SPFL and Covid ( Leagues 1 and 2 to restart )

[Seymour M Hersh]

2 hours ago, David McCaig said:

 

I feel famous 😎

 

Infamous being associated with that rag. 

[Turkishcap]

More I read on stv fb page replies ie Hearts buying their place etc the more annoyed I am. Most clubs deserve bugger all.

Hope there is more to this than meets the eye

 

[annushorribilis III]

2 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

I can’t see the strategic benefit to Hearts here

 

I can’t see the actual benefit to Hearts here

 

I think the timing sucks - teams will focus on money like junkies on heroin rather than anything else like reconstruction.

 

It just baffles me.

 

I’m not exactly the top Mensa guy in the world but I simply can’t work any of this out as to how it benefits us in any way whatsoever.

 

Its even potentially giving them a fighting fund against our court action FFS

Ian Maxwell went to a meeting last week  in Holyrood and basically  came out saying , we're looking to start in the Prem division but the cost of testing means there won't be football in the lower divisions but maybe the Championship will start later in the new year with a reduced league. 

 

A few days later the SPFL get called out , ie whatever problems you have , testing isn't going to be one of them. 

So, the Championship - when do we start ?  Expect Hearts to start ratcheting it up a bit further  with a request for feasibility plans to start the Championship & financial plans for all interested clubs in how they propose to play out the season - 'cause the testing excuse is no longer valid. The SPFL no longer have the "do nothing option" . Just my thoughts. 

[scotty2442]

1 hour ago, Jamboelite said:

No strings in terms of getting Hearts back in the Premier but it wont be able to be used other than for very specific measures such as testing etc...

 

He isnt going to do an online transfer and say do what you want.

From the articles I’ve read the money is intended for more than testing costs. 
 

I think what he’s doing is great, however I do think it weakens our case 

[Francis Albert]

11 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

Yeah,  but we don't think we  know what chances they think we have, we do know they think there is a legal case to take forward. I guess the future will tell if it goes forward or not if need be!

 

 

Correct. Having QCs opinions opinions doesn't prove anything much other than that you have paid for them.

Edited June 1, 2020 by Francis Albert

[Captain Canada]

Given all the other uncertainty around when the league can start etc, I doubt anyone at the SPFL or other clubs want a court case. A forced reconstruction seems the only likely way ahead. Ann's discussion paper probably won't be discussed, never mind voted on. 

 

That's what I'm hoping for anyway! 

[communist]

10 minutes ago, RENE said:

With FOUR independent QCs saying we have a case re the voting debacle I have complete faith in us winning the case.  I haven't  heard any QC being rolled out by the other side to say otherwise.  Bring it on Ann, you know you want to.

 

I don't have any court experience, at all, but I've got friends who have had to employ lawyers for divorces, traffic offences, work related issues, all I do know from the legal buffs, is that they will rarely turn down a job wether or not it has any chance of succeeding. 

 

Why would they? Its all just money to them. 

 

[Guest ToqueJambo]

3 minutes ago, scotty2442 said:

From the articles I’ve read the money is intended for more than testing costs. 
 

I think what he’s doing is great, however I do think it weakens our case 

 

I don't see how. I don't see any reasons now not to reverse the decision to end the league early and just play the remaining games behind closed doors. Then aim to start the new season when fans are allowed back.

[The Mercer Takeover]

1 minute ago, ToqueJambo said:

 

I don't see how. I don't see any reasons now not to reverse the decision to end the league early and just play the remaining games behind closed doors. Then aim to start the new season when fans are allowed back.

I do.

 

Celtic will not want to give their tainted title back. So end of discussion.

[John Findlay]

19 minutes ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

Why do you believe that, assuming he’s a man you know very little, if anything about? And from what we know of Doncaster I doubt that there is the remotest chance he would do the honourable thing.  Not sure ND would be describing the talks as “positive” if that was the case.

You dont do politics, do you?

I firmly believe that when the new season kicks off, Neil Doncaster will not be in a job.

[Francis Albert]

1 minute ago, communist said:

 

I don't have any court experience, at all, but I've got friends who have had to employ lawyers for divorces, traffic offences, work related issues, all I do know from the legal buffs, is that they will rarely turn down a job wether or not it has any chance of succeeding. 

