11 April 2020. The day Vladimir Romanov was vindicated

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

Today is the day that Scottish football exposed itself as being corrupt to the core. Mr Romanov called it 15 years ago and was roundly scorned. Who would dare scorn him now?

 

[martoon]

I'd love a Vladment today. 

[Tazio]

I’d like to think he’s in his secret bunker right now listening to this with a big cheesy grin on his face. 

[ToadKiller Dog]

He will be chuckling away to himself in his Dacha somewhere in Russia .

[gashauskis9]

Vlad died for our sins and comes back at Easter 👏👏👏

[Beast Boy]

 

Totally loving this. This is turning in to an absolutely fantastic day. Just superb.

 

Looking forward to us publicly asking for some  

Edited April 11, 2020 by Special Officer Doofy

[Irufushi]

The greatest owner of Heart of Midlothian football club ❤️

[Beast Boy]

11 minutes ago, Gashauskis9 said:

Vlad died for our sins and comes back at Easter 👏👏👏

 

[Beast Boy]

30 minutes ago, martoon said:

I'd love a Vladment today. 

St Vladmentines Day!

[it_hearts]

Should we ask for all our fines we had to pay out due to his accusations of corruption. He has been proved correct. 

[bean counter]

Remember they changed the rules just so they could fine him

Edited April 11, 2020 by bean counter

[Debut 4]

****ing brilliant eh? Who’d have thought we’d see this day?

 

Doncaster has stitched himself up like a right mug.     
 

[iantjambo]

Well this is extremely

[Shanks]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/feb/23/newsstory.sport7

 

Surely still our best ever club statement? 

 

 

 

"To discuss whether referees take money or not is the same as discussing a woman who gives herself with no love. Isn't it better to concentrate on the standard of their work instead of looking for reasons for their poor performance?

"A woman cheats herself and nature if she gives herself without love. 

[iantjambo]

14 minutes ago, Shanks said:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/feb/23/newsstory.sport7

 

Surely still our best ever club statement? 

 

 

 

"To discuss whether referees take money or not is the same as discussing a woman who gives herself with no love. Isn't it better to concentrate on the standard of their work instead of looking for reasons for their poor performance?

"A woman cheats herself and nature if she gives herself without love. 

The man is ******** poet!

 

[Big Slim Stylee]

2 hours ago, Geoff Kilpatrick said:

Today is the day that Scottish football exposed itself as being corrupt to the core. Mr Romanov called it 15 years ago and was roundly scorned. Who would dare scorn him now?

 

 

Wow - what a seer he was, Skippy.

[pointon]

In Vlad we trust 😁

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

It didn't take Vladimir to tell us in all honesty. 

 

The main thread had a lot of chat suggesting the SPFL should have been active sooner a week or so back. 

 

They really had to work off UEFA. At that point blame free. 

 

However what we all agreed at that point,  when there was a decision to be made they would **** it up.

 

I don't think anyone imagined that it would be this bad

[eyesandears]

[BangkokHearts]

Statue. Now. 

[Finlay James]

Vlad was and is a complete oxygen thief but he was spot on about the corruption in Scottish football.

[OTT]

For Doncaster to have thought going about this in the way he has suggests there is a culture of corruption/bias within the governing body. 

 

But Stevie Wonder could see that. 

[Clerry Jambo]

Aah Vlad, kickback is tame these days compared to the battles we had over Romanov and whether he was good or bad for us.

 

What I will say and agree that Vlad would have been firing full barrels at them which the weegies hated. 

[Sarah O]

We are all Vlad

[Telford_jambo123]

[Francis Albert]

Vlad let the shower off far too lightly in his statements.

[grumpyespana]

3 hours ago, Irufushi said:

The greatest owner of Heart of Midlothian football club ❤️

Not the greatest owner but the most colourful lol you have to remember that he nearly killed our club but we had good times with him as well guys. 

[Benzinho]

Disagreed with a lot of what went on during his stewardship and he almost killed us in the end, but never once disagreed with his views on the Scottish football establishment. 

 

Time has only proved him to be absolutely spot on with regards to the media, SFA/SFPL and the old firm. 

[upgotheheads]

1 hour ago, weehammy said:

MISTER Romanov. He took over from MISTER Robinson who in turn took over from MISTER Mercer, who in turn..............

