The Silence of The Succulent Lambs

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

“Let Graham explain – he was actually there, after all: “Succulent lamb journalism means a culture – and I hold my hand up here too – a culture of sycophantic, unquestioning, puff journalism that went on around Rangers generally and Sir David Murray particularly.”

Of course you’ll see it to some degree across sport, across football. But it was, many Glasgow journalists say, more damaging here.

“Look,” says Graham "Selective Amnesia" Spiers, “you are making a pact with the devil if you like. You get thrown the best scraps. You get something for the back page or whatever. But there’s a tacit deal. You don’t dig too deep. You don’t cause any trouble.”

(Alex Thomson Saturday 24 Mar 2012)

It seems like the succulent lamb has moved fields. I doubt there would be many Rangers supporters who, after what has transpired over the last three years, who would suggest some of the articles written about our club were merely “puff journalism”.

Of course they didn’t have to dig too deep – after all the Rangers Tax Case Blog and BBC Scotland's “The Men who Sold the Jerseys” had done all the work for them - all our media had to do was apply their own opinions to the information which was readily available - despite the questionable source and interpretation of that information. And apply their opinion they did, as we all know. Time and time again. They drooled, they dribbled, they salivated over questionable events surrounding our club. But what they didn't do was dig.

No small wonder then that Thomson is also on record as saying :

For years too much football 'journalism' in Glasgow had been too lazy, sycophantic and incapable of asking awkward questions."

And you know what ? He is right.

It finally dawned on me when Lord Nimmo Smith's SPL Commission report contained the startling revelation that the material used by BBC Scotland in the aforementioned documentary was actually evidence which had been stolen from the Rangers Tax Case.

And the response from our media ? Not even a murmur.

The fact that the evidence in a case they had milked, salivated, opinionated, discussed in such minute detail had been stolen, appears not to even have raised an eyebrow of curiosity.

Imagine for a moment the OJ Simpson trial - and it was discovered the infamous glove had been stolen from the evidence cabinet and the media hadn't raised a murmur ? Nope – I can't imagine it either.. But of course this is Scotland land of lazy, sycophantic and incapable of asking awkward questions journalism.

Perhaps no-one in the Scottish media wants to ask questions of their own – the journalists at BBC Scotland who received and retained the stolen evidence – a kind of “closing ranks” if you like. Or could it be that for a Scottish Print media in dire trouble, evidenced by the recent voluntary redundancies at The Scotsman, the occasional appearance on BBC Sportsound is a nice little earner in uncertain times ?

When the Rangers Tax Case received the Orwellian Award it was hailed as :-

“Displaying focused contempt for those who evade difficult truths, and beating almost every Scottish football journalist to the real story”

It seems history may be on the verge of repeating itself.

As the blogger behind Football Tax Havens, ably assisted by the tenacious PZJ, asks searching questions of land deals between Glasgow City Council and Celtic FC, one could be forgiven for thinking that this topic appears to be “off limits” for the Scottish media. Perhaps in the near future another blogger will win an award hailed as ““Displaying focused contempt for those who evade difficult truths, and beating almost every Scottish football journalist to the real story”

And if he does – you can bet your bottom dollar there will be even more voluntary redundancies within the Scottish Print media.

[simplythebest 11,453]

Still waiting on Mark Daly's documentary looking at the lands deals...

[allgers 735]

Some thought provoking points there sir, will we see the Mhedia respond to this lone Ranger, you would hope, but don't hold your breathe...

[True Azure 1,414]

The silence from the Scottish media on this particular case is deafening.

[Jonok 1,245]

Excellent stuff again. There's a bit of momentum building up behind this one. Protests at George Square, without team colours of course, may be the next big step to get it heard.

Count me in Oleg

[ritchieshearercaldow 22,241]

I always thought journos were desperate for "a story", it's supposed to be in their DNA, It seems on the face of it and the proof supplied that there is a story here or at least some MSM investigation into it, but so far nothing.

Journos in our happy little nation must be happy getting paid FA for FA

[Guardian 4,281]

It will reach a critical mass (no pun intended) at which it will explode.

Since every media source will be covering it, their gag will be removed and a shark fest will begin.

We just need to do every little thing in our power to prevent it being swept under the carpet.

And also to heap as much misery on them as we can.

I can see them being consumed by this.

No sympathy from me.

[Albertz 78 918]

Maybe the mutants who run the Scottish football monitor could get involved in this? I mean they claim to be looking for sporting integrity in Scottish football how about they start with the cheating over Parkhead way.

[TEFTONG 60,407]

:dry:The msm in this bigoted and obsessed country are doing a great job at burying their heads in the sand, hoping that this whole big can of worms is never given the spotlight and scrutiny that we have suffered. It almost borders on sinister. imho.

