"If Politicians Keep Out of Football, Celtic Fans Will Keep Out of Politic's"

[Joe O'Rourke]

[COLOR=#000000:a24a4356]The most recent experience we have of Politicians meddling in football matters resulted in the basically flawed “Offensive behaviour at Football, and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill; through that interference we have seen football supporters being dragged through the courts for doing nothing more than sing.[COLOR=#000000:a24a4356]Now we have Sports Minister Shona Robison stating “We want agreement that will protect jobs… Rangers are a crucial part of our national game” how many jobs could have been created; or protected if they had paid their tax bill? In the last nine months alone; they have failed to pay £9m pounds in PAYE and VAT.[COLOR=#000000:a24a4356]Labours spokesperson on sport Patricia Ferguson MSP joined in by saying “Rangers are one of the oldest football clubs in Scotland and it would be a sad day for Scottish football if, after more than 130 years, the club was to be wound up. We must not forget there are a lot of jobs at stake and this must be a deeply worrying time for all those employed at Rangers Football Club”[COLOR=#000000:a24a4356]Forgive me for saying this but, was the whole fiasco not caused by consecutive Rangers Boards of Directors operating in a manner that gave them an advantage over every other team in Scotland; they never gave a second thought to the people they employed on a daily basis; their only concern was continuing to lord it over the rest of Scottish football; and Celtic in particular; winning trophies was their aim; not paying taxes.[COLOR=#000000:a24a4356]I’m not really sure why the politicians are getting involved; is it because we have elections coming up? Are they vying for the Rangers fans votes? Maybe they better remember; the Celtic fans; and more importantly; all the football fans in Scotland are voters too.[COLOR=#000000:a24a4356]What would happen if all the employers in Scotland decided to pay their employees through EBT’s; therefore saving on paying the taxes? Or what would happen if all the shop stewards in Scottish industry tell their management; we’ll except your pay freeze providing you pay us through EBT’S? Where would the Government then raise the funds for services like education and health care? Maybe they could raise the funds through cutting back on their own expenses.[COLOR=#000000:a24a4356]I believe that politicians should stay away from football matters unless completely necessary. I have a mate who owns a hotel, a guy who had had a few asked him for a lift home one day, my mate told him, I have a deal with the local taxi firm, I don’t drive my customers home, and they don’t sell them alcohol. [COLOR=#000000:a24a4356]I would ask all Celtic fans to contact their MSP’S; tell them that you expect them to treat this matter honestly and fairly; as you would expect them to treat any other business which found itself in trouble because of the way in which it had traded; and tell them also; that the way you vote in the next elections will be influenced by how your MSP has performed his duties.[COLOR=#000000:a24a4356]I think in the same way; the people who govern Scottish Football; and the people who run the clubs within it; also have an obligation to act in a manner which if honest and fair; if clubs break the rules; or operate unfairly; then they must be treated and punished appropriately; I think the Celtic fans have had enough of the tail wagging the dog[/COLOR:a24a4356]

[Kiwibhoy]

[I:5e03e3cf]... [/I:5e03e3cf][COLOR=#000000:5e03e3cf][I:5e03e3cf]was the whole fiasco not caused by consecutive Rangers Boards of Directors operating in a manner that gave them an advantage over every other team in Scotland; they never gave a second thought to the people they employed on a daily basis; their only concern was continuing to lord it over the rest of Scottish football; and Celtic in particular; winning trophies was their aim; not paying taxes.[/I:5e03e3cf]

May I suggest that winning trophies was only a means to an end, that of running a profitable business. Dermot Desmond could have borrowed heavily to have put together a squad which would have won the league in the last few years, and everything else going; and this was more or less the strategy followed at Rangers. For sound business reasons, Dermot chose not to. The wisdom of that approach is now strikingly apparent, I think! The other thing is that Rangers are hardly the only club in the UK offside with HMRC because of its tax arrangements. [/COLOR:5e03e3cf]

[Guest]

Not once or twice is there a question over Rangers paying their due taxes but it seems to be on a continual basis. Rangers seem to believe that they don't have to pay Taxes.

Clearly the best outcome for the HMRC in order to ensure that the public purse recovers the tax money owe is to allow Rangers to continue trading and to pay at least half of all income straight to the HMRC until such time as ALL Back Taxes and interest on them is paid.

This will see the taxes repaid, other debts (to Hearts and the like) also repaid by them out of the other half of any income and allows for them to be punished and used a deterant for any other club that does not pay their tax dues.

Craig Whyte knew there was an ongoing tax issue with Rangers and he collected the PAYE from staff and if it wasn't paid to the HMRC that is not just tax evasion it is theft and he should charged as such.

[Guest]

Hi, enjoyable reading but - sorry to be a pedant - can you PLEASE remove the apostrophe from the word "politics" in your headline, it is not necessary and it does my 'Berwick upon Tweed' right in. I will be forced to call the apostrophe police if you don't :-)

[Kiwibhoy]

Also, this BBC article provides some useful historical background:

[URL:63192922]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-14880473[/URL:63192922]

The problems can be traced right back to the 1990s, and a period when Celtic itself came within minutes of collapse.

[hen1rik]

Joe how much of a laughing stock are this government, we are advised to keep politics out of football but now they're interfering in football.

Double Standards or wit.

[tyrebhoy]

When the 1st Mininster states they have history (what 1 ) they must be kept what about the law they passed about singing is this only 1 sided,
how can you support them and followers they do;nt pay taxes,
there followers do;nt pay police for there orange soon to be SPONSERED walks,
forgot 1 scotland 1 nation dependant on religion
Joe stick it into them it hurts me when some ex players say they remember when we were in same position, there wrong it was a bank that wanted to close us down, not the goverments taxman

[Guest]

Joe we have heard much recently of the need to keep Rangers in the SPL as Sky would be contractually entitled to tear up the new television contract if they were not part of the SPL. Although Neil Doncaster has made much of this he did not specify what the contract actually says. Are you able through your contact with Celtic to shed any light on this. It is obvious to me that this will be an important strand in the debate that will take place on re-admitting Rangers to the SPL once the inevitable happens and a winding up order is issued. To my mind even if this clause was as the media portray it I believe a decision for immediate re-admitance would be a coruupt course of action. If, on the other hand, it said something different then the whole tenor of the debate changes Could I also ask if Sky have been asked how they would feel about being implicated in this corrupt process. While I am in no doubt they would want to include Rangers in their package I cannot imagine they are entirely happy at being cited as the major factor for taking a decision that is morally wrong.

Regards

Andycol