andy steel

I bet it's funnier than any of hers. An artist I have never warmed to at all, to be honest.

I'll reread it later on, but off the top of my head I can't see what's in it to merit a complaint, let alone censorship. That's a bit surprising. Must be doing something right, I suppose. I wasn't happy apologising for the signing policy and expected more of a kicking from Bears for that....never occurred to me even the Mopes could object to a Rangers fan fessing up to it. I'm actually a bit stunned, is this for real? They are very, very odd people.

I unreservedly apologise for starting this thread. I had no idea it would go this far.

Why would you not be part of this 'elite'?

There's a limited amount of space on here, if it's all used up with the kind of talk you can get elsewhere I can't see any reason for the people who pay for Gersnet to keep on paying. They'd be as well paying for FF or RM. As dBerliner says, the report button could be worn out by now - but I don't see why I should hide behind mods or admin. I like Gersnet very much because it is different from the other sites I've used. But it's very hard to say to folks, 'look, this is quite a classy place. Not really looking for that sort of debate here' without hurting peoples' feelings. Nevertheless. It is quite classy, certainly compared to other football sites I have seen, and it would be a real shame to see it dragged down to a slagging shop. Just about every thread is now spoiled (for me at least) by the same couple of posters saying the same things - but rather than just take it, as most boring middle aged people do, I feel like getting up and asking people to either behave a bit or piss off. If they don't like that or me...that's life. I'm sure we will all get by, somehow.

There must be some reason companies do it, they're falling over themselves in the wealthy leagues. Brand awareness, I guess, but I'm lost in the world of business.

If you think about Swansea - they brought in Martinez, then Rogers, now Laudrup. I am forgetting one of their coaches but he shared the philosophy. They are an example of a club which had risen through the leagues, stuck to a playing style and also kept a few local players in the team. And how their fans are repaying them! And how m any more generations of Swansea fans has the last three or four years created! Even should the worst happen and they go down at some point, they really are (barring an insane signing policy change which I can't see happening) set for the next 10 years at least. Depressingly, we appear to be following an inverted version of them, where Walter's defensive style is mirrored by Ally. Who's next, Craig Levein? Every time I think things can't get any worse, they do, so don't rule it out. What a relief a policy along the lines of the OP would be! Unless we have ownership locally raised and willing to go really long term - like Swansea long term - I can't see it happening. But it is surely more worth pursuing than the hideous echo of the Murray years AMMS warns us against!

You should have seen the first draft: 'Gonny effin shut up talking like weans?' As in all things, manners come first.

Steelonia, formerly known as Johnstone. But calm yourself. You're getting far too wound up about other people having a different opinion. Not much of a plan for life, you know - it's going to happen a fair bit.

<voice of Nigel Havers> By the time you finish reading this appeal, more than two posts will have been made using modern 'youth' language. It is possible anything up to three posters will have switched off, saying 'text language on Gersnet, dearie me.' And it is a problem which is getting worse. Day after day, posters are forced to wade through thread after thread of tiresome baiting, OMGs, and repetitive slurs for and against Ally. You can change this. Simply by avoiding puerile insults to people you don't know in the manner of a sixteen year old who needs to get some, you can make it better. From the condescending, elitist heights of Gersnet, you can look down on other sites and their spiteful and meaningless abuse. Together, we can be better. Thank you.

