It seems the foot soldiers for the null and void campaign in Scottish football are running out of wriggle room. The first league in Scotland to make a decision on their season came today in the Highland town of Lossiemouth.
According to BBC Scotland the Highland League management committee decided to call an end to the season and award the league title to long term league leaders Brora Rangers who lay 13 points clear in the championship race. Now why does that sound familiar?
The BBC reported:
“The Highland League have brought their season to an early end and awarded the title to leaders Brora Rangers.
Scottish football is currently in shutdown until at least April 30 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The lack of action has created problems for a number of clubs, who are seeking clarity over when, or if, the season will be completed.
The Dudgeon Park side – who had six games still to play – are 13 points clear at the top the table.
At a league management committee meeting in Lossiemouth on Saturday, member clubs opted to end the season now and name Brora Rangers as champions.”
Maybe they hadn’t got the memo from the ex-Rangers players who have been set to work in the Scottish media to drive the null and void agenda, or perhaps the Highland League just recognise a common sense approach when they see one.
Alan Hutton – £364,000 in EBT payments – has been speaking to Football Insider about awarding the league title to Celtic should no more football be played this season. Hutton seemed happy to go down the irony route when talking of asterisks beside league titles.
“I don’t think they can. There will always be an asterisk next to it saying ‘Coronavirus’ and everybody will talk about it forever saying you actually didn’t win that one.
In his mind Coranavirus means an asterisk beside a league title, while at the same time having convenient amnesia when it comes to the part he played in EBT doped titles and tax avoidance by way of illegal side letters. Hutton has the cheek to pass judgement on the validity of football league titles, having played his part when financial doping resulted in a clear disadvantage for every other club in the title race. You couldn’t mark him with a blowtorch. Today’s news from Lossiemouth may have Hutton concerned.
Alex Rae – £569,000 EBT – decided to go down the ‘sporting integrity’ route when speaking to Scottish Sun.
“For me the problem is, how can you give someone a title that they haven’t won yet? It questions the integrity of the competition. If you gave Celtic it, does that open up a possible law suit?”
Oh dear Alex. First it’s mythical one mile hurdle races and now it’s talking of sporting integrity, all the while conveniently airbrushing your own part in the biggest episode of corruption in Scottish football history. Looks like Brora Rangers have a league title and have come out with their integrity intact.
Then comes Kris Boyd – £215,000 EBT – When he’s not pricing up the cost of behind closed door season tickets, it appears he’s happy to question the sporting integrity of Hearts decision to ask their players to take wage cuts on the back of the Covid-19 shutdown.
“Given their fairly recent administration, Hearts have an absolute cheek asking staff to take such a savage reduction in their wages.
This is a club who have had a financial meltdown within the last ten years and promised not to make the same mistakes again.
Clearly lessons have not been learned.”
“Instead of watching every penny they spend, they have once again spent well beyond their means. Coronavirus or not, it was only a matter of time before Hearts had the begging bowl out.”
Give it another two or three weeks and let’s see when we see the wage cuts are mirrored at Ibrox, if he’s still talking of living within means and lessons being learned, or whether he even realises his own illegal payments helped bring down and liquidate his old club. And even now the spectre of Administration hangs over his new favourite team.
And the one thing in common these guys all have? While bleating on about the coronavirus the irony of tax avoidance on the public purse and in turn public services seems to have passed them by.
Let’s take Barry Ferguson EBT £ 2.5million-Talking to Daily Record, Ferguson was anxious to point out his preference for null and void was nothing to do with club allegiances:
“I still believe strongly that the season cannot be declared null and void but I also feel that titles have to be won fair and square on the pitch. I realise Celtic fans will be up in arms at the suggestion and they’ll say I’m just looking at this through blue-tinted specs.”
The ex-Rangers captain also had no shame in in playing the health of the nation card.
“I’m sick of hearing now about finding a way to get the games finished because people need to take a look outside their window and take a look at how things are in the big wide world. We’re living through a global nightmare. Thousands upon thousands of people are sick and dying all around the planet. Do you think they give a (toss) about how this might affect 10-in-a-row?”
Imagine just for a moment Barry that you and your three EBT pals had actually paid the tax they avoided, just how much more could have found its way into the NHS and public services?
Less of the mock sympathy please. You were happy to have a few extra shekels in your pocket while nurses and hospitals missed out as a result. What makes you think anyone values your opinion now?
If you really care I’m sure Hector will accept a belated bank transfer. Perhaps you can ask your pals to realign their Karma and chip in too.
All the while genuine sporting integrity has had a precedent set from the North of Scotland. Congratulations Brora Rangers 2019-20 Highland League Champions.
For now Celtic will have to settle for the title of Provisional Premiership Champions. Though a precedent has just been set. And with it a bit of a blow to the null and void foot soldiers.
Niall J
This would never have happened under Jim Traynor’s watch….https://t.co/fZIllCUpp7
— The Celtic Star Editor (@CelticStarMag) March 21, 2020
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