ian1964

Will this fall on deaf ears though?,suppose time will tell!

THE Scottish Premier League have called in CELTICâ??S lawyers to investigate RANGERS! Thatâ??s the sort of intro I would expect to see in a newspaper a week on Sunday.... that is on April 1st. Or perhaps not. After all, spoof stories in newspapers on April Foolâ??s Day are hoaxes which are meant to deceive you, to take you in. But who would believe a story which was quite so preposterous, quite so ludicrous, and quite such an affront to any sort of natural justice? Only a fool! Or the bigger fools at the Scottish Premier League who have actually come up with this appalling and iniquitous decision to hire the legal firm, Harper Macleod, who are Celticâ??s lawyers, to investigate claims that Rangers ran a dual contracts scam. You donâ??t believe me? I canâ??t say I blame you. No sane person would. But this is not sanity we are talking about. This is the Scottish Premier League who, along with their mates along the corridor on Hampdenâ??s sixth floor, the SFA, inhabit a sort of cross between Aliceâ??s Wonderland and the wonderful world of Oz, inhabited by Mad Hatters and Tin Men. Neil Doncaster? Stewart Regan? But, just in case you are still harbouring any doubts and think this old fool has got his dates confused and that this blog was meant to appear on April 1st, here is the confirmation, courtesy of a glowing testament to Harper Macleod from no less an authority than SFA chief executive Stewart Reganâ??s Hampden boardroom best buddy, Peter Lawwell who employs them to work for Celtic. "Lorne Crerar has shown the vision and management excellence to create a very dynamic and strong growth firm. Rod McKenzie clearly has had a role to play in this development and in addition, he is still "on the tools" and provides great support to our Club. They also have a very impressive Chief Executive in Martin Darroch. The working environment, partnership and employee relationship appears to be first class and clearly the excellent pattern in staff retention reflects this." Peter Lawwell, Chief Executive, Celtic F.C. Limited And thereâ??s more. Not from Lawwell, but from someone else whose name is well known to regular readers. A man who, when Lloyds Bank was turning the screw on Rangers, was boasting to the BBC that he was in charge of all of Lloyds business banking in Scotland, one Manus Joseph Fullerton, a self confessed Celtic fanatic and founding director of the Celtic Trust. He produced this glowing tribute to the legal firm employed by the SPL to probe Rangers. "Lloyds TSB Scotland has benefited from a close working relationship built up over a number of years. Their approach to managing Client relationships focuses on understanding the business need and developing interesting and innovative solutions. Harper Macleod really understands what they bring to a client relationship and it is clear that their success in recent years owes much to a clear implementation of a strategy built on strong personal and business relationship with the Bank." Manus Fullerton, Former Director Wholesale Banking Scotland, Lloyds TSB Scotland So just who was it at the Scottish Premier League who thought it would be a good idea to employ Celticâ??s solicitors to work for them investigating Rangers? Well, one thing we do know is that Lawwellâ??s lapdog â?? though at £220,000-a-year heâ??s an expensive poodle â?? Celtic financial director, Eric Riley, sits on the SPL Board. Did he have a say? Did he propose Harper Macleod? And did another board member, Dundee Unitedâ??s virulently anti-Rangers chairman, Stephen Thomson, just nod his head in agreement with his Parkhead pal? We should not be surprised at the Celtic link though. One of the members of Regan and Lawwellâ??s SFA, appointed for their probe into the mismanagement of Rangers during the nine months conman Craig Whyte was creating havoc, is a man who sat in the same boardroom as Celtic director Ian Livingston. Yes, you can rely on the Celtic cabal inside the SPL and the SFA to come up trumps when it comes to getting their own people in place to probe Rangers.. Or at least, thatâ??s most certainly the way it may look to some, especially after this latest bombshell. Of course, there is no suggestion that a reputable law firm such as Harper Macleod would act in any improper way. They will no doubt insist that â??Chinese Wallsâ? exist within the firm. But Rangers and their supporters are entitled to feel sceptical about such assurances after getting the same promises from administrators Duff and Phelps regarding keeping their senior partner, David Grier, clear of Rangers, after he assisted Craig Whyte in the WHYTE SCANDAL, only for them to try to sneak Grier into David Murrayâ??s Charlotte Square offices, only to be caught red handed by the Daily Record and Daily Telegraph. SFA call in Celtic directorâ??s pal to investigate Rangers! True! SPL call in Celtic lawyers to probe Rangers! True! When it comes to Aliceâ??s Wonderland and the Wonderful World of Oz on Hampdenâ??s sixth floor, filled with Mad Hatter and Tin Men and the stories they generate, every day is April Foolâ??s Day. .............. AND......... Iâ??ve got some startling news for the SPL. And for the SFA. News which will blow Neil Doncaster and Stewart Regan further away than Aliceâ??s Wonderland, or even the Wonderful World of Oz. It is all to do with what will happen if they decide Rangers have played players who were not properly registered with the SFA. It will echo from Rio to Rotterdam. From Paris to Paisley. HERE! TOMORROW! http://leggoland2.blogspot.co.uk/