 

Nope. There's nothing more cringeworthy than listening to Arse-cheek supporters referring to their manager in reverential tones as Mister this or Mister that. I even heard one of the numpties referring to Mister McCoist. I nearly spewed.

It's Vlad, or maybe Mad Vlad but, never Mister. 

[shaun.lawson]

Dear Monkeys,

Today I will not be showing your portrait to you. It is pointless. You are one step away from becoming human beings.

Go and carefully have a look at yourself in the mirror. Don't you see a human in it?

Stop fighting for the values which the ex-captain of Hearts was fighting for.

Education and truthful information - that should be your input to humankind.

Your leader Mowgli is not taking bananas any more, now he is taking money for lies and untruthful interpretation. However he is greedy and makes you collect rotten information from cesspits and poisons readers with it.

This is unworthy even of a monkey.

Today I will express my opinion in English about refereeing in order that your Mowgli will not make you tell lies.

To discuss whether referees take money or not is the same as discussing a woman who gives herself with no love.

Isn't it better to concentrate on the standard of their work instead of looking for reasons for their poor performance?

A woman cheats herself and nature if she gives herself without love. If a referee officiates a game based on his personal love, he commits a cynical crime, especially when the public has trusted him.

I respect those referees who take money from two stupid teams and then honestly officiates a game. They do not harm football in any way. Though it is bad, still everybody is equal for them. Perhaps that is the reason why football in Italy will never die despite all the scandals that continuously shake it.

I think that is much better than being the champions for 40 years while building up the same system for further 40 years.

Now it has become obvious to me why you, the Monkeys, were trying to ruin Hearts not only in the Championship, but in European competitions as well. I think it was not without your help that the 'frozen' referee from Russia was selected to officiate our match and that in the games against the Greek side we got three red cards.

It is not without your help that traitors were presented as heroes thus showing the road to children for betrayal.

You will always call teachers silly because unlike you they lead children along the correct path.

Protecting your values in that way just spoils not only football, but also a Scotsman's proud name.

I beg you Mowgli, take the monkeys back to the Safari Park!
 

 

[LeftBack]

6 hours ago, Geoff Kilpatrick said:

Today is the day that Scottish football exposed itself as being corrupt to the core. Mr Romanov called it 15 years ago and was roundly scorned. Who would dare scorn him now?

 

https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OGC.17550326774d92b445599cc0ad53c706&pid=Api&rurl=https%3a%2f%2fmedia.giphy.com%2fmedia%2fqjfeT5XdAirCg%2fgiphy.gif&ehk=LZqy68xfPQDdrc2ZOTr4cVgcxN7VQWdRwDkPbDOlzJA%3d

[gashauskis9]

31 minutes ago, shaun.lawson said:

Dear Monkeys,

Today I will not be showing your portrait to you. It is pointless. You are one step away from becoming human beings.

Go and carefully have a look at yourself in the mirror. Don't you see a human in it?

Stop fighting for the values which the ex-captain of Hearts was fighting for.

Education and truthful information - that should be your input to humankind.

Your leader Mowgli is not taking bananas any more, now he is taking money for lies and untruthful interpretation. However he is greedy and makes you collect rotten information from cesspits and poisons readers with it.

This is unworthy even of a monkey.

Today I will express my opinion in English about refereeing in order that your Mowgli will not make you tell lies.

To discuss whether referees take money or not is the same as discussing a woman who gives herself with no love.

Isn't it better to concentrate on the standard of their work instead of looking for reasons for their poor performance?

A woman cheats herself and nature if she gives herself without love. If a referee officiates a game based on his personal love, he commits a cynical crime, especially when the public has trusted him.

I respect those referees who take money from two stupid teams and then honestly officiates a game. They do not harm football in any way. Though it is bad, still everybody is equal for them. Perhaps that is the reason why football in Italy will never die despite all the scandals that continuously shake it.

I think that is much better than being the champions for 40 years while building up the same system for further 40 years.

Now it has become obvious to me why you, the Monkeys, were trying to ruin Hearts not only in the Championship, but in European competitions as well. I think it was not without your help that the 'frozen' referee from Russia was selected to officiate our match and that in the games against the Greek side we got three red cards.

