Elephant:No transfer fees paid by Scottish Clubs all summer.

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

With the exception of Accies signing of a Forfar player and Dundee Utd's signing of Michal Szromnik of Arka Gdynia of Poland, both for undisclosed ( clearly minimal if any) fees, not one transfer fee has been paid by a Scottish club all summer. (See link below). They didn't need Rangers, they said. they could thrive without us, they all agreed.

Even Lawwell said his own club didn't need us, and that they were a "stand alone club". I'm sure they are in oh so many ways, but not the way they thought. He now admits they're losing £10m and downsizing by selling players, thus steadily decreasing the likelihood of them qualifying for the sole big financial ticket in Scottish football, that is the Champions' League group stage TV and sponsorship money. Despite the billing the press like to give him, he's not a very good businessman if he didn't see it coming.

In fact, the evasive eleven that voted to expel Rangers also voted to expel their various income streams. The chickens are coming home

to roost. With some poetic justice, Mr Petrie, the man who was so close to the Hibs newco change in 1991 yet campaigned as well as voted to expel us, is now feeling the financial lash-back as a double relegation begins to look a realistic prospect. That Hearts too, the first club to vote against us, have had their own financial woes and been relegated, adds another layer of delicious irony.

So it's clear that they were indeed the turkeys we said they were, voting for Xmas. It was a mistake, and one that has backfired on them . They have all but killed the game.Yet still the same old names who presided over and facilitated this fall from grace for all of Scottish football hold the positions of power. Still the media are silent, with not one journalist having the insight or testicular fortitude to highlight this enormous gaff and call them out. Spare us any more of Stuart Cosgrove waxing lyrical about a renaissance in the national game. We're just not buying it and neither are the sponsors.

When Craig Whyte defrauded us, they demanded that we all show some contrition and humility, and that we should apologise for our sins, even when they were actually his crimes.

Is it not time for them to admit the error of their ways? Should they not be held to account?

The silver lining in this vast horizon of bleak grey clouds is that should we sort ourselves out financially, we don't have far to climb to get back to the top of the tree. It would underline the fall in standards since our unprecedented and unjustified triple relegation.

Nonetheless, there's a thumping great elephant in the room and nobody's talking about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scottish_football_transfers_summer_2014

[AlBear. 8,499]

What elephant Oleg?

[AlBear. 8,499]

.

[rangersross 6,530]

A clear indication of the national game's decline. Frankly, downsizing was inevitable, given the continued dominance of foreign leagues - major markets gaining international broadcast coverage, to the point of monopoly - but, clearly, our relegation from the top league has hastened that process.

Scottish football will have to do its utmost to preserve some semblance of interior, local interest, and the future of the game will depend on vastly improved coaching and development at youth level with the hope of farming our prodigies abroad. Sadly, the days of marquee foreign signings are all but over.

It's unfortunate that Rangers aren't at the forefront of that model. We had a great chance when we started at the bottom to take the lead.

[sandyinroyalblue 16,478]

Sporting integrity 0 Financial reality 1

[Blueshoff 11,750]

A clear indication of the national game's decline. Frankly, downsizing was inevitable, given the continued dominance of foreign leagues - major markets gaining international broadcast coverage, to the point of monopoly - but, clearly, our relegation from the top league has hastened that process.

Scottish football will have to do its utmost to preserve some semblance of interior, local interest, and the future of the game will depend on vastly improved coaching and development at youth level with the hope of farming our prodigies abroad. Sadly, the days of marquee foreign signings are all but over.

It's unfortunate that Rangers aren't at the forefront of that model. We had a great chance when we started at the bottom to take the lead.

A clear indication of the national game's decline. Frankly, downsizing was inevitable, given the continued dominance of foreign leagues - major markets gaining international broadcast coverage, to the point of monopoly - but, clearly, our relegation from the top league has hastened that process.

Scottish football will have to do its utmost to preserve some semblance of interior, local interest, and the future of the game will depend on vastly improved coaching and development at youth level with the hope of farming our prodigies abroad. Sadly, the days of marquee foreign signings are all but over.