HONOURS on the park — and honour off it. comment on this story 1 comment Related Stories UP BEFORE THE BEAK ... Brian Kennedy Kennedy fearing a court KO BRIAN KENNEDY’S move to take over Rangers could hinge on a court ruling Coisty can KO Hoops party Club can recover says Amoruso Countdown to the Old Firm crunch McCoist gives Sale chief a tour Another bid comes in for Gers Brian Kennedy would restore both if he gains control at crisis-hit Rangers. That's the view of Sale Sharks chief executive Steve Diamond — a man who's worked with the potential Ibrox saviour for over ten years. Diamond paints an idyllic picture of trust, transparency and togetherness. It's a far cry from the scenes of carnage left behind by Craig Whyte. Kennedy, 51, is one of four confirmed bidders for the stricken SPL champions and Diamond insists his gaffer's drive and desire would see Rangers emerge from these uncertain times stronger than ever before. Diamond revealed: "I'll tell you straight about Brian, he's a very, very honourable bloke. His agenda is genuine. "I've worked for him and against him and I know that to be true. I've heard about the situation at Rangers, but Brian is the opposite of what's gone before. "He's open, honest and driven to succeed. He'd be terrific for Rangers and their fans and I have no qualms about saying that. "He's so passionate about everything he's involved in. He's such a busy man. "In fact, with everything he's got going on I had to queue to see him. "You don't p*** about when you've got that 20 minute window to see him. "His business acumen speaks for itself. He makes me run this business in Manchester the right way. "Very rarely do I go to him for a hand out. In the next 18 months he's looking for us to break even and make a profit." Diamond's worked for Edinburgh-born Kennedy for 13 years. Together they've taken Sale Sharks from the depths of despair to among the top dogs in rugby's Aviva Premiership. They had a brief spell apart when Diamond took up the role of head coach at Saracens, but they're united again with Sale securing Scotland ace Richie Gray and Danny Cipriani for next season. It's little wonder the Rangers fans are beginning to sit up and take notice of Kennedy. Diamond confessed: "When I left Sale, I left over the direction of the club, but we could never fall out. "That was shown because he asked me to return — and I did." SunSport revealed yesterday that Kennedy had been given a tour of Ibrox and Murray Park by Gers boss Ally McCoist. The pair have become good friends after Kennedy vowed to rescue Rangers if no one else stepped forward. Others — like Paul Murray's Blue Knights and Club 9 Sports in America — have, but Kennedy remains at the negotiating table. Kennedy insists he's still very much on the subs bench, but behind the scenes there is a real feeling he's cranking up his interest. Diamond insists that can only be a good thing for the club. Back in 2007, Kennedy pledged financial support to Kate and Gerry McCann in the search for their daughter Madeleine. Diamond explained: "He does things for the right reasons. For as long as I've known him that's how he's worked. "What he did with his ongoing support of the McCann family just highlights that. "He wasn't publicity seeking. He came in because he knew he could help. "It's the same with his bid for Rangers. He'll only come in if they need help." That's exactly what Kennedy has given Diamond at Sale — help. Diamond smiled: "I've worked with Brian on and off for the past 13 years. "Brian is the owner but I have full licence to recruit people. He has a voice, and he's a very welcome presence in the dressing room. "He lets me get on with my job. I'll tell you another thing, he's always there for the players. They have a direct line to him and they can call him any time. "He's brilliant in the process of recruiting players. I'll identify who I want and he'll pick up the phone and sell the club to them." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4212582/Shark-in-a-goldfish-bowl-It-would-be-GREAT-for-Gers.html#ixzz1pvSfpHb0

