An open letter to St Johnstone Chairman Steve Brown

[henryhallsdanceband]

OK - as we are all (most of us anyway) addicted to our club to one degree or another - I think that we need the recovering addicts prayer in respect of the RFC shenanigans.

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change

The courage to change the things I can

And the wisdom to know the difference

So f**k all we can do about what happens to RFC - but we can change or at least influence (albeit perhaps in a somewhat blinkered way i.e. sod RFC) what our Chairman and Board think and do.

I am serene

[Kilgour]

Its a wee bit difficult to really comment until Rangers situation is clearer.Nobody has come out strongly against a newco going straight into the SPL and Celtics statement was very cleverly worded i.e. we are prepared to listen to our fans.

[Wish i was Joe McGurn]

Forget the newco business. Still have the double contracts investigation, the tax case aswell.

All of this whilst we bend over backwards to keep them in the league. What's next, asking saints fans to pay to keep them afloat to save ourselves.

[henryhallsdanceband]

Forget the newco business. Still have the double contracts investigation, the tax case aswell.

All of this whilst we bend over backwards to keep them in the league. What's next, asking saints fans to pay to keep them afloat to save ourselves.

I have posted the view of one RFC fan on the Ibrox thread - to summarise - "sod the SPL and the SPL clubs"

I remain serene

[SingaporeSaint]

Maybe this should be merged. As a non mod, not able to do it personally.

[Wish i was Joe McGurn]

How many people have contacted the club and not received any answer.

That's what they think of your opinion. Keep turning up, keep paying, keep your mouth shut.

[soulfulsaint]

UEFA have confirmed for a third time that even a CVA agreement would mean the loss of three years in Europe for Rangers. So rather than try to placate their failures out manager should be working on a strategy to secure European qualification on Sunday, and thereafter in the season that follow. It is his job to manage the team on the park not to grandstand for The Sun and risk undermining season-ticket sales.

[SingaporeSaint]

Wish the HM revenue would just hurry up and hit them with the 125 million bill so we can talk about pitch invasions and RetroWorld in peace.

[henryhallsdanceband]

A thought - I'm wondering how many Sky subscriptions there are out there based largely upon subscribers wanting to watch OF matches. And then how many are subscriptions by Celtic supporters. Would Sky risk losing those subscribers by not televising the SPL

[Kevin]

The guy who penned that Sun piece is one of us, too. Only doing his job I suppose. I have my suspicions as to who he is on here, if he is a member.

No, he is not a member and not sure he is 'one of us' but just joined the Sun a few weeks ago after being a freelance. He does trawl the forum though....

[soulfulsaint]

From BBC - latest in this outragous saga.

Our club should be distancing itself from this kind of culture and to quote the SFA - “It is essential that these panel members are allowed to conduct the appeal without fear of intimidation”

The SFA statement:

Rangers will have their appeal against a 12-month transfer embargo and a £160,000 fine heard next Wednesday.

The Scottish FA charged the club with six breaches of SFA and also banned owner Craig Whyte from Scottish football.

Rangers manager Ally McCoist claimed the charges were unfair.

The Rt Honourable Lord Carloway (Chair) Craig Graham and Allan Cowan will be on the three-man tribunal.

At the time of the ruling, McCoist called for the three-man panel to be identified, urging transparency in the process.

Police advised the panel members who were threatened after their identities were revealed.

But McCoist said he had nor regrets, said he should not have to consider potential actions of the "lunatic fringe" when voicing his opinion.

The SFA said it had decided to identify those who would sit on the tribunal on 16 May, but warned against intimidation.

"This decision has been taken with the approval of the individuals involved and after consultation with the relevant police authorities," it said in a statement.

"It is essential that these panel members are allowed to conduct the appeal without fear of intimidation and we respectfully ask all involved in the process to do their utmost to observe our wishes and the wishes of the panel members."

The transfer embargo means Rangers can only sign players under the age of 18 for the next year.

Whyte, who was charged with not being a fit and proper person to be a director, faces fines of £200,000.

The SFA also fined the Glasgow club, who are in administration, £160,000.

Whyte was charged with three different rule breaches and found guilty of two, with the other "not proven". Rangers were charged with six breaches, with five guilty verdicts and one "not proven".

