Pacific Quay Musings?

[26th of foot 5,827]

Disappointing Endings.

 

We have experienced several weeks of PQ musings during the Covid 19 lock down. The enduring crisis within the administration of the SPFL has largely been ignored by the petty and ill-informed duo of DrStu' and Tam Cowan. The last couple of Saturdays have included a couple of well aimed one liners. Off the Ball on Saturday 020520, culminated with a well briefed DrStu' in high excitement, some thirty minutes before Neil Doncaster's one on one interview with Big Dick; DrStu' inquired of those clubs that continually mouth off, do you know the difference between loans and advanced payments? He then offered information on a lunch date with Neil Doncaster at Gamba, and wondered aloud if the Chief Executive of the SPFL would accept what he(DrStu') said, had come to pass?

 

DrStu' framed the narrative and immediately after the thirty minute interview with Doncaster, one member of the panel, the well briefed Michael Stewart grabbed possession of it. He did not let go, continually interrupted other panel members, frequently ending their sentences. Everything was Rangers fault, and self interest's biggest casualty would be Rangers. A £10 million short fall in club accounts and the current crisis will be fatal. A distinct whiff of self satisfaction was abroad with the jaunty Jambo.

 

Saturday last, DrStu' and Cowan began their show with the topic, 'Disappointing Endings', it was an exercise in discussing Rangers Dossier of evidence. Well, there was no discussion, just full on ridicule. The oft-used notional three Rangers supporting pals were introduced again, most necessary for much needed notional support. Unsurprisingly, they agreed with the odd couple, the Dossier was a damp squib, a water pistol as opposed to a smoking gun, a flaccid member(sounds familiar). There is a split in the mindset of the Rangers support, they are fed up with Rangers playing to the gallery, and know when other fans are scrambling to buy pop corn, once again Rangers have lost their credibility.

 

The Falkirk statement intervened, DrStu' was in no doubt, "the cabal of six that torpedoed reconstruction are almost certainly Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Motherwell, Hibs, and one other". He added, "they run the Scots game, they make decisions based on self interest". Another increasing target of DrStu' is Tom English. Cosgrove decides who's in and who's out the Gang Hut. All that Thursday afternoon revelry on social media is only available to those in strict adherence. Marginalising and demonising Rangers is a serious business and requires absolute discipline. The nostrils of Tom English are flaring in anticipation of a big story, DrStu' is insistent those journalistic instincts must be subdued, hating Rangers is far better fun.

 

Handing over to Big Dick, DrStu' cannot resist another warning shot across the bows of BBC Scotland's Chief Sports Writer, "what subjects are not up for discussion this week Richard, is this part two of Tom English and his understanding of advances and loans"? Essentially, DrStu' is an actor(note his entire tertiary education) and he loves the sound of his own voice. There may be a need for an escape route and the listenership is subjected to a DrStu' ah have always said' intrusion. Cosgrove wants Doncaster gone, always has, Cosgrove handed Doncaster his arse on a plate in previous Sportsounds, Cosgrove has always been right and wants the best for Scottish football. As always, Stuart Corgrove's main concern is his continuing self preservation.

 

Another DrStu' favourite is, "I was not alone in saying it". The most political led ridicule on Thursday to the Rangers Dossier included lots of well kent Beeb Scotland faces. Jum Spence, Hugh MacDonald, Spiers, Tam McManus, , ..... etc. A few peripheries wanted to be seen to be involved, ie Peter Martin, Bill Leckie, Roger Mitchell, .... etc. Another main contributor was Andrew Wilson. A former SNP MSP, current Motherwell Director, and the main Economist contributing to Salmond's Economic case for independence in 2014. You must remember it? The whole case of the 600 plus page document was predicated upon a barrel of oil being priced at $115. Talk of disappointing endings?

 

Why are this cabal so intent on preserving the status of Doncaster, Rod the Dud, and Shifty McGifty?

 

PS. Big Dick read out the cabal of six, those clubs that voted down reconstruction were : Aberdeen, Hibs, St Mirren, Ross County, Dundee United, and St Johnstone. The last club must be a real disappointing ending for DrStu'? Making decisions based on self interest; as disappointing as Sell Out Saturday.

 

Next, Leslie Deans hands Michael Stewart his arse.

 

 

[Uilleam 5,409]

i am half convinced that Tom Sellik's recent apparent volte face re: matters concerning SPFL incompetence and maladministration, and rejection of the customary BBC line that what's good for Pederasty FC is good for Scottish Fitba', is down to the fact that he is canvassing for a new job, or indeed has been offered a different and more lucrative billet, probably to commence post corona virus. 

 

Such cynicism in one so young (Ah ken, Ah ken).

[26th of foot 5,827]

Depth!

