Former Celt Charlie Nicholas today ramped up the pressure on theRangers by claiming Celtic ‘embarassed’ theRangers at Celtic Park last month and that defeat at Ibrox would to all intents and purposes end the title race for the Ibrox club.

Nicholas writing in his Scottish Daily Express column, stated:

“If theRangers were to lose to Celtic in Sunday’s high noon Old Firm(sic) showdown, then the Premiership title race would be all but over. It is a gigantic game for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Gers side. They can’t afford to lose at Ibrox. It would be very difficult for (the)Rangers to fight back to retain the title, especially as it would leave them six points behind the Hoops with just six games to go.

“Yes, (the)Rangers would still have the Europa League to aim for – but I think their title hopes would be over.Most of the pressure is on the defending champions.

“It is not just about the three-point gap because, even if theRangers were to win, Celtic would still be top on goal difference. It is the manner in which they were embarrassed at Celtic Park last month that will have stuck in the throats of Gers players and fans alike.”

Psychologically a Celtic win at Ibrox would likely mean there would be no return for theRangers. After all this is a team who held a six-point advantage at the top of the Scottish Premiership going into the winter break, and now are three points behind, with a goal difference already close to the equivalent of an extra point.

Defeat on Sunday would leave the Ibrox club with a six-point deficit to turn around in only six remaining league games. Nicholas is right it would be a nigh on impossible task, considering Celtic are in the midst of a 31-game unbeaten domestic run at present.

With everything going on in the background at theRangers, such as revolting fans, boardroom Civil War fought out in the mainstream media – and via ill-advised club statements, you get the feeling an early goal for Celtic on Sunday, could see theRangers fans turn on their players.

Meanwhile defeat on the day, something that would all but signify the surrendering of their only league title, would result in all out carnage between the support, those running the club and of course the man winning the PR battle, Dave King.

Shan Riley

Talking of Embarrassing themselves, let’s have a recap with our Continuity Myth Exposure Kit – Everything you need is here…

The Death of Rangers: Basket of Assets – Did Charles Green Purchase Those Titles as he Claimed?

Listed below are the assets of Rangers FC Plc bought by Charles Green (from Duff & Phelps) after the proposed CVA was rejected by creditors at Ibrox in June 2012....

Assets Price
Goodwill £1
SPL Share £1
SFA Membership £1
Leasehold Interests £1
Player Contracts & Registrations £2,749,990
Stock £1
Plant & Machinery £1,250,000

Contrary to what Green claimed, nowhere is Rangers FC listed as an asset. Nowhere is the history of Rangers FC listed as an asset. Yet, a thesis has been postulated that a company’s history can be sold as a separate item in a company asset sale. This is manifestly absurd. In the case of Rangers, the bizarre logic of that position is:

a) Craig Whyte had the option not to purchase the history of Rangers when the club was sold to him, or parts of the history that he did not like, thus wiping out any potential tax liability or creditor debt.

b) After Craig Whyte, someone could have purchased the stadium while another party could have submitted a successful bid to own its history.

c) If a club’s history was a saleable asset then it would also mean that a club, even as a going concern, could sell off its history to another club in an effort to raise money.

Quotes from Edinburgh based QC – Alan Dewar

All of this, of course, is unheard of, and for good reason: a club’s historical events are tied irrevocably to that club and a club separated from its history loses its identity and meaning. Crucially, when insolvency law kicked in and consigned Rangers FC Plc and its football activities to the past, the club and its history thereafter ceased to continue, except as an historical footnote.

There has been an attempt to conflate a company’s goodwill with ownership of its historical timeline. HMRC define goodwill as “the value of the attraction to the customers which the name and reputation possesses”. The value of purchasing Ibrox stadium and playing in the same colours as the old club, given the record of achievement of the old Rangers FC, was obvious to Charles Green, but equating goodwill to ownership of Rangers FC and its historical timeline is an incredulous sleight of hand that flies against both the common sense definition of goodwill and the concrete clarity of insolvency law.

To then argue that insolvency does not breach that timeline is to employ Alice in Wonderland logic. The effect of which would be to ensure that no football club could ever be compulsorily dissolved. By extension, companies about to be liquidated could adopt the same law-defying approach: sell off the core of the business under the asset “goodwill” and resurface under a new company name but with the same core business activities as before, claiming an unbroken historical timeline. Of course, this is nonsense because it is unlawful.

Lord Nimmo Smith has been used in evidence in support of the notion that old Rangers FC survived liquidation. He said that a football club can exist separate from its holding company. Now we have the bizarre position where not only can a football club be separated from its history and its history be sold on (even if the club is subsequently liquidated along with its holding company), but a club can also exist without an owner.

If the Manchester United Board decided voluntarily to liquidate Manchester Utd Plc then Manchester Utd FC would no longer exist, except in the minds of its supporters. To argue that Manchester’s history could be auctioned either pre or post liquidation defies interpretation in the real world of insolvency.