Is the responsibilty not primarily with the club?

This,I believe, is where we have the power over any punishment/sanctions we are likely to receive from the SFA/Liewell.

Killie fucked yer treble...........Killie fucked yer treble HA!HA!HA!HA!

I believe they are mate

Bit of a contradiction there mate. I'll settle for TAINTED

TAINTED TITLE ?......................................only guessing!

You are correct mate and I agree,however it was the BHEASTS behaviour that resulted in the SFA/Police to say they will never allow it to happen again. I am all for a title decider to happen,although to be fair this can hardly be called a title decider as it is TAINTED,but Sunday is another opportunity to show we are the people and they will undoubtedly show the world what SCUM they are,AGAIN!

I know this all seems rather mopish,but we need to fight fire with fire,and there is nobody fighting our corner from Rangers,they seem far more organised than the Rangers fans.

It would be nice to see the Copland getting involved for a change! :fish:

Ah!,but each case is treated individually don't you know?,you can't compare one to the other!

This is how a football club dies. This is how, more specifically, people kill it. This is how they take it away from its town and make it so that, half the time, it can't even play on its own ground. This is the story of Stockport County, who have lost 11 league games in succession, who have been in administration for eight months and are facing liquidation. They're my local club, the club I grew up supporting, the club closest to the place I grew up in. But if you support a club anywhere outside the Premier League, it could be your story, too. Probably, it soon will be. I'm bored of being sanguine and fatalistic about what is happening to County. That's what the men who seem to be doing so little to save the club want us to be. That includes Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council which is distinguishing itself only by its inaction. And it includes administrator Leonard Curtis, a company appointed in April this year when the club was £300,000 in debt. Listen to this: in the first six months of dealing with the case Leonard Curtis ran up fees of £314,511.50 in time costs, charged at up to £395 an hour. Beautiful, isn't it. They're supposed to be trying to help find a buyer for the club. They didn't even start returning calls from the press until recently. Brian Kennedy wouldn't return my calls, either. He's the owner of Sale Sharks, the man who installed a rugby club at Stockport's Edgeley Park ground six years ago so that County are now second class citizens in their own home. It's important not to forget the favours Kennedy has done Stockport in the past. He invested £4million into the club when he owned it and then sold it to the Supporters Trust for £1 in 2005. I accept all that and I also accept that plenty of other people bear responsibility for the state the club is now in. But let's be honest about Sale Sharks. They're squatters, basically. They're squatters who have, perfectly legally, moved into somebody's else's home while they're still there. Edgeley Park isn't theirs. Not really. Money says it is, of course. But they don't have any real affection for it. They don't have any history there. Why do they want to clamp themselves on to Stockport's ground like leeches? Why can't they build their own ground? They've only played at Edgeley Park for six years. Stockport County have played there since 1902. And yet time after time this season, Stockport games have been postponed because it can't stand up to the demands of rugby and football being played on it. I went to Stockport's FA Cup second round tie with Torquay United ten days before Christmas. It had already been postponed twice. Edgeley Park was in such a state, they had to play it at Macclesfield Town's Moss Rose ground instead. It was one of the most depressing games I have ever been to. Not because County lost 4-0 but because not even being able to play a home game at Edgeley Park made it clear how close the club was to extinction. Kennedy gets awfully upset when he is criticised by County fans and points out he makes a £1m loss from Sale Sharks. He says he's in to sports ownership, not for profit, but because he wants to put something back into the local community. Well, I'm sorry Mr Kennedy but County aren't exactly thriving under your idea of philanthropy. We're so skint, the players turned up for work before Christmas to find a 'For Sale' sign planted on the training ground. So skint that we've got 16-year-olds on the bench. So skint the goalkeeping coach Paul Gerrard has shelled out more than £1,000 of his own money for fitness equipment. I can't speak for other County fans but I wish Kennedy had never come anywhere near the club. I wish he'd moved his rugby club to a rugby ground somewhere instead of taking over a football ground. I wish he'd never had anything to do with us. Maybe County would have folded already if he hadn't been involved but I doubt it. And maybe this latest burst of criticism will prompt him to cut County loose and leave the club to its fate. But what Kennedy doesn't seem to understand is that among County's many, many problems, its biggest is its association with Sale Sharks. County's identity is being eaten away by that association. The club is losing its soul. That's why there haven't been any feasible offers for the club yet. County needs a buyer who understands that. A buyer that loves football not rugby. A buyer that puts the football club first. A buyer that gives us our club back. http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/oliver-holt/Why-Brian-Kennedy-and-Sale-Sharks-are-killing-Stockport-County-the-football-club-I-love-by-Oliver-Holt-article270857.html

