Gers play cash up
Because clearly two isn’t enough to turn “Something has to be done” into actually doing something.
We can’t allow this kind of behaviour to be normalised but if there are no deterrents, that’s what will happen.
No one’s saying you shut stands or dock points for first offences but if it persists there have to be escalating consequences.
And that’s the biggest problem with most people’s perception of strict liability for clubs because they look at UEFA’s version of it and see a failure.
Celtic have racked up fines close to quarter of a million quid for a dozen different infractions of UEFA’s codes. But that’s all it ever is – and it’s no deterrent at all.
Supporters just think, ‘Ach, the club can afford it, bring on the pyro’ and so it goes.
It’s pointless unless you have the power to take preventative action and the balls to use it.
But what’s equal ly pointless is listening to clubs saying they’ll get serious with offenders. Ask the Hibs manager how that works out. Rangers releasing their latest figures 15 minutes before kick-off of a full six-game midweek card reeked of ‘good day to bury bad news’ manipulation.
But there was no hiding the £14.3million losses or the “material uncertainty relating to going concern” note in the accounts. The comedy gold was in the chairman’s comment when he said: “It is important to highlight that the last financial year saw us normalise our financial affairs to the extent we no longer face questions about our financial strength when dealing with suppliers, other clubs and financial institutions.”
Really? Even Roger Moore would struggle to raise an eyebrow high enough in response.