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missed 2 penalties, otherwise it would have been 6-1 and the return game beyond doubt.
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A look at Europe's "second best" youth academy and how we can learn from it http://rfcyouths.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/fk-partizan-belgrade-youth-school/
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Date: 9 June 2014 Serbian football club Red Star Belgrade has been banned from participating in the Uefa Champions League next season, while two Turkish clubs have also been barred from competing in the Europa League. Uefa, football’s European governing body, confirmed that Red Star would be blocked from playing in the Champions League after breaching several licensing and Financial Fair Play rules. The club won the 1991 European Cup – the precursor to the Champions League – but lost its best players in the wake of the break-up of Yugoslavia in the same year and has struggled for consistency on and off the pitch since then. “My first reaction is that Uefa has shown no understanding for our situation because this is an accumulated debt for which the club's present leadership is not responsible,” Red Star’s vice-president, Ivica Toncev, said. “It was always going to be an uphill battle but we will exercise our right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.” The club had been due to enter the 2014-15 Champions League in the second qualifying round. According to the Reuters news agency, last week several Red Star players complained that their wages were late. The club has reported debts totalling more than €50m ($68m). Uefa will also investigate the FSS, the sport’s governing body in Serbia, for giving Red Star a licence to play in the Champions League despite being aware that the club had violated financial rules. “Red Star's position was barely acceptable, but we also assessed that playing in Europe's top-tier competition was the fast track to the club's recovery,” the FSS said. “We are surprised by Uefa's course of action against the FSS and we maintain that kicking Red Star out of Europe is a bitter blow to Serbian football as a whole.” Uefa also announced that Turkish clubs Sivasspor and Eskisehirspor have been banned from participating in the 2014-15 Europa League due to their involvement in a domestic match-fixing scandal relating to the conclusion of the 2010-11 season. Sivasspor would have entered the Europa League at the third qualifying round. Turkish Cup runner-up Eskisehirspor would have entered at the second qualifying round. http://www.sportbusiness.com/sport-news/uefa-bans-red-star-turkish-clubs-europe
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Approx 230 pages containing over 7,000 signatories and about 80 pages of comments Thanks to all who added to the numbers Craig SoS -
Folks, I'm announcing this in the Rangers Chat section here so that we can get as many people playing as possible. If you'd like to take part in the GPL (Gersnet Prediction League) for the World Cup in Brazil this summer then I've just set up our mini league on a site called Predict the World Cup. To join this Gersnet Prediction League follow these simple instructions: 1. Go to http://www.predicttheworldcup.com 2. Register as a new player using your Gersnet username (so that we know who's who!), but choose a unique password (and take a note of it!) 3. Click the "Join league" button and then in the required box enter the code If you've done that correctly, then you've joined the league and should see your username there alongside myself and anyone else from here who joins! There will be a wee prize (TBA) for the winner, so get signed up before June 12 and take part! I'll list (and update) the league players here: Annan Bear BEARGER Bluebear54 blueflag compo craig globespanscott Gribz Juan Little General onevision PapaBear Pete Rangersitis rbr Ser Barristan Selmy shorerdbear steve1872 Super Cooper Tannochsidebear TheTinMan99 Thinker Time4_Change Zappa The competition [b]RULES[/b] are explained here - [color=#0000FF]http://www.predicttheworldcup.com/site/help[/color]
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Hoping for Atletico to do the double, will have a wee bet on them to lift the trophy. Real have put all the eggs into the CL basket and are hot favourites.