Lord Nimmo Smith was also wrong when he said that Rangers FC still exists. He was reflecting the view of the SFA who, we know, know Sweet FA, not least their own arcane humpty-dumpty rules. Dr Gregory Ioannidis, a leading authority on Sports Law, agrees that “the history of a club cannot pass from one company [into liquidation]to another”. The import of LNS’ claim was that the new Rangers FC could be punished for the sins of the old Rangers FC, if they were one and the same club. If he had maintained that claim and punished the Rangers by that time plying their trade in the SFL then a court challenge would have immediately nullified that punishment on several grounds:

1) such a punishment would harm newco and newco had nothing to do with oldco.

2) The Rangers in the lower leagues is a new club (insolvency law saw to that) and, like newco, had nothing to do with the sins of old Rangers.

In the end, LNS stayed clear of punishing newco in any shape or form and, instead, levied a futile fine on oldco. HMRC, like Dr Gregory Ioannidis, and consistent with insolvency law, also recognise that newco has no connection whatsoever with oldco. Unlike insolvency law, LNS’ philosophical musings are not legally binding; nor do they set a legal precedent.

When Charles Green bought the assets of Rangers FC Plc he also purchased the old club’s SFA membership and SPL share. Prior to liquidation, Rangers had full membership status within Scottish professional football. After liquidation, the club playing in SFL Division 3 was allocated associate membership status. The reason for that was very simple: the Rangers playing in the SFL was a different club than the one which previously played in the SPL.

Importantly, the new Rangers applied to join the SPL but their application was rejected, despite a mysterious 5-way agreement. If Rangers was the same club pre and post liquidation then an application would have been completely unnecessary, particularly since they claimed to purchase the old club’s SFA membership and SPL share. Of course, Rangers was legally dissolved after liquidation – hence the need for a fresh application from the new club.

Similarly, the new Rangers then applied to join the SFL and this time their application was successful. Remember, if an existing SPL club changes ownership or its holding company changes from a Ltd to a Plc, it has no bearing on the club’s membership status and therefore there is no requirement to re-apply for SFA or SPL membership – it is liquidation that forces that event.

Furthermore, because Rangers post-liquidation is a new club, it was unable to compete in European competition for three years. It is a stipulation of UEFA that a licence to play in Europe can only be given to a club that has been a member of a national association for three consecutive years. The old Rangers did have a UEFA licence but the new Rangers do not. When Rangers FC expired, so did their UEFA licence.

The fact that the SFA has allowed The Rangers FC to pretend that their history is continuous, contrary to insolvency law, has no bearing on the facts of the case and will forever remain a stain on the SFA’s reputation.

WHO DID LIVINGSTON PLAY IN THE 3RD ROUND OF THE SCOTTISH CUP 2012/13?

The credit for this further piece of evidence on why Rangers FC is a new club belongs to Gordon Johnston:

The third round of the Scottish Cup 2012/13 consisted of 16 ties between Scotland’s smaller clubs, after which, in the fourth round, the 16 top clubs from the previous season – 2011/12 – then joined the fray. The 16 top clubs included the 10 clubs in the SPL from season 2011/12 and the top four from last season’s SFL First Division: Ross County, Dundee, Falkirk and Hamilton Academicals. Looking at the SFL First Division from 2011/12 it is clear that Livingstone finished 5th and therefore should not be considered to be among the “16 top clubs”:

Position Team Points: 1 Ross County 79, 2 Dundee 55, 
3 Falkirk 52,
4 Hamilton Academicals 49
 and 5 Livingstone 48.

Yet, Livingston got a bye into round four when they should have been playing in round three! Why? The regulations for last year’s third round were quite clear and ought to have excluded Livingston:

“The clubs which, in the previous season, were members of The Scottish Premier League and those clubs finishing in The Scottish Football League First Division league positions one to four, shall be exempt from playing in Round Three of the Competition.”

The reason that Livingston got a bye was because one of the clubs in the SPL – Rangers FC – no longer existed.

If they existed, irrespective of their current league or position in 2012/13, they would have been entitled to enter the competition in round four courtesy of the previous season’s placings. The SFA considered The Rangers FC to be a new club. Hence the creation of a spare slot, duly allocated to the team finishing 5th in the SFL First Division, i.e. Livingston.

The club formerly known as Rangers FC is as dead as a dodo. The new club masquerading as the old Rangers FC is just that: a new club masquerading as the old club. Unfortunately, when conclusive proof of the demise of Rangers FC is brought to the attention of Rangers fans, there is an apoplectic response: one is either deluded or a Rangers Hater, or both. Fortunately, insolvency law usurps personal insult.

JohnBhoy

The Statement from Celtic Supporters that appeared in the Sunday Herald Newspaper on 25 January 2015 outlined the legal position in detail. The Celtic support was accused of being obsessed but no counter argument or evidence that the contents of this advertisement were ever put forward from anyone arguing that for the Continuity Myth, which is of course now the 55 Lie.