It is not without your help that traitors were presented as heroes thus showing the road to children for betrayal.

You will always call teachers silly because unlike you they lead children along the correct path.

Protecting your values in that way just spoils not only football, but also a Scotsman's proud name.

I beg you Mowgli, take the monkeys back to the Safari Park!
 

 

Genius 👏

[Last Laff]

Best owner by none, ever.  He’s an absolute hero. 

[OTT]

2 hours ago, Last Laff said:

Best owner by none, ever.  He’s an absolute hero. 

 

If he could have kept his hands off the first team, he really would have been. 

 

God knows what he might have achieved here but for his own interference. 

[Paolo]

3 hours ago, OTT said:

 

If he could have kept his hands off the first team, he really would have been. 

 

God knows what he might have achieved here but for his own interference. 

He was a better manager than Levein, that is for sure.  

[Jambo dans les Pyrenees]

I do hope this finds Vladimir and his - erm - niece Yulia both in good health.

[Skivingatwork]

He only said what everyone else in Scottish football knew for years, the problem was he didn’t have any solid evidence. 
 

Really hoping that sevco burn the whole crooked house down with their evidence and we start next year with a clean slate, not holding my breath though.

[maroonlegions]

[Ray Gin]

17 hours ago, Shanks said:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/feb/23/newsstory.sport7

 

Surely still our best ever club statement? 

 

 

 

"To discuss whether referees take money or not is the same as discussing a woman who gives herself with no love. Isn't it better to concentrate on the standard of their work instead of looking for reasons for their poor performance?

"A woman cheats herself and nature if she gives herself without love. 

 

This was better IMO:

 

 

“The opinion of Heart of Midlothian FC in regards to the current situation of Scottish football is clear and robust.

 

“The football mafia represented by former owners of Rangers FC and Rupert Murdoch’s media are to blame for some of the worst problems to hit Scottish football and must not be allowed back in under any circumstances.

 

“As regards the club itself, we can only express our deepest condolences to its supporters, who have been lied to for so many years.

 

“It had to happen sooner or later. Victories were achieved not by sporting merits, but through slander, conspiracies amongst players and their poaching via third parties, unfair pressuring of referees, who in themselves are as valuable to the fabric of football as the football stars themselves.

“All of this brought hollow victories and destroyed football. We can also mention the attempts to eliminate Hearts with the help of the tax petitions, through false accusations and threats to revoke the club license. There is a saying about digging a grave for someone: you get it for yourself 

 

“Without these people football will become cleaner and stronger. Without Murdoch the whole of society will improve, in particular sport and culture.

 

“Supporters deserve a new beginning and have to accept the fact that their club has to start from the lower league, keeping order in the SPL and without creating unfair competition with other clubs.

 

“As regards the pitiful state of Scottish football finances, a lot of the blame should be placed at the doors of Murdoch’s media. They pay huge sums to English clubs, whilst in Scotland, where football is better supported per capita than anywhere else in Europe and there are more cable or Sky subscribers per capita than in England, clubs receive peanuts for their broadcasting rights.

 

“At the very least this is discrimination and protectionism for the English football product, which at the same time stunts the development of the game in Scotland, that is regarded as the cradle of football.

 

“I feel that it is absolutely realistic to create a company that would bring to Scottish clubs at least the same broadcasting income, and even grow it by 50-100% over the next two to three years. This company should be in the hands of Scottish clubs and work with those who want to earn money the honest way, instead of conducting business the Murdoch way.

 

“They have lived beyond law and all morals, and should now be declared beyond the pale. A society that allows the destruction of integrity in sport, which is a crucial part of Scottish culture, is destroying itself - and all for the benefit of a media aborigine.”

 

Edited April 12, 2020 by Ray Gin

[Seymour M Hersh]

#evenbackthenvladknew

Edited April 12, 2020 by Seymour M Hersh

[Clerry Jambo]

Hearts wearing green, Dens Park with no goalposts and playing a 4-2-3-Robert formation... Jim Duffy has heard the lot

© SNS

Dumbarton manager Jim Duffy

The statement from Hearts owner Ann Budge about the Tynecastle club no longer being open to any exotic takeover bids prompted a wry chuckle from Jim Duffy.

