Swindon, financial irregularities and demotion.

[Swindon On Tour]

I now await the results and similar punishment of the two big clubs Newcastle and West Ham who look likely to be guilty of "similar" offences.

Well I will be waiting a long time because the FL will bottle it and do nothing other than a fine.
One rule for the small clubs and one rule for the big clubs.

All the efforts will be around to soften the severity of the actions and to conveniently brush it under the carpet. Don't forget people served time with the Swindon situation.

Never forgotten.

 

[PhilSAFC]

 

[Deleted member 6830]

I now await the results and similar punishment of the two big clubs Newcastle and West Ham who look likely to be guilty of "similar" offences.

Well I will be waiting a long time because the FL will bottle it and do nothing other than a fine.
One rule for the small clubs and one rule for the big clubs.

All the efforts will be around to soften the severity of the actions and to conveniently brush it under the carpet. Don't forget people served time with the Swindon situation.

Never forgotten.

what exactly was the story again - uncercover paymets, tax fraud ?? Just cant recall whole story

 

[Hardyman's Yugo]

I now await the results and similar punishment of the two big clubs Newcastle and West Ham who look likely to be guilty of "similar" offences.

Well I will be waiting a long time because the FL will bottle it and do nothing other than a fine.
One rule for the small clubs and one rule for the big clubs.

All the efforts will be around to soften the severity of the actions and to conveniently brush it under the carpet. Don't forget people served time with the Swindon situation.

Never forgotten.

You can't ignore the law of the land so if guilty I'd expect someone to go to the big house this time as well
My memory has been playing tricks with me as I had thought you lot got done for some betting thing involving Macari, seems I was wrong and it was financial irregularity

 

[Swindon Mackem]

I now await the results and similar punishment of the two big clubs Newcastle and West Ham who look likely to be guilty of "similar" offences.

Well I will be waiting a long time because the FL will bottle it and do nothing other than a fine.
One rule for the small clubs and one rule for the big clubs.

All the efforts will be around to soften the severity of the actions and to conveniently brush it under the carpet. Don't forget people served time with the Swindon situation.

Never forgotten.

Hopefully the authorities have got the bottle to come down hard on both of them and relegate them both into oblivion.

 

[Swindon On Tour]

You can't ignore the law of the land so if guilty I'd expect someone to go to the big house this time as well
My memory has been playing tricks with me as I had thought you lot got done for some betting thing involving Macari, seems I was wrong and it was financial irregularity

It was bundled up with tax evasion, player bungs etc.
If found guilty here it will be very similar for sure.

 

[Black Cat Gypsy]

I can't see how the FA can demoted both clubs? The FA are always on their high horse telling the world that FIFA are corrupt and we keep hearing about the dodgy going ons in Spain and Italy. Even now the Chinese Super League is tainted according the press. Now that this has falling into the FA's lap they should stand by their word and punish the 2 clubs. But mind you, they let West Ham over the hook over the Tevez/Mascherano affair.

 

[The Great Soprendo]

Obviously a lot has changed since Swindon's punishment, including the fact that the FL in those days managed all divisions 1-4 whereas now we have the PL cash cow doing its own thing. I would imagine a very different outcome, with the Dildo twins and Fat Mike squirming out of this. Unfortunately.

 

[makumstu]

I can't see how the FA can demoted both clubs? The FA are always on their high horse telling the world that FIFA are corrupt and we keep hearing about the dodgy going ons in Spain and Italy. Even now the Chinese Super League is tainted according the press. Now that this has falling into the FA's lap they should stand by their word and punish the 2 clubs. But mind you, they let West Ham over the hook over the Tevez/Mascherano affair.

That wasn't the FA it was the Premier League.

 

[Black Cat Gypsy]

what exactly was the story again - uncercover paymets, tax fraud ?? Just cant recall whole story

Macari is replaced with ex-Argentinian international and World Cup winner Ossie Ardiles - but the club is rocked with a bombshell just three weeks before the season starts, when The People publishes revelations that chairman Brian Hillier put money on Swindon winning Division Three in 1987, as an insurance policy for player bonuses. The allegations seemed to affect performances on the pitch - and the Town win just one of the first seven games, and are 21st in the table. Eventually though, Ardiles' passing style and diamond formation begin to work, and they drop just four points in the next nine games - despite the sale of Phil King, who is surprisingly bought by Sheffield Wednesday for a record £400,000. The allegations then get worse - and Hillier is accused of putting money on the Town to lose in the FA Cup game at Newcastle two years previously. When he is found guilty, he is banned from football for six months - which is increased to three years on appeal. Macari is fined £1,000 for his part in the scandal - and when he chooses to appeal, West Ham force his resignation. Swindon's performances again suffer, and they pick up just two points in the five games that follow the announcement. A decent start to the year puts Swindon back on track, but The People deliver a third blow, this time alleging illegal payments to players. Despite the turmoil though, the Town beat table-topping Leeds to go into third place, and at the end of the season, they finish fourth - their highest league position ever - to go into the play-offs. Shortly before the last game of the season, another bombshell hits, when Hillier, Macari, captain Colin Calderwood and secretary Vince Farrar are all arrested and questioned by Inland Revenue officials over a tax fraud conspiracy. Calderwood is released without charge, and the others are given bail - on the pitch, the Town go on to defeat Blackburn over two legs to reach the final at Wembley, where they will play for only the second time in their history. In a match they completely dominate, Alan McLoughlin scores the only goal - a deflected effort - to defeat Sunderland and win promotion to the First Division. The joy is short-lived though, as just ten days later, the Football League decide to demote the Town two divisions, after they admit 36 breaches of League rules - 35 of which are related to illegal payments. The Swindon board immediately appeal, but High Court action is dropped due to lack of funding - and the fans protest, thousands signing a "1st not 3rd" petition. The FA Appeal Panel reduce the demotion to just one division, and Swindon are denied their first-ever taste of top flight football. Hillier and director Gary Herbert were eventually jailed, Farrar and former club secretary Dave King received suspended sentences.