.Below are 55 quotes from the mainstream media, their own legends, their fans via their ‘Show Liquidation The Red Card’ Day and the parties involved in the liquidation of Rangers in 2012. Please share these as widely as you can. The truth really does hurts….

If it was the same club why did The Herald and indeed all the other papers and media outlets stated that “Rangers Football Club Born 1872, died 2012”?  That has never been explained….

The Death of Rangers in 55 Quotes including: “We wish the new Rangers Football Club every good fortune,” Walter Smith

So when they were erected these gates at Ibrox the holding company and the club must have been different since the holding company went bust in 2012 but that didn’t impact the club, so why when the gates were going up did they decide to put the name of the so-called holding company on the gates and not the name of the club?

If however the club and the company were one and the same then logically the name used on the gates does represent the club as it was one and the same – the club’s Rangers Football Club Ltd.

1.”140 years of history is formally ended” The Herald

2. “As a result of appalling mismanagement, Rangers fans no longer boast an unbroken line to the past…The emotional ties will remain forever but historical strings are severed.” Daily Record

3. “The current worst-case scenario has Rangers being liquidated and a new club rising from the ashes but being made to start anew from the fourth tier of Scottish football.” The Observer

4. “Rangers will exit either through an agreement with their creditors – a Company Voluntary Arrangement – or by liquidation. The latter represents a break with 140 years of history.” Richard Wilson, Evening Times

5. “It’s more than two weeks since owner Craig Whyte plunged Rangers into administration — putting 140 years of history and tradition at risk” Andy Devlin, The Sun

6. “Last night Group 9 Sports released a statement on their website indicating that, if successful, they’d aim to emerge from administration by setting up Rangers as a new company. Kennedy will not stand back and allow the club’s 140 years of history to be wiped out. And he insisted any such move could put Rangers out of existence completely.” Keith Jackson, Daily Record

7. “Administrators Duff and Phelps raised the possibility over the weekend of the current club being liquidated, meaning a new club could be formed to inherit Rangers’ assets” STV News

8. “…the shell that it used to operate from – and I understand the history of it – would be the thing that disappears.” (Paul Clark, Joint Administrator)

9. Ally McCoist will accept the end of 140 years of unbroken existence for Rangers, providing a new version of one of the world’s most famous clubs emerges in strength.” Roddy Forsyth, Daily Telegraph

10. “Liquidation is no good for Rangers. It will end 140 years of history.” Sky Sports

11. “The Blue Knights hope to avoid liquidation, which would leave any new club arising from the current club’s carcass facing a three-year ban from European football and open to further domestic sanctions even if they retain Scottish Premier League status” Sky Sports.

12. “Some Rangers fans believe the club’s history, which would end with liquidation, must be protected but there is a shameful part of that history which they should want to forget and any newco should make it clear a new beginning means exactly that. A new club open to all from the very beginning.” Jim Traynor, Daily Record

13. “A new club would be banned from Europe for three years and the Scottish Premier League clubs are meeting today to discuss points and financial penalties for such a club”. Daily Record

14. “Brian Kennedy and his Blue Knights have gone on the offensive and claimed their crusade to save Rangers is the only one on the table that will guarantee to safeguard 140 years of history AND AVOID LIQUIDATION.” Scott Burns, Daily Express

15. “On an ongoing basis the [old]company that continues to be in administration will be cleansed of all its former problems and will at a later date be reunited, after a CVA, with the new club Mr Miller is going to create.” Paul Clark, Duff and Phelps on STV

16. “Without Rangers the league would be knackered. I know a lot of supporters are saying they should be liquidated and come back as a new club in division three.” Stuart McCall in The Sun

17. “Charles Green attended the SPL meeting and has a £5.5m deal in place to form a new club should the CVA fail.” David Friel, The Sun

18. “The liquidator overseeing the current club’s extinction”…“Whether Rangers, as a new club formed by Green, are accepted into the SPL, and on what terms, is to be determined by the clubs.” David Conn, The Guardian

19. “Rangers in crisis: the final whistle sounds on Rangers’ 140 years of history” Daily Telegraph

20. “The formation of Rangers in March 1872 was a walk in the park – its death in June 2012 a shambolic slide into the abyss…However, as a result of appalling mismanagement they no longer boast an unbroken line to the past. The emotional ties will remain forever but historical strings are severed. In time, they may weave a new history that might start with the Third Division title in 2013.” Gary Ralston, Daily Record

21. “The really sickening thing about all of this is it was avoidable. All it would have taken for that was for someone to be honest. Pay your dues; give the taxman what he is owed. Instead Rangers have died.” Richard Gough in The Sun

22. “They’ll slip into liquidation within the next couple of weeks with a new company emerging but 140 years of history, triumph and tears, will have ended. No matter how Charles Green attempts to dress it up, a newco equals a new club. When the CVA was thrown out Rangers, as we know them died. They were closed and a newco must start from scratch.” Jim Traynor, Daily Record