[DAVIE8CH 296]

this is not just about cheap loans and valuations on plots of land, its about corruption within local and maybe national government and you would think some kind of go-getter journalist out there would get this into print and pursue the truth but it seems they are to afraid to take this onboard.

[Bobby Hume 13,283]

Nice one D'art. Yes, the more this scandal is exposed, the more momentum it will gather, until it is no longer prudent to stay silent.

Will we see the rise of a "journalistic hero", in the Scottish media ?

Will someone break ranks and stand up for their trade, and renew faith in Scottish Investigative journalism ?

No, i don't think so, it will be too much for them to admit that they have not got the guts to stand up, and this time, do the right thing.

[quinty 1,445]

Just wrote a similar piece on this D''art in general football, would welcome.your views.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

Just wrote a similar piece on this D''art in general football, would welcome.your views.

Its excellent - as per my comments on the thread -why didnt you put it in here bud ?

[eastcoastbear 122]

Its excellent - as per my comments on the thread -why didnt you put it in here bud ?

Evening bro.

Did you ever make headway with the powers that be re the BBC using evidence from the tax case?

[StornowayBlue 630]

Excellent again D'Art

[Paisleyready 6]

Its strange that the moral out cry as cheat for Rangers for using tax avoidance when their is a list of Celtic players and their current manager has even been found guilty of in court of law

http://www.<No links to this website>/news/neil-lennon-tax-scheme-blow-1173612

http://forums.scottishfootballforums.co.uk/topic/8546-neil-lennons-failed-tax-evasion-scheme/

Rangers were found not wanting for tax to HMRC

Rangers were found not wanting for tax to HMRC

Rangers were found not wanting for tax to HMRC

Yes Graham speirs Rangers were found to have done noting wrong

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,685]

Talkin about 'puff jhournalism' all they had to do was phone the police ! Large John Knew

Loyal !

[ZZed 4,510]

To my mind, did the extra cash help them progress in Europe to the detriment to one of the teams they knocked out in the qualifiers? Maybe UEFA needs to have a look at this on behalf of: IF Elfsborg and FC Shakhter Karagandy ?

[TAFKA 545]

I have said before that the selective airbrushing of this episode by the Scottish mainstream media is the greatest example of collective, corrupt, journalistic censorship I have ever seen - and I go back to the sixties.

Letters or posts to papers are either blocked or, if they get through, are subsequently removed.

Attempts to discuss it on radio programmes are shouted down - the subject is simply off-limits.

Which begs the question why?

There must be at least one or two bluenoses (or at least non-Tims) amongst our press - why are THEY afraid to address it?

Is there perhaps (and I am being totally serious in this) an injunction of some sort in place?

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

Evening bro.

Did you ever make headway with the powers that be re the BBC using evidence from the tax case?

Yes it continues ECB - I now feel I am in the position to present conclusive evidence HMRC misled and mis-directed the Rangers support.

I had certain legal matters confirmed recently -i just await the conclusion of the formal Police Investigation.

[We Will Follow Rangers 12,959]

Is there perhaps (and I am being totally serious in this) an injunction of some sort in place?

arguing that disclosure is in the public interest is one of main defences to privacy actions (the other is that the information is already in the public domain)

in this case there IS genuine public interest in what are after all corruption allegations against elected officials, also the stories are already in the public domain, so an injunction is unlikely.

that leave other reasons for the press to abdicate their responsibilities, again, where ceptic are concerned.

[Young Conqueror 78]

As per D'art great piece sir, I hope everyone connected in pursuing this stand strong and expose all. As for some of the journos in the Scottish Mhedia, VS is far more than some of these scumbags deserve.

[eastcoastbear 122]

Yes it continues ECB - I now feel I am in the position to present conclusive evidence HMRC misled and mis-directed the Rangers support.

I had certain legal matters confirmed recently -i just await the conclusion of the formal Police Investigation.

Nice one D'Art. Good luck.

[sandyinroyalblue 16,478]

do you think in scotland there is an agreement between the better together parties not to hand any votes to the yes campaign by highlighting any damaging stories before the independence vote,i would have thought a story which potentially could expose a labour run council would be manor from heaven to the right wing press but even they don't seem willing to run with this story

[Eaglesham Bear 107]

do you think in scotland there is an agreement between the better together parties not to hand any votes to the yes campaign by highlighting any damaging stories before the independence vote,i would have thought a story which potentially could expose a labour run council would be manor from heaven to the right wing press but even they don't seem willing to run with this story

Or the SNP don't want anyone to rock the boat and damage their flagship event at the pedodome.