You can shove your TAINTED TITLE up yer arse BHEASTS

So I take it this is just some guy,Rangers fan,doing a bit of digging?

Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy steps up bid for Ibrox club BRIAN KENNEDY stepped up his bid for Rangers yesterday when he arrived in Glasgow for a second round of face-to-face talks with manager Ally McCoist. The multi-millionaire Hibs fan also held takeover discussions with administrator David Whitehouse of Duff and Phelps during a high-profile visit to Ibrox and Murray Park. And sources close to the Sale Sharks owner told Record Sport last night that Kennedy’s visit can be taken as an indication he is finally ready to shake off his “reluctant saviour” tag and make a major push for control of the stricken SPL champions. So far Kennedy has insisted publicly that he will only step in as some sort of last resort should he feel the club is not being passed over to safe hands. But he has been sending out a very different message during discussions with McCoist and the administrators. In fact, sources close to Kennedy confirmed last night he has been “on the ground” in Glasgow since Monday working feverishly on his offer to remove the club from the clutches of shamed owner Craig Whyte. Kennedy has also been making plans for how to run the club after a successful bid and it’s believed his close pal Graeme Souness, the former Rangers manager, is ready to come on board. Yesterday Kennedy was given a look at what he might be buying when he joined Rangers manager McCoist for a tour of Ibrox Stadium and the club’s training complex at Auchenhowie. A spokesman for Kennedy then confirmed to Record Sport: “Brian has visited Ibrox and Murray Park today which is part of the process. There is no further comment at this time.” However, this latest development should not be regarded as a sign Kennedy is now in pole position in the race to take control at Ibrox. On the contrary, all of the would-be bidders have been invited to clarify their initial indicative offers over the next few days. A Chicago consortium involving the Club 9 Sports firm is also expected to hold similar talks in the next 24 hours. Paul Murray, whose Blue Knights rescue mission remains the preferred option for the club’s three main supporters’ groups, spent Monday locked in discussions with the men from Duff and Phelps. And he is expected to return to the negotiating table for further talks later this week. Administrators claim to have received a fourth offer, supposedly involving an unspecified British-based group, but details of this mysterious late move remain sketchy. Kennedy’s visit was part of a busy morning for Whitehouse, who also had a breakfast meeting with CID officers. The sitdown – revealed exclusively by Record Sport yesterday – saw police ask administrators to hand over documents they believe to be crucial in building a criminal case against Whyte. Both the police and the administrators declined to comment when asked for details of the paperwork handed over. Meanwhile, the nature of the landscape surrounding the four-way battle for control should become a great deal more clear before the end of the week. Lord Hodge is expected to give guidance at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on whether or not Whyte’s £24.4million deal with Ticketus is legally sound. In fact, it was anticipated that Lord Hodge might make a decision yesterday but, after hearing further submissions, he reserved his decision until tomorrow at the earliest. It’s understood two of the current bidders for Rangers, including the most recent unnamed British group, have made it clear they will walk away from a deal if the Ticketus deal is proved to be watertight. Ticketus and parent company Octopus have publicly backed Murray’s proposal. And they could enter into a partnership with the Blue Knights if it is ruled in court their position is rock solid. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2012/03/22/rangers-in-crisis-sale-sharks-owner-brian-kennedy-steps-up-bid-for-ibrox-club-86908-23797195/

