DAVE KING started the process in the summer, calling out Gary Hughes for an article he submitted to a minor trade publication over a decade before in which he made an attempt at a football rivalry joke – it cost Hughes his place on the SFA Board.
King then set his Dogs of War onto the SPFL Chairman Murdoch MacLennan accusing him of being a closet Celtic supporter and involved in industry in companies where Celtic shareholders also hold shares.
At any perceived wrong this latest Ibrox club is on the front foot regarding issuing statements – they even have their Club 72 supporter/ investment branch which somewhat gloriously has a company that issues statements on behalf of the club (72).
Today the Aberdeen and Edinburgh local newspapers have combined to carry front page stories attacking the decision taken by the SPFL in consultation with Police Scotland to hold both Betfred Cup semi-finals on the same day at the same venue. There’s even a petition being organised by the Aberdeen paper.
Hearts are angry because their supporters will get home late on a school night, they aren’t bothered that the pitch could be in a real mess after the first game – that will suit Levein.
Aberdeen are annoyed because their supporters are having to get up early to be at Hampden for a mid-day kick-off.
Unusually Kris Boyd and Paul the Tim have joined forces to present the counter argument to this – Boyd says that the “O*d F*rm” fans never moan ahead of the early kick -offs at Pittodrie when they have to make an early start for the long journey to the North-East and Paul points out that Celtic fans have to get to Aberdeen on Boxing Day this year and has heard nothing from the Aberdeen fans about that being a big ask for the visiting support.
Celtic have predictably enough said little – Brendan joked about Levein liking the pitch being messed up but pointed out that TV money is king in the Scottish game so we just have to get on with it. The Celtic Board said nothing as usual, nothing about the distances that some Celtic fans have to travel, notably the Irish fans but also plenty from England.
So there were official statements from Hearts and Aberdeen condemning the decision. Celtic and Rangers said nothing but Steven Gerrard was ‘delighted’ with the outcome.
It suited Rangers. They got exactly what they wanted – no statements, no threats, no exposés needed this time – the six year old spoilt brat of Scottish football had got all it’s own way.
Meanwhile Neil Doncaster – one of the two English placements who facilitated the big Switcheroo Lie – released a bizarre Q&A to the media last night on the decision to hold the two games at Hampden on the same day.
Two points worthy of comment on that missive. Firstly, Doncaster explained that the SPFL were bound to a SPL contract to hold games involving Celtic or RANGERS at this venue.
Did he explain that there would have been a liquidation clause – standard in all such contracts – and that The Rangers who got everything they wanted out of this decision – are NOT the same Rangers mentioned in that SPL contract that was signed back in the days before ‘the holding company that owns the club’ lies?
Of course he knows that no-one in the press will dare question him on that one.
The other point worthy of note was why stage the Aberdeen game first when their fans have the furthest to travel?
Celtic v Hearts – the Jambos would have had an hour and a half journey, could have set off at the back of nine and been there in plenty of time. The Aberdeen fans need to get on the road maybe at 7am on a Sunday morning.
Doncaster’s response was classic Doncaster – always say that was a decision someone else took. He said Police Scotland wanted the Rangers v Aberdeen game on first – this suited Rangers as they get the good pitch but it clearly did not suit Aberdeen.
If Doncaster had said to the four clubs “this is happening do you want to play first or second?” The Celtic would have said first. Hearts first and Aberdeen second. Rangers would have said first.
Based on that it would have been Celtic v Hearts first and Aberdeen v Rangers second.
But instead he asked Police Scotland and they said they wanted Rangers first. He didn’t bother to ask WHY they wanted Rangers first. Is there a logical reason that we are all missing. Of course Police officers support football teams too, so it could simply have been a preference call based not their own blue noses.
Doncaster is the guy who met a group of carefully selected Celtic supporters at Celtic Park and explained that Rangers are the same Rangers and because two Rangers supporters who worked for the SFL decided to bestow all the previous honours onto the recently formed Rangers playing in the old Third Division. He went on to explain that the SFL no longer exists and they were really bad at keeping minutes, documents etc so that was that – same Rangers because TWO Rangers supporters said so.
That happened at Celtic Park.
Then there’s Bobby Madden. Rangers were winning 1-0 against Ian McCall’s Ayr United on Wednesday evening in the battle of the Honest Men v the Dishonest. Ayr should have been awarded a penalty – it was apparently a stonewaller. McCall says that 6 people have watched it back with him – two from the Rangers staff and they all agree it was a stonewaller. Madden said he’d have a look and call McCall to apologise and the former Rangers player (he played for the other Rangers) was happy enough with that.
He’d accept it as an ‘Honest Mistake’ – but Madden hasn’t called and therefore McCall is annoyed that a referee could even on reviewing the footage think that this was not a penalty.
The is only the beginning. Normal service has been resumed…
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