andy steel

It would have garnered a lot more credibility if it had both punished Rangers for the club's actions under Whyte (which are inseparable, acc. to this) but allowed it to operate at a level at which its debts could be paid. Difficult, but not impossible: an embargo on one transfer window could have been argued as being proportionate; enforcing a salary cap would have left the players with the option to stay on lower wages (unlikely, but you never know) while forcing the club to get its financial house in order; this cap could have remained in force until all debts to member clubs at least were paid, tho I'd argue for debts to businesses as well, or at the very least until a repayment plan is in place. Add in the 10 pt. penalty and the fines and I think you have a punishment only timothy would find lenient. This punishes the club and effectively ensures it won't win hee-haw in the foreseeable, unless it pulls off some amazing deals with the likes of Jig. But it would require imagination and the prompt passing of required rules...never going to happen with the SFA.

Who's rich, English, and with a fitba connection? Frannie Lee is about the only one I can think of...does Mick Channon still race horses?

You take 20 minutes out to plough thru a turgid, pompous load of crap from the tribunal and when you come back this is the news.

Slightly confusing in places; especially the 'certain people were excluded from info and should have shouted louder about it'. I am no expert in company law, but encouraging directors of a company to publicly allege breaches of law - even for the best of reasons - is taking us into well dodgy legal areas. A tribunal with a QC on it should have been aware of (a) the conflict of legal responsibilities this issue raises; not many are likely to shout from the rooftops about something they may well face charges of complicity with, even if they are of the soundest moral probity. does the panel also have responsibility to offer plea bargains? Or any legal authority at all to be suggesting appropriate behaviour in this field? I doubt it. and (b) the extraordinary precedent they seem to be setting for those involved in directorial work, especially that relating to financial matters. Got a concern? Go to the papers!! I can't see that one catching on. Nevertheless, it's hard to disagree that when Olverman was told the non-payment of PAYE was a tactic, common sense should have led him to lock his office door and phone HMRC. His actions (non-actions) on this issue aside, I don't see the failure of the other excluded directors in the same way as the tribunal. Which, incidentally, is right up its own arse. However, that's it in stone, I think. There's to be no separation of Rangers FC and Craig Whyte, meaning we'll be liable to punishment for all his insane schemes. Going to get worse before it gets better, that's an understatement.

It's a depressing circle of empty vessels feeding off unhappiness, it really is, this media need for voices. SSN, for all that it is an outstanding channel with some well choice eye candy (I especially like the Irish lass in the mornings) needs a constant stream of fresh input, at least for 12-15 hours a day, so they resort to people like Mr Dingwall, or DCV/Badger from RM. Nothing wrong with that, except their exposure on national media gives them a profile they probably didn't want or expect. Last night, before I switched off, the BBC resorted to asking a celtc blogger about the Rangers affair. The only previous contact I'd had with his site was when I found an ancient old article I'd written on it, about Walter Smith and Alan McGregor. Alas, my polite enquiry as to how a story on a Rangers website (think it was RM) by a Rangers fan about the Rangers manager and the Rangers goalie could qualify as celtc news, quick or otherwise, went unanswered. But the point is they need these people to fill their time. So these people get inflated egos, it's hardly surprising. I would dread to think what I would be like if I was the go to guy for the media on all things Rangers, I'm arrogant enough as is it to give Souness a run for his money. Long story short, if certain people have got a bit up themselves, it's both unsurprising and I think forgiveable. The question has to be, is there a body which can withstand having dominant individuals within it, as all bodies will have, and remain representative of the fanbase as a whole? Only if there's a far wider engagement with individual supporters, leading to a far deeper pool of people resources. And there's been no sign of that.

Uniquely in world history, we have the sight of the sinking ship fighting with the rats to see who can die first. Madness ahoy!

You can't leave your national league on the grounds that it isn't competitive. Surely no-one could be dumb enough to swallow that one?

A business strategy that would turn even Whyte green with envy.

Yes, I am. Now you mention it, I always thought his name would be brilliant for a pervert. I dunno why. Flashin' Freddie Fletcher, or something, it just sounds like the name you would read in the papers in a 'stole knickers from the washing line' type case. Hope he wasn't your Grandpa.

Reckon that's coz we used to have a Freddie Shepherd on our board back in the day. Think it was a different bloke, though.

I signed up for Glasgow Uni and have been boz deep in books for the last two years...there's just no time for this during the term. Tho trying to study for exams while the love of my life is collapsing in front of me (I am 41, you know...you never grow out of a football club) has been horrendous, just horrendous.