CELTIC have threatened to withdraw all co-operation with Sky over plans to change SPL voting. Record Sport understands the champions-elect may refuse to work with the TV giant ahead of this weekend’s Old Firm match, barring the bare minimum required under SPL rules. The threat is in response to the resolution presented last Friday by the 10 clubs outwith the Old Firm aimed at ripping up the league voting structure. With Rangers plunged in administration, the SPL 10 want change but Celtic disagree. And yesterday they told SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster they will continue their stance until the 10 ditch the proposals. The SPL recently agreed a five-year, £80million extension to their TV contract which will kick in this August and run until the summer of 2017. Ironically, Celtic boss Neil Lennon was a pundit for Sky at last night’s St Mirren v Hearts clash but the threat to withhold access ahead of Sunday’s Old Firm derby is real and sources inside the SPL fear for the future of the new deal. It is understood Celtic have spoken with Sky but the move has outraged the non-Old Firm chairmen. The 10 signed up to a document put before the SPL board asking for a resolution to be discussed at next month’s meeting of all clubs. The SPL clubs believe the 11-1 majority required for any kind of structural change is undemocratic, allowing the Old Firm a stranglehold on the game. A source within the 10 said: “We have 10 clubs trying to make the league more democratic and one trying to dictate their agenda to everyone. “But Celtic know without Sky money, every club in the league is up the creek.” A Celtic spokesperson said: “We are sure all supporters would regard these attempts to create division and uncertainty as very concerning, particularly given the current state of the game in Scotland. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2012/03/22/furious-celtic-in-sky-tv-threat-ahead-of-old-firm-clash-as-row-over-spl-voting-structure-escalates-86908-23797197/

Scottish Premier League clubs will be asked to consider a change to the league's voting structure at a meeting next month. The 10 non-Old Firm clubs have submitted a resolution to have the 11-1 majority required to pass major issues dropped in favour of a 9-3 system that would effectively end the Glasgow pair's ability to dictate change. There is disenchantment among clubs over a number of matters â?? including the way income is distributed â?? and the hope is a change in voting system would lead to a more equitable system. The issue will be discussed, along with a proposal for an under-20 league and financial fair play matters, at Hampden on April 12. An 11-1 vote will be required to pass the motion, meaning either Celtic or Duff & Phelps, the administrators currently running Rangers, would need to also back the proposal, assuming the other 10 clubs support it as seems likely. Celtic, though, are believed to be unhappy about the suggested changes. Sources close to the club argue the Old Firm contribute around 85% of the SPL's revenue, while they are disappointed at clubs not consulting them. "We hope one of those two groups can be persuaded that this is for the benefit of Scottish professional football," Michael Johnston, the Kilmarnock chairman, told Herald Sport. "It would mean the SPL becoming a more democratic organisation, with just 75% of the votes required to pass a motion instead of more than 90%. If that change goes through, it would open the door to reconstruction, the SFA's pyramid scheme could be implemented, and the key recommendations of the Henry McLeish report could be more easily achieved." http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/non-old-firm-clubs-target-change-to-spls-voting-structure.17103076

