - is newco a viable company? I agree with most of the analysis about the reasons for the administration and subsequent liquidation of oldco but sadly they are history. You can argue about "sporting integrity" until you are BLUE in the face but once again that has NOTHING to do with newco. One of the big problems about finding a resolution to this mess is the two league system; if there had been one league body then there may well have been a rule about relegation in the event of "an insolvency event" but one thing is sure, there will be in future!

If their T&C's are protected by TUPE then the only reason to leave is the uncertainty over which League/Division we will be playing in. That will be decided within the next two weeks or a little longer, so what's the rush? There would be plenty of time to arrange transfers thereafter. It seems to me that the players concerned (and I think there will be more) are simply taking advantage of the clauses they negotiated at the time of the pay reductions, which were almost forced upon them; certainly freely entered into by both sides. One could argue that by doing so they are just trying to get back the money they lost in salaries, from signing on fees etc. On a quick calcualtion that might have been around £250,000, a not inconsiderable sum. There was some talk that newco/sevco might recompense them for some or all of that loss but that seems unlikely. So in reality it's a commercial decision and from that perspective the outcome was inevitable. On the footballing front, Naismith will do well in a middling EPL side, Aston Villa or Sunderland perhaps, possibly an even higher level? Whittaker will struggle at that level, especially as a defender. He is not as good as Hutton was and look what happened to him.

He's certainly not the brightest spark.......

Coincidentally I wrote to Susan Hannah, the Ticket Office Manager yesterday, along the same lines. I said that whilst I would remain loyal to the Club, I was not prepared to renew until after the SPL decision on July 4th, it was clear what league we were going to be playing in and that an appropriate pricing structure would apply. I said that I have cancelled my Direct Debiting Mandate at the bank (the only sure way to ensure that no money is taken in the short term, bearing in mind that DD runs have to be set up at least 3 days in advance it has probably been set up already and the effective deadline to stop payments being taken may well have passed) but that I would pay the first instalment by cheque as soon as an announcement had been made and reinstate the DDM for the second and subsequent instalments. To some extent this action may have been superseded by the announcement yesterday evening (maybe they hacked into my computer whilst the letter was being typed!) but the only sure way to stop payments being taken is to cancel the DDM. My bank has confirmed that the DDM can be reinstated by them at any time without the need for a new mandate to be signed. I did also ask the Club if it is possible to retain the same seat pending the outcome of this situation.

I have no doubt we would win in the Courts, European if not UK; but time and costs are a factor. According to the Wikipedia article: Swansea City play in the Premier League (as of 2011–12; this is the first season a Welsh club will play in the Premier League since its formation in 1992–93). Cardiff City play in the Football League Championship (as of 2011–12). Newport County and Wrexham play in the Conference National (as of 2011–12). Colwyn Bay play in the Conference North (as of 2011–12). Merthyr Town play in the Western Football League Premier Division (as of 2011–12). Although all the above clubs play in the English football league system and are allowed to compete in the FA Cup, Newport County, Wrexham, Colwyn Bay and Merthyr Town are under the jurisdiction of the Football Association of Wales. Cardiff City and Swansea City previously had a similar arrangement until the 2011-12 season

I'm not saying I agree with with this scenario but it is looking increasingly unlikely that we will be admitted to the SPL (in fact Kilmarnock might be the only other vote we get) and it is by no means a given that the SFL Clubs will vote for us either, although you would think that there is a big financial incentive with gate money and TV. Buying an English Club (and if I remember Port Vale were the last to be mentioned and I don't know why Bury this time unless they're in soapy bubble too) gets you into the pyrmid at a fairly high level otherwise you have to go as far down as you need to to find a league with an odd number of teams and that could be at flight 15 or 20. Also there is NO rule either at UEFA or EU level to prevent a Club playing in a league outside its own jurisdiction and there are loads of current examples not just Monaco, Berwick (the Monaco of the NE of England) and the Welsh Clubs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_association_football_clubs_playing_in_the_league_of_another_country. Each case is determined on its own merits and if the English League wanted it, and why not, it would go to UEFA for ratification and in my opinion most likely it would be accepted although that is by no means certain as apparently Evian Thonon Gaillard applied in 2010-11 to play across the border in nearby Geneva, Switzerland (sharing with FC Servette), due to its own facilities being inadequate for top division French football; however, despite French Football Federation support, UEFA denied it, and Evian ended up playing in Annecy, sharing with Annecy F.C.

