Morality Lessons from Celtic Fans and Hacks? Time for a reality check.

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

Morality Lessons from Celtic Fans and Hacks? Time for a reality check.

We are now at a bizarre point in time with "journalists" and bitter Celtic fans heaping moral opprobrium upon our great club over unfulfilled responsibilities to the tax man. Yes, "journalists" and Celtic fans. I'm sure the irony isn't lost on you. Supporters of a club who, as a policy, under-reported attendances for decades to evade tax and have also used EBTs, not to mention knowingly employing individuals who violated innocents, along with a profession rife with brown paper envelopes being exchanged in corridors and the harassment or vilification of vulnerable people, are casting aspersions in relation to our honour.

This surreal inversion of the moral reality is farcical and bizarre. The club and the fans are the victims of Murray and Whyte's combined gross mismanagement which has crippled us so badly. No sympathy is deserved in modern Scotland. No assistance is offered. None is asked for.

It's open season. It's an all out war on Rangers. "Roll up! Roll up! Get your pound of flesh! Stick the boot in!" (Fair does Mr Whyte! You paid your pound. Now you want your flesh.) Every vulture and parasite is feasting on a carcass not yet served. You can almost literally hear them salivating, as they anticipate the fate that will deliver their feast. Strangely, some in the media have displayed an all too rare trait of self-awareness, using terms like "open season", "feeding frenzy" and "blood lust". Inevitably, that is short lived as they resume frothing at the mouth almost instantly.

The one thing they all seem to be unaware of, is that the feast will soon be over, and the gravy train with it. If it's a CVA, which I still think is the far more likely outcome, the dish is not served. The eager diners will not be satisfied. Normal service will be soon resumed. Certain enemies could be enduring a new famine as a debt free Rangers rebuilds with renewed resolve behind a new reinforced cause.

If it's a "newco", they'll want us back, but be keen to cripple us again, with what I call the "Crooked Loan Shark's Deal". By that I mean, they'll take us back to earn their increased TV money, sponsorships (plural) and away support, but they won't give us our fair share, whilst hindering our ability to compete. In other words, we don't get the loan, but still pay it back and still get knee-capped for the pleasure. There's not so much a growing, but more a unanimous resolve among the Rangers support to reject such a deal out of hand in favour of Division 3, or even further afield. Hey, why not the Juniors, eh?

Whether or not the new club would choose to accept or reject, who can say at this point? It's so long before such an event occurs but, more likely, it just won't happen. Nonetheless, the fevered speculation continues. The alternative of the club becoming a heavily penalised newco in the SPL will mean we can be pretty sure that an away ticket boycott would further dent a diminished income for a less competitive SPL. Let's not forget that Celtic fans will see the punishment as way too insufficient and will also boycott, thus hammering all the other clubs nearer administration and liquidation. They'll all get stiffer penalties, the league will become a farce with two, three or even four clubs docked points over seasons. Sky and sponsorship will reduce money. Every club will be affected.

Given the moral outrage, can we assume that the money seized from Rangers will go straight to HMRC? Don't be so naive.

And who will be judge, jury and executioner at our SPL "hearing? Surely they won't allow it to be those who would financially gain from such a decision. Surely it won't be those who may climb higher in the table due to a weakened Rangers being deducted more points. I think you'll sense my sarcasm here.

Are we meant to take such a Kangaroo court seriously? Are we meant to accept this as moral, just and fair? I certainly will not. I know I won't be alone.

Furthermore, there's a moral standard which is often overlooked- that you don't get punished for the same offence twice. After the pain and deduction of Administration, a newco would be a further punishment, which comes with the additional punishment of a three year exclusion from UEFA competitions and the associated money that comes with participation. Further, new and hastily drawn up punishments can only be seen as vindictive, excessive and counter productive, leading to weaker clubs never being able to return to any form of existence.

The clamour for punishment goes further than this, with fantastical claims that history should be re-written. Despite the claims, not one piece of evidence has been provided to justify such claims. Again, a wider and more objective look at all clubs is pretty much consigned to the dust bin without any due consideration. Other club's EBTs don't get mentioned. Secondary contracts for image rights don't get mentioned. Owners paying players directly out of their own pocket also never gets an airing. Don't even consider the likelihood that cash in the biscuit tin may well have came from extra money kept off the books and out of the banks probably came from the under-reported attendances of decades. Strictly speaking, Peter Lawwell denied the biscuit tin, only to clarify that they were shoe boxes crammed with actual money.

It seems that justice is also very much the victim, as more and more penalties are invented, imagined and indeed, longed for. The impression given is that injustice is what is being delivered.

This new irony of changing the rules for "sporting integrity" is just the latest in a long line since the first time a certain professional liar successfully pressed for a non-existent rule to be enforced to ensure an unfair end to the season in 2008.