http://www.rangersfacts1872.blogspot.co.uk/

RANGERS' defence that payments made to players via Employee Benefit Trusts were "discretionary" rather than "contractual" could be thrown out by a Scottish Premier League investigation, leaving the club open to wide-ranging punishments. The SPL announced 17 days ago that it was investigating allegations that Rangers made payments as far back as 1998 without disclosing them to the SPL or the SFA. That would be in direct contravention of both governing bodies' rules but Hugh Adam, a former Ibrox director, has repeatedly insisted that the practice was commonplace until he left the board in 2002. The owner at the time, Sir David Murray, has denied any wrongdoing. But Herald Sport understands that Murray's defence that the payments into EBTs were discretionary may not spare Rangers from a guilty verdict and punishment after the inquiry. The investigation is still in its early stages and is being handled by the SPL's solicitors, Harper Macleod, rather than the SPL executive. So far requests have been to Rangers' administrators, Duff & Phelps, for documents going back to 1998. Paperwork has been exchanged and the administrators have complied with all of the requests. SPL rules D9.3 and D.1.13 impose a prohibition on players "receiving payments for playing football or participating in an activity connected with football except where such payments are made in accordance with a form of contract approved by the SPL and require that all such contracts are submitted to the SPL within 14 days of being entered into". The essence of Murray and Rangers' defence is that the payments need not be covered by a routine football contract. But that is open to question and the investigation could take the view that it would be absurd to claim a player received payments, even discretionary ones, into an EBT for any reason other than "participating in an activity connected with football". The recent inquiry chaired by Lord William Nimmo Smith for the SFA completed its work in only 21 days but that covered only the nine months of Craig Whyte's ownership. The SPL inquiry covers several years' worth of alleged payments dating back 14 years, and the Harper Macleod team will be given far more time to assemble its evidence. Only when all the necessary documentation has been sourced will any attempt be made to interview the likes of Murray, Adam and other Rangers directors and players from the period covered. When Harper Macleod's findings are complete, the solicitors, along with SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster and secretary Iain Blair, will compile a report for the SPL board. The board consists of Eric Riley (Celtic), Stephen Thompson (Dundee United), Derek Weir (Motherwell), Steven Brown (St Johnstone), SPL chairman Ralph Topping and Doncaster himself. A decision will then be taken on whether the information provides prima facie evidence of any breach of SPL rules. If so, and given the seriousness of the allegations and their repercussions, the case almost certainly would be passed on to a specially-created three-man Independent Commission, probably chaired by a Law Lord. It would be the Independent Commission, rather than the SPL which would make a final ruling and also apply any possible sanctions to Rangers. Because the allegations are unprecedented for the SPL, the governing body may take legal advice before applying any punishment if Rangers are found guilty. Any potential punishments for a guilty verdict could be lessened if Rangers successfully argue that their breach of the rules was inadvertent, not willful, or was based on poor advice. The SFA has left the SPL to do carry out the investigation because it (the SFA) would be the appellant body if Rangers submit an appeal. But once the SPL investigation, and any appeal, is over the SFA could also lay its own separate charges at Rangers' door for breaking its rules by not disclosing payments. The whole process is expected to last for several weeks. Last night secretary Blair said the SPL was prepared to be patient while Harper Macleod worked with Rangers' administrators. "It is important that the investigations are being carried out by the SPL's solicitors and not directly by the SPL executive so there is a degree of independence and separation there," he said. "At the moment it would be inappropriate to make any pre-judgements on a) what the investigation might uncover or b) what decisions might then be taken about the next step in the process. "What we have asked Harpers to look at for us going back over a period back to 1998. There may well be a significant amount of trawling back through old records to be done. We also have to recognise that while the administrators are absolutely working to co-operate with us they have a number of other priorities, court appearances and all the rest of it. So I think that while we want to reach a conclusion as quickly as we possibly can, it's more important that it's done thoroughly and properly rather than to any particular deadline we may apply. A deadline would become importantly only if there was any suggestion of a lack of co-operation, and there is absolutely no suggestion of that." http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/doubts-surround-rangers-ebt-defence.17102845

