50 replies to this topic

[Louie]

I am a supporter of the National team, not a supporter of any club so so the following has no personal slant whatsover.

Supporter A
Is a millionaire who owns a large club in a small pond who for a number of years has used various dubious schemes to hire players to avoid paying taxes so the club can live beyond its means. The chickens eventually come home to roost in the form of HMRC wanting the money that should have been paid by the club in terms of tax and NIC for its employees (players). Supporter A recognises that the club are in the sh*te and only way out is liquidation (not Administration). This would not only put the club he loves out of business but ruin his own business reputation. The club he loves would probably be kicked out of the league and he couldn't face being responsible for that.

He looks for a buyer before everything goes t*ts up. Nobody is interested because of the perilous state of the club so supporter A is in a jam.

Supporter B
Is the only person willing to buy the club given the sh*te state of affairs so offers to buy the club from supporter A for a nominal fee. Supporter B knows full well that the club is in the sh*te but knows he will have to put the club into Administration and never be able to own it going forward. Supporter B does however think that it will mean the survival of his beloved club without him losing a penny of his own money because of his experience in this type of scenario from a business perspective. He thinks I can work this in such a way that the Administrators will keep the club going by doing everything within the law and get the club out of the mess it is in and sell to supporter C. Supporter B might have made this clear to supporter A at the outset but that is neither here nor there.

Supporter B goes into this with his eyes wide open and knows

• The Administrators will have to reduce costs significantly by either relying on existing players to take significant wage cuts or releasing them for free. If they had to release them then younger players would fulfill fixtures to keep them in the league.
• Strike a deal with HMRC who would probably get nothing if club liquidated.
• Accept a 10 point penaly as soon as it became clear club were not going to win the title.
• Accept he will take personal stick but given his past involvement in other companies thinks so what if it means the club he supports survives in the current league.
• The club will be under intense scrutiny for a number of years by both HMRC and the league but that is better than existing and owner C will know that
• He won't lose a penny and can carry on ducking and diving with a few million floating around
• Wll let any court cases die on the vine over the coming years and be secure in the fact he has his money well enough hidden

Supporter C
Buys the club from the Administrator knowing that

• The club has survived
• The club will be under scrutiny
• Will have to live within its means (certainly in the short term)
• Will not be in Europe
• But it will get a fresh start in the current league

If this hypothetical scenario worked, who is the major villain of the piece in the eyes of

• The clubs supporters
• The rest of the league
• The wider community

I am not putting my own thoughts on this but am interested to see what others think. I doubt very much that this can stay on the topic of a hypothetical scenario but lets see.

[EddardStark]

Just blame Rangers and be done with it

[Flat Earth]

Major villain is supporter A. He created the whole f*cking mess.

[Louie]

Major villain is supporter A. He created the whole f*cking mess.

Does that make supporter B the unsung hero to supporters of the club as he has in effect saved them from extinction?

Edited by Louie, 09 March 2012 - 01:30 PM.

[Larky Masher]

A's the villain but B is also a villain and you're sad as f*ck for typing that up.

[Louie]

A's the villain but B is also a villain and you're sad as f*ck for typing that up.

Hold on a minute. I'm asking a question, not making a comment on whether I think it is right or not. The idea if this thread was to have debate on a hypothetical scenario. I am not taking any sides but I do think there will be a number of viewpoints that I haven't thought of and I'm interested in what others think. There honestly isn't any hidden agenda here as I don't support any league club. Sorry if you don't like the thread or think my comments are ......... Suggest you ignore the thread from now on and you won't get offended.

[Larky Masher]

Hold on a minute. I'm asking a question, not making a comment on whether I think it is right or not. The idea if this thread was to have debate on a hypothetical scenario. I am not taking any sides but I do think there will be a number of viewpoints that I haven't thought of and I'm interested in what others think. There honestly isn't any hidden agenda here as I don't support any league club. Sorry if you don't like the thread or think my comments are ......... Suggest you ignore the thread from now on and you won't get offended.