23. “…the reality is that in technical terms, the doors are closed on the history of Rangers…There will be plenty of pedants who feel the old Rangers are now gone, and technically they are right.” Kevin Drinkell in Daily Record

24. “Green is poised to push ahead with a £5.5million deal to buy the club’s assets and form a new club, which would need to apply for membership of the Scottish Premier League and be excluded from Europe for three years.” Daily Record

25.. “I wanted to be able to confirm that, yes, their derbies really WERE the greatest game on earth, rather than tell the truth that they were bile-flecked re-enactments of centuries-old religious wars. It’s a cause of genuine sadness that this has never come to pass, so maybe that’s one of the things new owner Charles Green could look at as he rebuilds a new club from the rubble of liquidation” Bill Leckie, The Sun

26. “Air of unreality as 140 years of history is formally ended in less than nine minutes…The Rangers creditors drifted in through Exit 50 at Ibrox Stadium just before 10am and by 10.09am they were on their way out. In those few minutes 140 years of history had been rubbed out”. Teddy Jamieson and Richard Wilson, The Herald

27. “Union reps at PFA Scotland believe the new club has no hold over anyone who doesn’t want their contract to transfer across from the now defunct Rangers.” Robert Grieve, The Sun

28. “We wish the new Rangers Football Club every good fortune” Walter Smith on BBC

29. “And I believe concern over the new club’s finances has prompted Brian Kennedy to make a £5.6million bid for a controlling interest.” Jim Traynor, Daily Record

30. “The uncertainty surrounding the new club, especially in terms of what league they’re going to play in, has been a major factor in my decision (to leave) …I have concerns about who is in charge of the new club…Will I ever come back and support the new club? I haven’t thought about it.” Steven Naismith in Daily Record

31. “With the new club unlikely to gain enough votes to allow them entry into the SPL by fellow clubs at the League’s AGM on July 4 uncertainty over their future is growing amongst players.” Sky Sports

32. “Of course a new club will rise from the ashes of Rangers FC.” Kevin McKenna, The Observer

33. “Rangers will not play in the Scottish Premier League this season. SPL chairmen met at Hampden to vote on the new club’s application to replace the old Rangers in the top flight.” BBC

34. “It was also revealed the new club had been preparing to apply to the SFL for a couple of weeks and stated the newco Rangers would play in the appropriate division.” The Sun

35. “We do not consider that the newco’s allegation of breach of contract will stand up to scrutiny and in the event of the players’ registrations not being issued to a new club, we’ll look to FIFA and/or the Court of Session for a speedy remedy.” PFA Scotland lawyer in Daily Record

36. “Rangers chief executive Charles Green says he will not challenge the vote by the Scottish Football League to place his new club in Division Three.” BBC

37. “Another unknown is how the footballing authorities – SFA and Uefa – would react to any new club while the old club still had outstanding debts to footballing creditors (other teams) totalling more than £3m. Mr Green’s ambitions for a new club may also be thwarted if liquidators from BDO decide to challenge the asset sale.” BBC

38. “Green bought Rangers and their assets yesterday for £5.5million, just hours after Smith revealed he was spearheading a group to buy the new club.” Jim Traynor, Daily Record

40. “Sevco are still waiting to hear if the new club have been granted SFA membership ahead of their entry into the Third Division.” Paul Hughes, The Sun

41. “And IF they are allowed to enter the top division an independent commission will decide if it’s the old club or the new club that has a case to answer over EBTs.” Paul Hughes and Robert McAulay in The Sun

42. “Coca-Cola, which signed a two-year deal with its sport drink Powerade to be the 54 times SPL champions official soft drink in December, says it will continue its relationship with “Rangers FC” but declined to comment on its future with the new club.” Marketing Week

43. “No other completely new club would have been allowed to enter the bottom tier. It is also true that no other new club would have been even considered for membership of the SPL.” Ewing Grahame, Daily Telegraph

44. “Rangers newco should apply to the SFA for admission and apply direct to the SFL in the same way that any other new club would do.” Stewart Milne, The Sun

45. “New club forced to start in Scottish Football League 3” CNN

46. “McCoist and Green are committed to opposing any move to have history books rewritten even though they accepted they had to begin again as a new concern after Rangers, the club with history, slipped into liquidation and closed. That should mean the titles aren’t really any of their business. But on the other hand, the SPL refused to hand over £2m, which should have gone to Rangers for finishing second last season, pointing out that the club no longer exists.” Jim Traynor, Daily Record

47. “Following the failure of the CVA the club is now following the Premier League and Football Association structure, where the assets of the ‘game’, such as player contracts, are transferred to a new club and the old club liquidated. “ Accountancy Age

48.”(Whyte) also added: “What other country in the world would deal with one of their biggest clubs in the way they have and demote them to the Third Division.” Wrong again, Craig. Rangers had to go there because they were a new club starting over. Jim Traynor, Daily Record

