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Rangers fans question EBT probe appointment by SPL


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Rangers fans groups have objected to the appointment of Harper MacLeod to investigate claims against the club's previous owners.

The Glasgow firm will probe, on behalf of the Scottish Premier League, alleged dual contracts for players from 2000.

But a joint statement from three fans groups has questioned the process that could lead to the stripping of titles.

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We believe this is being driven by influential members of the SPL board

Rangers supporters groups

"Harper MacLeod have acted for Celtic FC, who would be the main beneficiaries of any finding of guilt," they state.

"Indeed, until it was recently removed, they included a testimonial from Celtic CEO Peter Lawwell on their website.

"The SPL could have chosen any law firm to carry out this investigation and it was extremely naive of them to appoint a firm with such a close connection to a rival club."

The Rangers Supporters Assembly, the Rangers Supporters Trust and the Rangers Supporters Association suggest that, in discussing the stripping of titles, "it appears the SPL has assumed guilt when nothing has yet been proved".

They urge the football authorities to ensure that the investigatiion is carried out "with the necessary independence, transparency and integrity".

Rangers remain the subject of a tax investigation by Revenue and Customs into the use of employee benefit trusts to pay members of staff.

While the courts have yet to rule on their legality, the SPL is investigating whether such earnings contravened its requirement that all earnings should be declared to the national parent body.

The SPL has stated that, once Harper MacLeod submits its evidence, an independent commission, likely to be made up of foreign nationals, will be appointed with the power to determine what sanctions, if any, are appropriate.

However, Rangers' fans groups state: "We are concerned that, despite the SPL having 18 sanctions available, the only punishment being discussed is the most serious, yet no guilt has even been established.

"This, again, leads to a danger of exerting undue influence on the tribunal members through the media.

"We believe this is being driven by influential members of the SPL board and recently formed 'steering committee' with the most to gain."

A BBC documentary, "Rangers, The Men Who Sold The Jerseys", found evidence suggesting that 38 Rangers players had received side-letters giving undertakings to fund their sub-trusts with cash.

The fans groups suggest that such media coverage, and similar newspaper articles, will make it difficult for any investigators to remain impartial.

"""Celtic have previously confirmed that they established one EBT scheme in April 2005, which BBC Scotland understands was"" for the benefit of Brazilian midfielder Juninho Paulista.

"We would question why there appears to be no on-going investigation into the so-called 'Juninho EBT' used by Celtic FC," add the Rangers fans groups.

"Our understanding is that Celtic acknowledged that this was not declared to the football authorities as part of their licence application."

The SPL and Harper MacLeod have yet to comment on the supporters' statement.

fight back starts now??

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Our understanding is that Celtic acknowledged that this was not declared to the football authorities as part of their licence <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< dual fuckin contract

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Agree with the OP, where is our own clubs spokesman, in fact, who is it ? Silence is amazing from the club.

In fact while I'm at it, what does Andrew Dickson do for us, apart from stupid comments on twitter!! Or , I cant comment, shouldn't be representing us on twitter if he hasn't got authority to comment.

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sick of the fans doin the clubs work why the hell do we have a PR team when they do fuck all

this.

Also I think this was a mistake, we might have been better to wait on the result then get it thrown out due to conflict of interest had it gone against us.

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this.

Also I think this was a mistake, we might have been better to wait on the result then get it thrown out due to conflict of interest had it gone against us.

conflict of interest is clear already waiting for the result is like waiting for a punch to land on your face the attacks on rangers need to stop

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This is guaranteed to provoke a long and bitter court battle.

They will initially doubtless find against us. That much has already been shown.

Next they will deliberate for ages and eventually decide to strip us of titles.

We will appeal, it will get ignored and with UEFA slinging us a deaf ear, it will go to the scottish courts.

Without a shadow of a doubt, they will take ages (just like HMRC) and ultimately reach the conclusion that a loan isn't a payment, no matter how "technical" the loan is.

The SFA will be ruled wrong and following the media outcry against us, they will then want us done for going to the courts.

I expect then they will rescind the order stripping the titles and then punish us for going to court by , you've guessed it, stripping us of titles.

No matter what we do it ends in more punishments.