It's unfortunate that Rangers aren't at the forefront of that model. We had a great chance when we started at the bottom to take the lead.

Absolutely spot on RR. The most costly mistake we are ever going to make.

[rangersross 6,530]

Incidentally, I turned on a bit of the BBC's coverage of the transfer deadline earlier and this very point was briefly mentioned. The first factor Phil Neville mentioned was the absence of Rangers. Everyone outside of our corrupt little bubble can see it.

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

A clear indication of the national game's decline. Frankly, downsizing was inevitable, given the continued dominance of foreign leagues - major markets gaining international broadcast coverage, to the point of monopoly - but, clearly, our relegation from the top league has hastened that process.

Scottish football will have to do its utmost to preserve some semblance of interior, local interest, and the future of the game will depend on vastly improved coaching and development at youth level with the hope of farming our prodigies abroad. Sadly, the days of marquee foreign signings are all but over.

It's unfortunate that Rangers aren't at the forefront of that model. We had a great chance when we started at the bottom to take the lead.

Ultimately, all that Scottish football had to sell was the hate-filled spectacle of the Old Firm match, especially with its cauldron of near lawlessness when played at the East end park

[markem 7,251]

i hope that elephant tramples on one of them. He can take his pick.

[Reformation Bear 6,453]

It may not just be a single elephant - there could be an entire herd of them in the financial grass (or should it be crass) that passes for football in Scotland. As the financial grass withers and the extent of the problem becomes patently clearer to clubs, the media and to those who have responsibility for running the game in Scotland, the bit that would need some watching is what happens if they spook the elephants and they stampede, trampling what's left of the financial grass.

If the bet is that some sort of elephant whisperer in the form of Rangers glides into view following promotion to the Premiership and bringing with us more revenue in the form of ticket sales, commercial TV deals with Old Firm games again, league sponsorship and so on then that might yet be a very big bet for Scottish football to rely on. Firstly we owe them nothing - we should just be looking after ourselves (but right now that looks to be a challenge and a half). Secondly, the way things are going there is absolutely no certainty or even probability that we'd be promoted this season. And if not, and if years are spend lingering in the Championship with more cuts forced on the Club's operating costs etc then the financial grass gets much much thinner for Scottish football and that herd of elephants become grumpy and much harder to deal with.

[Brackley 1,398]

It was reported that the Tims not getting to the group stages meant the rest of the premier league teams lost out on a cash windfall from UEFA.

What have I missed. Since when did we or they generate income for the rest of the league by qualifying for the group stages.

[Albertz 78 918]

It was reported that the Tims not getting to the group stages meant the rest of the premier league teams lost out on a cash windfall from UEFA.

What have I missed. Since when did we or they generate income for the rest of the league by qualifying for the group stages.

Think it's something to do with the market pool or something.

Any Scottish team who gets to the CL earns the premier league about £1.2m which is split between all top flight clubs.

[Albertz 78 918]

Scottish football will never recover from the summer of 2012 far too much water under the bridge now.

Saw SSN a few hours ago and they had all the top reporters around the key grounds in England when it got to Scotland they had a wee guy sitting in an office and you could literally see the tumbleweeds going past as tried to find something to talk about.

Even after hoovering up CL income for 2 years now that other mob could field a team in which 50% of the outfield players are loans this season.

If we do have someone lined up to buy the club let's hope he has some kind of escape plan to get out of Scottish football cause in 5 years time this league is going to struggle to be on a par with Iceland.

[HG5 11,081]

Scottish football will never recover from the summer of 2012 far too much water under the bridge now.

Saw SSN a few hours ago and they had all the top reporters around the key grounds in England when it got to Scotland they had a wee guy sitting in an office and you could literally see the tumbleweeds going past as tried to find something to talk about.

Even after hoovering up CL income for 2 years now that other mob could field a team in which 50% of the outfield players are loans this season.

If we do have someone lined up to buy the club let's hope he has some kind of escape plan to get out of Scottish football cause in 5 years time this league is going to struggle to be on a par with Iceland.

