26th of foot

As yet, I don't know. The team came from Beeb Scotland's Al Lamont, he gave Livi's subs, but did not mention ours. Thus, I don't know if Katic is injured, or being rested?

Rangers line up is as follows : McGregor, Tav, Goldson, Worrall, Barisic, Ejaria, Coullibaly, Arfield, Lafferty, Morelos, Candeias.

The more I think about today's match, and I know I am over thinking it; we must score first, and second.

I have just heard an interview with Neil Doncaster saying Police Scotland have supported this solution. They have been involved in the meeting that arrived at two games at one stadium in one day. I suspect Police Scotland will have most problems between 16.00hrs and 18.00hrs when supporters of all four teams will be intermingling in city centre pubs? My personal experience of the 2016 Scottish Cup final aftermath does not inspire confidence in Police Scotland to be able to handle the the challenges thrown up by these unique and particular circumstances.

Just for the on going record. Big Dick hosted, Paul Hartley and Billy Dodds(including his EBT) joined him in the studio at PQ. Tynecastle had Liam McLeod and Alan Preston covering Hearts/Motherwell. Chris McLaughlin patrolled Perth for a well rehearsed pre-match interview with Brenda. Saints versus ra Yahoos was very much second on the bill. Here's how it goes, BBC in LOndon want their Scots counterparts to provide material on England's favourite sons, Steven Gerrard. As Big Dick continues to parrot, "because of the on going problem between the BBC and the club", this not happening. We know Sellik Quick News is Lawwell's site of choice this last decade, to air views by proxy. The site has carried Brenda's offer from China and speculation this was used as a lever to persuade the Board to take Sellik to the next level. Thus, Chris asks specifically about Brenda being the recipient of an approach from China? Brenda says, "it's not relevant". Two questions later, the doughty bald one shows necessary tenacity by pushing the issue, "was there an offer in the close season"? Brenda relents, "yes". Immediately, Big Dick and Billy EBT chorus congratulations for McLaughlin's persistence, the Beeb in London have a genuine UK wide headline, it leads across BBC Five Live and is carried on three separate pieces on BBC Ceefax. Brenda remains quite important, Chris delivers something quite important, and PQ relieves the pressure for now. Of course, the reality is Brenda has fallen a long way off the Premiership carousel, no club in that sphere approached him in the close season, after a double treble and two qualifications for the CL. Chris the choreographer is a facilitator, no he really is, and he remains quite important. The semi-final row at the end of the show was revealing. Alan Preston demanded transparency in deciding the venues, dates, and timings. He wanted Hearts to play at Murrayfield. Chris was too busy filing articles to London, but knew he could rely on Paul Hartley to guard Sellik interests. Big Dick is a Dandy. and joined Preston's cry for transparency. Where was the Rangers supporting voice? The occupant of last evening's PQ naughty step was Chic Young. Teams read out pre-match, a few lines on scorers at half-time, asked the audience, "answers on a postcard for guessing what Rangers player has been booked for dissent"? Full time saw another two goalscorers reported and Morelos missing the semi-final. As earlier stated, it amounted to two minutes of air time. I support Alan Preston, as a license fee paying Rangers supporter, I would love some transparency.

Returning in the car tonight, I heard Big Dick enthuse, "so many big games at this time of the season, they keep on coming and full live coverage of them all can only be found here on BBC Radio Scotland". Breath taking arrogance on his part. He is telling the audience that they provide every service to all. On an evening when Chic Young sat on the naughty step watching Rangers TV. A four hour show that saw two minutes dedicated to tonight's game against Ayr United. Big Dick lies with such confidence, without fear of being corrected.

The only way Fiona Hyslop would become involved, is if you offered her the opportunity to eat Pacific Quay. We have to ensure the MV Waverley is out of reach, she enjoys a boat dessert. Apres consumption, she would be bobbing in the Clyde, providing a hazard to river navigation.

