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Rangers make the long trip north to Pittodrie on Wednesday night to take on Derek McInnes' Aberdeen. The games against the Dons last season were trying, for fans and management alike; most trips to Pittodrie are difficult hunting grounds for Rangers teams, but Rangers can take a lot of confidence from recent results, including the last meeting between the sides. It is easy to get distracted by the upcoming game at the weekend, but this represents a tough challenge; a crucial test that we need to pass. Our record against Aberdeen last season was terrible, culminating in them knocking us out of both cup competitions. We played Aberdeen seven times last season, winning only twice, drawing twice, but losing three times. No matter how well we played going into these games, getting a good result was a difficult proposition. Gerrard himself has mentioned the challenge we face on Wednesday, saying "it will be a tough game. Certainly, in my time, we have had some battles up there." "Aberdeen are a good team capable of going on good runs - Derek [McInnes] will get his team fighting all the way to climb up the league". One of this Rangers squad's biggest assets this season thus far is the ability to withstand intense pressure and weather hostile atmospheres, whether that is Feyenoord's De Kuip or Porto's Dragao. In both instances we have gone behind and managed to drag ourselves back into the game. Pittodrie may not be a glamour tie, but it will be a hostile atmosphere, which Gerrard is aware of: "We thrive and enjoy the atmosphere up there, the players have faced challenges such as Legia and Feyenoord so I don't think any of my players will be intimated by Pittodrie." Rangers continued their good form beating Hearts on Sunday. The 5-0 win was their 5th on the bounce. Despite this string of good results, we're still a little too passive in games. We clearly have the ability to step it up, but we're almost drifting through games at times. We'll not be allowed to drift through this one. Aberdeen have been in good form, scoring goals and winning the majority of their games - outwith their customary loss to Celtic. Although last weekend saw them stumble to a draw against lowly St Johnstone (despite having a two-man advantage for the last 15 minutes of the game) they followed it up with a win against St Mirren at the weekend. Their main man is forward Sam Cosgrove, with the 22 year-old notching up 9 league goals this season -- almost half Aberdeen's entire tally. Altogether, he currently has 18 goals in 22 appearances. It's fair to say, if we can stop him, we take away Aberdeen's main threat. There is reportedly a host of Championship clubs interested in the Englishman. Despite the poor head-to-head record last season, the last meeting between the sides was the emphatic 5-0 win at Ibrox. Rangers produced 27 shots to Aberdeen's meagre 4, with goals from Morelos, Stewart, Defoe and Tavernier wrapping up the victory. The manner of the result went a long way in shaking that monkey off our backs. Funso Ojo is nearing a return for Aberdeen but will still miss out on the clash on Wednesday, while Scott Wright remains a long-term absentee. McInnes revealed that Craig Bryson’s ankle problem isn’t as bad as was first suspected, but after missing the St Mirren game, he may not be ready quite yet for Wednesday's game. Aberdeen's win against St Mirren was a close one, apparently helped by an inability to get to grips with a new formation. They employed a 3-4-2-1 formation, with McGinn and Hedges playing off Cosgrove. Their three-man defence was vulnerable at set-pieces too. Aberdeen will probably resort to their more typical 4-2-3-1 formation against Rangers. Rangers have no new injury concerns. It is likely Gerrard will recall Jack to the side for this match, to play alongside Davis and Kamara; the three have been immense this season, providing a solid foundation to let the forwards, and full-backs, get forward. It has been a main feature of our play to see the wide central midfielders drop out into the half-space to facilitate the build-up. Further forward, Ojo may be preferred. Gerrard does seem to prefer Ojo's energy and running ability in the tight, cagey games. He is always a threat in the final third -- when he decides show up -- and he does put in a shift defensively. Alongside Ojo, it should be Kent, with Morelos leading the line. This is a big test. Despite the good result when we last met at Ibrox, matches at Pittodrie are a different proposition. It will be a battle; good football often goes out the window. If Ranges can deal with the physical threat, and the players can win their individual battles, we'll give ourselves the opportunity to win. The threat lies on the counter. Aberdeen have a few pacey players, which can cause problems; and, of course, Cosgrove will be a threat we need to snuff out at every occasion. Rangers have shown an ability to stand up to the physical side of these games this season, so I'm looking forward to it.