 

Sportsound on Saturday had the following line up : Big Dick, Brian McLauchlin, Pat Boner, Chris McLaughlin, Michael Stewart, Tom English, Billy Dodds, and Wullie Miller.

 

Chris McLaughlin is first up, and provides the week's timeline : 

 

Tuesday : Neil Doncaster meets with Scottish Government Minister, Joe Fitzpatrick. I suspect top of the agenda was a Scottish Government bail out for football. Neil's remuneration is £388,000 per annum.

Thursday : Rangers Dossier Day. Chris precis it down to revelations that the SPFL failed to alert clubs to a £10 million liability, if season is not completed. Secondly, the dossier highlighted the SPFL had informed UEFA of Scottish football's intention to draw a line under the season, six days before a vote had been taken.

Friday : League reconstruction stymied by a cabal of six Premiership clubs, namely : Aberdeen, Hibs, Dundee United, St Mirren, Ross County, and St Johnstone.

Saturday : Rangers Vice-Chair, John Bennet's warning of the SPFL's attempts to isolate Rangers.

 

Tom English makes the first contribution, a clear dig at DrStu' and Michael Stewart, "this is NOT Rangers versus the SPFL, if you think that, you are NOT listening". He mentions a few of the clubs that have supported Rangers claims ie Falkirk, Partick Thistle, Hearts, Stenhousemuir, Kelty Hearts, and Brora Rangers. He quotes Thistle's Jacqui Low, her attack on Shifty McGifty reference the SPFL's decision to call the season, "his behaviour was grubby, thoughtless, and selfish". There is a growing depth to Rangers claims.

 

Big Dick laments those who have appeared on the show in the last several weeks, no longer willing to come on. He lists again the cabal of six saying no to reconstruction, then adds that reconstruction was a wild goose chase since day one. Chris McLaughlin supports this by saying, "it was never going to happen". Michael Stewart is not the beneficiary of a prior briefing this week and he asks, "I want to know why reconstruction won't happen"? Last week, Michael was Hollicom's attack hound on Rangers, this week he is groping around and blurts, "Ann Budge has behaved impeccably, unlike others, she has not thrown the baby out with the bath water, or the toys out the pram".

 

Rapid fire comment ensues, Wullie Miller thinks Scottish football is in a state of anarchy. Pat Boner believes the situation is toxic, and Billy Dodds declares the vote, "the worst democratic vote in the history of sport". Big Dick invites former Hearts Chair, Leslie Deans on to the show and the Jambo begins, "I am spitting blood". He accuses the SPFL of alienating it's third biggest member and advises Hearts to begin legal action against both the SPFL and the cabal of six. He cites the willful misrepresentation before the vote of the £10 million liability, and Dundee's farcical vote. These facts should be scrutinised by the court and advocates crowd funding. He will start it off with a four figure donation. 

 

Deans says the SPFL have acted almost in isolation. Only the French association has called their leagues, and currently the French Government are supporting relegated clubs in their determination to take on the French football Federation.He invites all to read the comments made by both Rangers and Thistle's QCs ie good prospects of a favourable court decision. Michael is not controlling the narrative and reminds Deans(a Lawyer with over 40 years experience), "Company law supercedes common law". Deans hands him his arse and continues asking, "why have the SPFL failed to offer solidarity payments"? He ends with, "they offer no contrition, they are contemptuous of Hearts, Thistle, and Stranraer, and that includes whoever is pulling their strings".

 

Michael is out of his depth, he wants to now retrace the timeline suggesting, "the vote would have been better split into four or five separate votes". Wait a minute, that was Rangers suggestion and Michael was against it. Going off script, once again allows Michael to reinvent the wheel. Michael remains but becomes sullenly silent. Group discussion throws up some speculation reference John Nelms. Dundee's Chair had stated his change of vote came after a realisation he was going to occupy a strong position reference the opportunity of reconstruction. Further speculation on Brora Rangers Chair's comments, "there had been weeks of pressure, you could feel the hand of interference".

 

More comedy came from Hamilton's Alan Maitland. He added to conjecture as to Doncaster's comments from the week before reference SPFL prize money payments being made to those clubs in league positions 7-12. Anyways, the last question provided the most telling answer. Is Neil Doncaster the right man for the job? Deafening silence ensued, a depth of dead air. then Maitland replies, "I don't know, I am not sure what he does"?  

 

On Sunday, Doncaster reappeared on Sportsound. Once again, he stipulated only one person could question him. This time it was David Currie's turn to lob the dollies. Further, he would not answer unwanted questions as they were unhelpful to the situation. It was reported that the Foundation of Hearts are backing Leslie Deans call for crowd funding, adding a bit more depth. Next week, Michael Stewart, the Bhoy in maroon will be the talk o' the toon, as he appears once again out of his depth. Throw him a line, he's sinking fast.

