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I thought zero mission was the boards ambition.

Average attendances of 20,000 + in the Championship so far from worldfootball.net. The first figure is total attendance, the second is matches played and the third is average home attendance. Burnley and Blackburn don’t make it. The surprise is Derby. What would Sunderland draw if they were successful? Football fans in Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh should be ashamed they don’t turn out to support their home team. 1 Sunderland AFC 887.860 22 40.357 2 Leeds United 758.123 21 36.101 3 Derby County 634.949 22 28.861 4 Sheffield United 615.446 22 27.975 5 Coventry City 611.327 22 27.788 6 Sheffield Wednesday 584.287 22 26.559 7 Norwich City 578.676 22 26.303 8 Middlesbrough FC 558.199 22 25.373 9 West Bromwich Albion 550.696 22 25.032 10 Stoke City 500.033 22 22.729 11 Bristol City 490.753 22 22.307 12 Hull City 465.970 22 21.180 13 Portsmouth FC 445.627 22 20.256

Nope, I don't think any sort of lawyer would argue that, mate. Wales's inclusion isn't because it's a constituent member of the UK. The rules could presumably be rewritten, if required, but as they stand, it's a non-starter in terms of relocating an existing club.

Nobody, not even a massive V.L. has ever read that bit of the shirt before.

Looks like something you’d buy in a pound shop and get change back

People are focusing on Leeds far too much, it's been said multiple times, but Cavenagh is his own man and not involved with the 49ers or Leeds, while 49ers enterprise are involved with Cavenagh, it's not cut and dry that us and Leeds are owned by the same group. For Rangers, we need to be in Europe and have a working player model while being successful. That's it. That's the big complicated plan.

I don’t know if you used AI or not for your answer but I prefer your own unvarnished opinions with which I usually agree. You feel the game. A machine never can. It doesn’t have your experience.

I agree with your initial point - why do they want to buy us, and that's what troubles me. Of your options on making money, "player trading" is all well and good but for us to have any identity, we need a core of good players that are here for a while. Simply using us a trial bed where the good get passed on to Leeds at a questionable price and the not so good stay is not encouraging. Option 3 is my bet, or maybe I should say my fear, pessimist that I am. On the question of dual ownership, if Leeds stay in the Premiership, we are effectively an after thought. If we do well, great but if not it's no great shakes. If Leeds go the way of many clubs and are quickly relegated, how does that effect the model? What are the implications for dual ownership for a club in the football league? I'm sure the people concerned have all these issues covered and know exactly what they will do in all scenarios. We can only watch events unfurl.

From the Daily Record Rangers close to new sporting director appointment with Barry Ferguson and Nils Koppen to learn their fates The search begun by Patrick Stewart back in February is nearing the end game with the new man expected to be announced imminently SPORT Ross Pilcher 19:04, 22 Apr 2025Updated 19:35, 22 Apr 2025 Rangers CEO Patrick Stewart The appointment of a new sporting director at Rangers is imminent. Record Sport understands the new man is set to be announced sooner rather than later, having been given the tour following negotiations. CEO Patrick Stewart has been leading the process, having confirmed back in February that the hunt was on, and the new man will be in charge of the whole footballing operation at Ibrox, which needs attention. Stewart said: “We are now in the market for a Sporting Director. “That role will put someone right at the top of the football tree; an experienced football person who will be responsible for all aspects of the football club to ensure they’re working together towards fulfilling our holistic joined-up plan." Article continues below And Record Sport's Keith Jackson revealed on Hotline Live that conformation is coming, which could have different repercussions for interim boss Barry Ferguson and technical director Nils Koppen. He said: "I'm told Rangers are very close to appointing a sporting director. Really close. They know who it is they want. "Patrick Stewart is in charge of this one. I think they've got their guy and it will be announced sooner rather than later. "That's going to be fascinating, to see who it is and his beliefs, views and philosophies. Also, what he thinks about the guy that's currently sitting in the dugout. "Because if he fancies Barry Ferguson, then who knows? There's a whole load if imponderables but that will be the first thing that happens. "Rangers fans can expect an appointment in that position very soon. "Again, that kind of moves Nils Koppen a little bit further out of the equation and he goes back to doing whatever it is that he's been doing. "If Rangers were serious about it, they'd need to take a look at his handiwork, assess it and say 'I'm not sure that we really need you in charge anywhere near the recruitment side of the club.'"

