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Jim Spence speaks out about why he had to quit BBC Scotland

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Jim Spence has spoken out for the first time about his reasons for leaving BBC Scotland.

The popular Dundee based reporter enjoyed a connection and understanding with supporters that few of his colleagues could match.

While the state broadcaster was at the forefront to pretend that the current club from Ibrox was still the one that was placed in liquidation in 2012 Spence took a different line.

There was no talk of ’emerging from administration’ or ‘dealing with the financial crisis’ from the self declared Dundee United fan not afraid to use the L word that his colleagues with the state broadcaster avoided at all cost.

Spence’s announcement that he was leaving the BBC was greeted with mixed responses. Some supporters were disappointed that a lone independent voice had been lost while others anticipated that greater detail could emerge into the murky operations within the BBC that left Spence isolated.

Using the blog of Phil MacGiollabhain to speak out on his decision Spence typically gave straight answers to the questions licence payers want answered.

Phil asked ‘What was the low point at the Beeb?’ prompting Spence into detail about the final stages of his career with the state broadcaster.

He said: “The now well-known farrago concerning a remark about Rangers during the old club, new club debate. I’d been tipped off by a source at Ibroc that John McLelland would be returning as chairman. I ran the story and a couple of nights later posed a question to two guests on Sportsound, which many other football fans in Scotland were asking.

Referring to McLelland return I said ‘John McLelland who was chairman of the old club, some people will tell you the club, well the club that died, possibly coming back in terms of the new chairman’.

It wasn’t the most graceful effort at flowing prose, granted, but in a live unscripted radio discussion, that isn’t uncommon. There were 400 complaints from Rangers fans that my comments were inaccurate and misleading and the BBC Trust became involved. The situation dragged on for a long while before they ruled that there had been no breach of editorial guidelines. There was a sustained campaign of pretty vicious abuse on social media with threats directed at my family and myself.”

Spence continued: “The upside was the unbelievable support which I received from fans of other clubs in Scotland.

A petition in support of me with over a thousand signatures was signed by supporters of other clubs and that was very welcome and heartening. In particular Aberdeen fans were terrific in their backing with their ‘We are all Jim Spence’ banner, which they unveiled at an away game at Firhill and at BBC HQ in Glasgow.”

BBC Scotland’s attempts to keep the latest regime at Ibrox sweet has once again backfired with Chris McLaughlin given the cold shoulder from the club on Friday.

That decision seems certain to have been taken by former BBC presenter James Traynor who now manages the message coming out of Sevco having previously worked at the club and orchestrated the coronation of Dave King who was branded a glib and shameless liar by a South African tax judge.

With a breakdown in relations between the broadcaster and the club from Ibrox there is an outside chance that BBC Scotland will stand up to the thought police inside the club, perhaps explaining to licence payers how the current club wish to claim the glory of the old club while walking away from millions of pounds of debt owed to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, Police Scotland, the Ambulance service, various other public bodies, florists, taxi companies, newsagents and others.

When the Sevco bubble bursts and Dave King joins Dave Murray, Craig Whyte, Charles Green and Mike Ashley in the hall of shame perhaps some of the supporters may regret hounding Spence while swallowing the spin of those happy to pass on the party line.

CLICK HERE to read the full interview.


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