A legacy in ruins - Davie Provan

[ian1964 10,457]

SIR DAVID MURRAY was spot on when offering his take on Rangers victory over HMRC this week.

The steel tycoon said: â??Nobody has won. There is no point in me waving a big flag saying we have won.â?

Heâ??s dead right and thereâ??s no doubt Murray himself has emerged as the biggest LOSER in this entire Rangers fiasco.

How the steel tycoon must regret gifting Rangers to Craig Whyte for a pound.

But squeezed by Lloyds Bank and with the Big Tax Case hanging over his head, Sir David cut and ran. The rest is history.

Murray has been vindicated over Rangersâ?? use of EBTs but even that result must leave a bitter taste.

Had he known Rangers would beat the taxman, heâ??d have kept the Ibrox title deeds and would still be watching Rangers compete in the SPL and Europe.

Instead, his legacy is in ruins. While Rangers are slopping out in the Third Division, Celtic are shovelling millions of Champions League cash into the vault.

Sir Davidâ??s allies in the media will attempt to rewrite history for him. Theyâ??ll claim he was conned by Whyte.

But that doesnâ??t square with the account of other Ibrox directors who were savvy enough to do their homework on Whyte.

Research that showed he collapsed companies for fun and would never make a fit and proper Rangers owner.

That dossier alone should have ensured Whyte never got beyond the front door of Ibrox, far less into the boardroom.

But despite the protests of Martin Bain, Alastair Johnston and others, the sale went through and Rangers were heading for oblivion.

The victims of Rangersâ?? collapse are not hard to find. Small creditors shafted by the clubâ??s liquidation, innocent fans who have invested in their club for generations.

The only winner in all of this is Charles Green who was able to pick up Ibrox, Murray Park, a squad of players and a clean balance sheet for the same price Everton paid for Nikica Jelavic.

Fair play to Green, whoâ??ll make a bundle when he sells up. But creditors will wonder how he got the whole shooting match for a pittance.

In the meantime, some are telling us the Big Tax Case was a witch-hunt, that the Revenue had an agenda against Rangers. It strikes me that Sir David would never have offered to settle with HMRC unless the taxman had a decent case â?? and the tribunalâ??s 2-1 majority verdict suggests the outcome was in the balance.

Either way, our schools and hospitals might be in better nick if millionaire footballers werenâ??t able to funnel money offshore.

But with Rangers winning their appeal against HMRC, what now for the SPLâ??s probe into EBTs and dual contracts?

Rangersâ?? rejection of the plea bargain that would have seen them forfeit titles in exchange for a place in the First Division now looks a wise decision.

If the SPLâ??s tribunal clears them over â??side lettersâ? their rap sheet would be wiped clean. Thatâ??s a good enough reason to fast track the Ibrox club up the divisions on the back of proposed league reconstruction.

And if the SPL have the sense to ignore ludicrous calls for a 16-team top flight and go for two divisions of 12, Rangers should be invited into the new SPL 2.

Green claims the club will never play in the SPL while heâ??s in charge but a reshaped, rebranded top flight would offer him a route out of the basement.

Despite his bombast Green knows Rangers canâ??t make money unless theyâ??re back in the top league and playing in Europe.

Any elevation of Rangers would have the keyboard warriors of cyberspace howling at the moon but having bowed to the mob previously, the SPL has to show more balls this time.

Having made the cowardly decision to put Rangersâ?? fate in the hands of SFL clubs last summer, itâ??s time our biggest and best supported clubs called the shots again. There isnâ??t one of them, including Celtic, that hasnâ??t lost money through Rangers absence.

Inviting Rangers back into the top flight would give Neil Doncaster a better chance of finding a replacement sponsor for the Clydesdale Bank and spare us this coma-inducing one-horse title race.

This week Andy Goram said he wants to see Rangers return to the top flight under their own steam.

He doesnâ??t want any favours from a league that emptied the Ibrox club.