Every thread on here turns into a big debate nowadays! Massive game tomorrow. Lets go in and get stuck into them from the first whistle and dont let them settle. The next two games are massive.... season defining

What a woman Tiny is. Wonderful lady. Had the pleasure of doing the stadium tour with Tiny and her stories were fantastic. Dyed in the wool bluenose - her family connections with Rangers go back 100 years and passed from generation to generation - not just as supporters but working at the club in some capacity. As I said....... Wonderful lady !

I'm not calling anyone liars, I'm saying I didn't hear it on a dodgy stream and I'm saying FARE didn't hear it or chose not to report it!. Some of our fans need to stop harming the club.

Let's not deny it happened, or we're just encouraging those who sang it to do so again. It did happen and it put the club at risk. Next time, it'll be be the other team sticking on the song with the Fare rep waiting and none of their support singing. We'll be so easy to set up because our support have shown they have little discipline. I'll be shocked if the club take tickets for the next Euro away game. The message is obviously still not getting through and the fans involved are being incredibly selfish.

"Stuart Cosgrove is an intellectual colossus". The above quote was broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland last week by Dr Eamonn O'Neill, DrStu's fellow contributor on the weekly Media Review. Mutual support is necessary to maintain their 'quite important' status. BBC Scotland decided to celebrate DrStu's 'quite important' credentials by allowing Edi Stark to present a 30 minute biography on the intellectual colossus as he enters his sixty-eighth year. Sycophancy is most important whilst clinging to 'quite importance', especially when you have a trilogy of books to shift. DrStu' has morphed into one of those hackneyed, old, Radio One DJs from forty-odd years past, banging on in self promotional ways ie supermarket openings, night club appearances, and opinions on nationalism. DrStu' will be appearing at a Book Festival/Book Shop signing/School fund raiser near you soonest, and he will shamelessly utilise the exposure awarded to him by the national broadcaster to do so. Research is the thing, DrStu' tells Edi he loves it, always has done. Each rung on the ladder has been climbed by thorough research, DrStu' has achieved the lofty heights of quite importance by putting in the hard graft. The rewards are deserving, the big House in Dennistoun with access to private gardens, the Big House in Sri Lanka with infinity pool, and the flats in London; all might explain his obsession with Big Houses in London/Hampshire owned by Alex McLeish and Gordon Strachan, and why such properties should preclude both from being awarded the national manager's job. Of course, the current recipient of the post, Steve Clarke also has a Big House in southern England, but DrStu' has not told us so, nor has he held it against Stevie; we can only assume DrStu' is continuing with the necessary research? Ah mean, an intellectual colossus committed to thorough research would surely arrive at a more appropriate conclusion to Rangers winning the ECWC in 1972 than this piece of preferred prejudice, "Rangers supporters ransacked Barcelona cathedral". A Scots club, Rangers goes to Barcelona in 1972, the 33rd year of Generalissimo Franco's fascist regime to play Moscow Dynamo, the KGB's preferred team. The currents and eddies of nationalism swirled on all sides, the Soviets had backed the Spanish national Government and Franco sent the Blue Division to support Hitler's invasion of Russia. Such evidence is not persuasive, Rangers are, "H-u-ns and typical orange wan-kers". Last Thursday's Media Review lasted 45 minutes and DrStu' spent 43 minutes shooting the messenger. Oh, Dr Eamonn O'Neill joined in too, like fellow Journo, Lyra McKee; Andrew Neil was caught in the crossfire. The message conveyed by Neil was simple, our First Minister could not stand up to relentless questioning based on relentless research. Nicola took a pummeling, the next evening, Jeremy Corbyn suffered similarly. It is to BoJo's shame that so far he cannot drive his exploding clown car into Neil's studio. Anyways, the Scots media overwhelmingly chose to ignore Sturgeon's poor performance, but it really irked the intellectual colossus. Apparently, Andrew Neil is a bully, he asks questions with no intention of allowing an answer. Dr Eamonn provided support, "it's like viewing a wrestling match, your champion is being hammered but you know the bout is a fix". We know DrStu' is kept awake at night by injustice, and anxiously intervenes, "Andrew Neil is very good at his job, probably the best". He then attacks Neil for a working life associated with the right wing press. DrStu' is correct reference Neil's working life. Both Neil and Sturgeon are fellow Alumni of Glasgow University, Neil also graduated from the hard knocks required participating in the Uni' debating society of his era, the likes of Donald Dewar, Ming Campbell, John Smith, Derry Irvine, ...etc. Nicola graduated with a Law Degree, spent 3-4 weeks in the Drumchapel Law Centre, then entered party HQ. It was a mismatch, not because it was a fix, but because Neil predicates his questions on thorough research. We heard all this several years past, when DrStu' jumped from presenting the petty and ill informed Off the Ball, on to James Traynor's phone-in show. All that research gathered on the Rangers Tax Case Blog was on his hip as he spent several weeks shooting down Rangers supporting callers before they got their questions out of their mouths. The rank hypocrisy is that on three occasions in the last year, DrStu' has uttered, "Rangers supporters should forget all about the RTC Blog". I suspect the BBC Radio Scotland audience will NOT be allowed to forget about Andrew Neil? Still, it's comforting to all that our Witchfinder General is an intellectual colossus.

