rbr

Our current situation - It's time to face the inevitable then rebuild for the future. When you drill down to it, The Rangers support, to a man, has known at the back of its collective mind that the situation we are in is dire. Many of us will be in agreement that weââ?¬â?¢ve been urinating into the proverbial wind for 3 years yet miraculously, we have managed to avoid getting wet. Sooner or later, the stranglehold that being owned by Sir David Murray has placed us under was always going to come close to killing us. I say Sir David Murray rather than Lloyds bank specifically, as our current situation has been clouded by the usual sea of half-truths, speculation and contradictions that weââ?¬â?¢ve now come to expect from the Ayrshire millionaire. I wonââ?¬â?¢t sit here and try to claim the moral high-ground by claiming recent results against the filth havenââ?¬â?¢t had any impact on what Iââ?¬â?¢m about to write: They have, and Iââ?¬â?¢ll get to that later. However, let me start from the very beginning of this, probably the most sorry episode in the never-ending series that is ââ?¬Å?The David Murray Showââ?¬Â.. It all started in January 2009. Rampant speculation built up suggesting that our top goal scorer was subject to a bid from Alex McLeishââ?¬â?¢s Birmingham. The source was originally an article from The Scottish Sun that was brief and lacking in quotes ââ?¬â?? normally the tell-tale signs of a non-story. Unfortunately, it didnââ?¬â?¢t quite work out like that, the bid from Brum was legit ââ?¬â?? and the then-chairman was about to inform us of news that would utterly stun us. After coming off of our most commercially lucrative season ever...Iââ?¬â?¢ll write that again for extra emphasis ââ?¬â?? After coming off of our most commercially lucrative season EVER ââ?¬â?? The chairman was about to confirm that despite all of this, in no small part down to a historic European run the year before ââ?¬â?? our finances were once again down the toilet... Murray told the Guardian at the time... "If we did not take this action [selling Boyd], it could have been bad but there are far worse situations developing around us and I will not allow it to spiral again. Rangers have to be run on a sound fiscal basis." In typical Murray style, however, he was soon to contradict himself completely after the transfer window closed when he said.. "The Boyd situation is simple. We received an offer that we believed, collectively, Walter Smith, manager and Martin Bain, chief executive represented good business. "The player then went to Birmingham and refused terms. That is where it stands. But Rangers will go on whether the player goes or not. In that sense, it is immaterial whether he stays or goes." I donââ?¬â?¢t know about you, but I see two statements that glaringly contradict one another. That wasnââ?¬â?¢t the end of it, however, a leading football agent told national commercial radio station TalkSport the same month, that literally ââ?¬Ë?every Rangers player was for saleââ?¬â?¢, with the likely culprit Wullie McKay later declaring that Rangers CEO Martin Bain had instructed him to sell a raft of high earning first team stars, citing McKayââ?¬â?¢s ability to ââ?¬Å?get the job doneââ?¬Â as the reason behind him being allocated this particular mission. Murray issued a ââ?¬Ë?denialââ?¬â?¢ in The Sunday People soon after which actually confirmed McKayââ?¬â?¢s claim in a roundabout way. So we were back up the financial creek without a paddle. Despite a debt that was dwindling, a tremendous run to a European Final, solid season/match day ticket sales and several impressive fees recouped for players that we sold that culminated in what was officially the most commercially lucrative season in the history of Rangers Football Club ââ?¬â?? Our debt somehow increased and we needed to make drastic cuts It was truly one of the most shocking revelations in our recent history, and it left us wondering where our money was actually going. In the summer of the sale year, Rangers managed to cut the wage bill by well over Ã?£200,000 per week (Over Ã?