With Edinburgh - the Rejkavik of the South, as opposed to the Athens of the North!

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

Scottish football will never recover from the summer of 2012 far too much water under the bridge now.

Saw SSN a few hours ago and they had all the top reporters around the key grounds in England when it got to Scotland they had a wee guy sitting in an office and you could literally see the tumbleweeds going past as tried to find something to talk about.

Even after hoovering up CL income for 2 years now that other mob could field a team in which 50% of the outfield players are loans this season.

If we do have someone lined up to buy the club let's hope he has some kind of escape plan to get out of Scottish football cause in 5 years time this league is going to struggle to be on a par with Iceland.

Good post mate.

They've taken a struggling industry and turned it into a dying one.

[RFC55 108,725]

The taigs spent 2.4million on some cunt

[Blumhoilann 6,712]

Of all clubs Septic have never done anything for any other club in Scotland.Maybe we're supposed to support THEM In Europe....NEVER.

[therightway 65]

The taigs spent 2.4million on some cunt

Yeah he knocked them back initially and then only went through with the move after the Spanish FA apparently blocked his move to Getafe

[Fools Gold 488]

Yeah he knocked them back initially and then only went through with the move after the Spanish FA apparently blocked his move to Getafe

Haha, that'll go well

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

The taigs spent 2.4million on some cunt

Bastards only did it to fuck my thread!

They know I'm on to them.

Ah, well. At least that's the Europa Cup money spent twice over.

[ritchieshearercaldow 22,123]

The taigs spent 2.4million on some cunt

Wonder if they'll wheel him out to the press?......I always wanted to come to this great club and play in Europe.....aw fuck, I'll say that again, I always wanted to get a bigger wage and this was the only outfit prepared to pay, still I'll be off as soon as poss.

[Sweetheart 8,458]

Scottish football started to decline when the SPL formed, It changed the financial balance with-in the game to benefit clubs at the top. Rangers going to 3 div exposed the flaws in the then SPL structure, They relied on the blue pound to keep them alive. The SPL and SFL merger has not changed a thing. in fact it got worse, the money was allocated to ALL the clubs at the top, and smaller clubs were left to sink or swim.

The whole of Scottish football needs re-branding and investment for the game to thrive, but that can only be done with the right people on the board of the governing bodies, real 'sporting Integrity' and helping the smaller clubs to grow and develop players. Imo 10 clubs ruined Scottish football with their greed

[davy1shoe 63]

Scottish football started to decline when the SPL formed, It changed the financial balance with-in the game to benefit clubs at the top. Rangers going to 3 div exposed the flaws in the then SPL structure, They relied on the blue pound to keep them alive. The SPL and SFL merger has not changed a thing. in fact it got worse, the money was allocated to ALL the clubs at the top, and smaller clubs were left to sink or swim.

The whole of Scottish football needs re-branding and investment for the game to thrive, but that can only be done with the right people on the board of the governing bodies, real 'sporting Integrity' and helping the smaller clubs to grow and develop players. Imo 10 clubs ruined Scottish football with their greed

The prize money they stole from Rangers must be gone now also.

[Sweetheart 8,458]

The prize money they stole from Rangers must be gone now also.

I don't think Rangers will see that money again, I just maddens me that we wouldn't have gone into liquidation had the governing body been more helpful, like they were to other clubs in Scottish football

[gersandy 594]

A clear indication of the national game's decline. Frankly, downsizing was inevitable, given the continued dominance of foreign leagues - major markets gaining international broadcast coverage, to the point of monopoly - but, clearly, our relegation from the top league has hastened that process.

Scottish football will have to do its utmost to preserve some semblance of interior, local interest, and the future of the game will depend on vastly improved coaching and development at youth level with the hope of farming our prodigies abroad. Sadly, the days of marquee foreign signings are all but over.

It's unfortunate that Rangers aren't at the forefront of that model. We had a great chance when we started at the bottom to take the lead.

Best post ive read all week!