Tomorrow evening's League Cup quarter-final against the Honest Men is an opportunity for Steven Gerrard to lay down part of a big marker. There is a similarity to Souness's first season, league draws and defeats had seen Rangers off the pace. Progress in Europe and in the then Skol Cup had fueled optimism. We were paired with Dundee at Ibrox in the last eight, the previous dozen years had seen the dark blues end our cups' involvement on three occasions. There was considerable relief to see Rangers run out 4-1 winners in front of a packed Stadium. We knew we were two games and a calendar month away from securing the first silverware of the season, and so it transpired, defeating ra Sellik 2-1 in the Hampden final on the 26th of October. It was the beginning of a quarter of a century of success. Momentum is everything in football, and Ayr United are on a roll. They were crowned League one champions at the conclusion of last season's final game, and they climbed to the top of the Championship on Saturday last, after recovering from a 2-nil deficit to run-out 3-2 winners. Their top scorer is Lawrence Shankland, currently boasting 21 goals, including three hat-tricks. The centre forward began at Rangers, leaving as a teenager to join Aberdeen. He scored regularly at youth/reserve level, was loaned to a number of clubs, arriving at St Mirren where the perceived wisdom was he carried a dozen extra pounds and lacked the necessary determination to make the top grade. His arrival at Somerset Park changed everything, he became a personal trainer, lost the timber, and honed a real sharpness. There are a number of well kent faces supporting Shankland, Andy Murdoch is no stranger to the Bears, Alan Forrest notched against us in February, and Michael Moffat's intention to fund more Bookies' children through private schooling, are all deserving of a mention. Their manager, Ian McCall is another former Ranger. His playing career saw him start at Fir Park, move to Queens Park, pin balled to East End Park, before arriving at Rangers for £200,000. His debur was at Sellik Park, his first touch a defensive header at an opposition corner, he hit the bar. In the next three seasons, he made 24 appearances, scored 2 goals, including a spectacular winner against Hibs. The Doonhamer resided in the city's west end and tales of his bohemian lifestyle quickly circulated. He missed a couple of training sessions and was transferred to Bradford City for the same amount involved in his arrival. A few years later, he was celebrated in song, "he's white, he's blue, he shat in Simon's shoe". Stainrod had big shoes to fill. McCall's managerial career has been long and varied. Began at Clydebank when the then owners were attempting to transfer the club to a Dublin base. He moved to Airdrie, Morton, Falkirk, Dundee United, Queen of the South, Partick Thistle, before washing up at Ayr. His tenure at Tannadice saw him face Rangers in a League Cup semi-final. Barry Ferguson returned from down south that very day, he was put on as a sub', Rangers running out 7-1 victors. McCall's honesty was refreshing, "it's all my fault, at 2-1 down I decided to go kamikaze"! Bohemians from Dumfries, what are they like? The decades do not change Ian, according to today's press; he is determined to attack Rangers and stick by his preferred two up front. I suspect the game will be entertaining and hopefully McCall will be walking back to Ayr in Simon's shoes. I think Gerrard will ring the changes : Foderingham, Flanagan, Goldson, Worrall, Wallace, Halliday, McCrorie, Grezda, Arfield, Middleton, and Morelos. I take the Bears to go through on the back of a 4-1 victory. In 1986, a month after securing the League Cup, we sat fourth in the Premiership. We exited Europe on December 10th, and went on a 19 league match unbeaten run that brought our first title in nine years. Win this trophy and the momentum will be ours.

Folks, I will post my review of the Ayr United this evening.

I believe that to be a Royal Marine tradition, isn't it?