Some links for anyone who's interested https://trainingground.guru/thelwell-to-step-down-as-everton-director-of-football/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Everton/s/u5qkphGUIq https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1580569/2020/02/04/spiers-wolves-thelwell-new-mendes-york/ https://www.rangersreview.co.uk/features/25108355.rangers-sporting-director-update-ex-premier-league-chief-favourite/

Reading something earlier today, i can’t find article too add link, it said if Athletic win the group we automatically get moved up one notch due to other teams league positions etc. found it ! https://apple.news/A7xiG9dOmS2K6mII5ZJ7EYw

Regardless of who comes and goes we can all rely on Keith Jackson to be there to lead us around by the nose.

New Sporting Director

Well, if I'm confused I'm sure others will be too!

No, you're getting confused. It refers to this https://www.unibet.co.uk/zeromission It's on our shirts this season.

Thought we were not supposed to be involved in anything political? Is net zero not a political stance?

Technically there is. Clubs need to be associated with a County FA to take part in a competition and a club based in Scotland wouldn't be, for example. There's also the rule that "all Clubs shall have Grounds and headquarters situated in England, the Channel Islands, Isle of Man if applicable or Wales". There are many other hurdles, such as needing a licence and permission needs to be sought to play against non-English teams.

Only if you were following the Scottish Media tbh, typical scaremongering ah the deal might be falling through because of Leeds staying etc, never had any bearing. Our ownership group is structured in a way, that although some of the same faces from Leeds & 49ers are involved, it's flagged by Cavenagh and his National Health whatever it was company. American media has been better to read for staying informed on this. Scottish media even tried to drum up that it all banked on the Easdales too for example. All nonsense. Just enjoy what's about to happen folks.

But up here they will demand a 50/50 split in any big game tickets should be distributed according to your average home attendance

Financially yes but its actually a double scoop for the owners if we reach the league format in Europe again. Leeds wont be able to offer them European football in the near future unless they do a Nottingham Forest.

As a matter of fact, I am led to believe that there is nothing in the English FA rules to stop us buying a small English league club, moving it to Ibrox and changing its name to Rangers FC and therefore being eligible to play in their league. You may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one.

Syphilis is more appealing than Dyche.

Well done the Forest back into 3rd. Keep it going. Tottenham are just a shambles. Man City v Aston Villa tonight - I think Villa need at least a point or they will be playing catch up again. If they can keep their momentum going then they could win and I hope Emery plays both Rashford and Watkins. It could also be a dress rehearsal for the FA Cup final.

Tony Mowbray sacked by West Brom - just saying.......😀

Think football has definitely moved on from Mourinho now, he’s not the manager he once was.. would be an media circus if he came and not in a positive way.. Think about some of his behaviour at his previous club’s derby matches