Obviously it pays to have friends in high places. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18527811 http://sosglasgow.wordpress.com/tag/steven-purcell/

Never a truer word spoken in jest, Sir. It is by no means a given that if we do not get back into the SPL (and would anyone put money on that right now?) we will be voted into the SFL. You would think it is obvious that the likes of Peterhead and Annan would see it is a couple of gold mines next season but I have it on good authority that some would prefer the place went to Spartans or another Highland League team. So we may be applying to the Evo-Stik League Northern Premier First Division North and enjoying trips to the likes of Harrogate Railway Athletic and Skelmersdale United but that is by no means a given either; there are 14 levels of English football below the Evo Stik League!

In my opinion the SFA cannot "demote" us to SFL1 unless the SPL and the SFL are first combined, which is something that they are, of course, pursuing at the moment. Actually it is a good argument to combine the Leagues. However, the SFL Clubs will fight tooth and nail against that, especially those who stand to gain most if Rangers are forced into SFL3, namely those in the second and third division. I am sure you have a good source rbr but remember the case will be heard by an independent tribunal and as has been seen recently the SFA don't always get what they want out of that route!

Walter & Co was cobbled together over 4 days last week. He had only met McColl once and did not trust Park who has had numerous opportunities over the past two years to put up his money and has failed each time. Green is a shrewd operator and was never going to give up the control he won over four months to a group that was put together over 4 days, however well intentioned. Instead of making a silly offer to buy out Green, Walter & Co should have offered their money to join forces. It looks to me that Walter was used and no prizes for guessing by whom and to what end.

As I stated in the original thread it is a fact that I had John Bennett's agreement to post his comments. It is also a fact that he asked me not to say that he was actually withdrawing at that point because he wanted to speak to PM first. I agreed that that was reasonable, so I withheld that information. I fully expected him to make his position clear once he had spoken to PM but he did not.

I respect the fact that you are entitled to your opinion as are others who are expressing similar views but the facts are that John Bennett's involvement with TBK's was public knowledge on 12 March 2012 http://citywire.co.uk/new-model-adviser/hendersons-bennett-joins-blue-knights-to-ride-to-rangers-rescue/a573594 (and in the Daily Record) and I first contacted Hendersons on 14 March 2012. I published the letter in full on the original thread. John Bennett phoned me on 16 March 2012. Phil Wagstaff first phoned me on 13 April 2012 when he said that it was important that Mr Bennett made his position clear one way or another. He followed up with the comments I reported today. So if anyone waited "until the bidding process was a in position to highlight if TBK's were succesfull" it certainly was not me.

All I have done is state a fact. John Bennett was one of a small number of people named as a member of the Blue Knights consortium, now he is not a member. I think that is something that should be known but if anyone chooses to put a negative connotation on it that is obviously up to them. I recognise that some will be equally unhappy that I have released this information but it will be published in the financial trade press soon enough, so will become public knowledge in any event. It is simply the case that I was in a postion to find out as others such as Frankie and TB have been able to find out information about the bids and chose to publish here.

Exactly the question I asked in another thread last night.

I have had it confirmed to me today by the Head of Global Distribution at Henderson Global Investors (John Bennett's employers) that he is "no longer invloved in any way with the Blue Knights syndicate". Apparently Mr Bennett only confirmed this to Henderson's last evening. I have a call in to John Bennett himself but for the avoidance of doubt I have no reason to believe that his withdrawal is for anything other than business reasons to do with his employment as per my previous thread on this topic.

A suggestion like that might well have legs.

You would need to pay big guarantees to bring top teams to Ibrox and who would be available on cup weekends mid season? Probably you would have to reduce prices as well because they would only friendlies and given that European home games usually only draw just over 30,000 how many would turn up for friendlies? Not saying it wouldn't work but it is by no means a no brainer. Lastly if we are penalised points by the SPL or playing in the SFL, would you not want to have a chance of winning the Scottish Cup?