The Rumour Mill: Wednesday’s football news and gossip
Paul Murray has hinted that he has not given up on buying club. Picture: SNS
In today’s Rumour Mill: Further blow for Rangers as extent of tax bill is revealed; Daniel Cousin’s transfer in doubt; Celtic appeal Majstorovic sending off; Hearts clear tax debts and the rest of the day’s football news and gossip.
AS expected, Rangers dominate the back pages of just about every newspaper, with the club making it onto the front page in some cases. The news that Rangers chairman and owner Craig Whyte had left the country last night was compounded by further details of the Ibrox club’s financial difficulties. Whyte is said to have withheld £9 million in income tax and VAT from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The bill is believed to have been made up of around £5 million in Pay As You Earn (PAYE) income tax deducted from the playing staff’s wages, and £4 million in VAT. This figure would be in addition to the projected £75 million that Whyte believes the club could end up owing to HMRC.
In addition, Daniel Cousin’s move to the club may be in doubt after it emerged that the SPL and the Ibrox administrators have yet to approve the striker’s £7500-a-week deal, with the player’s agent Willie McKay already attempting to find an English club for Cousin. (Various)
Meanwhile, former director Paul Murray has told of his plan to save Rangers. Murray is keen to implement a ‘Blue Knights’ package designed to rescue the club, and underwrite a fans’ buy-out, simultaneously ensuring that Rangers will never be controlled by one individual. Sir David Murray yesterday confirmed that he has no buyback clause in the club, contrary to some reports.
Rangers news in brief:
• Rapid Vienna, who sold Nikica Jelavic to Rangers in 2010 for £3.5 million, are still owed around £1 million from the club. The Austrian club’s head of communications confirmed that Vienna have not been paid the full three instalments, the final of which was due to be paid this summer.
• Three other SPL clubs are still owed money by Rangers. Hearts are due £800,000 from the £1.5 million transfer of defender Lee Wallace, whilst Dundee United and Dunfermline are due £100,000 and £80,000 respectively.
• Recent signing Mervan Celik has admitted that he is fearing for his future at Ibrox. Rangers are still embroiled in a battle with the Swedish Under 21 midfielder’s former club GAIS, over compensation thought to be around £240,000.
• SPL chiefs are facing a headache over the fact that Celtic could clinch the title at Ibrox. If Rangers drop five points in their next four games, and Celtic continue their winning streak, a win for the Parkhead side at Ibrox on March 25th would put them 22 points clear with seven games remaining, guaranteeing them the title at Ibrox. SPL chiefs have endeavoured to ensure that the possibility of either club winning the title at their rival’s ground is minimised, following Rangers’ 3-0 victory at Parkhead in 1999 in a game that saw three players sent off, referee Hugh Dallas needing stitches after being hit by a missile thrown from the crowd and 113 arrests.
On the other side of Glasgow, Celtic have launched an appeal against Daniel Majstorovic’s sending off against Inverness Caledonian Thistle last Saturday. The Swede was red carded by referee Steven McLean on the advice of his assistant, after the defender was adjudged to have fouled Jonny Hayes. Although Neil Lennon believes Majstorovic played the ball, it appears unlikely that Celtic will be successful in their appeal.
In Edinburgh, Hearts confirmed that they have paid their tax bill in full to HMRC. The Tynecastle side had been threatened with the same fate Rangers faced, but avoided any action after belatedly paying their outstanding bill in full. A winding-up order was issued on February 7th, giving the club eight days in which to raise the £500,000 needing paid.
Staying in Gorgie, striker Kevin Kyle is optimistic that he can make a return to first-team football following a successful operation on his recurring hip injury.
Livingston chairman Gordon MacDougall has revealed how he managed to land former Hibs managers John Hughes and John Collins, who were unveiled as the club’s new management team yesterday. The Almondvale club were in negotiations with Collins, who had resigned from his post at Easter Road in 2007 following a player revolt, shortly after guiding the club to victory in the League Cup, with Hughes being the former Celtic and Monaco midfielder’s first choice for manager. Hughes hasn’t managed a club since parting ways with Hibs in 2010, despite guiding them to fourth in the SPL and a Europa League place.
Steve Lomas is keen to hang onto St Johnstone striker Stevie May, who has scored eight goals in five games on loan for Alloa Athletic, and has picked up two player of the month awards. Lomas has stressed his desire in keeping May at the club, and has spoken to chairman Stevie Brown regarding the player’s future.
Craig Brown is confident that Aberdeen striker Danny Uchechi will come good for the Pittodrie side. Uchechi, who signed for the club in the January transfer window, replaced Mitch Megginson on the wing in last night’s 2-1 cup victory over Queen of the South but struggled to adapt. Brown expressed his confidence in the former West Ham player to become a hit for the Dons, admitting that Uchechi may have been hampered by playing out of position.
Brown also confirmed that Ryan Jack had been dropped for last night’s game for disciplinary reasons following an incident after the 0-0 draw with Hibernian last Saturday, but will be in the squad to face St Johnstone this weekend.