 

Why would they? Its all just money to them. 

 

Spot on

 From someone with experience of commercial litigation  which in effect this would be and of hearing QCs opinions.

The better test of the chances of success is who has the deeper pockets - us or them.

[scotty2442]

3 minutes ago, ToqueJambo said:

 

I don't see how. I don't see any reasons now not to reverse the decision to end the league early and just play the remaining games behind closed doors. Then aim to start the new season when fans are allowed back.

There’s no way that decision will be reversed 

[milky_26]

1 minute ago, John Findlay said:

You dont do politics, do you?

I firmly believe that when the new season kicks off, Neil Doncaster will not be in a job.

if lawell wants him sto stay then he will

[Fozzyonthefence]

13 minutes ago, ToqueJambo said:

 

Surely the JA stuff removes the main reason for ending the league when they did - to access needed funds. There's now no reason not to play to a finish and it certainly adds weight to Hearts case for a reversal of the demotion or financial compensation.

The money wasn’t on offer at the time of the Good Friday vote, otherwise AB wouldn’t have mentioned loans / advances as the alternative.
 

And we can’t play to a finish now - the member clubs have already voted to end the season.  Even if that vote was unlawful too much time has elapsed to go down that route of changing the vote - the new season will have kicked off before any court decision is reached. 

[Boris]

1 minute ago, scotty2442 said:

There’s no way that decision will be reversed 

Agreed, which may aid our case, in that it would be such a reversal for the SPFL, an accommodation could be found.

 

Court may well happen, but a settlement may bring it all to a (relatively) quiet close.

 

Just a thought, no legal experience as such.

[MCW1976]

10 minutes ago, communist said:

 

I don't have any court experience, at all, but I've got friends who have had to employ lawyers for divorces, traffic offences, work related issues, all I do know from the legal buffs, is that they will rarely turn down a job wether or not it has any chance of succeeding. 

 

Why would they? Its all just money to them. 

 

Reputational damage?  

[Guest ToqueJambo]

2 minutes ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

The money wasn’t on offer at the time of the Good Friday vote, otherwise AB wouldn’t have mentioned loans / advances as the alternative.
 

And we can’t play to a finish now - the member clubs have already voted to end the season.  Even if that vote was unlawful too much time has elapsed to go down that route of changing the vote - the new season will have kicked off before any court decision is reached. 

 

The point is there have always been other options. If they'd been explored properly and it was discovered that paying for testing was a barrier to restarting games, then perhaps the benefactor would have appeared sooner. The whole decision was rushed through.

[Fozzyonthefence]

4 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

You dont do politics, do you?

I firmly believe that when the new season kicks off, Neil Doncaster will not be in a job.

He may be out of a job once any court case is finished.  But I don’t believe for a second that Doncaster being removed will be a condition of Anderson’s non conditional offer. 

[David McCaig]

19 minutes ago, Seymour M Hersh said:

 

Infamous being associated with that rag. 

True...lol 

[SectionDJambo]

1 hour ago, Saughton Jambo said:

I’m still confident reconstruction will happen One way or another. I also still feel there’s a few twists still to come. I spoke at length today with my source to get the latest feelings and there was some good and bad points. The bringing out the benefactor was strategic move.
 

Strange that Doncaster wants to move quickly on a move with JA when financial aid is promised but he can drag his heels on everything else though 

Yes, and I’m sure that James will know when he is talking to an imposter or someone who knows what he’s doing and that that person is also interested in the common good.

Nobody gets to be as successful in life as he has without knowing what he dealing with, or getting himself into.

The pathetic thing will be all the media and twitter, self assessed, “intellectuals”, showing their disappointment and suspicion of anything, like this initiative, that Hearts/AnnBudge has helped bring into this affair. 
It really is beyond stupid.

[gorgie al 1960]

48 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

I maybe in a minority of one here but, I have always believed that Ann Budge has been playing the long game.

To those that believe this lady is an idiot, you could not be further from the truth.

This lady has a brain as sharp as anyone's. She is nobody's fool.

I believe she has been planning this long before the original resolution was voted on as she had wind of it beforehand.

Every move she has made since the 10th of April has been planned and the strategy agreed well in advance.

I have never had any doubt that the next time Heart of Midlothian football team play a league game it will be in the top tier of Scottish football.