Fair points, Tb, but I don't agree with all of them: My concerns over the RST are nothing to do with being banned or anything else (never been on FF in my life, in fact). Having flounced out of both RM and here in huffs before, I'm neither protective nor proud of anywhere. I'm also using my real name, as you can see, and just in case there's a wee photey of me with an arrow pointing at my head in my avatar. It's all about bringing your outside world with you to Ibrox: if it's all about the fitba, as you say, I've no issues. If it starts getting all baggagey, I know I'm going to get abuse and told to get tae fuck, so I don't bother. Plus, whether bans are legit does matter; if the leadership is the same, I'd prefer them not to be control freaks. Btw: "are very prod of their "own" forum" Freudian slip if ever there was one!

No, I don't think they could. But they'd get a tasty cash injection for however long we were in each league. Talking this over with my boy the other day we were quite keen on the idea of tootling down to Annan or up to Elgin of a Saturday, seeing what sights there are - everywhere can be a new adventure if you have an open mind, and I bet at the very least these places have some old churchyards to explore, nothing better in autumn - have a blether over some grub with the locals, and if we don't get to see the game we'll listen in on the car radio, no biggie. I'm so up for something other than Motherwell town centre YET AGAIN that I would accept us playing in any league, anywhere.

That's the same idea as the one I put in the OP!!! Never thought about Weir, that's a good shout.

Yes, yes, but what about potential players? Out of contracts, mid to late 30s, with a Rangers history who could write their names into a unique (it better be unique) period in our history?

Thinking about this option (my favourite, just coz I want something new and would love to get away from them for a while) seems like we'd be obliged to go with young players; but how many seasoned pros coming to the end of their careers could we tempt back for a one season payback to the club? Thinking of lee McCulloch atm, but maybe also Barry if Blackpool didn't go up (he's done OK for an English league failure, ain't he?). Doesn't even have to be players of that calibre; likes of Darryl Duffy would do nicely at that level, if he fancied it, or (whisper it) Kenny Miller for a 3rd go? Just a thought to get away from the misery of takeover confusion.

Just got banned from Gersnet.online coz it's a Rangers forum, and I support someone else. They could not handle me not having a life. Am really really sad and will try again to wind up people who don't care about my opinion. Still thick though

I was thinking more steak bakes and sausage rolls but there's no harm in aiming big!

To answer your question, we have won trophies for over a century. That merits jealousy on a colossal scale. Big wow, we'll live with it (hopefully!). If someone from Inverness or Killie or wherever has such a piss poor life that obsessing over someone else's team is the be all and end all, that's their worry.

I wonder if it is only on matchdays that people are around and about, though. There's the pitch across the road, usually has some traffic, when I was up for tickets last week there was an Ulsterbus disgorging plenty of folks, and when I was meant to be at school I spent plenty afternoons in the old shop near the tube station (ah, those posters of John MacDonald...where are they now?) and wandering round Ibrox just to be there...I know that was mid 80s (1980's, I mean) but have we really changed that much? I think there's potential for a business to turn a profit outwith matchday hours, when police concerns would likely see licensing restrictions.

As long as we ultimately recognise that it's no one's fault but our own we're in this mes to begin with, I'm all for highlighting the shortcomings of others.

Ng Billy....superb!

Come on, it was 20 years and more ago. We all make mistakes and Souness certainly made one there; but he was a man in his 30s who saw a bright light and went for it. Few of us would be able to resist the temptation, especially if it meant getting away from the negative vibe merchants up here.

My 10 year old said this only yesterday, that a Greggs in Ibrox would make a killing. I find it hard to believe that any professional company would put their name to the muck that is served us on matchdays - a 10 minute queue for a scorching hot, thin piece of questionable meat at vastly overinflated prices. The staff are available and might well fancy a break from the same old same old...and some Greggs wenches are quite fetching.

You do have to feel for him...he's written all those words and not a soul will take one of the them seriously. He's an interesting symptom, though. In England, the BBC Sports Dept. assigns local reporters to each region (both locally and nationally) and their remit is to establish contacts with staff at 3 or 4 clubs, build up a personal relationship with (especially) managers and in this way get first wind of any impending news. Pat Murphy, the Beeb's Midlands man, is a great example: if you look up his back history around the time of the Mick McCarthy sacking at Wolves, you'll see how close he had become to the big Yorkshireman, and although subsequent events have shown that his view - that to sack McCarthy was futile - was correct, you can see how his judgement is a bit clouded by the friendship he had established. Were Pat to have done a similar job in Glasgow, he would have been seen as a lackey by one side or the other, in the way that Chick Young is seen by cetlc fans, and that Lawwell's mouthpiece, Chris McLoughlin, is well on his way to being seen by us. Not even Pat's Irish name would have saved him if he'd been as friendly with, say, McCoist as he was with big Mick. Btw, I though McCarthy handled himself superbly during that episode. Not all fitba managers have the intellect of a nine year old, it seems. Nevertheless, just because a reporter builds up a relationship with people, and just because his job more or less makes it necessary to 'pick a side' a run with it, it doesn't excuse Chick's style. He really is a stand-out terrible writer, which in the field of Scottish football writing is quite something. So many words, so little point. At least in the online world we don't pretend this is our real job!