Meanwhile, Dunfermline defender Kevin Rutkiewicz has revealed his secret double life - as a singer-songwriter. Rutkiewicz is due to support Midge Ure in Lochgelly after his team’s game at Inverness on Saturday, the first time he will have played football and gigged on the same day. The defender also admitted he is learning French and Spanish in his spare time.
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Comments
There are 405 comments to this article
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dg seville
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 10:23 AMSorry if I missed anybody stating this earlier but there are a few things that need to be cleared up. The Administrators say “In broad terms, supporters can be reassured that Rangers will continue as a football club and we hope to reach a stage as soon as possible where the club can emerge from administration” An administrator is required to achieve a better result for the creditors if at all possible than by immediate winding up. This might be by running the company on for a while, restructuring it, selling parts off etc. Only if this proves impossible might it be necessary to move to liquidation, which crudely means flogging off everything in sight to realise as much money as possible for distribution before finally winding the company up. I understand that Rangers are trying to get a Company Vountary Arrangement and come out of administration. They can only do this if HMRC agree which seems very unlikely. So Rangers are likely to go into liquidation. When a company is liquidated the assets etc are sold off to pay towards it's debts. Ok Mr Whyte is the secured creditor so he is first in line to get Rangers assets Second in line is HMRC Third is the unsecured creditors such as Dunfermline, Hearts and I understand Dundee United are all owed money but are very unlikely to get any now. So what assets do Rangers have to be sold and what is their true value. Ibrox Park ? Murray Park ? Does this include players such as Davis, Naismith, McGregor, Whitaker, Edu, Lafferty and would it be a fire sale? And finally what is Mr Whyte owed? Is the stadium, Murray park and players secured for him and who values them? Do all or part have to be sold to pay Whyte and HMRC?
idee fixe
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 11:38 PMRangers owe the whole of Scottish Football answers. ======= A Government led inquiry into what David Murray got up to with Craigie-boy must come out into the open where we can all see it for ourselves.
TGM Numero Uno
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 11:21 PMI still don't get Murray...he tells rangers fans that he only sell to someone fit and proper to run rangers...yet Whyte gets the gig for a quid...plus Whyte was about 9 months checking the due diligence...so how long would it take Murray and his minions to check out Whyte's background????
TGM Numero Uno
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 11:16 PM~Damian, in all seriousness.....is it possible Whyte has been using the money to pay off his "loan" to Rangers with interest as well as taking a wage...say 50k a month out of it?
Artur mac Aedan
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 11:11 PMI should also add that I don't think there will be as many paying customers in attendance inside the park as people think. I do believe, though, there could be a lot of people hanging around outside. In either case, I think that the crowd will be highly emotional and volatile, making for a very combustible situation. I hope that it is peaceful for everyone's sake, but I do think there is the potential for something ugly to break out.
Damo Lennon
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 11:10 PMWhytey hasn't secreted that £30m into an offshore account has he? He won't run off to somewhere that has no extradition treaty with the UK will he? How funny would that be?????????
Damo Lennon
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 11:08 PMNewsnight Scotland - £30m unaccounted for in Rangers' finances! What has Whytey done with the money????????
Artur mac Aedan
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 11:05 PM#397 K2 I have a strong suspicion that Whyte will not be anywhere near Ibrox this Saturday. Speaking metaphorically, I think he knows that the peasants are in revolt and he could end up on the wrong end of a pitchfork!
K2
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 10:49 PMHas CW Left a forwarding address? Where has he gone and when will he return? Do you think he will pay for his own ticket on Saturday, thereby putting in a 5000% increase in his investment into the stricken club? So many questions so few answers?
TGM Numero Uno
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 10:41 PM~393 Idee, John McFall is a good guy, a fair, honest man and a smart cookie too. He'll do a good job getting to the bottom of the Rangers fiasco.
TGM Numero Uno
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 10:39 PMI remember having a meeting with a Celtic director a few years ago...and I was surprised at what he told me about ticket sales and ticket availability for big games..
TGM Numero Uno
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 10:36 PMHugh Keevins bangs on about NEEDING the Celtic rangers game...he keeps stating they are sell outs...the FACT is....The absolute TRUTH is...only two of the last 10 Celtic v rangers games have been sell outs...believe it or not there were over 2000 tickets unsold at the last Celtic rangers match.
idee fixe
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 10:36 PMJust in case Rangers fans have a hairy fit and die baldy...........they should not get Lord John McFall Baron of Alcluith mixed up with Lord John Reid Baron of Cardowan . . . .= = = They are however, very good long time friends.
K2
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 10:34 PMFrom what I remember form my business days - I would not be so worried about the PAYENIC but the unpaid VAT. Huge penalties rack up quickly and they were like a rabid dug wie a bone! Not paying this since May could be dangerous and may lead to another disqualification being on the cards
TGM Numero Uno
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 10:28 PMIn more recent times, Scottish Cup Final 2010 between Dundee Utd and Ross County, 47,000 turned up....The year before Rangers played Falkirk in the SC Final and 50,000 turned up...3,000 of a difference....big deal eh?
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