 

I believe there will be one condition behind the monies from the philanthropist(s), and that is that Neil Doncaster will be out a job soon.

I think we are watching a beautiful playing of "the Sting " - these people are no fools - totally agree the long con is about to be revealed

[Clerry Jambo]

29 minutes ago, The Merse said:

It does feel like a very odd move.

 

Indirectly feels like we’ve give up on reconstruction and trying to ensure a standard season takes place in the second tier.

 

 

That's where i am Merse

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

28 minutes ago, ToqueJambo said:

 

Surely the JA stuff removes the main reason for ending the league when they did - to access needed funds. There's now no reason not to play to a finish and it certainly adds weight to Hearts case for a reversal of the demotion or financial compensation.

The leagues been called so that's done and dusted unfortunately 

[communist]

2 minutes ago, MCW1976 said:

Reputational damage?  

 

In an unprecedented time with an unprecedented case?  Not sure. 

 

Donald findlay defended rangers in the ebt case, no doubt knowing it would fail, as one example of QCs defending a sinking ship. 

 

It could only bring reputational damage if it was a supposed clear cut, easy case, this won't be, it would drag on for ages, and at huge expense, that's from Ann's own mouth.

 

 

[The Mercer Takeover]

Three is a fundamental flaw now with our legal action, now that Anderson has made this exceptional bit of assistance to Scottish football.

 

Will Budge seriously wish to damage any other Scottish football club, when our primary benefactor has just essentially saved them.

 

Budge won't go for the jugular.

[Whatsthefuture]

11 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

Spot on

 From someone with experience of commercial litigation  which in effect this would be and of hearing QCs opinions.

The better test of the chances of success is who has the deeper pockets - us or them.

Agreed. If you do not have the money to fight the case regardless of how strong you feel it is. Don’t go there. Deepest pockets win litigation on the majority of cases.  

[Hungry hippo]

31 minutes ago, The Merse said:

It does feel like a very odd move.

 

Indirectly feels like we’ve give up on reconstruction and trying to ensure a standard season takes place in the second tier.

 

 

 

Court is still a disastrous option for the SPFL and the threat of court is our only means of achieving reconstruction.

 

This move could not be further from giving up.

[gorgie al 1960]

56 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

I maybe in a minority of one here but, I have always believed that Ann Budge has been playing the long game.

To those that believe this lady is an idiot, you could not be further from the truth.

This lady has a brain as sharp as anyone's. She is nobody's fool.

I believe she has been planning this long before the original resolution was voted on as she had wind of it beforehand.

Every move she has made since the 10th of April has been planned and the strategy agreed well in advance.

I have never had any doubt that the next time Heart of Midlothian football team play a league game it will be in the top tier of Scottish football.

 

I believe there will be one condition behind the monies from the philanthropist(s), and that is that Neil Doncaster will be out a job soon.

I think we are watching a beautiful playing of "the Sting " - these people are no fools - totally agree the long con is about to be revealed

[Riccarton3]

5 minutes ago, gorgie al 1960 said:

I think we are watching a beautiful playing of "the Sting " - these people are no fools - totally agree the long con is about to be revealed

As long as we don't end up like Robert Shaw...

[colinmaroon]

39 minutes ago, The Merse said:

It does feel like a very odd move.

 

Indirectly feels like we’ve give up on reconstruction and trying to ensure a standard season takes place in the second tier.

 

 

 

My horrible feeling as well.

 

Although my head says there is much more going on than we can see.

 

 

Edited June 1, 2020 by colinmaroon

[SectionDJambo]

38 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

I can’t see the strategic benefit to Hearts here

 

I can’t see the actual benefit to Hearts here

 

I think the timing sucks - teams will focus on money like junkies on heroin rather than anything else like reconstruction.

 

It just baffles me.

 

I’m not exactly the top Mensa guy in the world but I simply can’t work any of this out as to how it benefits us in any way whatsoever.

 

Its even potentially giving them a fighting fund against our court action FFS

On the other hand, it will maybe throw them off balance or give them a false sense of security. They’ll wonder what the Hearts plan is, and judging by the reaction of some on here, won’t have a clue. Which means they won’t know what to do next either. Divide to conquer?

