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No Respect, No Integrity, Westminster Must Intervene For many years, some within the Rangers support had a grudging respect for Peter Lawwell, from the point of view they wished we had someone like him in our corner, fighting for our club with ruthlessness and zero scruples. Oh, how wrong they were. The buck stops with him for everything at that club, and he has to own the various club statements regarding the historic child abuse cases at the club over 30 years. Understandably, there is a lot of noise around this subject, but we should be clear that most people understand that Paedophiles can infiltrate organisations and win the confidence of senior people in these organisations, in order to carry out their heinous crimes. It’s happened to countless organisations, so the true measure of an organisation is not if it happened to them, it’s in how they treated complaints, and how they restructured their organisations to make every effort to avoid abuse reoccurring. The full extent of what happened at Celtic, in terms of those prosecuted and found guilty is of course on record, as are the back issues of the Celtic View detailing the nature of the relationship between the parent football club and the boys club. What compounds an already disgusting situation, and where most critics of Celtic have been focused, since the original Prosecution of Jim Torbett, has been the statements reported from court by the Daily Record, and in the original award winning investigations in the very same newspaper. The Record reported that Jock Stein, while club manager, learned of allegations against Jim Torbett and kicked him out of the club, with the key point being that the Police were not contacted. Furthermore, when allegations surfaced of abuse on a Celtic Boys Club trip to the US, the Record reported that Celtic Football Club officials met the parents of the alleged victim, swore them to secrecy and once again failed to contact police. What sticks in the gullet, as some of the archive reports are finding their way on to social media, along with new reports from archive Celtic FC publications lauding the boys club, is the sheer ignorance of both the victims, and the risk of reoffending of individuals such as Torbett and Cairney, who were both re-employed by the football club by the same board of Directors. It’s the revelations that former Celtic board members were in the employ of Torbett, and that the club paid Torbett’s company AFTER he had been convicted of abuse the first time around, while those Celtic Directors at Torbett’s business did not resign even after he had been convicted that rings alarm bells. With victims talking of Celtic boys’ club visits to Barry Bennell’s teams, who visited Scotland to play Celtic, and visits to Celtic Park by Jimmy Savile, it goes without saying that this requires further investigation. Given the links between all of those convicted, their cases cannot be treated in isolation from each other. As with many of these types of cases, many victims stay silent and it’s this silence that the predators rely on. Other victims need confidence that they can come forward, that they will be treated with respect, and that the Government will fight for their right to be heard, and that justice will be done for them. Anything else would be a dereliction of duty. Throughout this process, Celtic FC have had ample opportunity to show real leadership and lead from the front in tackling the issue. Instead, like their predecessors in the boardroom, Peter Lawwell and his board have attempted time and time again to slither away from their responsibilities. From using the media to try to shut down supporters of other teams calling out their child abusers, calling such songs sectarian, to using the separate entity line on several occasions, to the avoidance of the word sorry, to insulting one victim by asking him to prove he played for the boys club, to the claim that they have been undertaking an internal investigation at the behest of their insurers, to Celtic Boys Club receiving a mysterious payment to change their name to St Patricks, the current board under Lawwell’s watch have been guilty of failing these victims in the most insulting manner. Furthermore, as more and more of the mainstream media have realised this is a step too far, a mysterious leak of team plans to the press via Social Media has occurred, followed by full on speculation of various players to Celtic Park not on that leak list. It’s a shambles, and while a pathetic excuse for a journalist like Neil Cameron tries his best to excuse Lawwell from the decision making at Celtic Park over the whole period of abuse, despite the slithering of the last 12 months, it’s clear that Celtic FC are the last organisation that can own any investigation. Defendants don’t investigate themselves. The inaction of Celtic, the SFA, the SPL and the Scottish Government is reprehensible, and it’s time the UK Government stepped in with a full public enquiry exploring the links between the convicts, between them and people like Bennell and Savile, the allegations of Non Disclosure agreements, the payments to The Trophy Centre, and all those who turned a blind eye, or pro-actively took steps to keep matters quiet. Any and all payments alleged to have been made need to be thoroughly investigated. If anyone authorised payments who are they and if cheques were signed, who by? I suspect the above is the tip of the iceberg, so the Government needs to step in. Those who enabled and facilitated these attacks need to be punished. https://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/article.php?i=270&a=no-respect,-no-integrity,-westminster-must-intervene

I thought I'd put this 'debate' into its own thread, and keep the transfer rumours thread free for... transfer rumours. Get a move on Stevie-boy!

Good article.

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Oxford at Ibrox? Seems a strange one tbh

Kent won’t be decided formally until he returns to Liverpool The text most likely relates to fake news site on twitter Everyone from the clubs to agent have told press no decisions have been made, so unless people at clubs are lying but secretly telling others it’s done then I suspect the text is utter made up shite

They may also look at the fact that two of their best players spent a good few seasons in Scotland before progressing their careers.

It makes you wonder about certain media and journalists who have always been close to those at Shame FC? There are those in broadcasting and print who must have known? They have said for years how close they were to the club, and it’s custodians going back decades. Why did they not come forward with information?

Laudrup was a major factor in Denmark winning the Euros. That alone makes him world class in my book.

if the club is able to plug its leaks and conduct its affairs out of the public eye then it gives me some hope that the club may indeed be in good hands at last.

