Has common sense prevailed or is the announcement by former Tannadice director Derek Robertson, now chairman of the Arab Trust, a u-turn of self-serving hypocrisy? In the early days, the reaction from clubs like Dundee United to Rangers going into administration was a knee jerk reaction of the worst kind: Dundee United’s Mike Barile, a representative from United Supporters Direct stated in February “No we don’t need Rangers. We only need clubs that pay their taxes.”
But an SPL without Rangers would see Dundee United’s income drop by £1.4 million, 80% from television and SPL revenue. In addition, no home clashes with Rangers would lose the club an estimated £300,000. These figures are a bitter pill to swallow for clubs like Dundee United, whose dislike of Rangers has never been hidden, but swallow it they must.
The question must be asked why these clubs have never budgeted for a life without Rangers or Celtic. Celtic more than any other club have stated that it is their aim to leave the rest of the SPL behind, and find a better solution to their football future. So they cannot say that they were not warned. Just as Rangers knew of the Big Tax Case as early as 2008, yet never budgeted. What Rangers are experiencing today is for many of the other clubs their tomorrow.
The conflict for clubs like Dundee United is that without Rangers the Scottish game is a bogey. The Arab Trust statement proves this. The Trust has also stated that it has sympathy with the fans who want to see sporting integrity continue, and the clubs need to balance the books. I think we can guess which one will prevail. Money is the key that opens any door, and the door to the SPL will stay open to Rangers as long as they provide income to the other SPL clubs. These clubs can be bought and no amount of sporting integrity will change that.
The Rangers support is seriously considering a total boycott of all away grounds. History has taught us that boycotts do work and the loss of income will affect clubs to their core. With Rangers out the way, will the fans of these provincial clubs come out in greater numbers and support their teams? Only time will tell. But it seems that the Arab Trust statement does not have much faith in the stay away fans returning to watch the SPL.
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Utter drivel. No one club is bigger than a league. Do the clubs who are relegated survive without Rangers average sized away support and sky money? Yes, they do. This is classic old firm propeganda, we don’t buy it!
Can clubs like Dundee Utd survive if Rangers continue to walk away from PAYE, VAT, NIC, transfer fees, attendance fees, etc, etc, etc.
Rangers should accept their punishment and die with some dignity still intact. Liquidate, Relegate, Reallocate.
You Huns talk push it’s your fault
As a football fan it is a shame for any fan to sse their club going through what rangers is going through. Rangers have been found guilty of a few offences and so far have been punished in line with the code that applies.
However, things move to another level if either or both come to pass – 1 They are found guilty of financial doping 2 They conclude a CVA and in effect cheat the taxpayer (of which I am one) of a substantial sum – including or excluding the big tax case.
Their fans have then to acknowledge that what their club will have done is completely unacceptable.
So to the future, what is to be done? In my opinion they have to be kicked out of the league (if the above comes to pass). Given their fan base it will not take them too long to work their way back to the SPL.
The other clubs will then have to budget to survive without them. Remember they and celtic are trying all they can to get into the epl.
Financially the other SPL clubs will suffer, but the SFL clubs will gain.
I am not anti-rangers (I am not keen on any club other than my own) and I have seen my club lose out in a massive way from wrongdoing when we lost to a bunch cheating corrupt dirty i-ties in 1984. It hurt then and hurts even more now. We must have some integrity in the game!
No fan of Rangers –
However unless your fans ‘walk the walk’ and stop ‘talking the talk’ then the Gers will continue to walk all over you.
I see them marching and demanding (as much as I hate the scum)
However your fans do not even turn up to the games – go figure !!!
Either muster your fans and protest – or quit bleating like succulent lamb …
How is it worked out that Dundee United don’t like Rangers? I really don’t understand this statement!
The last time I checked, Rangers and Dundee United were in the same competitions…would it not be a bit strange if united came out and said ” we really like Rangers!”
Maybe this statement just assumes that dundee united dislike rangers because we sold our players to teams offering more money (if a player wanted to play for Rangers, then I’m pretty sure he would have signed for Rangers!) and because we have beaten them in cups and league games?
All the teams in the SPL will suffer financially but the integrity of the game is whats important…if that mean my club has to go into admin…then so be it.
The SPL and SFA have done nothing for the other member teams and is too heavily involved with the Old Firm. The games a bogey…and Scottish football is dead…the wee teams have been saying it for years but no-one listened until it was too late. We were top heavy with the rich getting richer and the rest left to fight over the scraps.
over the years rangers and celtic have never been slow to tell anyone that would listen how much they would like to join the english premiership, i say let them if they would have them, then teams like united can cut there clothe to suit and the spl should also move to summer football which would help with a tv deal and i also believe produce better football