Kiss and Make Up? No Thanks.

[Senna 735]

Rangers were last year – this is Dunfermline Athletic FC and this is now. It’s a shame that any football team is facing the threat of closure due to financial mismanagement, but after the last 14 months, well, such is life. Nobody outwith the Rangers camp in Scotland gave a damn about our club in the last year, so it’s safe to say that the same feeling toward Dunfermline is somewhat prevalent within the Rangers fanbase these days.

It rankles even higher now, given that the club was guilty of no more than an administrative error yet guilt and punishment were forced upon the club for the actions of two men – David Murray and Craig Whyte. If any bears have sympathy for DAFC, let me just leave this here. “Everyone agrees that there should be severe punishment…It will be a question of sporting integrity against financial necessity. That is the choice facing chairmen.” – John Yorkston, Dunfermline Athletic chairman, May 6, 2012.

I’m not saying that we should have no empathy for the dozens of decent DAFC fans out there, we should. However, remember the rhetoric we were told that the actions of one man equates to the actions of the club as a whole. It seems that in DAFC’s case, and possibly that of Hearts, that ‘sporting integrity’, the most ridiculous statement in Scottish football (after ‘smell the glove’) has cost clubs dearly. Well, that’s a shame. But that’s the choice they made.

News has come out in the last few days that the SPL, the technically-insolvent league – I’ll say that again: INSOLVENT, has paid Dunfermline their parachute payment due to the club in a few months time, this week. That seems okay on paper, taken out of context. Why shouldn’t one of the two main football bodies in the country help out a struggling club?

Well, here’s why. Around 12 months ago, Rangers made the request of the SPL to pay the club money that we were due, ahead of schedule, to help with the running of the team and the then-mounting financial crisis. Given that we were told no, that we were guilty and we must be punished (what for is a different matter), then this decision to pay DAFC doesn’t exactly carry any water. More so, if I can be uncouth, it absolutely stinks.

The circumstances are the same: DAFC have debts, including a sizeable bill to HMRC, and could face the wall without drastic help. Those all applied to Rangers last year, and yet we were told, ‘sorry, we’re not helping you.’ Again, ‘sporting integrity’ was the byword for this refusal. Fine. We as Rangers fans didn’t like it, but we were neither surprised nor even expecting any help.

What stinks is that the SPL are now completely willing to help out another club in the same circumstances as us, simply because they’re not Rangers. The circumstances are the same. The timing of the calender/financial year is the same. If one was being particularly benevolent to the SPL, one could say that they’ve learned from their mistakes of last year, but that’s being optimistic to the point of stupidity in my opinion.

Another way to look at this, without being overly libellous, is to suggest that in granting such a favourable gesture to Dunfermline, the SPL may have thought it might be easier to count on their vote for any possible reconstruction vote this summer. Just for clarity’s sake – this is a supposition, not any allegation of coercion or backhanded dealings. You wouldn’t put it past Doncaster et al either, but this is just a thought. Take it as you will.

The timing of such a helpful gesture to Dunfermline, given that a year ago, the SPL’s position on helping clubs was a complete 180-degree-turn, is suspect. The line from the organisations in charge, (the SPL and SFA) has moved from ‘Rangers are guilty and must be punished’, to ‘let’s forget about the whole thing and move on’. Yes. Let’s move on from the attempts to blackmail Rangers into being stripped of nine trophies, illegal transfer embargoes and crooked (nee corrupt) five-way agreements. Er, well I don’t think so.

You can’t exactly try to kill someone or something, fail, and then when you’ve got your balls in a vice, say, ‘actually, forget about what I/we and come and help me out please?’. I don’t think so. The SPL and clubs such as Dunfermline and Hearts would love for us to forget about what happened, how they and both the SPL and SFA treated the club, and how nobody stepped forward to help the country’s most successful club.