[26th of foot 5,827]

Transparency.

 

Transparency is a word, like contrition and integrity that receives very little attention these days on BBC Scotland. Go back eight years past and all three words were common currency, on an industrial scale. The Rangers Tax Case Blog drove the narrative. Regular contributors to the RTC Blog such as Stuart Cosgrove, Jum Spence, Hugh MacDonald, Chris McGlaughlin, .. etc remain at PQ to varying extents, and the collective cry is, 'Rangers supporters should forget all about the RTC Blog'. Younger Gersnetters may not be aware, but the RTC Blog disappeared over night. In excess of one million impressions were cast into the cyber ether. All that evidence was efficiently eradicated, we don't know who was behind the Blog, and it's existence is lost in a mist of collective amnesia. 

 

Rangers supporters are not worthy of transparency. The PQ establishment has now firmly condemned us to the status of, 'second club'. Michael Stewart went through Satueday's broadcast without saying, 'Rangers'. The caravan has moved on and all that is left are the yelping dogs. There is no relief, Michael explained the entire season's sponsorship of £26 million could be taken and handed to the second club, and it still would come no where near ra Sellik's £100 million turnover. We have a place and it's standing on the eternal sidelines, beelin' and raging, unable to articulate what we want?

 

The end game was being articulated by DrStu'(the establishment man at Gamba), as he has done these last several weeks, he waited to the last ten minutes of his show, to exert force upon the dagger thrust. He tells those of us on the sidelines, "when this is all over, there will be less tolerance of the petty bickering that Scottish football has been subjected to recently. The time for self interest is over". Encouraged by the beat of such a tattoo, triumphalistic Tam demands, "ah want an asterisk next to Rangers second place, Motherwell can still catch them". The oddest of odd couples then chorused, "call the League".

 

If the RTC Blog had remained, we would have instant access to the cheers that greeted Rod McKenzie and Murdoch MacLennan. Instead, the Rangers collective memory and Private Eye has been our reference. Who knew these two were re-connected with Scottish football? Both retired but Peter has rewarded their loyalty with Quango-esque appointments. Hollicom briefings have reinvented both as victims of the beelin', raging hordes confined to the sidelines. DrStu' twice presented MacLennan as a genial administrator on Saturday. No mention of Shifty McGifty. Compare and contrast to any mention of 'Jabba'; a long winded derivation ensues on former colleague, Jim Traynor. DrStu' is an arbiter of transparency.

 

Now, we know a London publication such as Private Eye is an anathema to DrStu', it's too English and as part of the Scottish establishment, he would be a target. Here's a couple of football related stories from last week that Off the Ball did not touch. SNP MP for Coatbridge, Steven Bonnar was charged by Police Scotland last Thursday, in relation to a disturbance with a neighbour. Three weeks past, a Scottish nationalist MP hung an Irish flag from his window, and then charged across the road to remonstrate with threatening invective. Secondly, fellow BBC Scotland broadcaster, Angela Haggerty took to social media to complain her on line ASDA shopping had arrived incomplete at he Parkhead home. The Scottish Health Minister, Jeanne Freeman intervened on her behalf, assuring Angela that ASDA had been contacted and would resolve the situation immediately. 

 

Transparency took a right doing in this regard, BBC Scotland did not report it, the Scottish Sun reported it on line. The Scots Government forced the Sun to take down the report. Imagine, a newspaper exposing the hypocrisy of a Health Minister ignoring a health crisis in our care homes, to ensure a fellow Nationalist receives her shopping. Angela is a beneficiary of the Establishment, and you can take this to the bank, she will not call it out. Ignoring these two stories left DrStu' and Tam filling the space with a twenty minute interview with David Hayman, who was on to promote his works with Celtic charities. Of course, Dr Stu' could have told the audience of his musings being a supporter of one of the clubs that made up the cabal of six. Denying reconstruction is just another another piece of unwanted transparency. Remember, in the same show DrStu' told us, "the time of self interest is over".

 

Sportsound was the very epitome of the caravan moving on. Chris McLaughlin was back to express the timeline narrative :

 

Tuesday : EGM Day, Rangers motion failed.

Thursday : SPFL meeting on Hub stadiums.

Friday : tense top flight video conference call reference reconstruction.

 

Self interest being over, Michael Stewart grabbed the initiative to plead the unfairness of relegating Hearts. He ranted on about the advantages of a 14 club league, all Derbies catered for in TV terms. Sky can have a huge influence if they want it. A plea for a wee bit of transparency from a Rangers supporter here; we have played 31 Euro games in under two seasons, how does this fit in with the increased fixture list demanded by a 14 club league? I know, I know, self interest on my part, no transparency required. Stay where you are placed, continue to rage and rile on the sidelines, whilst the Establishment get on with making the decisions.