Rangers received the embargo and £100,000 fine for breaching rule 66 - bringing the game into disrepute.

A £50,000 fine was handed out for going into administration and £10,000 for failing to ensure that Whyte acted within rules concerning fit and proper officials.

The Gers chairman failed to notify the SFA that he had been disqualified as a director for seven years in 2000.

The club were also found guilty of acting in an improper manner/against the best interests of football and also of failing to pay Dundee United gate receipts from their Scottish Cup meeting. They were "censured" on both counts.

Whyte was fined £50,000 for bringing the game into disrepute but a charge of acting in an improper manner and against the interests of football was not proven.

He was handed three more identical fines on separate counts of failing to follow directions from an SFA tribunal.

The SFA adjourned the original hearing on 29 March after Whyte's lawyers asked for more time to prepare a case but the owner failed to attend a procedural hearing on 6 April set for him to "lodge a substantive response and for representations to be made as to state of preparation".

Source

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18035426?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=sportsound

[Wish i was Joe McGurn]

No, he is not a member and not sure he is 'one of us' but just joined the Sun a few weeks ago after being a freelance. He does trawl the forum though....

Yes Kevin, he is one of us.

[Wish i was Joe McGurn]

From BBC - latest in this outragous saga.

Our club should be distancing itself from this kind of culture and to quote the SFA - “It is essential that these panel members are allowed to conduct the appeal without fear of intimidation”

The SFA statement:

Rangers will have their appeal against a 12-month transfer embargo and a £160,000 fine heard next Wednesday.

The Scottish FA charged the club with six breaches of SFA and also banned owner Craig Whyte from Scottish football.

Rangers manager Ally McCoist claimed the charges were unfair.

The Rt Honourable Lord Carloway (Chair) Craig Graham and Allan Cowan will be on the three-man tribunal.

At the time of the ruling, McCoist called for the three-man panel to be identified, urging transparency in the process.

Police advised the panel members who were threatened after their identities were revealed.

But McCoist said he had nor regrets, said he should not have to consider potential actions of the "lunatic fringe" when voicing his opinion.

The SFA said it had decided to identify those who would sit on the tribunal on 16 May, but warned against intimidation.

"This decision has been taken with the approval of the individuals involved and after consultation with the relevant police authorities," it said in a statement.

"It is essential that these panel members are allowed to conduct the appeal without fear of intimidation and we respectfully ask all involved in the process to do their utmost to observe our wishes and the wishes of the panel members."

The transfer embargo means Rangers can only sign players under the age of 18 for the next year.

Whyte, who was charged with not being a fit and proper person to be a director, faces fines of £200,000.

The SFA also fined the Glasgow club, who are in administration, £160,000.

Whyte was charged with three different rule breaches and found guilty of two, with the other "not proven". Rangers were charged with six breaches, with five guilty verdicts and one "not proven".

Rangers received the embargo and £100,000 fine for breaching rule 66 - bringing the game into disrepute.

A £50,000 fine was handed out for going into administration and £10,000 for failing to ensure that Whyte acted within rules concerning fit and proper officials.

The Gers chairman failed to notify the SFA that he had been disqualified as a director for seven years in 2000.

The club were also found guilty of acting in an improper manner/against the best interests of football and also of failing to pay Dundee United gate receipts from their Scottish Cup meeting. They were "censured" on both counts.

Whyte was fined £50,000 for bringing the game into disrepute but a charge of acting in an improper manner and against the interests of football was not proven.

He was handed three more identical fines on separate counts of failing to follow directions from an SFA tribunal.

The SFA adjourned the original hearing on 29 March after Whyte's lawyers asked for more time to prepare a case but the owner failed to attend a procedural hearing on 6 April set for him to "lodge a substantive response and for representations to be made as to state of preparation".

Source

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18035426?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=sportsound

They will get off with this.

[Guest Harry Curran's Love child]

Clearly we are deluded. To support a team playing in a rigged set up. Where cheats prosper, where you don't need to pay bills to succeed.

If you can't beat them, join them. We have watched some amount of pish whilst Brown was our leader. And for what, to be prudent. Waste of time and money in my eyes.

Am out.

Sums it up for me too.

[Guest Harry Curran's Love child]

Yes Kevin, he is one of us.

100%. End of. Guy's just doing his job.