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Excellent again from VB, which is becoming the voice of decent people everywhere that the government and media are letting down so badly.

Thought we might have had a Gerrard v Lampard friendly v Derby.

I gave up going to friendlies a few year back but said I would go if there had been a couple of glam games. Don't think any of those three come remotely close to glam!

You really do have to wonder how high these paedophiles are? can be the reason why there is little interest from the Scottish Government, the Scottish FA, the police & the Scottish gutter press in a full public inquiry!

I guess it depends on your definition of world class, and people could argue about that all day. Goram was world class, and arguably Butcher and possibly Gough were. However I would say that Laudrup is the best player to play in Scotland over the last 50 years, and arguably ever.

I think you'd have to be deviant not to enjoy it.

Ahem ... just noted that I (as in: me) seemingly started a topic stating Laudrup being overrated?! Insidious Frenchman you are, Rousseau!

Probably looked at who wants him here and done a runner and quite right IMO

I saw Sturridge had been released by Liverpool and woendered if Gerrard, who must know him fairly well, might be interested. He was a superb player but his injury record is a worry and Klopp all but questioned his commitment a season or so ago in public. I suspect he's still capable of commanding a hefty salary from someone too. I thought Wallace was home bird and wouldn't leave Scotland? Maybe he thinks he's signing for Queens Park...

Reading and comprehension clearly not strong traits of yours.

Sadly religious bigotry is still thriving in the west of Scotland journalists would have been ending their careers in Scottish journalism this paedophile Web stretches a lot further than the ones mentioned on here there are still prominent citizens out here who must be waiting on a pull from the police if only someone somewhere had the guts to order a full police investigation . I used to help a friend who ran amateur teams back in the 70s though to the mid 80s and quite a few lads came from Celtic boys club and I used to think these boys just had a grudge but it was the same names coming up all the time and it wasn't the ones convicted so far but I don't think there will be any more investigation which makes me very angry

they also run the risk of him going elsewhere and having another bad loan move. So they would need to sell him now if they could. Whereas if he comes back here and has another great season then it all goes towards boosting his value and reputation further. Hope he does come back because he clearly benefited from his spell here.

A lot of ifs, buts, and maybes with new players. Some will rise to the challenge of playing for a team like Rangers, a team expected to win. They will improve while playing with better quality players and under excellent coaching. We can cite dozens of names, big and small, who came and did this ... as well as those who failed. Jones knows what is expected from him as a Rangers player, knows what he will be up against. Always a bonus. He has been good playig for Northern Ireland too, so the omens do look good. Only the future will tell us which way his career will go.

Just back from being paid to work at Eric Clapton`s concert over here ... and skipping the debate debate for the time being ... a few snippets from FF Cwoodloyal said: Just received a text to say that Kent will be at Ibrox 100% next season. CELTIC and Rangers are among the front-runners to sign Daniel Sturridge following his Liverpool exit. .. according to the bookies. Strong rumours tonight that Solanke is heading north on loan ... plus: Preston, Hull, Rovers, Wigan, QPR and Millwall are all linked with Bauer, as are Hibs and Rangers, have all been credited with interest in Patrick Bauer

You may want to read back and see that dB said Gazza and Laudrup were "unproven at Rangers", whatever that means. YOU then changed that from being unproven to being risky. The whole initial discussion was about Polster being unproven, not about him being a risk

What remains incredible about the Celtic Boys Club abuse scandal is that this story has been sitting there for years but no prominent journalists or media outlets seemed to want to investigate it fully.

Wish everyone would stay on topic

It's all your fault for not feeding us endless rumours. Show two Rangers fans a plain white wall and eventually they'll find something they see to argue about.

Nice to see this thread has went to shit

I only listened to the podcast of the Monday evening Sportsound programme but Stewart was on and the Scottish Cup Final fall-out was part of it but not in much detail regrads the game itself. Edouards dive didn't happen because they didn't mention it. Even when it was happening, it didn't happen. 1001 camera angles could have been employed but if you don't mention it........ Stewart did find time to focus his critical eye on nemesis, Craig Levein. After a shrewd tactical approach in the Final, Stewart still managed to call him out as Cathroesque. Bingo card didn't quite come up due to the surprising omission of an ongoing simmering indignation at Morelos getting a red card rescinded in August. --------------- I cast my mind back to the League Cup Final and a Celtic penalty that was incorrectly awarded. It was missed but that isn't the point. Weeks later when Stewart was on Sportsound discussing poor refereeing decisions, Rangers were named when pointing toward injustices. However, when it came to that injust Celtic decision, Mr.BioMechanic could only bring himself to talk of the League Cup Final, no mention of who was involved. * Point being, if you don't mention it, for many,..it didn't happen. Repeat and repeat and over time it helps to brainwash and marginalise. You take a glance at a site like the 'Scottish Football Monitor' and it's a similar pattern. A more accurate name would be the 'Rangers Monitor'. A place where only one dimensional thought is tolerated and that pretends to be a high-falluting think-tank for the good of our game. I once tried to give it some balance, but I was accused of, charged and banned for the old whataboutery. ------------------------- * Looked back (this thread Feb 5th / p.141) Background is Andrew Dallas and awarding 4 penalties to Rangers v St.Mirren.