And so it begins...............

[bdu98196]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35974305

I'm sure those at the top in the Scottish game will be happy, but already next season is starting to loose its appeal - obviously we are struggling, but I expect that for the next 4 months this is all that the media will write about. All the bigotry, bile and sectarianism will be forgotten as we are all supposed to rejoice at  Armageddon ending - sadly I doubt most fans outwith the 2 ugly clubs will agree.

I do find it interesting though, that a club humped last year so convincingly in the play-offs by an average Motherwell  now have a test against Celtic in the cup, almost as if to let them gauge where they sit in terms of squad quality and preparation - a cynic would think its almost fixed?

The re-birth of the SPFL was fun while it lasted, while some would say this is the resurrection of Scottish football, I think its more likely the death of much of the positivity and 'fun' over the last few years.

[Sneckboy]

Totally agree!
Although it was coming, last night confirmed the inevitable - and sadly, the end of the wonderful period of the Ibrox outfit being away from the party.
Unfortunately, for most of the media, this now signals the return to 'normality', and is supported by misguided reports this morning of Rangers returning to the top-flight.
Some even state it's a 'return to the Premiership', which is particularly wrong - as the division even wasn't called that when the former Rangers were playing in the top-tier!
And other media 'outlets' are calling the highest division the 'SPL', which has ceased to exist for several years now.

It's like a cancer returning after 4 years in remission.

Edit: Obviously, my last sentence is a an analogy in a football context.

 

Edited April 6, 2016 by Sneckboy

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

[+DoofersDad]

I don't know how many people heard BBC Radio Scotland's phone-in this morning, but I think Louse White must have been sitting in the studio with her "The Rangers" top on.  The question being asked was  "Do you welcome Rangers' return to the Premiership?"  White was getting very aggressive with folk who calmly pointed out that Rangers had been liquidated and that "The Rangers" were a new club who will be entering the top flight for the first time.  Her stock answer was "Yes, but it's the same club".  Well done Willie from Inverness who made the point very well!

Will the presence of The Rangers make the top flight stronger next year?  Very probably, yes.  But that is not the point.  The point is that Rangers went into liquidation as a result of years of incompetent and criminal mismanagement leaving many individuals and small businesses with unpaid debts.  The appropriate authorities then allowed a new club to be formed and gifted them the assets of the former club.  The appropriate authorities then failed to apply their own rules about clubs applying to the SFL to have a minimum of 2 years audited accounts, and allowed "The Rangers" immediate entry into the league structure.  The appropriate authorities then decreed that a man who has several convictions for fraud was a fit and proper person to be chairman of The Rangers.  The appropriate authorities have since allowed the Rangers to buy success.  They have allowed the club to operate with a massive operating loss so that it can borrow large sums of money to pay better players.  

Finally after all this collusion by various "appropriate authorities" "The Rangers" have finally made it to the top flight.  Meanwhile all these various authorities collude with others, including the BBC, to call the new club "Rangers" as if it is exactly the same club and that the whole shameful episode was just a temporary blip in the history of the club.  Of, course, the only regard in which the club does not want to be considered one and the same with the old club, is in honouring the debts of the old club.  Honest folk who provided services to Rangers are left out of pocket and honest tax payers look on whilst massive tax debts remain unpaid.  

So, do I welcome the arrival of "The Rangers" to the Premiership?  No, It shames Scottish football and it shames those various authorities who have failed to apply relevant legislation and regulations.  Today's phone-in also shamed the BBC.

[IBM]

I was so sick of hearing about "Rangers" from the news and sport on Radio Scotland this morning then the phone in as DD mentions above after 10 minutes I switched over to Radio 2

[KirkieRobRoy]

And now Neil Doncaster, who did his best in all sorts of ways to destroy Scottish football, 'welcomes' the arrival of the Taxdodgers in Spiffle 1. Had Falkirk or Queen of the South won the league I suspect Mr Armageddon would have made no such announcement.

Presumably they won't have to pay the £250,000 fine they owe the SPFL to be allowed to play in the top league.

I am usually ferociously plague-on-baith-their-hooses with regard to the Old Squirm but I hope the Taxdodgers get hammered in their semi-final. Given that in their three games prior to last night they had shipped three goals to, consecutively, Falkirk, Queen of the South and Raith Rovers, I'm very hopeful.

Oh, and Challenge Cup Final humiliation with Rory McCallister scoring a hat-trick wouldn't go amiss either.

[bdu98196]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35979886

The man is an arse, he has no place at the top in the game in this country - lauding how great the return is and will be of such benefit, yet no acknowledgement of his error on 'armageddon' or praise for how the entertainment and fans have increased over the 4 years. Talking up the OF game in the cup next wknd and how the smaller clubs that have had the 'pleasure' of the Rangers 'fans' visiting should be grateful - no mention of the numerous sectarian crowd behaviour issues and general vile that's continued to follow them around.

Rather than citing this as a return, Doncaster should be using this as an opportunity to define it as a new dawn - laying down the rules regarding sectarianism, bigotry and what is acceptable behaviour for both the OF, making it clear that extreme sanctions are in place with a no nonsense approach, instead its welcome back and as you are. Putting all  political, financial and footballing indiscretions of the club aside as if in awe of them. If the return is so great we should be looking at bumper TV deals, new ways to promote the SPFL product and innovations to increase attendance, instead we have crap long terms TV deals and the product inevitably will suffer as fans get bored of the duopoly and politics that follow.

[Sneckboy]

Seems he's also got a crystal ball - describing the cup semi as the appetiser ahead of 4 main meals in the league next season. So Rangers are guaranteed a top-6 finish next campaign? Granted, I reckon they will be in the top-6, but I'm just a punter on a football forum. The head of the SPFL should not be coming out with that in the media.
I'm sick of it all, already. The Daily Record's website in the Football section had 23 'items' on it last night, with 18 of them having the word 'Rangers' in the headline.

A quick snapshot from now, mid-way down the page reveals Rangers referenced in 7 of the 9 viewable items.

[ed]

This obsession with Rangers from Scottish football fans was mildly funny in 2012, but since them it has become very boring.  I don't care if they are or are not a 'new club'.  I give them the same thought as every other club.  I don't hate them and equally I don't like them.  The same can be said for Montrose, Berwick Rangers, Queen of the South, Kilmarnock and Celtic.  They are just another club, who will however as a bonus help generate more interest and finance in the Scottish game from a neutral point of view.

 

Chill out Scotland.

[+Gringo]

15 minutes ago, ed said:

....They are just another club, who will however as a bonus help generate more interest and finance in the Scottish game from a neutral point of view.

 

Chill out Scotland.

ed..That's hitting the nail on the head. Its all about the money and it doesn't matter how much the cheating goes on. Some clubs [well, one in particular] will get away with it. This leaves a bad taste in the mouth of all those decent clubs that go about their business in the right manner.

[Caley Mad In Berks]

Anyway, let's hope Peterhead stuff them on Sunday.

[Caley Mad In Berks]

Anyway, let's hope Peterhead stuff them on Sunday.