The common perception is that the PQ boycott is a Sports Department thing. I think the Sports Editor is Jeff Webster, like his old man who had a column in the Herald for a dozen years, Jack Webster; is a Dandy Don. When he presents on the occasional Sunday, I find him most fair on all things Rangers. Richard Wilson is behind the scenes on minor sports, but is largely regarded to have withdrawn himself from the constant conflict with the usual Rangers hating crew. I think the same will happen with Darryl Broadfoot, his interventions on rule changes ran interference with those that want Rangers blamed for everything. I think the various usual suspects broadcasting get away with it, because there is a coterie of Producers allowing/facilitating the current continuing behaviour. The Director General of Beeb Scotland will have to get a grip, because the new BBC Scotland 2 Channel, I believe to be largely a news/documentary set-up? The Editor of said new channel will be James Cook. Yep, that one who admitted deliberately altering an interview with McCoist, to make it look like Ally did not take sectarianism seriously. Both he and his Producer admitted and apologised after Rangers complained. Of course, Cook(an Arab) was rewarded with a massive promotion, he became the BBC's North America correspondent. He is returning to the new role and his first appointment as an Anchor, is Martin Geisler(A Jambo). Cook, as Editor will have considerable freedom to enact another rite of passage. The current behaviour is simply unprofessional, and they don't care.

Yesterday was more of the same for license fee paying Rangers supporters. PQ's live coverage of Killie/Sellik began at midday and went all the way until eight minutes to three. It was the full bhuna furra Bhoys. Big Dick, Liam McLeod, Pat Bonner, Gary Holt(for a semblance of balance), and Chic Young doing pitch side. Before and after the match, Chick interviewed both managers, Stevie Clarke and Brendan Rodgers. Teams and substitutes were read out, speculation on both sides' formations and styles of play offered. Live commentary was augmented by Bonner's and Holt's insight. Table positions read out and both sides' next opposition mentioned and speculated upon. At quarter to three, Hugh MacDonald and Tom English were introduced and immediately they joined in on the crisis being experienced by ra Sellik. They agreed that Hearts were the beneficiaries, Hibs and Aberdeen would be relieved at the Rugby Park result too. Tom rattled on about ra Sellik's annual wage bill of £60 million and concluded the Board were backing Brenda. Hugh dismissed having pants on his head with two pencils stuck up his nose, Sellik had recently battered Rangers, again! However, there was mild alarm. Big Dick had to interrupt to allow Rob McLean to begin being across events at Ibrox. The man who groaned his way through both Rangers equalisers in Spain, read out both teams at eight minutes to three. He did not mention subs and there was no speculation on formations or styles of play. In fact, being across events ended at the teams. Big Dick, Hugh, and Tom began talking rugby union. Over the next two hours, the three Amigos talked tennis, rugby, and golf. Their was a several line half-time report from Rob that announced Rangers were on easy street. The last update was the Saints penalty. Big Dick vented some angst with, "Rangers will move into second position on goal difference. Still, they remain five points behind Hearts". We did NOT receive a full time report because Craig Connolly(Ryder Cup Caddy) had joined the crew and was regaling the trio with golfing vim and brio. The Producer ran the show until five O'Clock with no further mention of the Rangers game or final scorer. After the five O'Clock news, the girl providing the Sports Report mentioned Candeias had scored Rangers fifth in a 5-1 victory. Further, it appears PQ no longer calls the opposition manager post match. Being across events means both teams being read out, a short halt-time report, an occasional haphazard update, and the final result being broadcast in the hourly sports report. ......... and still they continue to take our monies for little to no service.

A quick update on last night's PQ administrations. Paul Mitchell(Jambo) and Steven Thompson(EBT toting St Boo fan) were in a PQ cupboard providing 'live' commentary of Villarreal vs Rangers. Big Dick, Liam McLeod, Wullie Miller, Tom English, Michael Stewart, and Paddy Bonner were all at Sellik Park. At half time and full time of our game, the only discussion was ra Sellik. Big Dick provided our score in Spain with details of scorers, whilst doing a run down on other Europa Cup results. At culmination of events at Parkhead, they spent twenty minutes discussing the merits of Leigh Griffiths, there was NO summing up of our game. Both Chris McLaughlin and Scott McDonald were at Sellik Park too, they were in hospitality. Now, if PQ dispatch the usual crew to Salzburg in a fortnight to cover the green'n'grey hooped horrors, and provide commentary of Rangers vs Vienna from the PQ cupboard; then we have got them NOT providing a similar service to all license fee paying supporters. Why they did not travel to Spain is a most legitimate question?