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IN THE standard media take on Rangers’ affairs, Graham Wallace is the big, bad bouncer barring entry to the club to Dave King, a man whose deep pockets would ensure everything went with a swing for those inside. Yet, Ibrox chief executive Wallace has tried to create the impression that King will be welcome to join the party. Just not take it over. “We have quantified a range [of investment, the figure being £30 million] where we think the club needs to be looking at in order to be competitive,” said Wallace, as the club published a damning 120-day business review which showed £70m had been haemorrhaged over 18 months. “Right now we don’t have the authority to issue a fresh batch of shares and say to Dave King ‘Here you are… £20m? In you come...’ “What we’ve said is we will go to the shareholders for authority in the autumn and the timing of that is important because it gives us time to demonstrate stability in how we’re running the business from an investor’s perspective. When we do that, the equity offering will be open to existing shareholders, it should probably also be open to fresh investors, including Dave King, and potentially others. There’s no one stopping Dave King or anyone else putting money into the club today other than the regulatory authority the board needs to have. “Dave has said before, there may be 15 per cent of the existing shareholders who may not want to participate further, in which case there’s a significant block of stock that would be available.” Wallace denies the current directors fear their power being diluted by King’s involvement. “When we met with him, when you look at his ambitions and his vision for what he would like the club to be, they’re not dissimilar to what we’re trying to do,” insisted the chief executive. “We want to be competitive, we want to be punching at the top of the Premiership and in order to do that we know the club needs investment.” Rangers supporters find themselves in an horribly invidious position. They are understandably contemptuous of the current board for the cash burn and calamitous contracts that Wallace excoriated in his review. However, through a gushing press for King, the only alternative being presented is a man who mismanaged his own financial affairs so profoundly he had to repay more than £40m to the South African tax authorities and lodge certain payments to prevent his convictions landing him in prison. “A wide cross-section of the fan base is looking for some form of guidance, some form of reassurance as to how their club has been run,” Wallace said. “I hope as they look at this review that they get a sense of where it’s been, where it is now, and more importantly where it can go. “People are worried about putting their money into the club and three months later it not to be there and they’ve lost their £400. I completely understand that, and I’ve been repeatedly asked if the club is under threat of another administration and I’ve said the same thing every time – no, it’s not. “The point about the fans is, yes, there’s a desire on behalf of a segment of the fanbase to support someone like Dave King, who’s offering up – on paper, at least – a potentially significant amount of money to invest in the club. I understand that. “We’re giving the assurance that if the fans continue to back the club in the way they have, then there is no threat to the financial stability of this business. That’s the single most important thing. If fans are really concerned about the financial health of their club, if they give us the support by behaving as they have done and renewing their [season] tickets, then we’re in a very very strong position.” That is tantamount to the emotional blackmail the supporters’ coalition the Union of Fans has railed against. Wallace might not be so tainted in the eyes of the wider support, and might have been perceived more as a figure to trust by them, were it not for the £1.5m loan at exorbitant rates the club required only months after he stated such an injection would not be needed to keep the club afloat. The chief executive now accepts his credibility was damaged. “It was an issue, yes. I responded to a question at the AGM about [whether there] ‘is sufficient cash to continue to trade in the near term’ and I said there was. That was an honest answer made on the assessment of what was available at the time. As we’ve gone through the review, there were certain assumptions made in the business plan which, when we went to push the button on them, we found they didn’t exist. So yes, we got to a position where we had to look at an alternative strategy for a very short, defined period of time. So yes, our credibility was questioned. “Subsequent to putting the deal in place there were offers of similar amounts at vastly reduced monies. I think we’re in a better place now.” A huge measure of sensible husbandry is required at Rangers, but with Wallace stating manager Ally McCoist’s playing budget for the Championship will be “comparable” to the indefensible £6m with which the club have bulldozed their way through two part-time lower divisions, questions can be asked about lessons learned. Perhaps in one sense they have been. Rangers announced in their review that they will appoint a chief football operations officer, essentially a director of football, who will “concentrate initially on developing player talent identification, scouting and recruitment capability”. In the past two years, Rangers have certainly been guilty of having a flawed recruitment strategy that has been the largest consistent drain on their revenue and resources. “In terms of building this club to be competitive back at the top level, the level of infrastructure is not there,” said Wallace. “So scouting, recruitment, talent identification, managing and driving value from sourcing players [needs to be addressed]. Bringing players in here, if they’re good enough to play for us great but if they’re not then they might do a season and move along and get some value. “We’ve no one looking at that. That’s what I see this particular role focusing on. It’s very much a support role for me, for the manager, at an overall level. The hunt for this person begins now and it’s about getting the right person, with the right skill set and the right experience. I’d hope over the course of the coming months to have someone.” Wallace maintains this new appointment did not reflect on McCoist’s job security. “I have never even had a thought about the manager’s future. We speak every day and meet two or three times a week. “He’s obviously interested in the financial budget. We’ve talked about it. He knows we’re going to make funds available for the summer. He doesn’t know the magnitude, the number. We will sit down and agree that.” http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl-lower-divisions/rangers-open-the-door-to-dave-king-1-3390262
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This is taken from FF posted by Kaiserbear53 Expect a response from Mr King in the next few days but it won't be until after the Game on Saturday as Mr King does want not to take the focus off the team and be blamed for protests and the anger that will come. As expected and as has already been stated, the current board have spat in the face of Dave and this attempt to under mine the restructuring and sort our club out once and for all will soon come to a resolution. The board will try and palm you off with a membership scheme which some may buy into but bide your time bears and bearets, listen to what Mr King has to say about the shiftiness off this move and make your own minds up. Kaiser _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Its what will happen, The information will be released through the press association as he is still in South Africa. Next week the battle begins. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Without breaching trust here to much? King was not satisfied, he was patronized and was fobbed off therefore played the board at their own game, he know's they are unprofessional and not capable of running the club short - mid or long term, what King done was simply give the board and CEO enough rope. They made public assurances which have been breached, do you honestly think a man who has spoken to his children and told them, this will be your inheritance, this is what I am doing, is going to let the current mob who couldnt organize a prayer in a mosque away with it? Have faith. I have no idea how true or who the poster is.