As the Edinburgh club’s director of football, the Scot was at the beck and call of Gorgie oligarch and Russian submariner, Vladimir Romanov, one of the most-colourful and controversial figures the game has ever had.

As manager of Dundee throughout the first half of the 1990s, Duffy worked under Ron Dixon, a Canadian who thought the goals at either end of the Dens Park pitch spoiled the aesthetics of the club’s greyhound track.

And as Graham Rix’s No. 2 at Portsmouth, he witnessed close up the authoritarian style of Milan Mandaric, the serial club owner who the English press dubbed “Football’s Mr Fixit”.

“It is fair to say I have had my share of what I like to call ‘maverick’ owners,” laughed the 60-year-old, a frustrated manager of Dumbarton while the game remains in lockdown.

“I heard what Ann Budge said about the reasons why fan-owned clubs can’t go down that route, and it a struck a chord.

“The main one is that you are putting all your eggs in the one basket.

“You could get somebody who absolutely has the best interests of the club at heart, and wants to do his very best for them. That is great.

“Even then, though, how long is their commitment going to last?

“If you are talking about somebody that doesn’t have a personal link to the club, or the area in which in it is based, then that is always going to be a concern.

“It could be that another opportunity comes up back in their own country, or their head gets turned by a different project.

“Should that be enough to make them decide to go, then you are left to pick up the pieces.

“If they have been big-spenders during their time with you, that can be a very difficult process indeed.”

© SNS

Vladimir Romanov had a nuclear submariner for company at the 2006 Scottish Cup Final

It is a decade-and-a-half since the spending spree that came to be dubbed the “Romanov Revolution” at Tynecastle.

For Duffy, though, it feels like another lifetime.

“I think, almost regardless of which club you supported, it was a terrifically exciting time for Scottish football,” he continued.

“For someone to come in and say: ‘I don’t care about this being a league that can only be won by Celtic or Rangers – we are going to do it’, was a big enough thing in its own right.

“But for that person to then back that statement by throwing millions and millions of pounds at the project was something else.

“And in that season I was involved in – 2005-06 – it worked.

“We split the Old Firm to finish second top (qualifying for the Champions League the following year) and won the Scottish Cup.

“Before I joined, the start of the campaign under George Burley was tremendous. We had eight straight wins in-a-row. After 10 games, we were top of the table and still unbeaten.

“The team was a brilliant mix.

“You had some good Scottish players – the likes of Paul Hartley, Craig Gordon and Steven Pressley – in there.

“Added to that were the quality foreign signings, players such as Rudi Skacel, Edgaras Jankauskas and Takis Fyssas.

“Put them together, and you had everything you need – skill, strength, power and experience.

“Hearts were a very decent side then, especially for the level, one more than capable of taking on all comers.

“And, of course, that success in the first part of the season really encouraged Vladimir because he brought in loads more players in the transfer window.

“But it was mad.

“We had so many guys that we didn’t have seats for them all in the dressing room. A good few of them had to get changed in the showers.

“We genuinely could have fielded two first-teams.”

A willingness to run with a huge squad was far from the Russian’s only idiosyncrasy.

“He was a bit of dictator,” Duffy recalled of the man who famously invited the survivors of the K19 nuclear submarine disaster in 1961 to the 2006 Scottish Cup Final win over Gretna.

“I remember once I had driven back to my home on Tayside with family and friends after a game at Tynecastle when I got a call from Roman (Valdimir’s son), telling me I had to come back to Edinburgh because Vladimir wanted a business meeting at his hotel.

“He was just flexing his muscles, but he paid my wages so I had no choice but to grit my teeth, turn round and drive right back.

“There were some things I just couldn’t go along with, however.

“When he said Hearts’ second strip had to be green, I had to do something.

“I managed to persuade Roman the impossibility of playing in the same colour as Hibs, and he talked his dad down.

“The funny thing was I actually found Vladimir fascinating.

“You don’t often meet people who are completely unlike everyone else. But that was certainly the case with him.”

[davemclaren]

3 minutes ago, Clerry Jambo said:

Hearts wearing green, Dens Park with no goalposts and playing a 4-2-3-Robert formation... Jim Duffy has heard the lot

© SNS

Dumbarton manager Jim Duffy

The statement from Hearts owner Ann Budge about the Tynecastle club no longer being open to any exotic takeover bids prompted a wry chuckle from Jim Duffy.

