Charlotte turns the focus onto Stewart Regan
All manner of issues have had a torch pointed in their direction with a staggering amount of information apparently in the pipeline.
It appears that audio and email information from dozens of sources are coming to light with correspondence involving journalists, football authorities and ‘media managers’ and the main characters coming into the public domain.
Among the most significant paper trails is the correspondence between Ibrox and Hampden as the issue of Rangers being licensed to play in European competition for the 2011/12 season.
UEFA apply strict licensing rules to ensure the integrity of their competitions insisting that all clubs meet the criteria of being upto date with their tax payments.
On 1st April 2011 the so-called ‘wee tax case’ came to light in the club accounts regarding money owed by Rangers to HMRC from the period 2001-2003.
According to UEFA no club owing money to the tax authorities are entitled to play in their competitions, it appears that the SFA took the view that since the £2.8m was acknowledged and under discussion between Rangers and HMRC it was appropriate to license Rangers to represent Scotland in the Champions League qualifiers for 2011/12.
According to documents produced by Charlotte Fakes the licence issue was as worrying for the SFA as it was to the newly installed Craig Whyte regime at Ibrox.
In an email dated 7 December 2011 Stewart Regan of the SFA attempted to clarify the position writing: “Since the potential liability was under discussion between Rangers and HM Revenue & Customs as at 31 March 2011, it could not be considered an overdue payment as defined by Article 50.”
Regan’s proposal to issue a statement on the matter was met with a cold reception at Ibrox with the club feeling that any statement would draw attention to the issue, Craig Whyte’s response was that it would be crazy to issue such a statement.
According to the correspondence released the matter ended with a meal arranged between Regan, Whyte and Campbell Ogilvie on December 20.
If Rangers had been denied a licence for European football in 2011/12 the Craig Whyte takeover may have fallen through since it appears that his plans were based on £12m plus coming in from participating in the Champions League.
As SPL runners-up Celtic would have been put forward as Scotland’s Champions League representatives.
CLICK HERE for the email trail published by Charlotte Fakes
CLICK HERE for further details on the issue published by Celtic Underground