Guess you could argue that Lomas is doing that too. Looking after his own interests ie bigger budget for revamping squad as opposed to doing what is good for Scottish Football as a whole. It's no skin off his nose, he's using us as a stepping stone for 2-3yrs in the hope of a move to a bigger club and fair play to him but he has no right to say what is right or wrong with Scottish football or indeed who is "deluded".

Completely flabbergasted that Houston, Butcher and Lomas have came out so emphatically to effectively beg that RFC Newco be allowed into SPL. Yet to hear from a manager/chairman/official who has came out and stated categorically that it can't be allowed to happen.

If John Lambie was still around.........

[A. Trialist.]

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4309814/Lomas-Gers-so-vital-for-the-SPL.html

[Calypso Kid]

I think demotion to the 3rd is too good for them. Indeed, the SFA tribunal itself considered termination of their membership. Does Lomas think they are deluded?

He really ought to have held his tongue rather than come out with naive nonsense like calling a large proportion of the country's football supporter deluded.

[Guest Harry Curran's Love child]

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4309814/Lomas-Gers-so-vital-for-the-SPL.html

Come on Derek catch up! posted about 30 posts ago

[Edstar101]

If John Lambie was still around.........

Wonder what Jim McLean would have to say if he was still around

[john1962]

you can fuck right off Lomas.

If true then Lomas is starting to look like a clown.

[soulfulsaint]

"A Scottish Football Association tribunal gave consideration to terminating Rangers’ membership during a case against the club on five breaches of the governing body’s rules.

The club were handed a 12-month registration embargo in late April by an independent inquiry, as well as receiving fines of £160,000, having been found guilty of breaking four regulations.

In its deliberations, the judicial panel concluded Rangers' actions meant that "only match fixing in its various forms might be a more serious breach” of the Scottish FA’s rules.

[john1962]

I think its not impossible that chairmen will request a 'secret ballot' and that technically at least no one will know who voted for what. That won't stop the conjecture though.

As for the other matter is saddens me that Steve Lomas has made those comments not because I disagree (which I most certainly do) but because they are plastered over a paper which has no interest in the fortunes of SJFC, and is only interested in screaming headlines.

Its not a great day for the club. Nor does it do us any favours to be seen as pawns in a game being played out in public by two bigger and more 'powerful' clubs.

I can't think of a time when I have felt so disappointed in a St Johnstone manager.

I agree with everything you have said Soulful.

Our manager seems to be courting publicity. There is very little that comes out of his mouth that could not be considered controversial in some way. All he has done here is convince me that my initial reaction of sacking it was correct.

I am starting to get very concerned at the direction St Johnstone Football Club appear to be heading.

[Guest Harry Curran's Love child]

I agree with everything you have said Soulful.

Our manager seems to be courting publicity. There is very little that comes out of his mouth that could not be considered controversial in some way. All he has done here is convince me that my initial reaction of sacking it was correct.

I am starting to get very concerned at the direction St Johnstone Football Club appear to be heading.

Same here. Stated I wouldn't be going to any SPL game if Newco have the red carpet rolled out for them but that has been absolutely cemented by the fact that Lomas has now came out in support of it.

[TheYellowBox]

I agree with everything you have said Soulful.

Our manager seems to be courting publicity. There is very little that comes out of his mouth that could not be considered controversial in some way. All he has done here is convince me that my initial reaction of sacking it was correct.

I am starting to get very concerned at the direction St Johnstone Football Club appear to be heading.

Sadly agree. Starting to doubt lomas. I kind of have a sandy Clark feeling about him. Keeps a decent team going but struggles to move it on. I really hope I am wrong.

Don't agree with his view at all, but I can see why he thinks it.

The rangers nonsense aside, I worry about the direction generally.

Still bugs me about never announcing season tickets or releasing strips until summer is well underway! Thought it might change, but clearly not.

Credit where credit is due though. Family scheme is fantastic idea. More of that please and less worrying about rangers fortunes!!!

[Jings]

Said it before.....Lomas needs to stay out of the papers and concentrate on his own job.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but he didn't have to air his views in the national press, especially prior to such a huge game.

Saints pay his wages and are entitled to his full support during his tenure.

So, let's hear you talk up our club for once Steve, instead of hearing the "provincial club" and "over achieving" crap, that Sandy Clark used to spout.