Rangers nicked the SPL title in 95-96 with stars they couldn't afford

[ian1964 10,457]

THE former Celtic striker Pierre Van Hooijdonk says he isn't sorry for what's happened to Rangers as the club deserves its downfall after spending too much.

 

PIERRE VAN HOOIJDONK last night claimed Rangers had been guilty of financial doping as he compared them to Tour de France drug cheats.

 

The former Celtic striker has no sympathy for the Ibrox side after watching them tumble to the Third Division following a financial implosion. The Dutchman was part of the Hoops side that finished second to the big-spending Ibrox club in 1996 â?? despite losing just one game all season.

 

Van Hooijdonk claims the sums Gers spent on stars they couldnâ??t really afford gave them an unfair advantage.

 

And he reckons that sowed the seeds for their eventual descent into administration then liquidation.

 

He said: â??Iâ??m not sorry for Rangers. Iâ??m sorry for a lot of things missing from Scottish football now.

 

â??But they spent too much. They made their mistakes.

 

â??People can say we went a season and lost once while David Murray was signing players he could not afford.

 

â??I agree. I know why people would say that.

 

â??But is it the same as Floyd Landis winning the Tour de France because of doping?

 

â??Is there a similarity there? If you are number two do you say you should have won the Tour de France? Maybe, I can see why they say that.â?

 

But van Hooijdonk admits Gers havenâ??t been the only club guilty of overspending.

 

He said: â??In football there are so many other clubs who did the same as Rangers.

 

â??In Spain there are a lot of teams in debt. But in Holland if you are £1million in debt thatâ??s you finished.

 

â??Across Europe there are no rules which say you are allowed to have, say, just £500,000 of football debt.

 

â??Itâ??s completely unregulated. And thatâ??s why football has never been a completely honest competition.â?

 

The 43-year-old believes there should be no forgiveness for clubs in a financial mess.

 

He said: â??Rangers made their mistakes and they have to pay for them â?? like many other clubs these days.

 

â??I say to my Dutch friends who played for Rangers that they should help.

 

â??We lost two clubs from the Dutch First Division this year. Itâ??s a pity but if you do the crime you must do the time.â?

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/pierre-van-hooijdonk-says-rangers-1908009

[Guest Dummiesoot]

I am pretty sure Rangers were posting profits at that time so pierre is talking out of his rierre.

[Waltersgotstyle 297]

This makes me so angry as Rangers were making a profit during the nine in a row era.

[Bluedell 5,356]

Yeah, we came out of NIAR with cash in the bank so we could afford all the players during that period.

 

The spending that we could not afford came later. However I'm not surprised that an ex-Celtic player comes out with dishonesty claims that he can't substantiate. You wouldn't expect anything better from that club.

[Tumshie RFC 0]

Absolutely laughable claims.

[Blue Moon 1,118]

Disgraceful that the DR should print this crap.

 

That's all we need to stir up those from the East, who don't take much stirring.

 

The club should demand an apology.

[Super Cooper 0]

The Record know that is lies, why print it?

[bluebear54 0]

As far as I'm aware, historically the biggest earners in Scottish football have played for that mob - such as Bellamy etc.

panda I'd still like to find out how they were paid.

[54andcounting 0]

The Record know that is lies, why print it?

 

To boost sales, and I bet in worked

[Anchorman 0]

That's right Pier. Nothing to do with the fact that you were unable to get past The Goalie from point blank range or with penalties. vicTIM mentality - everyone else's fault.