soulfulsaint

Good - its the way it should be in the current context. One year deals will become more common, summer bartering the norm and wage bills that can be flexible.

Terrible thing to say about our manager - Saints are his big team

AT just updated his news piece on air on C4 saying that SFA have confirmed that its Div 3. Very late update and edited on to a piece that had been produced previously.

Alex Thomson's Channel 4 bog also raising the spectre of another SPL fix. This soap opera is never ending - vigilance please <i> "Be in no doubt tonight, Division 3 football is far from a certainty for “Rangers” no matter how much most fans and most clubs want it. The invitation to today’s meeting contained a direct warning to club chairmen that the SFL Board may simply over-rule their 25 out of 30 club vote for D3 football. That apparent threat has not, so far as I’m aware, been retracted. Further, three people present at today’s meeting told me independently that the SFA boss Stewart Regan has told the “Rangers” owner Charles Green that there is no way his club will be playing in D3 a fortnight tomorrow. </i> http://blogs.channel4.com/alex-thomsons-view/?=g

Its official 'Diddy Team'

I notice that Sevco have a friendly against Kelty Hearts as a testimonial for former SJFC youth player Stefan Winiarksi. Some will remember that Stefan played in the BP Youth Cup Team that were beaten finalists against Rangers at Hampden. Barry Ferguson was then the youth captain of RFC Saints Team was -Kenny Munro, Stuart McCluskey, Danny Griffin, David Mathieson, Andy Whiteford,Robert Baillie, Craig McCartney, Craig Reynolds, Paul Rice, Scott Young, Stefan Winiarksi Peter Scott, Peter Irvine. Who would have ever known that night that Rangers would die? That Barry Ferguson would become captain of Scotland and then embroiled in the EBT scandal? That the leftovers of Rangers - Sevco FC would have as their glamour pre-season friendly a testimonal game against Kelty Hearts featuring an ex Saintees youth player. How the mighty fall. Hope the players are insured. http://keltyhearts.co.uk/#/stefan-winiarski-testimonial/4566413650

<B> Scotsman online poll </B> Thursday, 12 July 2012 What league should a newly-formed Rangers be allowed to play in next season? SPL 690 (2%) Division One 604 (2%) Division Two 125 (0%) Division Three 29424 (95%)

Funniest thing I've read in this whole depraved saga. Ghostie must do the honourable thing and boycott Dundee

Looks like we will be seeing some summer resignations - the CVA which was 'guaranteed' stiffed, entry to SPl which was 'promised' stiffed, now entry to the re-imagined SPL 2 or 'First Division' will probably stiff too. Bye Bye at least two the three amigos.

Brechin are recently a 'yes' but Arbroath are 'no'. So the no vote to First is stacking up

<B> Like the cut of Peterhead's statement - a clear and very honourable no to Sevco in the First: </B> "Ahead of the SFL meeting to be held at Hampden on Friday 13th July, Peterhead Football Club would like to clarify the board's stance on admitting a new Rangers Club into the Scottish Football League.We have now received proposals that have been thrashed out between the SFA, SPL and our own SFL a mere 36 hours prior to Friday's meeting. Whilst we have always stated that we would welcome proposals for league reconstruction independent of the Rangers crisis, we are left with a sense of wonderment at many of the newly proposed changes to the League; changes that were deemed wholly unworkable prior to Newco Rangers application to join the SFL after expulsion from the SPL. Although we are to come under severe pressure from bodies outwith the SFL to accept these fast-tracked changes to accomodate at Newco team and to hail this proposal as a 'blue print to safeguard the future of Scottish Football', we must retain our stance and those of the majority of our fans to vote NO. We still believe that to maintain fairness in our game and to restore faith in Scottish Football there is no alternative but to admit a Newco team into Division 3. We understand the ramifications of this as laid out by the SFA and understand that there will be financial implications for all clubs should this be the outcome. However, although there may be tough times ahead for Scottish Football, we believe we can weather the storm. "Although football clubs from all leagues rely heavily on media revenue and sponsorship to survive, it is the fans that are the heart of the club. Our fans have made their feelings very clear over this issue and we have listened and taken on board all comments. We hope that voting to admit a Newco team into Division 3 will unite fans to vote with their feet to support their local team and help preserve our Scottish game.