Even Jim would struggle to fix this one. How much of an apology is enough of an apology, and who decides when enough is enough? The BBC's anguished soul searching over the last couple of weeks, following claims of assault by the late Jimmy Saville and wider claims of a 'groping culture' with that organisation up until very recently (the comedian Sandi Toksvig and presenter Liz Kershaw have claimed it continued until very recently indeed) have led the DG, George Entwhistle, to launch an inquiry ( LINK ). Ever since the Macpherson report in 2006, bodies such as the Beeb live in terror of accusations of 'institutional' malpractice; racism, sexism, ageism, whatever ism you like. A body that has apologised for being 'hideously white' ( LINK ) would, you'd think, have shaken off any legacies of the past and moved forward. Probably with difficulty and with mistakes, but it's a body made up of people and people make mistakes. Expecting perfection only leads to disappointment. Not so, it appears. The BBC is gearing up for a major mea culpa moment. Saville will be thrown to the historical dogs; deservedly, one would have to say; the Corporation will no doubt commission Toksvig to come up with an inclusivity plan to prevent the groping of female staff in future. If anything, the BBC is now institutionally apologetic. Anyone with a grievance can get a 'sorry' from them. At some point in the future it is going to have to draw the line and cease apologising for its historical faults and ensure that such human failings are kept to a minimum in future, lest their apologies end up with as much substance as a Craig Whyte tax return. 'Anyone with a grievance'...not quite anyone, though. There is one constituency whom the BBC are quite happy to give two fingers to. Not just that, but to flip off while critiicising for the very faults the BBC is guilty of itself. Can you guess who is it yet? My usual Saturday morning car wash was only slightly more than usual spoiled last week by Cosgrove ruining 'Off the Ball'. Outside of his horribly unfunny jokes (he could teach Toksvig a thing or two about humourlessness) there was a throwaway remark in which he reflected sadly on how Charles Green has missed a trick in not breaking Rangers from their sectarian past and ushering in a new era of inclusivity. A statement, mused Stuart, would have go so far in healing the wounds of the past. I assume, since Stuart is a media type, this would have taken the form of an apology. What form of apology would have been enough, I reflected, as my sadly aging hands sloshed the foam over my sadly aging wheels. We can rule out some kinds of apology. The signing of players of all faiths, colours and nationalities plainly isn't enough, although you may argue that tangible acts such signing Mo Johnston or Lorenzo Amoruso are worth more than all the online words of condemnation or apology written put together. The elimination of all songs with reference to religion bar one from Ibrox plainly isn't enough, either, though that has been a crie-de-couer of the campaigners since time immemorial. I'm happy enough to see these songs go, although I do miss the sheer masculine rush of The Billy Boys. Times change, however, and I'm not quite daft enough to try to change the world. Announcement after announcement by the club asking the fans to pack in the religious stuff and just support the team isn't enough. Mere weasel words designed to deflect sanction by governing bodies, no doubt. The sight and sound of a full Ibrox risen in manly appreciation of players such as Jorg Albertz or Salim Kerkar (I liked him, alright?) was, no doubt, also a ploy designed to draw away criticism. Nope, only a full (read grovelling) apology, probably written by Stuart himself will suffice. But this is where the self-righteous fall on their arses. You can't work for a company which has used sectarian practices and blast others. I strongly recommend getting hold of Archie MacPherson's superb book 'Action Replays'. You may not like his commentaries but what a writer! Witty, erudite, far ranging...it's brilliant. But BBC Scotland does not emerge well from the picture Archie paints of the last 60s and early 70s. Not one of his colleagues in the sports department was, apparently, of the Catholic faith; even in our darkest moments we have had Catholic players now and again. While BBC in London may have apologised right left and centre, I haven't heard anything from the former Queen Margaret Drive. Hiding behind the skirts of Mother in London is, if anything, even worse than not apologising at all. Yes, BBC Scotland now operate an inclusive employment policy (and how!), but so do we and an apology is expected from us...why the double standards, Stuart? The Glasgow Herald also operated on discriminatory lines up until the period mentioned above, and I'm quite sure there were others. No one who claims sectarianism is a dead concept being propped up by fauz-Old Firm outrage denies it once existed, albeit in a professional, black balling type way rather than nasty, bomb laden violence a la Ireland. But if there's only one body in the whole country expected to apologise for the faults of the past - Rangers - it rather suggests that the people looking for an apology are less interested in righting the wrongs of the past than kicking Rangers. You have to conclude that no form of apology can heal the wounds of the past when those who claim to be wounded insist on ripping the scab off on a daily basis. You can't heal someone who wants to suffer. In order that there be no doubts, I will take it upon myself to apologise to anyone who was offended by Rangers employment practices of some of the 20th century. Since this policy was blown into extinction in 1987 ,when I was 16, and I'm now 41, I don't feel much responsibility for it or shame at its existence (you might as well ask me to feel sad about the Falklands War...it was there, I didn't approve of it but it certainly wasn't my fault) but I'm happy to make others happy, so , I'm really sorry. I'm glad it has gone, and that I've been able to enjoy players of any and all backgrounds. Now...any chance of BBC Scotland doing the same? Over to you, Stuart. I look forward to hearing your apology bellowing out across the drive next Saturday, and the issue can be consigned to the soap suds running into the drain. Onwards to the future! must be our call...and I make no apology for that.