Andy is not alone and some Rangers punters seem to be enjoying martyrdom.

But neither Rangers nor the SPL can afford principles right now. Itâ??s time to get over it and move on.

 

 

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/feeds/smartphone/scotland/4663584/A-legacy-in-ruins.html#ixzz2DBsQm2fe

[Anchorman 0]

SIR DAVID MURRAY was spot on when offering his take on Rangers victory over HMRC this week.

Inviting Rangers back into the top flight would give Neil Doncaster a better chance of finding a replacement sponsor for the Clydesdale Bank and spare us this coma-inducing one-horse title race.

This week Andy Goram said he wants to see Rangers return to the top flight under their own steam.

He doesn’t want any favours from a league that emptied the Ibrox club.

Andy is not alone and some Rangers punters seem to be enjoying martyrdom.

But neither Rangers nor the SPL can afford principles right now. It’s time to get over it and move on.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/feeds/smartphone/scotland/4663584/A-legacy-in-ruins.html#ixzz2DBsQm2fe

 

Oh right Davie. So let me get the picture straight here.

You all thought that your picnic in the woods would be a whole lot nicer if you could clear the woods of the Big Bear that everyone at the picnic disliked\were afraid of\were intimidated by. So the kennel doors were opened and the bloodthirsty hounds were let loose on the Bear. Although this ugly frenzy seemed draconian, vicious and even slightly immoral, everyone at the picnic put their fingers to their ears (including you). You see it was for the greater good of all at the picnic. Once the Bear (or 'DeadBear' as you were now calling him at the picnic) was dead everyone would bring food to the picnic and it would flourish. Your evil actions were not actually evil at all - they were actually an act of integrity in a strange sort of way. Then the noises of the howls, knashing, ripping of flesh etc started to subside, and the bloodstained dogs trudged back wearily to the kennels (some ran off and weren't seen again). They were fed scraps from the picnic as it had been a long and bloody struggle but they had faithfully done what was asked of them. Right?

All of a sudden through the snapping branches appears the Great Bear. It stands on it's hind legs and roars in defiance. It is torn, tired and bloodied, but it is clear this magnificent beast will not be defeated, and it will never surrender. All at the pinic scramble for cover, no longer a collective, they push each other to the ground as each seeks to protect the individual. Some even offer up scraps to the Great Bear to win favour, but the roar of the beast gives an indication that it not here to feed on scraps.

Then a man of great wisdom steps forward heralding to all that he will save the day. He stands tall, smiles knowingly, and tells the Bear "stop acting the martyr. Neither you or anyone here will gain anything from you acting all scary and defiant. Get over it. Go get a wash, behave yourself, and we will bring out a tub of honey and you can join us. We won't even ask you to apologise!! Now go on - quickly now."

 

FUCK OFF DAVIE!

[tango 0]

Oh right Davie. So let me get the picture straight here.

You all thought that your picnic in the woods would be a whole lot nicer if you could clear the woods of the Big Bear that everyone at the picnic disliked\were afraid of\were intimidated by. So the kennel doors were opened and the bloodthirsty hounds were let loose on the Bear. Although this ugly frenzy seemed draconian, vicious and even slightly immoral, everyone at the picnic put their fingers to their ears (including you). You see it was for the greater good of all at the picnic. Once the Bear (or 'DeadBear' as you were now calling him at the picnic) was dead everyone would bring food to the picnic and it would flourish. Your evil actions were not actually evil at all - they were actually an act of integrity in a strange sort of way. Then the noises of the howls, knashing, ripping of flesh etc started to subside, and the bloodstained dogs trudged back wearily to the kennels (some ran off and weren't seen again). They were fed scraps from the picnic as it had been a long and bloody struggle but they had faithfully done what was asked of them. Right?