As the Edinburgh club’s director of football, the Scot was at the beck and call of Gorgie oligarch and Russian submariner, Vladimir Romanov, one of the most-colourful and controversial figures the game has ever had.

As manager of Dundee throughout the first half of the 1990s, Duffy worked under Ron Dixon, a Canadian who thought the goals at either end of the Dens Park pitch spoiled the aesthetics of the club’s greyhound track.

And as Graham Rix’s No. 2 at Portsmouth, he witnessed close up the authoritarian style of Milan Mandaric, the serial club owner who the English press dubbed “Football’s Mr Fixit”.

“It is fair to say I have had my share of what I like to call ‘maverick’ owners,” laughed the 60-year-old, a frustrated manager of Dumbarton while the game remains in lockdown.

“I heard what Ann Budge said about the reasons why fan-owned clubs can’t go down that route, and it a struck a chord.

“The main one is that you are putting all your eggs in the one basket.

“You could get somebody who absolutely has the best interests of the club at heart, and wants to do his very best for them. That is great.

“Even then, though, how long is their commitment going to last?

“If you are talking about somebody that doesn’t have a personal link to the club, or the area in which in it is based, then that is always going to be a concern.

“It could be that another opportunity comes up back in their own country, or their head gets turned by a different project.

“Should that be enough to make them decide to go, then you are left to pick up the pieces.

“If they have been big-spenders during their time with you, that can be a very difficult process indeed.”

© SNS

Vladimir Romanov had a nuclear submariner for company at the 2006 Scottish Cup Final

It is a decade-and-a-half since the spending spree that came to be dubbed the “Romanov Revolution” at Tynecastle.

For Duffy, though, it feels like another lifetime.

“I think, almost regardless of which club you supported, it was a terrifically exciting time for Scottish football,” he continued.

“For someone to come in and say: ‘I don’t care about this being a league that can only be won by Celtic or Rangers – we are going to do it’, was a big enough thing in its own right.

“But for that person to then back that statement by throwing millions and millions of pounds at the project was something else.

“And in that season I was involved in – 2005-06 – it worked.

“We split the Old Firm to finish second top (qualifying for the Champions League the following year) and won the Scottish Cup.

“Before I joined, the start of the campaign under George Burley was tremendous. We had eight straight wins in-a-row. After 10 games, we were top of the table and still unbeaten.

“The team was a brilliant mix.

“You had some good Scottish players – the likes of Paul Hartley, Craig Gordon and Steven Pressley – in there.

“Added to that were the quality foreign signings, players such as Rudi Skacel, Edgaras Jankauskas and Takis Fyssas.

“Put them together, and you had everything you need – skill, strength, power and experience.

“Hearts were a very decent side then, especially for the level, one more than capable of taking on all comers.

“And, of course, that success in the first part of the season really encouraged Vladimir because he brought in loads more players in the transfer window.

“But it was mad.

“We had so many guys that we didn’t have seats for them all in the dressing room. A good few of them had to get changed in the showers.

“We genuinely could have fielded two first-teams.”

A willingness to run with a huge squad was far from the Russian’s only idiosyncrasy.

“He was a bit of dictator,” Duffy recalled of the man who famously invited the survivors of the K19 nuclear submarine disaster in 1961 to the 2006 Scottish Cup Final win over Gretna.

“I remember once I had driven back to my home on Tayside with family and friends after a game at Tynecastle when I got a call from Roman (Valdimir’s son), telling me I had to come back to Edinburgh because Vladimir wanted a business meeting at his hotel.

“He was just flexing his muscles, but he paid my wages so I had no choice but to grit my teeth, turn round and drive right back.

“There were some things I just couldn’t go along with, however.

“When he said Hearts’ second strip had to be green, I had to do something.

“I managed to persuade Roman the impossibility of playing in the same colour as Hibs, and he talked his dad down.

“The funny thing was I actually found Vladimir fascinating.

“You don’t often meet people who are completely unlike everyone else. But that was certainly the case with him.”

You got a link for this?

