Fears from Ibrox as Lord Nimmo Smith panel sits
On June 18 a statement from the SPL read: “The SPL Board heard a report from its solicitors following the investigation into payments to, or for the benefit of, players allegedly made by Rangers FC outside of contract.
“The delay in concluding the investigation was caused by an initial lack of co-operation from Rangers FC.
“The investigation has now been completed and, in the view of the SPL, there is a prima facie case to answer in respect of its Rules.”
While Charles Green and his hired hands go on about title stripping and shift between newco and oldco when it suits the SPL case is much more simple.
Lord Nimmo Smith will look into the charge that players received payments outwith the earnings declared in contracts lodged with the SPL and SFA.
These details only emerged when HMRC began to look into the use of EBT’s with different rules applying in football.
Undeclared payments mean that players were ineligible with normal protocal seeing results overturned where an ineligible player has taken part in a match. Numerous clubs have felt the full force of this in recent seasons and found themselves eliminated from Scottish Cup ties that they ‘won fairly and squarely on the pitch’.
According to the BBC over 50 employees, including players and managers, had side letters to accompany their contracts prompting fears and threats from within Ibrox over the outcome of the Nimmo Smith enquiry.
Newly installed in-house communications director James Traynor warned of the consequences of a guilty verdict on the club website.
The former Daily Record and Radio Scotland pundit stated: “If there is any attempt to take away titles deep divisions will be created with Rangers fans feeling they shouldn’t set foot in any other grounds. Scottish football cannot afford that.
“Only last week Charles Green spoke about the need to start healing wounds but these could fester and become poisonous depending on the commission’s ruling.
“No one wants that but refusing to do the right thing for the game now could damn us to a long period of pain and distrust. There will be no unity and clubs will suffer.”
Instructing Nimmo Smith and the SPL Traynor added: “They have to understand that this case could cost them as much as £400,000 and for what?
To prove only that the paperwork connected to the contracts of a handful of players wasn’t properly filed?”
HMRC are awaiting approval to take their appeal against the result of the First Tier Tax Tribunal.
CLICK HERE for George Galloway raises Rangers tax case
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