It's really good to see you guys still considering things based on the Sporting Integrity Basis.
The alternative viewpoint might be that the SPL/SFA are victimising a victim of crime -which is what I believe Rangers are . Let me explain........
The Crown Office has instructed Strathclyde Police to carry out a Criminal Investigation into the Fraudulent purchase and subsquent criminal Corporate Management of Rangers by the previous owner. This is 'force majeur' and means that what Craig Whyte did to Rangers was in fact beyond the control of the club becuase it was a criminal act on his part which the club was powerless to stop.
There was not a single Board Meeting nor were there any Statement of Accounts published and, in fact, there is a strong possibility that the SPL/SFA and HMRC were told, and therefore were aware that Craig Whyte was not paying PAYE/NIC contributions for several months before Administration happened, but chose to do nothing. (James Traynor / Keith Jackson Daily Record Podcast 28.06.2012)
Now, if the Criminal Investigation becomes Criminal Charges and a subsequent Criminal Trial results in it being proved that, in fact, fraud had occured, it would in then add Rangers to the list of victims in this affair, and if there have been punishments added to those already administered , Rangers could then seek recompense from those who applied further sanctions to what is essentially a victim of a criminal act thus causing the victim further losses in both finance and status.............. Something to think about.
There is a rush in these forums to see Rangers punished ad infinitum , or maybe that should be ad nauseum.
It is clearly not enough for most of you that Rangers were penalised by a 10 point deduction together with the loss of the SPL tItle and with the owning company being liquidated together with an automatic European ban for 3 years with huge loss of potential income. (Rangers have no option but to accept these sanctions).
(I will not include EBT and Double Contacts in my argument as these are still awaiting judgement - unlike some on these forums I still believe in innocence until guilt is proved.)
No ,the lust to inflct punishment and humiliation on Rangers still goes on,even to the extent of dreaming up a few from thin air - where would this lust come from?
The SPL clubs will tell you that it is a matter of 'Sporting Integrity' and the sanctions imposed will be in line with this ethos. After all the punishment must fit the crime.
But hold on a minute....they are not seeking the penalty already provided in the rules i.e. starting over in SFL3.. no ,they want to change the rules so that only a one year banishment would be applied - why should this be?. I think i might have an idea why.
1. Minimise loss of TV Revenue , Sponsorship Revenue , Loss of gate money etc.etc. (1 year is ok but 3 years is a disaster.)
2. It will allow the SPL clubs to change the voting structure.. thus emasculating Celtic and causing a redistributing of monies. LOL good luck with that one
NONE OF THE ABOVE INVOLVES SPORTING INTEGRITY .... So dont give us any more of the mock outrage about Sportsmanship. This is just a grubby exercise in making money by equally grubby clubs. You have a nerve to castigate Rangers about morality ,you are all tainted by hypocrisy.
Remember all glory is fleeting so make the most of it. Reality bites eventually and ,when it does, whose fault will it be? Be careful what you wish for.............
As for you, the fans of these clubs, with your- 'I wont buy my Season Ticket if you allow Rangers to stay in the SPL' blackmail.
Your hatred of Rangers is greater than the love of your Club and that indicates something much deeper than football rivalry. It is a malice as deep and vicious as you could ever find in life. At least with Celtic we can see where it comes from and that ,in a way has a kind of honesty but with the rest of you it is something different.
If we as Rangers fans have learned anything in this process it is that Scottish football has no time for us in a sporting sense and I would imagine in other senses. Maybe we are not considered Scottish enough for some - maybe a bit too British eh? You have never had the courage to attack Rangers before and even now , on our knees and after all the mob beatings we are still alive. You perhaps think that we will perish never to be seen again. That will never happen- the club will always be there in whatever form- but I'm not so sure about some of the other SPL Clubs though.
I noticed with some amusement that the SFL Clubs have also seen through the Sporting Integrity argument used by the SPL Clubs.
They can see that they are being used to protect the SPL clubs revenue streams. and will oppose anything other than a Rangers competing in SFL3 next season. Well done to them.
We as Rangers fans generally wouldn't mind the SFL3 ,because we see it as an opportunity to be cleansed of the corrupt/biased SPL and in due course we will move up to whatever form the SPL will exist in (if at all)
Lets be clear - none of Rangers' enemies exist in Elgin , Dumfries,Peterhead, Stirling etc. and as a support during our time with them, we will treat all clubs in the SFL with respect ,attending away fixtures etc. , I should say that this is more than we would do for any Clubs in the SPL.
We will support and finance Rangers no matter what transpires , even if all we have are our youth players - unlike most of the SPL fans on these forums, our support will never be conditional.
God Bless the Rangers.
BTW Respond to this if you want I really dont care.