 

[The Great Soprendo]

I can't see how the FA can demoted both clubs? The FA are always on their high horse telling the world that FIFA are corrupt and we keep hearing about the dodgy going ons in Spain and Italy. Even now the Chinese Super League is tainted according the press. Now that this has falling into the FA's lap they should stand by their word and punish the 2 clubs. But mind you, they let West Ham over the hook over the Tevez/Mascherano affair.

It is particularly interesting in WHU's case:
1. got away far too lightly with the Tevez/Mascherano affair
2. outrageously favourable treatment with the Olympic Stadium
3. now this...

Makes a mockery of our pretence of sport being squeaky clean in this country. The Italians are corrupt but at least their authorities do something about it, eg relegating big clubs (Fiorentina, Juve), stripping titles (Inter) and points deductions.

 

[Deleted member 26]

Obviously a lot has changed since Swindon's punishment, including the fact that the FL in those days managed all divisions 1-4 whereas now we have the PL cash cow doing its own thing. I would imagine a very different outcome, with the Dildo twins and Fat Mike squirming out of this. Unfortunately.

The FA and Premier Le ague have to come out clean in this or there will be hell on.

 

[MKF]

Macari is replaced with ex-Argentinian international and World Cup winner Ossie Ardiles - but the club is rocked with a bombshell just three weeks before the season starts, when The People publishes revelations that chairman Brian Hillier put money on Swindon winning Division Three in 1987, as an insurance policy for player bonuses. The allegations seemed to affect performances on the pitch - and the Town win just one of the first seven games, and are 21st in the table. Eventually though, Ardiles' passing style and diamond formation begin to work, and they drop just four points in the next nine games - despite the sale of Phil King, who is surprisingly bought by Sheffield Wednesday for a record £400,000. The allegations then get worse - and Hillier is accused of putting money on the Town to lose in the FA Cup game at Newcastle two years previously. When he is found guilty, he is banned from football for six months - which is increased to three years on appeal. Macari is fined £1,000 for his part in the scandal - and when he chooses to appeal, West Ham force his resignation. Swindon's performances again suffer, and they pick up just two points in the five games that follow the announcement. A decent start to the year puts Swindon back on track, but The People deliver a third blow, this time alleging illegal payments to players. Despite the turmoil though, the Town beat table-topping Leeds to go into third place, and at the end of the season, they finish fourth - their highest league position ever - to go into the play-offs. Shortly before the last game of the season, another bombshell hits, when Hillier, Macari, captain Colin Calderwood and secretary Vince Farrar are all arrested and questioned by Inland Revenue officials over a tax fraud conspiracy. Calderwood is released without charge, and the others are given bail - on the pitch, the Town go on to defeat Blackburn over two legs to reach the final at Wembley, where they will play for only the second time in their history. In a match they completely dominate, Alan McLoughlin scores the only goal - a deflected effort - to defeat Sunderland and win promotion to the First Division. The joy is short-lived though, as just ten days later, the Football League decide to demote the Town two divisions, after they admit 36 breaches of League rules - 35 of which are related to illegal payments. The Swindon board immediately appeal, but High Court action is dropped due to lack of funding - and the fans protest, thousands signing a "1st not 3rd" petition. The FA Appeal Panel reduce the demotion to just one division, and Swindon are denied their first-ever taste of top flight football. Hillier and director Gary Herbert were eventually jailed, Farrar and former club secretary Dave King received suspended sentences.

What a memory!

 

[KNGHTHOOD]

I now await the results and similar punishment of the two big clubs Newcastle and West Ham who look likely to be guilty of "similar" offences.

Well I will be waiting a long time because the FL will bottle it and do nothing other than a fine.
One rule for the small clubs and one rule for the big clubs.

All the efforts will be around to soften the severity of the actions and to conveniently brush it under the carpet. Don't forget people served time with the Swindon situation.

Never forgotten.

Get wrote into the FA and remind them of Swindon's consequences.

 

[samwise]

relegation or 20 point reduction seems fair to me...if nowt else it will give me a good laugh.

 

[Falconhoof]

I now await the results and similar punishment of the two big clubs Newcastle and West Ham who look likely to be guilty of "similar" offences.

Well I will be waiting a long time because the FL will bottle it and do nothing other than a fine.
One rule for the small clubs and one rule for the big clubs.

All the efforts will be around to soften the severity of the actions and to conveniently brush it under the carpet. Don't forget people served time with the Swindon situation.

Never forgotten.

First thing I thought of when I heard the news

 

[Speedy1976]

And to think it was a mackem who got Swindon punished and relegated.

 

[dangermows]

relegation or 20 point reduction seems fair to me...if nowt else it will give me a good laugh.

Won't happen now West Ham and Chelsea are in the mix.

 

[samwise]

Won't happen now West Ham and Chelsea are in the mix.

west ham along with the mags we may have seen action but if chelsea are involved i have to agree with you...although the F.A. are under some pressure still so no better time to make a bold statement.

 

[Hardyman's Yugo]

Won't happen now West Ham and Chelsea are in the mix.

Not if these arrests/investigations result in criminal punishments it won't. Tax fraud can easily result in jail, ask Lester Piggott, and if that happens I reckon the premier league would be under huge pressure to act. I posted this earlier but both points deductions and expulsion from the league are sanctions the premier league can apply