Could be like a test match bowler giving 5 nice easy deliveries, then producing a thunderous ball to the unsuspecting batsman.
I trust Ann Budge to be taking great advice and playing a solid game here. 

[gorgie al 1960]

I've got to agree with SJ - this has been orchestrated to a degree but someone had to show a card or two - we have to believe this is just the start - can you honestly see Doncaster being on the same playing field as this guy?

[bean counter]

 

I thought that the Premier League was to have a meeting today to discuss the restructure proposal.

What happened to that meeting. I've seen no reporting on it or of it being cancelled

 

Is that good for us or bad.

 

 

[1874robbo]

1 hour ago, John Findlay said:

I maybe in a minority of one here but, I have always believed that Ann Budge has been playing the long game.

To those that believe this lady is an idiot, you could not be further from the truth.

This lady has a brain as sharp as anyone's. She is nobody's fool.

I believe she has been planning this long before the original resolution was voted on as she had wind of it beforehand.

Every move she has made since the 10th of April has been planned and the strategy agreed well in advance.

I have never had any doubt that the next time Heart of Midlothian football team play a league game it will be in the top tier of Scottish football.

 

I believe there will be one condition behind the monies from the philanthropist(s), and that is that Neil Doncaster will be out a job soon.

There’s no way we will be playing premiership football this coming season 

[redjambo]

1 hour ago, David McCaig said:

Thanks for the update, what strategic benefit do you feel the benefactor gives us.

 

In my view it seems to have completely stymied the momentum for reconstruction.

 

It may not have stymied it, but it has certainly detracted enormously from it, and has even been used by Hearts' opponents to add weight to their arguments that we should not benefit reorganisation-wise.

 

In summary, we appear to have lost focus and gone backwards as regards our primary aim (namely, redressing an injustice perpetrated against a handful of clubs, ourselves included). This concerns me.

[Jambo92]

Absolutely no chance he is handing over cash to the SPFL without pushing through reconstruction. 

[ramrod]

1 hour ago, Gordon Ramsay said:

 

I'm baffled as to how this can be considered a strategic move. 

 

Seem to be shooting ourselves in the foot here. 

That's how it looks to me and I've yet to see an argument to the contrary. 

Looks another classic Budge own goal . 

[kingantti1874]

14 minutes ago, The Mercer Takeover said:

Three is a fundamental flaw now with our legal action, now that Anderson has made this exceptional bit of assistance to Scottish football.

 

Will Budge seriously wish to damage any other Scottish football club, when our primary benefactor has just essentially saved them.

 

Budge won't go for the jugular.

for this reason I am 100% sure there are conditions attached

[Gizmo]

3 hours ago, colinmaroon said:

 

 

Excuse me!  

 

I love the self-righteous finger pointers.  Plenty of them in the lake of fire.  Oops, the truth, that's not very Christian of me.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

I’m really struggling to see how the benefactor thing is a positive in regards of hopes of reconstruction.  Everyone will just see this as a bribe and it doesn’t sit right with me at all, and I reckon certain clubs with the Keith Jackson mentality, will be even more determined to vote against. These clubs will be laughing at us even more - voting to stop reconstruction and picking up money from one of our mystery (no longer a mystery) benefactors at the same time. This is an early Christmas for the Peterhead’s, Hibs, etc that want to harm us. 

 

I’d rather we just sue them and cause absolute carnage then make sure we come up at the first time of asking.  

 

1 hour ago, jack D and coke said:

I have to admit this news of James Anderson help for the other clubs spells the end for us imo. I just can’t see how this will benefit us at all. 
Very grateful to the guy in any case but this surely can’t work in our favour. 

I hope I’m wrong. 

 

54 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

I can’t see the strategic benefit to Hearts here

 

I can’t see the actual benefit to Hearts here

 

I think the timing sucks - teams will focus on money like junkies on heroin rather than anything else like reconstruction.

 

It just baffles me.

 

I’m not exactly the top Mensa guy in the world but I simply can’t work any of this out as to how it benefits us in any way whatsoever.

 

Its even potentially giving them a fighting fund against our court action FFS

 

39 minutes ago, scotty2442 said:

From the articles I’ve read the money is intended for more than testing costs. 
 

I think what he’s doing is great, however I do think it weakens our case 

 

18 minutes ago, The Mercer Takeover said:

Three is a fundamental flaw now with our legal action, now that Anderson has made this exceptional bit of assistance to Scottish football.

