‘Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo‘. (H.G. Wells)
There goes another kidney machine. It appears that former Celtic players Neil Lennon and John Hartson are not as keen on keeping hospitals and schools open as the supporters of the club they represent. Neil Lennon, now the Celtic manager, is being chased for legal costs after losing more than £100,000 in a tax scheme and failing to get his cash back. Experts say the Celtic manager and his fellow investors could face a bill of up to £20 million after a judge threw out their lawsuit.
It seems Lennon put £200,000 into two investment schemes in 2003, when he was earning £30,000 a week at Celtic. It appears he wasn’t alone at Celtic using this tax scheme. Former team mate John Hartson also invested in this scheme which HMRC said was against tax rules. Both ended up losing large sums of money. Both seem inclined to set moral standards for others that they do not hold.
Both Lennon and Hartson have had pops at Rangers over their use of the legal EBTs scheme in recent times and it is this breath-taking hypocrisy which must leave the rest of the SPL clubs who followed Celtic to the edge of oblivion all looking rather foolish. Pay your taxes indeed. Dundee United’s Mike Barile, a representative from United Supporters Direct stated in February “No we don’t need Rangers. We only need clubs who pay their taxes.” How red will his neck be when his team next face Neil Lennon’s team? No new statement from Mike expected anytime soon.
The same silence from the Celtic support over their manager and ex player using tax schemes is also deafening. These fans were the loudest in stating Rangers use of the legal EBT scheme was closing hospitals and schools and Rangers owed every man, woman and child in Scotland twenty pounds.
It must be hugely embarrassing for the Celtic fans that their manger is now linked in with the terms tax scheme, and especially the law firm Collyer Bristow. Collyer Bristow were one of the defendants in the lawsuit after acting as lawyers for one of the investment companies, and are now preparing to try to claim back their costs from the investors. This is the law firm who advised Craig Whyte, the former Rangers owner, on his catastrophic takeover of Rangers, a takeover that is now the subject of a criminal investigation. Collyer Bristow are now pursuing their coach Neil Lennon for costs relating to the tax case. It seems it is easier for Neil Lennon to mouth off about principles than to live up to them.
There indeed goes another kidney machine.
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Life’s so cold in Division 3
What an article, like Ben Johnson bleating that Carl Lewis had taken a paracetamol.
Zzzzzzzzz……………you’re just getting very boring now.
Another sad and desperate article from Cyberted. The admin of this site wil have to change the name soon from ‘This is Futbol’ to ‘This is Nonsense’
On yer bike cyberted.Away and follow your crap team in div 3 LOL. You aint missed.Come in from the darkside and follow a decent SPL team the mighty CELTIC founded in 1888.Not like Newco lol founded 2012.We are open to all non bigoted fans.Remember Glasgow is GREEN@WHITE HH
Foolishly drawn into reading this drivel. Won’t be sucked into entering this site again.
Hurting much down Division 3 way?
It sure highlights how they still want to turn a blind eye to the shafting they all received at the hands of their idols instead, saying the old ‘it wisnae me, a big boy did it and ran away”
While outwardly they all try to show a united front, they are angry alright. they are angry at that old club who used to be called rangers. Remember them anyone?
I think the author of this article has missed the point.
If Lennon, Hartson or anyone else has been illegaly avoiding paying tax then they deserve to be billed for whatever the rules decide is appropriate.
HOWEVER, the issue for Celtic and indeed Lenon regarding any illegal tax manouvers from Rangers is the issue of financial doping from a sporting sense.
Essentially any illegal tax avoidance by Rangers would have had a direct result on the quality of player they were able to attract hence giving them an unfair advantage in sporting terms or if you prefer cheating to gain an advantage.
If Lennon, Hartson or anyone else was breaking the rules with their personal investments then this had no impact on sporting integrity.
There seems to be an appetite among sevco supports to try and implicate everyone else in their old teams issues without really dealing in any like for like substance or fact.
You a joke whoever the writer is! He may have did this but it was not envolved in sports but on a personal level, if that did happen. Now what your dead club did was dreamland cheat it’s way to money and trophies cheating on one of the biggest levels. At least he would deal with it and not just blame others and make up things, funny how you can pick out 2 players and say they are guilty yet your dead club has over 50 ppl not just players and you can’t believe it or ask the simple questions or even acknowledge it. How SAD you’s are! Still filled with all the bad things of your dead club eh
Well done Cyberted ma man. Wish a could dae a peece as guid as you big pal. Nae maiter they two tims did that aff thur ain backs an it wiz nuttin tae dae wi thur bigotted club. Ban them fae fitba sign die the day. Chancers til we die. Or fur a few weeks at least.
