pollymac

I think the mere suspicion, if unfounded and I hope it is unfounded, reflects very badly on whoever started the rumour.

Thank god for that. Quite an abhorrent thought.

He can't; the first rule of Yoyo Club is...ach forget it.

I hope it's not true.

Tomorrow's Daily Record.

Didn't Duff & Phelps tell the players twice last week that pay cuts legally had to be at the same rate?

Surely Duff and Pawtucket can clear all of Rangers' debts by calling in all the EBT loans?

Each club gets 4% of the Net Commercial Revenues. Then there is a breakdown of top-ups as follows: 1. 13% 2. 11% 3. 5.5% 4. 4.5% 5. 4% 6. 3.5% 7. 3% 8. 2.5% 9. 2% 10. 1.5% 11. 1% 12. 1%

?????

It can only be sold for a pound. How ironic.

It's off the radar.

There's a really good post elsewhere on the interwebs debunkuing this myth, showing how the leagues have flourished when one or both the Old Firm floundered - think back to last gasp title wins in 86 and 91 and two Scottish teams playing semi-finals in Europe in 84. Best case scenario, IMO, is they get liquidated and do not come back (not to the SPL at least) and Celtic downsize, with no more player purchases and relying more and more on their youth system (which they've been giving massive attention to, but will take a while to really start working). Unfortunately, Celtic have built up a very young squad capable of playing together for another 10 years or so, barring predators taking players off their hands. The only consideration in my opinion is that we get the co-eff going again in a sustainable manner and financial doping is not the way to do that, whether it be from multiple share issues or by dodging tax and underwriting debt using parent companies. Lastly, I hope to see someone other than Rangers get a game against Benfica or similar in next season's CL non-champions qualifier then a wee jaunt in the Europa League.

Erm, well yes, a Phoenix would be in the event of liquidation, otherwise it's only a continuation of the club/company as opposed to a phoenix. The share cannot be transferred willy-nilly by a receiver or administrator, it has to be directed by the SPL after a qualified resolution is passed - the rules that should direct such a resolution are stated in my previous post. If the rules were adjusted then numerous fans would walk away from football, not to mention the very high likelihood of court action by the relegated/not promoted club. I would also suspect that Uefa would take a particularly dim view of a mid-season reworking of the rules setting up a de facto cartel and believe me, this would certainly be brought to their attention.

Regarding the Phoenixing of der orkenkind and parachuting straight into the SPL - have a look at this little snippet from the SPL rules: The 'may' part is clearly only referring to playing record, otherwise it would state 'it may have it's playing record expunged and the number...', so the rules are quite clear on what happens here - Dunfermline, as things stand, are saved from relegation. This leaves us with the grey area surrounding promotion of Ross County, who could argue that precedence for ground-sharing between two clubs within the SPL has already been set and apply for either a waiver of the rules to allow further development or to become tenants of ICT (which is in the rules). All of this has to be done by 31st March, so the timing for a Phoenix would be quite critical - if Ross County have already been successful in applying for a waiver, then the rules are quite explicit that there would then be no place for them (the PhoenixCo). Or Falkirk or Dundee could win the 1st.

And another thing, ffs, SPL, get the TV money and shared sponsorship deals sorted out while the vote can be pushed through: 80% to be shared equally and 20% to be stepped evenly. Or better yet, 100% shared equally - the winners, runners up and other top places get additional moneys from participation in Uefa's gravy trains.

Yep. And HMRC will demand deposits up front for VAT amounting to 50% for the year. They will base the amount on the old company. And from April 6th this year, they will also be able to do the same for PAYE and NIC. That would be £6m straight off the bat. It should also be pointed out that a Phoenix (from a liquidated club) will start with, erm, zero players (unless they do buy out East Stirlingshire, in which case they start out with East Stirlingshire's players). Now let's assume they've got to go out and buy some players, say 20 at £500k average. That's another £10m or so. One would also assume they would want paid. Another what £10m again? £5m? I suppose they'll need a management team in place and everything else that entails, perhaps the Fat Paul le Guen will return for peanuts (or fat cake, whatever he prefers), but they'll need numerous others also: security staff and all manner of orc-servants. And then they've also the general running costs of a club that, as stated here, is to pretty much everyone's eyes the same club that had just recently stiffed all their creditors - will Strathclyde polis be so accommodating that they'll extend a credit line of a hundred and fifty grand each month? Can't see it. The gas and lekky bills? All in, another £5m per season. Sponsorship? Season Tickets? No TV money to start with. Income of circa £15-£20m and needing to shell out far above that just to get started, or at least started in a manner that would see a decent amount of STs sold, i.e. the orcs 'deserved better' when they only signed Rothen (conveniently forgetting the fact they'd spent £18m the previous summer), so I can't see them not demanding better than a load of Bosmans and £500k players. I also wonder if any bank (a proper one, not Wonga or Lenny Murdoch) will extend a credit line to them - they've got to be considered very high risk, especially if the guy waiting in the wings is someone like Paul Murray, you know, that non-exec director that failed to put the brakes on or ask questions about the financial failings of the Moonbeamed era. Anyone thinking a Phoenixed club will have an easy ride are mistaken. Unless more financial doping goes on, they are back to the early 80s - a solid base (i.e. the best stadium in Britain at the time) that will take years of steady management to regain former glories (as such as they were). On that financial doping note: if the SPL had the balls, they'd bring in rules regarding this. Of course, to help cut costs, a Phoenix can always use a tax management scheme of some sort - discounted share options or Employee Benefits Trusts perhaps.

Mince and Tatties - usually too much stodge for summer, but it's been farkin freezin of late. 'Twas fine.

The end of colonialism.

Madison's first birthday tomorrow

What time's the final on??

Routine last set. First set was decent, but wished I'd followed HB's advice and missed this - mis-match in terms of quality. Other than a 190kph serve, Isner had very little to offer.

That stuff made Madison chunder - we ended up getting those bottles i pm'd you about (I did pm you about it didn't I, or did I imagine i did??) - they worked a treat.

That sounds familiar. Maddy also likes hauling the letters out our letter rack type thing. She's also taken to walking round the window-side coffee table to reach for stuff she shouldn't, like the jars of coloured pebbles Alexandra's been collecting.