We’re back, and we told you this would happen – we’ll be better, stronger and more successful than ever. What makes it sweeter is that the majority of you, having voted us out, will founder, struggle and some of you will cease to be. ‘We told you so’ is an overused, smug phrase, but I think we’ll enjoy using it for a while yet.

http://www.rangersmedia.co.uk/?p=147

[The Godfather 71,887]

Thought this said Kids and make up...

Good article and the bottom sums it up for me!

"We're back, and we told you this would happen – we'll be better, stronger and more successful than ever. What makes it sweeter is that the majority of you, having voted us out, will founder, struggle and some of you will cease to be. 'We told you so' is an overused, smug phrase, but I think we'll enjoy using it for a while yet."

[elephants stoned 2,994]

Great article and im sorry that Scotland has done this to its football leagues but i have little time for clubs who preached to us a year ago now whining that their chickens have come home to roost, as for them getting their money early, it does not suprise me one bit, not being Rangers is a big advantage when it comes to insolvancy rules it seems.

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,647]

Anybody, but anybody who gets into bed with a club that covered up torbetts crimes deserves what they get !

[bombaybadboy08 15,660]

Great article.

[Non_Sucumbi 876]

Every chairman and every fan of every SPL club needs to unscramble the following;

'OFF FUCK'

[GazTheBear 23]

Great read loved the last part

[RockwellGers 14,712]

Great read man

"I Told You So" & "This Is What You Deserve" are not what football should be about, I hate to wish anything on Scotland's football clubs and all the supporters who love their team.

But this is the reality. Fuck the people that rallied against us, fuck the ones who rubbed their hands in glee. Certain people have crossed the line and chosen to make an enemy of all things Rangers, I'm afraid that only works out if we were to die.

I sometimes think that the chairmen are not the clubs, the fans are. Why wish it on folk who love football simply? It seems wrong. Then I remember it was the fans who voted massively to hump us out.

So taking a personal interest in the belittling of Rangers, that goes beyond supporting your club of course. I'd rather support the survival of Scottish clubs, but I can't.

[Shuggy 1,308]

Anoher factor may be Ranger's monies would have been a lot larger than what DUFC got and the technically insolvent SPL may have seen an opportunity to hold onto some cash?

Mind you, shouldn't BDO (liquidators of the oldco) be chasing the SPL for every penny due?

[Edmiston Drive 3,846]

Could offer them the Glasgow kiss

[BlueRD 138]

Previously, when clubs (Airdrie, Clydebank, Dundee....) were in trouble I always hoped that it could be sorted out as best as possible and they could get back to what being a football club is all about, playing football. Now, well although I wouldn't celebrate any club going to the wall I would find it hard to feel sorry for them.

[MKGER 138]

Still feel for them and rather they didn't die but enjoyed the article non the less.

[five stars 1,621]

If we are to move on there needs to be a full independant enquiry made into the handing of our club by SPL/SFA. Starting back when the SFA deemed Whyte a "fit and proper person"right through to the present day. Only then will there be any chance of us moving on.

[BrottonLoyal 3]

Good post .

[lancedeangers1 287]

Rangers have made great progress considering where they were last year and will probably get back to top division . However unfortunately I don't think Rangers will go on to bigger and better things than before.

[NamibianBear 1,851]

It's very hard to feel sorry for ANY team that wished us ill last year.

Whilst we were on the brink, all these other clubs did was to push and push to see if we could fold. Well, we didn't but appears very likely that they will.

Whilst I never expected charity for the position we were in, a friendly voice or two rather than the baying pack would have been nice. You'll not hear me wish anything bad on other clubs (except the scum) but I certainly won't shed any tears now for them either.

