A New Hope...

[Bhoy Fett]

On Friday evening, Alex Thomson's Channel 4 News report finally lifted the lid on our rivals across the city. The programme's Chief Correspondent produced his investigative report on the Scottish football scandal, for which I am sure there is more to come.

Names, dates and documents have all been mentioned with actions taken or not taken. As yet no denials have come to the fore but what remains to be seen is who wishes to go down with them and who wishes to come clean.

Thomson's reporting has been hailed by those seeking the truth and damned by those who remain in denial about their clubs tarnished history. In a time when Scottish football is a disaster we need clarity and change in order to move on.

As part of the Chief Correspondents investigation, he has spoken with football fans and football officials including the SFA keeping all of us updated on Twitter and via his C4 News blog. Despite a TV appearance by SFA Chief Stewart Regan it was obvious that he was struggling to answer Thomson's questions directly.

The opportunity for reform in the Scottish game is certainly there to be taken however, the 'gang of ten' bloodsuckers currently in the SPL see this as a opportunity for gain, not positive change. In amongst this there is an ongoing debate about a Newco's re-entry to the top flight, this is also something which must be seen as negative move for Scottish football integrity.

Almost all of the Scottish media believe that the game will suffer without a Newco upholding a place at the top table. But aren't we all suffering in Scottish football for years of widespread mismanagement already?

Scottish football has not improved since the eighties which was when the game began to stagnate and slide. The ironic thing is that David Murray was the man who injected money into one club like dressing up mutton as (succulent) lamb.

No other club had money to spend or indeed any investors who could match such a move, this wasn't a good time for Scottish football. But Murray a saw fit to dominate and of course his club did.

Was it really much of a fight though when no other club had the money to spend? No of course it wasn't so it wasn't much of a challenge more of a Nazi-like invasion.

If anything this contributed to the downfall of the Scottish game, it didn't improve its quality. By the time Celtic had come through their own personal issues and got back on an even keel, they were just as behind their rivals as any other Scottish club.

New ownership brought restructure and growth and left us with a good business model for the future. Those measures stand firm today despite any periods of lean spending by the club.

But Celtic's re-emergence from their darkness brought changes across the city as well. Having already spent money unchallenged, the horizon was now altering so how could our rivals go one step further?

Well I think their current financial situation tells that story or at least part of it as seen in Alex Thomson's report. This is a subject which has been swept under the carpet by the Scottish media for too long and replaced by positive pro-Murray journalism.

Scotland's supposed top sports journalists would face exile and discrediting by delving into matters across the city. The more popular theory is of course that it was always hush hush with Murray having guys like Jackson and Traynor in his back pocket.

For a short time Graham Spiers emerged as the unlikely candidate who demonstrated some form of fair, honest journalism. But in the wake of liquidation across the city he has shown his true colours and remains on the sidelines like the rest.

In reality these guys are despicable human beings and having had dealings with one of them many years ago I can say that with utter honesty. The truth is that nobody in Scotland wants to report the bad news or even look at it so choose to ignore or deny it, much like Murray has.

There isn't a shred of credible sports journalism left in the Scotland that I feel contains honesty or balance. If it takes a man of Alex Thomson's credibility in journalism, easily bigger than anyone left in Scotland, then he has my backing.

The war coverage he has provided throughout his career stands him in good stead and the good investigative and fair nature of the Channel 4 News team leaves no stone unturned. There is sure to be more from this story in the near future.

Now that Murray has gone and a new owner stands in his place, there is a scapegoat to focus on. Although this guy isn't Whyter than Whyte, he wasn't there when the scandal began in earnest many, many years ago.

On matters more serious for this new week football, we lend our support to Stan Petrov in his fight against leukaemia. He has been a winner and a fighter on the park and will fight and win this new challenge as well.

The Celtic family wish you all the best, Stan.

Hail! Hail!

BF, MTH