 

Time for PQ to define the green tinged prism we all get to view Establishment transparency? 

[Uilleam 5,409]

The Ould Keltic Kaleidoscope:

 

The view changes, but the perspective remains the same.

[26th of foot 5,827]

23 minutes ago, Uilleam said:

The Ould Keltic Kaleidoscope:

 

The view changes, but the perspective remains the same.

Reminds me of ra Sellik View twenty years past.

 

Matt McGlone was a several year columnist at the blat, he ran an end of season awards every year. Seriously, he had a category, 'Journalist most objective in a Celtic perspective'.

 

Spiers won it five years on the trot.

 

 

[Uilleam 5,409]

21 minutes ago, 26th of foot said:

Reminds me of ra Sellik View twenty years past.

 

Matt McGlone was a several year columnist at the blat, he ran an end of season awards every year. Seriously, he had a category, 'Journalist most objective in a Celtic perspective'.

 

Spiers won it five years on the trot.

 

 

The truth fairly reaches areas beyond those of even the wildest imaginings.

To reinforce this, I am sure that I read, somewhere, that McGlone and the Milky Bar Kid shared a flat at one time.

 

I am certain, also, that McGlone declared, live on TV (wtf? Ah ken, Ah ken) that rasellik was,

"a culture of people". 

I took it that he meant 'mould like'.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 18, 2020 by Uilleam

[26th of foot 5,827]

This coming Friday evening, BBC Scotland's second channel had listed highlights of Helicopter Sunday May'05. Ninety minutes of warm nostalgia guaranteed for all Blue Noses. The drama unfolded at both Easter Road where Hibs were playing Rangers and Fir Park where the claret and amber faced the green'n'grey hordes. Rangers were winning 0-1, a Nacho Novo goal. Similarly, ra Sellik had gone a goal up too. The second half in Edinburgh was a passive.

 

Motherwell had been battered most of the game, ra Sellik had missed numerous chances to double their lead. The craziness sparked in the last several minutes when Well's striker, Scott McDonald equalised, then notched the winner in time added on. Radio Snyde's then commentator, Peter McGuire(Martin) uttered the final day lament, "the helicopter has changed direction". The whirly bird landed in Leith, delivering the league trophy to Rangers.

 

It's as well we remember it as above because BBC Scotland have cancelled in favour of Scotland versus the Netherlands highlights from the Argentine world Cup of 1978. 

 

There is no explanation for the cancellation, as folks confined to the sidelines whilst beelin' and raging, no explanation is necessary. I suspect the usual suspects at PQ did not want to remind their audience of how titles were won on the pitch? As much as I am loath to credit a Bootneck, it was the wonderful poster, 'Buster' who introduced/recognised an increasing aspect of BBC Scotland, 'misleading by omission'.

 

Misleading by omission is a big part of PQ coverage. The weekend's culmination of votegate was a damp squib. We heard Peter stood up at the SPFL meeting and made an impassioned, rousing speech. Apparently from those that witnessed the event, it was a rambling blame Rangers for everything that had a last thirty second conclusion, demanding unity for the good of Scottish football. This "game changer" was not mentioned by anyone at Beeb Scotland last weekend. The only thing said by Peter in seven weeks and we are misled by omission.

 

Espanyol supporters can tell us our future. 

[The Tin Man 80]

Morning all. First time poster so please be gentle!

 

Going by the worlds worst £1 signings musings this morning I think it’s clear to see what the narrative  will be during the transfer window. Anyone would think we were the only club to use the furlough facility.

 

Here’s his take on the Hagi rumour...

 

“I see some media reporting that Rangers are closing in on a £5m signing of Hagi. Can anyone explain how the club lost £11m, was needing £10m to see the season out, then Coronavirus hit and has deferred huge amounts in wages but can be linked with a £5m signing?”

Edited May 22, 2020 by The Tin Man

[Bluedell 5,329]

4 minutes ago, The Tin Man said:

Morning all. First time poster so please be gentle!

 

Going by the worlds worst £1 signings musings this morning I think it’s clear to see what the narrative  will be during the transfer window. Anyone would think we were the only club to use the furlough facility.

 

Here’s his take on the Hagi rumour...

 

“I see some media reporting that Rangers are closing in on a £5m signing of Hagi. Can anyone explain how the club lost £11m, was needing £10m to see the season out, then Coronavirus hit and has deferred huge amounts in wages but can be linked with a £5m signing?”

Welcome to the site.

 

To be fair, I think it's a fair question. The answer could be be that we're getting new investment. It's been said that the proposed new investment from the Far East is still on the table, but perhaps in the short-term, it's coming from Park/King.

 

The other alternative is that it's the proceeds from the Morelos sale.

 

I think that they see this as being a profitable venture and he'll be punted for a 7 figure profit within 2 years.