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http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/current-affairs/321-rangers-hearts-and-the-case-of-wee-thistle
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It has been coming but could be official today if they lose against Hibs. What a game for them to lose. It will get the SPFL and SFA licking their lips at money maker with the only show in town v Hearts 4 times next season.
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.....for putting fat-cats ahead of fans as Scottish Cup semi-final row erupts. TANNADICE chairman Stephen Thompson says governing body has snubbed his request to switch game from Ibrox in order to keep corporate customers happy. DUNDEE United chairman Stephen Thompson last night tore into the SFA for putting fat-cats ahead of fans as a row over the Scottish Cup semi-finals erupted. The Tannadice side had written asking for a switch of venue from Ibrox when the draw for the semis was made – if Rangers make it past Albion Rovers tomorrow. That request was denied in writing but the reasons given, and the split of the stadium, have infuriated the Tannadice owner. If United have to face Rangers they will be given just 13,100 of Ibrox’s 51,082 capacity. However, Thompson’s bigger concern is the fact the SFA chose the venues for the semis and final before they knew the last four. And he’s unhappy they’re trying to justify it by claiming it was the best way to keep their commercial customers happy. Speaking to MailSport last night, Thompson said: “I want to stress that this is IF Rangers make it to the semis. The last thing I wanted to do was be disrespectful to Albion Rovers. “This is also nothing against Rangers. It wasn’t their decision and this isn’t their issue, it’s the SFA’s. “Our request was refused but the reasons given were totally unsatisfactory. We asked for a neutral venue for the sake of sporting integrity, which was their big buzz phrase two years ago when the Rangers stuff was going on. “But they claimed other countries within UEFA set stadia in advance for semi-finals and that precedent has been set. “Their letter also claimed that, by deciding in advance, it has enabled them to maximise commercial revenues and keep their sponsors happy. “So they’re saying commercial customers and sponsors are more important than the fans of the clubs taking part? I can’t have that.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dundee-united-chief-blasts-sfa-3248125
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Over two weeks now since Neil suggested that Craig Thomson had been responsible for Celtic losing at Aberdeen. Could it be that Mr Lunny has been absent from his desk and that is why that no action has been raised against Neil. Or is is it possible that a more likely reason for this to be overlooked is that. Vincent agrees with Neil's opinion?