[bluesbro1976 162]

Ask me before the turmoil the bears went thru and i wld have hated to see any club, and i mean any club vanish. Every fan who attewnds the games, cos most of them are workimng guys like ourselves, who work hards all week and look forward to the footie and going for a few beers with tyhe lads. No man should ever see his club die. Even in 94 when the great unwashed were on their way out, my thoughts were the same. Howwever, having witnessed the sheer undying hatred for our club overr the last year or so, my mind has very much done an spl.....180 degrees turn. To sit and watch the hearts fans singing in ibrox that the 'h***' are going bust really made ,my blood boil. From that day on, i tell you, i could not give a fcuk about them. I have a lot more empathy with the smallewr clubs like east stirling etc. Good wee community clubs trying their best in the footballing world and i would like to see rangers use one of these wee clubs as a feeder club. They play with the right footballing ethos. . So yeah as i was saying, the rest can go to hell for all i care. They wanted my club, my fathers club and my grandas and great grandas club gone, only to be remembered fondly in memories. Well that never happened and will never happen as lomng as we continue to build our support and keep our defense system high against any of these people who seek to harm our club, whether that be on the park or off it. So there are two cliches that suit this disconserting story of scottish footall very well.

You made your bed, so go lie in it, and never wake a sleeping dog. Cos quite frankly you will get ragdolled.!!!

We will never forget those individuals, fans and clubs who tried to kill the most succesful team in the world. 54 titles, still going strong!

[BlueAvenger 10,240]

I would rather kiss and make up with my ex wife.....and theres no fuckin chance of that !!!!!!

Fuck Dunfermline...No sympathy.

[BrottonLoyal 3]

[cushynumber 25,178]

The whole lot of them have made me look at Scottish football and scottish fans in a whole new light. I honestly could not give a monkeys what happens to any of them. I really hope CG gets us out of Scotland and we can leave them all to it.

[legalbeagle 3,734]

No sympathy for any of them as they flail about like caught fish.

[BrottonLoyal 3]

This is the only kiss they can have!

[Ben10 2,272]

I hope they die very soon. The sooner the better. Then we can look forward to un-mangling the next worthless corpse of the SPL Terminals, who will definitely be stumbled upon under the sheets of the Celtic bedroom.

Possibly Hearts ? They'll do.

[Ben10 2,272]

We should all enjoy this, celebrate it maybe. We have all looked forward to this day, well I have.

Even back when the threat of title-stripping still loomed, the clubs of the SPL made their dastardly move to unceremoniously banish the evil Rangers from their Oasis of paradise and peace. Finally honest and decent football would return, children would be jumping for joy in the stands watching their beloved Ross County take on the mighty Dundee. Free from all dishonesty and treated to a helping of 'sporting integrity.' Could this picture get any better ?

Die, Die, Die. It's my duty as a Rangers supporter to sadistically gloat over the serial demise of SPL clubs. Jim Leishmans tears are the lubricant for which Peter Lawwell used before they were even shed.

[Kai_Johansen 978]

I agree with much of what th OP says. However, I’m sure many remember the pain and anguish we suffered leading up to SFL membership and not knowing if we would ever get the opportunity to support our team again.

When Rangers took to the field against East Fife on the 7^th August 2012, I can remember every minute, the late kick off, the huge crowd, sun streaming over the Broomloan Rd stand, Sandy on the pitch almost in tears, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. The raw emotion around the ground palpable and the sheer joy of knowing that our club, team and Ibrox had been saved, will live with me for the rest of my life.

So, why any supporter of our club would wish the same agony and heartache on another club, and support is beyond me. Surly as Scotland’s biggest club we have a moral duty to protect and defend our brothers and sisters from the tyranny that is the hooped demon.

I for one will play no part in adding and a betting the destruction of some of Scotland’s oldest clubs under the guise of whataboutery, whilst our principle detractors are allowed to manipulate, bully and intimidated all in Scottish football (society) with brazen impunity.

I like many want revenge, but not at the expense of our brothers and sisters throughout Scotland, no, my seethe is reserved for one club alone, and the supporters of that malignant republican cancer from the east end of Glasgow.

If my views have offended anyone within our support I apologise in advance, and if you are a hooped demon lurking in the shadows I make no apologies to you.

PS How can we as Rangers supporters let the town (Hill O’Beath Dunfermline) that produced Jim Baxter become a football wilderness, or give our capital city over to the Hobo’s it’s just not right.