The Farce of Sporting Integrity Laid Bare

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

Since 2008 when, the SPL bought into Peter Lawwell's "sporting integrity" sham, in which Scottish football actively hindered a Scottish club in a European Final, Rangers fans were sceptical of the notion, particularly as it was uttered by a man who claimed as a subsidiary reason that Celtic, the one club who benefited by this wilful harming of the Scottish game and reputation, had a tour in Japan, which never actually happened. Sporting integrity seemed to conform to hampering one club and helping another.

Last year, after many other such instances, a lie that Rangers were a new club was put forward and wilfully gobbled up by the media, to suggest that a new club must start from the very bottom of the professional game and if possible, even lower. Sporting integrity demanded, it was claimed, that a new club, which Rangers weren't, had to start from the bottom, after liquidation. It was conveniently ignored that Rangers actually avoided liquidation by the mere fact that the sale of assets, business and goodwill preceded any liquidation process.

At that point, it was up to the SPL board consisting of a handful of appointees to decide as to whether the SPL share should be transferred to the new company representing the same old Rangers Football Club. A traditional and social media campaign demanded that the clubs and further, that the fans of said clubs should get a say. Hesitant, procrastinating, indecisive leaders delayed the decision in the hope that it would be resolved without consulting the sister SFL organisation. The SPL chairmen cow-towed to the online hubbub that was clearly infiltrated by a certain support with a narrative couched in the old sectarian terms.

Vladimir Romanov was the first to publicly state that Hearts would vote against Rangers and now looks like a hypocrite and a fool given Hearts perilous state, which he unbelievably blamed partly on the absence of Rangers away gate money as if unaware of his own vote and role in the affair. Rod Petrie of Hibs, another vocal enemy of Rangers' cause, conveniently overlooked the fact that his own club experienced liquidation in 1991 and received no sanction. Given other clubs such as Motherwell and Dundee, then beneficiaries of Rangers' expulsion, had previously suffered their own insolvency events, the hypocrisy wasn't restricted to Edinburgh. Aberdeen also joined the list by ignoring their own curious avoidance of relegation via invented play-offs and the dubious exclusion of Airdrie and Falkirk on the basis of inadequate stadia for the top tier in Scotland.

It is believed that Celtic's plan was to keep Rangers in but weakened by a points deductions over as many as five years, combined with massive financial penalties rendering them impotent stooges to be beaten into submission by the baying crowd. Unfortunately for Lawwell and co. his own support weren't looking for the fiscal benefits but merely the complete extermination of their rival. Peter knows that Rangers are the biggest show in town and his own support have proven that with falling admissions. This pattern will continue until Rangers return to the top tier at which point they will prove to be another cash bonanza for the East end club after many recent advantages and favours from his old mate from the Coors days, Stewart Regan of the SFA. At that point those who hate us most and wanted us gone forever will expose their own hypocrisy by gobbling up the season tickets in order to get a chance to vent their old sectarian bile at Rangers. Such is the ever-growing glee for this day that Scotland, its jails and casualty units must be preparing to brace themselves for the impending tsunami of hate which will greet Rangers' return. Lawwell now looks to be reaping a bitter harvest for not standing up to the incredibly bitter elements in his own club's support and has sadly pandered to it too often. It is now the core characteristic of Celtic and is now embodied in the in the snarling shellsuit in the Parkhead dugout- a key figure in the refereeing witch-hunt which Regan effectively endorsed.

The SPL tried to pander to this wicth-hunt by dropping Rangers one division to save themselves from the financial hit- a plan not agreed to or discussed with the SFL. Rangers were sent to the bottom of the professional game. A slow Armageddon has ensued with two clubs facing extinction, others edging nearer to it and everyone cutting their cloth with lay-offs, staff reductions and loan players, many of whom appeared in showcase finals.

The precedent was set. Everybody knew it. You couldn't ignore it. The media covered it endlessly. Any club in the future suffering a similar fate would also be sent to the depths of the bottom tier. Of course, sporting integrity demands that the precedent be maintained.

Except that this year with Hearts in a very similar position, we are being told by the head of the new SPFL that Hearts may not suffer the same fate. A Hearts newco can possibly expect a lighter punishment. "Sporting integrity" isn't such a big deal for the "Wee H*ns". Perhaps they aren't Protestant enough or successful enough to be forced to suffer the demands of "Sporting Integrity". Maybe they're just not big or perhaps hated enough to make it worth pandering to such a worthy standard.

The flip side of this is that as the biggest club with the biggest support, whilst not expecting any favours, Rangers should not expect to be subjected to special unfairness, such as this new precedent that was set last year and is now set to be cast aside now that it's not the Ibrox club suffering a fiscal maelstrom. However, Rangers are now used to the special treatment that a whole swathe of "new precedents" have revealed over such wide ranging topics as refereeing, which songs are offensive or merely political and whether the nation should help a club in its efforts to raise the prestige of the national game

Rangers didn't get any help to meet the start of the season. A level of glee greeted their misfortune, even if the whole thing was was the interaction of a fraudster defrauding the club and HMRC looking dangerously close to trying to do the same with a fallacious and extortive tax claim. Even impartial observers, well some of them, can see that the club has been treated with undue harshness.