I will do Ayr United at Ibrox in the League Cup, if there are no other takers?

Seriously, is any Gersnetter surprised by this latest episode? At the culmination of the 2016 Scottish Cup final, Rangers made a statement that all members of Rangers staff on/in the pitch/dug-outs that day had been subject to varying degrees of threatening behaviour and assault. They qualified the accusation by referring to prodding, pushing, spitting, ....... etc. Plenty of both Hibs and Rangers supporters appeared in court accused of assaulting each other, invading the pitch, resisting arrest, ..... etc; not one was charged with assaulting a member of Rangers staff. We have designer justice. The design is to ensure that in future, the compiled stats will show that Rangers players were not assaulted, effigies were not hanged by the neck, children aged ten did not have their heads stitched or jaws reconstructed, .... etc.

The net is full of pictures of Angela Haggerty.

Aberdeen were sitting dead bottom of the SPL, couldn't buy a result. The Doyen of Scottish football, Sir Shug of Keevins christened Valencia, "the Aberdeen of Spanish football". Valencia rattled us 2 zip at the Mistral, then went all the way to the Champions League final. This righting off of Villarreal stinks of a pre-prepared narrative.

Robert McElroy's Rangers Historian ran for 25 years, It was a magazine format with over 100 editions. Reference John Allan, he was commissioned to pen the first half of Rangers existence. Allan was more a statistician than a historian, the fly leaf pull out(the Story of the Rangers - Fifty years of football 1873-1923) containing all Rangers competitive results during that period is invaluable. There's the problem with Allan right there, he was late in finishing the book, thus changed our date of founding from 1872 to 1873 to suit his preferred title. Further, he spun a tale of lusty lads and derring do. A lot happened from February 1872 and Allan ignored it because it was inconvenient.

If you trawl through old editions of Robert McElroy's Rangers Historian, some 28-30 years past, there is mention of the 9-1 game. It took place, but details are sketchy. Ra Sellik were formed in November 1887 in St Mary's Halls. It took several months for the first game to be played. The six middle class, business owning families were most active in that intervening period. Ground had been secured, a stadium with two grandstands built, and an exhibition game between Hibs and Renton arranged to attract the punters. At the end of the exhibition match, ra Sellik signed the better halves of both teams, and effectively sunk major competition going forward. Disgust at Sellik's actions that day echoed around Scottish football for the next 30-40 years. Ra Sellik's first game is always portrayed as against Rangers in May 1888. In fact, it was a Rangers xi, effectively the Swifts. Ra Sellik won 5-2, their first goal scorer was Neil McCallum. Of course, McCallum had been a Rangers player before, kills the lie of Rangers not signing RCs, because Sellik's first teams were exclusively catholic. Before the Scottish League was formed in 1890, other than cup matches, all games were challenge games. The August game was a reversal of the first match, Rangers fielded it's first team and ra Sellik played an eleven. As stated, the reference is a copy of the Rangers Historian.

I believe they are still organising the tour?

Fifteen years past, Beeb Scotland did a series of Biographies on their main presenters, thirty minutes of what motivated, stimulated, and inspired them to become national broadcasting anchors. Big Dick was one such, his bio' opened with, "I was raised to hate Rangers, absolutely". This privately educated schoolboy had been extremely embarrassed some dozen years before, when he donned the Rangers club blazer and tie to a number of the official club videos during nine-in-a-row. He was suffering grief from his fellow Dandy Dons and he was intent on using the presented opportunity to establish his real credentials. Now, Big Dick had taken the monies offered and no doubt turned in a professional performance. Instead of standing up to his numerous hometown detractors, he went all 'Northern Light' and espoused hatred. Last season, he was reduced to reading out a list of incidents involving Rangers players that might interest the Compliance Officer. On Saturday, Tam Cowan wondered aloud at one point, just after Big Dick had been on Off/On the Ball after One O'Clock to promote Sportsound coming up in an hour, "Aberdenn have issued a very good statement, who's writing it"? Surely, Big Dick cannot be moonlighting as Aberdeen's PR? We should be told, particularly after all the on air grief Jim Traynor suffered after leaving the Beeb? Of course, Jum Spence did the very same for his beloved United, any number of them continually vie to do it furra Sellik, .......... etc. Here's the thing, imagine a license fee paying Bear went on Beeb Scotland and began, "I was raised to hate Richard Gordon, absolutely"? Nah, we are better than that. Listen to them carefully during this three year abdication of their responsibilities to us, and point out their continual massive lapses in professionalism.