All of a sudden through the snapping branches appears the Great Bear. It stands on it's hind legs and roars in defiance. It is torn, tired and bloodied, but it is clear this magnificent beast will not be defeated, and it will never surrender. All at the pinic scramble for cover, no longer a collective, they push each other to the ground as each seeks to protect the individual. Some even offer up scraps to the Great Bear to win favour, but the roar of the beast gives an indication that it not here to feed on scraps.

Then a man of great wisdom steps forward heralding to all that he will save the day. He stands tall, smiles knowingly, and tells the Bear "stop acting the martyr. Neither you or anyone here will gain anything from you acting all scary and defiant. Get over it. Go get a wash, behave yourself, and we will bring out a tub of honey and you can join us. We won't even ask you to apologise!! Now go on - quickly now."

 

FUCK OFF DAVIE!

 

Superb post,the only thing that would make it better is if you were to e-mail it to Provo

[Anchorman 0]

Superb post,the only thing that would make it better is if you were to e-mail it to Provo

 

Thanks Tango. If I knew a way to get it to him I would.

[ian1964 10,457]

Oh right Davie. So let me get the picture straight here.

You all thought that your picnic in the woods would be a whole lot nicer if you could clear the woods of the Big Bear that everyone at the picnic disliked\were afraid of\were intimidated by. So the kennel doors were opened and the bloodthirsty hounds were let loose on the Bear. Although this ugly frenzy seemed draconian, vicious and even slightly immoral, everyone at the picnic put their fingers to their ears (including you). You see it was for the greater good of all at the picnic. Once the Bear (or 'DeadBear' as you were now calling him at the picnic) was dead everyone would bring food to the picnic and it would flourish. Your evil actions were not actually evil at all - they were actually an act of integrity in a strange sort of way. Then the noises of the howls, knashing, ripping of flesh etc started to subside, and the bloodstained dogs trudged back wearily to the kennels (some ran off and weren't seen again). They were fed scraps from the picnic as it had been a long and bloody struggle but they had faithfully done what was asked of them. Right?

All of a sudden through the snapping branches appears the Great Bear. It stands on it's hind legs and roars in defiance. It is torn, tired and bloodied, but it is clear this magnificent beast will not be defeated, and it will never surrender. All at the pinic scramble for cover, no longer a collective, they push each other to the ground as each seeks to protect the individual. Some even offer up scraps to the Great Bear to win favour, but the roar of the beast gives an indication that it not here to feed on scraps.

Then a man of great wisdom steps forward heralding to all that he will save the day. He stands tall, smiles knowingly, and tells the Bear "stop acting the martyr. Neither you or anyone here will gain anything from you acting all scary and defiant. Get over it. Go get a wash, behave yourself, and we will bring out a tub of honey and you can join us. We won't even ask you to apologise!! Now go on - quickly now."

 

FUCK OFF DAVIE!

 

Fantastic post mate,to think these clowns get paid for writing drivel and untruths!,then we have far more talented guys who can post continually better and full of facts like yours,shame on them all.

[tango 0]

Thanks Tango. If I knew a way to get it to him I would.

 

I have e-mailed the sun for contact details,it will be interesting to see if they will reply

[Guest DietofWorms]

Jesus Christ.

How fucking long have these tadgers been battering us about the head with 'principles' and sporting bollocks integrity then as soon as their lies and hate have been shown, what is it?..four days? Now we've just to forget about it.

Aye right...'the good of the game'...Tit.

[Robert 17]

And if the SPL have the sense to ignore ludicrous calls for a 16-team top flight and go for two divisions of 12, Rangers should be invited into the new SPL 2.

 

Provan's call for two divisions of 12 is far more ludicrous than the 16-team proposal he derides.

[ian1964 10,457]

Another good one from Waddell in todays Sunday Liam:

 

YOU can understand the desire for recrimination. The zeal for revenge, for apologies, for a body count.

 

Maybe even simply for answers. God knows, there are enough questions. If I’d seen my club go under the way Rangers fans have seen theirs, I’d probably feel the same.