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Help SoS and the Union of Fans, volunteers required. We have a leaflet regarding the Union of Fans and Dave Kings proposed Season Ticket Initiative getting printed for Sundays game and need help with distribution. If you are willing and able to help, please put name below or send personal message Meet 2pm top of Copland Rd stairs Thanks in advance Craig. Lifted from FF
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http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/current-affairs/314-laxey-loan-alternatives-ignored
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Forget The Barmy Army – Be The Rangers Army Apparently 5,000 have signed up to Dave King’s barmy army which plans to hold Rangers to ransom by drip-feeding season ticket money to the club. I use the term barmy army because, as hare-brained schemes go, this one has to be up there with chocolate fireguards in the dumbest ideas in history table. What makes Dave King or anyone who is following him believe that they will be sold a season book on such preposterous terms? Which makes giving Dave King your season ticket money a donation to Dave King’s Ego Fund. The reality is that Dave King is asking fans to give him and his Union of Fans their money instead of Rangers Football Club. It’s like me trying to buy a car from the Honda dealer by giving my money to the Ford dealer. Or ordering a Chinese meal and telling the delivery person that the money is with the Indian takeaway. No wonder Celtic fans are peeing their pants with laughter, although their claims that Admin 2 is around the corner are based on fables from other fantasists. It’s funny how all the cretins who claim Rangers died are now affirming the opposite by averring that the club is about to go into a second admin. I blame the sectarian schools. I see one or two on the forums have raised the possibility that Dave King’s real objective in his crusade is to claw back some of the £20 million he claims to have lost investing in Murray Sports. It’s no secret that King was quite bitter about his previous involvement with the Murray regime, even to the extent of claiming Rangers should apologise for the use of EBT’s and should make financial reparation to other clubs. This was seen at the time as an attempt to lash out at David Murray and as evidence of a deep-seated grudge held by King toward the former owner. It has been put to me by an astute observer of matters Rangers that the securing of Albion Car Park and Edmiston House against loans recently made to the club may be a means of protecting these assets in the event of King’s convincing enough people that it really does become dangerous to the club’s future. My own view is that many will sign up to King’s barmy army but will see sense when the season ticket renewal comes around. King may be left with a hardcore of fans intent on undermining the club’s progress but their refusal to renew their books will be a means of excising them from the club’s support. Hopefully others will come forward to take their place. My view on this blog is simple: Give Graham Wallace the required – and agreed – 120 days to conduct and complete his thorough review of the club’s fiscals and logistics. Then examine his proposals. For the time being, get behind the club and the team. Rangers fans like to talk and sing about being loyal and true. It’s time to walk the talk and rally round the Rangers for the Rangers army is coming down the road. http://billmcmurdo.wordpress.com/blog-2/
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Dr Waiton on Rangers, Free Speech and Sectarianism
ThatsWhyWeirChamps posted a topic in Rangers Chat
http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/rfc-politics/310-dr-waiton-on-rangers-free-speech-and-sectarianism It's an excellent read (the Spiers part especially), very well done to John. -
http://metro.co.uk/2014/02/10/should-fifa-take-the-world-cup-away-from-brazil-4297792/ Thoughts?
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http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/rangers/263136-ally-mccoist-id-have-bet-on-ibrox-not-being-picked-for-league-cup-final/ -
.....they're not even in my top five THE former Wigan boss reckons Rangers lack of strength in comparison with other teams makes them an unlikely candidate to win the Scottish Cup in May. OWEN COYLE reckons Rangers shouldn’t even be among the top FIVE teams fancied to lift the Scottish Cup in May. Ally McCoist’s side are joint second with Dundee United in the betting to win the cup with tournament sponsors William Hill. Rangers have the second biggest budget in the country but Coyle insists that doesn’t automatically mean the League One side are likely to win major silverware. Gers face Dunfermline at home on Friday night with a quarter-final place at stake and Coyle said: “I don’t think they’d be one of the first five favourites for the Scottish Cup. Of course they can win it with a bit of luck but in terms of the strength of their team against the others I would have to say it is unlikely. “Coisty is a pal of mine, as is Durranty, we did our pro licences together. But I don’t see their team as one of the cup favourites. “I did the Airdrie v Rangers game for TV a few weeks ago. “Rangers started well but never got the second goal and then made heavy weather of winning it. “If I was judging it on that then I’d say they have some very good young players coming through but I don’t think they’d be one of the first four or five favourites for the Scottish Cup.” The former Wigan, Bolton and St Johnstone boss reckons the Scottish Cup has taken on extra importance this season for the Old Firm as they romp their respective leagues. But Coyle believes that if both Glasgow sides get through this weekend then McCoist will want to avoid drawing Neil Lennon’s team in the last eight. He said: “I can’t put myself in the position of being Rangers manager just now and facing Celtic although on any given day anybody could win it. “But the odds, with Celtic being so strong, are that they would win the game. “There’s no getting away from how dominant Celtic are at the moment. They are on their own just now. “Both Celtic and Rangers have the league effectively tied up and the Cup is now a focus. “I’m sure the Celtic players will be desperate to finish the season with the double again. “But it’s also there for everyone else to go and have that big day out at the Final and win the Scottish Cup. Celtic have already lost to Morton in the League Cup so it’s certainly not a foregone conclusion.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/owen-coyle-rangers-shouldnt-second-3112770
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From BBC website. In case you are wondering where the League Cup final will be played, The Scottish Professional Football League will make a decision later this week. It will, however, be held in Glasgow, so my detective work suggests that is either Celtic Park or Ibrox Stadium. The Scottish FA has, of course, already chosen Celtic Park for the Scottish Cup final with the national stadium at Hampden Park unavailable at it prepares to host the athletics at the Commonwealth Games. Should we not tell them Ibrox is not available ?