Yesterday's coverage of our match against Dundee was more of what has become the PQ pattern. Transparency was the key word. DrStu' believes transparency will be achieved if the Review/Disciplinary Committee is made up of former players, as well as former Refs. He specifically stated the name of a fellow PQ employee who, "also wants an emancipated Scotland" to be involved. He went on to say that Michael Stewart would only willing to do it, if anonymity was guaranteed. He would rather avoid the social media storm that would accompany such decisions. Tick one for preferred prejudice. Big Dick hosted a twenty minute discussion on the same subject matter. Aberdeen are unhappy, Steve Clarke is perturbed, Neil Lennon has an interest, and everyone talked about kicking out and flicking a kick. Everyone was Wullie Miller, Billy Dodds and his EBT, Chick Young, Scott McDonald, and Alan Preston. Both Morelos and McGregor are guilty as sin and anyone else carded is provided with mitigation, including Neil Lennon aeroplaning. In the interests of 'transparency', we should know the make up of these three men panels. There was agreement that there is one rule for one club and another for everyone else. Tick two and three for preferred prejudice. It's interesting, we were told consistently that there was no need to know the identities of those disciplining our club, it wouldn't help the process. When McCoist questioned anonymity in the interests of transparency, it was Beeb Scotland that led the charge in ridicule. Oh, and if you are a license fee paying Bear, do not have the temerity to ask BBC Scotland which employee will be this week's FARE representative in Villareal? Further, Scott McDonald has some neck. Last season, he was correctly red carded for a flat of the boot lunging assault at a Rangers player and he appeared on Sportsound twice and on Sportscene once during the immediate week following his dismissal, to plead his case. That's right Scott, one rule for one ....... who else has such generous access? Objective appreciation occurs when all factors germane to the subject are thoroughly tested. Advantages and disadvantages are listed on each component. You arrive at a conclusion that can be advanced. A preferred conclusion that forces the equation to fit is corrupted absolutely. If you omit a constant factor, then your conclusion is false. The culmination of this twenty minute discussion saw Alan Preston in the final twenty seconds say, "Just because Rangers turned up with a Lawyer to bamboozle the committee doesn't make it right, kicking out at a fellow pro' compared with Neil Lennon aeroplaning on to the pitch, what's more dangerous"? Ninety-nine per cent of a discussion refusing to mention the crucial factor of a club participating in the process, fully armed; is omitted. Now, if one of Alan the Agent's players was the subject of an appeal and he was supported by a Solicitor/QC, would Alan the Agent utilise the word, "bamboozle"? To coverage of our game, Chico was 'monitoring' events. He began his team news from Ibrox by this introduction, "today's bottom half of the table fixture between Rangers and Dundee ......". Big Dick before the end of the show read out the SPFL table, "Hearts leading with a perfect fifteen points, Celtic and Livingston on ten points, and Hibs, St Johnston, and Rangers on eight points". Apparently, we are sixth; well, at least our next league fixture is top half of the table against the Saints one place above. Ah, that old adage about being accurate ensures objectivity?

No, Miller got the ball, but caught the man too. A second yellow maybe, never a straight red. Just my opinion.

Happened in front of me, I thought it was a second yellow. It was a straight red, thus Dundee can appeal.

Scottish Cup 4th round, our first game at Ibrox on a Sunday. The attendance was 65,000. Davey White was the Dundee manager and Tommy Gemmell their skipper. We were battered by Dundee that day, a really fine football playing team.