Rangers

[Dick Bate's Protege]

Will they really be allowed to go bust? I can't see how the SFA won't step in here, Scottish football will surely be ruined indefinitely with only one realistic winner of its Premier League.

I find it unthinkable that clubs like Pompey and Rangers could slide under and be no more.

 

[Thorpe Groyney]

As the old firm have destroyed the top tier of Scottish football in any case, all for their own self interest, there is a singular lack of sympathy from non old firm supporters.

If Rangers go to the wall, there is a real opportunity for change, with regards to league set-up and tv revenue distribution. The old firm have previously blocked every proposed move which wasn't wholly beneficial to just them.

The 50% of supporters, and vast majority of players, officials and club employees in Scotland that have nothing to do with them, may at last have a voice in how the game there is run.

 

[Dick Bate's Protege]

But there for the grace of God go us...

I think it'll have massive ramifications for Glasgow as a community and as a city.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Will they really be allowed to go bust? I can't see how the SFA won't step in here, Scottish football will surely be ruined indefinitely with only one realistic winner of its Premier League.

I find it unthinkable that clubs like Pompey and Rangers could slide under and be no more.

Bit late for that.

 

[Thorpe Groyney]

So it's a £160,000 fine, which they will try to collect from money Rangers don't have.

A lifetime ban for Craig Whyte, someone who's already being run out of Scottish football.

A year's transfer embargo, meaning they can't sign players who'd never sign for them in a million years anyway.

Rangers are apparently outraged and are appealing. In the meantime they've asked for a letter detailing the reasons for the punishment. So in effect they have no idea what they are appealing against.

And a preferred bidder for the club who won't take them on if there's a further points deduction. Which is already in place for next season, as it's stautory north of the border for clubs not out of administration after a certain period of time, and has been for years.

Couldn't happen to a nicer club. All it needs now is Neil Lennon to spit his dummy out even more spectacualrly and take his cry babies out of Scotland and what will happen?

An SPL that will become far more competitive without the old firm. As a result of that, crowds will go up, as supporters will believe their sides have a genuine chance of competing for and winning silverware. Police costs will go down from not having to deal with the bigots anymore.

It won't happen, of course. Rangers will somehow be accommodated. Too many people in the SFA and SPL will have too much power, influence and money to lose.

But still, for a while, it's right that a club - that has consistently cheated by knowingly existing way beyond their means, and hypocritically helping to force Airdrieonians into administration and ultimately extinction after a late payment of cup ticket revenue, and hypocritically condeming sectarianism whilst at the same selling certain merchandise knowing full well an element of their supporters use it as a proud badge of their sectarian views - is being made to pay for its misdemeanours.

 

[Thorpe Groyney]

Now here's an interesting situation. With Rangers liquidation being completed later this week, after HMRC rightly refused 9p in the pound, the Rangers Newco are relying on the other SPL clubs to vote them in for 2012/13. If 5 clubs vote against it, though, they will not get in.

It seems likely that Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee United, Hibs and Motherwell will indeed vote against the motion.

Ooh, a trip to Annan Athletic looms for Rangers Newco. If their application for the SFL is successful.

 

[Jam_Man]

Any club voting for Rangers to go out cuts their own throat in lost revenue from the away fans and also TV money which is based on there being two old firm clubs in the league.

Its a strange situation as the SPL relies on Rangers/Celtic to be there so if one goes it kills the league and everyone loses out, but Rangers have to be punished somehow.

I remember reading that the courts had judged the transfer embargo to be unlawful so that might not even be an option.

 

[Thorpe Groyney]

Any extra away fans a host club gets is generally counterbalanced by the lower home turn-out thanks to the Sunday 12.30 kick-off time, and the much higher than usual policing costs. Either old firm away support rarely fills out nowadays.

As for tv revenue, both Sky and ESPN have confirmed they will continue to brodcast SPL matches. Although it will be at a much reduced rate, this is also counteracted by the Old Firm having always taken the biggest proportion of the current £16m a season deal.

The current estimate is that, in a worst case scenario of zero tv money, SPL clubs will be out of pocket by, at the most, £20,000 a week. It'll mean ticket prices going up by a couple of quid or so, season tickets up by around £30, not renewing the contracts of 2 or maybe 3 players, and general price increases in merchandising. Again, though, that is worst case scenario.

The prospect of Rangers Newco coming straight into the SPL may well result in thousands upon thousands of supporters of other clubs not renewing season tickets, being selective on what games they go to, cancelling their tv subscriptions, boycotting merchndising, etc.

When there's so little money in the Scottish game to start with, then money's influence at the top level is much more reduced. If anyone believes the line that the SPL can't survive without the Old Firm, and all the bigotry that goes with it, then they just don't know much about Scottish football.

 

[Jam_Man]

They had one of the scottish managers on Talksport a few weeks ago saying it would be a disaster for his club if Rangers were relegated, cant remember the club now.

I assume he knows a bit about scottish football :smile:

As for being out of pocket £20,000 a week (or 960,000 a year), thats not peanuts to one of the smaller clubs. That would pay for our team's salaries, and Im sure the smaller SPL clubs arent paying huge amounts.

Motherwell getaround 4500 a game. 2 games against rangers they got 19000, thats 10,000 extra tickets they sold so thats £150,000 a year or so they would lose out on just from those two games.

So already they lose out on 1.2million.

Can a club that is smaller than southend really give up that sort of income?

Rangers definitely need to be punished but there is nothing in it for the other teams in that league other than financial loss.

 

[PrawNZ]

Few more clubs becoming more vocal in their opposition to rangers starting in spl including hearts and Dundee utd. They didn't do themselves any favours by taking their transfer punishment direct to the high court as opposed to that special sports court (saf?). The tv deal is safe (wonder how long it's still got left?) but surely now clubs will not be voting for rangers to join spl. I for one find this so fascinating! Mickey mouse league!

 

[Thorpe Groyney]

Aberdeen, Dundee United, Hearts, Hibs, ICT, St. Johnstone. All of you take a bow. No to Newco. Integrity wins out over money and bigotry.

 

[steveo]

Rangers not in the Scottish Prem then. Celtic 1/50 for the title next season. The Scottish third division (if you exclude Queens Park) have an average capacity of about 4500.
Can or will Rangers apply to join the Football League?

 

[BrettieAngell]

will any bookies actually take bets on celtic?

 

[steveo]

will any bookies actually take bets on celtic?

Paddys have them at 1/50. 10/1 the field.

 

[RobM]

So Rangers have gone bust as have Kodak, Woolworths, Blockbusters, Game, Petroplus etc.

The Western economy is run on money we haven't got - including individuals with mortgages and loans. It has been an unsustainable situation for years and still is. It's going to get worse before it gets better, the signs are there, big and flashing in lurid neon letters ten feet high. So the Bank of England prints more money. Isn't that how mega-inflation starts? :omg:

 

[Uncle Leo]

Couldn't happen to a nicer club.

 

[Jam_Man]

So division 3 for Rangers.

Elgin City, Average Attendance 628 must be laughing.

 

[C C Csiders]

I fancy Celtic to win the Scottish Premier League this coming season. Might have a little bet on it.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Wouldn't in be funny if Rangers got relegated to the Tartan Square Conference League :hilarious:

 

[ian_the_girth]

Wouldn't in be funny if Rangers got relegated to the Tartan Square Conference League :hilarious:

you cant go down in the 3rd league?