Sorry, only wrestling fans will probably get that reference but its the only way to describe what has happened to Rangers over the EBT scandal.
In 1997, wwe champion Bret Hart was in contract dispute with owner Vince McMahon. Hart was booked to retain his championship at pay per view event Survivor Series, but unhappy with his star not signing a new contract, Vince McMahon arranged for Hart’s opponent Shawn Michaels to win the championship. The outcome of wwe matches are pre determined but McMahon didn’t tell Hart and the champion was still under the impression that he would be retaining his belt.
Shawn Michaels put Hart into a submission hold called the sharpshooter, and even though Hart didn’t submit, McMahon ordered the referee to ring the bell and announce Michaels as the winner. This was a genuine screw job, not just a story and was one of the most controversial events in wrestling history. It became known as the Montreal screw job.
Well, what has happened to Rangers is our Montreal screw job. HMRC in my opinion killed our club and dragged our name through the mud over something which has been proved we were not guilty of. Rangers were not breaking any rules with the EBT scheme. Ultimately Rangers went into administration because of the small tax case but it could be argued that Craig Whyte would never have done this has we known the outcome of the big tax court case.
Rangers therefore would not have been docked ten points, but more importantly even if we did still go into administration and had been docked ten points. The outcome being known sooner could have meant potential buyers buying the club sooner and we could have avoided going into the liquidation and creating a newco. Rangers could have and I believe would have stayed in the SPL. SPL clubs voted us out because they believed we were cheats.
I hope Rangers take HMRC to court for millions, they have killed the oldco and have forced the newco to play in division three, all this could have been avoided, it’s a travesty. And SPL still want to investigate dual contracts? What exactly do they think they can prove that the courts couldn’t? I hope the SPL fold and the SFL take over the running of league football in Scotland.
Further more Rangers’ transfer embargo should be lifted with immediate effect.
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