 

But the bottom line for them is this: They can’t go back. This isn’t Back to the Future II. They have no DeLorean. THIS is their alternative reality and no matter how s***ty it is compared to where they were before, they are stuck in it.

 

And while the temptation is to succumb to all the what ifs and whys that have been flying about in the wake of the FTTT outcome, they should resist becoming consumed and focus their energy on rebuilding the club.

 

The law will take its course with those who’ve broken it, even if it doesn’t happen overnight.

 

And it’s hard to imagine, with even just a cursory examination of HMRC’s behaviour, that they won’t be held accountable.

 

Why, for example, did it take them only eight days to serve a winding-up order on Hearts after they failed to meet their PAYE – a bill they were desperately trying to raise the funds to meet?

 

They did the same with Falkirk twice, and have threatened clubs like Motherwell with the same.

 

As individuals we’re given no leeway with our own self-assessments. A minute past the deadline? Hundred quid fine.

 

Yet despite knowing Craig Whyte used non-payment as a modus operandi in his previous companies, and had no intention of ever paying it, they never served him with anything? They just kept letting him stack up the bills. Why? To get him to the point where they had a big enough figure to put him under? And let’s face it, they’re publicly accountable. That’s the people’s money they were letting Rangers away with.

 

If you take the £10m offer they rejected from David Murray, the £15million they let Whyte away with not paying, and the £5m and counting they’ve spent in legal fees, there’s £30m straight away out of the public purse.

 

Who’s answerable for that? They’re legitimate questions – but they’ll change nothing.

 

To switch movies, they can’t have their Sliding Doors moment, where they go back to the point where Murray turns to Whyte and says ‘You know what, keep your pound...”

 

Gers’ debt was manageable, even if Lloyds wanted it off their books, their affairs have now been deemed to be legal, they had a decent side – where would they be now?

 

But the moment the club changed hands, it became that parallel universe, the one where Whyte ran amok. And that’s the one everyone is living in now.

 

Which is why the bitterness and the anger will serve no purpose. All they can do now is embrace the fact they have a new baseline to work from.

 

Reinvent themselves. Sure, they want to keep their football history.

 

But why not leave behind the aspects of it that haven’t covered them in glory? The baggage.

 

They and Celtic have been universally hated for decades by fans of every other club in the country. Partly for their size and success. But more due to the institutional arrogance that came with it. Their notion that they were bigger than the game. The bigotry. The constant denigration of Scottish football and their desire to escape from it rather than enhance it.

 

The way they turned up at away grounds and instantly believed they owned the place.

 

Yet all we read this season is a stream of positive press from their Third Division colleagues.

 

Elgin chairman Graham Tatters lavished praise on them ahead of today’s game, talked about their humility when they visited Ibrox,

 

Ally McCoist told us on Friday he was proud to read it, that he wanted the club to seen to be doing things the right way by everyone.

 

So presumably that principle doesn’t stop as soon as they’re out of the SFL, does it?

 

In fairness, Charles Green’s doing a lot of it for them. He doesn’t care what church anyone goes to, as long as there’s money it for him.

 

At his doing, Rangers now have a multicultural boardroom, and by all accounts there’s no looking down noses at anyone else who crosses the threshold on a Saturday.

 

He’s trying to create a sustainable model, which should be easily achievable if their crowds stay as loyal as they have this season.

 

The question is whether they have it in them to keep building on that all the way, or whether they’ll let their base instincts take over again.

 

There’s nothing wrong with being seen to be altruistic in your approach to the game. Barcelona manage it.

 

No one’s saying everyone needs to love you or you can’t have bitter rivalries. Just leave yesterday where it belongs.

 

And if the worst thing that happens is that you’re respected rather than hated, then you’ve come a long way.

[Thinker 887]

Barcelona altruistic? They and Real Madrid regularly screw over the rest of the Primera Liga teams.