Even by his own standards Tom English has had a bad weekend.
For a month he has been a dog with a dossier, convinced that he had access to the smoking gun about to blow Scottish football apart and give him his first big story.
From the moment that Scot Gardiner decided to share his WhatsApp messages on Sportsound English has been on the scent. Every possible witness has been interrogated to implicate the board of the SPFL in some dastardly plot.
On Thursday the dossier emerged. Keith Jackson and Bill Leckie described it as a water pistol but English remains convinced that he is in possession of a smoking gun.
Across Twitter, on podcasts and starring on Sportsound he has been digging an incredible hole without even pausing to think ‘what if…’.
Neil Doncaster was back on Sportsound today, going over familiar ground again with David Currie way out of his comfort zone as he tried desperately to pin something on the bang average SPFL chief executive. He failed.
English then had the floor to himself. A 75% vote is required to carry the day on Tuesday for the independent investigation that he craves.
Numeracy is another issue that he struggles to grasp. According to the rugger loving Chief Sports Writer at BBC Scotland the last resolution was passed by one vote. Others thought that it gained more than 80% of the votes from 42 clubs.
Ten clubs have already declared their intention to vote for the investigation according to English. Aberdeen’s vote is very debatable, Partick Thistle can’t be counted on.
Two of English’s 10 clubs certainly can’t be counted on no matter what he thinks. Unfortunately for the man from the BBC, Kelty Hearts and Brora Rangers won’t be voting for an investigation. The reason? Neither is a member of the SPFL. Them’s the FACTS!
Some wish to portray this as Rangers vs the SPFL. In the last few days we’ve heard unprecedented criticism of the SPFL’s governance from Rangers, Hearts, ICT, Partick Thistle, Falkirk, Stenhousemuir, Stranraer, Kelty and Brora on top of Aberdeen’s stated support for an inquiry
— Tom English (@TEnglishSport) May 10, 2020
Let’s not get carried away Tom. Whilst there’s no doubt that certain aspects of the dossier need to be looked at, all in all it’s a damp squid….AND YOU KNOW IT!
— Field5s (@Field5sSport) May 10, 2020
Was just checking the club membership of the SPFL. Can’t seem to find Kelty or Brora anywhere Tom….
— Gav Campbell (@Gav300879) May 10, 2020
Add Dukla Pumpherston, Melchester Rovers, AC Milanda and The Sean South Strollers. ?
— Michael McKenna (@mrmckenna59) May 10, 2020
Kelty and Brora are not governed by the SPFL????
— ScottXaviBrown (@Indysco500) May 10, 2020
When you start with “Some” it’s an attempt to remove yourself from any responsibility. Yet it is you who tweets.
— Penang Bhoy (@KarlGuass) May 10, 2020
That almost makes 9 (minus the two who.are not actual members) pic.twitter.com/yiyqMy2mno
— James Doleman (@jamesdoleman) May 10, 2020
St Tom English – patron saint of relegated clubs and hopeless runners up, pray for us.??????
— Pablobhoy67 (@PaulBre16303821) May 10, 2020
It’s Rangers & English v the SPFL Tom. You can’t include Brora & Kiltic as you call them – they are no in the SPFL. Aberdeen have rowed back, Hearts support for Rangers has disappeared, Stranraer are seriously in default with their accounts, the others have had poor seasons
— Slimshady (@Slimshady1961) May 10, 2020
Tom, I heard Dave Cormack’s interview re: support for an inquiry, which to me, whilst he said it, sounded a million miles away from defo backing one on Tuesday! World has moved on since then – Deloitte report and lack of evidence from Rangers – for 2!
— Iain Watson (@stuartyboy) May 10, 2020
Tom, I heard Dave Cormack’s interview re: support for an inquiry, which to me, whilst he said it, sounded a million miles away from defo backing one on Tuesday! World has moved on since then – Deloitte report and lack of evidence from Rangers – for 2!
— Iain Watson (@stuartyboy) May 10, 2020