It's a fascinating puzzle, isn't it? This question of "why?" hangs heavy in the air, especially given our history. You've laid out the landscape of potential motivations brilliantly, and I agree, the romantic notion of pure supporter ownership feels like a distant memory for most clubs at our level now. Your analysis of the three remaining possibilities – prestige (inflated ego), profit, or a hybrid – feels spot on. I also lean towards dismissing the "prestige" angle in this specific instance. As you say, these aren't individuals typically associated with that kind of image-building through sports ownership. That leaves the financial motivations, and your breakdown of those avenues is insightful. The Champion's League dream is certainly the one that ignites the fanbase, and you're right to question the level of investment required to make that a consistent reality. Gerrard's spending, while ultimately delivering the league title, didn't guarantee that golden ticket of Champions League qualification. The financial outlay for sustained success at that level is immense and carries significant risk. Your point about player development and sales being a more "attractive" option from a purely business perspective resonates strongly. The Strasbourg/Chelsea model you highlighted offers a stark illustration of how a multi-club ownership structure can prioritize the needs and financial well-being of the flagship club. The potential for Leeds' growth in the Premier League dwarfs the immediate financial rewards of even a successful Europa League campaign for us, making that pathway seem like the more logical focus for a purely profit-driven entity. And your final point about reducing overheads is a sobering but realistic possibility. Maintaining a competitive edge domestically to ensure European football while streamlining costs could be a sustainable, albeit less glamorous, strategy. It wouldn't necessarily bring the trophies and European nights fans crave, but it could be a pragmatic approach for owners focused on long-term stability and modest returns. Ultimately, without any direct communication from the potential owners, we're left to speculate and piece together the clues. Your analysis of the financial realities of Scottish football and the potential synergies (or lack thereof) with their existing club in England provides a compelling framework for understanding their possible intentions. It certainly gives food for thought beyond the initial excitement of a potential takeover. Let’s see what our future brings and may it happen soon as it can’t be any worse than it already is.

Similar to Buster, between 1978 and 1990 I completed six tours of the Province; two six month affairs, the rest were 3-4 emergency stints. Sinn Fein/IRA came to the table and signed the Good Friday peace deal because they had ran out of road, they had no room to manoeuvre. The Int' chaps, the crystal gazers always spouted the IRA needed at least 2,0000 operatives to stay relevant and effective. We are talking balaclavas on the trigger, bomb makers and layers, recce' groupings, safe house holders, watchers, sympathetic farmers, Doctors, medical professionals, drivers, journos, quartermasters, artificers, .......................... etc. By 1990, the IRA had over 1,500 folks in GB, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Euro, North, Central and, South American jails. There were a few dozen more banged up in the tin pails of Australia, South Africa, Canada and, New Zealand. A few spectaculars, the Barrington sniper rifle campaign and, the desperate proxy bombings were the last gasps. Danny Morrison, the broth of a bhoy that came up with, "who in this room would disagree if the Provos took control on the island of Ireland with an Armalite in one hand and the ballot box ion the other" was in the jail for conducting a pistol whipping a catholic pensioner in a Sinn Fein office, who refused the use of his house as the base for an ambush. The IRA were defeated by professionalism. The civil authority in the UK lost the peace because Blair washed his hands after signing the peace deal. Paul Maskey at Ibrox and a former member of my Regiment facing charges for actions on the day of Bloody Sunday are evidence of that fact.

I lived just north of Belfast for a few years during the 1990s. I was there during the 'end' of the troubles and for the Good Friday Agreement, indeed I voted in favour of it. There were 322 people killed during the 1990s alone, 854 during the 80s and over 2,000 in the 1970s. Everyone in Northern Ireland was affected, directly or indirectly. As a Glaswegian I arrogantly thought I had a grasp of the place before I went, I didn't. Like so much in life Northern Ireland is far more nuanced and complicated than some like to portray it. The Good Friday (or Belfast) Agreement was a compromise. It was very difficult for some people to accept it, I knew people who couldn't. I understood why too. For me it came down to stopping the killing. Those numbers of dead above, that would have continued. There are people today alive who otherwise wouldn't be. It's that simple. No one got what they wanted. Republicans had to admit they weren't getting a 'united Ireland' through violence, the only way that was going to happen was through democratic means and that might take generations, if ever. Unionists had to accept that a 'united Ireland' was a legitimate aim as long as it was achieved through the ballot box. Everyone had to accept murderers, sociopaths, gangsters and monsters were not only going to get away with their crimes, but be allowed into civil society, take up important roles of state and have their past whitewashed. Northern Ireland is a better place to live in today than it was when I moved there. It's certainly not perfect, far from it, but police officers can now tell their neighbours what they do for a living, teenagers can work anywhere in the city without the genuine fear they could be abducted and murdered on their way home. That's progress, believe it or not. The price of this is accepting people who were responsible for a lot of the violence, anger and murder now have important roles, make decisions, and walk like statesmen and women. It's a bitter, bitter pill, but surely better than the alternative. I think so, at least.