HMRC and Rangers

HMRC have refused to accept the prospective new Rangers owner Charles Green's offer of a CVA. This now means that Rangers will be formed as a new company and the other SPL clubs will have to vote on whether Rangers will be allowed to carry on in the SPL, or to join the Scottish Football League in Division 3.

It looks as though this decision will allow HMRC and Ticketus to persue their money from former owner Craig White. And there is also another HMRC case pending which could mean a much larger tax bill, and therefore the 9p in the £ offered currently, would mean hardly anything for the creditors.

Apparently some SPL club's supporters have already expressed that they believe Rangers should start again in Division 3, I wonder why?, but this will be cutting off their nose to spite their face because of the revenue they will lose out of not having the games with Rangers each season, or for a 4 year period anyway, as Rangers will walk the Leagues until they get back to the SPL, and then they would have the biggest chip on their shoulder against the clubs who voted against their return to the SPL next season.

Would the SPL clubs vote against Rangers?

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GJ,

I think that the vote to re-start Rangers in Div 3 will be a close one. Neither of the Old Firm are over popular with other clubs, but with Rangers out of the way then TV money etc will be re-voted on and things distributed more fairly. Not sure they'll walk the leagues, but at least the lower clubs will have increased income for the time spent in the basement area. HMRC are now on the trail of defaulters so look out the English Clubs as well, in all divisions.

Not before time in my opinion.

Merv Plummer (long time Celtic follower).

It doesn't really come as much of a surprise to be honest. HMRC have been waiting to claim a scalp for ages and with the football creditors ruling going against them they have taken their opportunity. Let's be fair, Rangers aint just any club and gives HMRC the chance to show their intent on how they are going to get to grips with football clubs saying feck you and feck your tax bill. Yes I do think they be voted out of the SPL as it gets rid of major compitition but I also agree that they wont be down for long. You have to feel for the fans, just another club screwed by moneymen.

It's amazing that Craig White was ever allowed to run the club in the first place. You think some of our owners have been dodgy? This guy makes the Pasoti mods look trustworthy!

The big thing in rangers favour is guaranteed income from huge attendances. If they are voted out of the SPL, now would be an ideal time to try and join the English league. League 2 here or Division 3 in Scotland? Couple of promotions and the tv money would be massive compared to the SPL deal, which without Rangers would be cut considerably.

They would still have 40k gates every week and huge away support which be a huge boost to clubs like us.

Taken from comments in the Daily Record: From a Rangers supporter obviously:

Celtic are you listening "this means the end of the Celtic/Rangers stranglehold within the SPL, the other clubs will now vote in a 50/50 split on gate money home & away including SEASON TICKET SALES plus there will be an even split for all clubs of any TV money." This will cost Celtic circa £15 million a year I guess every cloud has a silver lining.

I don't think RFC will be allowed into the English League. They wouldn't want the sectarian bile!! The only thing which may keep them in the SPL is the TV deal. However, now the other clubs have the power to sort out the democracy question for the SPL. Fingers crossed on that one -it should be sorted.

Merv Plummer

I hope they vote to put them down to Div 3.

Then again, it's difficult to care one way or another about Third World Football.

Czarcasm wrote:

I hope they vote to put them down to Div 3.

Then again, it's difficult to care one way or another about Third World Football.

I can't actually argue with you on that.

The Scottish League have to be very carefull, if they allow a reformed rangers into the SPL whatever the vote. Remember Livingston, Administration, lost points and then went into financial meltdown after relagation, im sure they will have a big say in this.

I agree money talks, but i dont believe a reformed club should be allowed to start in the top division, thats just wrong. They should have to work thier way up the league's just like anyone else.

But we'll see.

125+1 wrote:

The Scottish League have to be very carefull, if they allow a reformed rangers into the SPL whatever the vote. Remember Livingston, Administration, lost points and then went into financial meltdown after relagation, im sure they will have a big say in this.

I agree money talks, but i dont believe a reformed club should be allowed to start in the top division, thats just wrong. They should have to work thier way up the league's just like anyone else.

But we'll see.

That's why I think Rangers could try and take advantage of this and sound out the Football League about joining. It's been discussed for a few years now, the possibility of both Celtic and Rangers joining the Football League, and a guaranteed 40-45k for every home Rangers match, and a huge rise in gates when they are away, would be tempting, and might be worth facing the wrath of the side who miss out on promotion from the BSP.

It's such a hard decision for the SPL and whatever happens, someone isn't going to be happy.

Wasn't this the reason Ridsdale made sure that most of Argyle's tax bill was paid - so that HMRC were not a major creditor and therefore couldn't block the CVA?

Can you imagine clubs like Berwick and stenhousemuir having to deal wih hordes of knuckle dragging Rangers fans every other week? It would be a total nightmare, most of the grounds at division 3 level a pretty basic and they just wouldn't cope, plus the policing costs which would outweigh much of the money made on the gates. Overall it would be far better for Rangers to be allowed to start again in The SPL

Bogsider wrote:

Can you imagine clubs like Berwick and stenhousemuir having to deal wih hordes of knuckle dragging Rangers fans every other week? It would be a total nightmare, most of the grounds at division 3 level a pretty basic and they just wouldn't cope, plus the policing costs which would outweigh much of the money made on the gates. Overall it would be far better for Rangers to be allowed to start again in The SPL

Good point Bogsider. Half the SPL clubs have more Rangers or Celtic fans there for home games. Not sure a piece of taught rope around the outside of the pitch would constitute adequate crowd control

Why do people persist with this idea that either of them scum ridden sweaty jerk offs 'the old firm' could ever play in England, we simply couldn't stand the stench South of the Wall.

