Hamilton Statement

[GovanAllan 0]

At some point someone needs to step back and say enough. We're fucked, we can't be unfucked now, what's done is done. Forcing others to go down the same road we are won't help us now. It won't help anyone.

 

But they can't use us as an excuse for their mismanagement, the clubs in this country have been run disgracefully for years. As the potential meltdown if they don't have our money shows. Why should they get a free pass just because we went first and only because we got bought by a crook.

[UCF2008 0]

Why should they get a free pass just because we went first and only because we got bought by a crook.

 

Thing is though, we didn't go first. We're not the first SPL club to go into administration. Over the 14 year history of the SPL there have been 11 insolvency events in Scottish football. Ours is the 5th in the SPL. Motherwell and Dundee got threatened with a 10pt deduction as that rule was brought in while they were in administration. Livingston got threatened with a 10pt deduction as they went into admin a month or so after the penalty was introduced. They stayed in admin for more than 15 months without suffering any penalty. Livingston were then liquidated in 2009 while in the First Division after a 2nd insolvency event, leading to demotion to 3rd division.

 

It should be remembered that the SFL have different insolvency rules to the SPL. For that same reason Dundee, who had earlier escaped punishment in the SPL were deducted 25pts for suffering a 2nd insolvency event while in the First Division. Gretna were already relegated and the season completed at the time they were liquidated. Hence the reason they were relegated to Div3 and the SFL threatened expulsion should they not be taken over. When the takeover didn't materialise they resigned from the SFL.

 

Yes, we're the first SPL club (company) to suffer a liquidation event. If we were in the First Division at the time of the event then relegation to Div3 would appear to be par for course. However we're not and it's been the SPL's failure to take heed from previous administration events (all four of them) and update the rules accordingly that's left the door open for the 'sporting integrity' nutters to pick a punishment ad hoc.

 

Now they're suggesting that we should be punished to the full and then give amnesty to those who follow suit over the next two years. Where's the integrity in that?

[amms 0]

To be fair I don't think Clyde are suggesting that. They are saying it's not for them to punish Rangers, that's up to the SPL and the SFA. I happen to agree with their point about Rangers rebuilding the club and reputation by starting from Division 3, I accept not every Rangers fan agrees with me though.

 

GovanAllan's point about the 'free pass' for future clubs is fair. Other than talk about the redistribution of TV money and maybe gate receipts I've not read much about any other form of corporate governance being put in place. We've known for a while that the likes of Aberdeen and Dundee Utd simply want to protect their place whilst damaging us as much as they can without actually losing any money.