£10m a year) by moving on a raft of first team squad members. To the credit of Walter Smith and the board, the club maintained most of our key players but we were left well-short of numbers in the squad, a huge potential problem that thankfully was not exploited by faltering then-Celtic manager Tony Mowbrayââ?¬â?¢s inability to field a team capable of challenging for the SPL title. To make matters worse ââ?¬â?? our solitary signing that season, Jerome Rothen, had his loan spell at the club cut-short after an ineffective first half to the season. Despite the support rationally assuming that we would be able to bring in a player or two using Rothenââ?¬â?¢s estimated Ã?£18,000 per week wage, an assumption further justified by the departure of another high-earner in Pedro Mendes to Sporting Lisbon, the Rangers support were again left scratching their heads as there were no incoming transfers to the Champions in the January window of the 2009/2010 SPL season. ââ?¬Å?Mystifiedââ?¬Â just didnââ?¬â?¢t do justice to the general feeling of the Rangers support then, or indeed now. After we won the SPL title for the second consecutive season in 2010, it appeared that following some pleading words from Walter Smith himself, those big bad bankers who had been subject to a tongue-lashing or six from him over the previous months decided to relent and kindly let Rangers buy players ââ?¬â?? with money raised from selling yet more players from our already thread-bare squad. We were all left pleased with the quality of players we brought in but once again, the number of players who moved on last summer was more than the number that came in, and with our continued reluctance to promote youth in decent numbers...or use youth in Cup competition domestically given our hectic schedule, we were again left to face a season at home and abroad with a woefully small squad. For just over two years, Rangers have been fire-fighting and, as I said above, urinating into the wind without getting wet. Nobody should be surprised that this is happening, it was only a matter of time. The reality is that on-field failure and the ââ?¬Ë?huge problemsââ?¬â?¢ I speak of are hopefully going to be the precursor to change at Ibrox. Walter Smith and Martin Bain have done an outstanding job of keeping the club together during these turbulent times ââ?¬â?? that should never be forgotten and both men, Walter in particular, should be commended for this. His contribution since coming has only furthered his status as a legend despite the split opinion of his on-field approach. Something from the previous two years that I sadly canââ?¬â?¢t spare the Rangers management team and board from, however, is the constant stream of contradictory information and statements that has come from them. One minute ââ?¬Å?everyone is for saleââ?¬Â, the next ââ?¬Å?we donââ?¬â?¢t have to sell anyoneââ?¬Â. On other occasions weââ?¬â?¢ve told the world ââ?¬Å?the bank runs the clubââ?¬Â only to play it down days later. Our current chairman, who appears to have vanished without a trace, has justified our constant flip-flopping on the issue by saying our relationship with Lloyds bank is ââ?¬Ë?a fluid situationââ?¬â?¢ i.e. our status with the bank changes all the time as per their business needs. Sadly, that statement has never quite cut it for me, and the only thing fluid about this whole thing is in the way weââ?¬â?¢ve had the piss taken out of us by those who run the club. Fiscally, theyââ?¬â?¢ve done a remarkable job with a fair-share of luck involved. Keeping Davis, Bougherra, McGregor and others when weââ?¬â?¢re so up against it financially is something to be proud of. I personally decided that Rangers would not get another penny from me after that cup game. I donââ?¬â?¢t need to state the obvious about the difficulties many of us have paying for tickets when we have families to keep in this climate, the teamââ?¬â?¢s approach in this one-off must win fixture, along with yesterday and the other league game in January really symbolised the problems we have. Our first team appear to be a spent force ââ?