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Our intrepid PZJ is in need of assistance – anyone with a modicum of search experience would be most warmly welcomed. That GCC geotechnical report for Westhorn and other sites, alluded to in my previous blogs on behalf of PZJ – has proven it's adept ability for elusiveness. “They seek it here, they seek it there”... On the 16th October, 2013, PZJ wrote to GCC as follows : "I have asked, and you have constantly failed to provide solid proof, that the geotechnical report be fully disclosed to the general public for perusal." GCC responded as follows : “As advised in our earlier letter to you of 11 September 2013, in accordance the decision of the Court of Session set out in Glasgow City Council and Dundee City Council v Scottish Information [2009] CSIH 73, you have the right to the information set out in a requested document, but not to the actual document itself. We therefore provided you with an extract from the geotechnical report and set out the basis upon which a valuation was agreed for the site. I agree with the decision that was made in our earlier response to release an extract of the report to you “ Only that extract was never received in the subsequent correspondence. PZJ's attempts to obtain same thereafter were met with a stony wall of silence. Perhaps we should all come to PZJ's assistance and ask for an extract into the geotechnical report regarding Westhorn – one which reveals the level and nature of the bio-checmical (or otherwise) contamination at Westhorn as calculated by the Council's surveyors. This can be done be sending an e-mail to foi@glasgow.gov.uk But I’m afraid there is more work for those of you with a penchant for searching and finding things, as PZJ appears to have found another anomaly in his investigation. The London Road School was acquired by GCC as part of a Compulsory Purchase Order (dates and costs have been requested under FOI). Having decided in due course that they no longer required this land, GCC were bound by what is known as Crichel Down Rules http://www.bllaw.co.uk/services_for_businesses/commercial_real_estate/news_and_updates/the_crichel_down_rules.aspx to offer first refusal on the subsequent sale of the property to those from whom the land was acquired – in this case Celtic FC. A GCC Executive Committee document dated 19th January, 2007 confirms same. This is further confirmed by a later GCC Executive Committee meeting. http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/councillorsandcommittees/viewSelectedDocument.asp?c=e%97%9Di%93ny%8A Note section 4 of this report where it refers to the London Road School. GCC Executive Committee of 19th January 2007 approved an option for Celtic PLC to acquire the former London Road Primary School at a cost of £300,000 with the price being uplifted from the date of the option contract ( 01 April 2009) until the date of settlement. Celtic PLC has confirmed to the Council it wishes to exercise this option. Celtic PLC has agreed to pay £300,000 plus RPI from the 01 April 2009 until the date of settlement. The RPI has been calculated by City Property at £57,000 (to 31st October 2013) resulting in a total sale price of £357,000. The RPI figure will require to be further uplifted following formal agreement on the date of settlement. The RPI is based from ist April 2009 until 31st October 2013. There is no mention or explanation regarding the apparent ignoring of the previous commitment to the 3 year option of 19th January 2007. But the confusion does not end there. On the 8th October, 2013, PZJ wrote to GCC seeking clarification on the London Road School. He revived the following response on the 12th November, 2013.. “You have been advised in previous correspondence from the Council that the former London Road School site has not been sold to Celtic Football Club. As you are now aware, an option to purchase has been granted to the football club and expires in April 2014” Therefore anyone who can find minutes of a GCC meeting approving an extension on the previous 3 year option to buy from 19th January, 2007, and the grounds for such an extension being granted – your help would be greatly appreciated. foi@glasgow.gov.uk
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Those of us who have been following PZJ's investigation into allegations of State Aid offered to Celtic FC by Glasgow Greater Council, will be aware of a common theme emerging – an apparent failure or reluctance by GCC to provide information relating to abnormal conditions on some of the sites surveyed. Earlier this month I commented on the strange tale of the District Valuer brought in by Glasgow City Council to provide valuations in respect of several portions of land being considered for sale by GCC some of which were eventually sold to Celtic. Alas it's not only the District Valuer who is being kept in the dark with regard to these abnormal conditions but also our very own PZJ. His request for the geotechnical reports relating to the abnormal conditions present at these sites has been refused by GCC. On the 16th October 2013 he asked GCC for the geotechnical report to be released and was met with the following reply :- “As advised in our earlier letter to you of 11 September 2013, in accordance the decision of