JABBA THE AGNIVORE

FRAUDITORS

So nobody fell for my 1st April tall tale! Maybe I over-egged it a bit. I noticed that Loony Leggat did not post anything on the 1st; I wonder why. Still, with the maniacal rubbish that he posts 'every day's like the First of April', to paraphrase a song popular with those that believe him!

Meanwhile big things happening at the Stadium of Shight. Sandaza has been sacked, ostensibly because he revealed details of his contract to a prank caller. Of course, if you believe that you'll believe that Traynor was always a bona fide journalist! Green seems to be taking a broom to the place; the physio and the scout have already been shown the door. He's obviously looking to save a bit of cash and looking for any excuse to get rid of people; Sooperally's sphincter must be working overtime!

And then there's the £500,000 demand from the SPL for the Nimmo-Smith fiasco. His Lordship took the coward's way out, producing a verdict that read as if it came straight from the mouth of Kenny Dalglish: Mibbies Aye, Mibbies Naw. It means that Rangers think they won, while the SPL think the opposite. The loser usually picks up the tab, but it's hard to know who the loser is! Even if you take the view that the SPL won, does that mean that Green's new club is liable to pay the costs? A tricky one. The noble lord is apparently going to be sorting this one out too, so stand by for another verdict that could mean anything!

This monetary demand is all grist to the mill of Loony Leggat and his merry band of followers. He is still banging on about Peter Lawwell running the SPL, the SFA, the Daily Record, the U.N, the Galactic Federation and practically anything else you care to name. Even God apparently has to defer to him. Today's insane ramblings are all about league reconstruction, which, of course, Leggat insists is purely the work of Peter Lawwell. He also casts doubt on the current Sky deal, again blaming Lawwell for everything. He pours scorn on the idea of the SFA acting as independent brokers and suggests that SFL clubs get due diligence carried out by 'world-wide' auditors Grant Thornton.

Ever heard of Grant Thornton? No, neither had I, but a quick search on the internet threw up some interesting facts. A few years back an Italian-based, multi-national company called Parmalat went bust owing millions upon millions. It was discovered that the chief executives at Parmalat were guilty of many types of fraud, including disguising losses in their accounts. The company's auditor was Grant Thornton. Grant Thornton was investigated for covering up, and even being a part of, the frauds perpetrated at Parmalat. Grant Thornton officials were arrested and, as far as I can discern, the investigations are ongoing.

In the USA there was a similar scandal over the commodities' and futures' broker Refco. Again, there was wide-reaching fraud and the hiding of major losses in the accounts. The auditor for this company was, you guessed it, Grant Thornton! As in Italy, suspicion fell on the auditors for covering up, or participating in, the fraud. Again, as far as I can discover, the investigations are ongoing.

All this financial chicanery sounds depressingly familiar, doesn't it? It reminds one of a certain Scottish football club. 

Would it surprise you to discover that Grant Thornton were the auditors for Oldco Rangers FC?