 

Will Budge seriously wish to damage any other Scottish football club, when our primary benefactor has just essentially saved them.

 

Budge won't go for the jugular.

It's really very simple.

The benefactors donations could be the key to keeping the smaller clubs alive, whilst helping the bigger clubs tackle the cost of playing behind closed doors, including testing and other arrangements that will have to be put in place.

If we do not get restored to the premiership, we sue and have 2 different avenues for winning the case. 

The SPFL, thanks to the benefactor's monetary injection, cannot claim we are actively harming the other clubs because, when we win, any compensation award will likely come out of the additional benefactor money - thus the clubs are not in a materially worse position than before the suit , but they do lose the benefit of the cash. That is their choice, not ours. 

We, as a club, have acted ethically and above reproach at each stage of this pantomime.

* We've done the SPFL's work in drafting reconstruction proposals 
* We've offered at cost the stadium and facilities as a hub
* We've offered to fund testing
* We've attracted life-saving investment from a wealthy fund 

We can state, unequivocally in any court proceedings that we not only exhausted every single avenue to remediate the SPFL's disastorous and unjust decision, we have went above and beyond and can argue that awarding us compensation does not materially affect the clubs survival. 

So, what's it to be billy big baws gobshites in charge of the smaller clubs? Swallow your pride and vote for reconstruction whilst improving your survival chances, or act like the prehistoric dinosaurs that we all frankly believe you to be and reject the opportunities in front of you just to teach Budge, and big "bad" Hearts a lesson?

 

Edited June 1, 2020 by Gizmo
typos

[Whatsthefuture]

Still believe we will step back up through default

 

Can’t see all teams being in a position to Start/play By August 

 

I severely doubt a full season will played

 

Only the most optimistic think fans will be back in 2020

 

Nearly  all clubs need cash flow, it’s king salaries, infrastructure existing commitments still need to be paid 

 

Only the strongest with backers will see out this season intact 

[scotty2442]

17 minutes ago, The Mercer Takeover said:

Three is a fundamental flaw now with our legal action, now that Anderson has made this exceptional bit of assistance to Scottish football.

 

Will Budge seriously wish to damage any other Scottish football club, when our primary benefactor has just essentially saved them.

 

Budge won't go for the jugular.

Couldn’t agree more, this is why there must surely be conditions attached

[Rods]

I am even more convinced that reconstruction will go through.

 

The SPFL and Anderson/Hearts will have to make sure its not seen to be tied but ultimely it is tied. 

 

Doncaster and Mclennan have proven themselves in recent times on how to spin the truth. The quick communciation after Anne revealed it on the radio seems to be the MO of those two especially Mclennan when they have something to hide.

[Ethan Hunt]

4 hours ago, Musemic said:

I think his offer will have to go much deeper than that. There are clubs in the Championship and below that don't have enough players to put a team out.  How are these clubs going to sign players and pay their wages? Even if they manage to do that how will they stay afloat with no fans coming through the turnstiles?

What if it doesn’t go much deeper? What if the offer can help some teams but ultimately not others? Supposing it’s enough per club to get ICT playing but not a Kilmarnock or a St Johnstone due to their higher wages? The offer is to help clubs, not save them.

[Fozzyonthefence]

25 minutes ago, ToqueJambo said:

 

The point is there have always been other options. If they'd been explored properly and it was discovered that paying for testing was a barrier to restarting games, then perhaps the benefactor would have appeared sooner. The whole decision was rushed through.

And that will be part of our legal fight.  But there’s no chance the decision can be reversed and the old season recommences.  This was all about protecting the new Sky deal, the new season had to start at the beginning of August.  

[benny]

Still no chance of this going through.

The voting structure will see to that.

[Maroon tinted glasses 2]

How do we know that amongst JA's requirements is not a bit about how he will give financial support but it would be impossible to do so across the 4 divisions so if the numpties at the top are serious and whish to accept the offer then they must show a willingness to change the setup asap. Otherwise, run the risk of some premier clubs being unable to compete BCD and therefor contributing to a lengthy delay to the seasons start which would be catastrophic for some. 