So surprise, surprise! It's "let's change the rules especially for Rangers" time again. Decades of anti-Protestant songs were ignored to target us exclusively. The famine song was suddenly, irrationally and illogically classed as racist, after decades of the glorification of the murders of British innocents barely raised an eyebrow. (Why aren't the British afforded the same respect as the Irish?) The new SFA Compliance Officer, or Peter Lawwell's Compliant Officer as he is now known, seems to share this focus on the only penalising, never exonerating Rangers trend.

Changing the rules in a rush, to openly target one club? Morality? Who do they think they're kidding? Morality is about universality. If a law or judgement applies to one, it applies to all. We're calling you out on this one. To reiterate, morality should be universally applicable. For the hard of thinking lurkers, rules and morals must be fair.

Otherwise, they are not moral or fair. They are immoral, unfair and therefore corrupt. I tell you what, one Glasgow club would have a right to claim persecution. The other certainly doesn't! Winning a title since the last time you got an unfair advantage is no achievement. It's no cause. Furthermore, it too comes with a moral judgement.

Let them feel free to celebrate and glorify their nothingness. They might just have to get used to that if normal service resumes as soon as I think it will. However, let them revel in their empty moment with contempt. We do not take them seriously. We are the main show. Their futures depend on our survival, ignorant of that fact as they may be.

The media will have a great story, but only for a few years, as they've already been doing the "death of Scottish football" reports for decades. Their feast of Scottish football sensationalism will slowly die, as will their trade, further exacerbated by the internet age. If it's a newco, they all suffer. The more they penalise, they more the suffer too.

They may seem barely aware of it, but the chairmen certainly will be cognisant of this possible future. Will bowing to media and fan pressure be more important than the gravy train? Will we be watching a vastly improved competitive SPL? Will they all end up smiling? I think we know the answers to those. Our enemies have no moral high ground. Their judgements have less substance than used toilet tissue and are significantly more odious.

We know the Celtic fans are, at best, trying to score a point, but more likely trying to gain an unfair advantage. Often this is a thin veneer for a very bitter sectarianism that the media choose not to see. Why are they selectively blind? In trendy Scottish middle class media circles, you get well paid, but feel better about yourself by pretending to be all open-minded and liberal whilst hinting that you lean a little to the left and ignoring that wealth you possess.

They're not that aware of the facts. Celtic fans in the media have convinced them that there's something bad about being seen to be a Rangers fan. Rangers fans in the media hide their allegiance, as Stuart Cosgrove has testified. You can't so easily paint Celtic with the sectarian brush in the media because they play the poor oppressed victim card. Granted it's about as convincing as Ali G, but journalists are not especially clever creatures and nowhere moreso than in the Scottish sporting media. "Is it 'cos I is not really Irish?" You'll simply get an easier ride if you criticise Rangers. We're not an oppressed people and never claimed to be. Others simply and vehemently peddle a convenient lie. How convenient it would be if the history books didn't prove they started with a sectarian signing policy. It's a bloody shame they do, but they can use the vague but boastful "open to all since our earliest days" despite the facts because who wants to pressure these poor UN sheltered refugees in shell-suits. The irony of Rangers helping to save Celtic on several occasions will also be overlooked by such people.

Personally, I think I'll support the judgement of my fellow fans. Rangers fans have always had a better sense of judgement and a better grasp on reality. And bringing it all back to morality, Rangers win there too. Two bad owners whose financial misdemeanours have lead to all this cannot change that fact. 140 years of proud history can attest to this, so spare us the fuax indignation. We're just not buying it, just as we're not buying the tawdry gossip rags.

[ritchieshearercaldow 22,123]

Morality? the tims and journos don't know the meaning of the word.

They have their fun calling us cheats and tax dodgers.

I would ask how many of these accusers use ISAs to aviod paying tax,how many millionare footballers set up charities to aviod tax,how many journos use expenses as a way to aviod tax? lets not forget we are charged with tax avoidance not evasion.

As far as cheating, the team won the titles not the directors and the team didn't cheat

[Thermopylae 15,286]

Their club concealed peodophilia for years and nothing will EVER be worse than that

[Phil 1,150]

Great post mate will rep this when i get in, fully agree with this. We will be back and when we are our enemies who have shown theirselves during this will know we will never go away

[nachothelegend 1,932]

Great Post Mate they are in no Position to take the Moral High Ground .Let he without Sin .

This has been evident for the Past 3 Years now, and even when we where Down and out Financially Under LBG we had no Money to Spend ,and we Still Triumphed over them.

Nae 3 in A ROW Remember that you Hypocritical Bastards.

We know your Watching.

[topgoalie 637]

That my friend is without doubt THE best post i have seen on here,well said and well done.

[Turnberry18 3,204]

I saw this today and really thought these journos were trying to 'up their game' for Alex Thomson or something. I really think I am getting to the stage where I could not care less what else they throw at Rangers; what I really want is closure with this tax case and then we can move on. However, what journalists say no longer affects me in any way whatsoever; in the grand scheme of things they mean very little. Take, for instance, that 'investigation' into Bill Ng; it is truly worrying what has become of journalism in this country.