Took them a while to update the website for the Hearts game at the weekend. No way are they playing Thursday night and then on a Saturday.

You can bet your socks the Aberdeen defenders will be sent out to kick him black and blue tomorrow night

In England only Manure and Liverpool could ever be described as bigger than Arsenal. Nicholas was average there.

THERE was the time Andy Goram gave her his famous goalie gloves, and that day David Murray introduced her to Sean Connery... Tiny Gallacher is full of stories about Rangers Football Club, where she worked as club cook for 51 years. The 73-year-old’s room at Cardonald Care Home is full of signed programmes, trophies and framed photos from all the club greats over the years. Just don’t ask her to explain the one where she’s cuddling Lorenzo Amoruso in a dressing gown... “Oh, I couldn’t possibly tell you that story,” she laughs, adding in a theatrical whisper: “But he didn’t have anything on under that robe....” Tiny is an Ibrox legend - many former players still pop in to visit, and when she retired, they formed a guard of honour on the pitch for her. “My mum made people feel special, looking after them throughout her time at Rangers - that day, it was her turn to feel special for a change,” smiles her daughter, Karen. Tiny - “my Sunday name is Mary, but no-one ever calls me that,” she laughs - joined the club in 1967, following in the footsteps of her mother, Lizzie Love, and grandmother, Maggie Lindsay. “My granny Maggie washed the strips back in the 30s, and my mum was a cleaner,” says Tiny. “Maggie used to talk about the time King George VI arrived at Ibrox to formally open the Empire Exhibition in 1938 and sometimes she would help the groundsman with a bit of weeding. The family connections did not stop there - Tiny’s sister Irene worked alongside her in catering, her uncle Davy was head groundsman for a while, husband Willie cleaned the stands, Karen did the Rangers pools when she left school and her brother John runs Sunday sightseeing tours. In 2001, Tiny was invited to Monte Carlo to receive a special award from UEFA for her loyal service to Rangers and in 2014 she was presented with the John Greig Achievement Award for her contribution to the club. On the Monte Carol trip, she met Michael Caine - “he was a real grump and wouldn’t give me his autograph” - and on another occasion, was over the moon to have her picture taken with Sean Connery. “David Murray, who was chairman at the time, introduced me to him and in those days you had to wait until your photo was developed to show it to anyone,” laughs Tiny. “When I took it in to show him, he took it off me, sent it to Sean in Spain and got him to sign it - it was wonderful.” Tiny was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s three years ago, and when she moved in to the care home, Karen and John compiled albums of photos and memorabilia from her family’s time at Ibrox. One of the newspaper cuttings, from 1998, quotes former Rangers vice-chairman Donald Findlay in an article bemoaning the lack of women in key roles in Scottish football. It sums up what Tiny Gallacher meant to the Ibrox club. “I certainly wouldn’t like to go to Tiny in the kitchen and say we don’t have any women in positions of power,” Findlay said. “She is probably the most influential person in the whole stadium....” https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/18075186.family-affair-ibrox-club-cook-tiny-gallacher-looks-back-50-years-rangers-fc/?ref=twtrec

Yeah, Gersnet on its own won't have much of an impact but it's not just Gersnet. There needs to be a united front to try and continue to get the message across on all types of social media. Some of the songs appear to have disappeared so it's working to an extent. However, you're probably right that it may be impossible to change some of them.