[Boghell51]

Forgive me if I'm wrong but has Anne Budge not just done Dungcasters job for him and brought in cash for Scottish football, you just can't believe this now, did i read this morning that Mr Anderson is our mystery benefactor, I think Anne could have anew job soon😁😁😁😁 and we will definitely have reconstruction 

[One five]

9 hours ago, Ethan Hunt said:

We have multi millionaire benefactors, a multi millionaire Chairman, a 2 QC lead legal team, and a number of high profile supports in positions of influence and you don’t think we are controlling the narrative. Or could it be that there is a strategy to all this that you simply can’t see? Maybe this is a well thought out strategy designed to do a number of things, right a wrong, expose the SPFL as not fit for purpose, fully expose Doncaster et al as the incompetents they are, address the imbalance of power within Scottish football, change attitudes, save lower league clubs...........

 

This is Scottish football. The one way to easily control the narrative is to control the media. A large proportion of the media have already nailed their colours to the mast. They have attacked Hearts at every turn. They continue to print negative stories regardless of any of the positive work done by Ann Budge.  She is the only person to have displayed any type of leadership throughout this whole process and she has been slaughtered in the media for having “self interest”. Even some of our own ‘supporters’ have slaughtered her. We can not control that. Others have agendas, and others are exercising control.

 

We can only concentrate in what we can do. The decision to relegate the three teams was unfair. Most reasonable people will agree that. A flawed resolution was drawn up and a dodgy vote passed that resolution. AB led a Task Force to look at reconstruction. It was booted into touch before the submission of any paper. AB kept going. She subsequently submitted a discussion paper. The reaction to the paper has shown the vast majority of people involved in Scottish football do not recognise the extent to which this pandemic will damage Scottish football. The paper revealed there were benefactors willing to help the Scottish game and it was completely overlooked. No-one in the media (that I know of) even mentioned that part. They were all drawn in by the structure and the “it’s all about saving Hearts”. Small mindedness at a time of huge crisis. AB again reveals the benefactor help in a Sportsound interview. During that interview her demeanour is noticeably different. It’s was fighting talk. She called out the lack of leadership at the SPFL and asked why she was being left to do the work. The media picked up on the benefactor, with some immediately dismissing it as nonsense, while others called it “financial blackmail”. Small mindedness at a time of crisis. The benefactor has subsequently been named. There would appear to be a direct quote from him in an article suggesting he was happy to be named (which I think) or knew it was going to happen anyway. What will be small minded and vindictive people have to say now?

 

Given the above at what point have we not controlled the narrative? especially if that narrative is to ultimately lead to us to standing in a court room. You are confusing our narrative with other peoples. You are confusing their narrative for noise. Their noise is just that, noise, it changes nothing. The media are being shown up as idiots. Their agenda is being shown up for what it is, an agenda. Every time we play a card they just shout louder and louder, and the noise gets angrier and angrier, and the words become more and more malicious.

 

I don’t think we have lost control, far from it. Forget the noise. Enjoy the silence that will be coming.

Very good post EH very good post indeed.

[SUTOL]

23 minutes ago, communist said:

 

In an unprecedented time with an unprecedented case?  Not sure. 

 

Donald findlay defended rangers in the ebt case, no doubt knowing it would fail, as one example of QCs defending a sinking ship. 

 

It could only bring reputational damage if it was a supposed clear cut, easy case, this won't be, it would drag on for ages, and at huge expense, that's from Ann's own mouth.

 

 

 

Do you think he told them they had a very good case, or did he tell them the truth? That they would probably lose. 

[Pilmuir]

1 hour ago, John Findlay said:

I maybe in a minority of one here but, I have always believed that Ann Budge has been playing the long game.

To those that believe this lady is an idiot, you could not be further from the truth.

This lady has a brain as sharp as anyone's. She is nobody's fool.

I believe she has been planning this long before the original resolution was voted on as she had wind of it beforehand.

Every move she has made since the 10th of April has been planned and the strategy agreed well in advance.

I have never had any doubt that the next time Heart of Midlothian football team play a league game it will be in the top tier of Scottish football.

 

I believe there will be one condition behind the monies from the philanthropist(s), and that is that Neil Doncaster will be out a job soon.

You’re not in a minority of one because I see AB the same way. But I’m really struggling to see how JAs offer can help us. I hope it’s a very cunning plan.