[Dusk_Till_Dawn]

On 11/04/2020 at 15:24, Geoff Kilpatrick said:

Today is the day that Scottish football exposed itself as being corrupt to the core. Mr Romanov called it 15 years ago and was roundly scorned. Who would dare scorn him now?

 

Still needs a statue 

[Clerry Jambo]

9 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

You got a link for this?

Sorry Dave was in Sunday post online

 

http://newsnow.co.uk/share?u=https%3A//www.sundaypost.com/fp/hearts-wearing-green-dens-park-with-no-goalposts-and-playing-a-4-2-3-robert-formation-duffy-has-heard-the-lot/&sgt=shv2&sg=2b36af2f&sid=4 

Edited April 12, 2020 by Clerry Jambo

[pettigrewsstylist]

On 11/04/2020 at 15:27, martoon said:

I'd love a Vladment today. 

Hope the media find him and get a statement. 😂😂

[davemclaren]

1 hour ago, Clerry Jambo said:

Sorry Dave was in Sunday post online

 

http://newsnow.co.uk/share?u=https%3A//www.sundaypost.com/fp/hearts-wearing-green-dens-park-with-no-goalposts-and-playing-a-4-2-3-robert-formation-duffy-has-heard-the-lot/&sgt=shv2&sg=2b36af2f&sid=4 

Thanks. We occasionally get copyright complaints when a link isn’t posted. 

[martoon]

34 minutes ago, pettigrewsstylist said:

Hope the media find him and get a statement. 😂😂

 

Would be genuinely brilliant.

 

What we got in the past was, as incredible as it seems, restrained statements from Vlad. The thought of one without fear of fine, censorship or any consequences whatsoever is almost too delicious to contemplate. 😂

[pettigrewsstylist]

23 hours ago, OTT said:

For Doncaster to have thought going about this in the way he has suggests there is a culture of corruption/bias within the governing body. 

 

But Stevie Wonder could see that. 

He believes himself and the org above reproach and bulletproof.

Scorched earth, pse.pse...pse

[bighalders]

On 11/04/2020 at 15:24, Geoff Kilpatrick said:

Today is the day that Scottish football exposed itself as being corrupt to the core. Mr Romanov called it 15 years ago and was roundly scorned. Who would dare scorn him now?

 

Corrupt best placed to identify corrupt

[tcjambo]

On 11/04/2020 at 22:09, shaun.lawson said:

Dear Monkeys,

Today I will not be showing your portrait to you. It is pointless. You are one step away from becoming human beings.

Go and carefully have a look at yourself in the mirror. Don't you see a human in it?

Stop fighting for the values which the ex-captain of Hearts was fighting for.

Education and truthful information - that should be your input to humankind.

Your leader Mowgli is not taking bananas any more, now he is taking money for lies and untruthful interpretation. However he is greedy and makes you collect rotten information from cesspits and poisons readers with it.

This is unworthy even of a monkey.

Today I will express my opinion in English about refereeing in order that your Mowgli will not make you tell lies.

To discuss whether referees take money or not is the same as discussing a woman who gives herself with no love.

Isn't it better to concentrate on the standard of their work instead of looking for reasons for their poor performance?

A woman cheats herself and nature if she gives herself without love. If a referee officiates a game based on his personal love, he commits a cynical crime, especially when the public has trusted him.

I respect those referees who take money from two stupid teams and then honestly officiates a game. They do not harm football in any way. Though it is bad, still everybody is equal for them. Perhaps that is the reason why football in Italy will never die despite all the scandals that continuously shake it.

I think that is much better than being the champions for 40 years while building up the same system for further 40 years.

Now it has become obvious to me why you, the Monkeys, were trying to ruin Hearts not only in the Championship, but in European competitions as well. I think it was not without your help that the 'frozen' referee from Russia was selected to officiate our match and that in the games against the Greek side we got three red cards.

It is not without your help that traitors were presented as heroes thus showing the road to children for betrayal.

You will always call teachers silly because unlike you they lead children along the correct path.

Protecting your values in that way just spoils not only football, but also a Scotsman's proud name.

I beg you Mowgli, take the monkeys back to the Safari Park!
 

 

There is a masters dissertation awaiting anybody that can unpick that lot. More profound than Shakespeare, Dickens and Proust roled into one lol.