I did not! I'm not convinced just yet about Ally the manager - I don't see how anyone could be, going by performances & results. But he may yet come good, and I would be delighted if he did.

No, I don't think so. It seems like a more understanding approach to a period which is always going to be traumatic, and will continue to be so for about another two years at best imo. It doesn't mean an acceptance of defeat or pitiful performances, and it doesn't mean having no goals. To use your medical analogy, it is like suffering a near fatal illness and taking a good long while to get back on your feet.

He gets it! It would take an absolute catastrophe - like, a run of Stirling results x @ 3-5 - to make the upheaval caused by sacking Ally worth it. Long term, I'm less than convinced he's in the right job, but for just now there's no benefit to putting the club into more disorder. The fans squawking is fine, it's what we do. But you don't want to see the club itself doing the same.

You have more faith in them than I do.

You should have tried the Milanese on ESPN.

I had none. I can recall a dull pain which seemed to get stronger every time I turned on my laptop, but the idea of setting goals for some season ahead would have meant a leap of imagination I wasn't capable of. I suppose you could say 'that Rangers would still exist in 12 months time' but that was more a desire than an expectation. It's going to take a hell of a lot more than some pishy away days to make me anything but grateful I still have a team to support.

And if said season ticket holder would rather take the kitchen scissors to his card than be spoken on behalf of by the RST? The RST has had years to get a broad membership going - they can hardly just co-opt nigh on 40k ST holders and think no-one would notice!

I had gathered that.

If Charles gave Ally the bullet tomorrow morning, I doubt there would be a single one of us who would come on and say 'that's just not fair'. But there's a world of difference between that realism and coming out and calling for his head, for one or two reasons. I hate uncertainty - and Rangers need another period of turmoil like a hole in the head. Who would come? Unless they're someone really good 100% certain to come, I'm wary. We don't need a fortnight of being rejected by every Tom Dick and Harry before settling for David Pleat. We're still a point off the top, and ought to get up come what may. Not much of a comfort given performances, but a fact. And finally... I can't square the circle of being a Rangers fan with putting the boot in. I did that when I was younger and was proven wrong - Hateley and Stevens were only two players who showed me up. The big fear I have is that Ally's career starts and finishes with the crowd singing 'Ally, Ally, Get Tae Fuck.' I will never do that.

He did get a reaction out of them 2nd half but they were awful in the first. He's got a rep as an up and coming, passing manager so I thought I would see what it was about. Of course it could just have been a one off, but they looked pretty poor. I watched the first 30 minutes thinking County were hammering ICT...then my wife pointed out which team was which.

A thread of grown men whining like bitches (I include myself). Time for bed, I think.

Man, I'm sat here pleasantly pished, and 54 is getting all mean. If you're looking for a point to a clip of the Ting Tings singing 'That's Not My Name' you're looking too hard. Did you play it? There's a blonde chick in it, which is reason enough for me to do anything. Blondes, mmmmmmmm.

That's not very convincing, mate.