Wind of change

[craig 5,199]

I can't see that when they or the SPL were refusing us a licence. It was our choice to ask the lower leagues. i am sure we could have just as easy went to another association.

 

I'm sure that isn't true pete.

 

At the time I distinctly remember there being discussion that we couldn't just apply elsewhere and be allowed to play. As boabie points out in the post above yours, the SFA needed to give approval and would also have needed to have transferred out license to the English FA.

 

I am almost positive that we couldn't "easily went to another association" - for two reasons - one being the other association would need to want us (which means canvassing their members) and secondly, more importantly, they would still have needed to get the license to transfer from the SFA.

[boabie 230]

I can't see that when they or the SPL were refusing us a licence. It was our choice to ask the lower leagues. i am sure we could have just as easy went to another association.

 

All football at every level played in Scotland is under the auspices of the SFA Pete.

The SPL refused to let us into their wee club so we applied to the SPFL. But both of those organisations come under the SFA who report to UEFA and FIFA when it comes to euro or international matches.

In the end, no matter what league we were playing in, if we wanted to play at Ibrox we'd need the SFA to sanction it.

[pete 2,499]

I'm sure that isn't true pete.

 

At the time I distinctly remember there being discussion that we couldn't just apply elsewhere and be allowed to play. As boabie points out in the post above yours, the SFA needed to give approval and would also have needed to have transferred out license to the English FA.

 

I am almost positive that we couldn't "easily went to another association" - for two reasons - one being the other association would need to want us (which means canvassing their members) and secondly, more importantly, they would still have needed to get the license to transfer from the SFA.

 

I remember the league under the professional leagues which is now the National league but was then another name(I can't remember the name was it the Conference League then ) saying they would gladly accept us and there was even an article in the paper where the chairmen voted on it and we got a large majority. Anyway it is now a moot point as we are now 5 years further and on our way to 55 in a row.

[JohnMc 2,801]

Maybe. We didn't try so it's all moot, but had we tried, with all the 'new club' bullshit going on, and with us having been thrown out of the SPL I think we'd have got into England. Had we been denied we could have challenged it legally and would have won, I think (I'm not a real lawyer, don't take legal advice from me on other matters).

 

You already have Welsh sides in England, and not just the big well known ones either, Merthyr Town, a Welsh side, joined the Western League, part of the English pyramid for example just five years ago. Closer to home Tweedmouth Rangers joined the East of Scotland league just last season after playing in the Northumberland League, they are based in England. Likewise Gretna and Annan both played in Cumbria for years. So there's precedent before you look to Ireland, and further afield where there are countless clubs playing in leagues outside of their country. The SFA might not have liked it but I can't see how they could stop it if we'd forced the issue. Remember this was the level we'd have been looking to join.

[boabie 230]

Maybe. We didn't try so it's all moot, but had we tried, with all the 'new club' bullshit going on, and with us having been thrown out of the SPL I think we'd have got into England. Had we been denied we could have challenged it legally and would have won, I think (I'm not a real lawyer, don't take legal advice from me on other matters).

 

You already have Welsh sides in England, and not just the big well known ones either, Merthyr Town, a Welsh side, joined the Western League, part of the English pyramid for example just five years ago. Closer to home Tweedmouth Rangers joined the East of Scotland league just last season after playing in the Northumberland League, they are based in England. Likewise Gretna and Annan both played in Cumbria for years. So there's precedent before you look to Ireland, and further afield where there are countless clubs playing in leagues outside of their country. The SFA might not have liked it but I can't see how they could stop it if we'd forced the issue. Remember this was the level we'd have been looking to join.

 

Apart from the historic thing with the Welsh clubs playing in English leagues because there was no Welsh league at the time, stop and think it through for a couple of minutes John - the SFA say no and we're going to take them to court ? Thereby we involve UEFA and the English FA. Do you think the English would back us up when UEFA get involved ?

As for the level we'd be looking to join at - c'mon man. This isn't Merthyr or Tweedmouth we're talking about. It's RANGERS. A whole different kettle of fish.

[JohnMc 2,801]

Apart from the historic thing with the Welsh clubs playing in English leagues because there was no Welsh league at the time, stop and think it through for a couple of minutes John - the SFA say no and we're going to take them to court ? Thereby we involve UEFA and the English FA. Do you think the English would back us up when UEFA get involved ?

As for the level we'd be looking to join at - c'mon man. This isn't Merthyr or Tweedmouth we're talking about. It's RANGERS. A whole different kettle of fish.

 

There was no Welsh league when Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham joined but there is one now and was when Merthyr joined. Precedent set. I obviously agree that Rangers aren't on the same level of club but we'd have been joining the same level of league and that was the issue.

 

I actually do think the English would have backed us if it came to it. The clubs at that level would have backed us, the leagues would have backed us, there's a lot of votes in those regional and county leagues in the FA. As for the SFA, we'd just been thrown out of our league and the company that owned us had gone into liquidation, had we pushed it and applied for England and they'd said 'no' we could have challenged that under restraint of trade or threatened to resign. In the end the SFA might not have liked it, indeed they might have said 'no' and forced us out of football for 12 months but a phoenix club could have played for one season in England and then merged with 'Rangers' the following year.

 

We didn't try, we didn't play hard ball with them, we don't know what kind of stomach for a fight they had. Remember Lawwell and his cabal might have fancied us setting a precedent of going to play in England,.