This year Scotland, its media and football community don't seem to be so worried about Hearts "skipping their responsibilities" Hearts can get off lightly because Scotland doesn't hate them quite enough. There aren't enough, if any, bigots infesting the social media, column inches and airwaves actively campaigning against their well-being as if it were more important than global poverty, terrorism and various economic crises combined.

Can any rational observer take this new body, rushed in to save Hearts and others from suffering the same fate as Rangers, seriously? They are publicly stating that others who go through the same problems as Rangers won't receive the same treatment. Yet, they want us to move on, and even peddled out an old manager or Rangers just to tell us that at the launch of this shiny new league with no new structure and no sponsors at all. (They do have some new logos and names for the league, so it's clearly a fool-proof enterprise guaranteed to see the game thrive.) Clearly sporting integrity is a farce aimed at influencing the media and public debate via propaganda to hinder one particular club while always favouring another.

So there you have it Rangers fans. You will never be treated fairly in Scotland under the current regime and its willingness to pander to the bigoted online idocracy, but please move on and continue follow your team, especially at away grounds as the other clubs are hurting for the need of your gate money as the nation's largest travelling. Forget all that has happened, swallow our lies, and please continue to bail us out. Scotland hates you, but needs your money. Just pay up and don't expect to see any integrity of any form.

[WestEndLoyal 45]

Sad but true.

[JMorrison1872 320]

Scottish football is pretty much lying dead in the water, all because of one man and his finger puppets.

PL is only interested in one club but puts on a face and says certain stuff to make everyone think he is some sort of hero.

Get the full current top table to fuck and start again, fresh ideas, fresh face, fresh aspirations. Until then our footballs abolished.

[True Azure 1,414]

That about sums it up nicely. So does this acronym, SIMA, Sporting Integrity My Arse.

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

Scottish football is pretty much lying dead in the water, all because of one man and his finger puppets.

PL is only interested in one club but puts on a face and says certain stuff to make everyone think he is some sort of hero.

Get the full current top table to fuck and start again, fresh ideas, fresh face, fresh aspirations. Until then our footballs abolished.

Nice summation mate.

[danger ranger 922]

the only answer llies with the rangers fans, stop giving them money and stop acknowlegeing them. As CG said you find your wife has been shagging behind you back and you still carry on the pretence of normal married life, well if that's the case you get what you ask for and deserve playing the fool.

[JMorrison1872 320]

Nice summation mate.

As for Mr Doncaster, why on earth we would allow a man who ruined West Midlands CRICKET to run our beloved game is beyond me.

His position is untenable and if our national football league has any chance of recovery then he has to be removed immediately. He is nothing more than Stewart Regans understudy/apprentice and that's all he ever will be, joke of a man.

We need men who have proved they can run the game, perhaps not at the highest level but in some way, instead of poaching two men from bloody cricket, says it all for our scouting system with regards to the board!

[Albertz 78 918]

Doubtful Hearts will be voted back into the spfl prem after going newco as much as the junto may want to

As soon as Hearts go newco all season tickets will be void and they may not have a ground to play at, really can't see the bigots being daft enough to vote in a club with zero season tickets and no ground to play at.

Also if they got away with it Killie,Aberdeen and Dundee utd will just do the same as well it would end up with a league with half the clubs on minus points it would be a farce of epic proportions.

What will happen if a cva is turned down is they possibly do as Gretna did and stay in admin till the end of the season dispite knowing they were heading for liquidation.

This time next year they will reform the league and invite Rangers and newco hearts 2 back in.

Oh all 42 spfl clubs would be able to vote on Hearts if it comes to it, Rangers would tell them to gtf if the cabal tries anything. (PAYBACK TIME)

[delamonty 992]

I'm still angry about the lack of support given to us in 2008. Zenit (if I recall) were given 2 weeks off from their league to prepare. Us? What was it... 4 matches in a week?

The phantom tour of Japan.. matches getting cancelled because of a death to a player that celtc barely knew....because their star man was not available to play ? Scandalous does not begin to describe it.

And this Hearts situation. Is anyone surprised that a different standard will be applied? Not me.

Good article as per usual Oleg

[Dutchy 1,200]

I think it may well be to our advantage in a strange way if Hearts are treated differently form us by going through the same CVA/newco process.

If our club ever takes it to their collective minds to go down any legal route to prove we were treated harshly, the difference in treatment should make that unfairness fairly conclusive.

Well, I think anyway.

[delamonty 992]

Good points Dutchy. but would the club do it? Seems we're back to dignified silence mode?

[JMorrison1872 320]

Good points Dutchy. but would the club do it? Seems we're back to dignified silence mode?

