SPL don't have power to issue penalties if newco gets into top flight May 6 2012 by Gordon Waddell, Sunday Mail THE SPL won’t be allowed to hit Rangers with any punishment if they vote to allow their newco back into the league. (any chance of a source?) Preferred bidder Bill Miller has not yet applied to have the share Gers own in the SPL transferred across from their stricken plc to the incubator club he has vowed to create. However, MailSport understands (hmm, Mailsport "understands do they? Any word on that source by the way?)that when he does, the SPL have been given strong legal advice (by whom?)they cannot attach conditions to a “yes” vote. A top QC (so "Top" is this QC that they don't even know his name or who paid for this top QC) has been drafted in to examine the league’s articles as they stand. And his belief (belief?)is that the only options available to them if a transfer of share is requested are “yes” or “no”. That means they’d not have the discretionary power to grant the transfer while hitting Rangers with a sanction like a points deduction or a cash penalty as a punitive measure. It could result in Rangers going back into the SPL in August on an even keel and that would spark outrage amongst fans of other clubs, who have pledged boycotts if Rangers go unpunished. But it’s believed (there's that word again) the only conditions which can be applied under SPL articles as they stand are that Gers settle all football debt with other SPL clubs and agree to abide by the verdict of the ongoing probe into the club’s use of EBTs. The 12 clubs meet tomorrow to vote on Financial Fair Play regulations which were delayed last week. If passed, they could yet provide the mechanism to sanction Rangers, with the proposals aimed at punishing newco clubs by deducting 10 points at the start of two consecutive seasons, with 75 per cent of SPL revenue also held back for three years. If approved, these plans will be in place by the end of the season. However, sources within the SPL hierarchy have cast serious doubt on their chances of getting through. The financial punishment is believed to be the biggest fear for clubs who reckon that, while the Old Firm could cope with that level of loss based on their overall turnover, no other team would survive it. The other item scheduled for a vote is scrapping the 11-1 voting structure but Rangers and Celtic are both against this idea so change is unlikely. The subject of a newco Rangers isn’t formally on the agenda – but it’s understood (a variant on "Believed")it WILL be discussed. And Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston yesterday admitted finance could come before sporting integrity. He said: “SPL members see the commercial benefits of having Rangers, even as a newco. The clubs are mindful of a sporting integrity aspect but the commercial benefits may outweigh that.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sunday...if-newco-gets-into-top-flight-86908-23849612/
please log in to view this image UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations Edition 2010. Article 12 states in full:- âArticle 12 â Definition of licence applicant 1 A licence applicant may only be a football club, i.e. a legal entity fully responsible for a football team participating in national and international competitions which either: a) is a registered member of a UEFA member association and/or its affiliated league (hereinafter: registered member); or b) has a contractual relationship with a registered member (hereinafter: football company). 2 The membership and the contractual relationship (if any) must have lasted â at the start of the licence season â for at least three consecutive years. Any alteration to the clubâs legal form or company structure (including, for example, changing its headquarters, name or club colours, or transferring stakeholdings between different clubs) during this period in order to facilitate its qualification on sporting merit and/or its receipt of a licence to the detriment of the integrity of a competition is deemed as an interruption of membership or contractual relationship (if any) within the meaning of this provision.â
Another classic from the record, clyde has stated any punishments are at the discretion of the spl board. They should have asked this top qc what ramifications there is for the spl board allowing a newco rangers in while the old one still exists. I think the spl are leaving themselves opening to legal action here if it goes tits up and a cva aint agreed.
They say Scottish football can't survive without them. I thought that was bollocks. They are right. Only because they are sabotaging it on their way out. This carry on threatens the continued participation of Scottish teams in Yoorup imo .
DA, My thoughts exactly. This has serious implications for football intergrity throughout Europe and will be greeted with great disbelief in Switzerland where the top 4 clubs have been punished by denial of licence. Some thoughts- If Uefa punish the SFA/SPL or both only a handful of clubs will suffer by denial of European football and more so Celtic who are the only real possiblity of progress. Other SPL clubs might look at it as not harming them since they have no chance of prolonged European competition and even if they make it may weigh up the financial benefit of Newco in SPL to be greater. If Newco are allowed unpunished into SPL and SFA and SPL are punished by Europe then this is tantamount to Uefa admitting that the league is corrupt. Could Celtic apply for dispensation to apply to the FA since they are trapped in a corrupt league? Uefa may see it as a very unique situation. Only a thought. The much publicised argument about the Sky/Espn deal(the latter have already said they have no intention of not renwewing the deal), if Newco are not competitive since Miller will not be able to bring in quality players and those who are there will leave, so Newco finish outwith the top 6. How does this affect the contract upon which so many SPL clubs claim they have based their finances?????
We will see then where the SFA's loyalties actually do lie???? Are rangers more important than Scottish football?
I don't see us applying to join the FA even if Rangers do go relatively unpunished out of this fraud. There will be much stroking of chins and tut tutting when/if the SPL agree in principle to allow a Newco straight entry into the SPL. Call me an old cynic but I belive this saga has a lot of twists and turns yet and i've an inkling some huge revelations will explode in the near future. If it looks like an asset stripper it probably is an asset stripper.
