Rangers can't boycott the Scottish Cup
By Jim Thornton:
Before we begin, Jim Thornton does not support Celtic. Or Aberdeen. He does not care for the accusations either. These defamatory statements shame us all, the man has standards.
It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time
I see that one of the self-important Rangers’ fans groups has come up with the suggestion (it’s not a threat!) that the Ibrox club might consider boycotting the Scottish Cup in protest against the SFA’s transfer embargo being upheld on appeal. However, I’m afraid it’s not quite as simple as that.
Rangers, for the time being, anyway, are still a full member of the SFA, and as such are obliged to enter the Scottish Cup; they’ve got no discretion in the matter. The Ibrox side would have to resign as a full member to enable them to opt out of the Cup, but they’d have to give two full seasons’ notice of their intention to resign, and, importantly, not owe any money to the SFA or to any other member clubs when they leave. And, of course, you have to be a member of the SFA to play in the SPL or the SFL.
So, to sum up, Rangers can’t actually boycott the Cup until season 2014-15; they’ll have to clear all their football debts in full; and by resigning from the SFA they’ll have no league to play in. Any other bright ideas then, Brothers?
Could Rangers really deny themselves a day like this?
Does Ally McCoist have some sort of diplomatic immunity which prevents the SFA from questioning his conduct?
Hibs’ boss Pat Fenlon is rightly getting his bum felt by the Hampden powers that be following his get-it-up-you gesture at Saturday’s cup final.
And the SFA’s new fast-track disciplinary procedure has seen a whole host of managers do the Hampden walk of shame for casting aspersions on the infallibility of our referees and linesmen. Neil Lennon, in particular, has been to Mount Florida more often this past year than most Queen’s Park season-ticket holders.
So, given this crack-down on managers mouthing off, why has the SFA still not asked Super Ally to explain his comment about their Judicial Panel who imposed the transfer embargo on Rangers? As you will recall, he referred to it as being ‘supposedly independent’, a not-so-subtle way of implying that the Panel was biased. It’s a good job he didn’t say their decision was ‘personal’. That could really have landed him in bother.
Cash for Questions
Did you spot the notable omission from the list of Rangers’ EBT beneficiaries? Wee Chick must have been paid in cash.
Jings, Crivvens, Help Ma Boab
Be honest, after watching Hibs on Saturday, have you ever seen a worse performance from any team, in any final, in any competition, in any age-group, in any country? Well, apart from Rangers against Zenit in 2008, that is.
And what about that Pa Kujabi? They’d have been better with Pa Broon …. or even the Bairn, if it comes to that.
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
Hibs’ defeat at Hampden must have had tabloid sub-editors and photographers tearing their hair out in frustration.
If Postman Pat’s team had done the business against the Jambos, it would have given us an Irish Triple Crown, as it were, what with Neil Lennon and Kenny Shiels having already led Celtic and Killie to victory in the SPL and League Cup, respectively.
Just think of the ‘Paddy Power’ headlines we’ve been spared, and the photos of the trio in leprechaun hats, waving their shillelaghs, and clutching their Daniel O’Donnell CDs. Kenny Shiels might even have smiled.
Hello, Sailor
Say what you like about him, but even Mad Vlad’s harshest critics will have to admit that that’s now two Scottish Cup wins for the Jambos on his watch.
If only he’d parked his submarine at Leith Docks and walked up to Easter Road rather than Tynecastle, eh.
Are You Chico in Disguise?
Do take the time to read Shaughan McGuigan’s excellent The Away End piece on part-time football. In fact, the article is so good I thought for a minute that ‘Shaughan McGuigan’ was Chick Young’s new pen name.
Outwith the SPL and the top two or three teams in the First Division, there’s simply not enough money or big enough crowds to justify full-time squads. The ‘big’ teams struggle as it is financially, but they can just about support full-time set-ups. The ‘wee’ sides will continue to bobble along as part-time outfits, paying their players little more than pocket money. It’s the middle tier of clubs who are squeezed, trying to compete with clubs who, in some cases, are literally out of their league.
Players’ wages are the biggest expenditure for just about every club, so even Craig Whyte could do the sums and see that part-time football is the sensible financial option for clubs like Raith, Morton, and even Hamilton. And would performances on the park really suffer that much – if at all? So why not bite the bullet and aim to be the best part-time outfit in the country? As Del Boy would say: ‘You know it makes sense.’
