Questions for Mr McCoist and Mr Smith

Such has been the role of the Scottish press in the Glasgow Rangers fiasco that someone in Pyongyang will be as knowledgeable about their self-inflicted “bankruptcy” as a great many Rangers supporters. At least the North Korean would have the advantage of not being misinformed, or should I say disinformed, by “sports writers” – particularly in a certain Glasgow tabloid. There is a line that has long been crossed into blatant pandering. In the current situation there is a real danger in whipping up thuggery. Are the writers in the Daily Record so dependent on their succulent lamb that they will risk complicity in putting public order at risk?
I emigrated in 1988. I miss many things about Scotland – but certainly not the sectarianism that still infects a portion of Scottish society. If anyone in Scotland reads this and doubts me, then I’ll tell you where I am originally from – a place roughly equidistant between Larkhall, Lesmahagow and Carluke; the “Orange groves” of Lanarkshire.
For the press to begin redeeming itself, and in the interests of transparency, I would welcome any journalist asking Mr McCoist, Mr Smith, etc. the following questions: “Did you have an EBT?” “For how long?” “How much money was involved?” “If the HMRC FTT finds against Rangers, will you publicly commit to repay these funds?”  If they cannot answer these questions and would rather risk incitement then that itself speaks volumes.   We shall see whether or not they really do “walking away”. I am not holding my breath.

It wisnae me! I didnae ken! A big boy did it and ran away!

I am scunnered. Not with Glasgow Rangers but with the Scottish press.

Rangers have had years of financial mismanagement and tax avoidance that has come back to haunt them. Yet the Scottish press, certainly from what I read online, seems only too keen to dump the blame on one man. That this man – Craig Whyte – was only in charge since 2011 seems to be irrelevant. But the roots of Rangers dire financial situation go back into the 1990s. But to read the nonsense spouted in the likes of the “Daily Record” and even “The Herald” you’d be left thinking, “Jings, crivens help ma Boab! A big boy did it and ran away!!!!!”. Infantile stuff. Rangers problems stem more from actions predating Mr Whyte’s involvement in the club. Maybe if the “succulent lamb” types in the likes of the “Daily Record” had actually been real journalists rather than “sports writers” then Rangers might not be staring the very real prospect of liquidation in the face. Indeed, if anyone is complicit in this mess it is the “succulent lamb” brigade – if they had reported the truth this whole mess could have been avoided. But they are playing along with the whole, “I didnae ken! It wisnae me!” charade. Not at all unlike the banking collapse, “Too big to fail”, a compliant/complicit press and the risk of moral hazard.

So why am I scunnered? Not with Rangers. For them I am just sad. Really. This is a horrible mess and I don’t do “schadenfreude”. I am scunnered with the Scottish press, and “The Herald” in particular – but only because I have such low expectations from everyone else – especially the tripe from the “Daily Record”. My comments to “Herald” articles get stuck in moderation and are never approved. I never use profanity. I never even use phrases like “succulent lamb”. All I point out is the grotesque level of financial mismanagement that go back into the 1990s and how Rangers burned through cash. How if their FTT appeal to the HMRC EBT ruling fails then liquidation is inevitable. How creditors are getting shafted. How the administrators seem keener to get Rangers to the end of the season than actually act to bring resolution. How the SFA sanctions were trivial by comparison to Rangers own self-inflicted problems. How UEFA could take a flamethrower to our game, and may well do so regardless – and who could blame them? The moral hazard of deals being cut. And lastly how pathetic the press in Scotland has been in covering Rangers. Why no questions to key individuals about their EBTs? Is this a condition of interviews being granted?

Whether or not Rangers survive, in whatever form, the Scottish game will badly suffer. I support Kilmarnock and the likelihood that I will set foot into Rugby Park again will be sorely diminished if it is blatantly obvious that our game is rigged. And I’d want UEFA to step in. If Rangers cannot continue as anything other than a “newco” or fold completely a lot less money will come into the game. Kilmarnock and other teams could well end-up folding, too. But if that’s what has to happen to restore integrity then it has to happen. Scottish football will never be the same again.