Unfortunately seems to be, should grow some balls and start defending the club and its interests.

Subtle approaches never work with these idiots, it has been proved time and time again.

[Dutchy 1,200]

Good points Dutchy. but would the club do it? Seems we're back to dignified silence mode?

I agree and that's the worry. They seem more interested in bridge building than defending the club against pernicious attacks.

The only good thing I can think about is that septic will never overtake our world record titles before we're back winning them again.

[JMorrison1872 320]

I agree and that's the worry. They seem more interested in bridge building than defending the club against pernicious attacks.

The only good thing I can think about is that septic will never overtake our world record titles before we're back winning them again.

The football authorities in this farce of a country have pissed on our club once too often, the time is now to attack those who have attacked us, but do it properly.

Sick of this dignified silence bollucks, does not and will not work.

The only people who stick up for our club is the fans, who are constantly ridiculed by our local mhedia outlets, the club lets the mhedia, football authorities and the bheasts get away with it far too often, surely now is the time to stand up and be accounted for?

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[joker69 60]

Great read as ever Oleg.

Part of me wants Hearts to be let back in just so we can show the world how corrupt the powers that run Scottish football really are.

Other part of me says , fuck Hearts, sporty integrity, SPFL, SFA, media and every other who put the boot in.

Karma's a beautiful thing..

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

Great read as ever Oleg.

Part of me wants Hearts to be let back in just so we can show the world how corrupt the powers that run Scottish football really are.

Other part of me says , fuck Hearts, sporty integrity, SPFL, SFA, media and every other who put the boot in.

Karma's a beautiful thing..

I share this ambivalence, but I want to see the corruption exposed.

[JMorrison1872 320]

I share this ambivalence, but I want to see the corruption exposed.

Need more writers like yourself Oleg, others like McMurdo & Leggat are more interested in attacking each other rather than the vermin who constantly attack our club.

[Jonok 1,245]

Great post Oleg! never seen anything in my life to match the hatred and injustice meted out

to Rangers by all and sundry in Scotland its been absolutely rancid.

The only weapon we have as supporters is our voices and the pound in our pockets so lets

use that power wisely.

[Blue63 82]

I'm no expert, but is there nothing that can be done legally re Lawwell and his blatant conflict of interest in Scottish Football, surely there must a legal eagle out there who can think of something we can go on the attack with, similarly those two English buffoons Regan & Doncaster is there no mechanism for a vote of no confidence from the Rangers Shareholders or other pro Rangers support like the Vanguard Bears etc. I like all of you am fucked off being shat on by a crook and two third/fourth rate bampots, who know five eights of fuck all about football, business or Scottish culture.

[messi_is_god2013 0]

agree the people in power have not been very convincing but we were put into the 3rd Division as we had to apply as a new club so I have no axe to grind there as those are the rules. so if hearts are to suffer the same fate as ourselves i see no other option but to put them into the lowest league and start life as a newco with no changing or bending of the rules.

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

agree the people in power have not been very convincing but we were put into the 3rd Division as we had to apply as a new club so I have no axe to grind there as those are the rules. so if hearts are to suffer the same fate as ourselves i see no other option but to put them into the lowest league and start life as a newco with no changing or bending of the rules.

You've completely missed the point. They're now saying Hearts will not suffer the same fate.

Didn't you read the OP? Which rules are you referring to? Part of the problem is that they had no rules. The SPL board were meant to vote on it, but didn't.

I strongly suspect you want to ignore the point and that your agenda was set on boards other than this or its like.

[lancedeangers1 287]

Brilliant article Oleg. Always a pleasure and reassurance to know such articulated fans as yourself will always highlight the truth and fight our corner.

[jintybear 8,660]

I'm still angry about the lack of support given to us in 2008. Zenit (if I recall) were given 2 weeks off from their league to prepare. Us? What was it... 4 matches in a week?

The phantom tour of Japan.. matches getting cancelled because of a death to a player that celtc barely knew....because their star man was not available to play ? Scandalous does not begin to describe it.

And this Hearts situation. Is anyone surprised that a different standard will be applied? Not me.

Good article as per usual Oleg

This. Makes my blood boil thinking about it!

[Jonok 1,245]

agree the people in power have not been very convincing but we were put into the 3rd Division as we had to apply as a new club so I have no axe to grind there as those are the rules. so if hearts are to suffer the same fate as ourselves i see no other option but to put them into the lowest league and start life as a newco with no changing or bending of the rules.

Whats your take on the filthy child abuse scandal cover up over at the piggery.

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

The sad thing for me is that this perspective rarely gets aired outwith our forums and the wider media don't pick up on some pretty glaring facts and I do mean facts.

A Hearts newco starting anywhere other than the bottom must finally put an end to the notion that Rangers have not been treated with undue unfairness.

I can never put money into another club when supporting Rangers so my away days will be very restricted, perhaps only to those outside Scotland.