Celtic fans were quick to jump on Alastair Johnston’s asterisk story with Times reporter Graham Spiers happy to provide a helping hand.
Hits, retweets, likes and comments on his Twitter account won’t do him any harm on the back on an interview between his colleague Paul Forsyth and the former Rangers chairman.
The lead item in the interview was from an imaginary story in which Ibrox fans were asking ‘Mr Johnston, if Celtic are designated as the winners of the league, does it mean they have won eight-and-a-half in a row?’
Helpfully Mr Johnston threw in an asterisk suggestion which will have the gullible Ibrox followers celebrating within hours of the announcement that their management team and first team stars are taking pay deferrals.
If Mr Johnston wishes to discuss asterisks he can maybe discuss how every trophy from 1999 onwards was won by fielding ineligible players enjoying a disguised remuneration scheme as ruled by the Supreme Court in 2017.
Players who had two contracts, a token one registered with their good friends at the SPFL and SFA while millions were paid into offshore ‘Trusts’ with a sideletter to reassure that if HMRC got involved the club would be liable.
Barry Ferguson, Nacho Novo, Stefan Klos, Neil McCann, Kris Boyd, Alex Rae, Billy Dodds and Steven Thompson all signed up pronto. As did Alex McLeish and Dave Murray to deny public services the income that they are dependent on.
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All of those players and many more were ineligible- against SFA rules they were getting off the book payments. Under UEFA and FIFA rules every match that they played in would be adjusted to a 3-0 defeat.
In July 2017 the Supreme Court ruled against the Ibrox tax scam declaring it as disguised remuneration and liable to Income Tax, National Insurance, interest and penalties.
Tomorrow’s back page in The Times.
Alastair Johnston believes any Celtic 2020 title triumph might require “an asterisk”.
If I was a Rangers director I think I’d keep mum on titles that require “an asterisk”…? pic.twitter.com/pStPGhJxD8— Graham Spiers (@GrahamSpiers) April 6, 2020
Did the journo point out the irony? If not why not? So the Times spouts crap from anyone now?
— sentinelcelts (@sentinelcelts) April 6, 2020
Did the journo point out the irony? If not why not? So the Times spouts crap from anyone now?
— sentinelcelts (@sentinelcelts) April 6, 2020
Or queried the % of players’ wages required to cover 20% of furloughed staff wages?
Mmmmh?
— THE QUADRUPLETREBLE FC (tribute act) (@HTrebles) April 7, 2020
I expect better from @thetimesscot than air time given for headline grabbers like him. Be better
— Brian McLaughlin (@BmacTank) April 6, 2020
— Magic Bhoy (@magic_bhoy) April 6, 2020
He committed fraud in 2011. All the evidence supports the charge that SFA have excluded from scrutiny. Blow torch and brass neck.
— Auldheid (@Auldheid) April 6, 2020
Everything they do reeks of desperation, Celtic`s success has guys like AJ looking ridiculous as they try to deflect from the financial crisis looming in the not too distant future.
— Tam (@TamMcKenna1888) April 6, 2020
Where the bloody hell did this ‘story’ spring from? It’s bizarre!
— YOJIMBO (@Yojimbo56) April 6, 2020