49. Asked during his appearance on Off The Ball if Rangers were a new club: Yes, obviously they are.” Craig Whyte

50. “Rangers can make a fresh start.” HMRC

51. “Air of unreality as 140 years of history is formally ended in less than nine minutes.” The Herald

52. “Rangers in crisis: the final whistle sounds on Rangers’ 140 years of history” Daily Telegraph

53. “Rangers FC as we know them are dead. It’s all over. They are about to shut down for ever…They’ll slip into liquidation within the next couple of weeks with a new company emerging but 140 years of history, triumph and tears, will have ended… No matter how Charles Green attempts to dress it up, a newco equals a new club. When the CVA was thrown out Rangers as we know them died.” James Traynor, Daily Record

54. “You cannot pass on that which is undefinable, this is a new Rangers,” Donald Findlay QC

55. “#OneClubSince1888.” Celtic FC 

Timeline to the Death of Rangers and the Emergence of Charles Green’s new club in 2012

June 2001: Christian Nerlinger joins Rangers.  Little be known to the rest of Scottish football he will be the first player paid by an EBT (an Employee Benefit Trust) that will later be declared unlawful (as administered by Rangers) by HMRC and confirmed by The Supreme Court in London.

Summer 2004: Jean Alain Boumsong rejects English Premier League sides to sign for Rangers on a free transfer.  Six months later he is sold (January of 2005) to Newcastle in an £8million deal.  This deal is later investigated by the City of London police who raided Newcastle and Rangers in June 2007.

A later report from Lord Steven remarked:
“There remains inconsistencies in evidence provided by Graeme Souness – a former manager of the club – and Freddy Shepherd – apparently acting in an undefined role but not as a club official – as to their respective roles in transfer negotiations.”

April 2010: HMRC hit Rangers with a tax bill of £24m before penalties for non-payment of taxes on monies remitted to players and staff via the EBT scheme.

27 March 2011: A new blog appears on wordpress named ‘Rangerstaxcase.’  Little did we know the impact it will have on Scottish Football.

6 May 2011: Craig Whyte buys Rangers FC PLC for £1 from David Murray, with his holding company Wavetower taking over 85% of the Football club.

Mid-May 2011:  Craig Whyte renames Wavetower to the ‘Rangers Football Group Ltd’, the holding company for Rangers FC PLC.  He immediately claims he has cleared the Rangers debt to Lloyds Bank and is ready to invest in the team.  He quickly removes Alastair Johnston and Paul Murray from the Board and suspends Martin Bain and Donald McIntyre.

5 June 2011: RTC uncovers a MG05 document filed at Companies House showing that Rangers have assigned 4 years of season ticket sales to another company.  Craig Whyte later denies this, but later on turns out to be the mechanism by which Whyte funded the takeover.

19 June 2011: Craig Whyte is asked about the RTC blog, remarking:

“I’m aware of a website that has dedicated itself to talking about our tax case, I’ve looked at it. What they’re saying is 99 per cent crap”.

August 2011: Rangers are knocked out of Europe by Maribor.  A seemingly irrelevant event, but one that leaves a £15m hole in Craig Whyte’s budget.  One that he meets by not paying the taxman.  RTC questions in October where this money was coming from…

10 September 2011: Court papers from Martin Bain, related to his employment case against Rangers explode across the internet..  Within them there is a plea from Bain’s lawyers to freeze the claimed compensation as they feel there is a question mark over the club’s solvency.  Further it exposes the assignment of ticket sales to a 3rd party and shows that the debt owed to Lloyds Bank has not been discharged completely.  RTC analysis’ of these ‘Bain papers’ is concluded with the following:

While Rangers’ supporters might not be in any mood to thank anyone for helping shed light on this situation, it is good for their club (if not its current and previous owners) that this information is in the public domain. It is especially good for our national game as a whole that we discuss the problems of the last decade openly. Rangers supporters need to ask themselves why they have meekly stood by while the future of their club has been imperiled and whether their “friends” in the media have done them an injustice by becoming complicit in the cover-up of this story.

Unfortunately, despite the information being exposed to all, the Rangers fans failed to listen…

October 2011:  In the first mainstream feature on the case, the BBC air a documentary proving that Craig Whyte had been banned from holding a director position in UK companies for 7 years for ‘putting assets out of the reach of creditors’.  BBC is banned from Ibrox and Whyte claims he will sue the BBC for presenting false evidence - but later admits that he was disqualified.  Rather amusingly he admits this the same day he reveals Rangers have reduced their debt to £14m…. (They hadn’t). The SFA stay silent on the matter and the writ received by the BBC in February 2012 has since vanished.

30 November 2011:  Rangers PLC release un-audited accounts for the year 2010/2011 revealing profits of £2 million and NET Assets of £76m.  The accounts are NOT signed by an auditor leading to rumours all is not well in Ibrox.

January 2012: RTC explains in detail Succulent Lamb Journalism…  the phrase becomes a defining point of the story, along with ‘Internet Bampots’, coined by Hugh Keevins.