¬â?? lacking in interest and focus because they have zero competition for a first team place. Our manager, like him or not, just doesnââ?¬â?¢t do squad rotation or youth promotion unless his hand is forced. So we now face a situation where our first team at the moment isnââ?¬â?¢t good enough and we canââ?¬â?¢t and wonââ?¬â?¢t change it. But we still pay our money and I think despite the small decrease in numbers, the club have taken our blind loyalty a little too for granted by anyoneââ?¬â?¢s standards. Weââ?¬â?¢ve all wanted a change of approach, change of ethos and a complete shift from the short-term, ââ?¬Å?boom and bustââ?¬Â mentality that has saw us teetering on the financial brink twice in less than ten years. Sadly, due to the furthering financial problems in recent years we have regressed even from that. We do not have the talent on or off the pitch to run Rangers effectively anymore. As a support, we have been very kind to the board and management team ââ?¬â?? weââ?¬â?¢ve taken everything said to us at face value. But the time has come for proper communication with the man who truly holds all the cards, Sir David Murray. Questions about the ongoing HMRC tax investigation, links between Murrayââ?¬â?¢s companies and the aggressive attitude of Lloyds bank to Rangers over what is a perfectly manageable debt from a club who have implemented some shrewd fiscal measures in recent years have not been met with satisfactory answers. Rangers quite like it when we pay our money, sit down and shut up. We canââ?¬â?¢t do it anymore ââ?¬â?? we just canââ?¬â?¢t. Answers to many, many questions are required, and only the man who has disappeared into the night can answer them properly, he still holds all of the cards. One wonders if the warning that Sir David Murray claimed he was trying to send us by selling Boyd in January of 2009 is the real reason behind the financial handcuffs that have been placed on us, with anonymous, invisible bankers quite happy to take the blame and be the ââ?¬Ë?faceââ?¬â?¢ behind the cuts as it gives them just cause to get their money back quicker. There arenââ?¬â?¢t too many other arms of Murrayââ?¬â?¢s empire that can raise seven figure sums by selling off assets relatively quickly. Our club bemoan financial pressure from the bank on one hand yet announce excellent half-year profits on the other, they blame the bank for the restrictions yet charge us through the nose for games weââ?¬â?¢ve actively tried not to win, they demand we pay for our season ticket in advance over a short timescale at inflated prices while warning us that we canââ?¬â?¢t spend money and are open to offers for our star players despite the relative success weââ?¬â?¢ve had recently in maintaining them. On field failure is the excuse the money men need to make further cuts ââ?¬â?? and itââ?¬â?¢s the excuse many of our support will need to get off their backside and demand change at Ibrox ââ?¬â?? along with clarification on what our real problems are. Enough is enough, our expectations have been managed very well by the club ââ?¬â?? weââ?¬â?¢re quite tolerant of the hardships we face now...because weââ?¬â?¢ve so splintered and blindly loyal that we refuse to speak up en masse. So long as the season ticket cash keeps rolling in, change will be delayed that little bit longer. We need to stop propping up a system that is not sustainable in the medium to long term, a regime of noble-yet-helpless individuals fighting the tide of faceless penny-pinchers...who for all we know may include our current owner, and face being flattened by the big truck weââ?¬â?¢ve been waiting to knock us down for two years. As I have no doubt that with the unrest this could all cause, we will emerge from the wreckage a much stronger force, able to plan effectively for the future. This is and always has been about more than one title or season ââ?¬â?? itââ?¬â?¢s about getting our club back. Sorry if this is negative, but I donââ?¬â?¢t care how we get that ââ?¬â?? the sooner we face the inevitable, the better as far as Iââ?¬â?¢m concerned.