It not about like or dislike there simply seems no point to this, but fire away and don't mind me.

[Louie]

It not about like or dislike there simply seems no point to this, but fire away and don't mind me.

Fair enough.

[Scotty CTA]

Dunno if this is the appropriate place to post this, but given the seriousness of the situation and the level of nonsense a lot of people have posted on here, I think the Rangers fans on this board have shown admirable composure. I guess a number of them may not be posting these days, but the ones that are have been pretty constructive with their comments and not responded to a fair bit of provocation at times. Just an observation.

A's the villain but B is also a villain and you're sad as f*ck for typing that up.

It's commendable how they are handling the pressure cooker.

[Louie]

It's commendable how they are handling the pressure cooker.

I agree and that is why this is hypothetical because it could happen to any club. It is not in the thread about a particular club and I haven't posted any views there. Once again, I agree that Rangers supporters have been very restrained in their comments on the other threads despite provocation and this isn't intended to provoke them at all because like I say it could happen to any club.

[Scotty CTA]

Larky wasn't provoked, Louie (and he shouldn't be speaking to you in that tone).

[Larky Masher]

Larky wasn't provoked, Louie (and he shouldn't be speaking to you in that tone).

Oh stop it or you'll make me cry.

[j b lyons]

Supporter A is culpable but not necessarily a villain as he acted in the interests of supporters and tried to build them a a successful club. He is culpable as he must have known the level of debt building up but did little (initially) to stop it. In fairness to him over the last few years he did try and cut the debt and was actually getting it down (over half). Guilty of poor business practice but for all the right reasons
Supported B is a crook - pure and simple. His entire business life has been about making quick money and destroying businesses, a bit of a Walter Mitty (delusional). He saw a chance of a little bit of glory with a profit but didn't give two hoots about the club, supporters or his own reputation, he has lied, deceived and lied again and almost single handedly destroyed the club. He will leave it all behind and slither off with several million of other peoples money and tell everyone he did his best - hopefully he will end up in court charged with Fraud but doubtful
Supporter(s) C will come in a and save the club (not nessessarily before liquidation) but will provide the finance and slowly build the club up again but will have to make a lot of unpopular decisions. Fans should prepare for 2-3 years of 'not a lot'. Slightly older fans will only have to think back to the late sixties / early seventies and then early eighties to know what to expect before success comes again
On the Plus side LOTS to look forward to

[Larky Masher]

Supporter A is culpable but not necessarily a villain as he acted in the interests of supporters and tried to build them a a successful club. He is culpable as he must have known the level of debt building up but did little (initially) to stop it. In fairness to him over the last few years he did try and cut the debt and was actually getting it down (over half). Guilty of poor business practice but for all the right reasons
Supported B is a crook - pure and simple. His entire business life has been about making quick money and destroying businesses, a bit of a Walter Mitty (delusional). He saw a chance of a little bit of glory with a profit but didn't give two hoots about the club, supporters or his own reputation, he has lied, deceived and lied again and almost single handedly destroyed the club. He will leave it all behind and slither off with several million of other peoples money and tell everyone he did his best - hopefully he will end up in court charged with Fraud but doubtful
Supporter(s) C will come in a and save the club (not nessessarily before liquidation) but will provide the finance and slowly build the club up again but will have to make a lot of unpopular decisions. Fans should prepare for 2-3 years of 'not a lot'. Slightly older fans will only have to think back to the late sixties / early seventies and then early eighties to know what to expect before success comes again
On the Plus side LOTS to look forward to

There is no right reason for the reckless way Murray, sorry supporter A, ran the club.

[ReekySporran]

Oh stop it or you'll make me cry.

Turn to God©, it's you're only hope........

EDIT: Maybe Rangers could resurrect themselves as the club of the Christian far right?

Edited by ReekySporran, 09 March 2012 - 04:45 PM.