@ Big G
Because sporting integrity is more important than kidney machines?
You heard it here first people.
Have you not got the ability to interpret or do you simply choose to twist?
I am think everyone should pay their tax like the next man and stated that Lennon, Hartson or anyone else who may have illegally avoided paying tax should be billed accordingly. This will ensure that Kidneys machines etc can be bought.
I was simply pointing out that from a football sense and indeed Lennons issue with financial doping in a football sense was that it is cheating to gain an advantage.
Sporting integrity and unpaid tax appear related in the case of the now deceased Rangers football club. In the case of Neil Lennon and John Hartson they are unrelated.
A lot of bitter Sevco fans out there me thinks.
In order to use an EBT, Rangers Football Club, 1873-2012, did not declare all their players earnings to the football authorities. This is against the sporting rules of the association. Avoiding tax is one thing, people will debate the rights and wrongs forever, but the rules of the game are not up for debate. Normally, although Sevco have become quite apt in that department.
What Sevco 2012 fans fail to understand (or choose to completely ignore!)is that tax avoidance is completely legitimate and is allowed by law.
Rangers are to be punished by the SFA NOT for trying to avoid tax by using EBT’s, but for failure to report the use of the EBT’s to make payments to players, as under SFA rules ALL payments to players MUST be reported.
Simply put, Rangers made payments to players that they DIDN’T report to the SFA. That’s it in a nutshell — and Rangers don’t dispute that they DID indeed make those payments.
In a completely different matter, HMRC are claiming that the EBT system used by Rangers is illegal. This will be settled in court.
Celtic paid ONE player via an EBT (Juninho), reported it to the SFA, and when told it might be considered illegal, they closed it down and paid all of the taxes due.
Lennon and Hartson, as independent individuals, along with many other people, tried to legitimately avoid paying taxes by participating in a tax-avoidance plan which was MUCH LATER deemed to be illegal. They participated in te plan as individuals rather than as representatives of Celtic FC, and they also weren’t required by SFA rules to report their participation in the plan…..That’s an ENORMOUS difference.
The article completely misses the point. What Lennon and Hartson do with their AFTER-TAX salaries, is their business. Nothing to do with Celtic, nothing to do with Rangers, nothing to do with football. Its not uncommon to try to minimise your taxes on money you invest. In this case it’s likely that Lennon was poorly advised and will have to pay a bill. Hear that teddy bears? pay a bill. I doubt Lennon will plead bankruptcy and reform as The Neil Lennon, as he doesn’t have that “Get out of jail free” card that Sevco played….
Ciderted talking pash as usual !
This article is intended to muddy the waters – making out that ‘others’ are as guilty as ‘them’.
Personal tax issues (amongst wealthy ex-footballers) must be a common HMRC topic.
It of course bears no relation to the tax evasion of a now-defunct footbal club.
p.s.
Rangers no longer exist.
No one would buy them & take respondsibilty for their debts.
Green & Co simply bought the fixed assets of a deceased club via a fire-sale (stadium & training facility).
stad
What a piss poor article
Peterhead away isn’t it? We’re having a kick about with Real Madrid if you’re free at about 19:00 Celtic Park Time. ITV4.
Aye bang on Cyber tit. Did you know also that Celtic don’t stock the stadium cafes with Fairtrade coffee and tea and that a Bovril costs thruppence more than say at Stenhousmuir’s ground?
Oh deary deary me you really are a sad twat.
Are you hoping BBC or Channel 4 might pick up on these henious tax crimes comitted by Celtic Icons and do what they did to Zombies FC 1872-2012 (undead)?
Thanks for a big laugh before I go out tonight with Celtic on the brionk of Chamions League and playing Real Madrid in the USA. Enjoy Peterhead. Good chippy there I can recommend
My god it must hurt to drive to Peterhead and the likes week in week out , The implications are for individuals NOT Celtic Football Club , Sevco 2012 fans will do anything to implicate anyone with the cheating they were involved in , The Sevco fans are so thick and ignorant they just cannot grasp what has happened , All they understand is Rioting , Bigotry and Capitol letters! Cyberted has plenty of time on his hands due to all the travelling up north , Carefull sheepies the Sevco are in town.
What a load of bllx, ISAS ate tax free, if you invest in one, does it make you a tax dodger, fck off, NO, Lennon and Hartson paid tax on their wages and decided to invest on a tax friendly investment, they are legal, I do it for a living, non story, complete bllx