the Court of Session set out in Glasgow City Council and Dundee City Council v Scottish Information [2009] CSIH 73, you have the right to the information set out in a requested document, but not to the actual document itself. We therefore provided you with an extract from the geotechnical report and set out the basis upon which a valuation was agreed for the site. I agree with the decision that was made in our earlier response to release an extract of the report to you. “ In keeping with many local authorities Glasgow City Council is committed to improving transparency and engagement :- http://www.gcvs.org.uk/news_and_information/news/2188_councillors_vote_to_improve_transparency_and_engagement in fact it claims to be “groundbreaking” in it's approach to openness http://data.glasgow.gov.uk/ However it is neither transparent nor groundbreaking to hide behind previous decisions of the Court of Session in order to prevent the disclosure of information. It only serves to highlight ones suspicions and concerns as to what is actually contained within the report . Surely a complete disclosure would negate once and for all any suggestion of impropriety over this sale, and in addition completely usurp any wild and unsubstantiated claims the abnormals had been exaggerated in order to reduce the price. At Westhorn for instance the abnormal conditions were agreed at £3,515,000. What exactly does that relate to and what is present in or on the land which reduces £4,190,000 worth of property to a measly £675,000 ? One is almost minded of the case of Erin Brockovich.
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http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/keith-jackson-harsh-treatment-hearts-3015628?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=tw IS the treatment of Hearts fair? Absolutely not. Must it continue unabated and without mercy? Sadly, there can be no other way. What we are currently witnessing at Tynecastle is unedifying, bordering on inhumane. Gary Locke has been forced into a position where he has no choice but to flog the life out of his youngsters who are now dropping to their knees in the utter exhaustion of fighting what has been, from the outset, an impossible task. They are only half way through but Hearts are goners already. And the more squeamish may very well feel like looking the other way for the second half of this season as they stagger and stumble towards their own demise. This is heartbreaking cruelty in every conceivable way. But Scottish football must not be allowed to avert its gaze. Not for one single second. Rather, it should be strapped into a seat and forced to sit through every gory moment of this collapse. Scottish football has done this to Hearts and now it must watch every last consequence of its actions, no matter how harrowing it may become. Promising young players may be left broken in spirit and body. They may be cast aside and unable ever to fully recover from the traumas of this campaign. So be it. Locke too may never be the same again given what he has had to endure in this, his first ever managerial post. Already his credentials for the job are being debated and dissected. In some cases, he has been dismissed as some wet behind the ears, lame duck of a boss who has neither the know-how nor the work ethic to save Hearts from their fate. This picking on Locke is savage and unnecessary and almost wholly unfounded. After all, how can any reasonable assessment be made on Locke’s qualities or otherwise as a manager when he has been placed in a position which leaves him almost entirely unable to manage? Unlike his peers, he can neither buy new players nor even loan them, which means he must make do with what little he has on the books. And yet, so sparse is his squad that Locke is not afforded even the most basic managerial prerogative of choosing a starting XI. He has no choice but to count heads and send them out. No matter if these players are suffering from loss of form or even fitness. Locke’s only option is to run these youngsters into the ground until the time comes when either Hearts are unable to fulfill their fixtures or, in order to keep up the pretence that they are still a functioning football club, filling up maroon shirts with school children and sending them out to be humiliated by grown-up professionals. All in the name of sporting integrity. Under these circumstances it is simply not possible to judge Locke’s managerial merits one way or the other. He is not managing Hearts. He is merely enabling them to keep up this pretence until the club has taken its last breath in the top flight. Anyone who cannot acknowledge that their fate was predetermined before he had given them his first team talk must be a fool. Yes, Locke is learning on the job and will have made mistakes along the way. Of course he will. But by depriving him of so many of the fundamentals of football management, we make his human error almost redundant. The truth is, there was never any hope for Hearts. That was part of the deal. When this club limped over the line last season to stay in the top division at the expense of Dundee, they knew administration was on its way. We all did. It’s all been a charade ever since. The new rules which were drawn up to deal with insolvency events