whilst you're at it can you do a substack on the hypocrisy of other clubs like liverpool doing it the proper way (no investors at all if you listen to their fans) and united not being cheats ( the liverpool v united match fixing clearly never happened ) etc. Liverpools low crowds in their european heyday etc.I have been toying with the idea of writing a sub-stack on all this stuff and so, for my pains, I have been reading the thread back (or at least, posts from the more "informed" posters). There are some cracking posts in here, full of intelligent thought based on relevant experience.
Many putting me straight on legal issues, including a 1,700 word reply when I was in my "I can't believe the PL has really effectively alleged fraud after CAS" phase, one entirely in shouty capitals when I suggested the reasons we were bang to rights on non-cooperation, and another that started "Jesus Christ! Not this again" after I dipped my toe in the fraud water again. You can decide for yourselves which of our lawyers sent each message.
Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has contributed to what has become a huge roller-coaster of a thread in four hundred sizzling chapters.
Incidentally, skim reading the whole thing, I noticed it was like the five stages of grief in reverse: first acceptance (we are fucked aren't we?), then depression (Oh God, League Two here we come), then bargaining (they won't land the serious charges), then anger (wtf are the PL doing?) and finally denial (in its nicest possible sense - we will be found innocent).
Anyway a few thoughts apropos nothing.
Not sure I will finish this sub-stack .....
I don't hang around Piccadilly Gardens anymore, I moved to the Arndale - so there.Why are we regurgitating this arsehole’s nonsense on here?
It’s akin to asking a Piccadilly Gardens spice head’s opinion then posting it on here.
Ignore the **** and starve him of oxygen.
I don't hang around Piccadilly Gardens anymore, I moved to the Arndale - so there.
I feel that as it's got this far the PL must have something on us, otherwise only absolute cretins would spend this much time and money on taking us to court - right, back to the spice.Well yes, but what's your opinion on the charges?
At this stage in the UEFA charges you could have said exactly the same thing; "UEFA must have concrete evidence agsinst us, etc. etc...".I feel that as it's got this far the PL must have something on us, otherwise only absolute cretins would spend this much time and money on taking us to court - right, back to the spice.
I think the explanation is that this is an attempt to get the redshirts off the PL’s back.At this stage in the UEFA charges you could have said exactly the same thing; "UEFA must have concrete evidence agsinst us, etc. etc...".
Fortunately in that case we had recourse to genuinely independent arbitration with CAS. Just hope the IC is genuinely independent.
God, I hope you're right.I think the explanation is that this is an attempt to get the redshirts off the PL’s back.
When it is all over, the PL can reply to every email and phone call from the redshirts “Shut the fuck up.”
So do I !!God, I hope you're right.
I don't hang around Piccadilly Gardens anymore, I moved to the Arndale - so there.
I know some time has passed since you posted this, but presumably (obviously?), all these witnesses will testify in the upcoming case?The CAS witness evidence on this was broad and unequivocal:
Mr James Hogan, former President and CEO of Etihad: “The sponsorship obligations were paid out of Etihad’s own funds”
Mr Simon Pearce, Non-Executive Director of MCFC: "Neither ADUG nor [HHSM] funded any of Etihad’s sponsorship obligations”
Mr Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Board Member of Etihad Aviation Group and Chairman of the Board Finance and Investment Committee:
"[Etihad] did not receive any payments from ADUG or [HHSM] or any person or entity controlled or influenced by them, whether directly or indirectly in relation to any of the Sponsorship Agreements, whether by way of advance funding or subsequent reimbursement."
Mr Henning Zur Hausen, General Counsel and
Company Secretary of Etihad Aviation Group:
"All sponsorship fees payable by the Company under the Sponsorship Agreements have been and are being paid from the [Etihad’s] general funds and from sources available to the Company…[Etihad] did not receive any payments from [ADUG] or [HHSM] in relation to any of the Sponsorship Agreements.
Mr Tony Douglas, then Group Chief Executive Officer of Etihad, now CEO of Riyadh Air confirmed that Mr Zur Hausen's evidence was entirely correct and stated:
"For the avoidance of doubt, I also confirm that the sources available to the [Etihad] have never included (whether directly or indirectly) [ADUG], [HHSM], or any person or entity controlled or influenced by them.....I confirm, for the avoidance of doubt, that [Etihad] has never received any money whatsoever from [ADUG] or [HHSM] or any person or entity controlled or influenced by them, whether directly or indirectly."
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan in writing confirmed:
“I can confirm that I have not authorised ADUG to make any payments to Etihad, Etisalat or any of their affiliates in relation to their sponsorship of [MCFC], nor have I authorised or arranged or anyone else to make any such payments to them. I can also confirm that I have not made any such payments myself."