THE days tick by and the madness continues, the hype and the hoopla, the facts and the fiction. Just what is going on with the SPL investigation into double contracts, side letters and all the rest of the tax schemes at Rangers going back to the 1990s? We have said in this space many times before that there is only one way to get to the heart of all that went on at Ibrox in the disputed â??weeâ? and â??not so weeâ? tax case years of 1999-2010 and that is through an independent inquiry, a commission with all the clout and respect of the SFAâ??s own recent inquiry that did for Craig Whyte, headed by Lord Nimmo Smith. So clouded are the issues that full disclosure is required. All Rangers directors in this period need to be interviewed, all Rangers managers if required and some Rangers players and agents, too. At the end of it there needs to be clarity â?? or as much clarity that satisfies most sane people. Some, of course, will never be convinced of the findings even if God himself chaired the investigation and the four apostles sat on the board. The feeling is that nothing is happening in the SPL and that breeds suspicion. You hear talk that Neil Doncaster, the chief executive, is on holiday and that provokes fury among groups of Celtic people who want this investigation completed yesterday. Judging by correspondence, many of them are sold on Rangersâ?? guilt already. They interpret Rangersâ?? concession in the â??wee tax caseâ? as proof that they broke the SFAâ??s own rules and want them punished. They are utterly convinced that Rangers, for many years, cheated the taxman, the footballing authorities and the game as a whole. People are having their reputations challenged. The flipside is that Rangers, through Sir David Murray and various players from that era, say that no double contracts were ever issued. They are utterly categorical. One side is as convinced as the other in their own position, so where do you go? To Iain Blair, operations director of the SPL. Is the league dragging its feet? Are they going to bottle the investigation? Who is orchestrating it and what have they found? â??Under the rules of the SPL, Rangers are duty bound to supply us with the information we are looking for,â? he says. â??Rangers have a responsibility to act in the utmost good faith, so I do fully expect them to give us the information, but we havenâ??t had it so far. In all fairness, with the administrators being there they have other priorities at the moment with court appearances and talks with potential purchasers and the rest of it, but they are working with us and there has been no lack of co-operation. We do expect the information shortly.â? Glasgow solicitors Harper Macleod are acting for the SPL in the first instance. They are dealing with Rangers and asking for documents, putting things together to bring before the SPL board. Itâ??s a reasonable start, but the independence of the investigation needs to continue. There is a tremendous amount of noise out there about rules breaches surrounding the â??weeâ? and the â??bigâ? tax cases and itâ??s not all coming from crackpots and conspiracy theorists on the internet. These allegations demand a proper investigation. It needs to get to the heart of what went on, no matter how long it takes. It needs to have the authority of a Lord Nimmo Smith heading it, a man whose word carries weight across all divides. â??I think there is an understanding of the potential seriousness of the situation,â? says Blair, when asked about the perception of a whitewash. â??One of the options available to us is to deal with any disciplinary process through an independent commission. Iâ??m not prejudging what the board would do but it wouldnâ??t surprise if they did go down that route. â??The board will determine whether the information supplied represents a prima facie case of rules breach and if they do come to that decision then they have three choices how to prosecute. They can deal with it themselves in a board hearing, they can delegate it to a sub-committee of the board or the third option is to establish an independent commission.