were designed not just to punish offenders but to throttle them. It had to be this way because of the appalling blood lust with which Rangers had been treated the previous year. Had level heads been applied to the financial meltdown at Ibrox then Rangers would have been helped back up from the gutter in which Craig Whyte left them. Instead, they were trampled down and kicked to the kerb. The urge to maximise the damage Whyte had done quickly became overwhelming and, in many cases, it was led by downright malevolence. Neil Doncaster, the chief executive of the then SPL, wished to apply some logic and reason to the debate for no other reason than it made business sense to protect Rangers. Perish the thought, maybe even to help them in their darkest hour. But he was shouted down by the baying crowd that had gathered around him. And now, as a result of this mob mentality, Hearts are paying the heaviest of prices for the roguish actions of their own former owner. There would be uproar among Rangers supporters in particular if it were any other way. This residual need for revenge is understandable. They believe their club was wronged and so they will demand parity across the board. Even if it reduces Scottish football to a bloodbath. In fact, so bitter have some of them become that they would wish it to be so. They make no attempt to hide their delight at the suffering of others and nor should they be expected to as Rangers is their only concern. But if Scottish football is to correct itself then it must transcend this kind of small-minded tribalism. For the greater good, it must also be prepared to accept that mistakes have been made and that, now they are being repeated, the youngsters of Hearts are being brutalised. With more than half a season gone, they have still not unshackled themselves fully from the 15-point penalty with which they set out. Twenty-two games into this mission impossible, with just 16 more to go, Hearts are marooned on minus two. Locke is unable to call for reinforcements. It’s about to become unwatchable. But watch on we must. And maybe when it is over – when Hearts have been crushed, lying there, limp and lifeless on the floor – then Scottish football will have cause to reflect and to confront itself. To ask itself how it got into such a dark and mean state of mind. To look inside itself in search of empathy and common sense. And then to find a better way for the future before more vulnerable clubs and more innocent young players are forced to suffer as Hearts have this season. Yes, there must still be stiff deterrents in order to keep the game safe from the next Whyte or the next Romanov. But there must also be a realisation that the current penalties are draconian and hurting all the wrong people. While Whyte and Romanov escape unscathed, the players and supporters they left behind continue to pay for all of their sins. And while so many old scores are being settled, Scottish football continues to hate itself to death.
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.......three years after causing referee row that led to strikes MCDONALD has been instated as a Development Officer at Hampden after his 2010 Tannadice blunder forced him to quit the game completely. Former refereee McDonald is back at the SFA, three years after quitting amidst Tannadice row CONTROVERSIAL former referee Dougie McDonald is back working for the SFA as a Development Advisor. McDonald quit as a Category One whistler in November 2010 after coming under intense pressure for lying to Neil Lennon about changing his mind on a penalty he had initially awarded to Celtic against Dundee United at Tannadice. The aftermath of that shook the game to its core and the incident resulted in his assistant referee that afternoon, Steven Craven, resigning. Weeks later refs chief Hugh Dallas also quit the SFA and the whistlers went on strike as they felt they weren’t protected enough by their Hampden employers. On the day he stood down, McDonald claimed Category One refs had been treated in an “outrageous way” and blasted the SFA for a “lack of support”. Such an attack would normally lead to someone being banished from Hampden but McDonald is back on board. The 48-year-old is highly rated and referee chiefs feel his input and advice to young officials will be invaluable. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/ex-official-dougie-mcdonald-back-2969113
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by ANDREW SMITH A BUMPER crowd is expected as Celtic bring in the bells at home to Partick Thistle on Wednesday. With free tickets dished out and buses laid on, who knows, the Parkhead ground may even be at least half full. It hasn’t been that way recently. Indeed, the past two league games are the first back-to-back such encounters to have attracted crowds of less than 30,000 while the championship has been a live issue since the stadium became a 60,000-seater arena in 1998. Then, accurate attendances were given out. Now, these require freedom of information requests, with the club aggregating the number of paid-for-seats, which amounted to 46,000 for each of the victories over Hibernian and Hearts this month. If that appears undoubtedly healthy then what is not is that around 20,000 season ticket holders – around half the