18 January 2012:  The ‘Big Tax Case’ concludes.  We still await the findings…

13 February 2012: Rangers file papers at the Court of Session giving notice of their intention to enter administration within 7 days…

14 February 2012:  HMRC petition the Court of Session to allow them to appoint administrators.  After a short hearing, HMRC withdraw the motion and Rangers PLC promptly appoints the now infamous Duff & Phelps as administrators.  On Valentines eve, Craig Whyte stands on the steps of Ibrox and announces to the angry mob the unthinkable… Rangers FC PLC is now in administration. That evening it is confirmed that HMRC had pushed for administration over £9 million in unpaid VAT, PAYE and NI since the Whyte takeover.  This later rises to £18m.

15 February 2012: The SPL immediately deducts Rangers (IA) 10 points for entering administration, as per league rules.  Possibly the last time they follow their own rules throughout this saga. Bizarrely, Rangers (IA) pushes ahead with the proposed signing of Daniel Cousin on wages of £7500 a week.  The SFA make no comment, despite this being against the rules for a club in administration.

David Murray, in typical fashion, professes surprise at events that RTC warned about 12 months earlier while Murray was still in charge.  Murray also says:

“Firstly, there has been no decision, and there is no present indication as to the timing of a decision, from the first-tier tax tribunal concerning the potential claim from HMRC of £36.5m excluding interest and penalties. Secondly, legal opinion on the strength of the club’s case remains favourable.”

21 February 2012: Daily Mail confirm what RTC told us last year, by confirming that Ticketus bought 100,000 season tickets at Ibrox over the next 4 years.  It was this money that Whyte used to buy the club.  Rangers fans are up in arms.  Even though they ignored the warnings a year earlier. The SFA announce that Lord Nimmo Smith will chair an inquiry into the circumstances leading to administration.

25 February 2012: The Sun on Sunday launches by printing what they claim is a ‘side letter’ given to Rangers players. A financial expert tells them:

“Number one, you are going to get £122,000 and number two you get £1,200 for a first-team game.
“It equates to salary as far as I am concerned. I would say this sort of letter would be a central thread in the big tax case.”

RTC will later confirm they are correct.

27 February 2012:  The SFA confirm they will start an investigation into these ‘side letters’.

3 March 2012: D&P admit Rangers have no chance of making Europe next season, as they admit audited accounts by the 31st March would be almost impossible. However, in a baffling move, one month later D&P reveal they are ‘appealing’ the decision to ban Rangers from Europe.  UEFA respond by saying:

“Licence applicants must demonstrate that as at March 31, 2012, they have no payables overdue towards their employees or social/tax authorities as a result of contractual/legal obligations to their employees that arose prior to December 31, 2011.”

8 March 2012:  Lord Nimmo Smith forwards his report to the SFA Judicial Panel.  The report contains prima facie evidence that Craig Whyte was not a ‘fit and proper person’.  A hearing is set for the 29th of March.  This is later postponed at the request of Whyte.

9 March 2012: With no redundancies in sight, Rangers players agree to pay cuts, ranging from 75 – 25%.  It is later revealed that these are not ‘pay cuts’, but pay deferments which must be repaid in the summer, otherwise Rangers will be in breach of contract.  No info is forthcoming in the summer on whether this was paid or not.

5 April 2012: Duff &Phelps reveal in their first creditors report that Rangers debts could top £134m, with HMRC claiming 93m of the total. The report also details debts to football creditors of around £2.3m.  It also details debts of hundreds of creditors, such as that for Susie Thomson – a face-painter from Glasgow owed £40.  These were the real human losers in this story. Interestingly, assets are valued at £116m, as per the 2011 accounts.

23 April 2012: The SFA’s independent panel finds Rangers (IA) guilty of 5 different breaches of SFA rules relating to disrepute charges and are handed a £160,000 fine, the maximum available and a 12-month transfer embargo.  The judicial panel state that the offences committed by Rangers were only one step “lower than match fixing”, and reveal that they considered the punishment of suspension of license or expulsion from the SFA.  They determine a fine would not be enough given the seriousness of the charges and thus impose a transfer embargo.
In the judgement, the panel makes reference to evidence given by the Rangers Financial Controller who said invoices to Ticketus were such that they ” appeared as though Clip Art computer processes had been involved in their creation.” The Financial Controller tells the panel he had never seen them.

24 April 2012:  The uproar from Ibrox is loud, with the Bears taking their anger out on the SFA.  McCoist makes a rallying call, demanding to know “who these people are”.  He admits the next day he knew all along who ‘these people are.’

As a result, a poor director at Raith Rovers takes his family into protective police custody, and Raith are forced to hire round the clock security after arson threats to their ground.  Finally, in August 2012, McCoist is charged by the SFA for his remarks.  He decided to challenge the charge.