I can understand that viewpoint, but if we sit back and do or say nothing then it'll happen again. We've seen that already and it's resulted in part of our ground being closed, and with us not accepting tickets for an away game. The journalists aren't to blame for that happening. It's the fans singing the songs that have harmed the club. We can sit back and try and hide it or we can try and be proactive and continue to get the message across that they are continuing to harm the club and they have to stop.

Denial of something that didn't happen is not ridiculous, it's superfluous No charges relating to chanting, therefor as far as UEFA are concerned nothing happened, I’m aware of nothing from FARE so assume they heard nothing. In fact the only sources who seems determined to highlight this are the usual suspects in the gutter media and some forum contributors. For the record I neither condone nor condemn anything I have not personally been involved with or witnessed, nevertheless I do absolutely respect your right to comment on anything and everything you wish. However, I sometimes wonder if the overall interests of Rangers are best served by open forum contributors unequivocally confirming incidents that the club have not been cited for by the governing bodies. Ask yourself this, in this particular case and time who are doing the most damage to our club? A few over exuberant travelling fans who may or may not have added a few words to a Neil Diamond song or those who continue to feed the HNC accredited trolls masquerading as journalist in Scotland who scavenge social media for unverified third party opinions.

While someone like King might seem like an extravagance we don't need having someone experienced and used to playing at a high level like him keeps the competition for places in our midfield. Our midfield has been excellent this season, Davis, Kamara and particularly Jack have played consistently well. I'm sure that's partly because they're good professionals, partly because the training, tactics and coaching suit them but also I suspect because they're thriving in a competitive environment, where they know their place can't be taken for granted. If King provides that he's fulfilling a role.

I wonder if Hollicom could do a better job of reporting the facts than what is on show in this thread.

To be fair, there’s a bit of an old implosion going on right here tonight. ?

Id like to believe that you’re right Gonzo. Certainly would be disappointing if we did have brain dead fans singing the FTP add-on. And there may have been, I don’t know. But, I think it would be impossible to hear a few hundred (let’s assume that it would be a minority of the 3000 if it was indeed sung) with 50,000 fans singing something else that does sound similar if you were looking for it. Therefore, i’m calling BS on this until someone presents clear evidence that it was sung.

The whole of December looks likely to be season defining. Every match is huge. I'm nervously looking foward to it.

I know. Which is why I don't get all the comments about Aberdeen's thuggery. It's there, we'll deal with it.

Will definitely move Ian

Reminds me of the first time we played them under Gerrard which if I remember correctly was in fact the very first league match under Gerrard. Away game, Alfie red carded inside around 10 minutes yet we still went on take a 1-0 lead and dominate the game. They equalised in the dying minutes then afterwards Gerrard stated that we were on another level in comparison to them. He was simply stating a fact that was evident for everyone to see but perhaps shouldn't have given their delusions of being a footballing superpower. What he said still applies and in fact since then Rangers are on yet another level in comparison to them. There's a lot of talk about them being a good team and in a sense they are but it's not in a footballing sense the way Rangers are a good team. They're a good team in the way Livingston or Motherwell are good teams. They litter the side with physicality rather than real footballing quality then proceed to their 'game plan' which is simple. Kick and harry and when I say kick i'm not referring to kicking the ball. A major part of their 'plan' is to actually hurt our players while conceding foul after foul in an attempt to prevent any rhythm occurring. And they're 'good' at that. Look out for a catalogue of fouls against Kent because he's closing in on some real form while providing goals and assists. Ryan jack will be targeted simply because he's Ryan Jack and their players know that hurting him gets you a baa from their bleating crowd. Alfie will also be targeted just to see if they can get a rise out of him but he's a tank. Heavily armoured and can take the punishment largely undamaged while Kent on the other hand is more of a lightly armoured fast transport vehicle. I fear for him with Sunday coming up fast when he's going to be a key factor. With the prospect of this sheep game on the horizon I watched dthe highlights of their game with St Mirren and believe you me they were lucky to get a win. St Mirren deserved at least a draw and a win wouldn't have flattered them. St Mirren were carving them open with relative ease but just didn't have the quality to take their chances and even missed a penalty. In my view all away games are a potential banana skin and for that simple reason this one is too but it's not because they're a good side. We're far superior and all we need is for the referee to do his job letting our player impose their class and this will be a standard win.

