A Continental Drifter

Out of all the articles I have read, that Davie Provan article is one of the worst. Its an absolute horror show of maladroit bile. A wanton and carefree gerrymandering of facts and a palpable and malign disregard for anything outside Celtic and Sevco got my gander up no end! Internet Bolsheviks? - I think you mean "fans" Davie. You know, the guys who actually pay to see the games, unlike you free-loading humourless Old Firm quislings you seem happy to represent. One more thing, there was no boycott threatened either Davie. I think you meant to type "an abandonment of the game altogether" Moronic, misinformed, mendacious claptrap.....

This morning it was announced that scientists have finally discovered the Higgs Boson particle. The particle that gives Mass to all. Then, just after lunchtime, Rangers disappear. Coincidence? I think not!!

Good point. I agree that a 50/50 split of gate receipts is a daft idea. If you have a large home support, you should reap the rewards of that. I'm curious to know what Celtic fans think of their club's silence on this entire issue. Is there a wariness about it amongst the Celtic support?

At the weekend I finally decided that I was going to buy a season ticket at Fir Park for the first time in years. The club needs support and this is a good time to give it. Then this nonsense of fast-tracking this new team Sevco into the 1st division came out earlier today, with bullying threats of a "divisive SPL 2" if the clubs didn't vote them in. Having read through the STV-published document, I'm seriously thinking of changing my mind on buying that season ticket now. The SPL and SFA's leadership on this has been insipid and cowardly silent. If they genuinely believe this is the best way forward for football in Scotland, then count me out. I'm really not interested. Count me back in however if P&B should ever start up its own football association.

I know there's a financial imperative here, and I have some sympathy with the predicament of directors here. As I said, I think the non-Old Firm directors have their financial nuts in a vice about this. However, it would be interesting to know if they had a back-up plan in case Celtic and Rangers had indeed buggered off to England or the much-heralded Atlantic League. Teams like Motherwell have to show confidence in themselves and ween themselves off the Old Firm teat. For me, the principles of the game and the competition are at the very least, sacrosanct. If a team's cheated, then they need to be sanctioned accordingly. If you don't have any principles, you've got nothing, in my opinion.

If "The Rangers" are admitted into the SPL (even with sanctions attached to their entry), I'm finished with the SPL. After 35 years supporting Motherwell and Scotland, and thousands of pounds worth of ticket and merchandise purchases, this is a statement of fact, not a threat. Like most of the people on here, I've been thinking about this issue a lot over past 4 months. If this newco was to be admitted to the SPL, then I just couldn't justify to myself spending any more of my money and my time on a competition that appears to be institutionally corrupt. Rangers are, and generally have, acted liked a skidmark on the underpants of Scottish football for decades with their religious discrimination, intermittent rioting and apparent tax evasion. We've all had to put up with their unbearably graceless and triumphalist behaviour for decades. Its always stuck in my craw. We, the supporters, are the gullible buggers that pay entrance fees, that buy the shirts and merchandise. The ones who are asked to turn up for games on a Sunday morning. Yet we are the ones who appear to have no say on the vote. Four months into the saga and the cowardly silence from the cockwombling authorities on the actual terms and conditions of the SKY deal becomes ever-more ominous. The perpetually-prevaricating diddy-club directors, who claim custodianship of our teams, have their nuts in a vice to be honest. However, few seem willing to accept the short-term pain of having no team inheriting the mantle of Rangers in place of the long-term good of doing the right thing. I wholeheartedly believe that letting this new team into the SPL could tear Scottish football to pieces and maim the game for good, if they were vote them in. If such an eventually does come to pass, I think it would demonstrate once and for all, that that governors of the game in Scotland don't give a flying f**k about our custom or our support. And in return, if such an eventuality comes to pass, nor would the aforementioned flying f**k be given by me for their "product" henceforth. And breathe....

Long time lurker, first time poster. This is the most entertaining, informative and downright epic threads I can ever remember following. Excellent stuff. Given this, its compelled me to step out of the shadows and say my piece. Im a Motherwell fan and I'm happy to say I cannot stand Rangers. All that sectarian bile and this bizarre British nationalism thing with the union jacks: lowest common denominator stuff. Given that Rangers have possibly gerrymandered the outcome of several championships with their financial skulduggery, I think, if proven, they should be thrown out the league. No matter how many pundits say otherwise, no matter how many flute-playing crustaceans their fans insert onto their forum posts, the decision is essentially not a difficult one to make. If, of course, that decision is predicated on the principles of sport... If they are permitted back with some cursory, wall-paper penalties, then the punishment, for me, does not fit the crime. Throw away the principles of a sport and you effectively throw away the sport itself. Re-admitting a re-branded Rangers would be like giving methadone to a junkie. Scottish football needs to kick the Rangers habit and go cold turkey. It might be a bit tough at the beginning, but over time, I think Scottish football would recover and prosper. There are far more eloquent, funnier and better-informed people on here than me, so I won't clog up the thread. I just wanted to say my piece! Thanks.