â? The board, of course, is a six-man deal including four clubs (Celtic, Dundee United, Motherwell and St Johnstone) as well as Ralph Topping as chairman and Doncaster as chief executive. A simple majority will turn an internal SPL investigation into a fully independent inquiry. â??Weâ??re asking for a lot of comprehensive information to be pulled together by Rangers over an extended period of time going to back to 1998 (the foundation of the SPL),â? says Blair. â??Thatâ??s not an insignificant task and it canâ??t be done lightly. â??The administrators, who are effectively the executive at Rangers, have a number of priorities at the moment and we understand that. If there was a continuing delay that that is something our board might be concerned about, but I donâ??t think weâ??re at that point at this stage.â? At least it appears to be moving forward, under many, many watchful eyes. Trouble or not, Fenlon needs irascible Griffiths Pat Fenlon doesnâ??t need any reminding about the importance of Leigh Griffiths to Hibsâ?? battle for survival in the SPL â?? and he certainly doesnâ??t need it rammed in his face. The claim of Griffithsâ?? alleged head-butting of his manager as well as an alleged punching of his assistant manager, Billy Brown, is strongly denied by the club, but one thing is for sure: Fenlonâ??s managerial skills are being tested to the full by the irascible striker. Fenlon is not a pushover. He has earned a reputation in Ireland as a tough customer who doesnâ??t easily suffer the kind of petulance that Griffiths has displayed this season. Even if you discount whatever went on in training the other day, the on-loan player from Wolves has repeatedly ignored his managerâ??s advice about on-field discipline. If Hibs were comfortable in the SPL, instead of scraping to stay in it, Fenlon might well have jettisoned Griffiths after his first, second or third bout of gesturing to supporters. As it was, he was forced to be pragmatic. Good managers have to do things they donâ??t want to do sometimes â?? and this was probably an example of it. Fenlonâ??s job is to keep Hibs in the SPL and he has a better chance of doing that with Griffiths than without. Already, the striker has scored the decisive goal in league games against St Mirren and Dunfermline and his goal also won a point against Kilmarnock. Thatâ??s seven points he has been worth to them so far. He has nine goals in 28 games and regardless of whether he was out of line at training or not, Fenlon needs that kind of firepower, particularly if Dunfermline are to experience a bounce after the appointment of Jim Jefferies. Managers have to manage difficult situations, but ultimately they must get results. If Fenlon has decided, in the short-term, to excuse yet another example of his strikerâ??s worrying combustibility, then itâ??s understandable. Thatâ??s not to say, though, that once the season is over he wonâ??t post-date his punishment and kick Griffiths all the way back to Wolves. Thereâ??s no case for Smithâ??s â??I didnâ??t knowâ?? defence Monday night would not have been the first time that Gordon Smith took the microphone and, metaphorically, hit himself over the head with it, but his performance in the final minutes of a Radio 5 Live debate on the crisis at Rangers was bizarre none the less. Quizzed by the BBCâ??s excellent investigative reporter Mark Daly about why he didnâ??t speak out against Craig Whyte, the former director of football at Ibrox went for a line of defence that was hard to fathom. â??I didnâ??t know,â? he said, repeatedly. Smith didnâ??t know a lot of things, but the time came when he should have known it all. How is it possible that he still didnâ??t know what was going on when Whyte was exposed, indisputably, as a liar on the Ticketus deal, his face splashed across every newspaper while headlining every news bulletin on radio and television? Smith carried on regardless in the Whyte regime and only departed when he was made redundant by the administrators. How he must wish now that he resigned on a point of principle on the day the Ticketus deal blew up in Whyteâ??s face. But, then, he didnâ??t know, did he? http://www.scotsman.com/news/tom-english-big-stick-to-stir-murky-waters-at-rangers-needed-urgently-1-2187663

It seems to be gathering a bit of momentum on FF!

Anybody know what this is all about? https://twitter.com/#!/CelticTaxcase

I'm getting lost here??. Was it not the administrators that have tried to null & void Ticketus deal in court?,and with TBK deal involving Ticketus will the administrators not look upon that as a bit strange?,also the administrators would probably doubt TBK have the cash?,and they would see Brian Kennedy as the better option?.............