Good preview for a change. You should do it every week ? Anyone think Katic might replace Helander for this one?

It's lovely to see those pictures of her. That's how I prefer to remember her because her health deteriorated a lot in recent years. She's the most passionate supporter, the most entertaining story teller, and lovely friend. She struggles these days but she can still recall memories from decades ago. What a woman!!!

Nicholas is a twat and I don't know why his trolling is reproduced here, but Arsenal have been a big club since at least the 1930's.

I have my doubts that making a fuss about it on Gersnet will act as a deterrent against the people who sing these songs - or that failing to do so will serve as encouragement. I've been around Rangers fans for more than half a century. I'm convinced nothing will change the behaviour of these idiots and only their exclusion will help Rangers and the other fans who don't find it difficult to conduct themselves responsibly. Forty years ago they were pissing in bottles and launching them from the back of the stands on to our own fans at the front. Today they measure their worth by how loudly they can bellow obscenities about an enemy that largely doesn't exist. I'm very lucky that I no longer have to live among riff raff, I just wish I had the same choice when I go to watch my team.

More crap from an ex player whose "dizzy heights" took him to Arsenal who IMO were not a big club at that time

Well if you doubt your own ears perhaps you shouldn't comment. But there are others who who do know what they heard and unsurprisingly it was exactly the same thing those in the away section who reported hearing the offending chants that those watching the stream heard. I heard it and cringed. So did others. And if you didn't as you say you didn't you're right. You shouldn't comment at all but here you are saying people hear what they want to hear when the exact opposite is actually the truth in this case. I was hearing something I most definitely did not want to hear. And neither did the person talking about what he heard at the following link. Again, he was not hearing what he wanted to hear.

I think, Rangers fans in the away section heard what they heard. Folks like me listening to broadcast audio shouldn't comment.

I wasn't at the game, so cannot possibly comment on what was or wasn't sung in Rotterdam. That can only be done by those at the game in the away section. I do sometimes worry though that some folks might hear what they want to hear.

You would have to think if the fans did sing banned words with FARE in attendance it would be reported! FARE would be delighted to report that, they never and UEFA would have acted on said report! only thing reported was the fireworks. I had to watch the match on an illegal stream and I never heard it.

If you can't substantiate it then it is hearsay and you have failed to do so. I can't wait to take my seat (GF2) at Ibrox Stadium next Thursday night. Should be a cracker. Goldfish Dog Loyal.

I'm happy in the company of people who actually attend football matches, know how to use commas and don't resort to abusing Rangers fans at every opportunity. There is no evidence Rangers fans sang the add-on, despite you and your buddies at The Daily Record suggesting otherwise.

The Netherlands has a quick court for football hooligans or supporters who have erred. there were 6 arrested. After the quick court 4 were released to await a trial on 21st Nov and 2 were kept in custody until the court case. the trial lasted 8.5 hours 2 got 2months in jail 2 got 6 weeks jail 1 got 1 month jail 1 was not guilty and released. This was in answer to DB's question over the Celtic supporters.

Not really? I can't figure out if you're even for real. An object that burns at up to 1600 centigrade in a crowd isn't dangerous in your fatntasy world? Since steel far less people or anything else for that matter melts at 1200 centigrade what sort of normally functioning adult wouldn't have the capacity to grasp the extreme danger in that? I'm really interested to know.

I thought he was an unnecessary signing at the time; no place for him. It's a short-term deal anyway, if I remember correctly? However, he's a decent pro to have around, and he may play a part in this hectic month of fixtures. We have been very good in avoiding injuries this season -- hope I don't jinx it...

Maybe yahoos who are keen to see Rangers fans referred to as dogs, airheads, knuckledraggers, grunts, clowns, morons, goldfish etc. made it up all up. I have't seen a shred of proof our section sang anything offensive, which is highly unusual, given the current desire by many to film everything and post it on social media.

Pity some candidate standing in the this election in Scotland didn't make it a point of his canvassing to say he or she would demand a police investigation into this club and their paedophile ex employees, a let's get it out once and for all who knew what and name the ones involved .