Rangers blame the SFA for not stopping Whyte earlier, despite warnings before he took over from RTC:

“Why did the SFA not investigate when they said they had suspicions before Christmas rather than wait until the club went into administration?

9 May 2012:  American tycoon Bill Miller walks away from a proposed offer for Rangers (IA) after being subjected to threats from the Ibrox crowd and discovering a “£30 million black hole” in the Rangers accounts.

11 May 2012: Rangers reveal they will appeal the transfer embargo and fine imposed.  The SFA inexplicably name the 3-man panel that will oversee the decision, going against SFA rules agreed by ALL clubs, including Rangers (IA).

13 May 2012:  Reports suggest Charles Green, backed by a global consortium (still unknown!) has bought shares from Craig Whyte for £2.  He is given an exclusivity period to propose a CVA worth £8.5m.

17 May 2012: SFA uphold the transfer embargo against Rangers (IA).  The SFA state that it was “proportionate to the breach, dissuasive to others and effective in the context of serious misconduct, bringing the game into disrepute.” The Rangers Fighting Fund along with Duff & Phelps announces they are paying a lawyer to challenge the SFA in the Court of Session.  SFA say nothing.

22 May 2012:  It is now May, 3 months since the SFA/SPL announced an investigation into side letters and unauthorised payments to players from Rangers FC.  RTC once again provides evidence of a ‘prima facie’ case by revealing details of Christian Nerlinger’s EBT letters.

23 May 2012: BBC air a damning documentary revealing details of EBT payments and side letters to Rangers players since 2001.  They also uncover emails showing that Duff &Phelps’ David Grier seemed to have prior knowledge of the Ticketus deal.  D&P and Craig Whyte threaten legal action, but none is forthcoming.  The BBC also hints at payments made to managers not employed by Rangers at the time, including Graeme Souness.

29 May 2012:  Duff &Phelps reveal their ‘CVA’ proposal.  One that was doomed to fail, offering creditors little or nothing.  It also revealed if it was rejected then the ‘assets’ would automatically be sold to Charles Green and Sevco 5088 for just £5.5m (the ‘new’ value of the assets.  No evidence has yet been presented on how these ‘assets’ were valued.) On the same day (seeing the pattern of bad news being overshadowed by good news yet?) Rangers ‘win’ at the Court of Session, with the court ruling that the SFA had no powers to give a transfer ban.  They decide to refer the decision back to the SFA judicial panel to decide on a new punishment.

Lawyer Gregory Loannidis remarks:

“If the Scottish Football Association decides to not take action against Rangers, in relation to Rangers submitting the application to the Court of Session, then Fifa can actually penalise the SFA, and the individual club, and the national team of Scotland, and impose an international ban on all of them.”

No action is ever taken by the SFA or FIFA.

12 June 2012:  HMRC release a statement saying that they will reject the CVA.  Given that they have over 25% of the debt, it makes the creditors meeting scheduled for the 14th irrelevant.

“A CVA would restrict the scope of such action. Moreover, the liquidation route does not prejudice the proposed sale of the club. This sale can take place either through a CVA or liquidation, so the sale is not being undermined; it simply takes a different route.

“Liquidation will enable a sale of the football assets to be made to a new company, thereby ensuring that football will continue at Ibrox. It also means that the new company will be free from claims or litigation in a way that would not be achievable with a CVA.

“Rangers can make a fresh start.”

14 June 2012: The CVA is formally rejected.  Duff &Phelps immediately sell the assets to Sevco 5088 Ltd and Rangers FC PLC (IA) cease to operate as a football club.  The assets are later assigned to Sevco Scotland Ltd.  SPL rules state that a club that ceases to function as a football club should immediately relinquish its share and membership.  This does not happen.

15 June 2012:  Ian Hart denies being part of the Green consortium buying the Rangers assets.  Green had earlier named him when pushed to name his backers. So starts the misinformation campaign from Sevco.

17 June 2012: Rangers FC are excluded from the fixture list for the forthcoming SPL season, replaced instead by ‘Club 12’.  It is widely reported, that if Sevco Scotland are refused a place in the SPL, then Club 12 will be Dundee.  The SPL give no reasons why.

17 – 27 June 2012: Walter Smith, Allan Stewart and Stephen McKenna, and then John Brown all turn up in the papers making ‘bids’ for the assets that Green has already bought.

22 June 2012 – Lord Hodge seeks report from Duff &Phelps re: a potential “conflict of interest”, after information given to him by the BBC.

25 June 2012: The BBC reveal that Sevco Scotland will not be granted admission to the SPL, after 6 clubs publicly declare their opposition, after season ticket sales fail to materialise as fans make their views known.

27 June 2012:  John Brown stands on the steps of Ibrox and pleads with Rangers fans not to buy season tickets until Green reveals who are his backers and who owns Ibrox.  This question remains unanswered.

4 July 2012:  Despite weeks of pressure from the SFA, SPL and MSM, the SPL clubs reject the application from Sevco Scotland to join the SPL. The SFA’s CEO Stewart Regan warns of Armageddon for Scottish Football if Sevco are not admitted to SFL1 instead.