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

I saw this today and really thought these journos were trying to 'up their game' for Alex Thomson or something. I really think I am getting to the stage where I could not care less what else they throw at Rangers; what I really want is closure with this tax case and then we can move on. However, what journalists say no longer affects me in any way whatsoever; in the grand scheme of things they mean very little. Take, for instance, that 'investigation' into Bill Ng; it is truly worrying what has become of journalism in this country.

I feel very similarly.

What I'd give for an environment free from the bigots, liars and haters. The thing is, that should be the very least we expect.

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

That my friend is without doubt THE best post i have seen on here,well said and well done.

Cheers mate. It started as a brief rant, believe it or not.

[Turnberry18 3,204]

Scotland has now become a very minute country, and each strand of, dare I say, the establishment is interwoven in a way I'm not sure used to exist. What other country would a newsreader be on the panel to the design of the 'Parliament'?; the accountability, especially when it came to cost, was always on the cards to be jeopardised. I think the foundations are being set for this country to one day be heavily corrupt if we are not careful.

[pye1965 26]

Great post

[rm1972 3]

great post mate,what gets you down only makes you stronger when you get back up feck the sfa and the tim journos they don`t know who they are messing with.watp..

[Thermopylae 15,286]

Scotland has now become a very minute country, and each strand of, dare I say, the establishment is interwoven in a way I'm not sure used to exist. What other country would a newsreader be on the panel to the design of the 'Parliament'?; the accountability, especially when it came to cost, was always on the cards to be jeopardised. I think the foundations are being set for this country to one day be heavily corrupt if we are not careful.

We need to be part of a bigger UK but unfortunately so many people will follow pied piper salmond right over the independence cliff

[corkinator 611]

Excellent post

[heathen fish boy 8,574]

ra septic have already had their ebt problems,enjoys boys torbett

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

Cheers mate. It started as a brief rant, believe it or not.

" A brief rant.....?"

You have become our "Mr Angry" recently - had not really noticed that in your posts prior to the last week or so.

Anyway I actually agreed with a good number of points and take a rep just for that!

Me: I am a big believer in "Reap what you sow" and a good few clubs and chairmen may life to regret the bitterly modified seeds they are sowing at the moment!

[jack1690 793]

Excellent post

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

" A brief rant.....?"

You have become our "Mr Angry" recently - had not really noticed that in your posts prior to the last week or so.

Anyway I actually agreed with a good number of points and take a rep just for that!

Me: I am a big believer in "Reap what you sow" and a good few clubs and chairmen may life to regret the bitterly modified seeds they are sowing at the moment!

I don't disagree. Cheers.

[Wienblue 26]

Well articulated post. The divisively sectarian and discriminatory actions by the SFA/SPL and their cabal of Uncle Tom supporters all in favour of the Oirish fascist institution of Pacific Shelf 595 Ltd should not be surprising to anyone. I do not believe we will be liquidated, however, the intent of the putsch and the timing of its announcenent are yet further evidence of a contemptuous disregard for our club in its many hours of need. Let's not forget that its timing was deliberate and to further hamper the impending sale and with the intent of placing further obstacles in the way of freeing ourselves from administration before the season end thus effectively remaining in administration for another ten point deduction next season. Anti-compoetitive and discrmininatory in nature and when this evidence is looked at as a whole and given the rules have been rushed through it does provide unfair competition and breaches EU rules. So much for sporting integrity Liewell, Lunny, Reagan (all from the same fascist cult) et al and their Uncle Toms who all sense some short term glory.

Lest we forget and we won't...

[JTP 221]

Fantastic read

[Non_Sucumbi 876]

Brilliant post - spot on the money. Don't need lessons in morality from the schum. Google Dermott Desmond to see how the money which bought their club is 'dodgy' to say the least.

[RangersAyeReadyJT 8]

One of the best posts that I've read on RM, well done mate. There is an awful lot to be learned from what has happened to our club these pasts few weeks, and these lessons need to be learned because one day we will be back stronger and we will not forgot just who was twisting the knife.

Institutionilised bigotry, intimidation, lies, false victimisation and plain old jealousy have dragged Scottish football to the bottom. The thing that gets me is that it's just sad, a shame that this is what has become of football in this country.

It strikes me that the people pulling the strings know not of dignity, respect, professionalism, sportsmanship and class. It's a damn fine job that my club, your club, our football club stands for all of the above. We are Rangers.

[Smile 26,600]

Yes its a bit like The McCanns writing a good parenting guide.

[Gallows high 208]

Superb post .

You're point about journos etc hiding their Rangers allegiances is very relevant . I was particularly annoyed at the lack of excitement and fuss generated by the local and national media in the run up to our Europa final and general lack of interest . However when the jolly old green team got to their famous seville final the ground swell of support from the media was massive , it was like a fucking flag day , surprised we weren't given a public holiday . Also I remember the pressure being applied to get behind them that day and support the " Scottish team " ( aye right ) , but when it was our final all we got from the media was friction about us wanting fixture flexibility for our remaining domestic games .

[Kaiser Wull 203]

Great post by the OP. Have a rep on me.