entire figure, in fact – are electing to think better of occupying seats they have already parted with their money for. It will be pointed out that the weather and time of year led to a dip in attendances throughout the country but that doesn’t explain what is driving down Celtic’s capacity to have punters come out to watch them. In the year-and-a-half the top flight has been devoid of the Rangers brand, Celtic have made great play of the fact that they have a standalone strategy not dependent on rivalry with a club playing out of Ibrox. And, having turned a debt into cash in the bank and posted a near-£10 million profit last year, they are making good on their assertion. Yet the declining interest from Celtic fans in watching a procession to their third championship demonstrates that they would struggle to operate at their current level if there was never again a team called Rangers in the top flight. The last two home games offered a glimpse of what would be the norm if the club operated in an environment in which they had no major – even from a numerical and cultural sense – rival. The 20,000 no-showers among Celtic’s season ticket holder base probably retain their tickets currently for two reasons: they received a £100 reduction on them last summer and it will probably be only 18 months before there is a Rangers to ridicule and lord it over in the Premiership. Without that promise of ding-dong derby days, most of these fans would probably chuck their tickets. In a non-Rangers world, then, Celtic would have a rain-or-shine hardcore of around 25,000. When they won the last of their nine-in-a-row run of titles in 1974, that was roughly their home average, as it was when they hit rock bottom in 1994. To live within the means that a 25,000 season-ticket-holder base generated, there is no way Celtic would operate with the £30m playing budget they have at present, or spend even sums of £2m on a couple of players every summer. Such a reduced season-ticket-holder figure – with child and younger person reductions taken into account – would bring in around £8m. Celtic’s ticket sales for the Champions League last year alone were £10m. In the Martin O’Neill era, season tickets sales coined in £23m. Celtic are too cautious to rely on Champions League income every year to prevent major losses. However much their club’s supporters may want to be in denial about it, then, with no Rangers permanently in their domain, Celtic would undergo serious downsizing and most home games the club’s stadium would be morgue-like. In turn, a lower spend on player wages would inhibit the calibre of individual that could be recruited, which would result in the team being weaker and potentially more vulnerable across the three rounds of Champions League qualifiers they require to negotiate to reach the group stages. It is perhaps surprising just how quickly almost half Celtic’s season ticket holders have canned watching domestic games. Two years ago, their team wasn’t even champions. The apologists would claim that the club’s treatment of the now dispersed Green Brigade and its perceived attempts to “sanitise” the support has helped turn off sections of the support, but few are buying that. In the Glasgow domain, for a great many it is quite clear that hatred of the other side fuels interest more than love of their own club. And without this adversarial outlet, it is noticeable how the stuggles of both Celtic and Rangers have become internalised. When it was put to Celtic manager Neil Lennon that some of his supporters appear to have short memories, he said: “And a self-destrcut button. And it’s not helpful.” The Irishman said he “can’t look at” the possibility that some Celtic fans have turned to navel gazing about their club as a more satisfying pastime than actually attending games. “My objective is to take the team forward,” Lennon said. “I am aware of the point being made because it is almost as if they need something to fight or argue about. But I can’t do anything about that.” In terms of the lowly 25,000 crowd estimated to have turned up for the 12.15 visit of Hearts last Saturday, Lennon pointed to mitigating circumstances beyond climate. “It’s the first time we’ve had a home game televised for a while and it’s Christmas as well which might have had a big effect on the crowd. We are always looking to give fans value for money and we’re always looking to bring a player in who might capture the imagination as well. But we’re 16 games unbeaten and we can’t do much more than that. Our away form has been very good but it’s a little bit different at home where teams camp in for long periods of the game. I know it’s up to us to try and break them down but we try to give the fans value for money at home as well. “I don’t think [what has happened with the Green Brigade] has had any effect. There might have been a Champions League hangover as well. We’re out of that competition now. I would expect over the festive period the crowds will pick up again and we have Partick Thistle on New Year’s Day and I would imagine there will be a decent crowd for that one.” A “decent crowd” these days, is very different from what it was five years ago. http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/poor-attendances-suggest-celtic-need-rangers-1-3249508