5 July 2012: Stenhousemuir reveal details of a talk given to them by Neil Doncaster and Stewart Regan, where SFL clubs are threatened with bankruptcy if they don’t vote Sevco Scotland into Division 1.  Figures presented are ridiculed by the Internet Bampots. Clyde and Raith Rovers emerge as the cheerleaders for sporting integrity in the lower leagues, with both clubs openly speaking out against what they describe as “irresponsible”.  Raith Chairman Turnbull Hutton suggests the SFL clubs send their mascots to vote on the proposal for Sevco to enter SFL1.

9 July 2012: The SFA refuse international clearance for players who decided to leave Rangers (IA) when the assets were sold, as were their rights under the TUPE laws.  This decision has yet to be explained, and is contrary to legal advice.Meanwhile, Sevco director Imran Ahmad, when asked what he felt was the exit price to sell Rangers/Sevco was, replied:

“On a bad day the club is worth £50m.”

Of course, they had just bought the club for just£ 5.5m, and still had no league place for the forthcoming season.

13 July 2012:  Expiry of deadline for submission of report on Duff &Phelps conflict of interest.  News suggests that Lord Hodge is on holiday.

13 July 2012: Sevco Scotland are allowed to start life in the 3rd division, subject to gaining an SFA licence, after SFL clubs vote to reject the proposal to allow Sevco Scotland into the 1st division.   There is no sign of Armageddon.

15 July 2012: FIFA write to the SFA asking for reasons why former Rangers IA players are having their registration transfer blocked.  The players claim they are free agents and have rejected the TUPE arrangements with Green’s new club.  As of August Allan McGregor’s move to Turkey is still on hold as they wait on international clearance.  .

24 July 2012: Ian Black signs a 3-year deal with Sevco Scotland.  It is unclear how he is registered or who he is contracted to.

 27 July 2012:  At 9pm, just 48 hours before the first scheduled match for Sevco Scotland the SFA grant an unheard of ‘conditional’ membership to Sevco Scotland.  It is reported that Sevco Scotland have agreed to a 12 month transfer embargo, starting on the 1 September 2012.  They also agree to pay all football debts of Rangers (IA).

Sevco, playing in strips of Rangers (IA) defeat Brechin City in extra time to record their first ever victory.  Ian Black plays as a trialist, despite signing a contract with Sevco Scotland earlier in the week.  It is further unclear whether players are registered to Rangers IA or Sevco Scotland, and if the former, how?

31 July 2012: At an EGM of Rangers FC PLC (IA) the directors change the company name to Rangers 2012 (IA).  At the same time Sevco Scotland pass a resolution to change their name to ‘The Rangers FC Ltd’.  Companies house data shows that Charles Green owns more than 10% of The Rangers FC Ltd, despite his claims that no one person would own more than this.  No one from the MSM thinks to ask this question.

3 August 2012:  The Rangers FC Ltd are granted full SFA membership, after having the membership of Rangers 2012 (IA) transferred to them.  Under what rules this was possible is not clear

ESPN follow SKY in agreeing a new deal with the SPL for TV rights.  No sign of Armageddon yet.

15 August 2012: Dundee Utd in a short statement reveal that they have not been paid by Sevco/TRFC for the unpaid debt relating to last season’s Scottish Cup with Rangers (IA).  Despite an agreement with the SFA to pay these debts, Charles Green blames the SPL for going back on an agreement made in May to pay this out of money owed to Rangers (IA).  It is unclear how the ‘conditional’ membership works if the ‘conditions’ have not been met. STV further report that SPL clubs still do not know how much TV cash they are going to get from the new SPL SKY deal.  The SPL make no comment.

17 August 2012: Lord Nimmo Smith is appointed to chair an independent commission into Rangers (IA) making undeclared payments to players from 2001 onwards.  They are unlikely to sit before October.

22 August 2012: ‘The Rangers’ announce they have signed a joint venture with Sports Direct for the merchandising rights.  Companies House shows that the new company, ‘Rangers Retail’, is owned 100% by SportsDirect.com

23 August 2012: There is still no word on who are the investors in Sevco Scotland.  The SFA have not released any details to explain how Green passed the fit and proper person test.  No details of proof that Sevco Scotland has the finances to last the season.  The question of where are Ticketus is silent. Lord Hodge has still not returned his findings on a conflict of interest in the appointment of Duff &Phelps  The FTT result is still awaited, just like BDO await the liquidation of Rangers 2012 PLC.  Meanwhile, Stewart Regan resurfaces to announce details of league reorganisation in time for next season, reducing Scotland to 3 leagues from 4.

Oh… and there is still no signs of Armageddon.

“StevensanPH is an exiled St.Johnstone fan living in the Philippines – he runs the SaintinAsia blog writing about all aspects of Scottish Football.  Thankfully the MSM don’t sell papers in the Philippines…”