Sooner or later UEFA will have to get involved and the SFA and SPL's actions do not stand up to scrutiny.

That is their weak spot and the target we must aim for.

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sick of the fans doin the clubs work why the hell do we have a PR team when they do fuck all

Look at the dark side. When they want something said in the press, like strip them of the titles, it is NEVER the club that does it. It is always ex players, fans or the manager....always someone with deniability for the club.

About time we did the same.

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This is guaranteed to provoke a long and bitter court battle.

They will initially doubtless find against us. That much has already been shown.

Next they will deliberate for ages and eventually decide to strip us of titles.

We will appeal, it will get ignored and with UEFA slinging us a deaf ear, it will go to the scottish courts.

Without a shadow of a doubt, they will take ages (just like HMRC) and ultimately reach the conclusion that a loan isn't a payment, no matter how "technical" the loan is.

The SFA will be ruled wrong and following the media outcry against us, they will then want us done for going to the courts.

I expect then they will rescind the order stripping the titles and then punish us for going to court by , you've guessed it, stripping us of titles.

No matter what we do it ends in more punishments.

Sooner or later UEFA will have to get involved and the SFA and SPL's actions do not stand up to scrutiny.

That is their weak spot and the target we must aim for.

Along with what you say I reckon it should go to the European Courts

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The fightback is on.

I also noticed that when the STV were reporting on the Sky deal, The SPL were all meeting at Harper Mcleod in Glasgow.

Surely we can fight this in the law courts as the problem we could have had with UEFA was because it was the SFA we were chalenging. Would UEFA get involved if it's the SPL?

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Look at the dark side. When they want something said in the press, like strip them of the titles, it is NEVER the club that does it. It is always ex players, fans or the manager....always someone with deniability for the club.

About time we did the same.

Have to agree with this ,but the Problem we have is none of the Ex Players and Legends are prepared to argue Rangers Case .

They are shit Scared to take them on and have not uttered a word in our Defence ,at least I haven't herd any of them as they are all in Fucking Hiding now.

I cant understand the Silence of the Club though,I know Ally has already been the one that has stood up for us ,but he cannot do it alone, and we need some of the Lackies who have Columns in the Mhedia to speak up for us .

People Like Goram and Bomber are to busy looking after their own Interest and Jobs for the Boys within the Mhedia . Cunts the lot of them. The SPL/SFA must be outed and pretty soon if Scottish Football is to recover .

It is quite obvious now that this so Called Impartial Lawyers Firm, Harper Mcleod are Judge ,Jury and Executioner rolled in to one.

It is Fucking Stinking.

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To be honest it can only be a good thing that this is being picked up, especially by the BBC, it puts more scrutiny on these fuckers than they'd like.

Personally I think it will end up being a half way house with us being technically in breach of the rules but not maliciously so and end up with a fine or something. The taigs will be outraged and have yet another thing to harp on about and the matter can finally be settled.

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this also gets it into the wider public about Celtics ebt and how they never even reported at the time the payments they were making, where as we did openly. So if it did go against us they should get it much harder for the fact they tried to hide it, hopefully this will mean they will also look at image rights and also loan players being paid by a third party.

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To be honest it can only be a good thing that this is being picked up, especially by the BBC, it puts more scrutiny on these fuckers than they'd like.

Personally I think it will end up being a half way house with us being technically in breach of the rules but not maliciously so and end up with a fine or something. The taigs will be outraged and have yet another thing to harp on about and the matter can finally be settled.

How many times have we said that this? Not getting kicked out of spl, not in div3, no further sanctions......

Don't think we can sit back any more. Everyone needs to out bias against Rangers at every point, anytime the club say anything they are threatened again, accused of arrogance or reported to the. Complaints officer. They are on a hiding to nothing without external support and if is not the ex players etc then it needs to be the fans.

I am fed up of hearing "that is their game we should not lower ourselves to that" or something similar, if that is where the fight is going to be then we need to go there to start the fight back.

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I work closely with Harper Macloed office based at Gordon St and been told the 'Investigation' is looking positively for us.

Also, there's a tidy wee lawyer who's fond of a shafting.

Ffs Guys, we will need give up our campaign to have them removed now. doh if we keep them we can get a shagg!!! :matron:

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