ian1964 10,415 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 A new link between the solicitors prosecuting Rangers and trying to rip SPL titles from the Ibrox club, Harper MacLeod, and Celtic can now be revealed. For I understand one of the senior partners in Harper MacLeod, who are Celticâ??s lawyers, top sports law litigator Michael Nicholson, could be set to quit the legal eagles as he is wanted by Celtic. My information is that Michael Nicholson who has a long history of doing work for Celtic in his role with Harper MacLeod, is now being lined up by chief executive Peter Lawwell to switch to Celtic as Company Secretary. But that could prove to be a mere prelude to Peter Lawwell pulling strings to get his placemen seats at the top table of any new Scottish National League when the SPL is scrapped and a new body, including the Scottish Football League, is formed. If that does prove to be the case, then it would be control freak Peter Lawwell acting true to form. Those of us who are experienced Lawwell watchers are well aware that the Celtic chief executive will not give up his vice like grip on top flight league football in Scotland without a fight, even after the SPL is at last killed off. And making a move to take such an experienced lawyer in the field of sports law as Michael Nicholson onto the Celtic payroll would be a typical shrewd powerbroker move by Lawwell. Michael Nicholson has been with Celticâ??s controversial lawyers, Harper MacLeod since 1999. He is a serious big hitter who has also studied at the prestigious Harvard Business School just outside Boston and who has developed a sports practice with Harper MacLeod, which has led to him being listed in the influential Chambers UK Guide to the Legal Profession as a â??Leader in the Field,â? of this area of law. He has also represented Celtic manager Neil Lennon against the Scottish Football Association. Which will further call into question and further fuel the debate about a conflict of interest, plus the questionable legality and morality of Harper Macleod having any role whatever in this witch hunt against Rangers by Neil Doncasterâ??s heavily influenced by Celtic chief executive, Peter Lawwell, Scottish Premier League. There is, according to many, the appearance of a conflict of interest in the whole matter, with Harper MacLeod, who have a long standing association with Celtic, working for the SPL, where Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell has huge influence, in the SPLâ??s move to strip Rangers of titles. The SPL move to try and steal titles from Rangers over their use of EBTs â?? despite the fact that Rangers won their case against HMRC over the EBTs â?? is set to be resumed on January 29th. It was postponed after Harper MacLeodâ??s other attack dog of a sports lawyer, Rod McKenzie was seriously injured in a fatal road traffic accident. It is not yet known whether McKenzie has recovered sufficiently to take the lead prosecuting role on behalf of the Neil Doncaster-Peter Lawwell Scottish Premier League, or whether he will be replaced, or perhaps even helped, by Michael Nicholson. Now I can also reveal that it is believed the information about Nicholson and a Celtic job offer may even have been known inside one major Scottish newspaper, the Daily Rhebel, and perhaps even hushed up. The Daily Rhebel, of course, now has a commercial printing deal with Celtic, with Celtic paying hard cash to the fast fading paper and its ailing company. It will be interesting to wait and watch and discover just what the Daily Rhebel will do now that this information about their business partners, Celtic, is in the public domain. However, now would be a glorious chance for the Sun to shine and for that newspaper, Scotlandâ??s biggest selling daily, to further increase its lead over the fast fading and now compromised on Celtic matters, Daily Rhebel, by investigating and running the tale. As for Michael Nicholson? It is unlikely that such a senior partner in such a major law firm as Harper MacLeod, a man with such a successful practice in dispute resolution, which has seen him appear before the House of Lords, as well as being a top man in the field of sports law, would quit to join Celtic, a relatively small company, in the comparatively minor role of company secretary for anything less than £400,000-a year. Thatâ??s a lot more than the £250,000-a-year Peter Lawwell and Celtic pay finance director Eric Riley, who is currently Lawwellâ??s Parkhead puppet on the Scottish Premier League. And such a massive salary would surely indicate that Peter Lawwell perhaps may have even bigger plans for ace sports law lawyer Michael Nicholson than him being merely restricted to the small time role of company secretary. With the smart money on Peter Lawwell trying to parachute Michael Nicholson into the new National League, perhaps even as chairman or president, if Nicholson does leave Celtic lawyers, Harper MacLeod, the company in the vanguard of the witch hunt to strip Rangers of SPL titles, and join Celtic, the club which would benefit from any such verdict. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuznetsov 0 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 the tangled sectarian web of corruption continues. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERRAB 3,258 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 nothing surprises me any more. The SPL - SFA - Harper McLeod is like one cosy little conspiring organisation working together to an agenda to benefit them and hinder us. Throw in the contribution from the mhedia, certain politicians and a handful of individuals inthe scottish legal profession in this country and you see what we're up against. How we overcome this I have to say is one hell of a challenge. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuznetsov 0 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 nothing surprises me any more. The SPL - SFA - Harper McLeod is like one cosy little conspiring organisation working together to an agenda to benefit them and hinder us. Throw in the contribution from the mhedia, certain politicians and a handful of individuals inthe scottish legal profession in this country and you see what we're up against. How we overcome this I have to say is one hell of a challenge. our people dont care these days rab, we let them take over our game and our country and now moan when they conspire against us. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERRAB 3,258 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 our people dont care these days rab, we let them take over our game and our country and now moan when they conspire against us. these people yearn to rule everywhere in this country. The only place they know they'll never gain control of is Rangers Football Club hence their hatred. But you're correct apathy has largely let them into their positions of power and once they get in they look after themselves & their own people first & foremost 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aweebluesoandso 290 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 They have the SPL and the SFA stitched up in so many ways legally, financially and political. The SFL is their next target, once they have that under their control is game set and match. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERRAB 3,258 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 the one thing we might have on our side is the SKY TV deal(& other sponsors too). Scottish football simply can't do without these unless teams want to revert to part time & maybe amateur status. If CG refuses to sign the SKY deal for next season then maybe ( just maybe) some of the braindead chairman might turn against the authorities & demand proper change within the game in this country starting with the removal of the individuals who have got us to where we now are. You saw Houston giving his reasons for leaving Dundee Utd at the end of season. Don't tell me they're the only club feeling the pinch. I also think Traynor was recruited by CG because he has dirt to throw at the SFA in the way of evidence that they knew Whyte wasn't paying PAYE/NI and took absolutely no action. If that happens then who knows what might happen once it's revealed who knew what and when. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuznetsov 0 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 i believe they have more friends at sky than we do too. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERRAB 3,258 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 I believe I'm correct in saying SKY haven't booked their full quota of SPL games they're entitled to show this season. ESPN likewise. Don't see that lasting too much longer. Something will change I'm sure even if it's reduced terms 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
54andcounting 0 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 They have the SPL and the SFA stitched up in so many ways legally, financially and political. The SFL is their next target, once they have that under their control is game set and match. Could be the reason Green shouted about joining the English set up. Game set and match is almost there. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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