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Absolutely, but wouldn't we prefer to have our manager move on because he's in demand, that he's been successful, that he deserves to move on to further his career? You cannot expect SG to turn down a job in a bigger league for 5x the salary, even when that may not be the best timing. Life dictates that you look after no1 - we'd all do the same in our careers, why should it be any different in football. Good luck to SG and the rest of the coaching staff. We should feel lucky he was with us on our journey back to the top and let's not forget what he did. The crap you read in the media about one trophy in nine is from haters. Simple. Gerrard and the team turned us from being a laughing stock, noobs in the Premier League with no direction or character. He transformed the club on and off the pitch, he put us back on the map in Europe, he figured out how to win consistently against Separate FC and won the title by the biggest margin, undefeated and crushed their tainted 10 dream. So we didn't win a cup, but Jesus H, we'd all have taken that. I'll only have good memories and I think in time all Gers fans will, but I respect the raw feelings right now. Let's hope Gio, or whoever is lucky enough to lead our great club is able to build on what SG and his team have done with the same passion, drive and success. On to 56!!!

There's been a stark contrast between previous searches for a manager and the speed (and apparent preparedness) of the board as it sought to fill the vacancy that was only confirmed 5 days ago. If we land our man this week I think Ross Wilson will have moved with commendable urgency. This feels like another sign of our ongoing recovery.

Mate, Malmo were down to 10 men for 45 minutes and we were at 1-1 on aggregate. That game should have been closed out comfortably. The next opponents Malmo pumped to get into the CL. They threw away 30 million when you factor in the guarantees, possible points bonuses, ticket sales and merchandising. The numbers don't really lie. What is the other way to pay investment back if not monetary ? Regardless, that's a red herring. The "investors" may indeed be Rangers men but they have already put many millions in, our latest results showed a 24 million loss and there is a need to find a further 8 million to see out the season. Gerrard and his team, management and players, threw away any "right" they had to want to strengthen the team when they capitulated at home to Malmo. If Gerrard was pissed about that he should also consider that the Board went with his wishes not to sell Goldson and they also held onto every major player at the club, despite the financial implications. It is incredibly churlish to think Gerrard walked because he didn't get financial backing when he and his team could have done more to justify the spend.

He and his team, management and players, should have done what was more than achievable and qualified for the CL. Can't blame the board for not being able to back them financially when they threw away 30 million

I'm no fan of Clarke, but hats off to him, 6 wins in a row is bloody impressive in international football, and some tremendous football too. Thank F the beggars never fronted up the cash for John McGinn btw.

On the contrary, they have kept their drawers up and their mouths shut, leaving the press gang to their uniformed speculation. I suspect we will soon get a pleasant surprise.

Sometimes you need to change the situation you're in and get a fresh start in order to kick on. But even though I am not happy with the way he has flitted in the night, I think Gerrard is ruthless in looking out for himself, his team and the things they want to achieve. Aston Villa makes complete sense for them, but I was only a fan while he was with us... and he better not come back for players on the cheap! When I look back I see a Manager in Gerrard who is still cutting his teeth. If you think back to the first season or so, he got caught up in the emotion of games, and was not as guarded in his criticisms of players/opponents etc. To more recently where I think he was too wedded to certain favourite players and I think could have been bolder in revamping the squad by potentially moving on one or two players to finance it. It seems to me we held off in starting the player trading model that we are told is fundamental to our football strategy. I think Gerrard's authority with the Board probably led to a situation where he persuaded them to provide more loans as a means of adding to the squad. The Scottish game as we know has its limitations for players and managers with ambition, but I think we held onto Alfredo particularly for too long. 20/20 hindsight is wonderful though.

It was increasingly clear that Gerrard had run his course at Rangers and, the way this season had started, I certainly felt this could well be his last. The only reason I harbour any negativity towards him is that he blatantly lied to us about the circumstances of his leaving. He did so because it was the only way to preserve his reputation and get what he wanted. While I understand that, I don't have to like it.

I don’t think so compo. I think they were unhappy with the way we surrendered our chance to get £30m+ in UCL money in a pathetic fashion, to a smaller team with a smaller budget and then failed to get going even 3 months into the season, and chose not to put up any fight at all when AV came calling and SG wanted to speak to them. Receiving £4.5m+ and getting the chance to start a new era with, hopefully, an exciting new manager was likely a very attractive prospect for the board because we have been the second best team in this league (and second best Scottish team in Europe) since our old firm win in August, a win which only served to pull the wool over the eyes of a surprising number of fans in the months since. There is no chance Ross Wilson wasn’t actively preparing for this because it wasn’t hard to see coming.

about the only one worth listening too.

I am confined to secrecy mate......

I have to say that vanbronchurst may be a smokescreen. Why all the cloak and daggers for the worst kept secret in the world?

And been utter horseshit at any club he's managed / coached.....

The Aston Villa wanting Patterson link comes from 90 Mins today. BBC Scotland first voiced it on Friday night immediately after the Moldova - Scotland game. On Saturday, Patterson is put up by Scotland to talk about the previous evening's heroics. Concurrently, BBC Scotland Journos push the Gerrard-Patterson story to 90 Mins. This has the advantage of cleansing the story of their prints and when 90 Mons report it, BBC Scotland can report it again with a bit behind it, not just hopeful speculation. Patterson mentioned in his interview he only heard Gerrard had left the club whilst training in Spain with Scotland. Initially, BBC Scotland suggested Patterson had been contacted in Spain by one of the departing team. BBC Scotland will continue to highlight Patterson as a Scots international unable to secure a club position. I believe Villa have a young maverick right back of their own, Mathew Cash has recently signed a contract extension.