He only has himself to blame , and not just him there was a couple of women joining in the "banter" , he repeated himself many many times , absolute scumbag , mind you as MF stated he comes from a family of them

Your really stretching it with that comment mate , he only has one love and that's his reflection

That question is always raised after a defeat but never after a victory , strange that...... not that it is any less valid

My greatest regret over Murray's tenure is that the massive advantages we held not just in Scotland but in Britain were never grasped and built on , I am old enough to remember when on the Saint and Greavsie show we were held up , after beating Leeds , as the way forward for any club , as they stated at the time we were the biggest club in Britain....now I am not for one minute putting Iain St John and Jimmy Greaves forward as the greatest commentators on football ever , but the fact that we were getting even a smidgen of praise from the English showed how we were seen at the time . In fact ,as has been written many times , we are now in a worse position as we were when Murray took charge , football has moved significantly but we have been left in the slip stream ,an even worse fact is that the support has been conditioned to accept this , be grateful for any small crumb and go away and shut the fuck up ..I despair for what the future holds ,it's not a change of manager we need ......

Just what is any manager going to do without money

Sorry mate , but this is a totally pointless poll , until the owner leaves and /or the board find a set of baws we are fecked

All we want is answers , selling Miller made absolutely no sense what so ever , until the truth comes out and that Bastard Murray is gone forever it,s groundhog day . Maybe in the long term losing the league might just be a good thing , because whilst we win and reduce the debt with smaller and smaller squads Murray and Lloyds are happy

Well two seasons , . from the beginning of last year

All outstanding fee's have been paid

Donald Muir shared a wee late lunch on Friday for selected pressmen to give them a preview of what lay's in wait re our latest set of accounts , according to Mr Muir we were as some on here surmised actualy �£40 million in debt last year( the stated amount plus the additional transfer fees due ) , now we are just shy �£23 million with transfer fees and some European/scottish cup money , plus squad downsizing not included, Will hopefully find out more tomorrow , take this with the usual internet pinch of salt but I trust my mate

And PLG has swept all before him all across Africa and central europe NOT , everything cannot continually be left at the door of a few players , if blame is to be laid , at Murray's door it should be left

Smith's third and fourth terms were hammered by injuries — this is beyond debate. But his supporters still claimed that the true mettle of the man could only be judged when he had a full squad at his disposal. However, this is football: there are ALWAYS some injured players unavailable for selection. Smith at that time like just now had one of the smallest squads in the EPL. In the 1999-2000 season, with most of the Everton squad fit, Smith took them to the giddy heights of 6th in the Premiership before injuries to Jeffers and Campbell began to bite deep. Contradiction on above ... Dacourt and Matterazzi were sold without either his agreement or his knowledge , Matterazzi even went on recored stating this . The complaints about formations are just stupid as every manager has the right to set out his teams according to what players he has availabvle , and 4-5-1 is probably the most used formation in football in the epl today . I could go onand on with this article , it's biased and very slanted against Smith , you dont like him that's fine but like I sa8d this is never trotted out when we are winning trophiesw , and at last look we were still well in every competition

Cannot believe that everton thread is being used yet again , why is it only ever triotted out after a few bad results , I dont remember it being brought out on the way to Manchester or in the last two championship winning seasons , christ give the guy a break . Dont you think he may just may be working with a little more than both hands tied behind his back at the moment' Let's just for a moment look at that club , since you republished it , they are really struggling at the moment , listening to Talk sport some Evertonians think Moyes has had it , and this from a club that recieves over �£45 million every season , before a ball is kicked , sorry Totti Walter may have flaws but IMHO you are way wide of the mark , even most Evertonians I have ever met and had knowledge of that article think its a very slanted view on history

Hey Frankie still waiting to be added to the FB page

Scot Broon is just misunderstood

Very scatter gun statement mate , you,ve just described the vast majority of club managers anywhere , no manager will turn down money , and he gave this bear the best style of football I have ever watched from a Rangers team ever , and but for the Mols injury , god knows where we may have ended or achieved

http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/rangers-motherwell-8478891/

Not every signing at the Advocatt era was wee Dick's , Colin Hendry anyone , also Murray gave out contracts like confetti , and most times against the medical advice he was getting from the club's own medical staff

Bluedell , to this day I am still amazed at the number of our own fans who cannot accept this was a decent deal , the removal from the high streets of a visible presence might have been a sore one , but the pure profit from this made sense , however , like everything else with Murray the long term was never thought about , thats us half way through and you can bet your bottom dollar where we go next has never been even discussed . One more thing , the average of �£4.8 million we get net profit would need a turnover of over �£30 million to get the same profit after tax , expenses , rents and wages

He is only employed because of his Rangers connection or is that too obvious to some . What is obvious is that I am on my own so to coin a well known phrase ," I'm out"

give me a break , we aren,t school kids , we are talking about a man who was in a position to take on head first our detractors and people who lets face it hate us , yet time after time he not only let them off he agreed with them . As for behaving with class and dignity , throw in the dignified silence routine and what have you got , Rangers 2011 where everyone and their grannie can have a pop without retribution

It would certainly have helped him if he managed just one out of the three

Point taken .

There is a massive difference between having a different opinion and one where he drags us down into the gutter every time septic are challenged on something they do , all I am saying is if you want the accolades and attention as he does , you dont forget your past as he has clearly done . Just as an aside Hartson and Stubbs have never brought Rangers down the way he has , some of the statements he has made in the past are not worthy of a Rangers player , and just to make my self clear I have made my opinion of him clear to his face at a Rangers function and was roundly applauded by many others , he is seen as nothing short of a joke by many of his fellow ex players