Counting the Cost of the Last Year

[Steve1872 4]

http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/current-affairs/231-counting-the-cost-of-the-last-year

 

The last few months have been positive for Rangers fans: a clear majority verdict in the First Tier Tax Tribunal, a conclusive decision in the SPL commission, over £20million raised in the companyâ??s IPO, a clear run to the SFL3 title and even two new sponsorship deals announced last week. I think itâ??s safe to say we deserve to be smiling after all the trials and tribulations since we entered administration last February.

 

Most recently, the result of the SPL commission has prompted much debate. Although Rangers were found guilty of failing to disclose the side-letters involved in their controversial EBT tax scheme, a £250,000 fine is viewed as a good result given Lord Nimmo Smithâ??s independent panel could just have easily stripped the club of honours won during the period these letters were utilised by the old company. Certainly those who are not fans of Rangers clearly feel thatâ??s what should have happened. And who can blame them when large sections of the media misled us all with irresponsible suggestion that was the only likely result 1?

 

Thus, itâ??s been no surprise to see many people react with undisguised horror at Lord Nimmo Smithâ??s ruling. As well as the usual feral lynch mob of Celtic bloggers and mischief-fuelled media pundits, we even had the strange sight of Celtic and their manager embarrassing themselves by questioning the logic of the Commission. Celtic, like Rangers in fact, may well â??operate within the rules of the governing body and the law of landâ?? but they, like Rangers and others, will also take the opportunity to minimise their tax obligations. Indeed, while Lennonâ??s hypocrisy shouldnâ??t be a surprise to any football observer, it is worth pointing out his personal tax avoidance scheme was ruled illegal last year 2. And, of course, if any club has gained most out of Rangersâ?? misfortunes it is Celtic.

 

Itâ??s these kinds of double standards that really frustrate Rangers supporters. Weâ??re told by many that itâ??s time to move on but as long as the usual detractors continue to perpetuate myths about â??cheatingâ?? while working with â??sectarian tarredâ?? pseudo-journalists, it is difficult for anyone to try and leave the mess of the last year behind. After all, letâ??s not forget that despite all the repeated calls for further punishment and supporter â??contritionâ??, Rangers and their fans have lost most.

 

Not only will our company of over 100 years be liquidated, our clubâ??s reputation and profile have been damaged badly through no fault of our support. Sure, Sir David Murrayâ??s tax risks may attract deserved criticism but, so far, these risks have been shown to have been lawful ones. Of course, legal or not, the EBT tribunal eventually proved to be so much of a weight, he had to sell (or was forced to sell?) Rangers to the nefarious Craig Whyte. Whyteâ??s deliberate non-payment of PAYE and NI then directly led the club to administration and if anyone must be culpable, he is the main perpetrator - though others also neglected their responsibility to one of Scotlandâ??s greatest institutions.

 

In that respect, thatâ??s where itâ??s difficult for Rangers fans to move on. Not only did we have the sham of SPL Commissions, the disgrace of five-way agreements and the (continuing) corporate challenges of HMRC tribunals but also lies and hyperbole in the media based on anonymous blogs and illegally obtained documents. Even Lord Nimmo Smith referred to such issues in his judgement but that has been skipped over in the haste for hypocrisy.

 

All in all, when counting the cost of the last year we need to be sound of mind to examine the true scale of what has happened. Rangers are now in the Third Division â?? the lowest theyâ??ve ever been as a club and, by association, cannot play in Europe for at least another three seasons. Meanwhile, the SPL has already been won a canter by Celtic amidst decreasing crowds, reconstruction chaos and short-lived supporter led â??Scottish Springsâ??. Add in the dreadful performance of the international team, Scottish football has never been in a worse state.

 

To that end, if we are to move forward (and we must actually) then we can only do so by having all the relevant parties take a step back and consider their position. Can Stewart Regan and Neil Doncaster really lead us into a brave new era? How can the SPLâ??s lawyers be trusted to re-write our rules when they canâ??t interpret the existing ones correctly? Should we really reconstruct our systems and authorities so hastily? At what point will vocal elements of the Scottish media be more positive in their approach?

 

These questions arenâ??t all that difficult to answer but until they are acknowledged then there will be no amicable solution and the national game will remain a laughing stock. Ironically by their statements over the last few days, Rangers have been the most conciliatory and it was interesting to note that no other Scottish club commented on the Commission outcome. That does indicate we can find common ground but only when all involved accept their part in what has happened.

 

Rangers may have been at the centre of this maelstrom of misfortune but most of us (though certainly not Celtic) have lost out. The quicker some realise that true cost, the quicker we can all get back to normal. Just donâ??t hold your breathâ?¦

 

 

1 - http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/probe-into-rangers-title-wins-to-be-carried-1167116

2 - http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/neil-lennon-tax-scheme-blow-1173612

Edited March 3, 2013 by Frankie

[Blue Moon 1,118]

Frankie, this article is fantastic. I have saved it to my favourites.

 

Well done.

[Frankie 8,183]

Thanks guys.

 

I don't mind the full article being posted here. Not overly fussy about hit volume elsewhere.

[ian1964 10,448]

SPL madmen heading for million pound bill

 

By Mark Dingwall

 

 

 

 

The SPL's anti-Rangers vendetta could easily cost their clubs a million pounds.

 

 

 

Scandalously, SPL club chairmen who have asked for projected costs in various scenarios have been told to mind their own business and that ‘you’ll see what it cost when the next accounts are out.’

 

 

 

The £250,000 fine imposed by Lord Nimmo Smith for admin errors represents 0.09% of the Rangers wage bills in the 11 years and £262,237,000 examined.

 

 

 

Word reaches me that the usual suspects are lobbying for an appeal. The SPL has five working days in which to do so.

 

 

 

So far the costs of the SPL Commission - Celtic’s lawyers Harper McLeod hitting £250,00 plus Lord Nimmo Smith and his colleagues charging rather more than a golden guinea - sit at around £400,000.

 

 

 

However, the costs for the team of researchers needed to support Lord Nimmo Smith are not in yet and they aren’t cheap.

 

 

 

Throw in the costs of any appeal by the SPL - and then further court actions that could be funded from the Rangers side - and the risk manager at the SPL (if indeed he exists) is looking at a hole of a million pounds.

 

 

 

The beauty of this from the Rangers perspective is that many of the costs are chargeable - even in the event of a loss - only to the SPL.

 

 

 

The Rangers Fans Fighting Fund is sitting on a cash mountain of £530,000 and where the titles are involved millions more could be raised in the blink of an eye.

 

 

 

Any SPL legal manoeuvres can be appealed and argued for years if needs be and the the vast majority of the cost will have to be picked up by the SPL - if you had a look at their recently published accounts they are already technically insolvent.