If that’s good enough for the man who tried the Lockerbie bomber, it should be good enough for the rest of us.
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Is that the judgement that is challenged not only by the man himself, but by the families of the dead who don't believe he was guilty in the first place.

As for the bit about "It’s time to boot “sporting integrity" into touch and bring Rangers back into the top flight." it's just another example of a media obsessed with the Old Firm who don't give a monkey's about the rest of our game. Rangers deserve no special treatment and are where they should be - as everyone, Rangers fans included, agreed they should be.

Scottish football isnt just the Old Firm despite what the likes of Provan would have us believe.

But many of his points are valid. The SPL is just a walk in the park for Celtic. To be honest, (and this is no disrespect to your team) it's just a pointless exercise in who will finish second.

Oh, and I totally agree that we should be where we are, although it cannot be denied that there has been no lack of kicks and digs going in. Even a dog deserves a little sun on it's back

Lord Nimmo Smith,

If this is a copy and paste from another site, could you instead post and brief summary and a link to the source material.

Admin, my apologies. It is lifted from The Scottish Sun of all places

What do you want me to do, delete the whole article? No worries if that's what you want

You can edit your own articles, just leave the first couple of paragraphs and paste the link.

To be honest, (and this is no disrespect to your team) it's just a pointless exercise in who will finish second.
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In terms of the title then yes, there is no rivalry to Celtic in that respect. However, qualifying for Europe is a massive thing for the other clubs (as is finishing top 6 for financial reasons). The season is certainly no more pointless than any other season for the last 20 years for the other clubs. There might be no excitement for the Old Firm fans this season but that's been the case for us for the last couple of decades.


And you're right - there have been plenty of digs and kicks but then you had to expect that given the way Rangers previously lorded it over everyone else. When a bully gets brought down everyone takes fun in it. I'm not saying it's right but it was entirely predictable.

Or what you've done is fine

At the moment, we have 4 or 5 teams battling it out for 2nd place - and a champions league qualifier spot. Is Provan saying it's better to have just 2 of the 12 teams fighting for this spot instead?

I don't know what the answer to it all is, but dragging Rangers back in after just one season to return to the previous tedium is not it.

Ivan, you have your opinion on the league and it is respected. It cannot be ignored though that when several journalists (not just Davie P) have said that the SPL is dead and buried without any competition to Celtic, then you have to take note. Even their attendance figures are dwindling and it is understandable. You want to be entertained when you goto a game, not sit up there and just wait for the inevitable onslaught against some cack team.

I don't we lorded it over anyone, I certainly didn't

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Nimmo - I can see why people think that but that's not the way it is for me. For me this is an opportunity for other clubs and for Scottish football itself to make the product far better. What we achieve with just going back to the way it's been for 20 years? The game has been slowly dying for a generation and it would continue to die if we just maintained the status quo.

The league isn't just here for Rangers and Celtic. It's here for everyone and we have to create an environment which allows everyone to thrive, not just two teams.


As for the lording it point, I accept that I'm being a bit generalist here but there's been many a Rangers fan who has referred to the other teams as "diddies" and sang "you're only here to see the Rangers". That's all it takes to get some folks backs up.

If putting us into the 3rd division was the "right" thing to do, why did they want to put us into the 1st?

Why not give us a further points deduction to ensure this?

And please don't give us the "sporting integrity" rubbish.

The whole thing was handled in an extremely amatuerish way.

"Wrong. Only one spot"


I thought we still had a 2nd team in there until next season. I stand corrected.

If putting us into the 3rd division was the "right" thing to do, why did they want to put us into the 1st?
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For money ath, as you well know!

We both know the attempt to shoehorn Rangers into the first was a disgraceful act by the SPL, led by that clown Doncaster, to try to allow the clubs to continue to suckle on the teat of the cash cow that is Rangers. It was an embarassment and quite rightly upset everyone, Rangers fans and non-Rangers fans alike.

And you're 100% right when you say it was amateurish.

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The whole thing's sickening, Ivan.

Make the product better? Seriously I have watched a few SPL games this season and if anything, it has got far worse since we moved to the SFL. A team will only improve if you are regularly playing sides of a better standard; at the moment you have Celtic, that is it and even their supporters will admit (if they're being honest with themself) that they have been rank rotten at times this season. Jesus, Ross County v ICT was like watching my local pub league. There is no way that broadcasters will continue to pay decent bucks to put on the SPL in the future. It is a rank rotten product.

DC - I'm not a Celtic fan. I didn't care if you were "cheating" or not. I only cared about the fact you went into liquidation and for that reason should have to start at the bottom.

Decent article from Provan....sits well wi everybody too,judging by the comments

"soup taker" some people are clearly strugglin to contain their bitterness

Nimmo - it's the only product we have. It needs to be improved but I'm not saying it's improved already. This is the opportunity we've needed for decades.

Didnt care? Yer supports been singing songs about us cheatin for years ffs

A vast number of Celtic supporters will not continue to buy season tickets if they know that the outcome of the league is a foregone conclusion before a ball has even been kicked in anger. Where is the excitement in that?

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From what I have heard, Zachsda, there are potentially 3 SPL clubs who will be out of business by the end of the season

DC - any songs about cheating were about refs ffs

Nimmo - why should we make things more exciting for Celtic? Where's the excitement for the other teams? Season ticket sales have been declining for years at the other clubs because of the lack of opportunity to win things.