The Gers will be reinstated into the SPL, it is a total bore fest with them in it, without what little competition exists now it would die on its feet, not that it isn't half dead already.

A third rate League in a third world country, it's a shame we don't get the vote cos independence would be guaranteed.

Purely and simply money LT. The Premier League want an additional game played out in the far east to attract the Billions living there, so this will probably happen soon. Once the big guns vote for it, because they will sell a few million more replica shirts, then Fulham or Wigan won't be able to resist the extra bucks promised, just to play a league match in Thailand or wherever.

It already happens in the rugby Premiership, with a game or two played in Dubai, and in Rugby League they have the whole weekend fixtures played in the same place, has been in Scotland, like a travelling roadshow.

Who do you think the football decision makers would rather have playing every week? Rangers bringing in 45,000 paying punters, or Barnet bringing in less than 2,000? Common sense or tradition is never as strong an argument as cold hard cash.

I think I heard the season before last that one PL club had to wait til around February before playing their first 3PM Saturday kick-off of the season that starts in August. And this years FA Cup Final kicked off at 5.45PM, hardly fair on Liverpool fans having to catch trains home that night.

It might not happen for a while, but it will happen, and Celtic and Rangers wouldn't give a stuff about the rest of the SPL. I reckon it would be good for the SPL too, less TV money to pay for cheap foreign players might mean nurturing some young Scottish talent instead.

There's no way the SPL clubs will ever vote Rangers out.

Sky are threatening to pull out of their deal with the SPL if Rangers, who have gone into liquidation and formed as a new company, are thrown out of the SPL. No Sky money means curtains for most other SPL clubs. Expect the SPL clubs chairmen to vote overwhelmingly in favour of the new Rangers remaining in the SPL.

Money talks, but it don't sing and dance and it don't walk.

Rangers won't be allowed to join the English leagues as I'm sure UEFA would stop it- the SPL is dire as it is, removing Rangers will make it an even worse league.

Aviva would also complain as they'd have to re-shoot the advert as it will be a 'long ole poke' for Big Dave and co from Plymouth to Glasgow.

Celtic supporters clubs are now threatening to boycott any clubs who vote to allow Newco Rangers to rejoin the SPL. Their argument is that Rangers cheated for years by paying inflated wages, effectively buying the silverware they won. They say that if Newco Rangers are allowed back into the SPL, they will anger 11 other sets of fans compared to one set if they make them start in the Third Division.

There are plenty of other clubs fans who feel the same way and are saying they will not attend matches against Newco Rangers.

It's a right conundrum now for the authorities and chairmen of the SPL clubs, and will be interesting to see what the outcome is.

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I love the comment below the article:

Would Celtic fans expect a reduction in season ticket prices without Rangers in the spl???...Speaking as a Rangers fan , i know that the best thing about buying a season ticket is knowing the you are gauranteed a ticket for the 2 games against Celtic...The rest of the games are pretty pointless and just an excuse to get away from the misses for a few hours on a Saturday..

Made I laugh

Like buying silverware is a novel or new concept in football along with paying inflated wages. I just think the Scottish FA are going to look very silly if they don't make them start afresh from the bottom. We all know it will only be a couple of years before it's business as usual in the SPL but they have to take their medicine like everyone else would have to. Mind you, commonsense and football hardly go hand in hand do they.

I am sure Rupert Murdoch has already told the SPL and SFA exactly what he expects them to do.

Money talks. Rangers and their support bring in ££££s to the other clubs. I can't see Dundee being a big draw for other the other clubs (with the exception of Dundee Utd!) Even then I'd wager Rangers are worth more to Dundee Utd than their neighbors are. I fully expect to see Rangers in the SPL

fridgey wrote:

Money talks. Rangers and their support bring in ££££s to the other clubs. I can't see Dundee being a big draw for other the other clubs (with the exception of Dundee Utd!) Even then I'd wager Rangers are worth more to Dundee Utd than their neighbors are. I fully expect to see Rangers in the SPL

But if Celtic fans boycott games, which of course they won't because they have as many fans outside of Glasgow as they do in it, and these fans are not always able to get to home games, then this puts pressure on the other SPL clubs to vote in favour of relegating the Newco Rangers to the 3rd Division.

It's a tricky one for sure and the TV deal without Rangers could probably be re-negotiated as it is nowhere near as worthwhile with them not in it. That will probably be the overriding factor for the other SPL clubs other than Celtic.

Well that's that. Dundee Utd have confirmed they have voted against Rangers returning in the SPL, so it's a fresh start in Div 3.

There will be many more twists and turns before the season starts, but expect there will be a marked increase in hooliganism now. Either Rangers fans who will take it out on the clubs who voted against them, or some of the smallest grounds in Scotland being ripped to pieces by the travelling masses.

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I am pleased that the right thing has been done at least. Rangers supporters ought to realise that it is right even if they don't like it whether they will is another matter.