Don’t forget Neil McCann was a team mate of GvB….

What about Gio with KT assisting? And Koeman going to Kelty?

Sky now reporting that Gerrard wants Patterson - no surprise there. However, the surprise is that apparently they are having to go up against Atletico, Bayern Munich and PSG for him. The young man has clearly impressed many people, and rightly so.

Agreed - Gio seems to be a very popular choice amongst the vast majority. Ticks many boxes for me : Top class player who won many things in his career, also played in a world cup final. In actual fact, in terms of being a draw for players he should be more of a draw than Gerrard as he won more as a player than Gerrard did, 5 trophies in Scotland, won the EPL at Arsenal, won 2 La Liga's, won the CL - his reputation should attract players for sure Been a manager in his own right. Came in at Feyenoord and they were mediocre at the time. Won the Cup in his first season and then won them the league the following year. Has played at Rangers, knows the expectations, knows the standards, knows what is required One of the biggest boxes he ticks for me though is that his playing philosophy is similar to Gerrard's which, lets be honest, if the players at his disposal play as we know they are capable of, will blow this league away again. Something hasn't been clicking this season - and the question still remains as to whether it is the players or is it the management team ? If it is the management team, then a new manager with a similar philosophy should get a significant bounce - if we get that from Gio who wouldn't need to tinker too much with the playing style, then we win the league, no doubt about it for me. If we bring in another manager with a different philosophy - does he have the personnel to implement that philosophy ?

Personally I have no interest in Koeman, I think he is a dinosaur. Gio would be my preference. With KT as his assistant. Would be interesting to know if KT would go as his assistant, I actually think he would because he would see it as an opportunity when Gio eventually leaves. But KT also loves being his own man so that dynamic would be interesting. KT has Kelty playing similarly to the way Rangers play (from what KT tells me) - and that is because he is trying to play the "Rangers way" so that he can prove to the powers that be at Ibrox that he would be the right man for that job. I haven't been to any Kelty games yet but my kid and the ex have been to a number of games and my kid likes the way they play - he says Barjo is the best player they have by a mile.

Same here. koeman was a great player but im not impressed by his managerial record. Are we taking a big chance on geo? I dont think so. As soon as i heard his name being mentioned he was my first choice. Hes got the fans backing too, something that will make gerrard a distant memory.

My understanding is Gerrard was offered five times his Rangers salary by Villa. Think that might have been a major reason he left …

If Purslow is giving Gerrard the war chest being touted in the press, I doubt he'll lower himself to shop for bargains at Ibrox.

Is today the day?! Can I rake out my old orange Gio top?

Kent also gets us "up the pitch" into the opponents defensive 3rd very quickly. He wins corners and free-kick and can either deliver a cross / pass or a goal scoring threat.

The thing with Kent for me - and you saw it against Ross County - is that it isn't just the end product that Kent brings to the team. We often forget that Kent actually opens up more space when he plays because, when he wasn't in the team, opponents actually pushed their back line higher, squeezing all the space out of the midfield because we didn't have any pace either side to hurt them. Kent comes back into the team and all of a sudden there is more space - because opponents genuinely fear his pace to get in behind them if they play a high line.

That's pretty much bang on how I feel too WBD.

Chris Jack is close to club and fan media.

Oh come on mate, we'll not tell anyone....?

You're not the only one. I'd also be relieved to see a Rangers man like Kevin Thomson involved at a senior level.

@craig what's KT up to tomorrow mate??

Unless he stated it publicly, I doubt they'd have known. His pal at Villa may have been phoning/messaging him for days, weeks or months without anyone at Rangers knowing about it. Talks with GvB commenced a couple of days after SG's departure - do people expect a new manager to be appointed within 48 hours? There are a few things I think the board could do better but this isn't one of them. A manager has left us with minimal notice and they have a hugely important decision to make (which is why Ross Wilson was brought in).

Literally told me he couldn't believe how much of a reaction that tweet got. My words to him were "are you shitting me ? The whole fanbase is on tenterhooks and you posted that thinking it wouldn't get a reaction"

Haha. Nah, he isn't involved, not from what he told me earlier. Obviously he could be and had to backtrack but doesn't seem likely. One day though, no doubt about it in my mind.

What about Koeman with Gio assisting? And Kevin Thomson remaining at Kelty?

If he does get significant funds to spend, he could easily spend some of that on a player or two without making a dent in it - we'd get a reasonable fee and they'd get players he's worked-with already which would make it the very definition of low risk for Villa.

There have been murmurs Gerrard wasn't happy with the lack of fund this year, but when you look at the accounts, its pretty clear that if he'd qualified for the CL, he'd probably have been given some money. The team has looked out of sorts all season and making lots of basic mistakes. That's on the coaching staff to sort out, but they've been unable to do it. So its not unreasonable to look at where we are and assume that's come in to SG's thinking too. Presumably he's been told that Liverpool want him to have some EPL experience before they consider him for the job, but I also think that if he'd stayed, showed he could retain a title and win a cup, that would definitely have been plus points for him too. Its hard not to think he's jumped at the first offer in the EPL from a club which doesn't have off-the-field issues around ownership, finances or one of those clubs which isn't a favourite to be relegated. McCoist summed it up when he said it leaves a bit of a sour taste when you look at the timing and circumstances, that's all it is for me.

plus players in Britain rarely have release causes.

Wasn't meant to be a criticism, just a fact

It wouldn't matter anyway - if Gerrard wants Kamara it wouldnt matter what his release clause is because Kamara's agent would just tell Villa anywayi