Shame that a very valuable and long overdue discussion about league reconstruction has been confused with the Sevco fiasco. Muddies the waters. Deal with them then debate the bigger issues they are not a trade off

<B> The Scottish FA, </B> the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish Football League have, for the past two years, been involved in a series of discussions at Board level with the objective of securing radical and co-ordinated reconstruction of the game in this country. Today, we are asking clubs to consider a package of reforms which have the potential to rejuvenate Scottish football at senior level and safeguard its future at a time when uncertainty and fear prevail. The proposals are based on five principles previously outlined by the Scottish FA as key to streamlining Governance, ensuring greater financial distribution and above all, providing better entertainment, enhanced competition and value for money for supporters. Upon agreement by the respective Boards, the proposals will placed before the SPL and SFL clubs for approval to be activated immediately and phased in over a two-year period. A working party will be formed, including three representatives from both the SPL and SFL, to devise a new structure for the senior professional game in Scotland. This group will have an independent Chairman appointed by the Scottish FA. They will be tasked with delivering by 30th November, 2012, a recommendation for structural change effective 2013/14. This will incorporate primarily:- a) The introduction of an enlarged top tier for Scottish Senior Professional Football. A new detailed model for senior professional football in Scotland including number of divisions; number of clubs per division; number of matches per season per division; number of promotion and relegation places per division and the introduction and operation of play-offs. c) An all-through distribution model providing certainty for all clubs as to the percentage of distributable income which will be received. As a minimum, clubs in the current third and fourth divisions will receive the settlement agreement proportion guaranteed as per the current arrangement. In addition, the value and number of parachute payments to relegated clubs will be considered. d) The introduction of a pyramid for Scottish football to provide a route for licensed clubs to enter the new structure effective 2014/2015 In the event that a final decision is not reached by 30th November 2012, the Scottish FA will seek to implement a new structure in time for the 2013/2014 season. The members of the working party including Chairman will be announced in the near future and will ensure consultation with all stakeholders prior to final recommendations being made.

What has not yet been resolved is the matter of whether SEVCO are willing to inherit the key club based responsibilities of the former Rangers (IA) - this would be the transfer embargo, football debt and any punishments handed down as a consequence of dual contracts. (The SPL say the punishment cannot be determined until they accept that responsibility) You will remember Green said he had assets worth £30m that has now dwindeld to less than £5m (Ibrox etc). Could the £30m have been the book-value attached to players Naismith, McGregor, Davis, Whittaker etc. Of which SEVCO have got hee-haw except more legal expenses. The football debt alone would probably tip them over and throw them into administration. The SFL cannot admit a club that might not last.

Any information on when the club's charter flight will leave Edinburgh?

Hilarious statement from their Supporter's Trust having a go at Hibs fans and looking forward to being in the Third to "make new friends on their journey" :)

Good result thanks guys

Nothing is more sure in this world.

There was a 10-1 vote and so SEVCO were overwhelmingly rejected from SPL. A vote will now be taken on Friday 13th to determine whether they will get entry to the SFL. A very complex letter to clubs has been sent out in effect saying they can vote 'yes or no' to Sevco becoming associate members, if they vote 'yes' to include Sevco in the Third Divsion the board can then immediately promote them to the First, to assume the vacancy created by the promotion of either Dundee or Dunfermline to the SPL. Its quite staggering in its effrontery. Longmuir said: "The time has come for all outside influences and pressures to stop. So I ask all other bodies to leave it to those who have been put in this invidious position to make a decision in the best possible interests of the game. So the only thing I take from that is pressure should not stop.

Its the parliamentary commitee of th Department of Culture Media and Sport - both culture and sport are devolved matters, so there would be no obvious reason for Westminster to be involved. However, the one area that is <B> not </B> devolved is Brodacsting policy and a recurring theme in the committee's work in tat area is SKY TV and their power in the market-place and the BBC's role in funding free to air sport's coverage. Both would fall under the committee's remit.

Oh no this has got disaster written all over it Noose stays overnight at Tiger's hoose and both get arrested in Berkshire.

Very honest post sasha and both you and your son are more than welcome to the Saint's cause - I hope to it becomes a real source or pride and passion and one you can share with others. Much respect.

Having read the utterly compromising letter from the SFL I sincerely hope that St Johnstone FC, its officials and its officers played no part in its authorship, and have not endorsed it. As a club who have been the victims of the deceptions of Gretna, Livingston and Dundee I hope we are not rewarding the remants of Rangers even indirectly. We voted no. I hope that means no.

I hope so John its just so craftily worded and seems to want decisons taken by elites - who in tuyrn, clearly want the satus-quo back as fast as possible. Another noisy week and more bullying via the press.

Alex Thompson's second blog of today follows on from the leaked letter he posted from the SFL. He says: <i> "Like today’s extraordinary letter of intent, it speaks of the utter desperation Scottish football’s governing bodies have to find some way, somehow, somewhere to go on milking the so-called “Rangers” cash-cow. At least now this latest tactic is unmasked, leaked as they surely knew it would be. Many will conclude that fans, chairmen and players have five days now to counteract the latest gambit-of-despair from Hampden Park. </i> Fans of SJFC have to play their part in contesting what is an injustice - why should Thistle, Falkirk, Morton, Raith etc have their chances of promotion so ruthelessly undermind as the SPL desperately try rebuild the status quo. SJFC have no vote this time but we have the caapcity as fans to influence football opinion on behalf of fdairness and justice. Think what we would be feeling now if we had a decent squad and were in the First. The letter is here: http://blogs.channel4.com/alex-thomsons-view/rangers-vote/2201