By Tony Attwood
I keep coming back to the Rangers issue for one simple reason: I think we are seeing unfolding in Scotland something that could change the very fabric of football across the world.
And because I think there is a growing chance that Rangers will adopt a solution that Royal Arsenal FC adopted over 100 years ago.
But there’s more because what is happening in Scotland could well happen in England and elsewhere. My feeling is that Rangers are not the only club to be involved in corrupt practices in terms of payment of players and managers, and of tax evasion. If Rangers do find a way out of the mess then the route they follow could well be the route that will be followed by others – and that could change the very fabric of football.
So, to the latest – and the link that I now find with Royal Arsenal FC.
At present Rangers have no league to play in. The SPL clubs are about to reject them, and there is talk of them flying straight into the top division of the Scottish League. But not everyone is happy with this, and others talk of them going into the Third Division. There was a bizarre story of Rangers trying to buy Bury FC and so pilot themselves into the English league system.
But now there is serious talk that no league will have them, and they will be forced to play friendlies only.
The problem for Rangers is that there are many enquiries yet to happen, and some of these won’t happen until Rangers are in a League. And without being in a League Rangers are quite probably outside of the effective control of the Scottish Football Association – who still have punishments to hand down after Rangers took them to court.
(The court found in Rangers favour, but just said that the SFA had to find other punishments rather than the “no signing of players for a year” punishment. The options are suspension or expulsion from Scottish football or a ban from entering the Scottish Cup. Or both. Or a fine. Or all of them.)
And this is where I turn back to the Royal Arsenal scenario. When Royal Arsenal announced that it was going to be a professional club in 1891 the Kent FA and the London FA held meetings at which the clubs that were members were asked to vote on a motion to the effect that no member clubs should be allowed to play Royal Arsenal FC.
Had that been passed it would have made life difficult for Royal Arsenal, who would have had only FA Cup matches, and games against the league clubs – all of whom were in the north and midlands.
But the result of the meeting was a flop for the FAs since the votes were lost, and Arsenal continued for two more seasons playing friendlies against local teams.
The reason that the vote was lost is simple: the other clubs in Kent and London loved playing Royal Arsenal for Royal Arsenal were the biggest crowd puller all season. So the friendlies went on – along with all sorts of regional cups, which have been long since forgotten, but which were of significance at the time.
Meanwhile Arsenal looked for ways out of the issue – and started to set up a Southern League. This was on the verge of getting going when the Football League admitted Royal Arsenal – who then changed their name to Woolwich Arsenal FC and joined division 2.
Rangers has different problems from those that faced Royal Arsenal, and I’ll deal with those below – but its prime issue is the same as Arsenal faced in 1891. Who do we play?
Rangers latest problem however is a player problem. It has threatened all players who were registered with the now defunct old Rangers that if they try and sign for someone else, they will be sued. But on Sunday last Steven Naismith and Steven Whittaker (two prized players) said they would not play for the new Rangers, and were thus free agents. Allan McGregor, Steven Davis, Kyle Lafferty and Jamie Ness have joined in after declining to transfer their contracts to the new club.
Rhys McCabe and Sone Aluko have also said much the same. And you can see why – because of uncertainty. Which is why Rangers might decide to say, “hang the lot of you – we are playing friendlies next season”. Then at least everyone will know, they’ll be able to sell meaningful season tickets, and they can make arrangements.
What Rangers and some other people really wanted was to be accepted back into the SPL, but then relegated for past misdemeanours. That would have given them one year out of top level football. But division 3? Or applying from outside the league for a place against other clubs who might want to join the league – that all looks to uncertain.
Thus with even the notion that Rangers might get into the league now in doubt a radical opt-out might be in Rangers interest.
Meanwhile the Scottish Premier League has a problem akin to England in 1919 when Arsenal were elected to Division 1. Two places were available in the top league following its expansion. Chelsea got one, because they were only relegated due to match fixing by Liverpool and Man U. The issue was, should Liverpool and Man U be kicked out of the league – and who should get the one extra place (or indeed 3 places if Liverpool and Man U were indeed kicked out).
As we all know, Arsenal got that space. In Scotland Dundee who were runners up in last year’s first division and Dunfermline who were relegated in May are both in the bidding war. Their problem is that unlike England in 1919, there is no precedent in Scotland so no one quite knows. All we know is that the SPL have lost Rangers and gained Ross County.
By now you might be thinking: enough – surely there is no more.
Well…. The Crown Office has instructed Strathclyde police to undertake a criminal investigation into the way Rangers were acquired last year. The Procurator Fiscal for the West of Scotland will now work to “fully investigate” the acquisition and financial management of Rangers Football Club and any related reports of “alleged criminality” during that process.
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Are we not due to play them in the three sided pre-season tournament at Southampton, each game being over 45 minutes? If this goes ahead will there be any likely sanctions imposed on us or Southampton?
If you’re talking about the Markus Liebherr Memorial Cup, Rangers have been uninvited and replaced with Anderlecht.
If Rangers do end up outside the league system come August, who exactly is going to play them in this hypothetical season of friendlies, other than reserve teams, lower and non-league sides, and maybe four or five outings against Linfield? I don’t think many, if any, of the top rank teams are going to have spaces in their schedules for such matches.
That model of playing ‘on tour’ does not look a too attractive proposition for the players does it. Older player have families, younger players have careers, which both have to consider. What scout is going to take much notice of ‘friendly matches’?
I feel sorry for the players who haven’t ‘knowingly’ gone along with tax evasion, or worse, but Division 3 seems the only ‘fair’ way of a new club entering the league structure. The current owners have created a new club to avoid responsibilities that migh arise from the old one. This is the price they pay.
They will generate a lot of income for the lower league clubs if they manage to gain successive promotions along the way. Celtic are the biggest financial losers to their exit. It would be nice if they could sue the guilty parties for their loss?
Like i said, apart from the players and other staff, I have little sympathy for their plight.
Sorry for being a off topic but UEFA have refused Spain’s request of a minutes silence for Miki Roque. It’s a disgrace, UEFA and FIFA are just disgraceful. So many reasons we have now, as to why FIFA and UEFA are bent!
Everyday Uefa gives you a new reason to hate them….
Just been made aware of this:
https://www.box.com/shared/a653a4fec315a44c7a2d
It looks like Arsenal were owed £438,000 by Rangers. Arsenal voted to accept the Voluntary Arrangement proposed by the administrators.
Anyone know what this money was for?
‘I feel sorry for the players who haven’t
‘knowingly’ gone along with tax evasion, or
worse, but Division 3 seems the only ‘fair’ way
of a new club entering the league structure.
The current owners have created a new club to
avoid responsibilities that migh arise from the
old one. This is the price they pay’. If this is a new club what becomes of their history trophy- wise?
Andy, the salary for Kyle Bartley! Whyte in September 2011 made sure that all payments were approved by – himself!
The Bartley salary would have gone through the Arsenal Payroll.
As for Rangers, the stadium (Ibrox) and training ground (Murray Park) now belong to the Green company. Duff & Phelp(less) have to some extent, made an unholy mess of the administration. From the viewpoint of the creditors, the worst scenario!
Back to Glasgow Rangers, Govan Rangers – take your pick!
@Gerry Lennon,
Your mention of the financial loss being incurred by Celtic is interesting. It only goes to emphasise the knock-on effect when a big business outfit like Rangers turns to crime
(or some of its administrators, rather than the Club itself).
I feel sorry for the world-wide fans and especially those in Glasgow whose religious beliefs are so connected to the Club.
We Gooners have little idea of a football mad city like Glasgow so fiercely divided on those grounds.
A solution will have to be found but the ramifications are so enormous and far reaching that one wonders where they will end. It may well be that, eventually, the Scottish Parliament will have to take action to resurrect a suitable rival to Celtic in order to keep the peace in Glasgow.
@Notoverthehill
Hmm, I can’t see Bartley being on that much – assume that £438,000 is for the 10 months from August 2011 to May 2012. That would work out at £10,000 per week. I don’t think he would be on that much.
If it includes the 4 months that he was on loan at the start of 2011 then that be about £7,200 per week. Still a lot for a player with his experience.
Andy – there might be a loan fee involved there too, so once you strip that out the weekly wage figures would be a little more reasonable.
Andy, Phil is part correct.
Expenses, travel, hotel etc. Expenses of course have to have HMRC approval!
Cannot help feeling sorry for the players….and the fans
@ Tony,
Slightly tenuous link but i thought you might be interested http://myonlycardiff.com/2012/06/27/cardiff-city-season-ticket-refund-meeting-270612/
There but by the grace of God….
I think i meant grievously tenuous link!